1. Set a scratch disk (where all the source clips are stored) Home > Documents > Final Cut Pro Documents
2. Final Cut Pro Windows: Browser, Canvas, Viewer, Timeline/Sequence
3. Log and Transfer all clips from SD card to the browser window
4. Scrub through clips to find in and out points
5. Conform the clips to match the sequence settings
6. Video format should be 1920x1080 in 1080p in 25p (PAL)
7. Compression: Apple ProRes 422
8. File > Save Project
9. Activate Autosave Vault
10. Make sure all of the source clips are on the computer that you are editing on
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
23/2/12
After having come up with an idea of what our montage film was going to be about, the class was ready to present the pitch to the class. However, at the last second, Mrs. Wong informed us that we were to incorporate the concept of 'Angels' into our film ideas. We were then given the rest of the class to brainstorm and come up with ideas that match the new specifications of this unit.
To come up with a reasonably well developed idea, I would have to keep in account that a montage had to be included in the film, the incorporation of angels, and not to be over ambitious and to keep the idea simple and easy to achieve. By the end of the class, I have come up with an idea that consists of 3 parts.
The story follows the life of a depressed man, who follows the same routine every day, and lacks to find the meaning in a fulfilling life anymore. This is portrayed through a series of shots with the man in the same position every time with the same expression, but with the background changing, showing the progression through his monotonous life everyday and that his emotions are down and also feel the same way. These speed in which these shots are cut together would keep increasing as this shows that this man lives like this every day.
The second part to my story is when the guardian angel of the man shows up in his room one day. A conversation then starts up between the two, and the guardian angle begins to open the man's mind to new ideas, inspiring him and guiding him to a more exiting and fulfilling life.
The last part to the story is when the montage comes in. This is a montage sequence showcasing the concept of 'coming out of the darkness to find a new light in life' and this could be portrayed through a variety of metaphors and symbols, such as the sun rising, the man taking a leap of faith etc. Finally, it cuts back to the man lying back down onto his bed, reminiscent of the beginning of the film, but this time, a smile crosses his face as the film ends.
Some interesting ideas about contrasting the two different moods that I aim to portray through this film are to have a low contrast, low saturated image in the beginning, keeping the mood cold and monotonous, and as the film progresses into a more optimistic feel, I would then raise the contrast and saturation in the image, causing the picture to feel a lot more colorful and fulfilling, which is a metaphor to the emotions that the man is going through at the same time.
To come up with a reasonably well developed idea, I would have to keep in account that a montage had to be included in the film, the incorporation of angels, and not to be over ambitious and to keep the idea simple and easy to achieve. By the end of the class, I have come up with an idea that consists of 3 parts.
The story follows the life of a depressed man, who follows the same routine every day, and lacks to find the meaning in a fulfilling life anymore. This is portrayed through a series of shots with the man in the same position every time with the same expression, but with the background changing, showing the progression through his monotonous life everyday and that his emotions are down and also feel the same way. These speed in which these shots are cut together would keep increasing as this shows that this man lives like this every day.
The second part to my story is when the guardian angel of the man shows up in his room one day. A conversation then starts up between the two, and the guardian angle begins to open the man's mind to new ideas, inspiring him and guiding him to a more exiting and fulfilling life.
The last part to the story is when the montage comes in. This is a montage sequence showcasing the concept of 'coming out of the darkness to find a new light in life' and this could be portrayed through a variety of metaphors and symbols, such as the sun rising, the man taking a leap of faith etc. Finally, it cuts back to the man lying back down onto his bed, reminiscent of the beginning of the film, but this time, a smile crosses his face as the film ends.
Some interesting ideas about contrasting the two different moods that I aim to portray through this film are to have a low contrast, low saturated image in the beginning, keeping the mood cold and monotonous, and as the film progresses into a more optimistic feel, I would then raise the contrast and saturation in the image, causing the picture to feel a lot more colorful and fulfilling, which is a metaphor to the emotions that the man is going through at the same time.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Documentary Questions Worksheet - Capturing Reality
What is the subject of the film?
The subject of Capturing Reality is a documentary about the creative stages and process that are needed to be taken to create an actual documentary, featuring interviews with fellow filmmakers and behind the scenes footage of documentary shoots.
Who are the characters?
The characters of the film are the various directors and crew members of various documentaries.
