For our music video assignment, we chose the song, "You and Me" by Disclosure. I interpreted this as a song from a girl who is in love with someone who doesn't love her back the same. I wrote the story accordingly, of a boyfriend that doesn't spend any time at home with his girlfriend and when he comes home, massive rows ensue.
I am going to compare our music video with that of Justin Timberlake's, "What Goes Around, Comes Around." The song is sang from the point of a man who has been cheated on by a girl he is in love with and in turn she then gets cheated on and he feels she deserves it. The music video tells the story of a player who finds a girl who plays him worse. The general feeling of the film is that they both deserve the hurt they both cause. The twist is the massive shock at the end in which the female character dies in a car crash.
Although our music video is less violent, a similar story is portrayed, except from the point of view of the female singing character. Our ending is left on a cliff-hanger, as the main male character arrives home to a silent house and it is unknown what he stumbles upon in the living room, although it can be assumed either the female protagonist has killed herself or is cheating on him with someone else.
Obviously, the Justin Timberlake music video is a high budget production, but I feel our music video still captures the emotions of the characters perfectly, with same amount of empathy felt for the protagonist and a similar level of shock at the ending, despite being more ambiguous.
I like the fact that both of these music videos are very modern in the way that instead of being the victim, the woman stands up for herself and both characters end up being of even strengths. The lyrics of both music videos envoke emotion and sympathy for the protagonists, and in our video I varied the beats I cut clips on to keep the audience interested and alert, in terms of finding out what the outcome of the story is.
Links:
You and Me Music Video: https://vimeo.com/82075817
Justin Timberlake Music Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOrnUquxtwA
Wednesday 7 May 2014
Comparison of Two Editing Applications in Relation to Career Pathway
Before this year, my main experience of an editing application was with the use of Final Cut Pro 7. At the time, it was a very popular editing tool for both professional and amateur filmmakers and editors. However, with the introduction of Final Cut Pro X, this application has now seemed to become obsolete in the industry all together, with no upgrades for Final Cut Pro 7 now available.
Avid Media Composer, however, seems to be the answer. It has always been used in a professional environment and seems to mainly put new learners off with its complex look and temperamental nature. This year I have had a lot of practice using Avid, however, and I do in fact see why it is so popular in the industry.
The use of keyboard short-cuts for more precise editing saves a lot of time, and with practice, an editor can become almost expert at simple commands to allow for faster editing. I also really like the easiness of creating rolling titles with the marquee tool and the quality of the exported product with the correct settings used for various uses, for example uploading to an online video sharer site.
I do not however like the way in which Avid projects are very difficult to move from one location to another, especially with a lack of knowledge of how to do this properly. This was not the case with Final Cut Pro 7.
I do feel that having knowledge and experience of both applications has greatly helped me during work experience tasks, but I will concentrate on Avid Media Composer, as I now prefer it and is the most widely used application in the television industry, which is my aim to be a successful editor in.
Avid Media Composer, however, seems to be the answer. It has always been used in a professional environment and seems to mainly put new learners off with its complex look and temperamental nature. This year I have had a lot of practice using Avid, however, and I do in fact see why it is so popular in the industry.
The use of keyboard short-cuts for more precise editing saves a lot of time, and with practice, an editor can become almost expert at simple commands to allow for faster editing. I also really like the easiness of creating rolling titles with the marquee tool and the quality of the exported product with the correct settings used for various uses, for example uploading to an online video sharer site.
I do not however like the way in which Avid projects are very difficult to move from one location to another, especially with a lack of knowledge of how to do this properly. This was not the case with Final Cut Pro 7.
I do feel that having knowledge and experience of both applications has greatly helped me during work experience tasks, but I will concentrate on Avid Media Composer, as I now prefer it and is the most widely used application in the television industry, which is my aim to be a successful editor in.
The Social Network: Post Production Case Study
I have chosen The Social Network for a case study of its post production process and the elements/persons involved in this. I particularly enjoyed the film's subject as I felt the story of social networking to the level of Facebook is highly interesting, however I wanted to explore in more depth the process of it appearing on the big screen in relation to my studies.
Firstly I discovered the film had been shot on a RED ONE 4K camera, which records at 4096 x 2304 and achieves ultra-high definition. The crystal clear footage, I feel, makes the film feel real by allowing the audience to watch the film as if they are watching real life.
The film was originally edited on Final Cut 7, VFX conformed on After Effects and then imported into Adobe Premiere. this was done to allow real-time playback with all the effects of After Effects in action. These total over 400 layers and Adobe Premiere allowed the Art Director, Tyler Nerson to view this on a creative level and ultimately decide on the visual outcome of the film after the post-production process.
Adobe Premiere is not a programme I have had much experience using, but on completeion of my research I do feel it may be a media editing tool worth investigating and trying out, especially as it is said to integrate really well with the use of After Effects, which I have just began to work with.
The resolution and quality of the produced film were perfect for giving a rich feel to the chosen home media formats, DVD and Blueray and, therefore, A Social Network is another visual masterpiece for the accomplished director, David Fincher, to add to his resume.
Link:
http://tv.adobe.com/watch/customer-stories-video-film-and-audio/postproduction-on-the-social-network/
Firstly I discovered the film had been shot on a RED ONE 4K camera, which records at 4096 x 2304 and achieves ultra-high definition. The crystal clear footage, I feel, makes the film feel real by allowing the audience to watch the film as if they are watching real life.
The film was originally edited on Final Cut 7, VFX conformed on After Effects and then imported into Adobe Premiere. this was done to allow real-time playback with all the effects of After Effects in action. These total over 400 layers and Adobe Premiere allowed the Art Director, Tyler Nerson to view this on a creative level and ultimately decide on the visual outcome of the film after the post-production process.
Adobe Premiere is not a programme I have had much experience using, but on completeion of my research I do feel it may be a media editing tool worth investigating and trying out, especially as it is said to integrate really well with the use of After Effects, which I have just began to work with.
The resolution and quality of the produced film were perfect for giving a rich feel to the chosen home media formats, DVD and Blueray and, therefore, A Social Network is another visual masterpiece for the accomplished director, David Fincher, to add to his resume.
Link:
http://tv.adobe.com/watch/customer-stories-video-film-and-audio/postproduction-on-the-social-network/
Tuesday 6 May 2014
DSLR Tutorial and Photo Portfolio
Last year, we were set the task of creating a photo portfolio to showcase various effects that can be achieved with different aperture, shutter speed and ISO in terms of exposure, depth of field and overall effect of the photograph.
We learnt the basics of using a DLSR during a tutorial and I found the camera much easier to use than some of the larger cameras I have had experience with during filming. This came in very useful for delicate photography and has since been good for delicate, artistic filming in my short films.
I chose to do my project on London, both in terms of tourist attractions and the unseen places of interest. This lead me to gathering many varied and often original images for the portfolio.
I tried out various different combinations of shutter speed, ISO and aperture to achieve my final shots and was very pleased with what I learnt. My favourite shot was a low shutter speed with a moving torch in Battersea Park in which a swirl of moving light was created.
