Your Finances

LILY WICKENS MEDIA AS

Lily Wickens

Media AS

Your FinancesReal World Media Examples #1 This 46 second video is featured as part of the Barclays ‘Student Saving’ area of their website. One of the

main aspects of this page is the short promo video which features several University Students who are posed the question, ‘What’s The Most Painless Expense You Would Cut First?’

The video was shot in a variety of locations which can be seen in the background of the edited interviews. This opens up the video, making it less formal and more relatable to other students.

The light-hearted film is targeted at students between the ages of 18-24 (predominantly the age bracket at which students are considering going to University, and just as they have finished). Although this is a sectional video, specific to a particular audience, it is informative and can appeal to a greater audience spectrum.

The only voices heard in the video are those of the people being interviewed. These shots are then finely edited and grouped into similar answers to enable quick cuts between responses to prevent long periods of silence.

The non- diegetic underlay which is continuous throughout the promo is energetic, cheerful and enthusiastic, which relates closely to the students being interviewed. This adds to the fast pace of the video to prevent wasting time and add a sense of haste. The music contains no lyrical involvement which focus’ the attention onto what is appearing in the video; the chorus of the song only appears within the last 5 seconds of the video as it begins to fade out.

The simple structure of the video is very effective, as it doesn’t take up too much time and can be viewed relatively quickly. Its concise and informative formula adds pace which can refer to the way in which finances need to be dealt with. The film features a wide range of individuals and of

diverse backgrounds, gender and age (although within a similar bracket). This shows that Barclays are aspiring to appeal to a wide spectrum and appear multicultural which is relatable to everyone

The message, although a fairly dull one, is made more entertaining and given a fun and interesting aesthetic to brighten up the topic of finance.

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edia AS Real World Media Example #2 This video produced by UCAS gives an insight into how to manage debts and financed whilst at university.

The 2 minute 20 second slip shows how the website can help manage student loans, debts and higher education fees without the unnecessary stress

The clip is entirely animated and has a simplistic outface; although it doesn’t contain much text, the message is easily interpreted through the animations which coincide with the small amount of writing

A non-diegetic undertone is maintained throughout the video. The music adds energy to the dull subject of finance, making it more interesting and easier to understand

The theme throughout the entirety of the animation coincides with the colour scheme of the UCAS website, red and white, this allows individuals to recognise and reference the website for future occasions

The video doesn’t contain a narrator, as UCAS may feel as though what is being shown on screen is informative and concise enough for people to understand without having to go into further depth

At the opening of the clip, tension is built up through asking rhetorical questions to the audience. This address the individual watching the clip directly and engaging them from the outset. The music helps to add tension, which could refer to the mounting pressure of a young individual who is finding it hard to cope with their finances. The music then climaxes and begins to play an instrumental upbeat song, the clip onscreen also changes and provides more optimistic information and how UCAS can help with student budgeting and finance

Although the video is simplistic, it is informative and provides students with relevant and necessary information they need before going to university in terms of how they can be helped with their debts and

their loans. However, on top of the under-bed, UCAS also add

other sound effects to add a sense of fun and creativity to the subject

Although the video is a lot longer than the Barclays promo video, the UCAS video is far more informative and less subjective as there is no people starring in it, therefore less marginalisation

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edia AS Real World Media Example #3 The Halifax promotional video lasts just over 1 minute. Although the video is brief, it is also concise and

includes relevant information which is vital to anyone watching The non-diegetic under-bed adds a sense of positivity to the video, providing up beat and bouncy music

which contrasts to the subject of loans and finance The video features a ‘regular’ family who intend on extending their house with a conservatory but are

unable to afford to pay for it, however through Halifax they are able to apply for a loan through a quick and simple application process which takes little time to process and receive

The aspiration of the video was to show audiences and Halifax account users how easy and accessible it is to receive bank loans

The quick editing cuts through the video also reflect the message of the video which is how simple and quick it is to apply and set up a loan. The pace of the promo remains fairly constant, which adds continuity to the video

The narrator of the video is a female who talks in a very calm and regular tone which may infer the idea of the normality of applying for a loan, as well as providing assurance to those who are unsure of how to get a loan

