Video and Sound Production-Exercises

VIDEO AND SOUND PRODUCTION - EXERCISES

22/4/2024-  (week1-week4 )

Yang Jiayi/0369288

Video & Sound Production / Bachelor of Design ( Hons ) in Creative Media

Exercises

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.Instructions

2.Lecture

3.Task

4.Feedback

5.Reflection

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 Instructions

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Lecture

week 1

In the first week, Mr. Martin introduced us to what we were studying this semester and asked us to introduce ourselves. In the first week's task, we combined the disorganized video clips into a complete video. , we need to piece together a complete video through the character's next actions and language. This is also the best way for us to get a preliminary understanding of PR software. We practiced one video in class, and we will complete another video after class.

Week 1 asynchronous class Quiz result:

Week 2

In this week, we learned the most important Framing & Storyboard

Shot Size

The shot size determines how large the area that’s visible within the frame. 

1.Wide Shot

A wide shot includes the entire subject and important objects in the immediate surroundings. If it's used at the beginning of a scene it's often called an "establishing shot”.

2. medium shot

A medium shot shows the subject that are important to understanding - Gesture and expression, from the person waist up, letting hands and the lower half of his body fall outside the frame.

3.Medium close up shot

Medium close up films subject character from approximately midway between waist and shoulders to above the head.

4.over-shoulder shot

The over-shoulder shot shows the subject from behind the shoulder of another person.

5.Extreme wide shot

Shows a broad view of the surroundings around the character and conveys scale, distance, and geographical location. It's used to show where character is in his/her environment.

6.Medium wide shot

A medium wide shot shows a character usually cut off across the legs above or below the knees. It is wide enough to show the physical setting in which the action is taking place, it permit a nice balance of figure and surrounding.

7.Close-up shot

A close-up is used to isolate the most important part of the subject. For a speaker, this is generally the head, or small object.It emphasizes facial expression, details of a object.

8.Extreme close-up shot

An extreme close-up single out a portion of the face magnifies a detail. The object is to focus on important detail either to increase the drama or impact on a situation or to allow the viewer to see necessary picture information more clearly.

fig1.1 Summary of shooting angles

We also referred to some other shooting angles to give us a better understanding.

• 45º (¾ angling) Facial modelling is best，Front and side of the face, if properly lighted will appear round and eyes are displayed fully.  
• 3 Dimensional solidity When shooting two or more shots, 3D can increase the three-dimensional effect and the performance will be better.
• Reduce parallel lines Adjust the angle of the camera so that the parallel lines gradually decrease, ensuring that the viewer’s gaze is carried into the distance.
• Camera height and camera distance Artistic, dramatic and psychological overtones may be contributed to the story-telling by adjusting the height of the camera to the subject.
• Eye-level angle camera films from the eye level of an observer of average height or from the subject’s eye level.
•  Low angle shot camera is tilted upward to view the subject. Low angle shot can make a character look bigger, stronger, or more noble. It also gives the impression of height.
• High angle shot A high angle shot can make a character look smaller, younger, weak, confused, or more childlike.

Screen Direction

Dynamic Screen Direction:

Constant screen travel depicts subject motion in one direction only

Static Screen Direction

The rule enforces the camera stay on a horizontal axis and not cross sections so that it will disorient the viewer.

180º Degree Rule

The minimum angle difference between two shots of the same scene is 180 degrees.

This rule is intended to ensure that the viewer is not surprised or confused when the camera switches.

We will set up a virtual "lens line" so that the camera always shoots on one side of this line

This follows the 180° principle

fig1.2  180 Degree Rule

This is not following the 180° principle

fig1.3 180 Degree Rule

Understand storytelling

The three-act structure is a narrative framework commonly used in drama, film, novels, and other storytelling formats. It divides the entire story into three main parts, each with its own distinct purpose and development:

1. Act One (Exposition): Introduction

   • Act One primarily serves to introduce the background of the story, the main characters, and the primary conflict or problem. This part typically establishes the basic situation of the story, allowing the audience to understand the starting point and initiating the main motivation of the story.