Is the film told from a subjective or objective point of view? How do you know that?
The film is told from an objective point of view, as the film explores the concepts and processes behind the creation process of various different documentaries.
Why do you think the film would be different if it had been a fiction film?
The film would not work if it were presented as a fiction film as this documentary is documenting documentaries. If the film were to be fictional, then all of the information would be made up, and therefore, would not present an accurate concept to the audience, thus taking away the meaning of a documentary, which aims to cover and educate the audience on a specific subject based on facts.
What kinds of sound does the filmmaker use? Is silence an important part of the soundtrack? What dialogue, music, voice-overs, commentary, and sound effects? What purpose do they serve?
The filmmaker used a variety of diagetic and non-diagetic sounds to enhance the atmosphere and mood of the documentary. Soundtracks would play in the background for establishing shots in respect to a silent atmosphere during interviews or whilst the narrator is talking. The sound effects serves not only to fill in the awkward spaces, but also acts as a transition between various clips.
How do music, sound, and image work together to convey the story of the documentary?
The choice of music and sound that the filmmaker chooses to use helps convey the certain atmosphere that the director is trying to put across to the audience. Images are used in a certain order to tell the story of the subject that is being documented.
Does the film use a narrator? If so, what role does the narrator play? What attitude does he or she take to the subject? How does this attitude contribute to the film's overall message?
Yes the film used multiple narrators, each one a different director to a different film, explaining the steps that are needed to be taken to make a documentary.
Is the filmmaker a character within the film? If so, what role does he or she play?
The filmmaker was not a character within the film.
What does this documentary reveal about the world? How does the filmmaker help the audience experience the world with new eyes?
This documentary opens the world's eyes open to the process that goes behind the creation of a documentary.
What story is told in the film? How is it scripted? How has the editing of the film affected its final message?
There is no story in the film in the chronological sense. This film is mainly based off of interviews and behind the scenes shoots of documentaries to justify the creation process behind a documentary.
What kind of camera techniques are used? How do these choices help the filmmaker get across the message?
Establishing shots were used to set the location and let the audience have an idea of the surrounding area. Close ups were used in the interviews with the filmmakers to enhance the relativity with the audience.
The subject of Capturing Reality is a documentary about the creative stages and process that are needed to be taken to create an actual documentary, featuring interviews with fellow filmmakers and behind the scenes footage of documentary shoots.
Who are the characters?
The characters of the film are the various directors and crew members of various documentaries.
Is the film told from a subjective or objective point of view? How do you know that?
The film is told from an objective point of view, as the film explores the concepts and processes behind the creation process of various different documentaries.
Why do you think the film would be different if it had been a fiction film?
The film would not work if it were presented as a fiction film as this documentary is documenting documentaries. If the film were to be fictional, then all of the information would be made up, and therefore, would not present an accurate concept to the audience, thus taking away the meaning of a documentary, which aims to cover and educate the audience on a specific subject based on facts.
What kinds of sound does the filmmaker use? Is silence an important part of the soundtrack? What dialogue, music, voice-overs, commentary, and sound effects? What purpose do they serve?
The filmmaker used a variety of diagetic and non-diagetic sounds to enhance the atmosphere and mood of the documentary. Soundtracks would play in the background for establishing shots in respect to a silent atmosphere during interviews or whilst the narrator is talking. The sound effects serves not only to fill in the awkward spaces, but also acts as a transition between various clips.
How do music, sound, and image work together to convey the story of the documentary?
The choice of music and sound that the filmmaker chooses to use helps convey the certain atmosphere that the director is trying to put across to the audience. Images are used in a certain order to tell the story of the subject that is being documented.
Does the film use a narrator? If so, what role does the narrator play? What attitude does he or she take to the subject? How does this attitude contribute to the film's overall message?
Yes the film used multiple narrators, each one a different director to a different film, explaining the steps that are needed to be taken to make a documentary.
Is the filmmaker a character within the film? If so, what role does he or she play?
The filmmaker was not a character within the film.
What does this documentary reveal about the world? How does the filmmaker help the audience experience the world with new eyes?
This documentary opens the world's eyes open to the process that goes behind the creation of a documentary.
What story is told in the film? How is it scripted? How has the editing of the film affected its final message?