I feel my understanding of still photography has greatly heightened my appreciation of what can be achieved with film, as many of the effects are transferable to this.
We learnt the basics of using a DLSR during a tutorial and I found the camera much easier to use than some of the larger cameras I have had experience with during filming. This came in very useful for delicate photography and has since been good for delicate, artistic filming in my short films.
I chose to do my project on London, both in terms of tourist attractions and the unseen places of interest. This lead me to gathering many varied and often original images for the portfolio.
I tried out various different combinations of shutter speed, ISO and aperture to achieve my final shots and was very pleased with what I learnt. My favourite shot was a low shutter speed with a moving torch in Battersea Park in which a swirl of moving light was created.
I feel my understanding of still photography has greatly heightened my appreciation of what can be achieved with film, as many of the effects are transferable to this.
Memento Lighting Exercise
For our lighting exercise I was director and producer, as well as choreographing most of the lighting. We chose to replicate the black and white scenes from the film, Memento. I was very lucky to find an attic room at a relatives house in which to film, however this was a difficult location to get to for the crew, resulting in a late start.
As we only had one day to film this added pressure was a challenge as we had to film while there was natural light outside but we still managed to get it all filmed in one day. The attic room was ideal as we could pass it off as a 3rd story hotel room, much like the location used in the original black and white scenes in Memento.
We decided to put our own mark on our replication with the use of a black actor and a soul Bible instead of a Giddeon bible, as well as using the actors London accent for the voice over. We managed to source as many of the props seen in the original scenes in our own homes and from the location, displaying great resourcefulness and the power of team work.
We filmed on a DLSR which allowed for smooth, varied shots, even in difficult spaces such as the small bathroom. We used a shotgun mic on this for the sound however I do feel from experience with should have used a boom mic with zoom mic to record clearer sound. However, this equipment was used for the voice over recording, which is the main sound used in the scenes, and so the use of the shotgun was fine in this particular case.
I feel the lighting should have been used to create more shadow in the left-hand side of the room but as this was our first experience using the lighting we didn't use the right lighting angles to achieve this. I also feel we should have filmed in colour and then colour graded to black and white, as the original had a slightly blue tint and so this would have achieved a more accurate replication.
Overall, I feel we created a fairly accurate replication with our own twist. I was pleased with the result and feel I have learnt from the mistakes we made in our final short film, Human, in which the lighting was used much more effectively.
Links:
Original Scenes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bragrpm50k
Replication: https://vimeo.com/87672862
As we only had one day to film this added pressure was a challenge as we had to film while there was natural light outside but we still managed to get it all filmed in one day. The attic room was ideal as we could pass it off as a 3rd story hotel room, much like the location used in the original black and white scenes in Memento.
We decided to put our own mark on our replication with the use of a black actor and a soul Bible instead of a Giddeon bible, as well as using the actors London accent for the voice over. We managed to source as many of the props seen in the original scenes in our own homes and from the location, displaying great resourcefulness and the power of team work.
We filmed on a DLSR which allowed for smooth, varied shots, even in difficult spaces such as the small bathroom. We used a shotgun mic on this for the sound however I do feel from experience with should have used a boom mic with zoom mic to record clearer sound. However, this equipment was used for the voice over recording, which is the main sound used in the scenes, and so the use of the shotgun was fine in this particular case.
I feel the lighting should have been used to create more shadow in the left-hand side of the room but as this was our first experience using the lighting we didn't use the right lighting angles to achieve this. I also feel we should have filmed in colour and then colour graded to black and white, as the original had a slightly blue tint and so this would have achieved a more accurate replication.
Overall, I feel we created a fairly accurate replication with our own twist. I was pleased with the result and feel I have learnt from the mistakes we made in our final short film, Human, in which the lighting was used much more effectively.
Links:
Original Scenes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bragrpm50k
Replication: https://vimeo.com/87672862
Human Short Film: Idea to Export
I first came up with the idea for my short film after going to see "Under the Skin" with Scarlett Johansson in the cinema. I loved the idea of an alien fitting into human surroundings however I feel the film lacked depth both in plot and ending. I did however like it's artistic approach and the fact that the alien became more human as the film progressed.
The story of my short film, Human, focuses on an alien moving to London and loving it's new surroundings. He loves both the natural elements and the way in which humans utilise these. The short film is artistic in terms of imagery combined with inner thought voice over and a cover by the actor of Pink Floyd's, Wish You Were Here, with relevant lyrics and accent to imply the protagonist is an alien. As with most of my films, I like to have a major plot twist at the end.
I wrote the screenplay to keep ambiguity of who the main character is and most of all keep his real identity hidden until the last moment. Even when it is explicitly implied that an alien lurks beneath the human skin of the protagonist, I still did not want to ruin the artistic feel of the film by stating so. Instead I have added a scary but ambiguous "alien/monster" noise at the end of the film.
As director, I tried to get as many variations of shots and voice recordings as possible to allow as much choice as possible for when I reached the post-production stages. The most challenging shot to film was the 90 second continuous shot towards the end of the film. Even on our final take that was used in the film there are still mistakes and imperfections I would have preferred to eradicate with another take but unfortunately this was not possible due to the availability of our actors. I was very pleased with the variety of shots recorded by the cameraman and extremely pleased with the lighting effect we trialed for the sinister shot of the alien at the end of the film, also used for the flash frames.
Before editing, I went through the process of media managing our footage and audio, as well as audio syncing with most of the clips in order to speed up the editing process, as well as achieving a more organised and efficient edit. I organised these into different bins to separate the different settings and sounds, including voice over and background music.
I thoroughly enjoyed the use of sound and imagery in Human, and the outcome was a film I am proud to have directed and edited, as it turned out the exact way I intended when writing it. I then exported it in the Vimeo recommended guidelines, uploaded it to my channel on the site and this allowed me to easily share it with all involved and interested in viewing the film, including sharing it on Facebook. The feedback I have received has been very positive both from peers and professional contacts I have and I now feel very confident I could successfully produce another short film, in particular a re-make of our final first year short film, Green-Eyed monster.
Link: https://vimeo.com/93488003
The story of my short film, Human, focuses on an alien moving to London and loving it's new surroundings. He loves both the natural elements and the way in which humans utilise these. The short film is artistic in terms of imagery combined with inner thought voice over and a cover by the actor of Pink Floyd's, Wish You Were Here, with relevant lyrics and accent to imply the protagonist is an alien. As with most of my films, I like to have a major plot twist at the end.
I wrote the screenplay to keep ambiguity of who the main character is and most of all keep his real identity hidden until the last moment. Even when it is explicitly implied that an alien lurks beneath the human skin of the protagonist, I still did not want to ruin the artistic feel of the film by stating so. Instead I have added a scary but ambiguous "alien/monster" noise at the end of the film.
