Production Log 3

Evaluation

Exporting Footage

The Invisible Flowers:

Exporting our footage onto an online platform such as YouTube is very simple and quick when it comes to uploading this is because the file is firstly under 10 minutes which means that it doesn't take up much space and therefore to upload shouldn't take too long. In addition to that when uploading footage to YouTube the user is given a few options when it comes to uploading first if all they can decide if they wish to have it better quality or if it should encode faster meaning it will process the whole file a lot more quicker. Furthermore the format in which Final Cut Pro leaves the finished product is processed very easily and quickly meaning footage can be uploaded straight from your timeline on Final Cut Pro extremely easily thanks to the format it is in. In addition to that footage can be taken straight from the timeline to YouTube without needing to process the project into one video first. 

Exporting Footage:

Graphics and Titles

Graphics and Titles:

In my work I used a few titles throughout to help the audience understand what is going on, create a feeling of time going by and a slight hint of guidance and navigation through the plot. In post-production we are given the ability to incorporate titles and graphics as they are what makes the project and film more engaging as a whole as it allows us to change things around and in simple words improve footage overall by sharpening it or just adding a subtle effect. The way in which titles and graphics can be added is is through either selecting the transition or effects menu and drag and dropping the effect you want onto the desired clip. This is a simple way of doing things but can be taken further and made more complicated and these simple effects can change a whole clip around. In addition to that titles can be used in the same way in which I used them which is basically to show time pass or to remind the audience that there is a change in the area or setting. 

Visual Effects

Visual effects:

Visual effects such as transitions or filters can be used to alter the visual look of clips. This can be done in post-production with a few clicks, there are many options and opportunities that editing software offers, in my case "Final Cut Pro" lets me achieve quite a large variety of editing methods and resources to use, having the ability to put in graphics and text to being able to transition smoothly between two completely clips and even slow down footage or change what the focus of the shot is gives me a lot of freedom in my work and a chance to express myself. Below you can see an example of a post-production effect I used which is a transition between two clips, for this I used a dissolve which is quite subtle and it blends two shots very well which can be extremely useful when bridging shots or when trying to form a sequence. This is a good example of the opportunities that post-production resources can offer.

Post-Production Techniques

Post-Production Techniques:

I will show a few example of Post-Production Techniques which can be used to give a film a bit more extra meaning or to make it flow and seem a lot more smoother and engaging with the audience. Interesting graphics and well timed sound effects and dissolves can result in an engaging piece of work for the audience to watch.

Importing footage

Importing footage:

To import footage I inserted the SD into the back of the Mac, I was then given the option to import footage from the SD card into my gallery from which I can drag and drop footage to edit. This is a simple select and import process where you highlight the clips you wish to import and then just click "import" the process can take up to a few minutes depending on the size of the clip and the number of clips being imported. After the initial import is complete I then exited the window on to the main desktop, selected the SD card and clicked "eject" to safely remove the SD card ensuring no footage is lost and that no damage is done to the card itself. Finally after this process I went back onto "Final Cut Pro" and all my footage appeared on the left hand side allowing me to select and drag and drop any footage I want to use in my work. In addition to that in order to edit my footage I click and hold down the selected clip and drag into onto the timeline at the bottom where I can edit the video footage, this can be seen in the example below.

Production Log 2

5 Minute film noir production

Rushes Log

Rushes Log:

 

Evidence

In the image above me, Edi and Jasminder had set up the camera and desk for our interrogation scene in the drama studio. Throughout this day we had filmed our scenes in the drama studio which Edi had acted out, I directed everything that day and Jasminder was in charge of filming.

The image above is once again in the drama studio where we had to re-film a few shots as the lighting was incorrect previously so this time we brought a pair of studio lights and had set them up and filmed all the footage we needed which then concluded our filming indoors.

Above is an image of our group when we went filming outdoors to get some dialogue which is said by Abraham and get some outside shots of the PI as we had filmed everything leading up to these scenes where we hear our main antagonist for the first time.

Operate lighting for given purpose

Operate lighting for given purpose:

Lighting can be used for a variety of purposes this can be either to emphasize upon on something or create and strengthen meaning. Lighting can be used to create an atmosphere within a shot or a scene, for example lighting can be used to show despair and determination which could result in a tense atmosphere being created. In our work we used a variety of lighting techniques and different sources of light for example natural and artificial. We used natural lighting during the day when filming outdoors footage, in order for us to film our shots successfully we had to film earlier in the day when the sun was up, as it was at this time that it was the brightest and it had covered the largest surface area. Secondly artificial lighting such as a street lamp can be used when filming footage at night this would give the shot as a whole a lot more of a natural feel and the use of street lamps can lead to creating a certain and very specific feel to the film as a whole this can be anything from creating a spooky atmosphere to being used to light up a specific area or character to create meaning. Moreover studio lights can be used to create meaning and to light up a character's face. This is very useful as a huge part of getting a good shot is ensuring that the lighting is set up correctly and that is illuminates the right thing and that there are no shadows, this is another thing lighting can be used for, removing unwanted shadows but it can also be used to create a shadow if required. In addition to that I would also like to say that meaning can be created by the way in which lighting is used for example low-key lighting is more likely to create a tense and mysterious feel whereas high-key lighting gives of more of an joyful and happier atmosphere.

