Classwork: Editing Practice

This blog post contains the work I did in my lesson on how to successfully edit. My teacher filmed the footage but I edited it together. My teacher also provided the template for the blog post. 

Why is continuity editing important?

Continuity editing includes making sure that items like props or costumes stay consistent from scene to scene. But the more important work lies in editing shots together in a way that leaves viewers thoroughly grounded in both time and space.

Different types of continuity edit 

• Straight cut (cut)
• Eyeline match 
• Shot /reverse shot
• Cutaway / Insert
• Match cut

Footage

Here is the footage that my teacher shot which utilises a variety of camera angles and movements. The scene is very simple, it involves a student standing up and leaving the classroom. A single shot here might be quite boring for the audience, by editing and combining the shots together we can make the scene feel more dynamic.

Raw footage link: https://youtu.be/dZ2IH8KjRjE

My editing process

I used After Effects 2025 to make this edit. While I'm aware that Premiere Pro is much better at compiling and cutting videos, I'm more experienced with using AE, hence why I chose to do the project using it.

Here is my final scene. Editing multiple clips together made the scene better because it keeps things interesting for the audience, even if the scene doesn't have much happening in it.

Reflection

This practice gave me a hands-on experience on editing videos, which is crucial since I'm going to be the editor in our team. It also seems that I need to learn Premiere Pro soon, since After Effects is more optimized for effects than cuts.

Shooting Practice: Horror Scene Recreation

We made a mini project that helped us learn how to recreate a scene from a movie of the theme we picked: horror. We did this as a group.

We chose a scene from Jennifer's Body (2009).

Below is our storyboard:

Below is the finished movie scene recreation mini-project, edited by Max and me (Kenneth):

 

Camera

Problem: The camera was sometimes shaky in the middle of recording due to constant imperfections within the camera angle or movement which can make some scenes with no sense and context ( character wasn't in the camera angle thus, talking to nobody or the camera movement was too far from the characters to be seen clearly )

Solution: We could possibly use a stabilizer or a tripod for the recording part to prevent
shake or weird angles within the recording session.

Next time: Most likely practice for the camera stillness because, purchasing a stabilizer or a tripod can be too far out of our current budget and we might need another cameraman that has a stable arm just incase for the camera movement.

Editing

Problem: Lip-syncing to the original audio was a bit abnormal due to the characters while recording can be either nervous, embarrassed or not good at acting for the sound to be synced to the audio.
 

Solution: Retake many shots to see if we can perfect it the original audio or get actors that are good at acting like doing a Screen Test with various actors we picked out that could be good within the context of our video to prevent weird lip-syncing to the audio.

Next time: Remember to take as many shots as possible to have a higher possibility that the lip-syncing wouldn't be as abnormal or off-synced.  

The text in green was written by my teammate Bamz.

Mise en scene 

Problem: We couldn't control the lighting as we were filming outside the classroom. The lighting for a horror movie especially for this one requires mostly low key lighting and since it was sunny today we didn't have access to that. 

Solution: Our teammates Max and Kenneth decided to adjust the video's lighting using the video editing apps to get the same feel as the clip from the movie. 

Next time: We will find a place with artificial lighting so we can easily control the lighting without much help from the video editing app to give it a more natural look instead of artificially increasing something. However, if this is not possible we will use the solution mentioned previously. 

Problem: In the first scene an actress looked at the camera. It's a subtle detail but our goal is so it would match perfectly to the scene we are trying to recreate. 

Solution: Our team tried to edit the video. However they couldn't fully fix that scene so we didn't find the right solution at that time. 

Next time:  we will rehearse and practice many times before we actually film the scenes. If not we can do multiple takes at the time and carefully look at the footage before deciding on another take. However, if all these repercussions fail then we can figure out how to edit it out.

Sound

Problem: We didn't have any problems with the sound as we use audio from the original clip which is very clear. 

