What I did...
In the recent Writing Center shoot, I was responsible for a few things:
1. I was responsible for setting up the primary camera angle, and making creative and practical decisions (like using only one camera).
2. I also elected to help the lighting crew set up the final lighting set up that we had, and I created a situation for the camera people and lighting people to work together (so the camera op would sho the lighting people what was going on on screen).
3. During the shoot, I fixed the problem of people looking off camera by giving my job to another person and explaining to the on-camera talent exactly where we wanted their eyes. (This was for the last two actors. Unfortunately, I missed the first day of shooting because of a job potential.)
4. I coordinated with a person from the writing center and led a team of three people to direct, plan, light, and shoot B-Roll including a directional walkthrough with a steadicam, moving shots of the area in the bottom of the library, a shot of the sign for the Writing Center, and shots of students actually being tutored.
What I learned...
A fourth light really helps a three-light setup. Adding a fourth light to the back (camera right) to illuminate the other side of the talent's face was actually very useful.
Explaining what you want to talent is always best. The whole reason you have someone on camera is for them to do what you want. The best way for them to do what you want them to do is to let them know exactly what they should be doing. Not explaining that we want their eyes on the camera didn't work. When someone would say "make sure to look at the camera," it didn't really help. A full explaination like "pretend the person feeding you lines doesn't exist and just keep your eyes on the lens for the entire shoot" doesn't make the talent nervous. That just allows the talent to move forward knowing what we want. Getting everybody on the same page is extremely important.
Wireless (battery powered) lights are invaluable. We used them to be an on camera light (to light the person at the end of the walk in shot). We used one to fill the desk area (hiding the light behind a pillar). And, we almost used one on the sign above the greeting area of the main desk in the writing center, but we found another light to do that without being seen.
I did miss one day of shooting, but I learned a lot from that day, as well. :)
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Modules, Plugins, & Expansion
We've been discussing expansion for different content management systems. Seeing front end and back end expansion was really cool to differentiate. After seeing all of the back end customization for Drupal, I wanted to look up what WordPress had to offer. I was surprised to see a lot of the same things [with quite a bit of variation].
For instance, I found multiple variations of CAPTCHA, allowing me to choose what method I want to use to ensure that users are not robots. One, for example, makes a user click and drag different items depending on the command that is written [Put the duck in the pond!]. Others provide math equations. One option had pictures of animals that the user had to identify. I tried it out about ten times, and I found that without a space or comma it didn't work. I definitely want to test these things out extensively, before deciding on one. After installing six different CAPTCHA programs, I went with a pretty standard version with distorted text.
I'm currently looking for an WYSIWYG HTML Editor for users [I already have one available in the back end of things]. When I find this, I will install it to make it easier for users to post with some variation in their text. I hate the little note at the bottom of every comment box that tells users which HTML tags that they can use in their posts. It's ugly and old. This would be a great replacement.
While looking for the WYSIWYG HTML Editor, I came across an editor that allows me to go to the front end of the website and create edits from there [much like editing in the live view in Dreamweaver]. This functionality is AWESOME! I'll show screenshots in my next post!
I'm glad to see that WP isn't totally useless! It has great expansion options! I'm looking forward to exploring more plugins :)
A
For instance, I found multiple variations of CAPTCHA, allowing me to choose what method I want to use to ensure that users are not robots. One, for example, makes a user click and drag different items depending on the command that is written [Put the duck in the pond!]. Others provide math equations. One option had pictures of animals that the user had to identify. I tried it out about ten times, and I found that without a space or comma it didn't work. I definitely want to test these things out extensively, before deciding on one. After installing six different CAPTCHA programs, I went with a pretty standard version with distorted text.
I'm currently looking for an WYSIWYG HTML Editor for users [I already have one available in the back end of things]. When I find this, I will install it to make it easier for users to post with some variation in their text. I hate the little note at the bottom of every comment box that tells users which HTML tags that they can use in their posts. It's ugly and old. This would be a great replacement.
While looking for the WYSIWYG HTML Editor, I came across an editor that allows me to go to the front end of the website and create edits from there [much like editing in the live view in Dreamweaver]. This functionality is AWESOME! I'll show screenshots in my next post!
