Video and Sound Production / Project 2

08.04.2022 - 20.05.2022 (Week 2 - Week 8)
Lulu Luisa Linardi / 0349358 / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Video and Sound Production
Project 2

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LECTURES

Fig 1.0: Thumbnail

Framing & Storyboard

Earliest Cinema

When the motion picture camera was invented, the shots were simple and straightforward. The filmmakers turned to dramatic presentations they called filmed plays (the camera is positioned as if it were a member of the audience seated in the theatre).

The problem is when viewing a play, audiences are watching 3-dimensional objects (caused by distance and actors) but on screen; filmmakers soon realize that it was flat. So what they did was to break up the action into shots and sequences (separation) to create fragments of reality. Because the filmmaker is telling the story, he/she determines which fragments of reality are seen and in a particular order (later called editing). Cinema technique is all about manipulating shots and sequences that isolate part of it to look at and in what order to see them.

Cinematography

– Motion picture/Film/Video is made up of many shots

– Each shot requires placing the camera in the best position for that particular moment in the narrative

– Shot is a continuous view shot by one camera without interruption

– Sequence is a series of scenes, or shots, complete in itself

– Scene defines the place or setting where the action is laid

– A scene may consist of a series of shots or sequences depicting a continuous event

Shot Size

The shot size determines how large the area that’s visible within the frame.

Fig 1.1: Shot size

1. Wide Shot – W.S
A wide shot includes the entire subject and important objects in the immediate surroundings. If it's used at the beginning of a scene it's often called an "establishing shot”.

Fig 1.2: Example of W.S #1

Fig 1.3: Example of W.S #2

2. Extreme Wide Shot – E.W.S Shows a broad view of the surroundings around the character and conveys scale, distance, and geographical location. It's used to show where the character is in his/her environment.

Fig 1.4: Example of E.W.S #1

Fig 1.5: Example of E.W.S #2

3. Medium Shot – M.S

A medium shot shows the subject that is important to understanding - Gesture and expression, from the person's waist up, letting hands and the lower half of his body fall outside the frame.

Fig 1.6: Example of M.S #1

Fig 1.7: Example of M.S #2

4. Medium Wide Shot – M.W.S
A medium wide shot shows a character usually cut off across the legs above or below the knees. It is wide enough to show the physical setting in which the action is taking place, it permits a nice balance of figure and surroundings.

Fig 1.8: Example of M.W.S #1

Fig 1.9: Example of M.W.S #2

5. Medium Close-up Shot

Medium close-up films subject characters from approximately midway between waist and shoulders to above the head.

Fig 1.10: Example of M.C.U #1

Fig 1.11: Example of M.C.U #2

6. Close-up Shot – C.U

A close-up is used to isolate the most important part of the subject. For a speaker, this is generally the head or small object. It emphasizes the facial expression and details of an object.

Fig 1.12: Example of C.U #1

Fig 1.13: Example of C.U #2

Fig 1.14: Example of C.U #3

Fig 1.15: Example of C.U 

7. Extreme Close-up Shot – E.C.U

An extreme close-up single out a portion of the face magnifies a detail. The object is to focus on important detail either to increase the drama or impact on a situation or to allow the viewer to see necessary picture information more clearly.

Fig 1.16: Example of E.C.U #1

Fig 1.17: Example of E.C.U #2

8. Over the Shoulder Shot – O.S
The over-shoulder shot shows the subject from behind the shoulder of another person.

Fig 1.18: Example of O.S #1

Fig 1.19: Example of O.S #2

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INSTRUCTIONS

Exercise 1: Framing

During the class in week 2, students were told to form a group of 2 or 3 persons. After forming a group, we have to do a shooting exercise applying the framing knowledge that was taught just now. Students need to shot a total of 8 different framing shots, such as:

– Low angle Wide Shot
– Frontal M.C.U (soft background)
– Frontal M.S (soft background)
– Extreme Close-Up Shot

– Side angle M.S (soft background)
– ¾ angling M.C.U Shot (with blurry/soft foreground)
– Close-up Shot – Eye-Level Medium-Wide Shot

There are some reminders to apply when shooting the footage given by the lecturer.
– Shoot a wide shot with a wide angle – The rest ZOOM IN to get a soft background – Refer to the examples provided or google references for GOOD composition – Avoid overexposed or underexposed (too bright or too dark) – Do the shooting during day time – Shoot landscape format video, 5 seconds per shot – Edit with CAPTION (mention the shot size) and export the video for submission

I picked Angelyn as my partner for this exercise. After understanding the type of shots and the requirements, we start to shoot each other's footage. Both of us are using phone because we don't bring a camera to Malaysia. We began the shooting during class. However, we didn't manage to finish shooting all the footage, so we decided to shoot the rest of the footage on the rooftop of D'Latour.

