And finally......my video

Hey so as I promised here is the video that I made for the song Nothing Really Matters by Mr Probz. It's a black and white interpretive video which basically shows four girls who are isolated and focusing on their own things.

Enjoy!!!

Here is the link to my video.

 

Post Production Processing

Long time before all editing software's were invented, filmmakers would film their footage in exactly the sequence that it followed and the exact lengths needed. But now with the significant technological development, it is now possible to alter speed, sequence and many other things.

For my video, I used an editing software called Pinnacle. I found quite easy to use and it also provided me a lot of post-editing effects that helped my project look way better. Below I will show you a step by step account of the process I took in editing my video.








So the first thing I did was open the software. It does take quite some time to open so one needs to be patient with it.

After opening the software, you get a blank page but you have to go to file then select new movie where you will be able to work on your new project. Before we go any further, I would like to mention that Pinnacle works on links meaning that any media that you use is connected on a link. Therefore, this means that for the footage you use, you should save it on your laptop and not your external source because in the event that you eject your external source and try and open the software, your work won't be accessible.





The next step one is required to take is to import your media which means you go and collect what footage you would like to use. One thing I like about Pinnacle is that everything you need is simply displayed.
 

The next step one needs to do is select the footage they want to import. Now because Pinnacle opens all media on your laptop, it is easier to organize the specific footage you will use in a special folder where it will be easy to access.

After selecting your footage, the software automatically organizes everything whether its audio, pictures or videos. Here you get a better view of everything you have and you can also start selecting the specific footages you want to use. Remember during filming, it always recommended to take more than one take because you never know what footages would look better.
 



Finally, after importing, we get to start the editing process. The first thing you is click on the footage you want to use and then drag it to the timeline. The timeline is where you organize your footage in sequence and also edit them and apply effects. You can always change the order of your footage.
 





To actually edit on a specific footage, you double click on the footage from the timeline and then it opens a page where you get all effects you can apply from transitions to corrections. For my video, I firstly played with the color. I wanted one color tone throughout the video and so I selected black and white which I found under corrections. I also altered the length and speed of each footage; some I made slower and longer, others were faster and shorter. Through Pinnacle you can also reverse the footage and have it play opposite, though I must you warn, the footage usually looks pretty ridiculous half of the time. I also added transitions between my footages.

 

One thing I forgot to mention is because I am creating a music video, I will be playing an overlapping soundtrack. Therefore, I needed to mute my video's as they had background sounds that would interfere with the selected music. Pinnacle gives you the opportunity to play with the volume of the sound but because I would be inserting another soundtrack it is just better to mute the video altogether.

 

So next I added my soundtrack. I also played with the length of the song as I didn't want to use specific parts. One more thing I would like to warn you is that during the editing of the video, when you change the speed, it also changes the speed of the soundtrack. So what I do to prevent this is Pinnacle offers you the option to lock a track meaning no changes will be applied to it. This protects your music from getting mixed up.

 

Finally after editing my video, the last thing I needed to do was export it. This would produce it into a video format that can be viewed and shared.

 

When you get to the export page, there are a few settings you need to change before you produce your video. The first thing you change is the type or format of video you will make depending on the players you have. You also pick the size of video and finally where you want to save it.

 

And the final finally, is exporting your video into your finished product. After that you can watch it and share and be proud of your work!!!!!
 

I'll post my video in the next post. Watch out for it!!!

Shooting

Before my shooting, it was especially important to first create a team of people who would help in the production of video. So the first thing I did was present the job to some people and those I felt were most qualified then got the job. The positions I required were:

1. Director - this was the person who would help in the directing of the actors and cameramen to ensure that everything required to be filmed from the storyboard is filmed.
2. Cameraman - they would be in charge of filming the footage. They would work hand in hand with the director to show which were the best positions for filming.
3. Cast and Personnel manager - this manager would be required to identify the cast and sort documentation such as contracts and release forms regarding the cast. They would then source the cast needed and ensure they are taken care of during the filming.
4. Props and equipment manager - for the props and equipment's such as the camera needed, one person would be in charge of getting these things and also ensuring that they are working and readily available on the day of the shooting.
5. Location manager - they would be required to get a location and all legal permits such as location release forms needed for us to be able to use the location.

After I got my team, we then had our first meeting where we discussed the expectations of the video and what I as the producer expected each of the people to do as part of their parts in creating the video. It is important to try and have as many meetings as possible because the more you have the more people get to fully understand what you want to produce.

