What equipment have you used over the past year? | Advantages | Disadvantages | What did I create with it? What features did I use? |
Canon XM2 camera | Professional industry standard camera Its highly sensitive 3CCD unit achieves 540 lines horizontal resolution and super low light performance. Mega-pixel high resolution digital photos. It can deliver sharp images and high magnification with less colour irregularity. An Optical Image Stabiliser keeps the image steady with no loss of quality. This camera also has flexible control and audio settings with microphone frequency of three modes to match recording conditions (normal, voice, and windscreen). DV tapes are cheap to buy. | This camera is quite large and cumbersome making it difficult to manoeuvre. It is also very slow when capturing footage; the Dv tapes are very delicate and often cause errors, such as drop frames. Expensive compared to other cameras. | With the cannon xm2 I created a sequence and edited it using final cut express. When using this camera I used to mic for voice-over narration. I also set the white balance settings and colour bars. |
Panasonic HD SD60 | The SD60 employs Intelligent Resolution Technology and is equipped with Crystal Engine Pro, which helps to record extremely clear, crisp motion images that exceed even Full-HD 1920 x 1080-pixel images in quality. It eliminates the colour smear that tends to occur at subject edges and renders sharp images. This camera is quite small which makes handheld filming easy. The camera is quite cheap. The touch screen is easy to navigate. As this camera uses sd cards video capturing is much quicker and means more storage capability. The video footage is HD and user friendly, it also allows manual white balance to get a better quality picture. | The Panasonic sd60 has limited functions and features, and is not industry standard. It also lacks audio features and is not compatible with most computers – only macs. Also, all the functions are manual which is not practical. | I used this camera to film my final product, I set the white balance which has to be done manually and used the 35x zoom features. I also used a SD card to store all my footage |
Final cut express | Final cut express is professional software which achieve high quality results.The timeline on final cut express is clear and easy to use and to sequence the footage. It also has a wide range of easy to use functions, such as importing soundtracks, it is also easy to change the lighting. Final cut express also has a large number of different effects and transitions. It is easy to store footage in the same place. | One of the disadvantages of Final Cut Express is that it can take a long time rendering footage when applying effects and transitions. Having to reset scratch disks each time when opening up final cut express can also be time-consuming. Also the error messages that appear when offering support are hard confusing and hard to understand. | I have used final cut express to create my final product by sequencing and editing my footage. I used a range of effects and transitions. I also made key frames and set a soundtrack with my advert. |
Photoshop | Photoshop is professional software so produces high quality results. When using photoshop it is easy to layer images. Photoshop also has an extremely wide range of functions eg bevel and emboss. Aldo it allows a lot of freedom when manipulating with filters, its also easy when cropping and cutting images | A disadvantage of photoshop is that it can be very complicated and hard to learn as there are so many options available. When saving a photoshop document it takes up lots of storage space on the computer. Another disadvantage of photoshopo is that it can only edit one page at a time, unlike inDesign. Also, it cannot handle large amounts of text | I used Photoshop to edit pictures by using a range of different functions, including bevel/emboss and de-saturation |
Saturday, 16 April 2011
AS Media Production
Technical Skills Audit Moving Image
Name: Imogen Hay Tutor group: 1.45 Date: 3/04/2011
Filming Pre-production and production skills
Which of the following skills have you undertook before entering this course:
Skill | Yes | No | Comments if yes – where have you completed this skills and to what level |
Storyboarding | / | I created storyboards for my advert ideas to help pre-visualise and decide on my final choice, I plan in detail, each shot; duration, mis-en-scene, and how I will use this to connote meaning and emotion. | |
Scriptwriting | / | I created a script for my advert to plan the diegetic and non-diegetic dialogue and when it would appear in my advert, however when it came to editing my advert, I decided not to use any dialogue and just a soundtrack running all the way through. | |
Scheduling | / | I created schedule to plan organise everything I needed to do and to utilize my time. | |
Contingency planning | / | I devised contingency plans for specific situations when things could have gone wrong | |
Shooting log execution | / |
Editing Skills
Skill | Yes | No | Comments if yes – where have you completed this skills and to what level |
Digitising footage | / | I used final cut express to digitise my footage. | |
Digitising footage using timelines | / | I used the timeline on final cut express to sequence and order my footage this also allowed me to know the duration of each shot. | |
Sequencing footage | / | I sequenced footage | |
Using transitions | / | I used transitions in my advert to add the required effect. I mainly used fade to black or straight cut as the others appeared tacky and unprofessional, such as wipes and slides. | |
Using effects | / | I have used a range of different effects, for example when trying to create a dark tone to the advert I de-saturated colours | |
Adding titles | / | I have used text to reinforce what is happening on the screen and to inform the audience, - such as websites. | |
Using multiple video channels | / | ||
Opacity control on channels | |||
Adding sound | / | I added a soundtrack to my advert in final cut express to add to the effect 1 | |
Using key frames to control sound and image | / | I made key-frames in final cut express to put multiple images on the screen at one time and to start some sequences off-screen so they slide on. | |
Beat matching sound and video | / | When I applied a soundtrack to my advert I had to re-arrange the sequence so that when it cut to a different shot, it fitted with the music. | |
Speed Control | / |
Production Equipment Skills
Which of the following camera features and equipment have you used before?
