Media Event - The Big Draw edit

After doing some research and speaking to Mike Johnston, i found a simple, time efficient way of editing the Big Draw pictures. Using Quick time 7 you are able to compile a stop motion timeline quickly and simply. As the photos taken on the camera are ordered sequentially, Quick time can recognise this and from just clicking on the image labelled '1' it will then put them together in order. All you have to do is then set the frame rate. This may have to be longer or shorter for different groups depending on how many pictures they take.

Media Event - Wed 6th April - Run Through!

Full day practice
(6th April Wednesday)
11:00 – 12:00 NA.GO3
12:00 – 13:00 NA.GO2
14:00 – 15:00 NA.GO1

Ive been in contact with Pat, and we've been discussing using a programme called Istopmotion. Which basically allows you to take photos on the camera, and they will instantly be put on to the timeline, which saves the hassle of having to import them all from the camera and arrange them yourself. The only problem with this is we are using 2 cameras per shoot, and we are not sure whether you are able to run 2 separate tracks along side each other. Which might cause problems when trying to bring it all together.

Although we will only really know after the run through. I think its good that were doing a full day run through because it will mean we've all got to do our jobs to the same time scale as we will on the day, so any errors or improvements that need to be made to the activites/structure of the day should quickly become apparent.

Media Event - 1st April

Today we shot most of the footage for the intro video, it was fun coming up with things for everyone to do and there were some really funny sequences. We have decided to try and edit together what we've got at some point over the weekend or early next week. For music I've got access to some produced by friends, who have given me permission so I've got their stuff as an option.

For the Big Draw we did a quick run through, and it took between 25-30 mins to draw a big picture with one person drawing, so hopefully if we just give them a slightly bigger area than that, with 6/7 of them it (fingers crossed) should be okay. Brad mentioned a programme that you can run the camera directly into, and it logs all the pictures straight on to the timeline for you, this would be good for what we need to do, although the problem i can see is that we are running 2 cameras per draw. So unless the programme can run 2 tracks for separate cameras, there isn't much point using it. Because were the using an extra programme, and we will still have to transfer the pictures from the other camera, so there is more potential room for error.

Im meeting with Pat next week to log the pictures and get a time for roughly how long its going to take to: Import the photos>compile them on the timeline>Burn or transfer. Although after looking at the days schedule and trying out the exercise, i feel a bit more comfortable with it and I'm sure(if everything goes well with Pat next week) we should be fine on the day. I think that the fact the groups are doing it at different times means the footage will be coming through staggered, which means i can set up 3 comps and work on them all at the same time as there each in different stages of the process.

Media Event - Introduction Video

An introduction video was suggested a few weeks ago on the facebook group, and after goood feed back from the majority we have decided to make one! The aim of the video is to create an over exaggerated video, to introduce ourselves to the students, and by making our selves look stupid/ look like we can have a laugh, we will hopefully make them feel more at ease. it is also a chance to show them what we can do and the standard of our abilities.

After hearing about the idea, i instantly thought of the 'Jackass' movie intro's. They use slow motion and freeze frames to capture the characters doing stupid things, and it works really well!





Our take on it is going to be more media focused than the examples above, although using the same editorial concepts. So for example we might have someone turn round holding a boom mic, to face the camera and pose in slow motion. Or have someone catch their finger in a clapper and cry in slow motion. The aim is to be funny, and to entertain them, much like the videos above do.
We are meeting on thursday (30th March) as we are all in uni, to sort out a plan, to film it, and are aiming to have it edited by early next week.

Media Event - The Big Draw

The big draw is an idea Brad suggested, and one which my group, and myself are going to be the most responsible for. The idea is to get a big piece of paper hung up on the wall, and then have the students draw on it bit by bit, and take a picture in between each time they draw, so when edited you get a nice stop motion animation. We will also set up another camera off centre behind the other camera that will capture them stepping in and out of the frame, and doing there drawings. it was suggested that we filmed the students from behind the camera, but after myself and james spoke about it we agreed that it would be best to use still image, as 40 mins of video would have to capture in real time, which would mean 2 hours of capturing overall for the 3 groups.