The simplistic formula of the video shows audiences that the application process is also accessible and easy to navigate around. It also shows the before and after of the family that have applied for a loan and how

happy it has benefitted their life. This is a good promotional technique which includes subtle advertisement of their service which people are more likely to relate to Along the bottom of the video is small print

which is informative and reflects what is being said by the narrator. This will add a sense of professionalism as people feel as though they can be confident in the statistics that are being shown and are therefore more likely to apply

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edia AS Slot machine – gaming reference which adds a sense of youth The bright, colourful aesthetics are reflective of a cartoon which is reiterated throughout the campaign The word ‘Minted’ is written in a san serif font which is similar to the font written on a ‘special offer’ sign in the retail industry. This

theme is continued throughout as well as being depicted in the corner of the page as if it is a sale – drawing attention to the young audience

‘Minted’ itself is an example of colloquial language which can be seen within the campaign; enforces the idea of a young target audience (approximately 17-22, around the age when individuals are considering/in university)

Images link with the theme of money and finance, this is maintained throughout Money is a continued theme, elements of each page are reflective of this, in particular the title page (as seen below) through the bold

image of the point sign as if it is a slot machine. This could also be interpreted as finance is almost a game and the outcome can essentially be a bit ‘hit-and-miss’.

During a few of the pages within the pamphlet, there are various sized text boxes which feature advice from individuals who are of

Minted Campaign Analysis

similar age to the target audience; this adds a sense of reassurance that the person reading can rely on what is being said, as well as being more relatable Through the most-part of the small articles, there is a significant pattern of being

predominantly text heavy articles with a large text to photo ratio. This is not necessarily a good marketing idea for the audience in which they aim to appeal to

Bullet points are more effective and more likely to be understood as gives a more simplistic layout and less like a dull block of text

There is a contrast on one of the pages with an image of a young child, aged around 5 or 6 who is attempting to sort out bills and paperwork. Although it is clear what is trying to be inferred, it is not the most appropriate image to use as the child is too young and could make the audience feel patronised

Therefore the images that need to be used need to be relevant and appropriate to the target audience

There are also a couple of pages which are titled ‘word bank’ this is a clever interpretation of the word and also provides witty humour which is relatable to the young audience

Highlighted words signify a key term which should be noted and remembered which is quite an important aspect of the campaign

The graphics of the campaign are also quite out of date, which is similar to the slang that is used. From reading through the articles, although the information that is provided is relevant, it is out-dated slightly in the way that it is phrased and seems a bit pretentious

An image of three young women holding shopping bags over their shoulder is a stereotypical female image which has evidently been staged for the purpose of the campaign. This is not necessarily the best portrayal to be used for the campaign

Real Life Campaign // Analysis of a real life brochure to vary the examples that I was looking at, which added a sense of variety

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edia AS

Media Production:

Moving Image

Topics Student finance Loans Debt Mortgages Credit Cards Personal Data Security Taxes & Bills Identity Theft Young people

Style Short film Interview Documentary Real story Promotional information Advertisement Point Of View Predominantly Informative Animated & reality

Content Glamorised film in black and white with

no talking but in an artistic production which sums up an area of finance without needing a narrator or speech

Documentary styled video featuring a combination of artistic shots and information through narration and/or interviews

Personal story of an individual, focus in on their life and their story. Predominantly interview and narration

Advertisement of promotional film through a brief video with quick informative editing. With/without narration

Part animation part reality film showing information on an element of finance

Location Of Film Bank (Halifax, NatWest, Barclays,

Lloyds TSB) Home (Office) University (or School) POV camera attached to someone

in the first person Consultant Room Around the house Meeting room

Music Instrumental Upbeat and bouncy Non diegetic underbed Diegetic sounds to add realism Simple music Preferably a well-known song (either

techno or a band) Music that is maintained throughout Change in music to replicate the change

in mood of the film As the film fades out, could introduce the

lyrics of the song

Starring Other students in my year Students in the year above Students who have finished sixth form and are

considering going on a gap year Students who have finished sixth form and are

going straight to university Students who are currently in university Newly qualifies students Professionals People with/without a current job Bank Managers Financial Consultant Accountants Young people who are looking to buy property Young people who have their own property Younger students who are just considering their

financial status and establishing themselves with money

Adult who is in dept Adult who is good at managing their money Regular family (Middle class/ working class) Stakeholders