When the days for shooting finally came, the team together with the cast worked in the scheduled time to go and film the footage required. A day before filming, one last meeting was held to make sure all location, cast and equipment were ready for the shoots.

Pre-production planning - Schedule

After you have created your plan for your filming sequence, the next thing you need to do I film it! But for professional filming you can't just take a camera one day and decide you want to film. In fact in major media houses such as news networks, producers have to set and order for camera's almost two weeks prior to the filming due to the fact that they share the camera's. So because of this, one is required to create a schedule where they show the times and exact dates as to which their filming will be done. Here is my schedule for my video:

Scene :	Location:	Props:	Actors:	Shooting time and date:	Comments:
Scene 1 – the bus moving while showing an empty field then the silhouette of a girl is showing looking outside a window.	Tarangire National Park, Tanzania	Bus (this will be used during the game drive)	Girl 1 - Amrit	26th May 2015 10:00 – 14:00	Because there will be a school trip going to this location, I decided to incorporate this and film my first scene during this school trip.
Scene 2 – a girl is seen walking forwards while using her phone	Braeburn Arusha entrance to secondary path	Phone	Girl 2 – Samantha	27th May 2015 9:00 – 9:30
Scene 3 – this is all the scenes that show a girl sitting on a chair and also dancing on top of one	Braeburn Arusha in front of the Drama room	Chair	Girl 3 – Elsa	27th May 2015 10:00 – 11:30
Scene 4 – here girl 3 walks up a pathway	Braeburn Arusha pathway next to staffroom		Girl 3 – Elsa	27th May 2015 13:30 – 14:00
Scene 5 – a girl is seen running up a hill	Hills next to Tembo Club Kisongo		Girl 4 – Sekela	28th May 2015 13:30 – 15:30	For this, transportation will have to be organized as it is out of school.
Miscellaneous				29th May 2015	An extra has been added in case any extra time is needed for the shooting

Pre-production Planning - Storyboard

As part of learning about editing, one is required to produce a short video to practice out what they have learned. For my video, I wanted to make an interpretive music video. Therefore the first thing I did was create a storyboard.

A storyboard is footage organizer whereby you draw or paste images that illustrate the sequence that your footage will be filmed in.

While creating the sequence for your footage, a few things you should consider are:

• 180 degree rule
• Action match
• Eye line match
• 30 degree rule

This are very important while filming because firstly they help maintain a coherent understanding of your storyline. Also, as you are producing something that will be viewed by people, you want them to be able to experience all the emotions you plan to show such as if there is an argument between two people, the 180 degree rule will help show both sides at the same time.

After thinking about I wanted to film, I created a storyboard that narrated my plans. You can electronically make a storyboard but for amateurs it is easier to draw it out - you don't have to be that artistic, just get out what you want.

Here is my storyboard



Purposes of editing

After going through the development of editing, question myself, ‘why don’t we just stick to the good ol’ in-camera editing and save ourselves the hustle? Well, if that were the case then we’d have to say bye to montage filming in action movies and slow-motion of those sweet chick flicks we all secretly indulge in. Therefore, editing is not manipulation of raw footage but rather an advancement to portray it better.

To begin with, editing provides a coherent sequence that shows the necessary shots required from a storyboard. If a director has a detailed storyboard, they would know what shots and angles they want exactly that would be able to fully illustrate the narrative and emotion of their work. Through editing, the director can choose what information they want to show to the viewer. Also with the multiple shots filmed during production, the director has more than one option to choose a variety of shots (p.s. behind the scenes are amazing for seeing acting fails) that will effectively tell the story with the perspective they had in mind. This where shot variations such as different camera angles come into place. For example, zoom in shots are used to portray an intense atmosphere. So, editing defines the information that the audience receives.

Secondly, as a viewer yourself, editing also plays a role in how you interpret the film. Cross-cutting may create confusion and tension as one moment you are seeing one scene then it switches to another. Also multiple points of view may help better understand the storyline as you get different views of what is happening. Furthermore, with the implementation of shots such as shot-reverse-shots, editing sometimes influences how you perceive some characters as it all ultimately depends on how much you see of them and how you see them.

Thirdly, perhaps the most important purpose of editing is to pace the film. The editor decides the length of shots and this guides how much information is released. In some movie reviews you find one of the major cons of movies is that there were either unnecessarily long shots or important bits were too shot for the viewer to enjoy or so editing if done well plays an important role in ensuring this doesn’t happen. Adding on, editing also assists in speed pacing. For dramatic effects slow-motion is usually advised to show the full emotion or energy invested in an action. Furthermore, fast-forwarding adds a thrill to scenes and this has only being made possible by developments in editing. Transitions between shots make the footage much more coherent and smoother.

