Video Creations

VC Value of Commitment

2008-06-24T19:33:00.000-07:00

By now the Video Creations class has experienced some of the highs and lows of being on a video production team. Working together can be challenging, especially when you have a deadline to meet. That's why I think this class teaches what the meaning of commitment is.

VC students: Were you able to give it your all? Being whole-heartly committed to a team project isn't always easy, but it is necessary for something great to be accomplished. As people we get so much more done when we can rely on each other for help. Too often we try to be independent and we should really try to be more interdependent. Being committed to a project means being committed to helping each other achieve the goal. Being committed also means being passionate about something. Someone that shows a constant drive or passion to put in the work to reach a goal despite not always feeling like it will be leader by example and will have opportunities and doors open for them.

Was your group ever divided about something? Were you ever distracted from what was really important in getting the job done? Did you ever have problems with your decision-making? All of these problems test the quality of your commitment. How did you fare?

VC Awards Show Jokes

2008-06-24T18:12:00.000-07:00

We will be getting ready for our awards show. We will have two main hosts and the rest of the class will serve as presenters. Hopefully your acceptance speeches are ready to go, otherwise you'll have to wing it. We will not wing the joke part.

Like an awards show you might see on TV, the presenters will give an introductory joke before the nominees are read and the award is presented. Here are some ideas to get you thinking about constructing a joke: (before you read these, please find out what a "straight man" is supposed to do.)

1. Build a joke around the award. Slapstick humor is an old standard and is often used for the Video Creations award for best stuntwork. We usually have one of the presenters fumble and stumble their way to the podium. The other presenter asks what the problem is and the response has something to do with stuntwork. It's a cheesy formula, but we do it every year and usually gets a laugh.

2. Mark Twain said, "Humor is found in the truth." Think about any of the funny incidents during the class and try to relate it to the award you're presenting. You could maybe relate Iron Will's frisbee toss to the Best Grip Award.

3. A lot of humor is based on creating a "twist." You start leading the audience in an expected direction only to spring something unexpected on them. I think of Steve Martin in regards to this one. Here are a couple of his jokes from the Oscars: "By the end of the show we are going to vote someone out of show business." "Please hold your applause until it's for me." I think you can work these two examples into the show.

4. I enjoy most of Conan O'Brian's humor. Once in a while he will start off by saying, "I know what you're thinking....," and then he'll go off on some crazy tangent.

5. Jay Leno or his writers have some familiar formulas in their jokes. One of them is what I call mis-direction or re-direction. Leno will lead the audience along a topic and then totally redirect it to some celebrity in the news. Here's a bad example: You could say-"We're now going to announce the winner for best special effects. Special effects can give a movie an entirely unique look, of course this honor we are bestowing is not to be confused with the same award Michael Jackson gave to his plastic surgery team." My apologies to Michael Jackson and his fans.

6. Self-deprecation. You can make fun of yourself. Here's another weak example: Presenter 1 asks presenter 2 "How did Video Creations go this year? "Oh, pretty well after I stopped filming in black." "Filming in black?" "Yeah, I forgot to take the lens cap off the first two days."

7. Pick on someone's delivery. Ex. One person tries to say the word cinematography. The other tries to figure out what they are saying. They might ask: "What did you say? Did you say, "see the spaghetti?" and this continues as long as you can get laughs.

8. Pick a comedian's trademark or style. John Belushi had a running gag on Saturday Night Live in which he appeared on the news segment and would start out calmly, but then give "a speech about the way things could have been, should have been, and then turns it on its ear by saying, "Buuuut nnnnnOOOOOO!"

Seinfeld is another. He likes to give an unusual amount of attention to ordinary things. I could see one of our presenters going on and on about some minor detail until the other presenter has had enough and continues on with the presentation.

How about Chris Farley? He would play extremely weird characters that had some kind of bizarre trait or characteristic.

9. Other ideas:
-Wild implications
-Parody
-Unusual perspective or point of view
-Relate to a current event

June 24th

2008-06-24T12:18:00.000-07:00

Video Creations is coming down to the end. We are frantically finishing up our projects for Project SEEK open house tomorrow night. There just never seems to be enough time to get all of projects polished the way we want, but the show must go on.

See you tomorrow night.

(I finished the class poster today. You can take a look on the right side of the blog. Grant and Kyle, I didn't get started on the poster until after you left. Please accept my apologies.)

Drive Thru

2008-06-19T14:46:00.000-07:00

Today our class visited Drive Thru. Drive Thru is a production and post production facility in Minneapolis. They specialize in creating commercials but also do other types of productions including music videos. You would recognize their work on familiar TV commericals such as the Minnesota Lottery, Minnesota Twins and upcoming spots for Harley Davidson. They have won an Emmy and are recognized for their Twins Territory commericials from last year. Drive Thru is unique in the sense that they work on all phases of the production process-from idea development to post production.