Use of lighting equipment

Use of lighting equipment:

In our work we used a pair of studio lights provided by the media department for the lighting that we needed for our interrogation scene and most scenes indoors as we have a lot more control over what we can do with the light. These lights came in very useful when trying to create shadows and when trying to light up a characters face or contrast dark with bright. Studio lights are easy to move around and set up thanks to their easy build and light weight due to how simple the whole frame is allowing the person setting it up move it around the whole room to set it up for the perfect shot. This makes them a very valuable piece of equipment when filming and they can be set up in any location you might want them and the strength of the light can be changed to switch between low-key and high-key lighting. The first image is an example of the lights that we used and the screen grab below it is an example of the type of effect that these lights can be used to create.

Set up and operate sound equipment

Sound Equipment:

In our work we didn't use any sound equipemt except the built in microphone in the DSLR camera that we used to film our footage, the reason why we didn't use any equipment is because we were not given the opportunity but the microphone on the camera did a great job in recording all the audio that we used. The audio was clear and accurate in decibels to original audio when filming. We recorded one wild track when filming scenes at night as we tried to capture the essence of the night and make it seem as realistic as we could, for audio playback we used Sony headphones provided by the media department as that allows for audio to be heard and manipulated a lot more easily than through the speakers of the computer as the sound may get distorted and the audio may not be adjusted correctly therefore headphones allowed us to make the audio a lot more accurate and clear. Other than that we didn't use any other audio equipment as there were no requirements for use to need to used advanced audio recording and playback technology other than what we had to work with which is the built in microphone and headphones provided by the department. All audio was altered in Final Cut Pro along with the footage making it very simple to match the audio with on screen footage.

Genre conventions and regulatory guidelines

Genre conventions:

In our work we used a variety of conventions the reflect upon on the genre of film noir. Firstly in the first image we can clearly see the night sky and the use of artificial lighting such as the light post, these are some conventions of film noir as it creates a feeling of mystery as darkness as its filmed at night in the lonely streets where anyone or anything could be lurking. Secondly in the second screen grab we can see the PI make a phone call which reflects upon the criminalistic nature of film noir which we include in our work, this idea of criminals and solving mysteries is present throughout the whole film as the PI tries to discover the missing mans location. Finally in the third image you can see the man who has be abducted by the evil couple and the light and emotion on the characters face show sadness and desperation which plays a part in this genre also the lighting which is used reminds the audience of an interrogation scene which is exactly what it is and once again it further emphasizes the criminalistic nature of the genre.

Set up and operate camera for given purpose

Set up and operate camera for a given purpose:

During the production of our film we used a variety of shots and pans which we achieved by using the tripod. We first set up the tripod to the height and position we wanted it, we then set up the camera; this includes frames per second, ISO and focus. After all of these factors had been set to our requirements we placed the camera on the tripod and filmed the footage. Moreover the use of a tripod gives the whole film a much more professional feel as everything is stable and flows smoothly without any sudden movements. The use of a tripod and the ability to control how you're footage is filmed allows for cinematic quality footage to be filmed and used, this is extremely useful as it shows how much can be done and achieved with the help of one or two objects. In addition to that it also shows that in order to achieve cinematic quality footage we need experience in using the manual settings on the camera in order to control the light that comes in and the focus of the shot also the tripod allows for stable shots which means that in order to film good quality footage we need camera equipment to assist the device itself.

Using camera

Using Camera:

In our work we used the Canon EOS 1300D to film all of our footage. In the screen grabs below you can clearly see that we were able to achieve a variety of shots in different lighting and were able to do all of this using the same camera. We filmed this in 24fps and used manual settings to focus the camera on the subject of the shot. Using manual mode allows the user to be much more free and experimental with their work as they try different angles and changing focus midway through a shot. In addition to that meaning can be created depending on how a camera is used to film the footage, for example in our work we used a variety of angles, one of them being a low angle this can be used to create meaning in our work because a low angle will make the subject look much taller and bigger which gives the character almost a sense of dominance because of how they are portrayed throughout the film. In addition to that the audience can then easily tell if they should be aware of a certain character; they can tell apart characters and almost feel the tension between two characters when these kinds of angles are used.

Production Log 1

Shooting Script

Storyboard

Storyboard: 

Specific settings

Choice of camera equipment

Choice of lighting

Treatment/Proposal