As director, I tried to get as many variations of shots and voice recordings as possible to allow as much choice as possible for when I reached the post-production stages. The most challenging shot to film was the 90 second continuous shot towards the end of the film. Even on our final take that was used in the film there are still mistakes and imperfections I would have preferred to eradicate with another take but unfortunately this was not possible due to the availability of our actors. I was very pleased with the variety of shots recorded by the cameraman and extremely pleased with the lighting effect we trialed for the sinister shot of the alien at the end of the film, also used for the flash frames.
Before editing, I went through the process of media managing our footage and audio, as well as audio syncing with most of the clips in order to speed up the editing process, as well as achieving a more organised and efficient edit. I organised these into different bins to separate the different settings and sounds, including voice over and background music.
I thoroughly enjoyed the use of sound and imagery in Human, and the outcome was a film I am proud to have directed and edited, as it turned out the exact way I intended when writing it. I then exported it in the Vimeo recommended guidelines, uploaded it to my channel on the site and this allowed me to easily share it with all involved and interested in viewing the film, including sharing it on Facebook. The feedback I have received has been very positive both from peers and professional contacts I have and I now feel very confident I could successfully produce another short film, in particular a re-make of our final first year short film, Green-Eyed monster.
Link: https://vimeo.com/93488003
A Clockwork Orange
One of my favourite films by far is A Clockwork Orange. There are many reasons for this but the main one is the fact that, even though it is over 40 years old, it has not aged. This is mainly due to the fact that the language and costumes used are not of any particular age or culture and are purely associated with the book and film, not real life. This gives the film a very futuristic and interesting edge, with many parallels to society however not so similar to identify them with a particular era of London.
The film is a satire of society, with the criminals being just as bad as the law enforcement. This type of black humour appeals to me greatly as it controversially pokes fun at the world we live in. It is offensive yet not too far from the truth, even if over-exaggerated. The fact that two of the "droogs" that the protagonist, Alex, hangs around with become police officers that use their power to beat up others is a major example of this.
Another major theme of the film is the use of behavioural therapy to "cure" a criminal. The irony of this is that Alex creates an aversion to the classical music he loves, which is the only real beauty in his life, and it in fact stops him from being human and making moral choices for himself.
The film is very violent and sexually explicit, to the level that to most audiences today it would still be considered highly offensive. I do, however, believe the use of these elements is not unfounded as the effect of making the audience uncomfortable also makes them consider their own morals. The film is making the point that if someone who is not in a place of power (Alex) commits a "crime" we feel they have done something wrong, but if a police officer commits the same level of violence towards a perceived criminal we feel this is justified and this is not something we should be comfortable with.
The fact that the film was banned in the UK for 27 years proves how both influential and controversial the films ideas are and I feel great caution should be exercised when producing a film of this nature. The film has been linked to many real life cases of crime and this can only be seen as a negative influence of viewers, however it is also one of the most highly rated cult classics by the fantastic director, Stanley Kubrick and I feel to the correct audience the film is a masterpiece. I do not feel films of this level can simply be viewed, as further reading and interpretation is needed to unlock the many hidden meanings and intended satire of the film to allow the viewer to appreciate the artistic direction of A Clockwork Orange.
Link:
Making of Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Flzsv0-Gjf0
The film is a satire of society, with the criminals being just as bad as the law enforcement. This type of black humour appeals to me greatly as it controversially pokes fun at the world we live in. It is offensive yet not too far from the truth, even if over-exaggerated. The fact that two of the "droogs" that the protagonist, Alex, hangs around with become police officers that use their power to beat up others is a major example of this.
Another major theme of the film is the use of behavioural therapy to "cure" a criminal. The irony of this is that Alex creates an aversion to the classical music he loves, which is the only real beauty in his life, and it in fact stops him from being human and making moral choices for himself.
The film is very violent and sexually explicit, to the level that to most audiences today it would still be considered highly offensive. I do, however, believe the use of these elements is not unfounded as the effect of making the audience uncomfortable also makes them consider their own morals. The film is making the point that if someone who is not in a place of power (Alex) commits a "crime" we feel they have done something wrong, but if a police officer commits the same level of violence towards a perceived criminal we feel this is justified and this is not something we should be comfortable with.
The fact that the film was banned in the UK for 27 years proves how both influential and controversial the films ideas are and I feel great caution should be exercised when producing a film of this nature. The film has been linked to many real life cases of crime and this can only be seen as a negative influence of viewers, however it is also one of the most highly rated cult classics by the fantastic director, Stanley Kubrick and I feel to the correct audience the film is a masterpiece. I do not feel films of this level can simply be viewed, as further reading and interpretation is needed to unlock the many hidden meanings and intended satire of the film to allow the viewer to appreciate the artistic direction of A Clockwork Orange.
Link:
Making of Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Flzsv0-Gjf0
Promotion of Own Films Online
Throughout the year, I have felt the urge to share my video creations with the people I know and people I have worked with. Most of my contacts are on Facebook and I feel this is a great way to spread your work however simply uploading the file onto Facebook can be rather difficult due to file size and specification deadlines. I also had this problem when trying to upload to Vimeo and Youtube.
I feel it is better to have an online video channel and so I set up a Vimeo account. This has very tight specifications for file size in particular but has a very useful section on the format and specifications of how to export your video from your editing software (in this case I was using Avid). This was fine for exporting some of the shorter, smaller sequences however for my short film, Human, the file was still too large for uploading to Vimeo. With a little research I found a very easy, convenient way to shrink files in size without compromising on resolution and quality.
By simply running your video through Windows Movie Maker and exporting it again, the file size is reduced by nearly three quarters and remains of the standard I wanted to export the video as. This then allowed me to upload to Vimeo successfully for all my friends and family to see. I also posted the link to both my work and unprofessional Facebook (I find it is best to have two to keep up a good reputation with both peer groups) and have received a lot of good feedback as a result.
I think online sharing of work is very important from a progressive media platform perspective as it allows more people to view and judge your work, and even share it to others all over the world if they think it is a good piece. I am very glad I set up a Vimeo account as it allows both me and my friends to keep track of my work and is kept online so there is no need for keeping multiple versions on hard drives, taking up space.
Link: https://vimeo.com/user23540655/videos
I feel it is better to have an online video channel and so I set up a Vimeo account. This has very tight specifications for file size in particular but has a very useful section on the format and specifications of how to export your video from your editing software (in this case I was using Avid). This was fine for exporting some of the shorter, smaller sequences however for my short film, Human, the file was still too large for uploading to Vimeo. With a little research I found a very easy, convenient way to shrink files in size without compromising on resolution and quality.
By simply running your video through Windows Movie Maker and exporting it again, the file size is reduced by nearly three quarters and remains of the standard I wanted to export the video as. This then allowed me to upload to Vimeo successfully for all my friends and family to see. I also posted the link to both my work and unprofessional Facebook (I find it is best to have two to keep up a good reputation with both peer groups) and have received a lot of good feedback as a result.
