Milestone 1 - Camera Exam Theory Component

Mid project reflection

What have you learnt so far in relation to technology?

• Coming into cinematography class, I already had a good familiarity with cameras, DSLR and mirrorless in particular, and how to use them with manual settings thanks to learning photography in highschool and continuing it as a hobby. However I had not used cinema cameras before and my first time using one was in this class. The first few weeks of class served as a good refresher to make sure my photography skills were up to scratch and then we moved on to on-set equipment such as video tripods and lighting gear. Getting to use higher end gear was great and I could compare the different between the quality of them vs my gear at home.
  
  In highschool I had used photography lights but not video lights like these ones. I learned to consider things such as their constant power draw, how hot they get and alerting others when switching them on by yelling "striking" to make sure I don't damage their eyes (Box, 2010) .

What are you expecting to achieve today?

• I hope to demonstrate the combination of skills from both before starting this class and the knew ones I've learnt since. While I am going into the animation and visual effects industry instead of the film industry, these skills are still extremely important because in animation we still treat the digital camera the same as a real camera and likewise for lighting. This is a big area of interest for me and I want to be able to display high competency and standards in my work. This driving test will be a good way to make sure I am on the right track.

References

Box, H. C. (2010). Set Lighting Technician’s Handbook (p. 185). Routledge.

Milestone 2 - Digital Driving Test

Post project reflection

What technical gaps did you experience in the test?

• The only bit of trouble I ran into was the fiddly locking mechanism on the swivelling tripod legs. Other than that I didn't have any issues with setting up the equipment. Most of the tasks were ones we practiced already in class but there were a few that we hadn't but instead there were video resources on campus online we could watch to gain the knowledge to complete them.
  
  I was able to complete the c-stand test extremely quickly as I was the last to go in my group and I was able to identify the little but important things to look out for by observing the others doing it, such as lining up the holes in the knuckles and making sure they were tightened properly.
  
  Surprisingly I had little trouble with the XLR cable rolling test while some others struggled with it. After about 30 seconds I found I could roll it up easily if I twisted the cable with my fingers as I looped it around.
  
  I'm happy with how I went and feel confident in my on-set equipment setup skills.

What is the area of camera skills you would like to focus on further to develop your abilities?

• Cameras are already one of my strengths and photography has been a hobby for me for a while now, so I want to focus more on the other aspects such as preproduction planning and setting up lighting and other equipment like c-stands. That being said, I also want more time to use the cinema cameras since this is the first time I've gotten to use this type of camera.
  
  As an animation student, I only have this trimester to practice my on set skills and use this kind of equipment so I have to make sure I use this time wisely.