Our class would like to thank Heather for facilitating our visit to Drive Thru. We would also like to express thanks to Bob, Ben, Mick, Mark, Beth, and Bert. We appreciate your willingness to have us interrupt your busy schedule to share some of your expertise with our budding video creators.

Examples of their work on the web:

Live United for the United Way
Echo Screen Music Video
Minnesota Twins
Harley Davidson
The Spectaculars Music Video
Artic Quadrangle
Jedi Gym

June 18th

2008-06-18T08:42:00.000-07:00

Music videos are still in production. VC students are working hard to make their videos look good. I've challenged them to match visuals for the chorus of their selected song match the beat of the music. Challenging!

Here is a glimpse of our work today:

Important Terms for your Movie Trailer

2008-06-17T18:34:00.001-07:00

-Also-

Take a look at rising action, famous match-cuts, and cutting on action ideas.

Breaking down an action sequence

2008-06-17T17:53:00.000-07:00

For an action sequence it isn't a bad idea to break down the action into smaller parts or sub-events.

Example: Opening a door.

1. Someone runs to a door.
2. A sweaty hand reaches for the door knob.
3. The hand grasps the knob.
4. The hand turns the knob and but then freezes.
5. The door opens.
6. The hand releases the knob.
7. The door completely opens into a dark room.
8. Someone screams.

This isn't the most dramatic of sequences to use as an example, but when you break down an action sequence, or any sequence for that matter, you most likely will stumble onto a story structure:

Beginning: We don't know too much about the who-what-where, but there is a little bit for us to follow.

Middle: There seems to be some hesitation about opening the door. The character is running away from something. Will the door provide an answer or will it lead to more trouble?

How would you shoot this sequence? Would you just put the camera in one position and continuously film it without any other shots? Or, would you change the shot or camera position for each subevent? We'll look at some clips from Star Wars Episode IV and you should notice both methods used.

Resolution: Well, there may not be a satisfying resolution, but we get the idea that the door led to more trouble.

June 17th

2008-06-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had a little hiccup in our progress, but today seemed to go a little better. It's always tough coming off a nice weekend and then jumping back into production.

Today all of the groups were approved to start their music videos. All groups have the entire time tomorrow to shoot and edit their music video.

Teams Random and AAA are still in the lead.

We had a little talk today about group dynamics. (You can look at this on the blog at Group Dynamics and Group Dynamics2). Every group seems to work through different stages of getting to know each other and then experiencing a little friction along the way. We discussed a little bit on how to be proactive or positive as way to deal with issues that come up. We also discussed what an anchor does and how some VC students in the past may have acted like anchors and have slowed their group down.

Yeah! I have a parent that volunteered to go with on the field trip! Way to go Dena!

Friday the 13th

2008-06-13T10:13:00.000-07:00

I'm not that superstitious, but the Fighting Pigmies' computer was acting strangely today, we saw a few tripods almost blown over by high winds and for a moment I thought the Marshmallows were going to do their impression of Mary Poppins.

News: Commercials are due on Monday. Our first set of terms are also due on Monday. I asked VC students to bring in music for the music videos. They were also asked to bring in props and costumes. In the past many of the kids have brought in their guitars. Next week we will be going on a field trip. Are there any parents that would like to help chaperone?

June 12th

2008-06-12T10:20:00.001-07:00

Today we played a little joke on Captain Chaos. Team Random is still in the lead. AAA and the Marshmallows are close behind.

Commercials are still in production. Most groups have finished filming their first commercial and now need to start editing. I asked everyone to bring some music cd's from home for their second commercial.

Pre-production Examples

2008-06-12T10:08:00.000-07:00

Reflection Board

2008-06-12T07:04:00.000-07:00

We will use the following on the reflection board to think more deeply about some of the terminology we are learning:

S/D (Similarities and Differences) Ex. How is Dolly Shot similar to the Move in Zoom Out technique? How are they different?

PMU (Plusses Minuses Uses) Ex. What are the plusses, minuses, and uses of locking your camera onto a tripod?

SWNW (So What? Now What?) Ex. So you you've learned about a shot formula. So what, now what? Why is it important and how can you use it for your production?

NPUP (Needed Pieces Un-needed Pieces) Ex. We will be learning a ton of video techniques, but you probably can't use them all. Which ones are definitely need, or un-needed for your production?

Story Structure

2008-06-11T18:36:00.000-07:00

How can I reduce story structure into a such a brief description? It's like taking off the grilled chicken and pineapple off my favorite kind of thin crust pizza, but here we go...