Shots Close up shots (i.e. half of the person being

interviewed and half of the background) Interview styled (i.e. switching shots between

interviewer and who is being interviewed) Following camera(follow someone around- in their

perspective) Pan shots Medium shots Medium-long shots to show environment Fillers (i.e. shots that can be edited in after which

are relevant to the topic but used to fill between directed shots

Static (i.e. shots that don’t move but are informative)

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edia AS Interview Q&A :

What Is Your Current Occupation Status? I am currently a student at Fortismere school in year 13 Do You Plan On Continuing To Higher Education? i.e. University or Apprenticeship Yes, I want to go to university but unsure whether I want to take a gap year or go straight to university If So, Which University(s) Do You Wish To Apply To? Thinking of applying to Sussex, Essex, Brighton or Reading What Is One Of Your Primary Financial Concerns In The Future? I am unsure as to how I am going to budget and manage my student loans If You Intend On Going To University, Are Tuition Fees Or Student Loans A Concern For You? Only slightly, I’m not really sure how they work If You Had To Cut One Aspect Of Your Lifestyle In Order To Save Money, Which Would It Be?

Why? Probably the amount of food I buy, I buy excessive amounts which could be cut back in order to save some money Do You Currently Have A Debit Card/ Current Account? I have a debit card or current account Do You Plan On Getting A Credit Card In Future? Not particularly Are You Currently Seeking Financial Advise? No I’m not I just ask my friends and family about any financial concerns Would You Consider Getting A Loan? Why? I would consider it just to help out with extra money here and there but not depend on it, no Does Identity Theft Concern You? Not really, I haven’t really considered it to be honest Are You Concerned About Getting A Mortgage On A Property? I don’t really know how the property purchasing process works so I am slightly worried, yes Do You Understand How To Manage A Current Account And A Savings Account? I understand how to work both but not in great depth Which Aspect Of Finance Do You Feel Least Informed About? I feel like I haven’t really been informed about any area of buying a house and how mortgages work

Research Technique // In order to get an idea as to what area of finance I wanted to target my video at, I conducted an interview with a year 13 student to ensure that my video was relevant to problem areas

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edia AS iMovie Skill Audit #1

This feature allows me to edit the appearance of the text overlay during each clip of the video

This will be very useful when creating an opening title clip as well putting text over clips to provide more information on the financial area

It also allows me to adjust the font size, colour and style which will allow me to vary the typography in order to maintain the interest of the viewer

This may cause some problems as there may be a limited amount of fonts, none of which may fit what I am looking for

Will help for the fluidity of the film This feature allows me to adjust where each

clip is placed in the film By pressing a button, I am able to view each

clip in full; expressing the audio that is attached to the film, as well as the separate voice clips entirely

This will come in very useful as I had hoped on overlaying the audio over different clips which may not necessarily go with the audio

This also tells me the duration of each clip, or each sound clip which will enable me to drag clips and edit them quicker without having to listen to the entire thing

This may become quite confusing as I am unable to rename each clip and therefore may take longer to organise

Above: EDITING TEXT OVERLAY FOR THE OPENING TITLE

Below: EDITING LAYER DURATION

Current Status // A basic run through of my current abilities when dealing with iMovie and the features that it contained. Would allow me to see areas of improvement and development

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edia AS iMovie Skill Audit #2

Above: EDITING/ADJUSTING VIDEO AESTHETICS

Below: ADJUSTING AUDIO

This feature allows me to adjust the audio of each clip that I input into my film

If there is background noise or excess sound, I will be able to adjust the settings to use ambient noise reduction

As well as this, if the person I interview is speaking too quietly, I will then be able to increase the volume of their voice

This will come in handy when overlaying the audio with the visual so I can reduce and increase the narration

Could become quite confusing as I do not have extensive knowledge of this feature

