Final Chat Show

Evaluation of Chat Show

Evaluation of chat show

The lighting in my chat show was not very good, it created problems as we had to shut off all the lights in the room and only have one row open at the front where we set up the equipment, tables etc. Also we was using a green screen so we had to separately set up the lights for that as well, which meant it had to be in front of the table and so we had problems adjusting them to be at a good angle so that it covered the green-screen and also didn't get in the cameras way, another problem with the lighting was that it effected the green screen as it created shadows as it was shining on us and then creating a shadow behind us, also the lights of the green screen do overheat very quickly so we only turned them on when we needed them and had to do it mostly in one take, and we cut it if we did a mistake or there was a delay, so we had to stop the cameras and then re-record which may have effected the continuity of the show, but it was amended in the editing stage to a reasonable level. 

Another problem was actually setting up the equipment, due to the classroom being quite restricted in terms of space we had to work our way around the tables and chairs that were set up in the classroom, as we were only two people we had to film me coming onto the stage and the guest as well, so one of us had to operate the camera while the other one was walking and since the host and guest shake hands to greet each other it was hard to pull off, so we had to cut it and make sure it looked good in the editing stage. The green screen was not very large that we could work with, so we had to place it at an angle that worked with the lighting the cameras and the actual guests and the host. This was quite difficult but we managed to do it, setting up equipment in a good way, was more difficult than actual filming as it took a lot of time. Once it was done then we could start filming which was relatively easier than getting every piece of equipment perfect.

The green screen was the most visible problem in my chat show, as the lighting and the way we set up the green screen meant that there was a few gaps in our green screen, so when i tried to add in a city background in the editing stage it did not turn out well, there was creases in the cloth and so when the background was placed in the back it looked very low quality and also some parts did not come out properly, and due to the shadow we created it made the green screen look weird behind us, and so to amend this problem, the best solution i came up with was to put a white background so that the green screen did not go to waste.

Framing the shots was also another problem i faced, due to the limited space we had i had to place the cameras in front of the lights, and so they were in a weird angle and having to accommodate for a two-shot for both people, and a shot to focus on the guest, was quite difficult to manage. Moving the camera forward meant that it had to be raised for the intro of my chat show, and once it was placed down, the transition between my intro and me meeting the guest was not done very good, as we are not in frame for the first 3 seconds of the shot, and it shows us sitting down, which would not happen in actual chat shows.

The audio quality of my chat show, was good and the added sound effect and music that i added, added to the overall quality of the show, however at the start, where i am meeting the guest, the audience clapping sound effect does get cut off quite quickly, due to me talking after we sit down, and the cut is quite abrupt, which may disorientate the audience, but overall it was good in my chat show.The visual quality in my chat show was good, however the framing and the green screen added made the chat show look bad, due to the creases on the chat show, and the white background i added didn't make it that much better, the framing was biased towards the guest, so i was sometimes not in full view.

The transitions i added in the editing stage, made the scenes flow together, but they could of been improved, as due to the green screen when there was a transition, the two characters would disappear and with the black screen in the background it would then transition into the next scene, this was not done very good, real chat shows would not have this problem, due to them not having a green screen.

Other than technical issues, me personally could have used more techniques from existing chat shows and implemented them into my chat show. Such as keeping eye contact with the guest for more longer, not looking down or at the camera, also using more hand gestures to keep the audience engaged.

Weekly Production Log 5

Weekly Production Log 5

In this week, after editing and uploading my chat show, i had to evaluate it, which there were a few problems that i had to cover, and also i had to do a focus group asking people their opinions of my Chat show and receiving their feedback which i also incorporated into my written evaluation as well, Then i also had to briefly explain the process i went through in making my chat show. this week was all about reflecting on the Chat show that i did. The focus group and the written evaluation took the most time, and the written evaluation had to be in depth i had to analyse the work thoroughly and give times codes in where i think the aspects could be improved. The feedback was overall ok, more on the technical side of production but also a few improvements that i could do made to make the chat show more engaging to the audience. 

