Video and Sound Production - Exercises
23/4/2024 - 22/7/2024 ( Week 1 - Week 14 )
Ho Winnie / 0364866
Video and Sound Production / Bachelor's of Design Honors In Creative Media
Exercises
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Exercises
Week 1 : In Class Editing Exercises
We needed to download videos from a google drive provided by Mr Martin and edit all the scenes accordingly to form a complete video.
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| Fig 2.1 Screens from Mint Advertisement |
I imported them into Adobe Premiere Pro and edited the scenes accordingly to form a complete video .
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| Fig 2.2 Editing Process for "Mints" |
Step 1 : Download scenes from Google Drive
Step 2 : Create a new project in Adobe Premiere Pro
Step 3 : Import scenes into new project
Step 4 : Arrange scenes accordingly
Step 5 : Export final video
Final Advertising Mint Video :
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| Fig 2.3 Scenes from Doritos Advertisement |
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| Fig 2.4 Editing Process for "Doritos" |
Final Advertising Doritos Video :
Week 2 : Framing & Storyboard Exercises
We were instructed to watch a video sent by Mr Martin as attached below called "Christmas Advert" by John Lewis. Prior to that, we learnt about the different shot sizes and after watching this, we need to name the shot sizes from some scenes inside.
Fig 2.5 "Christmas Advert" by John Lewis
The first scene I identified is a medium shot, this shot is taken from waist up which aligns the typical definition of a medium shot
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| Fig 2.6 First scene - medium shot |
The second scene identified is a wide shot as this frame captures the boy in the bedroom showing his entire frame together with the environment.
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| Fig 2.7 Second scene - wide shot |
The third scene identified is a medium wide shot, it is being shot from mid thighs up to their head and the surroundings are being captured as well.
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| Fig 2.8 Third scene - medium wide shot |
The fourth scene is identified as a wide shot as it shows the boy and his surroundings and frame him in the context of his environment.
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| Fig 2.9 Fourth scene - wide shot |
The fifth scene is identified as a close up shot, it frames the boy's face and shoulders which focus much on the expression.
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| Fig 3.0 Fifth scene - close up shot |
The sixth shot is identified as a medium close up shot because it frames the boy and the penguin chest up and places focus on their facial expressions and interactions.
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| Fig 3.1 Sixth scene - medium close up shot |
The last scene identified in this video is a medium shot as it captures the boy and penguin waist up.
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| Fig 3.2 Last scene - medium shot |
Over the shoulder shot :
This shot is normally shoot from behind the shoulders from another person, it does not always reflect having a shoulder in the shoot. The main aim is to present the point of view from the foreground's perspective.
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| Fig 3.3 Over the shoulder shot |
The bottom shot is not an over shoulder shot as the framing does not simulate the viewpoint of the boy in the foreground but it shows only the frontal perspective. The shot focuses directly on the boy's table, without capturing any perspective. There is no perspective guiding the view towards the boy.
Video 2 : The Unsung Hero
Next, we needed to watch another video called " The Unsung Hero - Thai Life Insurance Ad" and name the shot sizes selected by Mr Martin.
Fig 3.4 The Unsung Hero
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| Fig 3.5 Different shot sizes from The Unsung Hero |
After everything, we were told to do a quiz on shot sizes in google forms - it was quite a fun journey learning it.
A) What are foreground, midground and background in a composition? Provide an image for explanation
Answer : Foreground is the part that is closest to the viewer and camera, it will have an element that will directly catch the viewer's eye, foreground can help in framing the subject and add interest in the composition. Midground will lie between foreground and background and the main element typically lie inside there. The background is the frame that is furthest away from the camera, it will provide settings that supports the subject or frame. Background can be used to create balance in composition.
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| Fig 3.6 Foreground, Midground and Background |
B) What is depth of field? What is the shallow and deep depth of field ? Provide an image for explanation
Answer : It is the distance between the nearest and the furthest objects that are acceptably sharp focus in an image captured with a camera. It is a very important concept in photography and cinematography that affects the aesthetics of an image. Depth of field can be shallow or deep as well.
Shallow Depth Of Field : Background and foreground is mainly blurred while the main subject is more in focus. It is used to distant an object from the surroundings and help direct the viewer's attention to a specific area.