There is no story in the film in the chronological sense. This film is mainly based off of interviews and behind the scenes shoots of documentaries to justify the creation process behind a documentary.
What kind of camera techniques are used? How do these choices help the filmmaker get across the message?
Establishing shots were used to set the location and let the audience have an idea of the surrounding area. Close ups were used in the interviews with the filmmakers to enhance the relativity with the audience.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
21/9/11
In this class, the concept of a log line and a synopsis was introduced to the class. We also reviewed the 3 act form which answers the 3 min questions in a film, Who? (Set-up), What? (Conflict), Where? (Set-up), When? (Set-up), and How? (Plot points), and understanding that the trend in which the story of the film progresses can be graphed into an arc. A log line is a simple line or sentence that covers the entire story of the film without necessarily giving away the ending, as the purpose of it is to intrigue movie producers and audience members. The synopsis is a condensed statement or outline that tells the entire story of the film, including the ending, within one page. The aim of this is to focus on the major plot points and ancillary plot points, all written in the present tense.
We then moved on to the second half of the group presenting their film ideas. What I have noticed was that a lot of ideas, including mine, lacked development, as the concept of the film should have been more thought out in terms of characters, the problem, and the solution. The few ideas that stood out in the presentation were Ethelia Lung's Photo Booth, Alexandra Yue's Deception, and Stephen Shao's Drug Ring.
Finally, we spent the remainder of the class looking at the script producing software Contour and Celtx. The Contour software was new to me as I have never used it before and I found it to be especially helpful in developing the concept behind the story of my film idea as the software presented me with the segments of questions, archetypes etc. within the film.
We then moved on to the second half of the group presenting their film ideas. What I have noticed was that a lot of ideas, including mine, lacked development, as the concept of the film should have been more thought out in terms of characters, the problem, and the solution. The few ideas that stood out in the presentation were Ethelia Lung's Photo Booth, Alexandra Yue's Deception, and Stephen Shao's Drug Ring.
Finally, we spent the remainder of the class looking at the script producing software Contour and Celtx. The Contour software was new to me as I have never used it before and I found it to be especially helpful in developing the concept behind the story of my film idea as the software presented me with the segments of questions, archetypes etc. within the film.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Structure of 'V for Vendetta'
Act I
Set Up
plot point 1
Set Up
- set in 2020, United Kingdom, the distant future
- ruled by a totalitarian government under the fascist Norsefire party
- main character, Evey Hammond
- Evey saved by Guy Fawks masked vigilante known as 'V'
- V takes Evey to a rooftop to watch the destruction of Old Bailey
- V takes over state television, exposing the lies of Norsefire and urging the people of Britain to rise up against the oppressive government
- Evey helps V escape
plot point 1
- V brings Evey to his lair and urges her to stay in hiding
- upon learning that V is killing government officials, Evey escapes to a friend's house
- Gordon, the friend, satirizes the government on his comedy channel and is later captured and killed
- Evey is supposedly captured as well
- Evey is tortured and incarcerated for days for information regarding V
- Evey protects the identity of V till her supposed 'death'
- it is revealed that Evey has been in the lair of V all along, and that V has used this method to rid Evey of her deepest fears, freeing her
Act II
Confrontation (turning point)
- Evey initially hates V for what he did to her, but she soon realizes how much stronger and free in spirit she is
- V's various schemes cause chaos in Britain and the population grows more hostile towards Norsefire
- V takes preparation for the destruction of Parliament by handing our Guy Fawkes masks and rigging a train full of explosives
plot point 2
- V is wounded in a battle with Creedy, a member of Norsefire, and dies in the arms of Evey
- Evey then makes the decision to send the train rigged with explosives on its way
- thousands of Londoners, all wearing the Guy Fawkes mask witness the destruction of Parliament and Big Ben
- V is given a viking funeral
Act III
Resolution
19/9/11
We started off today's film class with individual presentations on the script ideas we had for our Film Noir unit. During the first half of the lesson, half the class presented their ideas to the rest of the group. Most of the ideas included classic Film Noir elements, such as the characters, plot, and genre. Most of the ideas presented focused on the theme of crime and thriller. Austin Wan's idea was especially interesting, presenting his working title 'The Spouse', which has a few twists in the story and also interesting character development.
