Monday 29 November 2010

Location Letter - Headteachers Office

PRODUCTION - OPENING TITLE AND ANIMATIC

As part of our production we created an opening title for our film. Each member of the group was appointed different tasks to share the work load of getting the animatic and opening title done to allow us to work efficiently within set time.
I was given the task to create the animation for the main leaf which would come on the end of our opening title. I used the flash software which we were taught to create animations with to this task. We were assisted by Trevor davis, the professional animator who gave us hints and tips on how to animate like a pro. Once I got the hang of creating the leaf I had found the task rather easy and enjoyable.
Other members of the group had to create the autumn tree and another who had to animate leaves that blew with the wind.

After making the animation, we worked to create the animatic from the story board. We used iMovie to create it, the software allowed us to add the pictures from the story board, then add transitions and sound affects which relate to the scene. I then uploaded the clip to YouTube from which i was able to gain an embed code.
After looking at the work being produced by us, it excites me to see the final product.

RESEARCH: - THE LEAD ROOM


In photography, filmography and other visual arts, lead room, or sometimes nose room, is the space in front, and in the direction, of moving or stationary subjects. Well-composed shots leave space in the direction the subject is moving. When the human eye scans a photograph for the first time it will expect to see a bit in front of the subject.


For example, moving objects such as cars require lead room. If extra space is allowed in front of a moving car, the viewer can see that it has someplace to go; without this visual padding, the car's forward progress will seem impeded.

Survey Money - Audience Research

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/B8WFSQN

Monday 8 November 2010

Poster
View more documents from CFGSSALMAB.



This is the poster that we had created to find actors for our film. The poster includes the important information needed to attract actors or people who are willing to act.

Saturday 6 November 2010

Research - Health and Safety

This covers health and safety responsibilities, information on legislation, and the different Health and Safety roles within the film industry.

Under health and safety legislation, the ultimate responsibility for health and safety lies with the employer involved and the organisations in control of premises and facilities. In the film industry this may be the investor/client, producer, production company, contractor, designer, supplier, facilities company or studio.

The underlying need is for every employer to establish appropriate organisational structures that support risk control and place health and safety alongside editorial and/or dramatic considerations. It is the responsibility of every employer to ensure that employees are competent to carry out work safely. In order to do this they must produce a Health and Safety Policy in the form of a Production Safety Plan, which details all health and safety arrangements for the company or production. All employers and employees are also encouraged to be aware of health and safety risks, and risk assessments should be carried out regularly in all departments.

All occupations have a health and safety element attached to them. The Health and Safety at Work Act l974 places a duty on the employer, and employees, to work in a safe manner. In the film industry this is particularly important given the unusual applications and substances that are put to use in the industry, and in roles such as Grip, Crane Operator, Pyrotechnics or Special Effects Technician, Set Construction, Scenery/Property Handling and Stunt Artist.

Everyone involved with a production is responsible for ensuring health and safety standards for their own activities. Where the client/producer delegates performance of key stages of the production to suitably competent individuals, eg set design and build, or rigging, these people are responsible for ensuring that the health and safety standards are met for their delegated tasks.

To comply with health and safety legislation, employers are required to appoint one or more competent persons to assist them in meeting their legal duties. This does not mean that a specialist health and safety advisor or consultant is required for all productions; in some cases an experienced, competent person within the production will be better suited to the role.

Companies who have invested time and resources into training and developing effective safety management systems are more likely to be able to delegate safety responsibility to a suitable person within a team. In some cases where specialist or external advice is required on safety grounds, a suitably qualified expert in a particular discipline is employed, e.g. in rock climbing.




White Balane - Camera Settings

During our class session we learnt about white balance, how to use it and how it affects images. Its about setting the correct white balance in your camera, it is important to ensure the objects that are white, are actually displayed white within the photograph. I worked with camera man Yoshito Darmon who taught us the technicalities of cameras.

When the camera shutter is pressed, the camera looks for something white in the scene to use as a point of reference. Even if the other colours in the scene are dominating the white, the balance function will try to adjust that white in the scene to the same degree of white that we see it with our eyes. The remaining colours in the scene are then adjusted proportionate to the white. The result should be a pretty neutral tone image with all colours showing as they should.