Deep Depth of Field : Both the background and foreground are sharp and clear, the viewer can also see all the details in the frame. It flattens the scene, making the objects seem close together. It emphasizes on geographical elements in the image such as line and patterns and this draws the viewer's attention to all the important details.
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| Fig 3.7 Shallow Depth Of Field examples |
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| Fig 3.8 Deep Depth Of Field examples |
Research on Dynamic Screen Direction :
A) What is 180 degree rule ? ( Static Screen Direction )
This rule states that camera should be kept on one side of an imaginary axis between two characters hence the first character is always frame right of the second character. It is the fundamental guide to maintain visual coherence.
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| Fig 3.9 180 degree static screen direction |
After that, Mr Martin instructed us to watch a video and determine if the video used a 180 degree rule in it.
The video does apply the rule as the conversation between the two individuals has the same shot angle to showcase their own relationship.
B) What is continuity in cinematography?
It refers to the continuous and consistent maintenance of the elements of elements from one scene to another, ensuring the narratives flow smoothly. It is one of the key principles in film making and keeps the audience engaged in the story.
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| Fig 4.0 Continuity in film making |
C) What is dynamic screen direction?
It refers to the purposeful use of movement and positioning within the frame to guide the audience's attention and convey narrative film, television or other media. It controls the film motion or gaze across the screen that creates a sense of movement that aligns with storytelling.
Lalin Editing Exercise :
We were told to download raw footages from our senior's clips and edit them accordingly to 35 seconds and to ensure smooth transition from one scene to another.
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| Fig 4.1 "Lalin" raw editing clips |
I imported them into Adobe Premiere Pro and placed the clips in order first after watching the original Lalin video.
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| Fig 4.2 Imported and placed clips in order |
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Fig 4.3 Cross Dissolve Effect Applied
Lastly, I shorten some clips as i find that the final video exceeded 35 seconds as instructed, I cut out some parts which i felt that is not needed .
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| Fig 4.4 Final arrangement |
Final Lalin edited video :
Frame Shooting Exercise :
For our next practice of the week, we were instructed to shoot different shot sizes we learnt
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| Fig 4.5 Shooting Exercise |
With the help of my friends, I decided to shoot one of them for my exercise. We selected the venues and props that can be helpful with the shooting and i edited the final output in adobe premiere pro.
Final Frame Shooting Exercise Video :
The Three-Act Story Structure :
Mr Martin sent some reading materials regarding the three act story structure here and after reading, it can be summarized that the purpose of this is to separate the beginning from the middle and the middle from the end. It divides the story structure into three parts namely
- Act One : Setup ; which introduces all the characters , their story world and their inciting incidents. It is the kickstart of the movie which is around 20-30 minutes.
-Act Two : Confrontation or Build ; The middle of the story that should keep all the audience in suspense and it is the main chunk that can lead to the worst thing possible to happen to the character.
-Act Three : Resolution or Payoff ; The end of the story that should bring resolution and ending despite it being happy or sad.
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| Fig 4.6 The Three - Act Structure |
Lalin - The Three Act Story Structure :
Act One : It begins when the main female protagonist started introducing herself at the start of the video and when she viewed the moon-drawing image and started an online dating with the male protagonist Nut
Plot Point 1 : Nut, her online dating boyfriend in Japan
Act Two : It begins where Nut is in Japan and request a face to face meetup with the female protagonist, includes flashbacks of memories
Plot Point 2 : Female protagonist viewed the folder containing Nut's confession
Climax : Female protagonist running away and did not meet Nut, but regretting later on
Act Three : They did not get to meet each other face to face in the real world
The inciting point of this movie is when Nut, her online dating boyfriend suddenly requests to meet in real life, which causes a huge turmoil to the main female protagonist as she is highly insecure about her face. Midpoint scene of the movie . The midpoint scene is where she is forced to face her fears and exposing her real face to her online boyfriend, her inner struggles and attempt to flea would directly address her inner conflict.
The theme of this movie is all about identity and self acceptance, to separate between our true selves and the different personas we wish to show the world. It shows how in this modern era of technology, social media can help people idealize themselves often at the stake of our own vulnerabilities.
