Animation: Technical Tutorial

Video: Final Blog

            Over the semester, we were assigned 5 different project and one was part of or final. The first project was an ONW procedure video. This video was mainly a review of all the stuff we did last year. The second project was our audio project. For this project we had to interview a person in our class and have a formal interview with them. The purpose of this project was to learn how to have a formal interview and learn how to properly use an off camera mic. The third project was our ONW NOW story project. The purpose of this project was to learn (again) how to set up a formal interview, switch between interview clips and b-roll clips and J&L edits. Our last project before our final was to cover the blood drive. The purpose of this video was to learn how to cover a live event and get b-roll and interviews without knowing what’s going to happen. Another thing we learned during this project was how to old he camera steady without using a tripod. Our final project was our final. For our final, we were partnered up and assigned an event we had to cover and make a story out of. The event I was assigned to was basketball. So my partner and I had to interview players and then make sure we got footage of them at the game.

            During our first project, one key event was learning how to use the bigger cameras. Most of our first project was review. In our second project, one key issue was that most of the mics didn’t have clips so we had to hold the mics and then the sound levels weren’t even. Also after we filmed, we realized that the interview wasn’t framed correctly. We didn’t worry about it too much because it wasn’t going to b shown. For the third project, I had to go to a dance rehearsal and get live footage of my partner. This was also the first project we had to use J&L edits in. We also had to make sure our interviews were framed correctly because this time they were shown in the video. Our forth project was the blood drive. The main thing we learned in this video was how to get b-roll at a live event. Its much different because you don't really know what’s going to happen. The other important thing we did was we learned how to hold the camera steady without using the tripod. And our final project was our ONW NOW. There were some major problems in this project. Although the problem wasn't with my video it was with my partner Rylee. She decided to redo all the voiceovers and change the entire order of the video without telling me. So the video didn't really turn out like I thought it would therefore I don't really like it at all.

            The biggest new concept I learned this year was probably learning how to do a formal interview. I think this was the most important thing because with almost every project, you are going to have to get information from someone who can explain it. And to do that, you have to interview them. Other concepts that went along with interviews were setting up microphones, framing interview shots, and writing interview questions. Another new concept we learned is J&L edits. These aren’t as big of a concept because you only need them when editing interview shots and then switching to/from b-roll.

            We didn’t really learn any new software this year. We are still using final cut pro. Although, we have learned how to do more things in final cut to make our videos better.

             Soft skills were kind of a struggle for me. I didn’t have that great of time management. I didn’t really focus on my projects as much as I should have and then I didn’t do some of the blogs that went a long with them until a while after the project was done. Also, in the last project, my partner and I didn’t have good communication skills. I ended up not liking our video because she decided to sit and just look through footage from a game one of the days and I decided to write and record VO’s. After I got done with that I told her I was done. And when came in the next Monday, she had decided to completely rewrite the VO’s, and redo the entire order of the video we had planned out. Without telling me. So I didn’t end up liking our video at all.

            For next semester I definitely need to get better about doing my blogs and getting projects done ontime.

Video: Professional Article Review

In the article "'Vultures' or reporters? After shooting, witnesses hit with media requests." (Paul Farhi, October 1), people are talking about how others reacted after a college shooting. While the shooting was happening, some students were posting updates on the conditions inside through social media. Almost immediately students inside got responses from reporters and other news people asking if everyone was okay. However after the fact that they found out people were okay, they began asking questions. They were all trying to get details for news stories. After the shooting was over, people began tweeting negative things about what the reporters had done. One reporter says he knows its wrong because the people in those events are frightened. However he sometimes does it as well.

The author is trying to argue weather reporters should or should not be allowed to interact with people in situation or have to wait until after the situation is done. I personally believe there victim should have a choice on weather they want to interact with the news or not.

I believe the authors argument is valid because people should have a choice and the fact that sometimes they don't is unfair to other people. For me, it is unclear on which side of this argument the author is on.

The part i don't understand is if the journalists know what they are doing is wrong, why they continue to do it anyways. In conclusion, I believe that news reporters should take other peoples feelings into consideration. And if i had to guess i think the author feels that same way.

Video: Interview Project Blog

     For our third project, we had to interview a person in our class about a certain hobby they had. Then we had to go and capture b-roll of that certain hobby. For this certain project, my partner was Nicole Day and her hobby was dance.