Feature | Yes | No | Tracking Comments |
Tripod | / | I used a tripod when filming to achieve steady, non-shaky images. | |
Track | / | I used tracking when filming a fast moving shot to stay focused and steady on the image. | |
Crane | / | ||
Camera Microphone | / | I used a camera microphone when interviewing character on-set like to achieve a documentary feel to it. | |
Manual focus | / | ||
White balance correction | / | I set the white balance to achieve the best quality picture | |
External lighting | / | ||
Colour Bars | / | When filming I recorded 3 seconds of colour bars before each shot to allow more control when it came to editing. |
Personal Evaluation Write up
The purpose of my advert was to create awareness in my target audience of 15-19 years about how their current behaviour and lifestyle patterns are having an affect to global warming, my advert should encourage young people to examine their current lifestyle and how they might make changes.
To do this, I started off by carrying out research on 15-19 year olds finding out how much they already know about global warming, its causes and effects and whether they had the desire to change their behaviour to help global warming, I did this by creating a survey and asking a group of people to fill them out. I also researched the interests of this target audience such as favourite programmes and music to determine the best way to catch their attention and create interest in global warming through my advert. By doing this I found that the best way to do this is by using humour and shock tactics in my advert. This also helped me decide which stylistic approach I would take which is most suitable for this target audience, such as intertextuality, absence over presence, symbolism or collision of binary oppositions.
From analysing my research I found that most of my target audience don’t know much about global warming, such as how important it is that we make a change or how deadly the after-effects could be if we don’t do anything about it, I also found that most of my target audience don’t know how to help global warming so in my advert I decided to give tips on easy way to reduce it in a funny way to make the audience pay attention. This is because this target audience don’t have very good attention spans compared to target audiences, they are also more inclined to watch something it’s humorous.
My final idea for my advert was to show the life of two different people; one who is a typical person who fits this target audience, who cares about global warming and does things to help, such as turning off un-necessary lights and electrical appliances, recycling and using water sparingly contrasted with the other person who cares so much about global warming and the environment that he lives outside in a forest only using the land to survive on – getting washed in lakes, eating only natural things. I was going to use a split screen to illustrate the obvious juxtaposition in these peoples lifestyle, to show to the target audience that it doesn’t take a lot of effort to help global warming and they can still have a good social life etc, as these things are very important to this target audience. This idea also incorporates humour which is proven one of the best ways to get attention from 15-19 year olds.
When filming my advert I decided that this split-screen idea may cause the narrative to be complicated and confusing, which would make the audience lose interest, also I did not have my storyboard with me at the time of filming my advert so I was unsure on the details of each shot, because of this, I decided to change the sequence slightly, however the idea was still the same. As a result of this I found my advert didn’t go together as well as it could have done if I had planned it this way, for example, the shots don’t always flow or have continuity, I overcame this problem by using different cuts such as fade and slide. I decided to still show the contrasting lifestyles but without switching from character to character; I decided to focus on the ‘hippie’ character first in my advert, then switch, by using text – ‘There are easier ways to save the earth’, then show the ‘normal’ character doing easier things to care for the environment.
