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