Evaluation - Ryan Burkhard

Evaluation
Ryan Burkhard

My involvement in the film included me working as the microphone holder in some scenes, camera operator in others, but I’d say most of my efforts were poured into post-production and editing. During the shoots in London, I carried the microphone around to catch ambient noise while Joe filmed. Also, I shot some of the scenes in the park. With the assistance and input from my colleagues, I assembled the sound and audio into the structure we mapped out.


As I group, I think we all really got along excellently. Joe did the filming, I edited, Yvonne planned out the movie’s structure and planned the titles, and Chris chose the brilliant soundtrack. And of course everyone dipped into each other’s work to offer advice and suggestions. Since Joe has the photographic eye, it was natural for him to be the primary camera operator. This was just about my third time using Final Cut Pro, and Joe knows the program a bit too, so we helped each other figure out the technicalities at times. I feel that Chris and Yvonne were invaluable assets as well. They were not as familiar with the technical aspects and Joe and me, but their advice and suggestions and overall assistance was really amazing. Chris is a film watcher and Yvonne studies art so both of them really contributed their ideas to the subtleties and meanings in the film. Overall, we worked great together. I really don’t think one person did more work than the other, except for maybe Joe of course because he is a perfectionist. Nothing bad about that though!


The film itself sort of progressed from what we were filming. We had a whole structure and list of things to ask and shoot, but we ended up not getting that material. If I’ve learned one thing, it is that documentary is an almost improvisational form. We tried to plan out and have a structure going into the shooting, but by the time we got into the editing room, we realized that we had captured a different story altogether, and a much more poignant one at that. I’d definitely like to explore more deeply into this genre. There is something about the improvisational nature of making a documentary that I enjoy. Of course not every documentary is like that, but those are the ones I do enjoy most.

As a film major, I benefited greatly having taken this class. Looking at other classes offered at my school, there are not a whole lot of classes that mix the theory with the practice. The practice is where one learns, even if the film produced is of an amateur level. I think everyone who is interested in studying film needs both sides. They need the theory, and then the practice to demonstrate their knowledge of the theory. Too often film classes are relegated to being a watch film, learn theory, and write paper. The combination of using theory with practice in this class works really well. I learned a lot about the theories and Jennings contribution. I hope to carry that knowledge with me as I continue my film studies.