I think online sharing of work is very important from a progressive media platform perspective as it allows more people to view and judge your work, and even share it to others all over the world if they think it is a good piece. I am very glad I set up a Vimeo account as it allows both me and my friends to keep track of my work and is kept online so there is no need for keeping multiple versions on hard drives, taking up space.
Link: https://vimeo.com/user23540655/videos
Avid Experience
Before starting this year I had only really had experience in using Final Cut Pro 7 during my work experience in Qatar. However, this year with the introduction of using Avid, both in university tutorials and during work experience I have acquired, I feel this is a much more precise and professional editing tool for use within the industry.
During the "Trauma Unit" exercise we were taught the basics of using Avid and useful keyboard short cuts for faster and more precise editing. During this time I also visited a professional editor that I found through my contacts who also gave me some handy tips on using Avid, including inserting filler and colour grading. I feel me and my partner, Joely, produced a basic but successful edit of the pre-recorded material however this was our first proper go of using the programme.
During the second exercise, "Car Theft" we learnt more complex techniques, including inserting titles using the title tool and animating text to appear on a frosted freeze frame relevant for a news article, as this footage was. We also learnt how to adjust audio levels which came in very useful as the sudio levels on many of the clips were too loud.
The final editing exercise, "Gaffer's Delight" was a chance to edit together a sequence with many different shot angles and choices. For each exercise we used a workflow of creating different sequences at each stage of the edit; assembly, rough cut and fine cut.
I feel my editing skills, both on Avid and generally, greatly improved during the tutorials and aided me to do a good job on the marked pieces I had to do following the completion of these exercises.
I was chosen to edit some of the VTs for the studio production, Dare To Flair. The editing skills I had picked up, particularly the use of the audio mixer, came in very useful as most of the sound recorded was very loud. My producer and director were very pleased with my editing and it was a good experience to put my skills into practice for something to be used in front of an audience.
My greatest challenge with using Avid was when I was presented with over 5 hours of non-media managed footage for the drama I was meant to edit. The group gave me the footage but wanted a rough cut for the next day. As I was editing Dare to Flair at the time this was a hugely difficult task to expect from me however I did manage to create an assembly for the group in time. The drama group were not happy with this and decided to edit it themselves on Final Cut Pro 7 without any communication with me, which I feel was very unprofessional. I feel the final product would have been much better edited on Avid with more patience from the group in order to allow me to do a good job with their footage, however I think maybe they will consider this in the future as I feel using Final Cut Pro 7 is not good practice for work in the industry.
I am very proud of my editing on my long shot short film, Human, however. I used many layers of audio and used the audio mixer to create a smooth flow of sound when mixing background noise, backing music and voice over. I also enjoyed using the short cuts and skills I had learnt from the Avid tutorial exercises and even followed an online tutorial in order to learn how to produce rolling credits with the use of the marquee tool. The edits are just the right length to keep the pace of the short film slow yet interesting up until the climax in which the pace is quickened despite the use of the 90 second long shot. I achieved this by adding quick paced sound effects in the background and using flash frames to add intrigue and tension to the ending.
My Avid skills have also come in very useful during my work experience with the Global People Project, as I have produced many sequences for the directors that have actually been used in presentations to companies to showcase their project. During this work experience I have also learnt how to subtitle and adjust the size of text for the foreign answers.
Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed the entire process of learning Avid, from learning to using it in a professional environment and it has definitely encouraged me to pursue a career as an editor in the industry.
Links:
Trauma Unit Exercise: https://vimeo.com/93383998
Car Theft Exercise: https://vimeo.com/93383520
Gaffer's Delight Exercise: https://vimeo.com/94339156
During the "Trauma Unit" exercise we were taught the basics of using Avid and useful keyboard short cuts for faster and more precise editing. During this time I also visited a professional editor that I found through my contacts who also gave me some handy tips on using Avid, including inserting filler and colour grading. I feel me and my partner, Joely, produced a basic but successful edit of the pre-recorded material however this was our first proper go of using the programme.
During the second exercise, "Car Theft" we learnt more complex techniques, including inserting titles using the title tool and animating text to appear on a frosted freeze frame relevant for a news article, as this footage was. We also learnt how to adjust audio levels which came in very useful as the sudio levels on many of the clips were too loud.
The final editing exercise, "Gaffer's Delight" was a chance to edit together a sequence with many different shot angles and choices. For each exercise we used a workflow of creating different sequences at each stage of the edit; assembly, rough cut and fine cut.
I feel my editing skills, both on Avid and generally, greatly improved during the tutorials and aided me to do a good job on the marked pieces I had to do following the completion of these exercises.
I was chosen to edit some of the VTs for the studio production, Dare To Flair. The editing skills I had picked up, particularly the use of the audio mixer, came in very useful as most of the sound recorded was very loud. My producer and director were very pleased with my editing and it was a good experience to put my skills into practice for something to be used in front of an audience.
My greatest challenge with using Avid was when I was presented with over 5 hours of non-media managed footage for the drama I was meant to edit. The group gave me the footage but wanted a rough cut for the next day. As I was editing Dare to Flair at the time this was a hugely difficult task to expect from me however I did manage to create an assembly for the group in time. The drama group were not happy with this and decided to edit it themselves on Final Cut Pro 7 without any communication with me, which I feel was very unprofessional. I feel the final product would have been much better edited on Avid with more patience from the group in order to allow me to do a good job with their footage, however I think maybe they will consider this in the future as I feel using Final Cut Pro 7 is not good practice for work in the industry.
I am very proud of my editing on my long shot short film, Human, however. I used many layers of audio and used the audio mixer to create a smooth flow of sound when mixing background noise, backing music and voice over. I also enjoyed using the short cuts and skills I had learnt from the Avid tutorial exercises and even followed an online tutorial in order to learn how to produce rolling credits with the use of the marquee tool. The edits are just the right length to keep the pace of the short film slow yet interesting up until the climax in which the pace is quickened despite the use of the 90 second long shot. I achieved this by adding quick paced sound effects in the background and using flash frames to add intrigue and tension to the ending.
My Avid skills have also come in very useful during my work experience with the Global People Project, as I have produced many sequences for the directors that have actually been used in presentations to companies to showcase their project. During this work experience I have also learnt how to subtitle and adjust the size of text for the foreign answers.
Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed the entire process of learning Avid, from learning to using it in a professional environment and it has definitely encouraged me to pursue a career as an editor in the industry.
Links:
Trauma Unit Exercise: https://vimeo.com/93383998
Car Theft Exercise: https://vimeo.com/93383520
Gaffer's Delight Exercise: https://vimeo.com/94339156
Thursday 1 May 2014
Green-Eyed Monster Remake
Following the praise I received for my script for last years final project short film, Green-Eyed Monster, I was disappointed with the technical results of the filming as it did not turn out how I wanted or expected when I was writing the script and directing the film.
This has led me and Charles, who filmed it, to concentrate on building up our knowledge and technical skills in order to film it again, but this time with better results. I have found some actors interested in the roles of Ruby, Luke and Sarah and have meetings with them tomorrow to discuss the roles and how I want each character to be. I want to avoid over-acting and changing of lines this time around.
