1. Why did you take this class?
I took this class as a way to learn more about many of the skills film has to offer, and in a way, learn a medium that can blend into my chosen career. This was also suggested for me as a way to learn more skills.
2. In general, what did you like most about this class?
Learning new things is always something that makes me very excited, and in the end I really did learn a lot here. Some things that when first introduced seemed so intimidating, but after getting a chance to try it, these things became really fun to work with.
3. In general, what did you like least about this class?
The stress in this class is a lot higher in this class then in Animation last year, and as a result, this class was in the long run less enjoyable then Animation. Not to say that I didn't enjoy this year, as it did have its moments, but there was also enough to make Video less enjoyable.
4. What was your most favorite project and why?
The independent study was my favorite project. The creativity that could come from such an open ended project really shows here, because you have the creative freedom to do what you want, and experiment with new techniques you haven't tried before. I also feel like this was the project that turned out the best overall in my opinion.
5. What was your least favorite project and why?
The PSA projects. The fact that we had three of them was really to much in my opinion, and as we got more of them, I started to get bored of them really fast. They left room for a little creativity, but to me, it still felt constraining and left me with little motivation to do them. It didn't help that these were paired with other projects that seemed more important and fun in the moment at times.
6. Discuss the overall effectiveness of the instructor (for example: preparation, availability, interest, content knowledge, expectations, etc.).
Ms.Licata was once again really one of the better teachers I had this school year. She really is willing to help in any way she can with issues that pop up, and her teaching is very effective, and easy to understand for both a vocal and visual learner. She gave plenty of chances to improve grades through revisions, and would extend some deadlines if needed, something most teachers don't do. This year was really awful for keeping things on track with all the power outages and snow days, and schools being all around frustrating, but Ms.Licata did the best she could to keep things going.
7. What are the most valuable things you learned in the class?
Honestly, I learned two really important lessons in this years class, that will be really important for my future after high school ends.
The first thing is that things will not always turn out the way you want them to. This is having that vision for something in your mind, be it a drawing, animation, or film, and not being able to replicate it on paper perfectly so you think it's awful. I've always struggled with this, mostly with drawings, but a lot of my video projects hit that sore spot to. You need to realize that the idea in your mind is different then what you will create.
The second thing is that you aren't always going to get along with everyone. I've lost track of the amount of times I've left here angry because someone rubbed me the wrong way, and I found myself ranting about it to my friends and family, and I just let it ruin my day. By now, I've reached the point where I just let it out and move on, acceptance in a way. Not everyone will share the same views. Teacher, student, whatever, we're all still human. It's human nature for someone to do something you don't agree with, but it's up to you in the end to be the better person, and not just let yourself fall into bitterness over something lots of people do. As I've been told many times before, that's life, and you better get use to it.
8. Do you feel that this class will help you achieve your future academic or career goals? How or why (or why not)?
This class, while not as important to me as some in the way of major, has taught me a lot of useful things that can carry over into the future. Many of the principles of film can be carried over to animation, and vice versa. Knowing how to use equipment and edit, as well as animation, helps me stand out and may make it easier to get my foot in the door.
9. How could this class be improved?
I feel as thought Animation and Video share one very glaring issue between them. This issue is once again, I'm walking out of this class knowing so much about Premiere, but the things I learned in After Effects are already slipped away. I opened After Effects again after not using it for awhile, only to stare at it blankly, before shutting it down. It feels like After Effects became an after thought after all the exercises we did, and as I result, I feel it may need to be expanded on more in the future.
10. What would you tell incoming students to help them be more prepared for the class?
Once again, procrastination is a huge killer in this class, but in and even worse way the Animation. You getting up and actually doing your project proper can make a huge difference to the quality of your projects overall. Also, make sure you have enough footage to meet the proper specs of each project, in the end, over shooting is better then struggling to make up the lost seconds you need.
11. Additional Comments:
This year many have had some bumpy patches that I had to go through, however, that didn't stop me from getting here and doing my best to end this last year as strong as I can. College is just around the corner already, that's really hard to believe at the moment, but I feel I am ready to move on and take that challenge. I wish all of you the best of luck in your futures, and as always, I hope everything turns out the way you hope it will.
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Stress (Weekly comments #18)
1. What I learned this week:
Once again, we had a work week, mostly to finish the final project.