The first shot of my advert is of the ‘hippy’ character in who lives outside, walking up to the camera from where he sleeps. In this shot I used open framing to symbolise that he is free and alone. In this shot I also used a hand-held camera to connote the constant instability and danger that this character is subjected to because of where he lives, I also did this to create a sense of reality – to make the advert appear unrehearsed and natural. I then used shots of the ‘hippie’ doing things such as a ‘rain dance’ and chasing rabbits, this shows how much he loves the earth and also incorporated humour to get the attention of the audience. To show these shots I referred to my original idea and made keyframes to create a split screen so that some shots were on the screen all at one time, some of these shots also started off-screen -
I also did this because I decided to have a soundtrack running all the way through instead of dialogue, instead I wrote text on the screen such as ‘meet Joel, he loves the environment’ in the first shot as this introduces the character to the audience and allows them to understand what is going on.
In these shots I also used handheld camera to achieve the same effect. I also filmed some of the shots from far away and zoomed in on him, this also gave a sense of reality and suggested what was happening was unrehearsed, as if people were spying on him from far away in the bushes, like an animal in the wild. After this I used the text ‘There are easier ways to save the environment’ then showed the ‘normal person’ doing things to help global warming that everybody could do. I then used more text to demonstrate ways of doing this such as ‘Recycle’ I then used a shot of the person carrying out a big recycling bag out of his house, I then zoomed to an extreme close up. In this shot I also used handheld camera, however I should have used a tripod to resemble stability, and I also should have used a low angle shot so that audience are looking up at him, placing him above the hippie person. I then did the same for the other shots; I used the text ‘ride to college’ as this also refers to the target audience, making them imagine themselves in the position of the character.
After this I included a shot of the ‘normal person’ riding a bike, as this is giving an example and again uses humour to gain the viewers attention. As this shot was a panning, long shot, it would have been much better if I had have used a tripod, - as I have used a hand held camera and the person is riding a bike, the shot appears extremely unstable, also, as I was stood on higher ground, the camera is looking down on him from a high angle, using a tripod would have helped me get the right levels and steadiness. In the next shot, he is washing his hands, using the water carefully to not waste any, in this shot I didn’t quite know how to make obvious that he is trying not waste any water, it appears that he is just washing his hands, however I overcame this by using text; ‘save water’ and an extreme close up of the tap switched off.
The last shot is of the character turning off a light as he walked out of the room, I also used an extreme close up of the light switch to enforce this advice. My advert then fades to black and the text appears ‘isn’t it time you saved the planet?’ this rhetorical question will make the audience think and ask themselves what they could do to help global warming, it will also make them feel guilty if they don’t already do this. I then used the text ‘and the polar bear!’ as this match’s the soundtrack which is called ‘Save the Polar Bears’, this also gives humour to the advert as this is the last shot. To make my advert better, I could have made a montage at the end of my advert of all of the close ups; the recycle bag, light switch, riding a bike and the tap.
If I were to do this advert again, I would spend more time on planning and would have gone into more details on things such as creating more storyboards of different ideas with different approaches such intertextuality - incorporating specific things that were found to be popular among my target audience from research, such as ‘TopGear’ as this was the most well-liked target audience. I also would have tried a more serious approach to this, as global warming is a serious issue and to be taken too lightly.
Friday, 15 April 2011
Weekly Production Monitoring Blog
7/03/2011 – Last week I started the social advert and documentary planning. Brainstorming ideas for my advert and documentary and making storyboards of each idea, coming up with a number of different outlines with different emotional selling points such as shock or humour helped me make sure I could chose the best one, it also helped me chose which style I wanted to include in my advert and how I would incorporate this, such as intertextuality or absence is presence. This helped me create my final design and make a storyboard of my advert so that I can plan the mis-en-scene of each shot and make sure that every shot flows seamlessly into the next with continuity and without looking out of place. It took me quite a long time to think of an idea for and advert that would work and that I would be able to film. In the next lesson I created a schedule to plan every part of the production of my advert and to help utilize my time fully. This week I will develop my final idea by completing a social advert planning document to talk about these details, in the next lesson, I will also do the same but for a documentary to ensure I have chosen the best idea possible.