I am purchasing some red-head lighting for a better look for the film as no lighting was used last year and I feel this was one of the biggest flaws of the film. Charles is getting camera and sound equipment and I feel with the use of a DSLR camera, we can achieve a more realistic and natural feel for our film.
I have also gained a lot of experience on using Avid this year and I feel competent in applying effects, as well as using various editing modes and tools to create a professional standard film this time around and I hope the end result to be of film festival quality. I anticipate a much better result for Green-Eyed Monster this time and I feel more practice of making short films, such as my end of year short film, Human, will greatly aid me in my future aim of becoming an editor and then a director.
This has led me and Charles, who filmed it, to concentrate on building up our knowledge and technical skills in order to film it again, but this time with better results. I have found some actors interested in the roles of Ruby, Luke and Sarah and have meetings with them tomorrow to discuss the roles and how I want each character to be. I want to avoid over-acting and changing of lines this time around.
I am purchasing some red-head lighting for a better look for the film as no lighting was used last year and I feel this was one of the biggest flaws of the film. Charles is getting camera and sound equipment and I feel with the use of a DSLR camera, we can achieve a more realistic and natural feel for our film.
I have also gained a lot of experience on using Avid this year and I feel competent in applying effects, as well as using various editing modes and tools to create a professional standard film this time around and I hope the end result to be of film festival quality. I anticipate a much better result for Green-Eyed Monster this time and I feel more practice of making short films, such as my end of year short film, Human, will greatly aid me in my future aim of becoming an editor and then a director.
Global People Project Work Experience
In March 2014 I found myself voluntary work experience for a self-funded project, The Global People Project by Hugh Lewis, a professional editor and editing tutorial specialist. Interviews were conducted with people of all ages, races and cultures on all the different continents of the world by Hugh and his wife Helen over the past few years and this has left them with a lot of footage and sound.
I have been working as a media logger and edit assistant and I have gained much experience with Avid, Cat DV and the many different sub-roles within these two broad role titles.
This work experience has built on my previous work experience in Qatar in summer 2011 and 2012 of media management and given me the chance to practice my Avid skills gained from the Tech Arts course this year. I have received a lot of praise from both Hugh and Helen for my work and I look forward to continuing to work with them over the summer. I now feel confident that I could do media management for a paid job and hope to feel the same about being an edit assistant with more experienced gained in the next few months.
Global People Project: http://globalpeopleproject.net/
I have been working as a media logger and edit assistant and I have gained much experience with Avid, Cat DV and the many different sub-roles within these two broad role titles.
This work experience has built on my previous work experience in Qatar in summer 2011 and 2012 of media management and given me the chance to practice my Avid skills gained from the Tech Arts course this year. I have received a lot of praise from both Hugh and Helen for my work and I look forward to continuing to work with them over the summer. I now feel confident that I could do media management for a paid job and hope to feel the same about being an edit assistant with more experienced gained in the next few months.
Global People Project: http://globalpeopleproject.net/
Single Camera Sound Roles
Further to the experience I have had in studio sound roles, I would like to reflect upon my single camera sound roles and the skills I have acquired from my experience. The equipment I have been working with is a Zoom mic connected to a Boom mic. I have found this a very useful combination of equipment as it allows the sound to be recorded separate from the camera and records much clearer sound for both speaking and environmental recording than a camera mic.
However, it is still important to record camera sound for sound synchronizing purposes. It is also ideal to use a clapper in view of the camera and to say what it is you are recording and what take of the sound you are recording is to allow easy syncing by the editor as they can then follow the wave-forms on both tracks and achieve an accurate match of sound and video.
The benefits of using a boom mic outside is that with the use of a dead cat, dead space between the mic and the wind is created. This eliminates the sound of wind being picked up by the encased mic. This came in particularly useful when recording an outside interview for my TVP documentary group exercise on a very windy day. However, it was important to remove the dead cat for recording interviews indoors so as not to greatly and unnecessarily muffle the sound quality recorded. Feedback from the editor was that I had recorded very clear, easy sync sound and so I feel I did a good job for my first experience of using this equipment.
This experience made me want to research the equipment further. I found out how to save sound to certain folders and name files by date and time and explored different recording formats, such as stereo and 4 channel recording. I also hired the equipment to practice at home and become more confident in using it.
In terms of knowledge and practice of syncing sound in post, my current work experience at The Global People Project has given me the opportunity to gain experience of this and it is a task I feel very comfortable and confident in carrying out, particularly when using Avid Media Composer.
This came in handy for recording sound for the long shot short film sound recording as I was able to support the sound recorder, whilst I was directing, to record easy sync sound in conjunction with what the camera was recording. I was also able to record very clear voice over from our actor and avoid distortion by adjusting the levels of the zoom mic. I was careful to not record at too loud a level because it is better to record too quiet and turn up the volume in post rather than record distorted sound and have to re-record at a later date.
Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with sound both in and out of the studio and I feel this is an area I am now more confident in.
However, it is still important to record camera sound for sound synchronizing purposes. It is also ideal to use a clapper in view of the camera and to say what it is you are recording and what take of the sound you are recording is to allow easy syncing by the editor as they can then follow the wave-forms on both tracks and achieve an accurate match of sound and video.
The benefits of using a boom mic outside is that with the use of a dead cat, dead space between the mic and the wind is created. This eliminates the sound of wind being picked up by the encased mic. This came in particularly useful when recording an outside interview for my TVP documentary group exercise on a very windy day. However, it was important to remove the dead cat for recording interviews indoors so as not to greatly and unnecessarily muffle the sound quality recorded. Feedback from the editor was that I had recorded very clear, easy sync sound and so I feel I did a good job for my first experience of using this equipment.
This experience made me want to research the equipment further. I found out how to save sound to certain folders and name files by date and time and explored different recording formats, such as stereo and 4 channel recording. I also hired the equipment to practice at home and become more confident in using it.
In terms of knowledge and practice of syncing sound in post, my current work experience at The Global People Project has given me the opportunity to gain experience of this and it is a task I feel very comfortable and confident in carrying out, particularly when using Avid Media Composer.
This came in handy for recording sound for the long shot short film sound recording as I was able to support the sound recorder, whilst I was directing, to record easy sync sound in conjunction with what the camera was recording. I was also able to record very clear voice over from our actor and avoid distortion by adjusting the levels of the zoom mic. I was careful to not record at too loud a level because it is better to record too quiet and turn up the volume in post rather than record distorted sound and have to re-record at a later date.
Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with sound both in and out of the studio and I feel this is an area I am now more confident in.
Monday 21 April 2014
Documentary Analysis of Effective Portrayal of American Tragedies
Today I would like to analyse two documentaries on the subject of American Tragedies. The first of these is the Chanel 4 Documentary, "The Hunt for the Boston Bombers" which I feel is a very relevant documentary as it reviews the catastrophic event and the days leading up to the capture of the two terrorists involved. It offers a unique insiders view of the situation both the police and the FBI were faced with, and the difficult decisions that had to be made.