To conclude, editing leaves all film with that magical feeling. From standing at the top of a building to suddenly running across the street, editing has provided room for creativity as directors are able to experiment with different techniques. Editing has also made it easier to follow a sequence but at the same time not restrict yourself while filming. You can film for months but in the end with the help of an editing software, you can turn into simple 150 or so minutes of film.

 

Key conventions of editing

In editing, there are a few conventions or techniques that are followed to ensure a film is produced perfectly. I have put some links with each of the conventions. Try and identify the convention.

Continuity

This refers to the cutting process whereby shots are cut in a sequence where they flow fluently to form a logical coherence between shots. Continuity editing often focuses on one action using techniques such as match on action whereby different angles are shown of the same angle. Also, techniques such as an establishing shot help give the audience a wide view of the action before focusing on individual subjects. Continuity is often used during dialogues.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvrHS7KdZ64 

Parallel editing

This type of editing is used to show two actions simultaneously happening at once. To create this, cross-cutting is implemented between many shots which are often from different locations. First introduced by pioneers such as D. W Griffith in his 1911 film ‘The Lonedale Operator’, parallel editing simply portrayed cross-cutting between two different locations, however, much more digital films such as ‘Fast and Furious’ use parallel editing to show what different characters are doing at the same time but in slightly different locations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iGos7nDTLs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN53TQoohgE

Editing rhythm

Editing rhythm is one of the last post-editing processes done. It includes the pacing of shots, movements within shots and sound to make the footage more coherent thus having continuity. Editing rhythm includes changing the speed from slow motion to fast motion to normal pace, also working with sounds and cutting the action to the beat of the song. Editing rhythm results in varied shots; some will be long while others are short abrupt cuts. This contributes to Rhythm to the mood and impression that the viewer will have regarding the film.  It is a balance of all the footage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7lRAs5RBfk

Montage

This is a technique where many short shots are edited together into a sequence to form one whole footage. Space, time and information are condensed to fit into a timed sequence and often the shots are juxtaposed in a fast-paced motion. Montage was invented by the Soviet film maker Sergei Eisenstein in the 1920s and it was mostly used by the Soviet Union for propaganda as the fast-paced shots would cause the public to make quick conclusions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygiPVUZv3p4

180 Degree Rule

This rule covers the directions for the on-screen spatial relationship between a character and another character in a scene. Using an imaginary 180 degree line, that has two axis that connects two characters, the camera is situated in the middle of both characters. Therefore, the rule ensures that the characters look like they are in the same position and you can see both of them at once. This usually happens in interrogation scenes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HinUychY3sE

Crosscutting

Cross-cutting is a technique where shots are cut to show two different actions simultaneously. You usually see one scene then it cuts to another different scene and this can be continuously repeated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN53TQoohgE

Jump-cutting

Just like cross-cutting, jump-cutting is a change between two shots, however, the visual information which is what is shown in the shot doesn’t really change much. It can be from one side of someone’s head to another. It is often regarded a violation of continuity editing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diNUplP7GZ8

Transitions

This is a post-production technique used to combine shots together to create one finished product. These are the following types of transitions:

·         Cut – basically this is when a scene is cut from one shot to another

·         Dissolves – one scene is progressively mixed with another scene to create a softer and smoother transition. This can be done by pixelating a shot into another

·         Fade in/out – While fading in or out from one scene to another, the action will fade into a black screen and then fade into a new scene. If its fade in then it starts with a black screen, if its fade out then it finishes with a black screen. This happens a lot at the beginning or end of a film. 

Cutting to soundtrack

Cutting to the soundtrack is a technique where the editing is determined by the soundtrack that is played. Therefore, the action will be edited according to the beats of the song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6XOv56LE2I

 

Shot variations Part 2...

Techniques and conventions of shot variations.

Framing

·         Extreme long shots

·         Long shots

·         Medium shots

·         Close up

·         Extreme close-up

Camera angles

·         Bird’s eye view

·         High angle

·         Eye level

·         Low angle

·         Oblique angle

Camera movement

·         Pans

·         Tilts

·         Dolly shot

·         Hand held shot 

·         Crane shot

·         Zoom lenses

Short variations Part 1.......