I'm glad to see that WP isn't totally useless! It has great expansion options! I'm looking forward to exploring more plugins :)
A
Friday, February 17, 2012
Writing Center Commercial
The Writing Center at Shepherd University needs a commercial shot. The idea was pitched to a group of us, and it goes something like this:
There is a script that will be read by multiple actors. They will be shot individually with similar lighting and framing. Because the script is the same, we will be able to cut from person to person to show the faces of Shepherd University, talking about the writing center. (And answering the where, what, and how..) As of now, the actors will be facing off camera so that untrained actors (real members of the Writing Center) can avoid an attempt at making a teleprompter look natural.
An idea in class was to show a video of how to get to the writing center as some B-Roll footage. I proposed the idea of getting some actual B-Roll of people at the writing center. All of this B-Roll should happen after we shoot the A-Roll, so that we can see if there is anything else we need beFORE we go out to shoot. That way, we can grab anything else that we need while we're there.
It's funny that while this idea was being pitched, I was thinking of the project that I JUST shot and have yet to edit. It is a commercial that I am creating for MLT with my friend, Gabrielle. The idea is that there is one script and multiple people reading the same script. They will be cut to and away from mid sentence or in the middle of a thought to another person finishing that line of thought. The twist is that each person has a flag painted on their lips, which corresponds to the language that they will be speaking. The entire video will have English subtitles, while each person speaks their part in a different language.
I wanted to say something in class, but I wasn't sure how relevant it would be. I couldn't figure out a way that this could help the project, BUT maybe it can.
The technique that I am using to cut will be positioning the person as close as exactly in the same position as the person before them and cutting to the next person. We are using two framing options to cut back and forth between people. A further away shot and a close up of their lips (top of nose to just below the chin.) I don't think that fades will work unless the face is being morphed into the next face OR placement is perfect. A cut will work better. Below is one angle. The other is a head and shoulders shot. We have a third backup shot for each person that is a macro (closer than below) shot of their lips. We will probably not need to use that. This project is a little more dramatic than the Writing Center commercial, and the client has asked that the speakers be well lit (not dramatic). So, if we could think of a way to more seamlessly cut between people, I think that it would make the video turn out much better.
If I could shoot this commercial with no need of being in the studio, I would shoot it all on-location. We, unfortunately, cannot do this. However, getting B-Roll on location will definitely help the audience get an idea of what the Writing Center is all about.
There is a script that will be read by multiple actors. They will be shot individually with similar lighting and framing. Because the script is the same, we will be able to cut from person to person to show the faces of Shepherd University, talking about the writing center. (And answering the where, what, and how..) As of now, the actors will be facing off camera so that untrained actors (real members of the Writing Center) can avoid an attempt at making a teleprompter look natural.
An idea in class was to show a video of how to get to the writing center as some B-Roll footage. I proposed the idea of getting some actual B-Roll of people at the writing center. All of this B-Roll should happen after we shoot the A-Roll, so that we can see if there is anything else we need beFORE we go out to shoot. That way, we can grab anything else that we need while we're there.
It's funny that while this idea was being pitched, I was thinking of the project that I JUST shot and have yet to edit. It is a commercial that I am creating for MLT with my friend, Gabrielle. The idea is that there is one script and multiple people reading the same script. They will be cut to and away from mid sentence or in the middle of a thought to another person finishing that line of thought. The twist is that each person has a flag painted on their lips, which corresponds to the language that they will be speaking. The entire video will have English subtitles, while each person speaks their part in a different language.
I wanted to say something in class, but I wasn't sure how relevant it would be. I couldn't figure out a way that this could help the project, BUT maybe it can.
The technique that I am using to cut will be positioning the person as close as exactly in the same position as the person before them and cutting to the next person. We are using two framing options to cut back and forth between people. A further away shot and a close up of their lips (top of nose to just below the chin.) I don't think that fades will work unless the face is being morphed into the next face OR placement is perfect. A cut will work better. Below is one angle. The other is a head and shoulders shot. We have a third backup shot for each person that is a macro (closer than below) shot of their lips. We will probably not need to use that. This project is a little more dramatic than the Writing Center commercial, and the client has asked that the speakers be well lit (not dramatic). So, if we could think of a way to more seamlessly cut between people, I think that it would make the video turn out much better.
