Video and Sound Production - Exercises

Video and Sound Production
28.8.2023 - 1.12.2023
Johnny Lam Wee Zhe (0363436)
Bachelor of Design in Creative Media

---

INSTRUCTIONS

 

---

LECTURES & EXERCISES

Week 1

 

As the first week of Video and Sound production class, Mr Martin give briefing on what is to be expected in this class and is given. He has recommended for us buy professional headphone listed in the brief slide above. He also shows the assignment briefing for this module and reveal the theme for our final project.

Week 1 Exercise

For our first task, we are asked to download clips of the Mint commercial and place them in the correct order. We start off with the very basic knowledge of importing clips into Adobe Premiere Pro. We have to put the clips into order.

Fig 1.1 Mint Ad at Adobe Premiere Pro

Then, we move on to the second exercise. We have to do the same thing except the clip is randomly numbered and we have to figure out the correct order of each clip.

Fig 2 Doritos Ad at Adobe Premiere Pro

 

Week 2

 

 

On the second week of the semester, we get to learn more about the framing and storyboard. We learn various types of shots in this lecture. Each shots has it's own function and when it can be used.

Types of Shot Size:

 

Fig 3.1 Shot Size

Extreme wide shot - Shows the wide scale of the environment surrounding the character.

Wide shot - Captures the entire subject and include crucial objects.

Medium wide shot - Capture almost the entire subject except the leg is cut off. Shows the action of the subject.

Medium shot - Captures the subject from the waist up. Shows the main subject's expression and gestures.

Medium close-up shot - Capture from the subject's chest up to the head.

Close-up shot - Use to isolate an important part of the subject, either focus on the small object or the face of a human subject.

Extreme close-up shot - Captures particular detail of a subject, either part of the face or part of a small    object.

We also learn about the usage of the rule of third applied into video composition. 

In addition to that, we have also learn about angled subject where the subject is turned 45 degree. If proper lighting is applied, the face may look round and the eyes will be shown entirely.

Capturing subjects with blurred close up object in the foreground (through an open blind and dirty window or blurry closed up column) or a unfocused background adds depth into a scene.

Angle the camera in a way that parallel lines diminish or converge to the right, ensuring the viewer to look down the distance.

Camera heights:

- Eye level: Camera on the same level as the eye of the subject.

- Low angle: Camera is tilted upwards. Main subject will look bigger, stronger or/and more noble and may gives the impression of the subject's tall height.

- High angle: Camera is tilted downwards. Main subject will look smaller, weaker and more vulnerable.

Dynamic Screen Direction:

Scene are captured in one direction and never really change. It prevent the viewers from being confused about the direction a subject is heading. If camera is filmed on the right side, it remain on the right side or any other angle that is within 180 degree on the right.

 

 

Fig 3.2 Dynamic Screen Direction

 

Static Screen Direction:

Same rules in the dynamic screen direction can also be applied here and two subjects in the scene remain in the same direction. For example: Person A is on the left side of the scene and Person B is on the right side of the scene. As the angles changes, Person A must remain on the left side of the scene while Person B must remain right or vice versa.

 

 Fig 3.3 Static Screen Direction

Week 2 Exercise

For our second exercise, we are sorted into a group of two and one of us will have our video taken in different shot size listed in the slide. Then, we have to compile all those shots into a video and add captions to each of the shot taken.

Fig 4.1 Shot Size Compilation in Premier Pro

 

 

Here is my final result: 

Fig 5. Final Video Shot Edit

Week 3

 

On the third week of the semester, we are taught about the three part story structure to help familiarize with the standards of film making involving story telling. These three parts are;

The Beginning: An introduction to the world or the character's normal life of the character's initial goal.

The Middle: Introduction of the problem or a set of problems to overcome.

The End: All the problems are solved and goals are achieved or not.

Fig 5.1 Story Structure

In each of the story, there are two major plot points. The first plot points is the inciting incident that takes a story from the beginning to the middle part. This is where stakes begin to rise and the audience is introduce to the possibility of what can happen if no actions is taken.

The second plot point is the climatic turning point. The protagonist's motivation/situation is reaching it's lowest point during which a possible solution gets shown. The plot point often has the suspension of whether succeeds or fail the task they set for themselves.

Week 3 Exercise

For this exercise, we were to watch two short films titled Lalin and Guang. The we have to split them up into a three part story structure and determined which part is the climax and which part is the resolution etc. Here are my take of the three part structure.

   

 Fig 6.3 Acts Story PDF

---

REFLECTION 

Video and sound production module is one of those module I look forward to taking even before knowing what it is about. Here of course, we get learn the basic of video editing and use adobe premier pro to edit videos. It takes some time to adjust from using adobe after effect as a video editing but as I learn the basics of it, I begin form a preference for premier pro as the go-to video editing and I look forward to doing the project that this module has for us.