2. Act Two (Rising Action): Conflict and Development

   • Act Two is the development stage of the story, where more conflicts, challenges, and turns occur. The main characters face more difficulties and challenges in this part, their goals may be hindered, or they encounter new obstacles.

3. Act Three (Climax and Resolution): Climax and Conclusion

   • Act Three is the climax and resolution part of the story, where the story reaches its peak and final solution. In this part, the conflicts in the story reach their climax, the main characters face the ultimate test, and ultimately resolve the problem or achieve their goals.

• Act one: exposition, inciting action, turning point into act two
• Act two: rising action, midpoint, turning point into act three (often a “dark night of the soul”)
• Act three: pre-climax, climax, denouement

fig1.4 The Three Act structure

fig1.5 The Three Act structure

Week 2 asynchronous class Quiz result:

week 3 storyboard 

A storyboard is a visual representation of a film sequence and breaks down the action into individual panels. It is a series of ordered drawings, with camera direction, dialogue, or other pertinent details. It sketches out how a video will unfold, shot by shot.

It's is similar to a trial-run for your finished film, video, or commercial, laid out in a comic book-like form.

• Drawings, sketches, reference images or photographs to represent each frame.
• A description of the shot — any relevant information on the action, dialogue, or composition.
• Shot specs — shot size, lens length, two-shot, etc.
• Arrows to indicate camera and/or character movement or how each shot connects to the next.

Week 3 asynchronous class Quiz result:

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Task

Week1

We download the video clips in Google drive and start video editing

Practice in the first class

fig1.1 Video sorting

final video

google drive link：https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1le2Cq7L-DOJFWWjZr6QscCl4G60h04VQ

Second video sorting exercise

fig1.2 Video sorting

final video

google drive link：https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1le2Cq7L-DOJFWWjZr6QscCl4G60h04VQ

My observation: The doctor first performed an ultrasound examination, and the husband discovered that the child's eyes would follow the movements of the potato chips and a series of reactions. When the final advertisement appeared, the video could also be connected through the words of the pregnant woman.

Share three stop-motion animations that I like

•  About marine debris： https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeBysLEqtKY

I like this stop-motion animation. It has a strong appeal, and the details of the character processing are in place. The man's chest rises and falls due to breathing, and the topic of ocean garbage is being played on TV. The room gradually produces garbage, and finally floods the entire room. The final shot It goes back to the scenes played on TV to satirize people's ignorance. I think this stop-motion animation has a strong appeal.

• Give stray dogs a warm home：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0FOy75WtDg
• 
  

This stop-motion animated puppy has a lot of expressions on its face, including fear. Gradually, people begin to care about it, and a smile appears on its face. The puppy is very cute, which will make people care about them and give them a smile. The emotion of their family.

• The cost of the call：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0C-TNNyAVA

Calling on people not to talk on the phone in the middle of dangerous roads, as this can cause injuries or even threaten lives. The stop-motion animation finally shows a grave, with a mobile phone inserted in the middle being the biggest culprit.

Week2

Shooting Exercise: Framing

• Low angle Wide shot

• Frontal MCU (soft  background)

• Frontal MS (soft  background)

• Extreme Close-Up shot

• Side angle MS (soft  background)

• ¾ angling MCU shot (with blurry/soft  foreground)

• Close-Up shot   

• Eye-Level Medium-Wide shot

During this week, we were asked to work in teams of two to shoot videos, and finally edit the videos and add subtitles.

1.Exercise: Shooting practise, shoot & editing (add caption:Adobe Premiere Pro CC - Basic Titles for Beginners), post it in your blog under Exercises section.

fig1.3 Edit letters

fig1.4 Add dissolved letters

                                                                               Editing Exercise

We were asked to create Lalin's edited video, with the appropriate sequence of shots to make the video look complete and smooth, plus the final export of sound effects and music.