If I could shoot this commercial with no need of being in the studio, I would shoot it all on-location. We, unfortunately, cannot do this. However, getting B-Roll on location will definitely help the audience get an idea of what the Writing Center is all about.
Studio Experience
My favorite studio role has been working as a camera man. I really thought that I would enjoy some "bigger" positions, but being behind a camera (still or video) is so natural to me that I feel too comfortable to leave. I would assume that I would feel the same way about editing, but we're not there in our studio process, yet. Editing and camera work (along with lighting) are things that I really like to have control over. Yes, I'm that guy. Sound is so important, as well, but it's not my favorite place to be. I opt to be the sound person if nobody else can do it better or as well as me, but - in general - my favorite experiences are in the realms of working with light, the camera, and in post production.
As a camera man, I went through the standard white balance, back focusing, framing, and exposing. I noticed that the cameras don't seem to have a way to control ISO (ASA). It seems to only allow partial exposure control that is manual (which is a bit confusing when trying to match settings on multiple cameras), but the director should be able to match the two (because he/she can see the two images side by side).
Being a director is definitely harder than I imagined. When you have two camera operators thinking that they are camera one and they both have the same first name, it really leaves a first time director with a bad taste in his/her mouth. It was definitely a humorous experience. I think that I would have gotten the hang of it and enjoyed it more without all of the confusion. It is straightforward, but surprisingly difficult to set up a shot and gauge when a person will speak without the luxury of three or more cameras. (I can see and appreciate why our teacher wanted only two cameras. We will never be lazy in a production environment when we learn on a setup that requires constant movement of both cameras.)
I've been learning about the importance of communication and familiarity with a crew. I forgot the terminology for directing cameras and switchers, and I think that, if we all committed the standard set of terms, we could be much more efficient.
As a camera man, I went through the standard white balance, back focusing, framing, and exposing. I noticed that the cameras don't seem to have a way to control ISO (ASA). It seems to only allow partial exposure control that is manual (which is a bit confusing when trying to match settings on multiple cameras), but the director should be able to match the two (because he/she can see the two images side by side).
Being a director is definitely harder than I imagined. When you have two camera operators thinking that they are camera one and they both have the same first name, it really leaves a first time director with a bad taste in his/her mouth. It was definitely a humorous experience. I think that I would have gotten the hang of it and enjoyed it more without all of the confusion. It is straightforward, but surprisingly difficult to set up a shot and gauge when a person will speak without the luxury of three or more cameras. (I can see and appreciate why our teacher wanted only two cameras. We will never be lazy in a production environment when we learn on a setup that requires constant movement of both cameras.)
I've been learning about the importance of communication and familiarity with a crew. I forgot the terminology for directing cameras and switchers, and I think that, if we all committed the standard set of terms, we could be much more efficient.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Why Use A CMS
In a world that changes so fast, the demand for web content to be changed quickly is higher than ever. The ability to change the look and feel of your site without any knowledge of CSS seems to be what everyone wants. (Why wouldn't they?) Not only do people want to be able to change the look of the site easily (and have everything work), but they also want to be able to edit, manage, and add to websites (without any knowledge of html or web experience at all).
In fact, even people with web experience want things to be easier. No designer wants to have to create new directories every time they need to add a page or content. Designers, along with everyone else, want things to be more quick and efficient.
A solution that has been helping solve these problems is content management systems. This means a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but a CMS - for the purposes of this article - is a relatively user friendly website that does just what the name implies: it manages content for the user. It handles the creation of new directories, when you want to post something to your website or add a page. It saves everyone time.
Most of the serious web development companies have their own custom built CMS that they design, because it allows them to be more flexible than the popular free and paid CMSs.
From (http://www.spyridontech.com/cms/why-a-cms)
- Scalability - A CMS website is well-suited for a growing organization. Contents can be continuously added / edited and its inherent hierarchical structure keeps the content organized and easy to search and find.Rapid Development - A CMS provides the website organization infrastructure so a new website can be built very quickly. The focus of the work is on the content, not the navigation, layout, etc.Easy Maintenance - A CMS allows even the non-technical persons to easily update and add content. Built in permission structures allows the website to be updated and maintained by more than 1 administrator with different access levels.
- Live Update of Content - Content of a CMS website is stored in the database. So, updates can be live and immediately published online.
