VIDEO & SOUND PRODUCTION/ (Exercises)
Exercises
24/09/24 (Week 1 - Week 8)
Liu Chengrui (0370930)
Video and sound production
exercises
Instructions
Lecture notes
Week 1 (24/09/24)
Video production/presentation
Today is the first lesson of our class. Martin first did some
understanding of each of us and asked us to introduce ourselves. After
that, he explained in detail the brief introduction of the course and
the shooting tools needed for later tasks, including a mobile phone
tripod and headphones.
Asynchronous Class Materials (Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.)
Lens size, camera Angle, and composition are all elements of visual
storytelling used in film, television, and other visual media.
Shot Size
Extreme Wide Angle Lens (ELS)
The subject appears small in relation to its position.
You can use extremely distant lenses to make your
subject feel distant or unfamiliar, or you can make your
subject feel overwhelmed by their location.
Wide shot (WS)
There should be plenty of space above and below the
theme. Using a long lens (or wide-angle lens) to keep
the subject clearly visible in a grander environment, a
long lens gives us a better idea of the scene setting
and gives us a better idea of how the character fits
into the area.
Full Shot (FS)
Let your subject fill the picture while maintaining an
emphasis on the landscape.
Medium Wide Shot (MWS)
It starts roughly at the knee.
Cowboy shot
It is roughly composed of the mid-thigh and is known as
the "cowboy shot" because it was used in westerns to
frame the shooter's gun or holster at the hip.
Medium Shot (MS)
The frame runs roughly from the waist up through the
torso. Therefore, it puts more emphasis on your subjects
while maintaining visibility of their surroundings.
Medium Close Up (MCU)
Frame roughly from the chest upwards. Therefore, it
usually favors the face, but still keeps the subject at a
certain distance.(Keeping characters at an eerie distance
even when they're talking face to face)
Close Up (CU)
Fill your frame with part of the subject, and if your
subject is a person, it's usually their face.
Extreme Close Up (ECU)
The maximum amount of time you can fill the frame with
subjects. It usually shows the eyes, mouth and gun
trigger. In extreme close-ups, smaller objects can get
rich in detail and are the focus.
Establishing Shot
Is the shot of the head of the scene, which clearly shows
us where the action is. This lens usually follows aerial
shots and is used to show where everything is going to
happen.
FRAME
Single Shot
When your lens captures a subject, it is called a single
shot. Only one role exists in the frame.
Two Shot
A double shot is a camera shot with two characters in the
frame that allows the performance to be played in one shot,
which is especially useful for comedy.
Three Shot
A triple shot has three characters in the frame.
Over-the-Shoulder Shot (OTS)
Another element to consider with a camera lens is the Angle
of view of the lens. An over-the-shoulder shot shows your
subject from behind another character's shoulder.
Point-of-View Shot (POV)
POV shots are camera shots that show the audience exactly
what the character is seeing, and can also cause
horror.
Shot Angles
Eye Level Shot
Lens at eye level.
Low Angle Shot
Low Angle lens looks up at the subject from a low camera
height. These shots most often emphasize the power dynamics
between the characters.
High Angle Shot
In a high Angle shot, point the camera down at your
subject. It often creates a sense of inferiority, or
"looking down" on your subject.
Hip Level Shot
Hip-level shooting means that your camera is roughly
waist-high.
Knee Level Shot
This means that your camera height is about as low as the
subject's knee. When paired with low angles, they can
emphasize a character's superiority.
Ground Level Shot
Ground shooting means that the height of the camera is at
ground level with the subject. Needless to say, this photo
captures what's happening on the ground where your subject
is standing.
Shoulder-Level Shot
This is when your camera is roughly the same height as the
subject's shoulder. A lens at shoulder level is actually
much more standard than one at eye level, which can make
your actors look smaller than they really are.
Dutch Angle Shot
For the Dutch Tilt, the camera will tilt to one side. When
tilting the horizon in this way, you can create a sense of
disorientation.
Birds-Eye-View Shot / Overhead Shot
Overhead shooting is looking down at your subject and the
large amount of scenery around him or her from above. This
can create a great sense of proportion and movement.