Done with the shooting, I proceed to edit the footage in Adobe Premiere Pro. However, I was so puzzled because some of my original footage became overexposed when it was imported into Premiere Pro. I went to Google to find the solution but there's no such helpful solution. Therefore, I decided to play with the settings by myself. I tried several effects and things to get the footage back to its original color. In the end, I managed to lower the exposure despite it didn't return to its original color.

Fig 2.1.1: Applying effects to video #1

Fig 2.1.2: Applying effects to video #2

Fig 2.1.3: Adding caption to mention the shot size

Finally, this is the final video of my first shooting exercise after being edited.

Fig 2.1.4: Framing Final Outcome

Exercise 2: Offline Editing

Students were given a task to do an editing exercise. Before editing the footage, the lecturer showed us a video of a Thailand ad "Lalin" which can be watched here. The footage was shot by our senior and has the same storyboard as the Lalin ad. Students were to edit it in the right order. Click here for the footage.

Below is my editing process.

Fig 2.2.1: Importing the footage

Fig 2.2.2: Arranging the footage

Fig 2.2.3: Editing process #1

Fig 2.2.4: Editing process #2

Finally, here's the final outcome of my editing exercise.

Fig 2.2.5: Lalin Offline Editing Final Outcome

Exercise 3: 30 secs MV

For the third exercise of Project 2, students were to form a group of 3 to create a music video. I formed a group with Angelyn and Audrey. We decided to choose Bad Guy from Billie Eilish for our music video song. It requires 7 shots such as:
– Wide Shot - High Angle (Solo)
– Wide Shot - Low Angle (Solo)
– Medium Shot - Eye Level (Solo)
– Medium Close-up Shot - Eye Level (Solo)
– Close-up Shot - Eye Level (Solo)
– Extreme Close-up Shot - Eye Level (Solo)
– 3 Single Full-body Shots - Eye Level (you in the middle + 2 of your team members)

6 out of the 7 shots which require a solo shot was shot in my room. I don't know where to shoot except inside my room. The room has limited space so I was having problems when shooting both of the wide shots. However, I managed to finish shooting each of the shots.

Our team decided to shoot the group part together. However, we forget that each person from the group needs to be in the middle for their own video. We just realized it after the shooting, when we were going to edit them. At that time, I was not in Malaysia anymore, so we can't reshoot the group shot again. That's why I have to crop the video into 3 and put myself in the middle. It doesn't look so neat and tidy, but at least I can be in the middle. I didn't manage to document my editing process. Here's the final outcome of my 30 seconds music video assignment.

Fig 2.3: Music Video Final Outcome

Exercise 4: Production Shoot

For the last exercise of project 2, students have to shoot a movie trailer according to this sample with chosen clips from a South Korean television series titled Happiness (2021).

Students who are in Malaysia at the moment have to attend the shooting session. There're 2 sessions and I chose the Wednesday session since I will be going back to my home country the next day. Actually, I don't really know the people in the Wednesday session because most of my friends are in the Friday session, but after we met, I felt easy to mingle with them although I'm the only Indonesian in that session. Each of us was assigned to do one work, and I chose to be the Assistant of the Cameraman. Below is our team's working plan.

And here are some behind the scene of our shooting that day.

Fig 2.4.1: Behind the Scene of Shooting #1

Fig 2.4.2: Behind the Scene of Shooting #2

Fig 2.4.3: Behind the Scene of Shooting #3

Fig 2.4.4: Behind the Scene of Shooting #4

Fig 2.4.5: Behind the Scene of Shooting #5

After finishing the shooting, I did a sorting to find the best footage and audio to be in my trailer video. And then later I compiled everything in Adobe Premiere Pro and began to arrange and edit all of them.

Fig 2.4.6: Editing process

Finally, this is the final outcome of my movie trailer shooting exercise.

Fig 2.4.7: Happiness Trailer Production Shoot Final Outcome

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REFLECTIONS

These shooting and editing exercises in Project 2 are really fun and enjoyable. I was very excited about doing all 4 exercises because I like to shoot and edit things. Every process starting from the shooting to the editing was memorable for me. I get to learn how the right framing works and more about videography and cinematography. Besides that, the group tasks also made us as the students create a great bonding. I realized that good bonding really affects our teamwork. We can produce a great outcome if we can understand each other. Moreover, I'm able to distinguish the framing of the shot and more things about videography and cinematography.