A short single lesson today, but I can cover three points. Today, Thursday, we were given our first assignment, which was twofold: first, to create a soundtrack for a cartoon which we had been given; second, to create a documentary of how we made the soundtrack. So far, I've been appointed the cameraman for the Making of the Movie, which leaves me rather undesirably out of conversations about the cartoon soundtrack. Therefore, Shun and I have decided to alternate shooting the documentary.
On Friday, at lunch time, we agreed on the kinds of sound we needed, and discussed ways to record them realistically. I threw in the useful comment here and there from the sidelines. So, I think we're moving forward well. I was meant to type up our sounds on the a document, but the girls never sent me the stuff. I guess I'll have to chase them on Monday.
Lastly, I noticed an interesting thing with a film I was watching with my dad, the title of which I never found out. But every time a film switches from one scene to another, especially if the transition involves moving from a close-up or medium shot to a long shot or extreme long shot, the main theme of the music of the movie, or another important theme, is played. It seems that the music produces a tendency to drive the film forwards.
Sunday, 15 February 2009
9 Feb 2009 - Reflection
Today, we learnt about the basics of sound design. It was quite interesting. Broadly speaking, we learnt about the 2 categories of sound design: diagetic and non-diagetic sound, and about the three types of sound in film: dialoge, sound effects and music. I guess that sound design only became a serious art in film until after the silent era, but that wasn't discussed in class, so I don't really know.
We also learnt about how music was chosen to highlight important moments in the film, and to enhance mood. Most improtantly, we learnt how to create sound effects, including how to use foley. One can either record sounds (Car tyres as car tyres, etc.), or, if the sound doesn't exist or is hard to record, such as a building on fire - nobody would light a building on fire, then record the sound - one can use foley. Foley is where one records one sound that sounds like another. Such as hands making mushy sounds in mud may sound like mudddy footsteps.
We had a shot at recording sounds, such as water, joy, time, etc. For some sounds, we tried to create the actual sounds. For others, especially for the more abstract concepts, we tried to record what we remember as the 'common film interpretation' of that sound. So, for example, with time, we went into a quiet room, and tapped a wooden board at a regular rate or about 1 tap per second, to mimic the sound of a clock.
Some were not so good. 'Joy' was people laughing, but I don't think that worked too well. And we wasted a lot of time trying to record water, because of random fits of laughter that ruined the recordings.
We also learnt about how music was chosen to highlight important moments in the film, and to enhance mood. Most improtantly, we learnt how to create sound effects, including how to use foley. One can either record sounds (Car tyres as car tyres, etc.), or, if the sound doesn't exist or is hard to record, such as a building on fire - nobody would light a building on fire, then record the sound - one can use foley. Foley is where one records one sound that sounds like another. Such as hands making mushy sounds in mud may sound like mudddy footsteps.
We had a shot at recording sounds, such as water, joy, time, etc. For some sounds, we tried to create the actual sounds. For others, especially for the more abstract concepts, we tried to record what we remember as the 'common film interpretation' of that sound. So, for example, with time, we went into a quiet room, and tapped a wooden board at a regular rate or about 1 tap per second, to mimic the sound of a clock.
Some were not so good. 'Joy' was people laughing, but I don't think that worked too well. And we wasted a lot of time trying to record water, because of random fits of laughter that ruined the recordings.
Saturday, 7 February 2009
5 Feb 2009
Today, we edited the clips we shot on Monday. The editing process was a chance for me to familiarise myself with Mac computers, Final Cut Pro and the editing process. In CT for the past semester, I have been used to using Adobe to edit some films. Final Cut Pro is slightly different, but it seems to be more professional. The effects tools, etc. seem to be more upgraded than the Adobe stuff.
We edited the clips at first at quite relaxing pace, but by the end of the lesson, were slightly rushed to submit the video on time. We chose the clips we wanted, deleted the unwanted ones, cut the video together, then added some effects. The one big thing that I learnt was that to add an effect in Final Cut Pro, one has to render than edit in a different window.
Well, I think I have remembered how to edit today.
We edited the clips at first at quite relaxing pace, but by the end of the lesson, were slightly rushed to submit the video on time. We chose the clips we wanted, deleted the unwanted ones, cut the video together, then added some effects. The one big thing that I learnt was that to add an effect in Final Cut Pro, one has to render than edit in a different window.
Well, I think I have remembered how to edit today.
2 Feb 2009 - Reflection
Today, we did, primarily, a re-cap on cinematography. The recap was useful, as, for me, it did remind me of the various techniques we learnt about last year, and their various applications to film in order to alter the look and mood of a film or of a clip. We were asked to form a group of four and do various scenes.
The first scene we were asked to do was a scene making a difference between a sharp-defined shot and a documentary-like shot. To do this, we decided that for the sharp-defined shot, we would shoot with a tripod, whereas for the documentary shot, we would shake the camera as if we had been standing wearning shorts and t-shirt in a refigerator for an hour. It is noticeable how the steadiness of the camera has a tremendous effect on the feel of the shot.
Other important shots included our conversation shots, when we were asked to shoot according to lighting. I remembered a useful technique to change the lighting. When one wants lihgted characters but dark background, you do just that: light the characters, and place them in front of a dark background. To do the opposite, however, one can just silleouhette the characters in front of a bright background. We did this on a CIS staircase by shooting from different angles.
I think that today we experimentated and tried to apply skills learnt from over a year ago to some short clips, and I think it has helped me remember my cinematography.
The first scene we were asked to do was a scene making a difference between a sharp-defined shot and a documentary-like shot. To do this, we decided that for the sharp-defined shot, we would shoot with a tripod, whereas for the documentary shot, we would shake the camera as if we had been standing wearning shorts and t-shirt in a refigerator for an hour. It is noticeable how the steadiness of the camera has a tremendous effect on the feel of the shot.
Other important shots included our conversation shots, when we were asked to shoot according to lighting. I remembered a useful technique to change the lighting. When one wants lihgted characters but dark background, you do just that: light the characters, and place them in front of a dark background. To do the opposite, however, one can just silleouhette the characters in front of a bright background. We did this on a CIS staircase by shooting from different angles.
I think that today we experimentated and tried to apply skills learnt from over a year ago to some short clips, and I think it has helped me remember my cinematography.
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