Aerial Shot / Helicopter Shot
Whether taken from a helicopter or a drone, this is all
taken from a high place. It establishes a vast
landscape.
Composition
The Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is one of the most commonly used camera
framing techniques in film or photography. It's about
positioning characters to show how they relate to other
elements of the scene.
Balance and symmetry
Knowing the rules of frame composition is invaluable
knowledge for directors and cinematographers. So is
knowing when to break them.
Shoot perfectly symmetrical shots that break the rule of
three and are used for very specific reasons.
Leading lines
Guide lines are actual (and sometimes fictional) lines
in the shot that direct the eye to key elements in the
scene.
Eye-level framing
Framing at eye level places the viewer at the character's
eye level, creating the idea that we are equal to the
character. Guide the eyes and mind to think about how we
would feel if we were there, because it almost feels like
we are already there.
Depth of field
Depth of field describes the size of the sharpness area
in the image where the object appears acceptable. This
region is called the field, and the size of the region
is the depth of the field.
Rack focus
For photography, bokeh (/ stock bo collectors/BOH-kay;
Japanese: [boke]) is the blurry aesthetic quality
produced by the out-of-focus portion of the image
produced by the lens.
Deep Space composition
Filmmakers use deep space when important elements of a
scene are located near and far from the camera. These
elements don't have to be the focus. Unlike deep focus,
deep focus is defined by elements near and far from the
focusing camera.
Feedback：
I think the lens is not just a technical tool, but a language. By choosing the right lens size and shooting Angle, the director is able to direct the audience's attention to certain parts of the story and can even influence their emotional response. For example, high-angle shots make me feel vulnerable, while low-angle shots make me feel powerful and threatened. This subtle change in the lens can greatly affect the audience's understanding and experience.
In addition, the use of composition techniques such as the rule of thirds, symmetry, and depth of field made me realize how important it is to carefully design the visual layout. It's not just for aesthetic appeal, it can help with the narrative.
Week 1 QUIZ
Week2
Understand storytelling
Three act structure
A three-act structure keeps your beginning separate from your middle and your middle separate from your end.
The Basics of Three Act Structure
Three act structure chart
Act I: Setup
The setup involves introduction of the characters, their story world, and some kind of ‘’inciting incident,” typically a moment that kickstarts the story.
Act 2:
The Confrontation The second act is the longest and most complex of the three acts. It's where the protagonist faces a series of obstacles and challenges as they work towards their goal.
Act 3:
The Resolution The third act is where the story reaches its climax and resolution. The protagonist must confront their final challenge or conflict and overcome it in order to achieve their goal.
Week2 Quiz
Lalin
1. Which part is act 1, act 2, act 3 respectively? Describe each act with ONE paragraph only.
Act 1:
Lalin is teased for her acne since childhood, and her inner inferiority makes her decide to escape the familiar environment and travel to an unfamiliar place in Japan. Here, she showed her talent by working hard to become an Internet idol. During her encounter with Nut, a cartoonist, she begins to try to break out of her loneliness and enter a new social circle.
Act 2:
As Lalin and Nut deepen their collaboration, their contact becomes more frequent. Nut decided to come to Japan and meet Lalin in person, hoping to learn more about this unique girl. However, Lalin was still bound by a sense of inferiority and chose to escape, failing to seize the opportunity to meet Nut, which made her feel more intense inner struggle.
Act 3:
After seeing Nut's cartoon, Lalin begins to reflect on himself. She imagines Nut having similar troubles and insecurities. This imaginative process has made her gradually understand that everyone has their own flaws and struggles. Eventually, she bravely takes off her mask and decides to accept her imperfections, reconcile with her pimples, and find her confident self.
2. What is the inciting incident in the movie?
Nut came to Lalin to translate the cartoon, which not only pushed the development of the relationship between the two, but also became the starting point of Lalin's inner change.
3. What is the midpoint scene in the movie?
Nut brought the manga to Japan to meet Lalin. This moment made Lalin deeply feel the challenge of self-image and promoted her growth.
