jameshuntuca

FMP Final Piece

23.4.18

My final piece was inspired by ‘Birdman’ by Alejandro González Iñárritu, but it was the editing and cinematography that inspired me the most. I wanted to use the style of the film to be taken in “one shot” or “one take”.

This was carried out in the form of a music video that I directed, accompanied by the song “Everything is changing” by sigma and Paloma faith. Although the music wasn’t my own, the aim of this project wasn’t to show off my bad music creation, but was to show off the skills I have been learning over the past few weeks that involved the “whip pan” effect and other transitions such as black/white outs, that give the effect of the music video being shot in one continuous take.

The video in my opinion could be improved, there are several sections and edits I am not fully happy with, such as 1:03, the scene where the camera whip pans around to the character after he threw a bowl of porridge at the door. This pan is not as smooth as I would have liked, and I feel would need entirely re-shooting, in order the ensure the timings were still accurate. A tripod would also have been handy for this particular scene to keep the camera at one height and position, which would allow me to better hide a cut.

The reason I was unable to reshoot a lot of the scene I would have liked to, is due to the fact my set was based within the fake custody cells at Kent police college in maidstone. I booked three weekends use of the custody cells and was unable to get anymore, meaning all the filming we did took us three full days or working and editing as I go in order to meet the deadline. As a result of what we went through with booking, keeping the continuity correct and being limited to how long we can film, I feel next time I will use a location that is more available to me.

Another issue I had with the set and filming is having to get into the mindset of a director and being able to get across my vision to my friend Luke, the main character. I found I had to be very detailed in what I needed him to do, and therefor the storyboards I had made allowed me to show him what he needed to do. As the storyboards where so useful I would definitely use them again, however in much more detail, for on the day of filming you don’t want to be wasting anytime trying to make sure everyone knows whats going on. Having a clear storyboard allows everyone to instantly get to work and know what they have to do and where they have to be. There is a second moment within the piece that although hardly noticeable, it is still an error, one in which I cannot change again without re filming, for it would ruin the pace of the song and timing of the beats, this moment is at 01:37, when the camera pans up to white after panning up the characters body after he was taken to the ground by the police officer (wonderfully starring myself, and using my dad to film this part). This moment you can see the very slight fade in of the second scene for the scene before ended to quickly, not allowing for the full fade out.

Less of the negativity now, there are several moments within my piece that I am really pleased with and I had learnt a lot of new transition effects within premier pro that help me have smooth scene transitions. One of them being my discovery of the “film dissolve” tool, a device that fades out the end of one scene and fades in the start of the next. when this is done over a white wall, you barely notice the transition and therefore believe you are still following the same story.

Another element that I am pleased with is the slow introduction of more books, colour and energy toward. the end of the music video, this as I have explained in previous posts was done to symbolise and accompany the rehabilitation of the main character, suggesting that as he gets better, the world around him does too. The introduction of the items is also my proof of the video having several cuts involved that are hidden, things coming and going at random suggest that time has moved on. More proof that lots of time had passed is how his facial hair seems to grow throughout the video.

Evaluation from filming

15.4.18

Having begun the editing to my music video, I have discovered some minor tweaks that need adjusting when it comes to filming, and why having a detailed storyboard is so important. Despite my best efforts of keeping track of the timings, I still have to go back to my Dads work in order to re-shoot those scenes. However this does give me a chance to perfect anything I didn’t like or felt needed doing better.

Using the Zhiyun smooth Q camera stabiliser has allowed me to have a far stiller videos, making it better for the One shot technique. However using the “whip pan” technique as I had intended to do, was very difficult as the stabiliser tries countering fast sudden changes with its gyroscopic design, and I have therefor been forced to use “white out” techniques, where I naturally fill the entire frame with white, allowing for me to hide cuts. It gives the same effect as what I originally planned.

Another issue I have encountered whilst filming is actually having to direct somebody who has no idea what they’re doing, and obviously can’t see whats inside my head. So I have had to really push myself to be as clear and vocal about any changes I need to make and be able to clearly direct what I want out of them.

As I am unable to film again until the next weekend, I will use my time at college this week, researching artists and different music videos, whilst also writing notes on what I need my actor to do, and more detailed timings.

FMP - Project Proposal

I have decided upon making my music video about somebody who appears to be trapped in a cell. This cell could be a metaphorical cell, suggesting that somebody is trapped in their own head or attempting to recover from some form of addiction. This will be represented through somebody being aggressive at the start of the MV and struggling to keep within the walls of the cell, at this point everything will be grey and dark. Throughout the MV there will be a slow introduction of colour, representing his rehabilitation. This is matched by a more positive attitude by the character, as he starts to workout and better himself. Finally the MV will have changed from dark, grey and aggressive, to bright, colourful and positive, an obvious change. This will be backed by the song “Everything is changing” and will be filmed to give the appearance of it being in one take. I will get this effect by researching how to use “whip pan” techniques that will allow me to hide cuts within fast movements of the camera.which links back to the “Altered states” theme in stage one and two, of having the film transition from angry to calm.

Mini Evaluation

After doing some research into the more politically charged riot aesthetic, and thinking about making a video with a message, I thought about how these ideas could be incorporated within the work I have already done, and the song “Everything is changing” sprang to mind once again, with the potential of having somebody changing their ways of a boring desk job, to being the spark of a revolution after putting on a mask and spraying the word “change”. This would still be done in the one shot theme so I am still able to use the techniques I have learned, whilst also having the underlying message that society should “change”.

Problems I have encountered so far however had been how the song, the aesthetic and the technique of it being one shot, don’t gel well together, as the song seems to happy to have such a heavy topic, and the “one shot” technique seems unnecessary within this type of music video.

I will continue to work on some ideas over the next week before having a final idea that I will then work on by Monday 19th.

See, that’s what the app is perfect for.

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FMP Final Piece

Evaluation from filming

FMP - Project Proposal

Mini Evaluation