Every story (and scene sequence)has:

A beginning

A middle

An end

The beginning is the exposition. The beginning tells the audience the answers to the who-what-where questions so that the audience can grab hold with enough interest to keep paying attention. Ever stop paying attention to a movie at its beginning? Ever felt extremely confused at the beginning of a movie and never have that confusion go away? The beginning should try to help the audience enter the story. Even commercials have a story structure. These days it seems more commercials have less to say about the product and spend more time on the story structure of the commercial. How can you plan your video to help your audience understand the who-what-where?

The middle involves the conflict or problem. There will be a conflict/problem to face and overcome in every good story. As the story gets more complicated and more intense the action rises. So, the viewer is expecting more visual intensity. Action-reaction shots appear more often. More close-ups and unusual angles crop up. The individual shots speed up. All this adds up to a different feel than the beginning.

The end involves the solution to the conflict. This is called resolution. The problem is solved and the audience usually is satisfied with the ending. The shots then should slow down and should take longer before the next clip comes in. There will be more wide shots. And then they ride off into the sunset.

If you are a Star Wars fan, take a look at the first Star Wars movie (episode IV). Recently I took a look at it on DVD and chose the chapters option. When you look at individual chapters you can see how this story structure is followed (or not followed). Many of the chapters in Episode IV follow the simple to complex story structure I mentioned above. Many of the sequences start with extremely wide simple shots and then move into a more complex series of shots and then transition to the next scene with another wide simple shot.

VC Nick-names

2008-06-11T18:04:00.000-07:00

How could I forget a long held Video Creations tradition? Everyone, even your instructor, receives a nick-name by the end of Project SEEK. Names are kind of generated by everyone in our class and are usually based on unusual incidents, unique characteristics, or similarities to famous actors or directors. It is tradition to have some of the following nicknames filled by certain individuals each year:

Captain Chaos
Mr. or Ms. Positive (The person designated this name has important shoes to fill. Some of our most illustrious VC students in the past have received this moniker. The title does carry the responsibility of occassionally saying something positive about everyone in the group.)
Lil' Rebel
Speilburg
Scorcese
Opie (the person who most resembles Ron Howard)

My favorite nickname given to me from a few years ago: Mr. AARP

Power Ideas

2008-06-11T13:07:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinkin'-you're thinkin' this Video Creations class is for kindergartners. You're askin'- where's the meat? You're sayin' Bring it on Mr. S!

Well, (meekly in response) you can show off your mettle by incorporating these 3 big ideas into your productions by the end of SEEK:

1. Progression from simple to complex. This idea works on a number of levels and for a variety of uses. For video production I would like you to think about how this idea works in a shot formula. We have discussed how the audience needs to immediately know answers to the the basic who-what-where questions in order for them to continue following the story. What do your shots have to be like in the beginning, middle, and end of your production? When should the shots have a slower pace, wider point of view, and not too much variety? When should they have a faster pace, more close-ups with a variety of angles? Some movies seem to move from complex to simple. The intent may be to get the audience's attention with fast paced and dynamic shots, but eventually the movie will have to slow down into more simple scenes to give the audience a chance to regroup their thoughts.

2. Affinity and Contrast (Finding and using similarities and differences). To explain these I like to use the first Star Wars movie (Episode IV) as our example. There are numerous scenes where the contrast of good/evil or dark/light are obviously portrayed against each other. And its not just the script you find this. The visuals of the death star scenes with Darth Vader are cold and dark in both color and tone. The scenes with Luke and Obi Wan Kenobi are lighter and warmer in tone and color. There are camera position contrasts, too. Camera angles from Darth Vader's point of view are from a superior (looking down) point of view while the person he is talking to will always be shown from an inferior (looking up) point of view.

3. Point of Focus. The audience's eyes can only pick one part of the screen to watch at a time. Try watching a commercial on TV without the sound on. I bet your eyes will be directed to certain areas of the screen. When we start making our audience's eyes move to the area of the screen we intend, then we are on our way to using video techniques to create a better visual story.

Resource: The Visual Story by Bruce Block

June 11th

2008-06-11T12:23:00.000-07:00

Busy. Busy. Busy. That's the simplest way I can think of to describe our day today. The weather kept us inside and may prevent us from filming outside again tomorrow. I gave the class field trip permission forms for parents to sign and I asked if they could get a note with a signature saying that they told their parent what the web addresses are for the class blog and wiki. They need to turn both in tomorrow.

Team Random is still in the lead, but The Marshmellows aren't going to be pushovers. Team Marshmellow won the game today. Team Random struck again by winning video charades at the end of the day.

Other highlights: We discussed the video production process today and started dealing with some of the important video terminology that will be used throughout the class. We start filming for our commercials tomorrow.

Guess Who

2008-06-10T19:22:00.000-07:00

The team with the best score at the end of the day will win a team challenge point.