4. What is the Climax scene in the movie?
Lalin, after refusing Nut's meeting, reads the comic he left behind. This process prompted her to reflect on her self-worth, and finally chose to face her imperfections, reflecting her growth and transformation.
5.What is the theme of the movie?
The theme of the film is to emphasize the importance of self-acceptance and to convey that appearance is not the only criterion to evaluate a person.
Everything, everywhere, all at once.
1. Which part is act 1, act 2, act 3 respectively? Describe each act with ONE paragraph only.
Act 1: The film begins with Evelyn Wang, a Chinese immigrant who runs a laundromat and leads a stressful life. She faces a strained relationship with her husband and daughter, as well as an upcoming tax audit, and her life is filled with countless chores and worries.
Act 2:Evelyn is suddenly told that she is a key figure in the multiverse, and that her other universes are all facing different challenges. In the process, she encounters the version in the parallel universe and becomes aware of the various possibilities presented by different choices. She also began to reflect on her life and understand the importance of family relationships.
Act 3: After many adventures across the universe,Evelyn finally learns that true power lies in accepting herself and those around her. She reconciled with her daughter, chose to return to her family, and resisted the threat from the universe, showing the power of family and love.
2. What is the inciting incident in the movie?
During a meeting with the tax collector, Evelyn is suddenly pulled into a multiverse adventure that becomes the key to saving the universe, an event that begins her journey of collision and growth with her different selves.
3. What is the midpoint scene in the movie?
Evelyn encounters versions of other universes and begins to realize her potential and the different outcomes of her choices, a moment that drives an inner change in her and begins to re-examine her life and family relationships.
4. What is the Climax scene in the movie?
Evelyn facesa powerful villain and finally chooses to talk to her daughter, showing her inner growth and change. This decision not only saved the universe, but also allowed her to repair her relationship with her family.
5.What is the theme of the movie?
The theme of the film is to explore the complexity of self-acceptance and choice, emphasizing that in the multiverse, true power comes from family, love, and acceptance of self. It reminds the audience that no matter how big the challenges are, kinship and inner reconciliation are what matter most.
Week 1 tasks
EX 1/ class Editing Exercise （Mints）
In class, we followed Mr. Martin for the first exercise on PR software. My understanding of it is similar to the connection of simple video clips. Because Mr. Martin explained it very carefully, I did not feel difficult in class.
Youtube Link: class Editing Exercise （Mints） (youtube.com)
EX 2 / Editing Exercise (Independent Learning) (Doritos)
Apart from the in-class exercises, Mr. Martin also assigned us exercises after class. Although the exercises were no different from the first exercise, I had some difficulty in doing them after class due to my proficiency. What I needed to pay attention to was the sequence of video clips and the cause-and-effect relationship between clips.
Import the clip order and watch the video
End product
REFLECTION:
Compared with the first practice, I obviously felt the
difficulty of the second practice, which I understood was
the reason for my lack of proficiency, so I had to watch
each clip repeatedly to find the correct editing order.
Although the process was bumpy, the result was still
satisfactory to me.
Week2 tasks
EX 1/Shooting practise
In the class of the second week, Mr. Martin first inquired and investigated our learning in the asynchronous class last week, and then further explained some content about photography angles. Later, we practiced shooting in pairs according to Mr. Martin's requirements, and made them into videos with titles.
EX 2/Editing Practise 1(Lalin)
In addition to the first shooting exercise, we have another exercise, which is very similar to the exercise in the last lesson, which is to find the correct order of the scrambled videos and stitch them together into a complete video. The difference is that this exercise requires self-capturing video clips and the correct use of video transition skills, which are more complex than the first week.
Production process
Final video
Youtube Link:Week2 EX 2/Editing Practise 1(Lalin) (youtube.com)
REFLECTION:
Compared with the practice in the first week, I can obviously feel that I need to learn to combine the editing techniques I have learned before in order to complete the task more smoothly. Meanwhile, I also find that the knowledge about shooting angles in this course is a very interesting point. I can learn knowledge through practice shooting, which is more profound than just listening.
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