After taking a picture some images may come out with an orange, blur, yellow etc. look to them,despite the fact that to the naked eye the scene looked quite normal. The reason for this is that images different sources of light have a different ‘colour’ (or temperature) to them.

We were given a camera and then tested it out and saw the results for our selves.


Monday 1 November 2010

Animation - Frame-by-Frame and Layers

Today during lesson we learnt to how to create 'frame-by-frame' animations and how to 'layer' animations'.

To create a frame by frame animation:

We had to create a new file:

  1. I selected the Frame 1 of Layer 1. This is where the animation will start.

  2. I then created a graphic by using the drawing tools - Brush tools.

  3. I then selected the next frame on Layer 1 and create a second keyframe

  4. To complete your frame-by-frame animation sequence, repeat Steps 2 and 3 until you've built the motion you want.

How to use layers:

  1. Select the background layer on the Timeline and click the Insert Layer button to create a new, empty layer.

  2. Double-click the name of the new layer so the layer's name becomes editable.







Editing Videos - Practice

During lesson we learnt basic techniques to editing and putting together clips of a film. We used a video sample and learnt how it can be edited by cutting it up (snipping) and then adding effects such as transitions to allow clips to fade in and so on. And then putting wanted parts together again.

As a group we had to work on our camera angles. So we were given a camera and then asked to take a video or picture depending on the device each group had. We had to use different camera angles and shots, this experience had let us to understand how it actually feels to work with a camera and give us that experience we need to actually film.

Rule of Thirds



The rule of thirds is a concept in image, video and film production in which the frame is divided into into nine imaginary sections
In most "people shots", the main line of interest is the line going through the eyes. In this shot, the eyes are placed approximately 1/3 of the way down the frame



Using the Rule of Thirds helps produce nicely balanced easy on the eye pictures. Also, as you have to position things relative to the edges of the frame (mentally dividing an image into nine equal parts, then dividing the image into two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines) By placing an image at these points it helps get rid of ' tiny subject surrounded by vast empty space' syndrome. Therefore it creates an interesting, balanced shot which is focused.

Headroom



In photography, headroom is a concept of composition that addresses the relative vertical position of the subject within the frame of the image.
Headroom refers specifically to the distance between the top of the subject's head and the top of the frame.
If the head room is too little or too much it may make the focus of the subject will not be clear and uncomfortable on the viewer where as if the headroom is sufficient (preferably 1/3 down the frame - following the rule of thirds). This should make the portrait or positioning correct.

Animation - Basics of Animation (Motion and Shape Tweening)

To create the the screen title and our film name we have to create animations. In order to do this we had to to use a software called 'Adobe Flash'. Using this software will enable us to to create animations.

We have been working in our groups alongside an animation specialist who has been teaching us the basic steps to creating animations to prep us for when it comes to do the real thing.
We lave learnt 3 types of animations:
- Motion
- Shape
-Frame by Frame Animation

To create a motion animation: - To make a shape move from one position to another:

1. Before starting with any sort of animation we had to insert a key frame and this is done by clicking on the ruler which appears above. If we wanted it for two seconds then go to frame 24 and click insert key frame from the drop down list.

2. On the left hand side tool box we selected an oval tool oval tool. And drew an oval..

3. we then selected the 'selection tool' from the tool box and dragged it across the entire shape, ensuring the shape fits within the black outline which appears.

4. After doing so on the option tabs above we clicked on modify, and from the drop down list selected 'Convert to symbol'.

5. The convert to symbol windows appeared after this, from the three actions we click on graphic and then OK.

6. And then we moved the oval from its original position to another.

7. To allow the animation to work properly, we had to use the selection tool again and click on the previous key frame and on the properties box under the tween section select 'motion'.


Bearing in mind every time every step of the animation we had to insert a key frame. This must be done to when creating motion tweening.

To create a shape animation:

1. Firstly we had to insert a key frame

2. Using the selection tool from the tool box we created a shape

3. Similar to before the shape had to be modified into a symbol.

4. We then inserted another key frame and drew in another shape.

5. Going back to the previous key frame and on the tweening section of the property box select 'shape'.

6. As part of this process we learnt how to add effects. The same set of instructions must be followed, on the properties box are other special effects options such as re-scaling pictures, altering colour

All the group members did this separately but collectively. It was essential that we understood the steps as we have to do this as part of our advanced production.