This feature allows me to alter the visual elements of the film. This means that if a clip is filmed in plain regular lighting, I am able to adjust the settings to have it tinged a specific colour in certain areas

I am also able to change the speed of the clip, this will enable me to match it to the speed of the audio so that it corresponds consistently throughout

I can also change the lighting of each clip individually, therefore if there is a shot that isn’t well lit, then I will be able to change the contrast, brightness and temperature of the shot to make it clearer and more visible

If changing the colour of each clip is too difficult then there are some effects which I can add to the clip which have already been uploaded into iMovie

This will allow me to make the appearance of the clip the best possible quality I can to give it an authentic and professional outcome

This could cause some problems as I do not know what each aspect of the settings of the video does and therefore it may take me some time to understand what each button does

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edia AS Production Cost

Camera Crew + Hire

£250 - £500 per day £80 - £250 per day

Voice Over£150 - £300 per min

Actors£300 - £400 per day

Editors£350 - £1000 per edit

Script Writers£200 - £500 per min Director

£300 - £650 per day

Due to my video not being as professional as as authentic ones, my film will be a lot cheaper to produce

The total minimum cost of my vide would work out at around £900 or around this benchmark (£300 [actor] + £150 [voice over] + £200 [script writer] + £250 [camera crew])

This price is fairly reasonable in order to make a professional looking video, however as I am not making a high value film It is unnecessary for me to use professional actors/equipment, deducting a large amount off the total cost

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edia AS Pre-Production Shot List

Production Shots // A scan of the basic outlined shots that I wanted to feature in my video. Illustrated by hand

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edia AS Timeline Of Production

DeadlineApril 30th 2015

Start Of Unit 3:January 19th 2015

Initial Research // 23rd Jan Carry out initial research on finances and which area I want to focus on. Research real life products and how I can integrate it into my own work

Pitch // 3rdrd Mar Present a pitch to the class with

details on my final outcome. i.e. field of finance, shot types, ideas and who I

intend on marketing my product on

Film: Full Interview // 14th Mar In the house film the entire interview

(separate audio and video/variation in shot types: close up, medium close up

shot) don’t include audio of the questions

Film: Initial Scenes // 12th Mar Film the first few scenes of the video (opening title scene of public walking along the street/walking shot to house and beginning of interview)

Film: Paperwork // 19th Mar Include a few shots of banking and the process of filling out paperwork (over the shoulder shots/POV/ bank statements and signing off bills)

Film: Filler Shots// 22nd Mar Film around the house, play with a variation of shot types (change the

aperature of the camera/ shutter speed/exposure) more artistic shots

Film: Outdoor Locations // 26th Mar Following shots of them going into the bank and how they go about their daily life with money (include shots of going to the bank and withdrawing money/budgeting shot)

Film: Filler Shots// 28th Mar Film around the house, play with a variation of shot types (change the

aperature of the camera/ shutter speed/exposure) more artistic shots

Film: Edit Sound// 30th MarCollect the narration from the interview and the background sounds from outside (clear and consistent throughout/volume/add in the non diegetic music to the video) make sure to dim the volume of the music when there is narration. Maintain the music throughout

Film: Edit Video // 1st – 29th rd AprCompile all of the shots that I have made

and filter through them to make sure there are only relevant shots that fit suitably with the audio. (make sure the editing is smooth

and fluid throughout and don’t cut between scenes too quickly)

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edia AS

My Pitch

Presentation // My presentation was presented to a full class including several members of staff

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edia AS Target Demographic Target Audience: Post university graduates (early 20’s:

21-24) Socio-Economic Demographic: working/middle class

backgrounds who have come out of University with a large sum of debt money and student tuition fees to repay

Financial Area: My video will feature a couple of chosen individuals who have just left university and are considering buying their first property. The video will feature elements on budgeting and how buying a property works. The video will include elements of the first stages of living alone and what it is like to manage financial problems which are thrown at young people

Running Time: The video will be no longer than 5 minutes and run fluently between shots

Response: The film will attempt to tackle these queries and provide a background story to someone who is in a similar position to those watching. This will make it relatable; it will include where they have made financial errors and how to prevent these as well as giving the audience advice on how to manage their finances when starting off i.e. what went well and what could have gone better

What Will Be Included: separation of audio and picture so that the voice can overlay different shots and make it more interesting to watch

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edia AS Similar Existing Products ‘Which?’ online have already established a page dedicated to new homeowners, containing vital tips and

what the most simple and effective way to buying a new home is. The video is short and precise with all relevant information; it features a young man called Chris as he is

interviewed in his new home, integrated with shots of him as he decorates the house. There is a maintained level of speech throughout, even over the shots without him in frame. The video is layered with non-diegetic ukulele music which is upbeat and adds to the positive feel of the video.

