Video and Sound Production - Exercises

25.04.24 - （Week 1-Week2）

Qian Guoyi (0369462)

Video and Sound Production/ BDCM

Task 1: Exercises 1 

LECTURES

Week1

In the first week, Mr.Martin introduced us to the module content of our semester and explained what video and sound production is - it is a time-based project, divided into Pre-production: Preparation, Production: Principal Shooting, Post Production: Editing. And introduced the content of our project this time.

Week2

In week two, we learned about the three-act structure and how to set up a problem, confront it, and solve it.In class, Mr. Martin introduced us to the types of lenses and gave us time to shoot. Finally, we needed to use Adobe Premiere to cut into a complete video and label the type of lens with a letter.

INSTRUCTIONS

Require：

1.We need to use Adobe Premiere Pro to edit and stitch together several videos.

2.Watch stop motion animations and share your three favorite stop motion animations and why.

3.Purchase a cell phone tripod (with Bluetooth remote control) for future video productions.

Week1 Exercise：

1.This is an exercise in class. Mr.Martin showed us how to use Premiere Pro and completed this mint candy advertisement.

Exercise1:Advertising for mints

2.This one is an after-school homework exercise.

Exercise2:Doritos Ads

Week2:

Require：

1.Shooting Exercise- Framing

Close-Up shot   

Frontal MCU (soft  background)

Frontal MS (soft  background)

Extreme Close-Up shot

Side angle MS (soft  background)

¾ angling MCU shot (with blurry/soft  foreground)

Low angle Wide shot

Eye-Level Medium-Wide shot

We need to edit our footage into a complete video.Next, we are to add captions of the types of shots to the videos we have filmed following the tutorial video (Adobe Premiere Pro CC - Basic Titles for Beginners) provided.

Fig2.1 Add subtitles

We first filmed every required shot as required, and the duration was controlled within 5 seconds. Add corresponding subtitles to each shot and then import music.

Editing Exercise: Adding Caption to the Shots

2.For the following exercise, we need to watch the video first, then arrange it in the correct order, put the picture subtitles and the message reminder of the mobile phone ringtone, and finally add the background and music.

The length of these videos should be controlled within 35 seconds, and then I selected the most exciting parts of each video.

This is what the final video looks like.

Exercise 2：Sound Shaping（week10）：

We need to make five sounds

1. Voice of phone call.

2. Voice coming from inside of closet.

3. Voice of toilet/bathroom.

4. Underground cave.

5. Alien/ Orc voice

We learned to use Adobe Auditions for this exercise.

1）Voice of phone call：

Mr. Martin taught us to use parametric equalizer to achieve the effect of telephone conversation.

We can achieve the effect of telephone conversation by lowering the bass and treble and increasing the mid-range.

                                                                 Voice of phone call

2） Voice coming from inside of closet.

3）Voice of toilet/bathroom.

4）Underground cave.

5）Alien/ Orc voice.

REFLECTOION（asynchronous class）

Week1:

Mr.Martin introduced us to the basics of film photography in the first week's asynchronous class, including lens size, shooting angle and composition. The size of the lens determines the visible space in the picture, affecting information transmission and emotional effects; the shooting angle creates different perspectives through the camera position; the composition guides the audience's sight and conveys emotion and meaning by arranging visual elements. These elements are critical tools in visual storytelling, helping filmmakers and other visual storytellers convey ideas and create meaning.

Types of Camera Shot Sizes include Extreme Wide Shot (ELS)，Long Shot (LS) / Wide Shot (WS)

Full Shot (FS)，Medium Long Shot (MLS) / Medium Wide Shot (MWS)，Cowboy Shot，Medium Shot (MS)，Medium Close Up (MCU)，Close Up (CU)，Extreme Close Up (ECU)，Establishing Shot。

This study made me realize the basic knowledge in film shooting - the importance of lens size, shooting angle and composition. Together, these elements form a core tool for visual storytelling, giving me a deeper understanding of how to tell stories through the lens.

Week2:

The three-act story structure is a popular narrative framework divided into three parts: setup, confrontation, and resolution. The first act introduces the protagonist and his world, and ends with an inciting incident that moves the story forward. The second act is the longest and most complex, as the protagonist faces a series of challenges and encounters a major setback midway through. The third act is the climax and resolution of the story, as the protagonist overcomes the final challenge, reaches his goal, and has a satisfying ending. The three-act structure helps writers create engaging, well-structured narratives.

Learning the three-act structure gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation of storytelling. Through this study, I realized how a well-crafted narrative structure can enhance the appeal and coherence of a story. The three-act structure not only helps writers construct a compelling story but also provides a clear emotional journey for the audience. I understand that in subsequent creations, we can also use this three-act structure to design plots, shape characters, set up conflicts and solve problems, making the story more tense and deep, and more yin ren ru sheng