Next time: I think we will continue doing this and for our upcoming project we will pre record the audio for the dialogue so we can get a clear sound. I also learned it's best not to record audio while we are recording a scene 

The text in light pink was written by my teammate Shannon.

Self reflection:

This was my first ever attempt at creating a movie scene recreation. Lip syncing was a tough aspect of this project. However, through this practice I learned that we need more practice and better team synergy (as we forgot to do the behind the scenes). Overall, I think this project helped me and my group gain more hands-on experience.

Behind the Scenes

This is our project's Behind-the-Scenes. I (Kenneth) did this.

Filming Schedule

This is the filming schedule for our project. We did this together.

Scene	Date/Time	Location	People	Equipment	Other
All	18 January 2024, 17:30	Taman Festival Bali	Maxine, Shannon, Kenneth, Bams ( possibly another dude )	Drone, Camera, Phones, Laptop, Car	Few other actor props to make it more immersive

Location Scout + Risk Assessment

This is the Location Scout and Risk Assessment for our project. Max and Shannon did these.

Location
Address:	Taman Festival Bali, Padang Galak No.3
Scene:	All scenes (camp, chasing, etc)
Advantages of location:	It's abandoned and can give the scary atmosphere that we are looking for. It is close to school
Disadvantages of Location:	May rain, may have bugs or snakes, no roof. May have to work around tourists
Alternatives:	one of our houses
Risk Assessment
Risk:	Who is at risk:	How to avoid risk:	High, Medium, Low risk:
1. dangerous animals	everyone involved	assess surroundings first	low
2. Rain	everyone involved, equipment	Check the weather app before we actually go there,  determining what date we are going to film in.  Use a cover for the equipment that is not in use, take an umbrella	Medium
3. Rocks and Pebbles, tripping hazard	Everyone Involved	To remove the rocks to decrease the risk of tripping or falling when filming the actors or when the camera person is filming	Medium

We struggled to find an appropriate location that delivers the mood we're trying to achieve in our film intro. But fortunately, after some more research and discussions, we decided to go to the place where I and my previous team went for shooting the ad project last term. Taman Festival Bali has the spooky abandoned buildings and massive forest, which should work great for our project.

Screen Test

This is the screen test for my group's film intro project.

This is the screen test. We did this as a class. We all participated to say a line from various genres.

Most people did not take the test very seriously, while some other are mostly too shy or nervous to act in front of the camera. I personally think it's a good start. Next time, I will probably ask them to do the test in private so they won't get distracted.

Screenplay

This is my group's screenplay for this term's project.

Scene 1

Actors: Max, Bams, Kenneth

Characters:

Max as Max

Bams as Greg

Kenneth as Kenneth

Killer:

[In the forest, fire crackling. Shot cuts to inside the tent. 2 Teenage boys and 1 girl playing an ouija board.]

Kenneth: I'm hungry, I'm gonna get a snack real quick

[Kenneth gets up and goes to the car to grab a snack, potato chips]

[killer kills Kenneth]

Max: its been like 10 minutes, where is he?

[Bams gets up to go look for Kenneth, sees snack on the ground, Kenneth nowhere to be seen]

Bams: what the-

[Max's scream can be heard from the distance, cuts to black and title]

(if need extra scene)

[scene cuts to intense music, atmosphere, shaky camera, dim lighting, and running, max/bams hiding from killer from behind the pillar]

Max: (heavy breaths, POV shot with shaky camera and flashlight.)

[killer suddenly grabs Max from behind, camera falls to the ground facing to the right of them, allowing just a limited distance for the killer to be seen dragging max]

Max: yells are muffled with cloth on mouth

This screenplay helps us evaluate all the props we will need to prepare before the day of shooting. This also provides with a better visualisation on our plans for this film intro.

Storyboard

This is the storyboard for our team's project: horror film 2-minute intro. Shannon did the storyboard.