14/03/2011 This week I chose of the two best social advert ideas and developed them by planning them in detail – the message of my social advert, what behavioural change I want the target audience to make and what I want my advert to raise awareness about in particular. Also, what emotional impact I want my advert to generate: shock, humour, inform, fear, intrigue or sympathy. I also planned what stylistic approach I wanted to take such as intextuality, absence over presence, symbolism or collision of binary oppositions. I also gave a brief synopsis of the narrative of each adverts. I then thought about possible locations that would be suitable for filming. I also did this for a documentary idea, discussing who I could interview in my documentary and why, if I were to make a documentary I would interview members of the public who fit the target audience profile , teachers and experts, however this may be hard as I don’t know anyone who is an expert on global warming. I also discussed whether my documentary or will you use voice over narration or whether I would have someone presenting it. I also discussed my idea and key points I will investigate and inform my audience of. Next week I will focus on developing my final social advert design – planning in detail, I fill out the advert treatment handbook giving an overview of my advert – discussing the message of my advert and how I will convey this, such as through humour, shock etc. The treatment handbook also discusses the AIDA barriers I will face and how I will overcome them, such as encouraging my target audience to examine their current lifestyle and make a difference. The next part of the treatment will talk about visual aesthetics, such as mis-en-scene and editing objectives, also sound objectives. This will take quite a lot of time as I need to go into a lot of detail.
21/03/2011 When I finally decided on my social advert design I filled in the treatment handbook, giving an overview of my advert, discussing cinematography, editing, mis-en-scene and narrative objectives, I also identified the barriers that I need to overcome when producing an advert for this target audience such as awareness and desire to help change global warming. The treatment also discusses the aesthetics of my advert including how I will convey the message and emotion through cinematoghraphy. Another thing the treatment discusses is the budget, - personnel costs (actors, camera operators, editors) and equipment costs (Camera, lighting, editing software, props, costume.) Although this took some time to finish I also chose the location for my advert and completed the location recce - a pre-filming visit to the location, to decide upon the suitability of the location for shooting. I had to comment upon the access to necessary facilities, assessment of potential lighting and or any potential issues with sound and what I would do as a result. I also had to talk about the health and safety risks and how I would work around these. Next week I will plan my script of the whole advert and start filming.
7/03/2011 – Last week I started the social advert and documentary planning. Brainstorming ideas for my advert and documentary and making storyboards of each idea, coming up with a number of different outlines with different emotional selling points such as shock or humour helped me make sure I could chose the best one, it also helped me chose which style I wanted to include in my advert and how I would incorporate this, such as intertextuality or absence is presence. This helped me create my final design and make a storyboard of my advert so that I can plan the mis-en-scene of each shot and make sure that every shot flows seamlessly into the next with continuity and without looking out of place. It took me quite a long time to think of an idea for and advert that would work and that I would be able to film. In the next lesson I created a schedule to plan every part of the production of my advert and to help utilize my time fully. This week I will develop my final idea by completing a social advert planning document to talk about these details, in the next lesson, I will also do the same but for a documentary to ensure I have chosen the best idea possible.
14/03/2011 This week I chose of the two best social advert ideas and developed them by planning them in detail – the message of my social advert, what behavioural change I want the target audience to make and what I want my advert to raise awareness about in particular. Also, what emotional impact I want my advert to generate: shock, humour, inform, fear, intrigue or sympathy. I also planned what stylistic approach I wanted to take such as intextuality, absence over presence, symbolism or collision of binary oppositions. I also gave a brief synopsis of the narrative of each adverts. I then thought about possible locations that would be suitable for filming. I also did this for a documentary idea, discussing who I could interview in my documentary and why, if I were to make a documentary I would interview members of the public who fit the target audience profile , teachers and experts, however this may be hard as I don’t know anyone who is an expert on global warming. I also discussed whether my documentary or will you use voice over narration or whether I would have someone presenting it. I also discussed my idea and key points I will investigate and inform my audience of. Next week I will focus on developing my final social advert design – planning in detail, I fill out the advert treatment handbook giving an overview of my advert – discussing the message of my advert and how I will convey this, such as through humour, shock etc. The treatment handbook also discusses the AIDA barriers I will face and how I will overcome them, such as encouraging my target audience to examine their current lifestyle and make a difference. The next part of the treatment will talk about visual aesthetics, such as mis-en-scene and editing objectives, also sound objectives. This will take quite a lot of time as I need to go into a lot of detail.