1. Who said they would want to be friends with Russel Crowe?
2. Who said they can twist their thumb backwards?
3. Who said they would like to sleep on their perfect day?
4. Who said the bumper cars was their favorite ride at an amusement park?
5. Who said their favorite store was Rue 21?
6. Who said they would buy a dart gun at the dollar store?
7. Who said mac 'n cheese was their favorite snack?
8. Who has a pet named Hercules?
9. Whose favorite movie is The Godfather?
10. Whose favorite star is Tim McGraw?
11. Who likes Toby Keith as their favorite singer?
12. Who likes the band All American Rejects?
13. Who would like to squash "every non-living item?"
14. Who would like to be friends with Joe Mauer?

I didn't get everyone's questionnaires back yesterday so some names will be repeated for the answers. Good luck!

June 10 2008

2008-06-10T10:37:00.001-07:00

We had a successful first day of Video Creations at Project SEEK. Highlights: Great bunch of kids to work with, interesting team names (The Marshmellows, All American Actresses, Team Random, The Fighting Pigmies, CheeseSticks). I'll let you ask who is in which group, Scavenger Hunt.

Team Random is in the lead for the VC Team Challenge.

For tomorrow: I asked the students to bring in props and costumes for their commercials. They have the VC pledge to recite. And much more!

4-Square Terminology Boxes

2008-06-10T05:19:00.000-07:00

You will receive a journal to write scripts, design storyboards, draw overhead diagrams and to make sub-events lists. But, you will also be writing down terminology used in video production. Follow the format below:

Example:

The Pitch

2008-06-04T19:41:00.000-07:00

You will have to pitch your ideas to the producers. Here are some, but not all, of the questions you may be asked:

1. Can you show me your storyboard, overhead diagram, shot list, sub-events list?
2. Where is your location going to be? What problems do you anticipate with your location?
3. Who is directing? Acting?
4. What props do you need?
5. What is your back-up plan in case of weather problems or someone is absent?
6. Explain the story and story structure to me.
7. What is the point of view? What is the point of focus in every shot? Will the audience understand where they are and what they are seeing?
8. Who or what should the audience care about?
9. What visual components or video techniques are you going to focus on?
10. Have you rehearsed any part of your production at the location yet?
11. How does the 180 degree line play into your production? Will you break the rule? Why or Why not?
12. How will I see some of the power ideas demonstrated in your production?

Movie Trailer Suggestions

2008-06-04T19:35:00.000-07:00

1. Pick good actors.
2. You need a good shot formula. Notice how other film makers set up a scene. Many times their shot formula will start with an establishing shot and then work the camera in closer to the subjects and action.
3. Respect the 180 degree line.
4. Keep everyone involved and doing something.
5. Try to use different styles of shooting your movie. Ex. Shoot a Master shot then use Movie Style or use Triple Take technique. Include Cross Cutting, Continuity Cuts, Match Cuts.
6. Your sound track is critical. Try creating your own sound track using Garage Band. Know what foley is.
7. Special Effects!
8. L-Cuts, J-Cuts
9. Have a humorous title.
10. Have something unexpected happen.
11. Try to vary your pacing. Rising action should mean that your clips are getting faster (shorter) with more camera angles.
12. Reaction shots!
13. Try to use different camera positions (High, Ground, Waist).
14. Try to move the camera smoothly when you do dolly, trucking, follow, walk over, and walk by shots.
15. Rule of Thirds! Place your subject at the intersection!
16. Also pay attention to where your subject walks out of the frame. If the subject walks out of the right side of the frame, then the subject should enter the next shot from the left.
17. If you are doing a longer movie trailer and are actually switching scenes and locations, then I want you to use some kind of transition technique to get you to the next scene. Example: Zoom in on an important detail like a someone's eyes or a prop and then switch scenes and zoom out from someone else's eyes or someone else holding the prop. What are some other ways to transition out/in?

Music Video Suggestions

2008-06-04T19:27:00.001-07:00

1. School appropriate music please.
2. Pick something that the audience will enjoy and relate to.
3. Avoid dark music with questionable themes.
4. Your visuals should tie with the message of the music.
5. Write down the lyrics and number each line, then plan your video by each line.
6. Pay special attention to the chorus. Your visual shots of the chorus will be repeated.
7. Try to use some unusual camera angles.
8. Keep the duration of each clip short.
9. Try to cut your video to the beat of the music.
10. Consider using: props, dance sequences, costumes, lighting effects, bright colors to contrast with your backgrounds.
11. Have a back up plan in case of rain.
12. You might run out of time to film all the shots you need. What you can do then is to take an existing clip and put an effect on it so the clip looks entirely different. Wait until the end to do this as a last resort.