2. What I want to learn:
Tips for drawing clothes.
3. Something that frustrated me this week:
Friend drama sucks man, it's really stressful, and ruins any chance at a good day.
4. Something that made me happy:
So I'm writing this early because Lockport prom is this Saturday, so I'll be exhausted during the weekend, but I am excited for it.
5. Video of the week!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D628VzTpL_U&t=0s
More TennelleFlowers everyone!
This video that she made is the first episode in her new series where she talks about unused scenes in animated films, and compares them to what made it to the final film, and this one is about an opening scene cut from The Incedibles. Check it out!
Once again, we had a work week, mostly to finish the final project.
2. What I want to learn:
Tips for drawing clothes.
3. Something that frustrated me this week:
Friend drama sucks man, it's really stressful, and ruins any chance at a good day.
4. Something that made me happy:
So I'm writing this early because Lockport prom is this Saturday, so I'll be exhausted during the weekend, but I am excited for it.
5. Video of the week!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D628VzTpL_U&t=0s
More TennelleFlowers everyone!
This video that she made is the first episode in her new series where she talks about unused scenes in animated films, and compares them to what made it to the final film, and this one is about an opening scene cut from The Incedibles. Check it out!
How to Avoid Shaky Footage When Shooting Without a Camera Stabilizer
When you are out in the field shooting footage, you won't always be able to have a tripod to make sure your footage is stable, and you may be left with no other options then to shoot freehand. However, freehand shooting often leads to shaky footage, which can ruin an otherwise perfect shot. Thankfully, there are some tips that you can use to try and avoid this shakiness in a shot, and be able to carry on filming.
The first tip is to hold your camera with both hands. This may seem like a no brainer, however, some people try to shoot with just one hand on the camera. This leads to a balance issue, as there isn't something stabilizing the front of the camera, and leads to shakiness. On top of this, your wrist will move due to the camera not being supported properly, and create even more shaking. Shooting with two hands, one on the lens area and one on the body of the camera, offers some stabilization in the absence of a tripod.
To go along with using two hands, you may notice you still have some shaking in your footage, and may need another way to stabilize. This is where holding the camera to your chest comes in handy. Holding the camera to your chest allows the camera a new stabilizing point from behind, and as a result, reduces shakiness even more then having just your hands. This fits into the third tip about maximizing your contact points, which mentions using your chest as a contact point, as well as using your face or the camera strap as stabilizing points. Combine this with a lens that has image stabilization and you can save yourself some time.
Sometimes, these techniques still aren't enough to fully prevent shakiness, so you need to fix it in editing with Premiere Pro. When you see a spot that has shakiness in the footage, you go into effects, and apply Warp Stabilizer. This normally can fix most of the issue and make it close to unnoticeable.
Sometimes, you may want to do a zoom in, but don't want to risk the shakiness that would come with doing. This tip, the the "PM Rock and Tilt", helps with that issue. What you basically do is fall forward or back, depending on what kind of zoom you want, and then catch yourself after about two seconds. The jerk the camera does also serves as a good editing definer, and then you just make whatever edits necessary.
Other tips are mostly to hide some of the unavoidable shakiness. Panning or tilting as you move the camera makes any shakiness seem intentional or just unnoticeable. This also helps when you shoot wide shots, seeing as little movements are less noticeable in a wide shot then a zoomed in shot. Finally, avoid changing setting while you shoot, as this will cause a shake.
Shakiness is one of those errors that are really noticeable to a viewing audience, and draws their attention from your film, to the errors that can be found in it. However, if your point is for your shots to look raw, shakiness can actually help with that effect. These tips will help make your film look smooth and make the footage look like it was shot on a tripod instead of freehand.
This video was actually very helpful, maybe one of the most helpful blog subjects we've done, and really gives these amazing tips. Seeing as shooting freehand is sometimes the only option in certain situations, it's helpful to know how to improve the steadiness of these types of shots. I'll will keep this in mind if I need to shot without a tripod.
The person in the video was also very helpful. He provided visual examples for each tip, as well as explains what situation each tip could work, and that makes it easier to learn the tips. He also talks about what your editing software can do to fix issues, which I didn't expect, and it was a pleasant surprise.