21/03/2011 When I finally decided on my social advert design I filled in the treatment handbook, giving an overview of my advert, discussing cinematography, editing, mis-en-scene and narrative objectives, I also identified the barriers that I need to overcome when producing an advert for this target audience such as awareness and desire to help change global warming. The treatment also discusses the aesthetics of my advert including how I will convey the message and emotion through cinematoghraphy. Another thing the treatment discusses is the budget, - personnel costs (actors, camera operators, editors) and equipment costs (Camera, lighting, editing software, props, costume.) Although this took some time to finish I also chose the location for my advert and completed the location recce - a pre-filming visit to the location, to decide upon the suitability of the location for shooting. I had to comment upon the access to necessary facilities, assessment of potential lighting and or any potential issues with sound and what I would do as a result. I also had to talk about the health and safety risks and how I would work around these. Next week I will plan my script of the whole advert and start filming.
Weekly Production Monitoring Blog
7/03/2011 – Last week I started the social advert and documentary planning. Brainstorming ideas for my advert and documentary and making storyboards of each idea, coming up with a number of different outlines with different emotional selling points such as shock or humour helped me make sure I could chose the best one, it also helped me chose which style I wanted to include in my advert and how I would incorporate this, such as intertextuality or absence is presence. This helped me create my final design and make a storyboard of my advert so that I can plan the mis-en-scene of each shot and make sure that every shot flows seamlessly into the next with continuity and without looking out of place. It took me quite a long time to think of an idea for and advert that would work and that I would be able to film. In the next lesson I created a schedule to plan every part of the production of my advert and to help utilize my time fully. This week I will develop my final idea by completing a social advert planning document to talk about these details, in the next lesson, I will also do the same but for a documentary to ensure I have chosen the best idea possible.
14/03/2011 This week I chose of the two best social advert ideas and developed them by planning them in detail – the message of my social advert, what behavioural change I want the target audience to make and what I want my advert to raise awareness about in particular. Also, what emotional impact I want my advert to generate: shock, humour, inform, fear, intrigue or sympathy. I also planned what stylistic approach I wanted to take such as intextuality, absence over presence, symbolism or collision of binary oppositions. I also gave a brief synopsis of the narrative of each adverts. I then thought about possible locations that would be suitable for filming. I also did this for a documentary idea, discussing who I could interview in my documentary and why, if I were to make a documentary I would interview members of the public who fit the target audience profile , teachers and experts, however this may be hard as I don’t know anyone who is an expert on global warming. I also discussed whether my documentary or will you use voice over narration or whether I would have someone presenting it. I also discussed my idea and key points I will investigate and inform my audience of. Next week I will focus on developing my final social advert design – planning in detail, I fill out the advert treatment handbook giving an overview of my advert – discussing the message of my advert and how I will convey this, such as through humour, shock etc. The treatment handbook also discusses the AIDA barriers I will face and how I will overcome them, such as encouraging my target audience to examine their current lifestyle and make a difference. The next part of the treatment will talk about visual aesthetics, such as mis-en-scene and editing objectives, also sound objectives. This will take quite a lot of time as I need to go into a lot of detail.