Commercials: suggestions

2008-06-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

1. Watch other VC or real commercials to get ideas.
2. Commercials need to be 30 seconds-about 2 seconds per clip.
3. Think about Point of Focus (we'll discuss in class).
4. Pick your location carefully. You don't want a distracting background.
5. Pick your actors carefully.
6. Have a back-up plan.
7. Do more than one take.
8. Two commercials are expected from each group.
9. Music can make a huge impact.
10. Break down your commercial into a story structure. (Beg. Mid. End)

Subevents Exercise

2008-06-04T18:58:00.000-07:00

Take an ordinary event from everyday life and break it down into sub-events or actions that could be filmed.

Ex. Waving to someone

-head turns
-eyes light-up in recognizing someone
-hand lets go of backpack
-waves
-smile on face
-looks down
-grabs backpack
-face returns to emotionless face
-head turns back

Even in everyday ordinary events there is a beginning, middle, and ending to the story structure. The subevents make up that structure.

Resource: The Visual Story by Bruce Block

Music Video: Syncing the beat with the video

2008-06-04T18:46:00.000-07:00

First, let me say it will be easier if you can listen to your music while you're filming. Get a CD player with batteries.

Second, there are some tricks you can do in editing:

a. In iMovie, listen to the music track while tapping to the beat by pressing the command b keys. This will leave a bookmark on the timeline to show you where to make your cuts to insert clips.
b. Insert different clips between the bookmarks. This will create a visual beat to go along with your music beat.
c. Repeat the same scenes for the chorus. This is a good way to use the principle of repetition.

Cheap Effects

2008-06-04T18:34:00.000-07:00

To make someone or something disappear:

1. Record subject. (clip 1)
2. Press pause with the camera locked down on a tripod.
3. Subject leaves scene.
4. Press record. (clip 2)
5. In editing, put a cross dissolve transition between the two clips.

Reverse Direction: Example-

1. Record someone jumping off a table.
2. In editing, reverse the clip direction.
3. The subject will appear to jump up on the table.

Let me know some of your ideas that could be called cheap effects.

Shot Lists

2008-06-04T18:23:00.000-07:00

Examples:

Shotlist and Storyboard

Simple Example

You probably do not want to shoot your video in the order as it is found on your storyboard. When you are done with your storyboard and shot list, you will want to select which shots make the most sense to do first so that you don't end up running back and forth between locations and therefore end up wasting time.

Overhead Diagrams-camera and subject placement

2008-06-04T18:13:00.000-07:00

Examples:

Exploring Storyboarding by Wendy Tumminello

(or go to books.google.com)

Storyboard Examples

2008-06-04T17:53:00.000-07:00

Examples:

Twister

Shrek

Phantom Menace

Early Star Wars

Creative Thinking Help

2008-06-04T17:36:00.001-07:00

Here are some ideas I got from Dr. Roger Taylor:

1. Brainstorm. List as many ways you can think of doing your project.
2. Viewpoint. Pretend to look at your project from the viewpoint of a _________.
3. Involvement. Pretend you were some inanimate object. How would you feel if you were a _____________ and had to star in this video?
4. Conscious Sef-Deceit. Suppose you can have anything you need to shoot your video. What would you do and how would you do it differently?
5. Forced Association. How is your project idea like a _________________? How can a ____________________ give you some ideas on how to complete your project? Ex. How is a commercial like a pizza?
6. Reorganization. What if we could completely change the conditions of our world? What would happen if _____________ were true or possible? Ex. What if we did not have electricity for the rest of Project SEEK? How would we finish our show?

VC Awards Show

2008-06-04T17:22:00.000-07:00

On the last day we will have an awards show. You will be hosting, presenting and accepting awards. You will need a couple of acceptance speeches prepared, some jokes pre-written and rehearsed, and formal clothes to wear. Winners for the awards are determined by parent voting at the open house, and by the producers and executive producer of VC.

Awards:
Best Producer
Best Lighting and Special FX
Best Grip
Best Stunt Work
Best Writing and Storyboarding
Best use of Props and Costumes
Best Sound Editing
Best Music Score
Best Visual Effects
Best Film Editing
Best Lighting
Best Cinematography
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Best Director
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Best Commercial
Best Music Video
Best Movie Trailer
Best Video Creation 2008

Video Production or Studio Hand Signals

2008-06-04T17:19:00.000-07:00

Studio Hand Signals

Your group will need a couple of hand signals to help you during production. Discuss and agree on a couple that you think will be necessary.

Video Scavenger Hunt

2008-06-04T16:37:00.001-07:00

I got this idea from an art teacher in the Minneapolis School District.

Use your camera to record...

