1.1       Describe areas for development in your current knowledge, understanding and skills 

I studied level 2 media (film and TV) last year, and currently I am studying level 3 film, TV and visual effects at chesterfield college. I watch films and I enjoy evaluating films while I am watching. I have been working voluntarily in different places as Photographer, Videographer and Editor.

I am interested in Cinematography, Editing and Directing, because these roles are the main ones in visual storytelling.

Here is one-minute video which I directed, I shot, and I Edited for my college project.

1.2       Take a role in the production of a short film

In my academy film I want to take Cinematography and editing roles, and I would like to improve my skills by practice, learn the theory of cinematography and by understanding the techniques of camera storytelling. Because film is all about tell a story by movement of a camera, so I want to learn this kind of techniques. I have a plan to go to university to study filmmaking after I finish my 2^nd year diploma.

My role in my production is a Cinematographer. I will plan my shots, camera angle, if mic working or not, lighting and I will plan to shoot in amazing setting, in pre-production I will plan how could I shoot the scene. In production I will take a responsibility to shoot smooth footage with high quality sound and lighting and in post-production I will recover some shots if I must. In this project I need good understanding of camera setting and lighting. In my production I need actors, a writer, director, editor, producer, location, lighting equipment, sound equipment, camera, lenses , more.

1.3       Gain feedback on how you performed your role

Dani was a clearly competent cinematographer and cameraman. He knew the look he wanted although sometimes he struggled to communicate his vision with the rest of the team because English is his second language. Dani overcame this and was able to draw all of the team onboard with his great ideas and artistic vision in terms of the cinematography of our film, Changes. Especially in terms of colour, the light and shade he wanted – how he wanted darkness as a constant while the character’s life seemed pretty bleak and colour at the end in terms of the brightness of the office and the darkness of the bar. He thoroughly seemed to gage how to operate the cameras we were operating and it was great to see him grow in terms of his style. The cinematography of the finished piece is visually stunning. He could definitely go on to achieve really great things with more time and a larger budget and I can’t wait to see where he ends up.

quoted from my teammate and director.

1.4 Review own technical skills and use of equipment

In my role I was a cinematographer and firstly I created a shot list and in the shooting day I shot all the footages we needed. I think I carried enough, I was responsible for my role and I think I did well.

My strengths were, I had a clear vision of shots and camera angles, so I didn’t waste any time to think about all. The real challenges were we didn’t have enough time to shoot all pictures and the carrying the camera for long time and control the setting in different places was hard and challenging.

My technical filmmaking skills was developed in many ways for example, understanding camera settings and camera movements, sound recording and editing techniques.

My knowledge and understanding of film production are developed, especially understanding of big cameras and lighting was the best thing I learned in this course, I experience many techniques, from the beginning of creating ideas, until the end of post-production. At least I understand the basics of film production.