Learning Reflection 11/19

I definitely noticed the different camera angles that each person used in their videos. This makes me realize that camera angles add a lot to a film, and really help in relaying an idea or strengthening the story line. My camera angles were often looking up, so I am looking for change this a little to make my video more interesting. Suddenly changing the camera angle in a way that makes sense in the piece is something that can really strengthen a movie. 

I want to concentrate on formalism in my final project. I already have some footage that I know I will be able to use, such as the shot of the blinding sun through the bare branches of a tree. I need to continue this idea in filming the rest of my footage. I need to keep in mind the transitions that we learned about in the abstract video to keep my film flowing.

The most important thing that I learned in class today was how I need to budget my time. I need to do a lot of shooting over Thanksgiving break. I will be using my family's video camera for this. Unfortunately, I also learned that I will not be able to get my footage done before break for the 10% increase in my grade. This is because I want to wait until over break to see if I can wait for some snow for my film. 

"Video Weavings" Response

In this video, there aren't any people or objects that are aware of the viewer's presence. It simply consists of small rectangles of colors and how they move to form patterns. 

"Video Weaving" personifies color and pixelated computer-generated textiles. This is achieved by the movement of the colors into new patters and diamond shapes. 

I notice the rhythm and movement of this video. It almost makes me dizzy because the shapes are constantly moving, and the colors are always shifting. 

I like the many colors of this video, and how they create different shapes and color relations. Even though the squares themselves do not shift color, the speed and similar colors around them create the appearance of a gradual shift of color. 

I don't like how it makes my mind hurt after watching a little over a minute of it. It is almost too much at once. Perhaps slowing the movement down a little would allow my mind to adjust better, therefore letting me focus on the shapes for a longer time. 

I think that this movie displays color temperature. The colors tell the entire story of this video; it is the focus coupled with the shapes they make. The colors draw you into the piece, and force you to follow the shape as it shifts and disappears. 

Video Training

Name three techniques you can use when trying to shoot steady shots without a tripod.

Grip: the grip you use on the video camera can affect the amount of shaking in your video. It is important to securely place your right hand in the grip strap, and steady the camera with your left hand.  The left hand should be under the lens, where it has access to buttons to control the camera.

Stability: If you are standing, use a wide, secure stance and keep your elbows close into your body. If kneeling, use the raised knee as a resting place for your elbows. Use a solid, vertical surface to lean against to take the shot.

Lying down on the ground, using elbows as support is also useful. Use this for a low camera angle shot.

2.      How can you minimize camera shake when walking and taping?

Keep legs bent and your body low. Concentrate on a gliding-type of walking by setting down your feet softly. This is exactly the same for walking backwards. Crabbing: cross leg in front or behind; let the leg anchor before moving again. If sitting in something moving, use your knees as a resting place. Always support the camera when moving.

3. What camera movements mimic the way the eye moves? 

Panning: moving from right to left or left to right.

Tilting: moving it up or down. Camera movements are ideal when you cant include the entire object in one shot. Action sequences: marching or showing speeches. Always slowly pivot and move smoothly. Tilting:  hold static shot at beginning and end for about 3 seconds.

4.     Why is it important to consider how long you remain on a shot and how quickly you move the camera?

It is important to have static shots at the beginning and end of each shot to make sure that your shot flows smoothly.

5.      Give at least two examples of how they suggest you can avoid causing seasickness.

Do not use panning or tilting too often, or in quick succession. This could cause the audience to feel dizzy.

Also, do not pan and tilt in the same shot in order to cover everything. Break the action into more than one shot.

 

Extra Credit Questions:

6  How do they suggest you avoid lighting problems?

If it is dark, open up the aperture to take in more light. Do the opposite if it is too bright. Manual exposure will override automatic exposure. Always white-balance your camera. Interior lighting usually produces an orange tint, while daylight is usually blue.

 How is proximity used?

Proximity helps tell a story and get a point across. If something is closer to an object, the focus is shifted. This technique can be used to strengthen your video and making the focus even stronger. 