Naturally, the documentary begins with the Boston Marathon bombing and the horrendous impact it had on the Boston community, including victims, police officers, residents and the President. Vivid reconstructions of one of the victims shows how the FBI came to the conclusion backpacks were used to harbor the explosive devices and led them to identifying two suspects which needed to be found as soon as possible as more attacks were believed to have been possible.
As the documentary progresses, a lone policeman on watch at a US university is shot without seemingly any cause and there is a car-jacking turned police shootout in which one of the suspects is killed whilst the other escapes. Again, reconstruction is the key to this documentary, cut between eyewitness accounts and FBI narration and feelings at the time, to give a sense of the urgency, danger and pure terror experienced by all involved.
There is then a slowing down of progression, with a full lock down of Boston to do house searches with a S.W.A.T. team in which the FBI is not present and merely listening to radio feedback of all clear. When this is lifted, the focus falls to a resident who has featured earlier in the story as an eyewitness, who tells of the amazing yet bizarre events that followed. It is revealed he decided to go out into his garden and do some routine maintenance on his boat now that the house lock down had been lifted. He tells of the shock when he discovered a man's body in the boat and rushed to phone the police.
The man was identified as the second suspect and the focus now turned to the F.B.I's procedures and decision to get him out alive. With the use of flash bangs, S.W.A.T. team and overhead helicopters this was finally achieved and the suspect surrendered. I feel the use of eyewitness interviews, reconstruction and archive footage give the viewer an effective insight into events and empathy for all involved, however I do feel the conclusion of the documentary lacks an explanation. After a year, surely someone must have been able to get to the bottom of why the two men carried out the attacks other than being simply labelled "terrorists". On the whole I would highly recommend this documentary as a realistic insight into the terror experienced at the hands of these two men and the massively draining impact it had on the F.B.I. because, as humans, the whole experience is described as "exhausting".
The second documentary I have chosen for my analysis in comparison to "The Hunt for the Boston Bombers" is on a subject a little older but very much still relevant to American Tragedies today. This documentary is "The Massacre at Columbine" by Zero Hour.
In contrast to the first documentary, this one is very focused on why two teenagers went out on the biggest school shooting mass murder in America of all time. Diary extracts and actual quotes from home videos show these two seemingly quiet teenagers to be narcissistic, egotistical psychopaths, intent on "speeding up the process of natural selection" and getting revenge for what they believe was mistreatment as children. The documentary also tells how the two boys had watched "Natural Born Killers" and the influence of this film had made them feel they wanted to replicate the actions of the two main characters, Mickey and Mallory.
Eric, one of the killers, claims he is a social outcast because of other people and not because of himself; he believes him and his accomplice are "above humans" and merely "have the bodies of humans". He also admits to self-awareness of what he is about to do to the innocent people at his school. This gives the viewer both and insight and a deep hatred for the seemingly evil mentality of this teenager and gives them a feeling of dread about what is about to follow due to this boys actions.
This documentary begins by revealing most of the story in terms of outcome. I believe this directorial choice was made because of how infamous the event is in America, as most people already know the events that happened and because the aim of the documentary is to give more of an insight of why instead of what happened in the Columbine Massacre of 1999. Interviews with fellow classmates describe how it just seemed like a normal day at school and how it was weird for Eric to not show up for a test, let alone skip two classes in a row.
It makes for tense viewing as the decisions of both Eric and his two fellow classmates, both of which are known to be disliked by Eric, place themselves unknowingly in or out of the murderous rampage that follows. Dylan expresses his anticipation of the attack in a home video and another home video is shown in which Eric and Dylan show off their arsenal of weapons and how easily they have hidden and lied to their parents about them.
As the killing spree progresses, violent reenactments cut with archive 911 calls build tension and fear for the viewer. With constant reminders of timings, it is amazing to see how much can happen in the space of a few minutes. Half way through the documentary it is announced that the killing spree is horrifyingly only just about to really begin despite numerous killings and injuries already sustained by many. The story goes on to the horrific rampage on the library, murdering and injuring over 50 students at point blank range. The reenactment realistically portrays the horror the victims faced, and this makes the audience empathise further with them.
At this point the focus of this documentary seems to be point the blame at police and security failure. Eric had made threats against one of his classmates to kill him which the police hadn't done anything about the previous year. He had also been charged with a felony for breaking into a car and stealing electrical equipment but instead of jail had attended an anger management class in which in the report he handed in he claimed to want to control his anger but in his journal had expressed extreme hate and anger towards the owner of the vehicle claiming "he should be shot" for being so stupid. On top of this, apparently the school security guard had never heard of him before and had no knowledge of his past. It also points out that at any point the parents of the boys could have searched their rooms knowing particularly that Eric was on anti-depressants known to have side effects including rage and irrational thinking.
This all does seem relevant as if this failure of security and more communication had existed, the massacre could have possibly been prevented. However, I think it is unfair to blame this solely, as Eric and Dylan seemed completely messed up by their previous years experience and influence of the film, Natural Born Killers, which they incidentally named their attack in their journals and home videos. I think the influence of the film on the young boys is very important as, in terms of certificate, they were below the age rating and should not have even seen it. I do not think Natural Born Killers would influence someone to go out and commit a glory mass murder like the two characters it portrays if they were of the correct age, however I do feel many children are allowed to view a lot of content that is too old for them and at this very influential stage of their life it can lead to fatal attacks on innocent people like the Columbine Massacre. I feel it is very important for only the intended audience to view films of this nature, both from a safety and creative point of view and, despite the film achieving critical acclaim from many, for a mislead child this could help them to set their views on what is right and wrong.
The documentary ends with Eric and Dylan killing themselves following their now lack of ammunition and direction in their killing spree. The voice over states that the attack led to police reviewing their tactics in case of similar attacks in an aim to save more people. Even though this may be true I think the underlying problem, as with the Sandy Hook massacre, is the easy access to ammunition by many young people in America. Many parents keep weapons in their house with a permit and in the wrong hands these weapons do not provide protection, but quite the opposite. I feel guns should be completely limited to those who need them, not be viewed as a right of possession.
These two documentaries are of very different directorial and editorial style in which American Tragedies are presented. This is because the Boston Bombings documentary is for informational purpose whereas the Columbine Massacre documentary is mainly for an examination of cause and prevention with hindsight. Both are majorly important and relevant today as these are not just one-off events. The public needs to be informed and taught how to look out for the signs of a potential threat to both the public and themselves and new laws need to be put in place against suspicious individuals to prevent future attacks for whatever reason based on the facts unearthed by these documentaries.
Links:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-hunt-for-the-boston-bombers/4od
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwxoDRYJ7_M&oref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DuwxoDRYJ7_M&has_verified=1
Naturally, the documentary begins with the Boston Marathon bombing and the horrendous impact it had on the Boston community, including victims, police officers, residents and the President. Vivid reconstructions of one of the victims shows how the FBI came to the conclusion backpacks were used to harbor the explosive devices and led them to identifying two suspects which needed to be found as soon as possible as more attacks were believed to have been possible.