Short Thailand Film - Lalin :
Everything, Everywhere , All At Once - The Three Act Structure :
Act One : Introduction of the main character Evelyn, and the main central conflicts revolving around her like her own family dynamics. Her tension in her relationship with her daughter Evelynn is not great and highlights generational gap conflicts.
Plot Point 1 : Evelynn transforms into the multiverse and fully engages with the multiverse reality after her own initial confusion.
Act Two : It dives deeper into the complexes and troubles Evelynn faces in the multiverse world where she undergoes a self transformation path. She navigates different worlds and look at what her life could be at different circumstances which challenges her own thinking.
Plot Point 2 : Evelynn face a profound revelation about her strained relationship with her daughter across multiverse.
Climax : Evelynn faces all her conflicts heads on both with the multiverse and her own family and her own alter ego, Jobu Tupaki. She fights her alter ego both physically and into emotional and existential realms.
Act Three : Resolution of conflict between her and Jobu Tupaki as well as her daughter. She reaches an understanding with her daughter and thus it resolves the whole emotional conflict at the heart of this movie.
The inciting accident of this movie is where Evelynn is suddenly contacted by her multiverse husband telling her that she is the key in saving the entire multiverse. She than gets pulled into the multiverse and forced to faced many impending troubles.
The theme of this movie to me is more of Love, Family and Sacrifice. Evelynn travelled multiple universe to reinforce the power of love and highlights the toughness of parenthood within family relationships.
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| Fig 4.7 "Everything, Everywhere, All At Once" Film Poster |
After fully understanding the three act structures, Mr Martin asked us to take a quiz on it to test our understanding
Week 3 : Storyboarding
For this week's exercise, Mr Martin instructed us to read about storyboarding from this link.
Storyboard is a visual representation of a film sequence and it breaks down the action into individual panels.
It is a series of ordered drawings that with camera direction, dialogue , or other pertinent details. It sketches out how a story will unfold, shot by shot.
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| Fig 4.8 A sample storyboard |
There are two types of storyboard, traditional and thumbnail storyboards .
A traditional storyboard is a series of detailed drawings that represent each shot of a film or animation. It includes camera angles, character positions, and important scene details. Hand-drawn boards are an inexpensive and easy way for creatives to translate ideas from scripts and get an overall sense of scene flow, camera angles, character positions, and other visual elements.
Thumbnail storyboards are rough sketches or small drawings that outline the basic composition and sequence of a film or animation. Thumbnails are quick to sketch and enable “blue sky” experimentation in the initial stages of storyboarding. The tradeoff is less detail in each individual panel. Thumbnails help identify scene flow and structure before refining artwork.
After that, we were told to take a quiz to test our understanding of storyboards
Week 4 : Production
For this week's exercise, we learnt more about production stages and the production crews by reading from this link Mr Martin provided. There are 5 stages in film production and they are as follows :
1) Development
The development period belongs to the producer, who starts gathering the ideas for the film- rights from books, plays, etc. if needed- until the final draft of the screenplay is completed. There are two main stages in this phase which is
- The Package :
It is a collection of the creative elements that will be part of a project. This may include a screenplay, a piece of intellectual property, a director, or some actors. A good package shows sell ability and a financier can look at it and tell instantly whether it is worth the investment.
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| Fig 4.9 Margot Robbie in Barbie |
- Financing :
They explore various financing options like finding investors, securing loans, or applying for grants. Effective financial planning at this stage ensures the project has a solid economic foundation, reducing financial risks and setting the stage for smooth production and post-production phases
2) Pre Production :
- In pre-production, all planning occurs before filming starts. This includes casting, securing locations, and creating detailed plans for every scene. This stage is crucial for setting timelines, budgets, and finalizing all logistical aspects to ensure a smooth production phase.
3) Production :
- This is the actual shooting of the film. It involves directors, actors, and crew working on set to capture all the scenes outlined in the script. This phase is highly dynamic, often requiring adaptability and problem-solving to address unexpected challenges.
4) Post Production :
- After shooting ends, the post-production stage begins where the film is edited. Additional dialogue recording, sound design, and visual effects are added during this stage. It’s a critical phase for shaping the final version of the movie, enhancing its narrative and aesthetic appeal.
5) Distribution :
-The final stage is about getting the film to the audience. This includes marketing and finding distributors who can help release the movie in theaters, on TV, or online platforms. The success of this stage depends on effective promotion and the film’s appeal to its intended audience.
