29th January - Exporting and Uploading Video

After completely finishing our editing and adding titles to the piece, we exported the video so we could upload it to our blogs.

We had to render the effects like the few "fades" we used in the piece. We did this by pressing the "enter" key on the keyboard. This took a few seconds. However when we render our final piece later on in the year it will take longer due to the amount of effects we use.

After that we exported the sequence to AVI so that it would burn on to disc easily and be the correct format when the examiner marks it. We also choose to export it via wide screen, which is the type of screen we filmed in. Then we exported clip by "starting queue" which only took few seconds but it will take longer in the real project later on in the year.

Then, once exported, we uploaded it to a YouTube account which I made in the lesson because Adam's wasn't working properly. So we uploaded it to my account, which took about 1hr and 50minutes - therefore we had to leave it over lunch to download.

29th January - Editting

Today we continued to edit our video footage. After having some initial problems we understood what we had to do and continued in a relatively fast pace. We had problems with the sound on the first few clips because we were laughing or talking over these clips. We decided to drag the sound files in to the video box below our main timeline and muted the box. However later on in the editing process once all footage was placed together, we discovered that the first 4 clips were silent andthen once we started talking normal fuzz just started and it seemed really out of place and sounded wierd. We fixed this by copy and pasting the same "fuzz" file throughout the whole of the first 4 clips. This fixed the problem of it suddenly sounding louder, however during the first 4 clips due to the repetitive sound of the "fuzz" it sounds like a broken record. In our main project we have learnt to film about 60seconds worth of ambient sound, so that if we have to mute clip for some reason we still have backgournd noise which we can always add in afterwards.

Note: It is much easier to have chunks of footage rather than it all together, because when cropping it, setting "In" and "Out" points where time consuming because we had to watch the whole clip everytime.

After having edited it so that the sound was realistic and clips flowed continuously and didn't make us, the audience, confused, we added music to the end to add atmosphere to the piece. Due to the copyright rules, mine and Charlotte's ideas couldn't be used in the peice. So, instead we used websites, advised to us by the college moodle site. We came across a few songs which could have fit the emotional ending of the piece, but we found a track from http://derekeaudette.outtwaarts.com and choose "The Long Road Into Night". We thought this track fitted the piece appropriately and added an emotional ending to the piece.

When we watched final version on Adobe Premier Pro, we discovered that we had broken the 180 degree rule, which is a vital rule for filming. We hadn't done it very obviuosly, however, due to us being able to notice it, it must have been subtly obvious. In our real project we need to take more care, and spend more time making sure this doesn't happen again.

25th January -Second Video Shoot (Real Footage for sequence)

Today, after finding a room that was appropriate and available both periods, we started again and captured all the shots on our storyboard. We used the english book room, which was average sized (so shots were easy to film) and two tables where present which we could use for different levels. We fimed all shots twice (so when it gets to editing, if one clip is corrupted we can use the other one - also gives us more flexibility with shots) and left 5 seconds before and after the filmed sequence to allow for editing time. We decided to cut the gulp camera shot, due to the difficulty of it and the fact that it was hard to time exactly.

After having filmed all of our camera shots, we started the editing process. Personally, me being an active person found this quite frustrating. Me, Adam and Charlotte read through the start of the manual and captured our clip from the tape. We then set up a adobe premier document and inserted our clip. We captured the clip as one whole clip, rather than several different shot clips. This made editing the clip harder, due to the vass amount of footage which we have to crop. Due to the several buttons and clip editing tools I was getting very annoyed with this programme, however I think once I have had more practise on the software certain operations will come natural, hopefuly resulting in it being easier.

The group decision to use the footage shot on friday as draft version was approved. Although the fridays practise made the filming today easier, because we knew what we were doing.

22nd January - First (Draft) Video Shoot

Today we attempted filming the first storyboard camera shots of our extract. Due to the fact that I missed period 4 due to an examination it was quite a challenging task to get all of the camera angles, shots and movements sucsessfully completed to a fairly high standard but we tried to meet this challenge. Also the only room which was available was room 57 (the geography room). This didn't have the atmosphere of a hospital waiting room however, we tried to avoid capturing globes,maps or plants in the shots. After having filmed half of our footage, we ran out of time. This was a vital problem due to the fact that the continunity of the peice would be drastically ruined if we filmed the rest on monday. We had to finish filming and hand in what we can completed.

We decided as a group that we would have to start filming the whole sequence of shots again on monday due to the very high risk of the room being unavailable and the obviously mise en scene, costume and lighting would have been completely different, therfore distrupt the continunity of the extract.

21st January Music/Camera Shot Planning

Music/Camera Shot Planning (commenced on 21st January)

Tonight me and Charlotte had conversation over instant MSN Messenger chat about the possible music tracks we could edit in certain parts of the extract. However due to the copyright rules, we are unsure about the possibe tracks available for use. These were planned to be used towards the end of the clip as incidental music.

• The Fray - "How To Save a Life"
• Snow Patrol - "Chasing Cars"
• Florence + the Machine - "You Got The Love" / "Cosmic Love"
• James Morrison - "Broken Strings" / "Hurt"

These songs were just suggestions made by the both of us to add emotion to the news in which the relative has heard. These suggestions of incidental music tracks obvioulsy depend on the copy right rules, which we haven't been told about at the moment but when we know we can then, choose with more certainty which tracks suit the situation best and are allowed.

We also discussed several camera shorts which may enhance the ending of the extract.

We talked about having close up on the relative when the nurse reveals that the patient has died to enhance emotion and so that the audience can have clear understanding of the realative's emotion.

Alternatively, we also suggested a crain shot so the camera would zoom out from above the scene to show slow ending. However this shot without using professional equipment may not enhance scene in the correct way.

18th January 2010 - Preliminary Task Planning

Today we watched a TV extract which demonstrated hints and tips on how to exert an shot- reverse- shot practically. It mentioned the 180 degree rule and how if you break this your audience could become confused and disturbed. It also illustrated other shots which are usually used before,during and after a shot- reverse- shot. For example before a shot- reverse- shot, an establishing shot should be used, therefore enabling your audience to get used to the surroundings in which the scene in going to be set. During the climatic point in your scene, a close up could be used to enhance emotion in scene.
We started mindmapping ideas for our preliminary task which indicated the themes, camera shots, sounds, mise en scene and locations that could possibly be used within our short extract. We finally settled on an "hospital theme" which we then elaberated on by making a scene from it. We decided to (due to our specification), a nurse telling a relative that his wife has died in a room. This covers the specification of the task, including the nurse entering the room and having a short conversation with the relative of the patient who has died.

We then started our storyboard, scene by scene, which broke down how we are going to demonstrate this extract using various camera angles. We added dialogue which portrayed the primary message of our extract and also added in sound and timing (in seconds, leaving 5 seconds before and after a clip) which means that on Friday the 22nd January 2010 we can get started on the filming of our extract.
(Unfortunately I am going to be absent from the lesson period 4 on Friday, due to an examination. This is going to be overcome by the fact that Charlotte and Adam are going to film what they can without me, then when I return we are going to film the remaining scenes.)

Preliminary Task Planning - Mind Map 1

Hospital Theme - Mind Map 2

Storyboard 1

Storyboard 2