The first tip is to hold your camera with both hands. This may seem like a no brainer, however, some people try to shoot with just one hand on the camera. This leads to a balance issue, as there isn't something stabilizing the front of the camera, and leads to shakiness. On top of this, your wrist will move due to the camera not being supported properly, and create even more shaking. Shooting with two hands, one on the lens area and one on the body of the camera, offers some stabilization in the absence of a tripod.
To go along with using two hands, you may notice you still have some shaking in your footage, and may need another way to stabilize. This is where holding the camera to your chest comes in handy. Holding the camera to your chest allows the camera a new stabilizing point from behind, and as a result, reduces shakiness even more then having just your hands. This fits into the third tip about maximizing your contact points, which mentions using your chest as a contact point, as well as using your face or the camera strap as stabilizing points. Combine this with a lens that has image stabilization and you can save yourself some time.
Sometimes, these techniques still aren't enough to fully prevent shakiness, so you need to fix it in editing with Premiere Pro. When you see a spot that has shakiness in the footage, you go into effects, and apply Warp Stabilizer. This normally can fix most of the issue and make it close to unnoticeable.
Sometimes, you may want to do a zoom in, but don't want to risk the shakiness that would come with doing. This tip, the the "PM Rock and Tilt", helps with that issue. What you basically do is fall forward or back, depending on what kind of zoom you want, and then catch yourself after about two seconds. The jerk the camera does also serves as a good editing definer, and then you just make whatever edits necessary.
Other tips are mostly to hide some of the unavoidable shakiness. Panning or tilting as you move the camera makes any shakiness seem intentional or just unnoticeable. This also helps when you shoot wide shots, seeing as little movements are less noticeable in a wide shot then a zoomed in shot. Finally, avoid changing setting while you shoot, as this will cause a shake.
Shakiness is one of those errors that are really noticeable to a viewing audience, and draws their attention from your film, to the errors that can be found in it. However, if your point is for your shots to look raw, shakiness can actually help with that effect. These tips will help make your film look smooth and make the footage look like it was shot on a tripod instead of freehand.
This video was actually very helpful, maybe one of the most helpful blog subjects we've done, and really gives these amazing tips. Seeing as shooting freehand is sometimes the only option in certain situations, it's helpful to know how to improve the steadiness of these types of shots. I'll will keep this in mind if I need to shot without a tripod.
The person in the video was also very helpful. He provided visual examples for each tip, as well as explains what situation each tip could work, and that makes it easier to learn the tips. He also talks about what your editing software can do to fix issues, which I didn't expect, and it was a pleasant surprise.
Sunday, May 14, 2017
Whoops (Weekly comments #17)
Didn't give this a title at first, fixed it though!
1. What I learned this week:
We didn't really learn much this week, we were mostly working on finishing projects
2. What I want to learn:
Animation/live action integration tips maybe.
3. Something that frustrated me this week:
Yeah... not really in the mood to talk about it, I'll only get mad again...
4. Something that made me happy:
Things are really coming together for the most part. Lockport prom is the 20th and I have most if not all the things that need to be done planned out. I'm actually getting excited, which is surprising, considering the hell it took to get here.
Also my grandma is coming back up from Florida!
5. Video of the week!
Draw with Jazza is an amazing channel that tackles both general drawing and animation. I highly suggest giving his channel a shot. This is a video he did where he created randomly generated character designs and had is audience vote: Smash or Pass. Enjoy!
1. What I learned this week:
We didn't really learn much this week, we were mostly working on finishing projects
2. What I want to learn:
Animation/live action integration tips maybe.
3. Something that frustrated me this week:
Yeah... not really in the mood to talk about it, I'll only get mad again...
4. Something that made me happy:
Things are really coming together for the most part. Lockport prom is the 20th and I have most if not all the things that need to be done planned out. I'm actually getting excited, which is surprising, considering the hell it took to get here.
Also my grandma is coming back up from Florida!
5. Video of the week!
Draw with Jazza is an amazing channel that tackles both general drawing and animation. I highly suggest giving his channel a shot. This is a video he did where he created randomly generated character designs and had is audience vote: Smash or Pass. Enjoy!
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
How Michel Gondry Pulled off All Those Insane Effects in 'The White Stripes' Videos
When it comes to music video today, not much effort is put into them, due to there not being a stage to show them off anymore. However, in the days of MTV and other music video broadcasts, standing out by doing something new was something many bands strived for. The White Stripes, with the help of Michel Gondry, made simple but effective music videos that broke the norm in a genuine way.