As the documentary progresses, a lone policeman on watch at a US university is shot without seemingly any cause and there is a car-jacking turned police shootout in which one of the suspects is killed whilst the other escapes. Again, reconstruction is the key to this documentary, cut between eyewitness accounts and FBI narration and feelings at the time, to give a sense of the urgency, danger and pure terror experienced by all involved.
There is then a slowing down of progression, with a full lock down of Boston to do house searches with a S.W.A.T. team in which the FBI is not present and merely listening to radio feedback of all clear. When this is lifted, the focus falls to a resident who has featured earlier in the story as an eyewitness, who tells of the amazing yet bizarre events that followed. It is revealed he decided to go out into his garden and do some routine maintenance on his boat now that the house lock down had been lifted. He tells of the shock when he discovered a man's body in the boat and rushed to phone the police.
The man was identified as the second suspect and the focus now turned to the F.B.I's procedures and decision to get him out alive. With the use of flash bangs, S.W.A.T. team and overhead helicopters this was finally achieved and the suspect surrendered. I feel the use of eyewitness interviews, reconstruction and archive footage give the viewer an effective insight into events and empathy for all involved, however I do feel the conclusion of the documentary lacks an explanation. After a year, surely someone must have been able to get to the bottom of why the two men carried out the attacks other than being simply labelled "terrorists". On the whole I would highly recommend this documentary as a realistic insight into the terror experienced at the hands of these two men and the massively draining impact it had on the F.B.I. because, as humans, the whole experience is described as "exhausting".
The second documentary I have chosen for my analysis in comparison to "The Hunt for the Boston Bombers" is on a subject a little older but very much still relevant to American Tragedies today. This documentary is "The Massacre at Columbine" by Zero Hour.
In contrast to the first documentary, this one is very focused on why two teenagers went out on the biggest school shooting mass murder in America of all time. Diary extracts and actual quotes from home videos show these two seemingly quiet teenagers to be narcissistic, egotistical psychopaths, intent on "speeding up the process of natural selection" and getting revenge for what they believe was mistreatment as children. The documentary also tells how the two boys had watched "Natural Born Killers" and the influence of this film had made them feel they wanted to replicate the actions of the two main characters, Mickey and Mallory.
Eric, one of the killers, claims he is a social outcast because of other people and not because of himself; he believes him and his accomplice are "above humans" and merely "have the bodies of humans". He also admits to self-awareness of what he is about to do to the innocent people at his school. This gives the viewer both and insight and a deep hatred for the seemingly evil mentality of this teenager and gives them a feeling of dread about what is about to follow due to this boys actions.
This documentary begins by revealing most of the story in terms of outcome. I believe this directorial choice was made because of how infamous the event is in America, as most people already know the events that happened and because the aim of the documentary is to give more of an insight of why instead of what happened in the Columbine Massacre of 1999. Interviews with fellow classmates describe how it just seemed like a normal day at school and how it was weird for Eric to not show up for a test, let alone skip two classes in a row.
It makes for tense viewing as the decisions of both Eric and his two fellow classmates, both of which are known to be disliked by Eric, place themselves unknowingly in or out of the murderous rampage that follows. Dylan expresses his anticipation of the attack in a home video and another home video is shown in which Eric and Dylan show off their arsenal of weapons and how easily they have hidden and lied to their parents about them.
As the killing spree progresses, violent reenactments cut with archive 911 calls build tension and fear for the viewer. With constant reminders of timings, it is amazing to see how much can happen in the space of a few minutes. Half way through the documentary it is announced that the killing spree is horrifyingly only just about to really begin despite numerous killings and injuries already sustained by many. The story goes on to the horrific rampage on the library, murdering and injuring over 50 students at point blank range. The reenactment realistically portrays the horror the victims faced, and this makes the audience empathise further with them.
At this point the focus of this documentary seems to be point the blame at police and security failure. Eric had made threats against one of his classmates to kill him which the police hadn't done anything about the previous year. He had also been charged with a felony for breaking into a car and stealing electrical equipment but instead of jail had attended an anger management class in which in the report he handed in he claimed to want to control his anger but in his journal had expressed extreme hate and anger towards the owner of the vehicle claiming "he should be shot" for being so stupid. On top of this, apparently the school security guard had never heard of him before and had no knowledge of his past. It also points out that at any point the parents of the boys could have searched their rooms knowing particularly that Eric was on anti-depressants known to have side effects including rage and irrational thinking.
This all does seem relevant as if this failure of security and more communication had existed, the massacre could have possibly been prevented. However, I think it is unfair to blame this solely, as Eric and Dylan seemed completely messed up by their previous years experience and influence of the film, Natural Born Killers, which they incidentally named their attack in their journals and home videos. I think the influence of the film on the young boys is very important as, in terms of certificate, they were below the age rating and should not have even seen it. I do not think Natural Born Killers would influence someone to go out and commit a glory mass murder like the two characters it portrays if they were of the correct age, however I do feel many children are allowed to view a lot of content that is too old for them and at this very influential stage of their life it can lead to fatal attacks on innocent people like the Columbine Massacre. I feel it is very important for only the intended audience to view films of this nature, both from a safety and creative point of view and, despite the film achieving critical acclaim from many, for a mislead child this could help them to set their views on what is right and wrong.
The documentary ends with Eric and Dylan killing themselves following their now lack of ammunition and direction in their killing spree. The voice over states that the attack led to police reviewing their tactics in case of similar attacks in an aim to save more people. Even though this may be true I think the underlying problem, as with the Sandy Hook massacre, is the easy access to ammunition by many young people in America. Many parents keep weapons in their house with a permit and in the wrong hands these weapons do not provide protection, but quite the opposite. I feel guns should be completely limited to those who need them, not be viewed as a right of possession.
These two documentaries are of very different directorial and editorial style in which American Tragedies are presented. This is because the Boston Bombings documentary is for informational purpose whereas the Columbine Massacre documentary is mainly for an examination of cause and prevention with hindsight. Both are majorly important and relevant today as these are not just one-off events. The public needs to be informed and taught how to look out for the signs of a potential threat to both the public and themselves and new laws need to be put in place against suspicious individuals to prevent future attacks for whatever reason based on the facts unearthed by these documentaries.
Links:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-hunt-for-the-boston-bombers/4od
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwxoDRYJ7_M&oref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DuwxoDRYJ7_M&has_verified=1
Saturday 15 March 2014
Sound Roles in Studio Productions
This year I had an interest in discovering and learning first hand about the role of sound in studio productions. Sound is an area I didn't really explore during my first year of university but as my experience of editing has progressed I have realised the importance of recording good, clear sound whilst the camera is rolling.
I was given the role of sound assistant for the filming of Middlesex Now in November 2013, which was a magazine show involving various elements relevant to students of Middlesex University, with a live band playing the theme tune and in between sections of the show. I began with a tutorial with Barry which took me through all the basics of studio sounds and which was very insightful.
