Entry 6
Date of Entry: February 10, 2018
Section: Taking Action
ATLs: I am applying creative and critical thinking by demonstrating my use of research to improve the general quality of my videos and to prevent problems during editing. I will also show creative thinking by showing how I practiced imitation of works with a focus on the creative process.
Subject: This entry is about how I applied my research and experimentation from the investigation section to develop videos. It also discusses my improvement in video production skills.
Content: I prepared myself well for the creation of my final videos when I produced a practice video early on during the investigation stage in November. In my practice video, I applied the newly attained knowledge from my research and experimented with Final Cut Pro. I got a lot more comfortable using Final Cut Pro through the practice video and it allowed me to notice some simple mistakes to avoid during the creation of my final product. It also let me note down some easy improvements to make to my editing. Finally, the practice video gave me a chance to develop my understanding of cinematographic techniques, such as camera angling, camera handling, and shot framing.
Reviewing the mistakes from my practice video, one quick improvement in my final videos was the use of the camera. In my final videos, I filmed in landscape position and held the camera stably, unlike the practice video which I filmed in portrait and shakily. Mistakes as small as this can have massively negative effects on the quality of a video, so it is vital to notice them and make easy improvements.
Date of Entry: February 10, 2018
Section: Taking Action
ATLs: I am applying creative and critical thinking by demonstrating my use of research to improve the general quality of my videos and to prevent problems during editing. I will also show creative thinking by showing how I practiced imitation of works with a focus on the creative process.
Subject: This entry is about how I applied my research and experimentation from the investigation section to develop videos. It also discusses my improvement in video production skills.
Content: I prepared myself well for the creation of my final videos when I produced a practice video early on during the investigation stage in November. In my practice video, I applied the newly attained knowledge from my research and experimented with Final Cut Pro. I got a lot more comfortable using Final Cut Pro through the practice video and it allowed me to notice some simple mistakes to avoid during the creation of my final product. It also let me note down some easy improvements to make to my editing. Finally, the practice video gave me a chance to develop my understanding of cinematographic techniques, such as camera angling, camera handling, and shot framing.
Reviewing the mistakes from my practice video, one quick improvement in my final videos was the use of the camera. In my final videos, I filmed in landscape position and held the camera stably, unlike the practice video which I filmed in portrait and shakily. Mistakes as small as this can have massively negative effects on the quality of a video, so it is vital to notice them and make easy improvements.
Another area of improvement in my final videos was my use of angles. During the planning phase, I employed my research on camera angles to create a simple shot plan that ensured I would effectively use angles in my tutorials and documentary. In my practice tutorial video, I had hardly any variety in camera angles. The reasoning for this was more related to the fact that I did not have equipment that allowed me to have a variety in camera angle. To film underwater, I was using an underwater pouch that protected my iPhone from getting wet. This mount prevented me from mounting my phone in a position that would capture a specific angle. I took this problem into account and decided that I needed to purchase new equipment that would allow me to film underwater better. Thus, after acquiring an underwater camera and a suction mount, I was able to provide a variety of different angles in my tutorials and other videos. Having different angles was extremely significant in my tutorials because viewers need to see strokes from the side, the front, and the back.
For my documentary, I inspired a lot of my work off of the Vice YouTube channel, who produce fascinating documentaries on more obscure topics. As my topic of swimming at IICS is also rather obscure, it made Vice a great source to slightly imitate. Vice documentaries emphasize cinematography and have a good variety of angles to keep the footage visually appealing. A good example of an angle that I mimicked was the angle used for the interview in the Vice video, since the angle for my interview with Mr. Johnson looks increasingly similar.
Some notable angles used as inspiration from Vice |
Some angles used in my documentary
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Overall, it is clear that making a practice video back in November allowed me to note some quick improvements and ensure the success of my final product. Also, using the videos from my research as inspiration made my final videos look a lot more professional.