- Faster Learning Curve - Instead of learning html, css and other programming languages, you only need to understand how to use the CMS software application instead. There is no investment cost on web publishing software such as purchase of dreamweaver. Also, because this is Open Source, there are no licensing fees.
- Easy Addon of Components - New applications can be added onto the default installation easily with one click. This essentially means that your site can grow, along with introduction of latest web applications.
- Lower Maintenance Cost - Since the website can be maintained by you, there is no need for another web designer/programmer to update the site on your behalf. But don't worry, we will always be here if you need us for your custom programming needs.
From (http://ithemes.com/2008/06/11/5-reasons-to-use-a-content-management-system/)
- 1. Cheap or Free Using a CMS for your web site means you can use cheap or free software and save loads of money. Haven’t you heard? Stingy is in.
- 2. It’s That Easy If you’ve got any computer savvy, most CMS software is easy to use. If you can send an e-mail, use Microsoft Word or set up a Facebook account, then you can use a CMS. And in most cases normal use doesn’t run the risk of mucking up the design. It’s web site creation for non-techies.
- 3. Do It Yourself With a CMS you enter the Do-It-Yourself world. No more waiting for and paying a programmer to fix a tiny error, saving you time and money.
- 4. Many Users, Many Places Most CMS software is online and offers multiple users, which means you’re not the only one who can fix something in a pinch and you can access it from anywhere. Which means if you’ve got Internet access in Tahiti, you could work from there. That also means your important site is backed up on a secure server with multiple redundancies, not some high school kid’s laptop.
- 5. Climb the Search Results Most CMS software also makes it easier to optimize your search engine results. That means your site is more likely to land on the first page of Google results (check out our WordPress Optimization video tutorials), which means people are more likely to find you.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Multi Camera Shooting - Theory vs. Practice
THEORY
I am very familiar with video production, but my background is in video production that is NOT live. It was very interesting to learn the theories behind live television production and a multi-camera live production. This has never been an interest of mine, and I didn't know all of what it entailed. Watching behind the scenes videos of multi-camera live productions was by far the most rewarding part of our in class theory.
After watching Hamilton Hamish do his job, I had a definite shift in how I viewed live production. I also didn't realize how fun it might be do be a director or operator in a multi-camera live production. While watching this BTS footage, I had a lot of questions about the communication and planning aspects of a live production. I understood the use of headsets and the understanding that no one speaks unless spoken to by the guy pulling the strings, but how was everyone on the same page with little to no rehearsal time with an on tour band? I know, from my experience in video production that is NOT live, that you may need to try the same shot over and over again. You could double or triple the amount of tries, if you are trying to explain it to someone else.. How, then, could you tell someone, live, what to do and get it right the first time? How could they possibly know what you mean, if you've never shot at that location or with the talent, before? This is where practice came in to play..
PRACTICE
I was surprised about how fun the live production process actually was! Getting into a studio that nobody has used before, and working jobs that we have never worked (especially live) before actually produced some decent results! It was nice to get in and just have a go at the different jobs, after they had been described to us. It was shaky and not very good, but it was, at the same time, decent!
While working live, I realized the importance of communication. To answer the question at the end of the theory section, properly and efficiently communicating instruction, questions, and ideas is the easiest way to combat NOT having any re-shooting. You can't give or receive vague instructions like "OK, now zoom in on him." Who is "him"? How far should I zoom in? Is my camera on air? Do you want a slow zoom that goes on air? Or, should I adjust the frame as quickly as possible so that you can cut to me? Do you want the framing centered or following the rule of thirds?
To combat some of these new questions, planning with stand-ins was good practice. However, it still left some questions. I believe that coming up with definitive words and phrases that are universally known to and used by the crew would be essential to pulling off a real production. Letting camera people know if they are live and SPECIFICALLY what they are being asked to do is so important.
I also think that practicing with fake talent - or just working as a team a lot - would help the process become fluid and successful. Working with fake talent would allow planning "if then" strategies. Working as a team would allow for mistakes and learning your team's mannerisms and the meanings behind them, as well as getting used to the specific terminology that the team decides on.
In summation, both theory and practice are essential to learn something like a multi-camera live video production. Both theory and practice bring up and answer vital questions to the process of a successful video production.
