I had never used a video camera before I started this production. Nevertheless after reading the instruction manual I learnt how to record moving images, use manual zoom, record sound and view/playback files and found the video process easy from then on. By having steady hands and using a tripod in some scenes I felt I avoided the 'handheld' camera effect. However due to the many bumps on the road the camera shook at times during driving scenes. I also found that the quality of the camera was very average which could not be fixed during editing, hence why the end scene has poor exposure/contrast.
• Composing shots
I thought I composed shots well as I filmed shots from a range of camera positions and angles. I set up a tripod in the backseat of the car to film some scenes, I used the car dashboard to film other scenes, shots taken outside the car I filmed using a tripod and tracked the car in some shots. I was pleased with my variation in shots such as close-ups of my sister and I, the steering wheel, the rear-vision mirror and the wing mirror, then my use of long-shots of the road ahead, the car parked in the car park and finally the panning shot of the car turning the corner. These techniques show my competency in filming.
• Recording/Using/Creating music, sound effects and/or dialogue
On the internet, I researched some different music to play while the girls were in the car and narrowed my search down to two artists; Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Incubus. I decided on the song "Under the Bridge" by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and decided to use the instrumental version as it had a better 'background music' effect. I wanted some kind of scary music that you would find in a horror film to be injected into scenes where there is a flash of the 'stalker's' car and at the end of the film where the stalker makes its presence aware. I researched on the internet until I found a track called "Classical Horror" by an anonymous artist that was slow in pace but created immense tension which made it suitable for the flash scenes of the 'stalker's' car which would act as the theme song for the overall film. I found a faster, nameless track that created a more sudden effect which made it perfect for the end scene. For sound effects I only required walking out to the car, throwing of keys, unlocking of car and closing of car doors at the beginning and a 'bang' sound at the end as the stalker makes its entrance. For the beginning I was happy with the sound I had recorded while shooting the opening scenes, so I used that sound. For the end 'bang' sound I researched on the internet until a found a suitable 'bang' sound effect, then used that. I did not want any dialogue in my film.
• Importing images & video files
I transferred my video files from the video camera I was using to my computer easily, using a USB cord. However when I went to import my video files to Premiere Pro (the editing software I used) the files failed to read. I realised I had to convert my files because the file setting on the video camera was not a file read on Premiere Pro. After converting my files to media files read by Premiere Pro I began the editing process. I imported each video file by right clicking on the top right of the screen and selecting "import". I did the same when importing my music and sound effect files.
• Editing images for moving image production (use of editing software)
I had no previous knowledge of using filming editing software before I began the production of my film, however I used Premiere Pro CS5 to edit my footage and found it reasonably easy to use after watching video tutorials on the internet. To begin with I imported all my video clips into Premiere Pro. I then dragged each clip onto the timeline, in a rough chronological order. From there, I cropped each clip using the 'Razor Tool' in the tool box until I had the appropriate length for each clip. I then used 'Pro Amp' under Effects to adjust the level of brightness and contrast on each clip to improve the quality. To further improve the quality of each clip and create a 'cinematic' look I used the 'Three-Way Color Corrector' under Effects to adjust the hue balance of the deep-tones, mid-tones and light-tones of each clip.
I then wanted to speed up and slow down some clips, I did this by right clicking on the clip and selecting 'Show Clip Keyframes' then 'Time Remapping' and finally by selecting 'Speed'. After making this selection I could adjust the yellow line that appeared over the clip on the timeline. By moving the yellow line up I would speed up the clip and by moving the yellow line down I would slow down the clip.
I decided to use this method instead of the 'Rate Stretch Tool' in the tool box because the 'Rate Stretch Tool' would extend or crop my clips when I attempted to speed up or slow down the clips, which was not what I wanted. Using the 'Selection Tool' from the tool box I then placed my clips beside one another in my preferred chronological order. I then played back the sequence I had created and decided which clips required video transitions. For the clips that required video transitions I tried out a range of effects but decided to used 'Additive Dissolve', 'Wipe' and 'Dip to Black' where I felt appropriate. I didn't like the direction the 'Wipe' went on some clips the left to right 'Wipe' effect went against the flow of the scene, so under Effect Controls I selected 'Reverse' so that the 'Wipe' went from right to left. Finally I decided to display my knowledge on using the software by creating a split screen effect which showed the girls traveling in their car as well as the 'stalker' traveling in their car behind. I created this effect by placing the second clip above the first clip in the time line in the 'Video 2' row. I right clicked on each clip, selected 'Show Clip Keyframes' then 'Motion' and finally I selected 'Position'. This allowed my to manually move and decrease the size of each clip by dragging the corners of the clip on the viewing panel, and placing the clips side by side. Finally I added a title by right clicking beside my imported files, and selecting 'Add title'.
• Editing sound for moving image production (use of editing software)
I began by importing my music and sound effect files into Premiere Pro. Before I transferred the files to the timeline I deselected the "Toggle Track Output" or the sound symbol button to turn of the 'Audio 1' row sound off, so that the sound recorded during footage would not play. I then dragged my background music ("Under the Bridge" instrumental version by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers) into the 'Audio 2' row. Using the 'Selection Tool' from the tool box I then moved the music clip across the timeline to line up with the beginning of the fifth clip as that is when I wanted the music to begin to play. The music clip was longer than the film footage so I cropped it using the 'Razor Tool' from the tool box. I wanted the background music to begin quieter then increase in volume in the scene where the volume of the radio is being turned up. I did this by decreasing the decibel level of the beginning scenes under the 'Volume Level' under Effect Controls. I then increased the decibel level frame by frame as the volume level on the radio in the scene increased. I planned to inject horror music during the scenes where the 'stalker' is following so I brought the decibel level of the background music down to zero in these parts.
I then realised I wanted the sound recorded during the footage of the first four scenes to play, so I dragged those files into the 'Audio 3' row. Finally in the 'Audio 4' row I placed my first horror music file ("Classical Horror" by anonymous) on the timeline. I cropped the parts of the song I wanted using the 'Razor Tool' and positioned them in alignment with the clips of the 'stalker' following. In the same audio row I dragged the 'bang' sound effect file I had imported onto the timeline and positioned it in line with the beginning of the final scene. I then dragged my second horror music file (no name) onto the timeline in the same audio row and positioned it just after the 'bang' sound effect file. To make the transitioning between the background music and injecting horror music smooth I used the Audio Transition 'Exponential Fade'.