1. A wall without many distracting lines, shapes, or colors. (Simple Background)
2. Record someone on the other side of a window.
3. An outside wall, show the entire length but keep the camera as close as possible to the wall. (Using lines to show Perspective and Depth)
4. Almost the entire length of sidewalk with the camera placed in a way that it almost touches the ground. (Ground Shot)
5. Someone sitting on the ground while you hold the camera above your head. (High Angle) Then you sit down on the ground and point the camera up to someone standing above you. (Inferior/Superior POV)
6. Someone walking away from the camera while the camera follows at waist height.
7. Someone walking over your other shoulder as you lay on the ground, the camera should not touch the ground.
8. Someone walking up to the camera but stopping 4 inches away. Pause the camera. Someone walking away from the camera starting from 4 inches away. (Through the Body)
9. Someone standing between 2 vertical lines, or someone's face between 2 vertical lines. (Framing shot)
10. Someone at the bottom of a slide, the camera at the top. (Using lines to create depth.)
11. Someone standing, the camera near the ground pointing up to the person's head and the camera twisted at about 45 degrees. (Dutch Angle)
12. Someone far away. Pause the camera. That same person then really close. (Wide Establishing Shot/Extreme Close-up)(background/foreground)
13. Someone standing, the camera moves in while you zoom out. (JAWS Shot)
14. A locker door opening from the point of view inside the locker. (POV)
15. Spin in a circle without falling down with the camera pointing at your face. (Whip shot)Then do it with the camera pointing away from you.
16. A close-up on someone's eyes and zoom out.
17. Camera moves in while 2 people walk past.
18. One person holds right hand, palm facing sky. Another person goes way behind them until it looks like that person is standing on the first person's palm. (Forced Perspective)
19. Someone's silhoette-film somebody in front of a window or use the projector's light.
20. Look for a pattern somewhere in the surroundings.

This exercise is intended to accomplish a few things at once.
A. Get you to ask questions.
B. Get you to interpret and follow directions.
C. Get you to think about different camera positions and what they are used for.
D. Get you to work with your team.
E. Get you to handle your camera carefully in unfamiliar ways.

7 Elements of a Digital Story

2008-06-04T16:32:00.000-07:00

Resource: StoryCenter.org

1. Interesting Point of View
2. Dramatic Question (Tension, Conflict, Problem, Obstacle, Desire, Twist)
3. Emotional Content
4. Voice
5. Music and Effects
6. Economy (show just enough to communicate your intent)
7. Pacing

What is the secret to making a good movie?

2008-06-04T16:26:00.000-07:00

If I remember correctly, Steven Spielberg was asked this question. He suggested that it was a combination or weaving together of three factors:

1. Powerful visual images.
2. Powerful story.
3. Powerful soundtrack.

Questionnaire

2008-06-03T20:49:00.000-07:00

(class use only-don't post your responses)

1. What famous person would you want to be friends with?
2. What is your favorite game?
3. What would you do on your perfect day?
4. What is your favorite ride at an amusement park?
5. What is your favorite store?
6. If you had to buy something at a dollar store, what would you get?
7. What is your favorite snack?
8. What is your pet's name?
9. What is your favorite movie?
10. Who is your favorite actor?
11. Who is your favorite band or singer?
12. Will you try out for American Idol if you get the chance?
13. What is something that most people don't know about you?
14. Which of the following is the best way to spend time: Video Game, TV, Internet, IPod
15. Name something you would like to squash.

People with Creative Disorder Disease

2008-06-03T20:10:00.000-07:00

(I can't remember where I got this from-please let me know who to give credit to.)

Dreamers
Writers
Actors
Cinematographers
Editors
Sound Engineers
Production Managers
Directors
Producers

Common recongizable sympton: their thinking is often characterized by crazy, wild, far-out, illogical, impractical, expensive, abstract, sometimes unspecific, and unrealistic thinking.

They also believe in Chaos Theory-that there is a pattern of order even in the midst of disorder.

Despite their disorder, these kind of people also display a tremendous amount of professionalism.

Group Dynamics Part 2

2008-06-03T20:03:00.000-07:00

Suggestions:

Do's:

Be Positive.
Take Turns.
Agree on jobs and roles.
Ask for other opinions.
Contribute where needed.
Pitch-in.
Speak up if there is a problem.
Jump in if there needs to be action.
Be respectful.

Don'ts:

Don't be an anchor.
Don't hold others back.
Don't be a mini-Hitler.
Don't exclude anyone at anytime.
Don't demand your way.
Don't expect to be in charge.
Don't expect to let everyone else lead.
Don't expect your ideas to be worshipped and adored.

Group Dynamics (Are we having fun yet?)

2008-06-03T19:30:00.000-07:00

There are 4 basic stages a Video Creations team will progress through.

