Reflecting on AS

Over the duration of our AS Media Studies course, we developed many new and interesting skills and a general understanding of the subject. Through the creation of our very own media product - a feature film opening - we began to develop our own sense of style whilst also working on our own understanding.
Looking back over the whole year and particularly our own project, I think there was a lot we could have improved upon. But saying that now means that we have drastically improved and learnt a lot since the beginning of the course. I've also found that I have a greater apreciation for the film industry as a whole from the experience of trying to accurately replicate the processes of the indutry.

Firstly, we learnt to develop key skills that are going to be crucial to the A2 section of the course.
Some of these things included:

• Editing - The use of Final Cut Pro and also the conventions of editing. Using the best software allowed us to produce a high quality video. We got more adept to using the software the more we explored its functions.
• Thinking in relation to the outcome of the final product.
• Planning and developing - This involved working through problems before they occurred (to minimise the problems that occurred later). This was essential for our location shoot.
• Film knowledge - Probably the most important learning curve of all. We've expanded upon our knowledge of technical terms, film conventions, shot types, equipment, and metaphorical resonance.
• Professionalism - In dealing with others, team building and dealing with the public, particularly on the occasions of  our location shoot.
• Working with new technology.
• Patience.

Over the course of the production of our film, many of these key areas were put to the test. I think we were very in depth in our planning which allowed us to make a more refined finished product. Also, using our individual unique skills, such as my comfort in writing the screenplay, to add to what we created helped a great deal.

The influence from previously existing media was obvious from the beginning of our project. We realised as we were collectively developing a narrative that it was highly similar to films we had previous seen within the genre we were trying to recreate. Along with this, as a group, we held a preconceived idea of what our film should be or what conventions we should fit to. We looked to various different films for inspiration. These included The Bourne Trilogy for our narrative and location ideas, Good Will Hunting for a specific shot and other iconic action films for the way in which we set up our shots and style. We looked to other films to also provide inspiration for each of the aspects of our film - shot types, narrative, script, mise en scene etc. Thinking of things in this way meant that we could make our video as authentic to the real thing as possible, whilst also