Dialogue Workshop

Shooting dialogue sequence

In this editing workshop we filmed and edited our own sequences. I was placed in a group with Fred and Neave and we made a short dialogue scene that we then had to edit. 

We filmed a short dialogue scene where there was a serial killer being interviewed by a member of the police department. This serial killer was being interviewed as where she was during the evening her parents were killed and who she was with. The serial killer walks into the 'station' with her hands tied behind her back and then she is led to a chair where the interview takes place. 

The skills/techniques we have learnt throughout previous workshops allowed us to create a more appealing scene to watch and made it look much more professional. When shooting this dialogue scene we used the 180-degree rule, rule of thirds, lighting and different areas of composition. The use of the camera workshop we did, benefitted us shooting our sequence because it enabled us to become more familiar with working with a camera and a tripod. 

The problems we came across when shooting this dialogue scene, were because we had to re shoot the same clip multiple times in different shots it meant we had to do the same actions and repeat the same lines numerous times, and most of these times our actions and the way we repeated lines were different and some were better than others and some were not as good as others. Another problem we came across was deciding who was going to act and who was going to film, but this enabled us to work with one another and adapt. 

Shooting this dialogue sequence informed me on how to prepare for my opening title sequence and gave me a sense of how it may be when shooting our sequence and allowed me to become more confident with working with a camera. From shooting this dialogue sequence, I think it would be a good idea if we provide our actors with a detailed plan on what will happen and talk to our actors and tell them exactly what they will need to do and what will happen on the day.

The feedback we received from this dialogue sequence was:

- The use of the actual microphone being a prop was not ideal as it meant when the 'interviewer' was speaking to the killer it was more difficult to hear her as the microphone was constantly pointed towards to killer. 

- Always film in wide shot first and get everything in frame and then the whole clip again in mid shot and then in close up. This allows you to plan out what shots you will film next.

- Good use of the 180-degree rule and good use of props.

Editing dialogue sequence

When editing this sequence we were working with audio and sound so therefore when editing the clip we had to take the audio into consideration. To edit the sound on a clip you need to select a clip and drag it onto the timeline. You are then left with two audio tracks and a video track, right click on the clip and select unlink - this means you can separate the sound and the video - then you can delete one of those tracks, so you are left with one video track and one audio track. To keep both these tracks in sync you need to re select both clips and right click and link them back together. 

When it comes to changing the volume in a clip you need to, double click on the audio, and then click on effect controls and go to audio and turn animation on the level off. And then you can decrease or increase the volume. 

To cut audio or a section of some audio off you use the razor tool and zoom in (+) to the audio - to get a clearer view - and then press c for cut and v for the arrow which allows you to move it around. 

The process of editing this sequence was not as hard as I originally thought it would be but it was not easy. Finding the clips I wanted to use was very difficult and hard to identify so I had to keep going back on myself to find the clips I wanted to edit. From this, I know when it comes to editing our actual sequences, I will make sure the clips we want to edit are in an organised folder together, which will save a lot of time and make it easier for us. From completing this workshop I feel much more confident in editing and have a clearer vision on how I will edit our final sequence.