Reflecting Back on AS year: Technical Skills Developed.

During the AS year we created a Thriller opening, in preparation for doing so we were given an introduction to a number of technical devices- such as JCV Cameras, Still cameras and also editing soft ware such as Final Cut Pro, Live Type, Sound Track Pro, HandBreak. To make sure we were successful in using these programs and equipment we had to become familiar with, transferring work from device to computers and had to use accessories such as media cards and hard drives, they became a vital piece of equipment which secured all our work and enabled us to quicken the process of working.

• What is LiveType?

LiveType is a program design for text, it specializing in animation and has a wide variety of font styles and animation effects.

This was appropriate for our Thriller opening as Film Openings are known for including a lot of text, therefore for this allowed us to create a more visual appeal to the text. The skills which I developed threw this program is being able to quickly find a specific font which is appropriate without difficulty and also as this program is created by Apple Mac it was easily compatible to the other programs we had access to such as Final Cut Pro, I was able to transfer the animated text to this soft ware to add on top of my final edited thriller opening.

• What is Final Cut Pro?     

Final Cut Pro is a professional non-linear editing software. This is the software we used throughout the whole of AS to transfer our footage on to, and edit it.

This program allowed a variety of editing options and was straight forward. Skills which I learned is cutting footage, creating a time line, being able to mute film, adding visual effects such as blurs/colours/lighting and also quickening footage or slowing it down. This software was straight forward and now with the knowledge and practice which I have gained from last year, I now am able to edit footage at a good speed with the insight what effects/tools to use to physically create my ideas.

• What is Sound Track Pro?
  
  
  This is an audio composing software which is created by the same company of Final Cut pro therefore transferring audio to footage was straight forward.
  This software held a large variety of sound effects, which we were able to match to the visual part of the thriller.
  
  
  
  The skills which I learn with Sound Track Pro was to transfer audio onto footage, being able to watch the video  whilst editing the sound for timing purposes so the audio matched visual aspect, also I grew aware of finding the audio I needed to without difficulty and editing loops together to create a continuity. 

• JVC Camera

This was our vital piece of equipment and we had to become familiar with how to use the JVC camera quickly, otherwise we wouldn't have had usable footage. Whilst using the camera I gain the skills of learning how to record footage, what made ideal footage, I learned position of cameras, camera angles and about mis en scene. We had to be aware of the battery life and use our time wisely as well as taking into consideration the memory and capacity of footage the memory cards could use. The actual camera but without equipment such as memory cards, batteries, lighting sets and tripod the quality of the footage would be poor and we wouldn't have been able to film, so whilst filming other factors determine our footage.

Whilst this covers the piratical skills I have developed without the company of sites such as blogger we weren't able to distribute our final project piece and without the program Hand Break converting the footage wouldn't have been as successful. Overall the most important skill I've learnt within technicality is being able to join everything together, being able to film and then transfer footage, then to edit, to convert and distribute, each step is vital and by advancing my skills, the less time consuming and the better quality the final project will be.