21/03/2011 When I finally decided on my social advert design I filled in the treatment handbook, giving an overview of my advert, discussing cinematography, editing, mis-en-scene and narrative objectives, I also identified the barriers that I need to overcome when producing an advert for this target audience such as awareness and desire to help change global warming. The treatment also discusses the aesthetics of my advert including how I will convey the message and emotion through cinematoghraphy. Another thing the treatment discusses is the budget, - personnel costs (actors, camera operators, editors) and equipment costs (Camera, lighting, editing software, props, costume.) Although this took some time to finish I also chose the location for my advert and completed the location recce - a pre-filming visit to the location, to decide upon the suitability of the location for shooting. I had to comment upon the access to necessary facilities, assessment of potential lighting and or any potential issues with sound and what I would do as a result. I also had to talk about the health and safety risks and how I would work around these. Next week I will plan my script of the whole advert and start filming.
7/03/2011 – Last week I started the social advert and documentary planning. Brainstorming ideas for my advert and documentary and making storyboards of each idea, coming up with a number of different outlines with different emotional selling points such as shock or humour helped me make sure I could chose the best one, it also helped me chose which style I wanted to include in my advert and how I would incorporate this, such as intertextuality or absence is presence. This helped me create my final design and make a storyboard of my advert so that I can plan the mis-en-scene of each shot and make sure that every shot flows seamlessly into the next with continuity and without looking out of place. It took me quite a long time to think of an idea for and advert that would work and that I would be able to film. In the next lesson I created a schedule to plan every part of the production of my advert and to help utilize my time fully. This week I will develop my final idea by completing a social advert planning document to talk about these details, in the next lesson, I will also do the same but for a documentary to ensure I have chosen the best idea possible.
14/03/2011 This week I chose of the two best social advert ideas and developed them by planning them in detail – the message of my social advert, what behavioural change I want the target audience to make and what I want my advert to raise awareness about in particular. Also, what emotional impact I want my advert to generate: shock, humour, inform, fear, intrigue or sympathy. I also planned what stylistic approach I wanted to take such as intextuality, absence over presence, symbolism or collision of binary oppositions. I also gave a brief synopsis of the narrative of each adverts. I then thought about possible locations that would be suitable for filming. I also did this for a documentary idea, discussing who I could interview in my documentary and why, if I were to make a documentary I would interview members of the public who fit the target audience profile , teachers and experts, however this may be hard as I don’t know anyone who is an expert on global warming. I also discussed whether my documentary or will you use voice over narration or whether I would have someone presenting it. I also discussed my idea and key points I will investigate and inform my audience of. Next week I will focus on developing my final social advert design – planning in detail, I fill out the advert treatment handbook giving an overview of my advert – discussing the message of my advert and how I will convey this, such as through humour, shock etc. The treatment handbook also discusses the AIDA barriers I will face and how I will overcome them, such as encouraging my target audience to examine their current lifestyle and make a difference. The next part of the treatment will talk about visual aesthetics, such as mis-en-scene and editing objectives, also sound objectives. This will take quite a lot of time as I need to go into a lot of detail.
21/03/2011 When I finally decided on my social advert design I filled in the treatment handbook, giving an overview of my advert, discussing cinematography, editing, mis-en-scene and narrative objectives, I also identified the barriers that I need to overcome when producing an advert for this target audience such as awareness and desire to help change global warming. The treatment also discusses the aesthetics of my advert including how I will convey the message and emotion through cinematoghraphy. Another thing the treatment discusses is the budget, - personnel costs (actors, camera operators, editors) and equipment costs (Camera, lighting, editing software, props, costume.) Although this took some time to finish I also chose the location for my advert and completed the location recce - a pre-filming visit to the location, to decide upon the suitability of the location for shooting. I had to comment upon the access to necessary facilities, assessment of potential lighting and or any potential issues with sound and what I would do as a result. I also had to talk about the health and safety risks and how I would work around these. Next week I will plan my script of the whole advert and start filming.