After that, we were instructed to take a mini quiz to test our understanding of the production process :
Roles in the Production Team :
For part 2 of this week's exercise, we learnt more about the team roles behind production and I was surprised that there is so many roles and there could be even more in an advanced film production. The article regarding production team is here
Producer: Manages the entire production process from start to finish, ensuring that the film is on schedule and within budget.
Director: Oversees the creative aspects of the film, including shooting and assembly, guiding the cast and crew to realize the film's vision.
Screenwriter: Crafts the script, developing dialogue and the sequence of events to ensure a logical and engaging narrative.
Production Designer: Translates the script into visual form through storyboards, planning the visual progression of the film.
Art Director: Manages the physical settings of the film, including props and set decorations to enhance the film’s authenticity.
Costume Designer: Designs costumes that reflect the characters' personalities, status, and the film’s setting.
Cinematographer (Director of Photography): Captures the film visually, focusing on lighting and camera work to enhance the film's aesthetic.
Editor: Compiles and edits the footage, deciding which shots to use and how to arrange them to best tell the story.
Actors: Bring the characters to life through their performances, working closely with the director and crew.
Music Supervisor: Selects and oversees the integration of music to complement the film's narrative and mood.
Mr Martin instructed us to watch different stop motion videos to get a better grip of how it works and shortlist our top 3 favorite videos with rationales stated. Below are my top 3 as follows in no particular order :
The reason why I like this is because of the quality of the medium used and the audio sounds that fits perfectly with the video. The transitions are very smooth as well such as the chopsticks picking up the ramen noodles.
This is a more complex stop motion and it mixes reality and the medium together to weave a receipe and i find that very amazing. The details of each scene is captured very well coupled with the smooth transition between a real watermelon to lego.
Another food recipe stop motion, guess I really enjoy the satisfaction of seeing the transition between a real object to a medium. The overall vibes of this stop motion is very calming and yet again the transitions are the main highlights here.
Week 5 : Class in Photo Studio
Week 6 : Shooting Day for Project 2A
Week 7 :
We are tasked to edit a short 3 video clip and color correct and grade them accordingly following Mr Martin's instructions. We learnt about adjustment layers and i color corrected them to be the same consistent appearance.
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| Fig 2.1 Process of color correction , Week 7 (6/8/2024) |
Final Color Correction and Grading Exercise :
Week 8 : Independent Learning Week
Week 9 :
This week, Mr Martin taught us sound shaping using Adobe Audition and I tried out accordingly following the instructions on the slides.
Week 10 :
This week, we did stop motion trial filming to prepare for our final project. Each team is required to film two stop motions using both camera and stop motion app. Below is the outcome of my group's work.
Stop Motion App :
Camera :
2. Reflection
Findings :
Over the course of 14 weeks, the exercises we did in class made me realize how effective they were in enhancing my skills and confidence. Mr. Martin's well-structured practicals played a significant role in this development. Each exercise was meticulously designed to gradually build our capabilities, starting with foundational skills and progressing to more complex tasks.
The weekly exercises provided a consistent learning environment, allowing me to practice and refine my skills regularly. This repetition and practice were crucial in solidifying my understanding of the concepts and techniques required for our projects. The variety of exercises ensured a well-rounded skill set.
Observations :
I observed that mastering video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Audition is not as difficult as I initially thought. I found the process enjoyable and engaging. By carefully following the instructions provided during our exercises, I was able to achieve satisfying results. This methodical approach made the learning experience not only manageable but also fun and rewarding. The more I practiced, the more confident I became in using these tools, leading to a greater sense of accomplishment with each completed project.
Experience :
Throughout the exercises, I gained substantial experience in using various video editing software, particularly Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Audition. Initially, I found these tools to be quite complex, but with consistent practice and guided exercises, I quickly became proficient. The structured learning environment provided by our instructor was instrumental in this progress. Each exercise was designed to gradually introduce new features and techniques, allowing me to build my skills step-by-step. By the end of the course, I felt confident in my ability to create polished and professional video projects, and I discovered a genuine enjoyment in the editing process. This hands-on experience not only enhanced my technical abilities but also fueled my passion for video production.
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