29th April, Not viewing the films, Closer (!) and editing!

Today was a very special class. Originally we were supposed to be viewing everyone's 'twilight zone' films, however the year 12 theatre class were putting on a production of Closer so we watched that for the double period instead. Initially I was a bit upset, as I had been looking forward to seeing the films (and seeing what people thought about ours!) however by the end of the play, that feeling was totally gone! Although I have not actually seen the film version with Natalie portman (it's on my to-do list now), I thought it was amazing. Honestly it was the first play that I have enjoyed without forcing myself to stay focused. 

The plot line was what did it for me. Of course it was based around a pretty x-rated theme (sex mostly, and love) which I suppose kept the audience intrigued, but it was also the witty, snappy banter that was kept up through most of it. The pace was amazingly quick, but not too fast that it left the audience confused. While watching the play I tried to relate aspects of it to film, like the reflective learner that I am (see below), because I find that the best way I learn is to try to see what it is that I am learning outside of the classroom (as in real life examples). The snappiness of the play and the good reaction from the audience were aspects that I can relate to film making, as they play a part in the success of the film; holding the audience's attention/ suspense. Overall I thought it was a very enjoyable experience indeed.

Aside from having a great time in the play, the not-showing-of-the-films gave me time to edit the film some more, in particular the sound(!!) I think I used the extra time provided very well, and right now I am actually almost completely happy with how it all goes together. We also decided to change the film title to 'Blanche', which is the feminine word for 'white' in french, as we felt that 'Nettle' was too vague and sounded a bit weird. During editing I listened through the film and altered the sounds that didn't quite fit or were too quiet. I think my sound editing has gotten more comprehensive during this project. I did not really alter different sound waves (as in, getting rid of background noise) but I worked a lot more with making the whole thing mesh together and relating the background music and sound to the picture. Julien and I also worked on some editing of the actual film; we shortened up several of the clips and sped up some scenes to make the film more 'snappy'. I am actually quite happy with our final product now! Of course it could always be improved, but I think I have it my all. If people don't like it, well I can't do much about that.

Reflective learners: Give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.