They are:

1. Formin'

Meet-each-other stage, start getting to know each other. Not everyone acts like themselves, a lot of "nicey-nice" on the surface, but maybe some selfish or self conscious thinking on the inside. Think of the TV show The Bachelor. (-I'm not recommending the show by the way.)

2. Stormin'

Groups really get to know each other. Competition and acting out occur. Group members fight for their own ideas. Some group members try to convince others how much they know and overly defend their ideas. Other members will sometimes completely distract the group from the task at hand. Cooperation, leadership, and how decisions are made are real problems in this stage. Think of the TV show Survivor or The Apprentice.

3. Normin'

The group becomes more motivated and excited about the project. The group starts trusting and agreeing on things. Work actually gets done peacefully. Sometimes, the group agrees too quickly or too automatically in this stage. Some members will sacrifice their creative idea in order to preserve harmony even if the stormin' stage has already passed. This sometimes results in losing a creative solution or better idea. Think of the TV show Deal or No-Deal or The Amazing Race. This stage actually requires a lot of supervision. How come?

4. Performin'

The group functions as a strong unit. Even conflicting ideas are considered in an organized manner. Decisions are agreed on and everyone supports the decision when it is made. The group can get things done with a minumum of conflict and requires little supervision. Think of the TV show The Unit. (-Maybe. I haven't really watched the show that much.)

Survival Tips

2008-06-03T19:05:00.001-07:00

1. Break problems down into smaller steps. Be a problem solver, not a complainer. (This is called being pro-active.)
2. Slow down. Concentrate on one step at a time.
3. Seek direction. Seek new ideas from others. Seek challenges. (There's a reason its called Project SEEK.)
4. If you hit a wall, roadblock, or any kind of obstacle: STOP (Stop what you are doing, Take a drink of water and Take a breather, Observe your surroundings and Observe what people are doing around you, then Proceed with what you were attempting to do.)
5. Set your priorities. Don't be too impulsive before jumping into action. STOP and think about what needs to be done first, second and third. This is what I mean by setting your priorities.
6. Tell others around you what they are doing right. (Especially if you notice your group starting to bicker.)
7. If you still can't get things moving, then start asking lots of questions. Be honest with each other. Ask if anyone else is confused. Ask if anyone has an idea. Ask for help.
8. Use your common sense. It's impossible to spell out everything you can/can't do in this class, but at this point in your life you should have an understanding of what is acceptable/unacceptable behavior in different settings.
9. Think through your decisions. Get input from as many others as time permits.
10. You are being given a lot of freedom in this class so know that freedom carries with it responsibility.

Goals for Video Creations

2008-06-03T18:33:00.000-07:00

1. Think creatively.
2. Express yourself creatively.
3. Communicate a story through video.
4. Start considering elements of video production when making a video.
5. Start translating your ideas onto a storyboard, shot list, overhead diagram, breakdown of events.
6. To start handling equipment/software expertly.
7. Start realizing that ideas are powerful, even more powerful than your tools.

Class Pledge

2008-06-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

Cheesy? Maybe, but I guarantee you will gain more respect and be considered for more responsibility (leadership) by following our class pledge:

"As a member of video creations I will..
respect, honor and serve others,
protect everyone's property and confidence,
humbly accept and seek direction,
and remain hopeful, even when things get difficult."

And a piece of advice: Make others on your team look good; do not just think about yourself.

Video Production: The Process

2008-05-27T20:12:00.000-07:00

(Educational setting)

1. Brainstorm ideas and then discuss which ones have the most promise and are feasible (which ones are possible given deadlines and limitations).

2. Pre-production. Transfer your idea to a script, overhead diagram, storyboard, and examination of the elements of composition. Then, pitch your idea to your student- producer and executive producer (class instructor).

3. Production. You will most likely shoot out of sequence. Refer to your storyboard and diagrams and shot list. Timecode your footage. Use members of other groups to fill out your crew for lighting, sound, actors, props. Review your footage and re-shoot. Transfer your footage onto the computer.

4. Post Production. Edit footage. Add titles, special effects, sounds. Color correct and sweeten sound. Have student-producers evaluate. Have exec. producer evaluate.

5. Broadcast or distribute video.

Rule of Thirds Activity

2008-05-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

Part 1. Tape string over your TV (do not tape directly on the screen)to create a rule of thirds grid. Watch your favorite show or movie and determine if the rules of thirds is followed.

Part 2. Overlay a piece of plastic with the gridline drawn out with marker onto a camcorder LCD screen.

Part 3. Use Rule of Thirds for setting up FG MG BG.