Sequencing Blog
When sequencing my footage using final cut express, first I organised the footage I wanted to use, I did this by double-clicking a clip in the Browser window, so it appeared in the Viewer. To look through a clip, I dragged the playhead, and used the arrow keys to move frame by frame. I then used the Mark In/Mark Out buttons to add in/out points in the clips when I had decided on which part I wanted to use. Once inserted, I just dragged to adjust them in the Viewer. By clicking the 'Motion' tab in the window, I adjusted properties such as size, centre point, opacity, etc to create the right effect. When the clip was ready, I dragged it from the Viewer to the Timeline as an insert. As I had never used final cut express before I spent some time experimenting with different effects and transitions such as fade to black and other wipes, however I found most of these appeared tacky and amateur looking so I mainly used fade to black and dissolve. One of the problems I encountered when editing my captured footage was that Final Cut Express couldn’t find my scratch disk so I had to use the setting to manually locate it. Another problem was selecting the exact footage I wanted to use by dragging the playhead so I had to use different arrow keys, however as there are so many and I didn’t know the function of all of them, this took some time. Also, as I didn’t have enough extra seconds of recording before and after each clip, the continuity was lost which created jump cuts, if I could do this advert again I would make sure I vary my shots from a range of different angles and distances and ensure to film colour bars and extra seconds before and after each shot. When I added different effects and transitions, it took a long time to render the files and also I didn’t understand the error messages.
Advanced Editing Blog
When editing my advert in Final Cut Express I used tools and effects to enhance the meaning of my advert and make it more entertaining. First, I experimented with filters to create different effects. To add a filter to a clip, I double-clicked it in the timeline and then browse to the filter by going to Effects > Video Filters. I added transitions by clicking the line at the start or end of a clip, and go to Effects > Video Transitions. I also tried using a key-frame to create an effect in which a filter was gradually applied to a clip over a certain period of time, I wanted to apply a blur filter and, over the course of about five seconds, transform the image from crisp to blurry. To do this, I double-clicked to select the clip in the Timeline and applied the filter by choosing Effects > Video Filters > Blur> Soft Focus, I then, clicked the Filter tab in the Viewer to reveal the filter's control panel. In the Timeline, I then moved the playhead to the start of the clip. Then, in the Viewer, clicked the Insert/Delete Keyframe button, so that a dot appears in the Filters tab. I then moved the amount slider down to 0. Then, back in the Timeline, I moved the playhead to the very end of the clip, and added another Keyframe and moved the amount slider back up to 100. I also added audio to my sequence by double-clicking on an audio clip that’s in the Timeline, it appears in the Viewer. I also experimented with the Pan, for mono tracks, this determines where in the stereo field (from Left to Right) the sound is placed. To make audio soundtrack fade out I double clicked on the audio clip, so that it will appear in the viewer and selected the pen tool. I then clicked on the points where you want to change the audio level - around circles along the control points. I then clicked and dragged the control points up or down to lower the level. This took some time and I had to keep listening to it over and over to make sure it matched up and flowed without interruption to do this I had to adjust the length of each shot to go in time with music.
Capturing and Footage Blog
When editing filmed footage using final cut express, it is important to set up a scratch disk, this is how files and footage are saved and rendered which happens when adding effects and transitions. Setting up a scratch disk is done in order to tell Final Cut where to store certain files. For example, when you capture video, you can set it to store that video in a certain location. To set new scratch disk setting for my advert footage, first, I chose Final Cut Express > System Settings. Final Cut, stores captured media in a folder called ‘Capture Scratch’ in a folder called ‘Final Cut Express Documents’ in your user Documents folder, which you can change in System Settings. As I was working in a shared environment, I changed the System Settings to my own project folder and saved on the external hard drive. When importing captured footage off the mini DV tape, the first time, it didn’t work as I didn’t know that to do this the camera had to be turned on and connected before opening final cut express. When I realised this, I managed to transfer the media successfully however it did take quite a long time. I also found it hard to filter through all the footage in the browser to find the clips that I actually wanted to use in my advert. As I forgot to use colour bars before every clip I had to cut some of the clips by a few seconds which didn’t help when trying to create continuity.
Filming and Continuity Blog
When filming my short sequence I created storyboards for my ideas to help me choose my final design. When creating storyboard, my intention was to break my ideas down into a minimum of six shots to check that each shot flowed seamlessly into the next without looking out of place, or if i wanted to convey certain emotions such as shock, planning my storyboard would help me do his accurately. Also to decide exactly what would be in the mis-en-scene, and how it is arranged to communicate the mood and feeling to the target audience. The first shot of this sequence was an establishing shot, to set the scene and help the audience establish what is going on. The sequence then cut to a long, panning shot of the character walking through the park and up to the bench, in this shot I used open framing to connote freedom. In the next shot I filmed a long shot of the person sitting down on the bench, in the same position, to ensure continuity. In this shot I also placed the camera in between a lamppost and tree which contrasts with the last shot which was open-framing, this suggests the person is now trapped and connotes vulnerability. The next was a long shot was of the pulling his phone out of his pocket.