     Unlike the last project, writing the 21 questions was a little bit easier because we had a little bit more of an idea on what to write since we had experience from our last project. One of the difficult parts about this project was the interview. It was difficult because, this time, unlike the last project the shot had to be framed correctly. It had to be a tight medium shot with the person on the rule of thirds line and having them looking in the blank space. The other difficult thing about this project was getting the b-roll. It was hard because you didn't want it to look staged but it was also hard getting the b-roll while it was actually happening. For my b-roll i missed Spanish class one day and went to one of Nicole's dance practices. I personally feel like getting b-roll live makes a video much better than staging b-roll. Once we got all the b-roll and the interview, we wrote voice overs. Similar to the last project, they were difficult because its hard to find a way of transitioning to what the interviewee is going to say without actually giving up what they are going to say. After that it was the easy parts. Editing wasn't to hard, but i think my L&J edits could have been better.

     During this project, I learned how to frame an interview properly, and that is important because in almost every project, there will be an interview from a person about that topic. Another thing I improved on was the sound quality with the mics. And the final thing I learned how to do was to get b-roll from a live event without getting in the way.

     For my next project i think i will continue to work on framing my interviews better and to get more of a variety of shots when I'm out getting b-roll.

     Finally i think this project was good at learning how to do J&L edits and framing an interview correctly!

Video: Audio Project Blog

     For our second project, we had to do an interview with another student in our class. So first, we had to connect with the person we chose to be partners with. Then we had to learn a little bit about their subject and write 21 interview questions to ask them in a later interview.

     Writing the questions was probably the hardest part because you didn't get much information on their subject. They were only allowed to give us a 6 word summary. It was also difficult because the other person probably had question ideas in their head but they weren't allowed to share or give ideas. After we wrote the interview questions we got to interview! for the interview, it wasn't very difficult because we knew that the video part would be deleted so we didn't have to stress about the shot being perfect. Although it was difficulty to find a quiet place to interview, plus not all the microphones had clips so we had to hold it and it kind of messed up the sound. Once we interviewed, we had to write voiceover, which i thought were difficult because it was hard to come up with clever things to say that didn't give up what my partner was about to say. After we filmed voiceovers, we had to edit. Editing wasn't difficult because you just had to pull the audio from your voiceover and then pull the audio from the interview that correlated. The last thing we had to do was detach the audio and delete the video and TA-DA, an audio project!

     Along the way, i learned how to use a mic with the camera. All we had to do was attach a certain cable to the end of the camera and to the mic, then switch the inputs. The other thing i learned was how to frame an interview. For an interview, your interviewee has to be on the rule of thirds, they have to be looking into the blank space and you have to be looking at them (eye level).

     For my next project, i think i will try to frame interview a little bit better. I don't think the frame was tight enough. Another thing i will try and do is get better sound quality with the mic.

     In conclusion, I think this project was good for introducing interviews and working with microphones!

Blood Drive Critique

EVAN:

Positive- The voiceover sounds good; not monotoned
Negative- some of the sound levels aren't even and the video didn't end in a quote

NICK:

Positive- The L&J edits are really good

Negative- You cant hear the voiceovers much at all

ALLYSON:

Positive- Rule of thirds is followed

Negative- needs nat noise behind voiceovers

COURTNEY:

Positive- The camera is really steady

Negative- Try to get more interesting B-Roll

DEMA: 

Positive- Rule of thirds is followed

Negative- The sound levels need to be more even

ROSIE:

Positive- The opening voiceover is good with the statistic

Negative- The camera is shaky

KIRSTEN:

Positive- The rule of thirds is followed

Negative- The volume levels need to be more even

RYLEE: 

Positive- The L&J edits are good

Negative- There is a little bit of a gap between each interview and voiceover

CATHERINE: 

Positive- Rule of thirds is good

Negative- Voiceovers are too monotoned

ALEX:

Positive- Voiceovers are good

Negative- Not many interviews

MITCH:

Positive- You were good at getting the interviewees to give long answers

Negative- The volume levels need to be more even

NICOLE:

Positive- The L&J edits are good

Negative- Rule of thirds needs to be followed more in the first interview

DREW:

Positive- Interviews are good

Negative- Needs nat noise behind the voiceovers

EMILY:

Positive- L&J edits are good

Negative- Volume levels need to be more even

CONLIN: 

Positive- Needs more than one interview

Negative- Needs longer voiceovers

CYLE:

Positive- L&J edits are good

Negative- make sure interviews don't overlap voiceovers

JACOB:

Positive- Camera is steady

Negative- VO's need to be less monotoned

ABBEY: 

Positive- Opening VO is good and informative

Negative- Seemed really short

AMY: 

Positive- I like the opening VO
Negative- Volume levels could be louder

CHELSEY:

Positive- L&J edits are good

Negative- On Sophia's interview, cut out where she is just sitting at the beginning

ALYSSA:

Positive- The interviews are good and have lots of words

Negative- All volume levels need to be even

As a group, most of our videos are pretty good. We could all use some work on the L&J edits and making all the sound levels even. I know I personally need to recheck all my sound levels and make my L&J edits more obvious. But other than that I think our class as a whole did pretty good

OAP Projects

For our final project in e9, we had to come up with a product and product information including an animation, ad, coupon, web banner, website and a commercial. In my group, OAP, our product was scented socks. So, the obvious route for our commercial was going to be comedy. In our commercial we had basically a "good guy" and a "bad guy", and they both have socks. The good guy has OAP scented socks and the bad guy has nasty smelly socks. They both go around giving people their socks and then they meet and realize what the other one has. So then they begin to battle. And of course the OAP scented socks win.

For our animation and actual project, these are our socks. We actually had a lot of trouble making these because we couldn't get the shape we wanted and still make it look good. So at first i just started with a block. We then pushed aways the from so it resembles a sock (a very square sock). Next i rounded out the toe. Then i ended by rounding out the heel and the fold in the front.

For our web banner, i had this image just of something very simple. So, i thought : why not just circles? so i started out with just plain round circles and it didn't look anything like i wanted it too. So i deleted most of them. I then started to add some more but this time i made them different sizes and shapes and it look so much better!! then mrs. Lofquist suggested that i out some of the circles inside of the letters. It was so much harder than i thought it would have been. So we didn't actually end up filling the shapes, but we actually did circles around the shaped and then zoomed in all way in and made the circles small enough that it would fit behind the letters so it looked like we filled them in. Thats what i did to make our web banner.

For our animation we decided to make a box that would show off our project, but not draw too much attention to the box or the product itself. So we made a box with a clear front. This enables you too see the box and the product at the same time but you aren't drawn to either one more than the other. For the inside of the box, we decided to go with the color red because, even though our color scheme is green, our logo is red. So we wanted to make the inside of or box match our logo so we had something to match our logo. Also, red is a complimentary color to green, therefore, the two colors went very well together.  For our setting, Mr. Sappingfield told us "I'm imagining giant pieces of fruit next to your socks!". So thats what we did. We decided to add some large pieces of fruit besides our sock to incorporate some of the scents it comes in. That was what we did in our animation rotation.

Also in our graphic design rotation we were required to make a coupon. Our coupon is good for $10 of of one pair of OAP Scented Socks. For this the only problem that had was getting the socks to have as much space on the sides and the text does on the there side. But once i figure it out i just put the text, logo and image on and i was done!

This year in e9 i learned to much and I'm so thankful for everyone that was able o help me through and teach me new things! Thank you for an amazing first year of e-Comm!!

Legos

Some legos are hard to put together. But most of the time there pretty easy. However its made a little bit harder when your not allowed to use words or look at the picture or only have little pieces of the instructions. Some things that worked were putting the top and bottom halts together separately an then combining them. Some things that didn't work were no being able to talk and only having one picture. To complete this project we had to work as a team. Also working as a team made it easier to complete the project

Website

Well  didn't have time to finish this project but from what I got done I learned about imbedding links, adding color, and making the headings and text look different. For imbedding links you had to type the link in the "link" box at the bottom. That was kinda tough because you had to make sure you had in exactly the same or it wouldn't have gone to the right link. To make it different cools you had to go into the coding and type in background color or color, then type the color you want and press enter. Then you can go to design view and what ever color you put in should be there.To make all the text look different, and be different

House

In animation, we made a house in sketch up. We had to make sure all the windows and doors and all the other components of a house looked real. It was a really difficult project cause you had to make sure everything was the exact same size and was aligned in the exact same place

Animation Video

So i just recently started animation! We had to create a 200+ slide animation in Keynote. Sp i thought it would be a fun idea to make a video on how a chick hatches out of an egg and crosses the road to be with his family, and yes it is why the chicken crossed the road. After we made it we had to export it as images and into iMovie. We then had to change the duration (time on each slide), and add music. And tada! A 30 second animation