My role included setting up the presenters and guests with radio mics, testing the mics on the person to see if sound levels were good in the sound room and keeping tabs on battery life. My role also included sorting out foldback for the presenters through the use of ear pieces as well as micing up the band, and arranging foldback for the members through use of on stage amplifiers. As the band were a three piece, non-vocal group there was no need for a vocals mic, however mics on the drum kit, bass guitar and keyboard were set up and checked. I also set up an audience mic as the director wanted to hear the sound of clapping in between sections of the show.
Through my experience as sound assistant I wanted an opportunity to be sound engineer so as to explore further sound in a studio environment. This opportunity came on the February production, Quote That, a comedy quiz panel show. Two episodes were filmed on two consecutive Thursdays and I feel it is important to reflect on each separately as they each came with their own trials and tribulations.
For the first show 7 radio mics were required for the host and guests, and an audience mic was needed for the sound of clapping at appropriate moments. We also had two channels of VT Sound. As sound engineer I took the sensible decision to group team 1 (radio mics 1-3) and team 2 (radio mics 5-7) together so each could be controlled as a whole and only be turned on when relevant. I left the hosts' mic and the audience mic separate as these needed to be operated on their own, but I grouped the VT sound channels together so as to operate these together. I felt this set up worked well however due to my inexperience on the sound board, unfortunately the final sound on the record was a little low in volume. I feel I learned from the experience of being sound engineer as a whole and this aided me the following week.
Unfortunately, when arriving to set up for show two of Quote That, Barry was off sick and so unable to help the sound team. Being head of sound, and with my past experience, I took on the responsibility of trying to set up the elements I knew how to. I managed to get the radio mics and audience mic working with the help of Erim and the assistants however there was a struggle to get VT sound working. I moved on to trying to sort out the sound for the sting which was a new element for this show. The sound needed to be played from a laptop and connected to the sound board to play on one of the channels. As the cable wasn't long enough to reach the laptop to simply allow it to be put on a channel at the end of all the already assigned channels, the sting was assigned to channel 1 and I moved all the wiring so that the other sound elements were all moved up a channel. Danny helped set up the VT sound a little later and we tested this worked before he left.
I then set about testing the radio mic sounds and adjusting the gain and volume levels with the help of the sound assistants. We then tested the audience mic by getting the audience to do a sample round of applause and tested and adjusted the gain and volume levels of the sting to check it was at a good level both in the studio and on the sound board.
I ran into difficulties 5 minutes before the record as I had left the sound room for a couple of minutes and in this time the volume levels of the channels had all been turned down and the gain levels been reset to their original state. I'm not sure how this happened as according to the sound assistants no-one had been in the room and when the director announced we were recording without checking I was ready I had to reset the channels as the show was recording. I found this highly stressful and although I had feedback the sound was fine on the record I feel it would have been better with the settings I had previously had. Another mistake was that the sound assistants forgot to check the radio mic batteries before the record and so unfortunately one of the guests mics ran out of battery during the show. We quickly changed the mic to our spare mic on channel 9 however this could have easily been avoided.
I feel my experience of sound assistant in the first show helped me to direct my team as head of sound on the second and third shows and I feel I completed both roles to the best of my ability. In conclusion, sound roles have been the most interesting and complicated studio roles I have undertaken and I feel I would like to carry on gaining more experience in this area to improve my sound skills.
I was given the role of sound assistant for the filming of Middlesex Now in November 2013, which was a magazine show involving various elements relevant to students of Middlesex University, with a live band playing the theme tune and in between sections of the show. I began with a tutorial with Barry which took me through all the basics of studio sounds and which was very insightful.
My role included setting up the presenters and guests with radio mics, testing the mics on the person to see if sound levels were good in the sound room and keeping tabs on battery life. My role also included sorting out foldback for the presenters through the use of ear pieces as well as micing up the band, and arranging foldback for the members through use of on stage amplifiers. As the band were a three piece, non-vocal group there was no need for a vocals mic, however mics on the drum kit, bass guitar and keyboard were set up and checked. I also set up an audience mic as the director wanted to hear the sound of clapping in between sections of the show.
Through my experience as sound assistant I wanted an opportunity to be sound engineer so as to explore further sound in a studio environment. This opportunity came on the February production, Quote That, a comedy quiz panel show. Two episodes were filmed on two consecutive Thursdays and I feel it is important to reflect on each separately as they each came with their own trials and tribulations.
For the first show 7 radio mics were required for the host and guests, and an audience mic was needed for the sound of clapping at appropriate moments. We also had two channels of VT Sound. As sound engineer I took the sensible decision to group team 1 (radio mics 1-3) and team 2 (radio mics 5-7) together so each could be controlled as a whole and only be turned on when relevant. I left the hosts' mic and the audience mic separate as these needed to be operated on their own, but I grouped the VT sound channels together so as to operate these together. I felt this set up worked well however due to my inexperience on the sound board, unfortunately the final sound on the record was a little low in volume. I feel I learned from the experience of being sound engineer as a whole and this aided me the following week.
Unfortunately, when arriving to set up for show two of Quote That, Barry was off sick and so unable to help the sound team. Being head of sound, and with my past experience, I took on the responsibility of trying to set up the elements I knew how to. I managed to get the radio mics and audience mic working with the help of Erim and the assistants however there was a struggle to get VT sound working. I moved on to trying to sort out the sound for the sting which was a new element for this show. The sound needed to be played from a laptop and connected to the sound board to play on one of the channels. As the cable wasn't long enough to reach the laptop to simply allow it to be put on a channel at the end of all the already assigned channels, the sting was assigned to channel 1 and I moved all the wiring so that the other sound elements were all moved up a channel. Danny helped set up the VT sound a little later and we tested this worked before he left.
I then set about testing the radio mic sounds and adjusting the gain and volume levels with the help of the sound assistants. We then tested the audience mic by getting the audience to do a sample round of applause and tested and adjusted the gain and volume levels of the sting to check it was at a good level both in the studio and on the sound board.
I ran into difficulties 5 minutes before the record as I had left the sound room for a couple of minutes and in this time the volume levels of the channels had all been turned down and the gain levels been reset to their original state. I'm not sure how this happened as according to the sound assistants no-one had been in the room and when the director announced we were recording without checking I was ready I had to reset the channels as the show was recording. I found this highly stressful and although I had feedback the sound was fine on the record I feel it would have been better with the settings I had previously had. Another mistake was that the sound assistants forgot to check the radio mic batteries before the record and so unfortunately one of the guests mics ran out of battery during the show. We quickly changed the mic to our spare mic on channel 9 however this could have easily been avoided.
I feel my experience of sound assistant in the first show helped me to direct my team as head of sound on the second and third shows and I feel I completed both roles to the best of my ability. In conclusion, sound roles have been the most interesting and complicated studio roles I have undertaken and I feel I would like to carry on gaining more experience in this area to improve my sound skills.
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