I am very familiar with video production, but my background is in video production that is NOT live. It was very interesting to learn the theories behind live television production and a multi-camera live production. This has never been an interest of mine, and I didn't know all of what it entailed. Watching behind the scenes videos of multi-camera live productions was by far the most rewarding part of our in class theory.
After watching Hamilton Hamish do his job, I had a definite shift in how I viewed live production. I also didn't realize how fun it might be do be a director or operator in a multi-camera live production. While watching this BTS footage, I had a lot of questions about the communication and planning aspects of a live production. I understood the use of headsets and the understanding that no one speaks unless spoken to by the guy pulling the strings, but how was everyone on the same page with little to no rehearsal time with an on tour band? I know, from my experience in video production that is NOT live, that you may need to try the same shot over and over again. You could double or triple the amount of tries, if you are trying to explain it to someone else.. How, then, could you tell someone, live, what to do and get it right the first time? How could they possibly know what you mean, if you've never shot at that location or with the talent, before? This is where practice came in to play..
PRACTICE
I was surprised about how fun the live production process actually was! Getting into a studio that nobody has used before, and working jobs that we have never worked (especially live) before actually produced some decent results! It was nice to get in and just have a go at the different jobs, after they had been described to us. It was shaky and not very good, but it was, at the same time, decent!
While working live, I realized the importance of communication. To answer the question at the end of the theory section, properly and efficiently communicating instruction, questions, and ideas is the easiest way to combat NOT having any re-shooting. You can't give or receive vague instructions like "OK, now zoom in on him." Who is "him"? How far should I zoom in? Is my camera on air? Do you want a slow zoom that goes on air? Or, should I adjust the frame as quickly as possible so that you can cut to me? Do you want the framing centered or following the rule of thirds?
To combat some of these new questions, planning with stand-ins was good practice. However, it still left some questions. I believe that coming up with definitive words and phrases that are universally known to and used by the crew would be essential to pulling off a real production. Letting camera people know if they are live and SPECIFICALLY what they are being asked to do is so important.
I also think that practicing with fake talent - or just working as a team a lot - would help the process become fluid and successful. Working with fake talent would allow planning "if then" strategies. Working as a team would allow for mistakes and learning your team's mannerisms and the meanings behind them, as well as getting used to the specific terminology that the team decides on.
In summation, both theory and practice are essential to learn something like a multi-camera live video production. Both theory and practice bring up and answer vital questions to the process of a successful video production.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Extended Image
Since the beginning of this semester, my roommate, Joey Diaz, has been working on his extended image project. Extended Image is a class, where students go through the process of setting up a show/gallery, and then creating the art to go in it. The art is supposed to be photography outside of the standard print and frame, hence the name. Thinking outside of the box, students had a lot of different projects set up.
One guy had weird looking statues in a small room, and handed out flashlights. When you aimed the flashlight at a statue, the shadow of a human figure appeared. Joey's project was a series of short videos. He brought an artist in our living room studio to paint with water, and then drop ink on the water. The effect was a really cool spread of the ink through the water to create imagery. The video was about water deficiencies in different countries, and what organization you could contact to help. (This inspired my Advertizing and Imagery final project's subject [water].)
I think that this was a really good experience for the students, because they had to set everything up, including everything about scouting and acquiring a location, setting everything up, and producing content to fill it with. It was a very practical real world experience, combined with delivering a product that forces photography majors to think outside of the box.
[Right] A picture I took of Joey's father watching his presentation. [Left] A photo that I took of Joey and his friends, who visited from VA.
One guy had weird looking statues in a small room, and handed out flashlights. When you aimed the flashlight at a statue, the shadow of a human figure appeared. Joey's project was a series of short videos. He brought an artist in our living room studio to paint with water, and then drop ink on the water. The effect was a really cool spread of the ink through the water to create imagery. The video was about water deficiencies in different countries, and what organization you could contact to help. (This inspired my Advertizing and Imagery final project's subject [water].)
I think that this was a really good experience for the students, because they had to set everything up, including everything about scouting and acquiring a location, setting everything up, and producing content to fill it with. It was a very practical real world experience, combined with delivering a product that forces photography majors to think outside of the box.
[Right] A picture I took of Joey's father watching his presentation. [Left] A photo that I took of Joey and his friends, who visited from VA.
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