We were then given a powerpoint presentation reviewing the genre and concept of Film Noir, along with an introduction of script writing and how a story is structured in a film. The basic structure of a film has a beginning, middle, and an end. The set-up includes the who and where of the story; the conflict includes the what (the obstacles the protagonist has to overcome); and the resolution includes the why (consequences are spelt out). Character development was also discussed in the presentation and we found out there were a few elements a character needed to be successfully conveyed in the film. Traits (the kind of person the character is); needs (what the character's problem is); and faults (what the character lacks). Without these elements in a character, there will be no story.
Miss Rosati then introduced us to a game in which the plot points and turning point of a story is revealed. 5 people were asked to sit in a row and tell the story of the '3 Little Pigs'. The person sitting at the beginning of the line would be asked to start off the narration of the story. Once reaching a significant point in the story, or a plot point, a transitional word would be used to transition into the next section. The person sitting in the middle of the 5 people would then reveal the turning point of the story. This exercise was particularly interesting as it revealed to the group a whole new concept in film and also revealed the hidden structure in a successful film. We repeated the similar exercise with the story of 'Little Red Riding Hood'.
We were then given a powerpoint presentation reviewing the genre and concept of Film Noir, along with an introduction of script writing and how a story is structured in a film. The basic structure of a film has a beginning, middle, and an end. The set-up includes the who and where of the story; the conflict includes the what (the obstacles the protagonist has to overcome); and the resolution includes the why (consequences are spelt out). Character development was also discussed in the presentation and we found out there were a few elements a character needed to be successfully conveyed in the film. Traits (the kind of person the character is); needs (what the character's problem is); and faults (what the character lacks). Without these elements in a character, there will be no story.
Miss Rosati then introduced us to a game in which the plot points and turning point of a story is revealed. 5 people were asked to sit in a row and tell the story of the '3 Little Pigs'. The person sitting at the beginning of the line would be asked to start off the narration of the story. Once reaching a significant point in the story, or a plot point, a transitional word would be used to transition into the next section. The person sitting in the middle of the 5 people would then reveal the turning point of the story. This exercise was particularly interesting as it revealed to the group a whole new concept in film and also revealed the hidden structure in a successful film. We repeated the similar exercise with the story of 'Little Red Riding Hood'.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Film Noir Brainstorm
Title: The Job
Plot Summary:
A detective comes out of a bar after having a drink and walks down the street at night. As he passes by an alley, he witnesses a woman being robbed by a criminal. Being a good samaritan, he rushes over and saves the lady. They share an intimate moment, the woman thanking the detective for rescuing her, then they go their separate ways. Further down the street, a car pulls up abruptly beside the detective and a few men overpowers him, knocks him unconscious, and throws him into the car.
The detective wakes up, sitting at a desk with his hands tied behind his back. A silhouetted face (The Boss) sits opposite him. They talk and it is revealed that the woman earlier was just a decoy, a test to see if the detective is up to the job. The silhouetted face then tells the detective that he has passed and he is then offered a job. The job is to assassinate a man(?). The detective is reluctant at first but the man persuades him(blackmail?bribe?reason?) and he agrees to the job.
The detective successfully kills the target and as he walks away, the lady that was seen in the beginning appears again. She is dressed like and has the air of the classic femme fatale and she raises a gun and shoots the detective.
-END-
Notes:
Plot Summary:
A detective comes out of a bar after having a drink and walks down the street at night. As he passes by an alley, he witnesses a woman being robbed by a criminal. Being a good samaritan, he rushes over and saves the lady. They share an intimate moment, the woman thanking the detective for rescuing her, then they go their separate ways. Further down the street, a car pulls up abruptly beside the detective and a few men overpowers him, knocks him unconscious, and throws him into the car.
The detective wakes up, sitting at a desk with his hands tied behind his back. A silhouetted face (The Boss) sits opposite him. They talk and it is revealed that the woman earlier was just a decoy, a test to see if the detective is up to the job. The silhouetted face then tells the detective that he has passed and he is then offered a job. The job is to assassinate a man(?). The detective is reluctant at first but the man persuades him(blackmail?bribe?reason?) and he agrees to the job.
The detective successfully kills the target and as he walks away, the lady that was seen in the beginning appears again. She is dressed like and has the air of the classic femme fatale and she raises a gun and shoots the detective.
-END-
Notes:
- black and white
- characters: detective, femme fatale, victim of detective, the boss
- ...
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