A cross-dissolve was added where the two videos were linked to achieve the effect of the characters slowly disappearing.

fig1.5Cross dissolution

Added a message dialog box to the video, and added sound effects when the mobile phone message comes.

fig1.6 Apple mobile phone message sound effects

At the end, I added the black transition mentioned in the teacher’s video at the beginning and end of the video.

final cut video

We were asked to watch two movies this week,the first one is "Lalin" and the second one is "Everything, Everywhere, All at Once". According to each movie,

week3

Lalin movie

1. Which part is act 1, act 2, act 3 respectively? Describe each act with ONE paragraph only.

Act 1：The heroine Lalin goes to school in Thailand. Because she is an Internet idol, she is focused on by many people. Because she has some flaws in her appearance, she is bullied online, so she starts a study abroad trip in Japan. She wants to go to a place that no one knows. her place to hide from reality.

Act 2：He started an online relationship with the graphic novelist nut, and they often shared their daily life with each other.Nut always had doubts about Lalin wearing a mask and wanted to meet Lalin in real life.

Act 3：Nut worked hard to come to Japan and wanted to meet Lalin, but Lalin was not ready and gave up the opportunity. However, he finally discovered that the picture Nut drew was about their first encounter, and Lalin decided to put down his Mask, face yourself in reality, face your own beauty in reality.

2. What is the inciting incident in the movie?

Nut suddenly came to Lalin's city, which made Lalin, who had no sense of security, suddenly feel afraid and dare not face the reality.

3. What is the midpoint scene in the movie?

Lalin had a conversation and confrontation with Nut. Lalin was having an inner struggle, but because he was not very brave, he angrily asked Nut to leave his city.

4. What is the Climax scene in the movie?

After Lalin saw the picture of Nut, on the way to chase Nut, he decided to put down his mask and face the reality bravely.

5.What is the theme of the movie?

This short film is about self-acceptance, bravely facing yourself in reality, discovering your own beauty, and accepting yourself as you are.

Everything, everywhere, all at once 

1. Which part is act 1, act 2, act 3 respectively? Describe each act with ONE paragraph only.

Act 1：Introducing Evelyn Wang, with husband Waymond and daughter Joy, showing Evelyn Wang's relationship with her family, her husband and daughter, The daughter is gay and the mother does not understand the child，and her struggles and dissatisfaction with family life

Act 2：Evelyn Wang accidentally discovered her ability to travel between different dimensions and realities, and began to explore this ability，Evelyn Wang explores herself in different parallel worlds, experiences a life she considers valuable, and tries to understand and resolve her inner conflicts.

Act 3：

Evelyn Wang realized that she had to unite with her family, love each other, and understand each other in order to fight against the crisis of the universe. Finally, she found her own direction in life and reconciled with her daughter.

2. What is the inciting incident in the movie?

Evelyn Wang discovers that she has the ability to travel between different dimensions. When Evelyn Wang encounters mysterious entities or experiences important events, her new ability will be triggered.

3. What is the midpoint scene in the movie?

She and her husband were discussing how to deal with Jobu in the office

4. What is the Climax scene in the movie?

Evelyn Wang faces multiple versions of the universe and fights with herself to save her family

5.What is the theme of the movie?

In this world of information overload, we can perceive everything, but we can’t find our own place. The film tells us that we must find our place and the meaning of our existence among all things in the world.

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Reflection

Week1

The teacher gave us video clips, we sorted them and got a preliminary understanding of the basic operations and panels of Premiere Pro

week2

We learned about different video angles. We answered questions in class to learn what different angles were. Then we practiced in pairs to better understand what different shooting angles were, and finally arranged them into a video. , put the text, we start to practice two movie clips, edit, we have to put the dialog box in the appropriate position, sort the clips, I think it is very interesting

week3

We learned the three-act structure and analyzed the three-act structure of two movies, which also gave me a better understanding