Below is the rough sketch of the plans for our storyboard. It was then redrawn with more details added as we had some more ideas and changes. As an example, we initially planned to shoot in a forest and have the story be about camping. However due to difficulties finding a location that we wanted, we decided to shoot at an abandoned place, instead. This new place is much closer to our homes and can still deliver the uneasy atmosphere that we were looking for.

Rough sketch:

This first process was important because we needed to put our ideas on paper and this rough storyboard helped guide us create the more in-depth storyboard below.

Detailed sketch:

We put in too much time making the first 4 shots, so we decided to simply the drawings slightly for the later shots.

After some discussion with the group, we decided to make scene 6 a little longer and add another scene before the title screen, so shot 7a was later added.

This storyboard helps us plan things more effectively and have a clear guidance when doing the shooting.

Statement of intent

This is our initial starting point.

Research: Genre

This is my genre research.

I don't watch horror movies, so I don't have much knowledge regarding this genre. But since my group decided to pick horror, I did some research into this. This is the result.

A Quiet Place (2018)

What conventions does it conform to?

This movie follows typical horror conventions, like the constant chilling and tense atmosphere with little amount of dialogue, giving out a feeling of danger throughout the movie.

What conventions does it subvert?

This movie doesn't rely on loud jump scares or eerie music to scare its audience. Instead, it is filled with a lot of silence to put the audience deeper into the characters' shoes.

What representations are there? (people/places/events)

The movie represents a family struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. The places are desolate and portrays isolation.

What technical elements are used to give meaning to the representations?

The little sound and near-complete silence are used to create a tense atmosphere and brings the audience closer to the characters in the movie.

Close-up shots of facial expressions help convey emotion and fear without words or sound, making silence a powerful storytelling device.

Get Out (2017)

What conventions does it conform to?

This movie slowly builds-up tension as the story progresses which can be seen in a lot of other horror movies.

What conventions does it subvert?

This movie subverts typical horror conventions by focusing more on racial and social tension rather than supernatural forces, giving a horror twist to everyday interactions.

What representations are there? (people/places/events)

The film represents the African American experience through the main character, who faces racism disguised as politeness. The setting is a quiet, upper-class suburban home, which is the main background focus throughout most of the movie.

What technical elements are used to give meaning to the representations?

Close-up shots are used to show the main character's powerlessness and psychological aspect, with dark lighting and muted colors to build tension. The soundtrack is unsettling and minimal.

Below are the 8 other films that I analysed more broadly, with interesting elements that I might incorporate into my film.

Hereditary (2018)

Target audience, and how are they appealed to?

The target audience is mainly older teens and adults aged 16 to 40, especially the ones who love and appreciate psychological horror. It appeals with its unsettling atmosphere, immense grief, and suspense.

What would you like to use in your opening from this?

The slow yet eerie tension and long shots to build up the unsettling mood of the movie.

What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?

The intense, slightly overused gore in some scenes which might be distracting and too much within a movie.

The Conjuring (2013)

Target audience, and how are they appealed to?

Older teens and young adults who love supernatural horror are this movie's target audience. It appeals with its more realistic storytelling compared to some other supernatural horror movies.

What would you like to use in your opening from this?

The period setting and suspense build-up before terrifying events helps bring authenticity into the story.

What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?

Overly relying on jump scares to bring suspense into the movie can feel predictable and even repetitive.

It Follows (2014)

Target audience, and how are they appealed to?

More mature teens who enjoy indie horror movies. It appeals due to its fresher concept, which an inescapable supernatural entity.

What would you like to use in your opening from this?

The constant pacing and sense of being continuously followed, creating immense suspense throughout the movie.

What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?

The ambiguity around the main villainous creature might frustrate viewers who seek a clear resolution.

Midsommar (2019)

Target audience, and how are they appealed to?

Appeals to younger adults who enjoy more psychological storytelling. It appeals by subverting the typical horror by scaring in daylight throughout the movie.

What would you like to use in your opening from this?

Its unique setting choices, like its unsettlingly bright contrast.