Focus Group for Chat Show

Process of making chat show

Process of creating Chat show

Filming my chat show was not easy, as i had to change location a few times and setting up the equipment, and finding an appropriate time for me and my guest to film, writing and learning the script to a good standard and also finding the correct clothes to wear, the initial setting up of the equipment.

Firstly, i planned to film my chat show in the drama studio in my school, as it has black curtains that would be the background, then placing a table, to act as a desk, and then a sofa or chairs connected to each other for the guest to represent a sofa. However having asked permission to use the drama studio, the studio was never free when we was, or there was lessons or extra classes after school, after trying to film, when i could, i decided against using the drama studio as it was too hard to access.

I decided to use an empty classroom, and use a green screen to emulate the background of a chat show, i decided to use the media classroom, as all the equipment we needed would be there, moving back a few tables and setting up just normal chairs, to set the scene. There was however still insufficient room, and the lights of the green screen had to be set up pretty close, so the cameras we were filing on had to moved even closer, setting up the angles and making sure that both people were in frame when sitting down. i printed out the scripts again and we went over them briefly, them placed them on the table, if we were stuck we could use them. Filming was not a hard part as we just started the cameras and then went into frame, then i edited the blank scenes to not show and start when we come into frame. The intro of the chat show was the hardest part to film and to transition to me meeting the guest was a hard part to film, due to the limited space, having me in frame, and then moving to meet the guest to my right, was the hardest part of filming.

There was a few minor inferences while filming, students coming in and out, cleaners and also a few teachers, so we just had to re-film those scenes again, and i edited them to fit in the time-line and for it to flow. 

The editing stage was the most time consuming as having to upload footage from 2 different cameras, adding the green-screen effect and then adding the two scenes together to make sure that there was no continuity errors, and that it all flowed all together. Adding sound effects, music and transitions, images and also the 'mini' trailer that i edited to make it seem more realistic, and promote the guest/ 'artist' in my chat show. Moving from one camera angle to another, and in the editing stage making sure that the actions and words we said match in both different cameras and on the screen. After i finished editing, i uploaded it to youtube and it was finished. 

Weekly Production Log 4

Weekly Production Log 4

This week, as i said before, i filmed my chat show, in the class room after school. as i suspected the room and spacing would be an issue, as we had to set up the cameras behind the lights but at an angle that looked at both people and one camera focusing on the guest. Also the lights have to be connected to a power supply, so there were wires running along the floor which was also quite hard to not get in the shot. We filmed all the scenes after school, and uploaded the footage we got to final cut pro, and then put the scenes in rough order, then the following day in our media lesson i edited it more thoroughly and made sure there were no mistakes and there was continuation and altering the shot types making sure the speech was not broken up and it flowed seamlessly. Then i added the sound effects and the intro slide, with some music and also edited the 'trailer' that i would be putting into my chat show. The green screen we used however did not work very well due to the shadows and gaps, i had to make it a white background due to it looking really bad with a city background. 

Weekly Production log 3

Weekly Production log 3

This week, i planned we filmed my chat show. I asked my media teacher to be able to use his room after school, when it is available, then we set up the green screen and the lighting, then i printed the script that we needed and then set up the tables and chairs, then we skim read the script so we know what we had to say, so it made the chat show more professional and 'natural' as we won't be looking at the script all the time, we filmed most of the chat show and set up two cameras one focusing on the guest and one camera in a two-shot that covers both of use, we used the tripods and placed them on top of a table. so that they was higher up and could see both of us. We also used a tracking shot, going back wards when the guest was coming inside the room, i'm going to add music and effects in the editing stage so that it not a boring entry, into a classroom and make it look like and actual studio and the guest entering is going to be more engaging to the audience. i am thinking of putting a city background via the green screen as that is what most chat shows have, it will most probably be of London, as we are set in London, so it wouldn't make sense to make any other city.