Preliminary Task 2 - Creative Critical Reflection

Sole Survivor CCR

 1. How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?

For our Short-Film 'Sole Survivor', we focused on the Social group of the almost Weak and Helpless peers when compared to the opposite (Physically weak compared to the Physically strong). This is evidently shown throughout our film with closeups of Eric, being very helpless and almost at the Mercy of Samael. We also show this through the struggle as Samael attempts to Stab Eric, as we show his wits as he allows Samel to stab him so he can deliver a more fatal blow and essentially disarm him. (This clip perfectly shows a longer version of what we were aiming for).

Through these representations, we show how Eric is able to overcome the physical strength and advantages that Samel currently has (Especially his gun and Knife), and how he doesn't need a weapon or any excessive strength to take him out. We focus on these aspects with sharp cuts as he reacts on instinct, being shown through close-ups and tracking shots as each action is carried out.

We also focus on the Cruel nature of Samel as we use long shots between dialogue, almost to distance the viewer from him as they see his Actions eventually as unreasonable and very much Uncalled for.

2. How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?

3. How did your production skills develop throughout this project?

4. How did you integrate technologies? 

Once Again, I vigorously adjusted Audio gains to suit certain moments within the clip (Dialogue, Music etc), Also using the Fx clips at hand with ease, shortening and extending them to create a more authentic sound that is not repetitive. The Denoiser was used once again also in this project, yielding better results as I found a balance between a clear and loud Audio with as little feedback as possible, which almost seemed impossible in our last project. Even though I have focused on the Obsolete build, it yields better results and an easier interface.

For this project, I used the multiple channels that Premiere pro presents us, using them to separate audio from each other when played at the same time (Or just for easy access), and used them shot wise to make the editing stages flow easier, allowing me to avoid shortening clips and having to move and adjust every single clip because of the minor edit made.

I also took this opportunity to play around with Overlays, picking a classical Black and White, almost a Nod to the Noire days (With our film being based in the future, but being a devasted wasteland that is stuck technologically in the past. This is also almost an Homage to older films, being colorless, with Shade being the defining factor).

I have also become more proficient with Fading (Audio wise), being able to fade the music out when dialogue is essential, and being able to bring it back up when needed.