UAL Level 3 Diploma

Unit 8: Developing a creative media production project 

The Final Major Project (Year One)

STATEMENT OF AIMS

Unit 8 is the summative unit in the first year of the two-year qualification. It will
provide students with a measure of self-directed learning through the
completion of a substantial creative media production and technology project. 
 
The unit requires students to apply the skills, knowledge and understanding
developed in Units 1–7, to complete a creative media production project. It will
provide students with a measure of self-directed learning, and an opportunity to
begin to clarify their longer-term goals through their choice of an activity to explore in
greater depth

Name Jonty Spence

Disciplines Video
(primary/secondary
)
(e.g. video,
animation, sound,
photography
Project (e.g. short
narrative film, A 2 minute long video that is able to loop seamlessly
experimental short
film, experimental
animation,
cinemograph, time-
lapse etc. )
Section 1: Rationale (minimum of 100 words)
This section provides you with an opportunity to reflect on, review and summarize your
progress and achievements through the first 7 units, and the knowledge, skills and
understanding you have acquired. What you know now, and what it means to you, compare
with what you knew and could do before you stared the course and how this has influenced
your choice of pathway and your project proposal. 

Over the 7 units I have learned how to use a variety of different software (such as
adobe animate, photoshop, and premier pro) and a variety of hardware (Wacom
tablets and macs).
In video I have learned the different shot types (establishing, High angle, Low
angle, Dutch tilt, Pan, Long shot, medium shot, close up, POV, and contra zoom. I
also learned how to use the manual camera settings for Exposure, Motion blur,
Gain, Doing a focus pull, and incorrect white balance.
In Animation I learned how to use animate, Perspective, Tweens, Colour palette
and copying and moving audio around in Premier and Animate.
In photography I learned how to use a camera, Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop,
Shutter speed, Portrait blends, “levitation” photos, how to use a reflector, and how
to stitch multiple images together to make a much larger image.

I believe these skills will help me during my FMP

Section 2: Project Concept (minimum of 200 words)

This section provides an opportunity for you to clearly explain the concept and aims of your
project, the research and ideas that will support its development, what you anticipate
producing, the levels of and types of resources that you will need and an indication of the
form in which you will complete and present your project realisation within the allocated
timescale. 
What I intend on producing is a 2 minute video that is able to loop seamlessly. The
video I want to make is a slow motion clip of sparks flying into a camera. The
source of sparks I would like to use is a model rocket engine as I believe they are
perfect for what I want to do. What I also want to do is see if I can put small
amounts of different metals into them to change the colours of the flame and
sparks.

Section 3: Evaluation – How you plan to record your progress (minimum of 100
words)
This section provides an opportunity to explain how you will reflect on, and evaluate, you
work as both an on-going activity and at the conclusion of the project. You should describe
how you intend to record your decision making and how you will document changes to your
ideas as work progresses. The evaluation should be referenced to your stated aims and be
reflective and analytical rather than a description of actions completed. Remember, you are
consistently evaluating and reflecting on your work throughout the process, not just at the
end.
I will use the blog page on my Weebly website to record my progress throughout
the FMP.
I will also use the Research page to support and provide reasoning for my ideas.

Proposed Research Sources

These will be resources and influences to inform your project, which may include audio-
visual texts, articles, websites etc. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfrIxeb5ojo

Equipment Required
e.g., cameras, computers, software etc. Be as specific as you can with regards to software
as you may need a variety of programs.

Slow motion camera, Computers 

Adobe Premier Pro, Adobe after effects

Resources Required
e.g., props, locations, costumes, make-up, sounds  (where applicable)

I would need a clean backdrop that would contrast against the sparks and flames.
Rocket motors for test shots and actual takes.
Camera

Skills to develop/learn
Appropriate skills for chosen pathway (this will be helpful for staff to know to organise
particular workshops).  Be as specific as you can with the skills you might need to develop.

The skill I would develop is slo-motion camerawork

Personnel and responsibilities
The Final Major Project is designed to be YOUR personal project. You are working
independently but may require some assistance or include models, actors, crew etc. Identify
all personnel involved. If it will just be yourself, please make this clear.

I will use myself .

I will have a parent purchase the rocket motor for me.

Intended audience and context

Be specific about your intended audience. Try to consider age, interests etc.  
 
The context will be how and where your finished product will be used for; e.g., an art gallery
installation which requires some degree of ‘interactivity; from the audience.
My intended audience would be Social Media. The video I intend to make is likely
to be something you see on Facebook or Instagram while your scrolling.

How my project will ‘loop’

Be as specific as you can with regards to how your 2-minute project will loop. This might be
having matching images at the start and finish of your project or perhaps a sound which will
loop.

The black background will help make the video effortlessly loop as I can have a
“fade to black” transition between some of the shots that can be unnoticeable.

How to successfully complete a final major project

1. Do something you enjoy – look back on projects this year and think about
what skills you’ve learnt and which you have really enjoyed. What job would
you like to do in the future? How can you apply it to your project? Pick an area
which you can connect with.
LOVE YOUR PROJECT

2. Do lots and lots of research – primary and secondary are both essential.
Use a wide range of methods and resources, such as questionnaires,
surveys, interviews (Primary), and researching the work of professional
practitioners and techniques (Secondary).

3. Manage your time – 9 weeks of practical work is not long. Just think how
fast this year has gone so far. Plan ahead and don’t fall behind. MAKE USE
OF INDEPENDENT STUDY TIME.

4. You must document everything what happens as you go along. Your entire
journey from start to finish should be fully recorded. Describe and analyse as
you go along. Every aspect of your project should be fully considered. Your
Planning and Schedule will be vital to the success of your FMP
5. Research, design, experiment, build, evaluate. Your project should evolve
over the allotted time. Be flexible and adaptable if your FMP decides to go in
a different direction than first intended. Ensure you record all developments as
the project develops.

6. Critically analyse and evaluate – this will refer to the research you undertake,
the pre-production, production and post-production. Don’t just describe but
analyse, interpret, research and evaluate.

7. Listen to advice from your lecturers in formative assessment sessions

throughout the project. You might just find that as we are used to marking
work we know what the requirements are to make good/exceptional projects.
Remember, your work will be graded at Pass, Merit or Distinction, so aim
for the best grade you can and take advice on board when given.

8. You are being graded against FOUR Learning Outcomes, so you need to
ensure that you do the very best in each of them to achieve the grade you
may require, so pay close attention to all parts of the FMP. Remember that
the lowest awarded grade for any Learning Outcome will be the final grade
for the FMP unit.