What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?

The very slow opening pace might frustrate some audience who prefer darker grittier movie openings.

The Babadook (2014)

Target audience, and how are they appealed to?

More mature audiences aged 17 to 40 who are interested in traumatic psychological horror with immense grief and emotional themes.

What would you like to use in your opening from this?

The use of a metaphorical monster to represent internal struggles, creating a more unique experience for the audience.

What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?

The psychological themes shown in the movie might be too heavy and complex for some audiences.

Sinister (2012)

Target audience, and how are they appealed to?

Mature teens and young adults who love found-footage supernatural horror. Its appeal comes from its combination of horror with elements of investigation.

What would you like to use in your opening from this?

Found footage elements add a more realistic touch to the movie's horror theme.

What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?

Over-the-top violence might disturb and overwhelm some audiences.

The Witch (2015)

Target audience, and how are they appealed to?

More mature audiences who enjoy horror with 1600s historical settings.

What would you like to use in your opening from this?

Historical settings can add to the realism of the movie.

What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?

Slow pacing might backfire for a horror intro when suspense should generally be introduced early on.

Don’t Breathe (2016)

Target audience, and how are they appealed to?

Mature teens and young adults who love home-invasion themes as well as high tension. The appeal is the claustrophobic house setting and mix elements of thriller and horror.

What would you like to use in your opening from this?

Confined spaces increases tension and anxiety which can help add suspense to the movie scene.

What would you like to avoid in your opening from this?

Explicit and graphic violence can shock, disturb, and even overwhelm some audiences.

This video taught me how to improve my opening scene ideas

Research: Audience

This is my research on different types of audiences and the target audience for my team's film intro.

Research: Industry

This is my research on industry based on the genre I chose.

What genre am I working on?

The genre my team is working on is horror.

Do I want my music video to be niche or mainstream?

We plan to make a cinematic independent film with lower budget.

What company would most likely produce my media text in the real world?

Blumhouse Productions as we plan on creating a found-footage style film intro.

Self-Reflection: Blumhouse Productions produce a lot of amazing found-footage horror movies with some that subvert the horror genre and some that conform to it. As my team found interest in creating found-footage horror, I think Blumhouse Productions would be the most likely to produce such a movie.

Preliminary Research

Film	Genre/Genre Conventions	How did this scene introduce characters, settings and create intrigue?	What did you like/dislike about the intro?
Extraction 2	Action Fight, explosion	By putting the protagonist in a dire condition	A bit sudden and feels slightly random, but still does its job pretty well.
Pamali: Dusun Pocong	Horror	This scene begins with an aged bearded man digging and burying a corpse at nighttime in a remote place surrounded by trees. It shows the man having a part on his arm suffering from some kind of plague. It ends with continuous creepy whistling sounds.	I liked the way the music starts off from being silent to creeping the audience in the end.
Uglies	Sci Fi	The main character, a teen girl, talks about the road humanity took, which led to destruction. The audience is then introduced to a radical solution scientists took, which is by “making perfect” everyone above 16. This leads to the “imperfects” to be called Uglies, which heavily burdens the girl.	I like how she explained all that happened in the past leading to the situation, but it felt confusing in the end.
(500) Days of Summer	Romance	By third-person introduction. The boy is shown to often sink into sadness, while the girl is shown to be more cheerful, even though she suffers from her parents’ divorce. It creates intrigue by telling the audience that the movie is not a love story.	I love the way both main characters are introduced, which feels like the storyteller is talking directly to us. I also like the background music played while showing us past recordings of the two’s young self. Though, I feel like the past recordings shown are too much and feels boring and repetitive midway the intro credits.
Johnny English	Comedy	The main character is shown in his daydream, being the secret agent he’s always adored: Agent One. He was then revealed to be a reckless person working for Agent One. But as the time was fast forwarded, the misinformation he created led to Agent One’s death. And then, the rest of the agents’ deaths.	I love the comedic intro, overall.