However there are some potential risks with this activity:

1) In the days schedule it has only been given 40 mins, which may or not be long enough. i personally didn't think it would be if the kids were going to have to all come up with individual drawings, practice them, and then get started on the big draw. So some alternatives are to give them a theme, therefore its easier to come up with something. One picture for them all to draw, for example a tree, simple and straight forward. Although the only thing with doing one big picture is people will want to draw it differently and, there might be points where not everyones involved. And finally, chloe said they might ask the kids to come up with something in advance when they go to see them next tuesday, at the college, which i think would be best, if the kids are up for it. however if they don't seem keen then a set picture or theme will probably work out better.

2) Scale is another issue, but is something i think we will be able to figure out during the run through. and it'll be better to shoot from far back because if the drawings don't fill out the frame ( leave margin for error) we can always zoom in in the edit to best frame the animation.

3) Turnaround is probably the biggest potential risk, and something we need to be well practised at before the day, as we will have 3 groups worth of photos, (2 Cameras for each) which means a lot of photos, and a lot of things that could go wrong. We are going to try different methods of importing/exporting the files to find out the quickest way of dealing with it. One method we've been looking in too is hooking the camera up directly to final cut so the photos go directly on to the time line. I also need to find out whether we are burning to disk, or transferring to USB, to try and get an idea of what time the edits need to be done by to start burning, and how many computers/people i will need to help.

We have scheduled a run through for friday this week (1st April), so from that we will be able to gather important information about the issues above, and finalise our plan for the actual event.

Silent Disco Edit - Things to do

After viewing dans rough edit, and the rest of the footage I made note of things that need to be changed, and reshot for the final edit:
Shorten, tighten up, cut to 6 mins from 9, speed up pace of the film, Its dragging at the moment.
Jump cut sequence needs fixing in scene 2
Opening shots aren't really relevant, and quite boring(bed etc), plan to get more if theres time, if not, run titles over the top.
Phone exchange needs to be made smoother.
Edit after bitch comment jumps, reorder shots.
Remove random fades, mainly in the morning scene.
Possibly add floating subtitles for sign language (near their hands)

Colour Correction,
First scene, some shots are dark.
Party scene - holding hands is dark, most of the fridge scene needs to be made whiter.
Getting home, shots are pitch black, maybe just replace with another take, or remove completely.
Morning after shots, some are bright, some dull.

Plan sound

POV shots use 'dull ringing sound'
plan bridges, overlap sound from scenes to carry the cuts.
Use cheesy romantic music, with rewind at the end, over holding hands/being sick
Get some good tracks for the party, something upbeat and happy.

Shots to get in the reshoot:
More POVs from hannah, of people talking/signing
hannah POV fridge magnets
Whole fridge scene.
His reaction shot to 'im deaf'
live action of them moving the fridge magnets, to be sped up in edit.
Fixed shot, camera on top of the fridge looking down on them.
Shot at top of stairs, maybe not have them sit on bathroom step? room up top or step round the corner might look better.
When he leaves jojo have a shot looking down at her from stairs, and her look past the camera as he walks behind it.
Entrance to house, if weathers similar.
Sign language between jojo and hannah, if possible. Get more shots from in front rather than looking over their shoulders.

Media Event 25th

For our media event i have been assigned to the technical group. So it is our job to make sure all equipment is booked, the rooms run smoothly, and we all know the exercises well enough to know how to get round any unexpected errors. Our groups role is more based around the event than pre production, and we will have the most work to do on the day. Although we will have more to do in the weeks before the event, than in early pre production.

So at the same time i haven't really had much to do in the earlier weeks, apart from help with ideas at the start before we were all assigned roles. I came up with the idea of doing the shoot out, in front of a green screen, but using the students teachers instead, i thought this would be good to do as an earlier exercise because it would break the ice, and make the students bond with us as we'd all have a funny medium to laugh at, rather than them feel like they were being put on the spot straight away. All the Ideas that revolved around practical activities were what i thought would be best, because i though back to when i was 16/17 and the last thing you want is to listen to people talk at you, you want to interact and learn in an entertaining way.

Brad came up with the big draw idea which i was keene on from the off, as its a fun and interactive activity and one which we are able to turn around and show them at the end of the day, and as suggested, give to them on DVD/USB key. I think this is important, because they will have something to take away with them, and can say they've achieved.

My individual role is to produce the final edits for The Big Draw, and burn to disk/USB drive if were going to be giving them out to the students. This will mean working under stressful conditions, and on multiple computers to get them all completed on time, which I am a little worried about because there is a lot that can potentially go wrong.