The website itself in which the video features also contains a list of several things that new homeowners can expect from buying their first property, as well as providing advice from their helpline. There is also a forum for frequently asked questions which is more inclusive and could make people more enthusiastic to buy, as they feel as though they can relate to individuals who have the same queries as them

http://bcove.me/777lgpnr

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edia AS Similar Existing Products Barclays Student Budget Planner

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edia AS Direction Of The Film

Props Cheque book Money Bank statements Credit cards Mortgage papers Tax papers Other paperwork

Titles Money Management In Minutes Mortgages In Minutes Homeowners Guide To Saving Savvy Savers Postgraduate Properties

Lighting Contrast of light and darker

areas Elements of the film will be

filmed inside and outside to reflect the individuals’ life

Inside shots need to be effectively lit

Try not to film late at night as it could cause several problems

Make sure close up shots are clear and visible

Colour And Layout Ideas Keep the colour of the film as it

is, adjust lighting to make it bright and modern, give it a fresh appearance

As the person is being spoken to, vary the shot types to make the film more interesting

Instead of having standard titles and credits, include still images animated together

Tracking camera to follow the person around, integrated with close up shots for the interview

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edia AS Key Shots/Shot List

Predominantly medium close up shot when filming the interview elements of the video

Close up shots of areas of the new home with artistic shots of specific objects – close up, medium long shot, long shot, panoramic shot, moving shot, tracking shot

Over the shoulder shot or POV shot of the person as they open up a bank statement, checking a letter from the bank

Fridge shot – camera placed in the fridge, someone opens the fridge, reaches in and closes the door

Following shot – zoom out shot of people walking down the street, the focus’ in on someone walking towards the camera. Camera follows them to their flat

Tracking shot- as the person walks around the supermarket, going out to a coffee shop and as they are writing a weekly expenditure list

Go round the flat and pick up on key money saving aspects i.e. objects that may have had a previous use and have been reused in order to save money

Opening and closing door shot – as the person enters the flat door, close the door on the camera to create a sense of exclusivity

Medium long shot of getting money out of an ATM and going in to the bank to ask about a particular issue. Have the bank clerk response included

Follow for a day through daily lifestyle

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edia AS Research & Statistics 2,340,257 UK

Total Students 2012/2013-6.3% on 2010/2011

27,917,931

UK Total Student Expenditure (£k)+4.7% on 2010/2011

Production Screenshots #1

Importing Clips // Importing the clips was a fairly easy procedure that involved transferring the clips from the SD card into iMovie. I was then able to arrange them in a rough running order of how they were going to be viewed

Edit Out Bloopers // Initially I had to edit out the main parts of the shots that were completely irrelevant so that I was left with the main clips. This then let me edit the clips down even further through more detailed analysis of the shot, making it run smoothly

Removing Background Noise// Having imported the videos, some of the clips which did not contain speaking i.e. the filler shots I was able to remove the background noise. This allowed me to essentially overlay any audio clips that I wanted over any visual

Synchronising Visual & Audio // A lot of the audio clips that had been altered from the original video clips they were attached with were out of sync with the new clip. This meant I had to arrange and cut various parts of the shot in order to make the running smooth

Changing The Clips // Some of the clips that I had initially imported onto iMovie were just to get the fundamental idea of how I wanted the running of the film to be. After doing some basic editing, I was able to look over the other archived clips and pick and choose the best areas from each one

Aligning New Clips // The new clips that I had imported to replace the old ones then needed to be edited down and aligned to suit the rest of the video. A lot of the footage was cut out in order to stick to the duration limit that I was given; this meant cutting down on the audio and filler clips.

