1. How did you use
media
technologies in
the construction
and research ,
planning and
evaluation stages?
2. Recording the film
Visual capabilities
To record our film, we used one standard 5.0 mega
pixel digital camcorder. Due to our low budget, this
was all that was available. This meant recording the
script from different angles with one camera. To
prevent obvious stop-starting in our film, we
recorded the script fully from numerous angles, so
that it looked more professional and natural when
edited into one film. When recording we also used a
standard tri-pod, this enabled to us to create steady
shots and smooth camera movements such as pans
and tilts. A key factor in using this camera, was using
the ‘zoom’ leaver to full advantage, this created
intriguing shots from experimental angles, however
we did not use the zoom leaver at all to pan or track
in and out.
3. Recording the film
Audio capabilities
The low budget filming meant that only the in built
microphone to the digital camcorder was available.
This limited our audio capability to a certain extent.
It meant that certain settings would be
unobtainable and that the camera would have to
remain a certain distance away from the dialogue in
order to pick up any sound. This however, limited
our creative control and for that reason we decided
to only include particular dialogue (which we
enhanced) and to create all the rest of our audio
artificially to a higher quality using logic pro 9.0
(which will be demonstrated further on in the
slideshow)
4. Editing the film
We uploaded all of our filming clips from the
camcorder, onto the computer. From here we
could import them to an editing package,
where we begin to construct the film. The
editing package we used was ‘Adobe premier
elements 9’. This was my first time using this
editing package and a quick online tutorial
prepared me to begin editing our film.
6. By clicking ‘get media’ it takes me to a Here I can see all the video clips which I
list of options of where I can see ‘files uploaded from the digital camcorder,
and folders’ which leads me to the these files are in the exact format and
pop up on the right hand side condition in which they were filmed
from the camcorder (raw versions).
7. Once my raw video clip is selected it From dragging the clip from my
appears here in my video selection box selection box into my scene line the clip
and has now been imported into the is now part of my timeline making it an
adobe editing package. actual scene within my film.
8. Although the clip has been selected into my scene line, it is still a ‘raw version’ and is therefore in the
exact format as it was filmed, meaning that entire clip may not be need, rather just a particular section of
the clip. The circle on the left hand side brings attention to a tab. This tab can be dragged to select an
exact time within the scene. Once the exact time in which I want to begin or end my scene is found, i can
select the ‘cut’ logo as circled on the right hand side this will divide my ‘raw version’ clip into the exact
part of the clip I wish to be in my scene, and once divided the ‘waste’ parts of my clip, that I don't want in
my scene can be deleted (as demonstrated below) leaving me with a ‘modified version’ to be included in
my film.
KEEP
DELETE
9. By continuously repeating the steps shown in the previous three slides i gathered a scene
line of all the ‘moderated versions’ which I chose to use. I could now arrange them into a
particular order in which to display my narrative.
10. Stop motion
In order to create the effect of beer glasses building up in front of the character I used
stop motion. I did this by placing the glasses in front of him one by one with a full beer on
the end and in-between placing the beers down, taking a picture of them with a digital
camera in exactly the same position i took the previous picture. I then placed the four
images in the scene line one after the other and selected the amount of time i wanted
each image to remain on the screen for before the next appeared, creating the effect of
the glasses building up.
12. Creating the ident
By clicking on the ‘text’ icon as shown above it leads to the screen below. This enabled me to
add text over the top of my footage. On the right hand side the array of fonts are visible, where i
could select the most appropriate to my genre of film.
13. Creating credits
By clicking edit then titles
and then choosing art-in-
motion credits , this
provided me with a
convention running credit.
However this didn't fit
either the genre of my film,
the ambiance or the rhythm
of the music. So I repeated
the previous slide on top of
a on-running black screen in
order for the credits to fit in
with the genre of my film.
14. Effects and transitions
By clicking on edit, you are
lead to a choice of edits
and transitions, here is an
example of if I was to
select transition, then I
would be provided with a
list of different transitions
which I can select to add
to my scene line.
15. Once a transition or effect is selected I can drag it across between the two scene I wish to
transact between or to the scene I wish to add an effect to, as demonstrated by the
arrow.
16. Creating sound
I have previously mentioned our audio capabilities. Now i will demonstrate how we
created artificial sound of a higher quality to fun in unison with our visual footage we
created on Adobe premier elements. To create the artificial sound we used ‘Logic pro
9’ which is a high quality recording and audio software. We began by laying out a
number of recording tracks in order to create different sounds flowing together at the
same time, known as layering.
17. Specific search bar, as you can
see here I searched for a
specific ‘traffic’ noise effect
Genre browser
I then searched through a loop browser
in order find the sound effects which
would work in unison with our visual. By
searching through, it is possible to find
all different tones of each effect and
what would match our film correctly.
Specific effects
18. Once I had selected the sound effects I wished to use, I laid them
out in a timeline similar to how I made the visual film previously
mentioned. This then created one flowing audio as the individual
tracks all played collectively, creating a realistic audio for the running
visual.
timeline
Individual tracks
The key technique to making the visual work realistically was perfecting the
timing of the sound effects along with the visual film. This meant chopping
individual tracks and running them evenly alongside the visual equivalent. As
demonstrated below, the footstep sound effect circled about has been
chopped into individual footsteps and ordered to play in exact timing with
the actual visual footsteps in the film.
Original footstep effects chopped footstep effects
19. We also used a technique called filtering in order to make the sound more realistic
and believable. One example of this is the bathroom scene when the audio changes to
an ‘echo’ like bathroom sound on entry, this enhances the verisimilitude. Below
demonstrates how i opened the filter programme and was able to alter levels of bass
and treble in order to create a muffled sound.
Levels of bass and treble