Evaluating Film and Video

2008-05-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

When professionals evaluate a video piece they look at the following:

Pacing
Continuity
Lighting
Audio-miking
Audio-dialog
Audio-music and sound effects
Clarity (on a number of levels such as a clear voice, clear message, clear scene transitions)
Consistency
Story elements
Camera composition
Use of angles
Shot choice
Screen direction
Graphics
Special Effects

Create a shallow depth of focus with digital camera.

2008-05-22T11:46:00.000-07:00

Try creating a shallow depth of field by doing the following:

Place your subject. Zoom all the way in. Then move your camera back until you get the desired result. Put the background far away from the subject so it will be out of focus.

Transitions

2008-05-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

Best transition to use: dissolve

Before using transitions ask yourself what the reason for using it is. You really only need to use a dissolve or cut.

I've heard that the movie Citizen Kane is a good example in the creative but subtle use of transitions going from exterior to interior shots. Look at your favorite movies and concentrate on how one scene/shot moves into the next.

Sound Design

2008-05-22T11:16:00.000-07:00

1. Look at the story and script and discuss with your group what kind of sounds are important to the story. What kind of mood, edge, ambient sounds will add to the story? Do you really want cheesy sound effects or more realistic ones?
2. Think of the many levels of sounds: music track, narration, voices, background sounds.
3. What about foley?
4. Create your Arc. This is basically a script for sound. It is a way for you to chart the sounds' progression. You graph where your loudest, quietest, simplest, busiest sounds will be. For example you might chart a soft intro for an opening scene and then build with the action.
5. Listening. Listen to your everyday environment. Hear the different sources and layers of sounds around you. Watch a movie for its sound elements. Notice progressions and interupptions.

Watch: Skywalker Sound Secrets

Some Fundamentals of Video Composition

2008-05-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

Location: choose a location that will help not to distract from the video. Settling for the first or easiest available location often ends up hurting the production. Watch for sun direction and consider available lighting.

Shot Selection and Coverage: The type of shots determines how dynamic the scene will be. For example, think about the effect a close-up will have versus a wide shot. Think about how long each shot will be. Cool angles are good, but only when you have a purpose for using them in the story, not for just the sake of using a cool angle.

Know the Rules: The Rule of Thirds, 180 Degree Rule, 30 Degree Rule.

Resource: Videomaker Magazine.

Focus

2008-05-22T10:31:00.000-07:00

Manual Focus: You want to use this when there are objects and subjects moving through the frame. Get to know your manual focus adjustment.

Look at: 5 Situations you should use manual focus.

Stay organized when editing

2008-05-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

For FCP:

Create separate folders and bins:

New cuts
Old cuts
Source footage
Music
Narration
Titles and effects

Keep your timeline consistent: Ex. Keep narration on the same track, for example.

Duplicate your project (sequence) and drag to old cuts folder or bin.

Back-up your files to another drive.

J-Cuts L-Cuts

2008-05-16T12:19:00.000-07:00

Online resource: Adobe Premier site on J cuts and L cuts (different application, same principle)

The L cut : The view cuts away to a new clip, but the audio continues from the first clip.

The J cut : The audience hears the audio from a clip before it appears.

These techniques smooth out edit points. This is a way that the editor hides or makes edits more invisible to the audience.

When else would an editor want to use these techniques?

Audio Tips

2008-05-16T12:06:00.000-07:00

Voice audio isn't strong enough: double the audio track. Copy-paste the audio track on another layer.

Distortion with "s's" "p's" and "t's" : Turn your head slightly away from the microphone when you are saying words with these.

Audio sounds like it was recorded in a tin can: Use an external mic.

3-point lighting

2008-05-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

Resource: http://www.diyphotography.net/3-point-lighting-technique

Key light: the most important light, provides the most light on subject, you place it at a 45 degree angle to the subject and aimed at the face.

Fill light: is a softer light than the key light, placed opposite side of the key light, same height as the camera, but at a 15 degree angle. This light make the other side of the face look different but not completely lost in the shadow.

Back light: lights the space behind and above the subject, sometimes called the hair light because it is aimed from behind the subject and illuminates the hair, it can also spill light onto the background.

-see the above website for how this is set-up-

You don't have to have a complete light kit to make this work. You can use natural light from a window, lamps, a white board.

(There are other lighting fundamentals such as a kicker light, but start with 3 point lighting first.)

Wiki key

2008-05-16T11:33:00.000-07:00

Ask Mr. S for the Wiki Key.

Favorite Commercials

2008-05-16T10:16:00.000-07:00

Video Creations students. What are some of your favorite commercials? Explain why they are your favorite.

Mine?

From a visual perspective, I liked the Apple computer commercials that showed dancing silhouettes with the iPod and cords standing out in white.

I also like the Superbowl commercial of the Toyota Sequoia where the driver and the rodent (was it a squirrel?) both are screaming.

Please add yours.