Weekly Progress + Plan

Week 1

This week, we were introduced to our next project, which is making a 2-minute movie intro. My team decided to pick mystery/horror noir.

What we did?

Nothing much, just picking the genre for our new project.

Problems

My previous team decided to split and go on our on ways.

Solutions

I moved to a new team.

Week 2

This week, we began researching movie intros for the genre we picked: horror.

What we did?

Nothing much, just picking the genre for our new project.

Problems

I'm not that familiar with horror because it's a genre that I don't really like.

Solutions

I watched a few horror movie intros to better understand this genre.

Week 3

We talked about media consolidation and vertical & horizontal integration.

What we did?

We learned that media consolidation means less people controlling shares of the mass media.

Problems

I had problems remembering the new terms I learned, and its definitions.

Solutions

I watched a few youtube channels to better understand the terms and expand my knowledge of the media world.

Week 4

We assigned roles for each other.

What we did?

We picked the roles and tasks that best suit each one of us.

Problems

I'm not that familiar with horror because it's a genre that I don't really like.

Solutions

I watched a few horror movie intros to better understand this genre.

Week 5

We began storyboarding and making a few scripts.

What we did?

Nothing much, just picking the genre for our new project.

Problems

I'm not that familiar with horror because it's a genre that I don't really like.

Solutions

I watched a few horror movie intros to better understand this genre.

Week 6

We began completing tasks like storyboard, research, and some classwork for us to better grasp the idea of our project.

What we did?

Completed tasks like storyboard and classwork.

Problems

I'm a bit behind due to being busy with other subjects.

Solutions

I'm trying my best to complete my remaining tasks ASAP.

Reflection:

practice

Week 1

We did some shooting practice to recreate a scene from a horror movie. We also learned about New Media and technological convergence.

What we did?

Movie scene recreation and learned more theories.

Problems

Shooting practice went slightly awkward due to little hands-on acting experience.

Solutions

We went on with the shooting and in the end it went well.

Week 2

We learned some more theories, like Cultivation theory, desensitisation theory, social learning theory, reception theory, etc. We also did an editing practice.

What we did?

Learned more theories, and editing practice.

Problems

Shooting practice went slightly awkward due to little hands-on acting experience.

Solutions

We went on with the shooting and in the end it went well.

Team

Brief

Below is my brief for the project.

Final Ad

This is the YouTube link to my team's final ad, which took a few months to complete. All the hard work and sweat we've put into this project... it's now worth it. All of it.

So, my fellow audience... enjoy the show!

CCR

Here are my answers to the four questions of the CCR.

CCR1, CCR2

CCR3

Note: The audio player above may lag a bit sometimes, so here's a direct link.

CCR4

CCR Draft

This is a link that leads to a Google Document where I jot down my notes for making the CCR:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19aFzDAwHG898wBgiXbzE3VBNiOHlyh03xZusHeJbk-A/edit?usp=sharing

Editing

I didn't do the editing; a fellow teammate, Jeremy, did it.

Though, I originally wanted to, as it is one of my hobbies and I've had experience doing it before. But finally, after a long discussion, I decided to give it up for him.

Below is the first finished edit Jeremy showed us. If compared to the final ad, some of the lighting in the scenes of this first edit is a bit less dark. One of those scenes being the intro. We later decided to opt for an even darker and creepier feel because we think it suits this whole urban exploration theme better.

Another noticeable change is the writing on the outro. The problem of it was that it didn't in any way inform the audience that this ad promotes Bali.

In between this first edit and the final one, we've even tried putting "The Spot" text onto the intro scene, which we thought might boost the vibe even more. Though, after constantly thinking it over, we decided to completely remove it, keeping the intro simple and clean.

Also, if you pay attention closely, we also removed a scene or two as time progressed.

1st finished edit

2nd finished edit

3rd finished edit

4th finished edit

The 5th one is... you guessed it... the final ad.

Refer to the final ad post to watch.