Three videos were talked about in this article, all made by Gondry, were made using simple techniques to create something unique.
The first video, for the song Dead Leaves and the Dead Ground, was made with a simple but effective method involving projectors. The theme of the video is to show off the feeling on loneliness, like when a full house suddenly becomes empty, with only one person left inside. The way this feeling is conveyed in the music video is that scenes of a full house are played where they are needed by a projectors, which gives of the ghost like look to the footage, over the current scene of the one person in their solitude. This is a simple way to create this effect, and convey the message of the song in a unique way, making the video stand out.
The second video, for the song Fell in Love With a Girl, uses both a complicated and simple method mixed together. This video combines stop motion with lego pieces, and the mosaic effect in After Effects, to make the video look like it was fully done in legos. For the mosaic effect, the action needed is filmed, then it has the mosaic effect added to it and adjusted till it looks like the lego stop motion parts that were filmed. This really stood out, as even today stop motion is a difficult medium to use, but they made it slightly easier with the effects on the real footage.
The last video, for the song The Denial Twist, uses scaling in a way the normally looks wrong but works in this video. Due to the way the team built the set, the unnatural stretching of the footage only adds to the videos appeal, and makes it stand out. Another interesting thing about this video is it was filmed in one take, so it is a continuous shot throughout, with the camera man following the actors through the scenes.
Simplicity is important to both White and Gondry, which is carried over into both artists work, in the music and the video. The simplicity only seems to add to the overall charm of the work, and as a result, makes it more enjoyable. These effects can be made by almost anyone, but it's how it is used, that makes it different in the end.
I really do understand how in some cases, many would like to go above and beyond in their work, creating all thee complicated scenes and effects to try and create something amazing, I do strive for that sometimes. However, this dup really shows that simplicity isn't a bad thing, in fact, it can make something feel more genuine to the viewers when the project is simple. I'll try an remember that as I move forward,
The video was also very helpful with conveying the message it set out to tell us. The person who made this is a big fan of both White and Gondry's work, and as a result, can help to explain what is going on in each video. He seems really interested in this topic, and it really made me interested as well, which is a huge plus.
Three videos were talked about in this article, all made by Gondry, were made using simple techniques to create something unique.
The first video, for the song Dead Leaves and the Dead Ground, was made with a simple but effective method involving projectors. The theme of the video is to show off the feeling on loneliness, like when a full house suddenly becomes empty, with only one person left inside. The way this feeling is conveyed in the music video is that scenes of a full house are played where they are needed by a projectors, which gives of the ghost like look to the footage, over the current scene of the one person in their solitude. This is a simple way to create this effect, and convey the message of the song in a unique way, making the video stand out.
The second video, for the song Fell in Love With a Girl, uses both a complicated and simple method mixed together. This video combines stop motion with lego pieces, and the mosaic effect in After Effects, to make the video look like it was fully done in legos. For the mosaic effect, the action needed is filmed, then it has the mosaic effect added to it and adjusted till it looks like the lego stop motion parts that were filmed. This really stood out, as even today stop motion is a difficult medium to use, but they made it slightly easier with the effects on the real footage.
The last video, for the song The Denial Twist, uses scaling in a way the normally looks wrong but works in this video. Due to the way the team built the set, the unnatural stretching of the footage only adds to the videos appeal, and makes it stand out. Another interesting thing about this video is it was filmed in one take, so it is a continuous shot throughout, with the camera man following the actors through the scenes.
Simplicity is important to both White and Gondry, which is carried over into both artists work, in the music and the video. The simplicity only seems to add to the overall charm of the work, and as a result, makes it more enjoyable. These effects can be made by almost anyone, but it's how it is used, that makes it different in the end.
I really do understand how in some cases, many would like to go above and beyond in their work, creating all thee complicated scenes and effects to try and create something amazing, I do strive for that sometimes. However, this dup really shows that simplicity isn't a bad thing, in fact, it can make something feel more genuine to the viewers when the project is simple. I'll try an remember that as I move forward,
The video was also very helpful with conveying the message it set out to tell us. The person who made this is a big fan of both White and Gondry's work, and as a result, can help to explain what is going on in each video. He seems really interested in this topic, and it really made me interested as well, which is a huge plus.
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