What is it?

These refer to the camera’s point of view of the action being filmed. Therefore techniques such as camera angles, framing and camera movement are incorporated.

How has it developed?

 

I think that shot variations have developed as camera equipment’s also developed. For example framing and movements such as panning can only be achieved with a variety of lenses.  Shot variation can be dated to as early as D.W Griffiths time where editing started becoming more popular.

Is it still relevant?

As most editing foundations, shot variations are always included while filming so that directors could portray as many views of a subject as possible. Cross-cutting and clear-cuts have made transitioning from different shots much easier.

 

 

Multiple points of view

What is it?

This are the various perspectives used to portray the subjects/characters in a film. They range from over the shoulder to close-ups. It also shows the characters’ views on a particular subject and this is called Point of View

How has it developed?

Multiple points of view can perhaps be described as the next step from following the action. To further add narrative and emotional effect, multiple points of view were used to portray the action through the view of the character.

Are they still relevant?

The fact that more filming perspectives are being developed proves that multiple points of view are still very relevant. Now shooting techniques have expanded from just having close-ups to Dutch angles and many more.

Pioneers

Notable filmmakers who used this technique are people such as Dick Barrymore who experimented by putting camera’s onto a helmet. This trick was later witnessed in Abel Gance’s 1927 movie ‘Napoleon’. Hitchcock also used this technique for narrative effects.  Griffiths was also a pioneer of this technique as he realized that emotions would be portrayed by different camera angles such as close-ups.  

Following the action

What is it?

Following the action refers to when the film is shot following the subject. There is usually a coherent transition between the movements shot. The action is followed from different angles.

How has it developed?

Initially, films such as Robert Paul’s ‘Come Along, Do!’ were shot from one angle. But as editing and camera’s developed, filming progressed from stationery shots to different movement and angles. This was enabled through filming techniques such as a dolly or tracking shot. 

Are they still relevant?

This is perhaps one of the most used techniques in filming to this date. From action movies such as ‘White House Down’ to romance flicks such as ‘The Notebook’, following the action has being the foundation of narration in film. With advanced camera equipment such as dollies, this technique is used to portray the emotion and development in a film. In-fact almost every movie that’s now produced uses the following the action technique. 

Pioneers 

Once again Alfred Hitchcock’s film ‘Vertigo’ is what made this technique famous. Another notable film that used following the action was ‘/life of an American Fireman’ by Edwin S. Porter.

In-camera Editing

What is it

This is a type of editing whereby the shots are filmed in the sequence that they will be viewed in. In-camera does not require any post-production editing as the storyline is followed while filming meaning no unnecessary shots are filmed.

How has it developed?

Invented in 1985 by the Lumiere brothers, in-camera editing was done because editing was firstly manually done. Film negatives would be spliced and then glued together on the parts where the director wanted cuts. But before this, film makers would shoot in the sequence of their storyboard. In-editing saved on time, film used and production costs.

Are they still relevant?

Due to digital advancements, in-camera editing is now only used by amateurs who cannot access editing equipment’s. It is also useful while filming events such as weddings where an order of events is followed. Though in a generation where post-editing techniques such as color changes or speed provide more variety for changing a shot, it is more affordable and possible to film shots.

Pioneers

Alfred Hitchcock was a notable film maker who directed the movie “Rope” which was shot in a single take. His detailed storyboard made the filming easier to follow and rumor has it he sometimes slept during filming.

 

The Editing Wall of Fame:

During the development of editing, there are a few legendary filmmakers who played a huge role in the development of editing. Here are a few:

David W. Griffith

       His most famous film was ‘The Birth of a Nation’ produced in 1915. Here editing techniques such as the iris shot, cross-cutting and flashbacks were implemented wowing his audiences. He redefined the whole purposes of a film as now narration of a coherent storyline was possible.

 

Georges Méliès

Méliès played with the development of cross-cutting to inspire more emotion in his film. With cuts made from different shots he was able to create tension for the viewer’s using tricks such as having a smoke puff come in front a character then cutting the film to a shot where the character is not there. His work has clearly influenced acting tricks as witnessed in the science fiction films of this date. His greatest work was the film ‘The Great Train Robbery’ of 1903.

Edwin S. Porter

      In 1901, Porter perhaps began the transition from using just one shot to multiple shots. He showed that not all shots had to be directly related to form a coherent film. His most notable works include ‘Life of an American Fireman’ and ‘The Execution of Czoyosz’.