Raw Footage

Click to Play

Concept Brief

WEATHER: 

One of my ideas is to interview many different people on the subject of weather. This could involve a story, definition, or opinion.  I am interested in how people feel about different types of weather, and the affects of this on their moods and emotions.

Another idea I am considering is focusing solely on good weather; this is because the weather has been beautiful for the past week when I have been shooting. I have plenty of footage for fall trees, crisp, sunny days, and people walking around campus. However, I feel as though this angle would not be as interesting as my final idea.

My final project idea that I intend to pursue is analyzing the "bad weather" part of Syracuse. I was thinking of perhaps making this video into a somewhat abstract piece with an ongoing weather-related beat that corresponds to the video.  I want to incorporate small clips of nice weather throughout the movie, and change the sound accordingly.  This would show the contrast between the sunny fall days we have had for the past week, and the cold, snowy weather that is sure to come. 

My location so far has been the quad; however, I am hoping for snow over Thanksgiving break, so in that case, I plan to film at my house.

The quad:

I will be using the natural light outside for shooting long shots. There will be a variety of long, medium, and close-up shots. The close-ups will require an extra light source to bring out shadows.  I will be shooting at a high camera angle if I am able to capture snow falling.

If I decide to take the interview approach for this project, the permission of each of the people I interview would be necessary to get on tape. However, if I continue with this plan of shooting the landscape and different aspects of the weather, my focus would not be on any particular individual. Permits and permissions would not be necessary for this. 

My major issue at this point is not getting the weather I want. I have enjoyed this past week of wonderful fall weather; however, this came as no help when I went out with my video camera this week. I got some good shots of the sun through the bare branches of a tree, and I know that I will use that. The rest of the footage is very bright and colorful with the red leaves and bright blue sky; this will be useful if I decide to place these shots in my video to provide contrast. But my original final project idea was going to focus on snow. I am realizing now that I will most likely have to discard this idea as my main focus, but I am still holding out hope that the typical Syracuse November weather will pull through for me very soon. If the forecast does not show any sign of snow in the next week to week and a half, I will have to drastically change my video idea. A lot of my footage that I have already taken focuses on the sun through trees, and the different colors generated from this.  

Over the next few weeks, I am going to keep an eye out for snow in the forecast. I realize that I am unable to count on this at this point because the deadline is drawing closer. I am planning on using my own video camera when I go home for Thanksgiving break, and am planning on doing the majority of my remaining footage then. That means that I will have to adjust my focus of the video depending on the weather in the next week.

Learning Reflection 11/12

I had several issues uploading my videos from the video camera. The cable was not working, so I had to do this in the beginning of class. I learned how to successfully import my video directly from my video camera into iMovie. I was unsure how to use the particular camera that was given to me to import my film, but I eventually figured out how to use the different settings. After importing each separate clip into iMovie, switched the format to Quicktime full quality. This was done after dragging the clips into the bottom editing section of the screen. 

Troubleshooting was the main focus of class today. We learned that it was essential to uncheck the "Automatic DV Pillarboxing and Letterblocking" in the iMovie preferences in order to avoid the program crashing. This happened to several other people, and I was fortunate to catch this trick before I tried to compress my video. 

I also learned that lighting has an even more profound affect on video than I had realized before. I feel as though my movie in particular would have been rather weak if not for the drastic change in lighting that occurred over the five minute span. I had not realized the change to this degree until I watched the footage in full while I was uploading it to iMovie. I realized today that I want to focus more on the light contrast in respect to weather. I am hoping that it snows when I am shooting footage for my final theme video.

Question of the week:

Is it important to learn to make contemplative videos?

I think that contemplative videos can be very simple, but are essential to understanding film and its various aspects. Contemplative videos force you to open yours eyes to everything that is occurring around you, from the beauty of the natural objects that surround you every day, to the change in pace of the people on campus. I really loved this contemplative video project because it allowed me to build off of little things that I notice while walking around campus. 

BS-ing.

My theme is WEATHER.