Production Editing // Slides containing 18 screenshots of the editing process, including changes, developments in relation to the initial plan

Production Screenshots #2

Non- Diegetic Underlay // Having looked at some real life examples, I noticed that most of them had an underbed to add depth to the video. I wanted something which was upbeat but not too overpowering or condescending to the audience

Sound Adjustments // I knew that I wanted the underbed to be continuous throughout the video to add a sense of fluidity; this meant I had to adjust the sound levels at various intervals so as not to overpower or interrupt the actors’ audio

Reduce Background Noise // A lot of the initial editing was focused on the audio; When it came to editing the audio of the interview, there were some crackles in the background which I ensured to remove through reducing the background noise

Alterations To Script // Through editing some of the audio clips, I realised that I was going to massively go over the time limit; this therefore meant that I had to cut out a lot of what I had initially wanted to say, nevertheless the adjustments were minor

Text Animation // Adding moving text was one of the most challenging things whilst editing. iMovie itself does not allow you to change the positioning of titles which meant I had to use an external source (PicEditor) to save the file as a picture and import it

Positioning Text // Once saved as a picture, I was able to drag it above a particular clip and adjust the length of time it was shown, I had to change the text into a different format in order for me to adjust the position on screen

Production Screenshots #3

Crop and ‘Ken Burns’ Clips // I wanted the clips to gradually enter from the top of the screen and stop half way. I found a YouTube tutorial on how to do this which meant cropping the clip and selecting an option called ‘ken burns’ which enabled me to do this. I was also able to adjust the time it had onscreen

Positioning Onscreen // After editing the text onto the screen and making sure that the animations that it had were as I wanted them to be, I was able to change where it was positioned on the screen. This was just a matter of dragging a box to change the size and then moving the box to where I wanted it

Duration and Location // After writing some of the information in the text boxes, I realised that a lot of it was quite heavy to read within the amount of time I had initially given it. I added on a few more seconds and was able to put it in an area of the screen that was blank and I had reserved for the text

Feedback Changes // Having asked a few people to watch the video I then asked if there were any improvements I could make. One of which was re-filming a couple of the clips and adjust the focus to make it clearer. I did this but chose to ignore changing the colour of the text as I felt it would not suit the style I was hoping for

Colour and Clarity // To make sure that the video viewed well and came across as professional as possible, I altered some of the camera shots’ lighting to make it appear more clean cut and higher definition. I also adjusted the contrast of some of the shots to make the colours more prominent

Final Adjustments // After I had done all the editing of the video, I watched the video over a couple of times to make sure that I had done everything I had planned to do in my production list. Once I had done this I was able to burn it onto a disk to hand in

Production AnalysisYour Finances

Lily Wickens

Media AS

My video is targeted specifically for the age range of 18-23 year olds; this was due to my initial concept was property hunting for post-graduates, although I wanted it to appeal to those who are considering going to university to encourage them to go

I chose to film my video in a similar style to a documentary, but try and make it more personal to make it more relevant to the viewers as well as making it come across more relatable

I tried to make it as modern and clean cut as I could through using very little in terms of added animations and transitions to the video which I feel degrades the quality

In attempts of informing the viewer, I used plain white text overlaid on top of a plain background which made it come across more stylish and not styled like a ‘pop art’ video with large text flying around everywhere

I made sure to make the font of the text fairly large and to try and fit realistic times to each of the text boxes so that the viewer didn't’t feel as though they were being rushed whilst they were reading – which I found occasionally when watching some of the real life example videos

I tried to base my video on a personal story which Is the reason I varied the shot types from medium-long shot to close up to give the effect that you are really in the same room as the actor; as well as using the shot at the beginning of the video of shutting the door in the camera’s face to give it a sense of exclusivity

I also tried to integrate various innovative shots which were relevant to the financial subject but made the topic a little more interesting and enticing to watch

The video I felt came across like an authentic film you would find on a student financial advice video, which met the original objective I had been set. I feel as though I am happy with the production of the video as I was able to stick to deadlines and finish within the allotted time I was given