After this I filmed the person sat on the bench looking at his phone, I also included another character walking in front of the camera as this added a sense of reality and suggested it was unrehearsed, it also added more emphasis to the characters vulnerability. I then zoomed in and added an extreme close up of his phone, to place emphasis on his phone and to build tension and suggest to the audience that something is about to happen. Next I used a mid shot, with a person came running up behind him in the background, screaming, and threw leaves all over the person on the bench. I then used another mid shot of the person with exaggerated facial expressions and leaves still all over him to show make what had just happened clear to the audience. I then used a long shot of the person standing up and brushing the leaves off him. The last shot was a panning clip of the person walking the other way out of the park. When editing my sequence I mainly used cuts to join two versions of each shot together creating flow and continuity.
Problems that I encountered when filming this short sequence were finding level ground for the tripod, I my advert was filmed in the park, most of the ground was muddy and uneven. Because of this, it was also hard to change the decor for the mis-en-scene to connote meaning, eg finding a bench with a lamppost nearby to incorporate closed framing, it was also hard to gather leaves for the character. If I’d have had more time, I would have spent longer looking for a more suitable location or adapted the location I used more specifically for filming my advert, by using my own props and preparing the leaves and finding appropriate ground for the tripod. I also could have planned to film my advert on a sunny day.
If I were to film my advert again I would make sure I had more time to film my advert as I was very rushed and didn’t get to film all of the shots on my storyboard. I also would have made sure that I remembered to use colour bars before every time I filmed something as when it came to editing I found that I had the beginning of some clips were not suitable for using which took away the continuity of my the sequence – I should have filmed and extra thee seconds before and after each shot to allow more control when it came to editing. Another thing I would do if I were to film my advert again is to make sure I set the white balance properly – I didn’t have anything completely white with me at the time of filming so when I set the white balance, it wasn’t accurate.
After this I filmed the person sat on the bench looking at his phone, I also included another character walking in front of the camera as this added a sense of reality and suggested it was unrehearsed, it also added more emphasis to the characters vulnerability. I then zoomed in and added an extreme close up of his phone, to place emphasis on his phone and to build tension and suggest to the audience that something is about to happen. Next I used a mid shot, with a person came running up behind him in the background, screaming, and threw leaves all over the person on the bench. I then used another mid shot of the person with exaggerated facial expressions and leaves still all over him to show make what had just happened clear to the audience. I then used a long shot of the person standing up and brushing the leaves off him. The last shot was a panning clip of the person walking the other way out of the park. When editing my sequence I mainly used cuts to join two versions of each shot together creating flow and continuity.
Problems that I encountered when filming this short sequence were finding level ground for the tripod, I my advert was filmed in the park, most of the ground was muddy and uneven. Because of this, it was also hard to change the decor for the mis-en-scene to connote meaning, eg finding a bench with a lamppost nearby to incorporate closed framing, it was also hard to gather leaves for the character. If I’d have had more time, I would have spent longer looking for a more suitable location or adapted the location I used more specifically for filming my advert, by using my own props and preparing the leaves and finding appropriate ground for the tripod. I also could have planned to film my advert on a sunny day.
If I were to film my advert again I would make sure I had more time to film my advert as I was very rushed and didn’t get to film all of the shots on my storyboard. I also would have made sure that I remembered to use colour bars before every time I filmed something as when it came to editing I found that I had the beginning of some clips were not suitable for using which took away the continuity of my the sequence – I should have filmed and extra thee seconds before and after each shot to allow more control when it came to editing. Another thing I would do if I were to film my advert again is to make sure I set the white balance properly – I didn’t have anything completely white with me at the time of filming so when I set the white balance, it wasn’t accurate.
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