Using a Slider

What are 3 key tips you learned in this video that you can put to work in your videos going forward this year?  Why do you think they are useful?

    Three key tips that I learned in this video that I can utilize in my videos going forward this year are eliminating user error, the basic uses, and using foreground elements. The most important part of using a slider is that it should be smooth, so you should practice and do a test run to spot any shakiness of the clip. If there is any issues, try to identify what is causing it: a bad slider, an issue with the tripod head, or user error. If the problem is the way you are using it, ensure that the technique that you use to slide the camera is effective. He recommends lightly pushing with one finger or having your fingers along the base of the slider, so that it is as far from the camera as possible. He also demonstrated both trucking and dollying, which are the two primary ways to use a slider, with trucking/tracking being the more common usage. These are able to add more visual interest and production quality to your video. A third tip that he shared was to include foreground elements to your trucking shots. This can either be a dirty shot or a reveal, where the subject is revealed when the camera trucks past a foreground element that was blocking the view. Sliders are useful as they can massively increase the production value of a project in a relatively cheap and simple way, which is why I should consider all of these tips in future projects.

Kurosawa and Composing Movement

What were the three types of movement that Kurosawa used in his films.  How did he use these techniques in his films?  What did they communicate to the audience?

    The three types of movement that Kurosawa used in his films were nature, groups, and individuals. He used the movement of nature in his films by incorporating weather in the background of all of his films. This communicated to the audience visual interest as well as emotion. By showing the movement of nature, it can turn a more static scene into one with a lot of movement, which adds a layer of visual interest, and it can also amplify emotions by giving the audience another sense that they can relate to. He used the movement of groups in his films by using a number of people who move as a unit or separately. This was able to make emotions feel bigger because of the larger number of people, which allowed for more people to show the same reaction and thus make it clearer to the audience. Lastly, he used the movement of individuals in his films through unrealistic and exaggerated blocking and by telling his actors to pick one gesture that their character repeats. This helps convey the emotions much more clearly and dramatically to the audience and the use of repetitive gestures helps them identify characters quicker as well as their emotions. Overall, Kurosawa's uses of different types of motion in his films helped to amplify and communicate emotions to the audience.

San Francisco State Field Trip

After touring California State University, San Francisco's film production facilities, what aspects of their program or resources stood out to you, and how do you think these could influence your approach to future film projects?

    Some aspects of their program that stood out to me was the equipment, the sound stage, and the sound design and mixing. We got to hear about some of the different equipment that they had and it was very fleshed out. We also got to tour the sound stage and it was fairly large with quite the potential for creating many different sets. I noticed that their flats that they use for the sets seemed more modular than the ones we have, they have bigger sizes and some features, like the door, were stand alone pieces (which allowed them to put the door in an outer corner of the wall. We also got to tour the foley room and the sound mixing room, which was incredibly interesting. These could influence my approach to some future film projects as I realize how much more important that foley is and how much it can elevate a production to sound considerably more professional.

Hero's Journey Film Status

What is the current status of your Hero's Journey Film?  What are the delays?  What is your plan to complete it by the due date?

    For our Hero's Journey Film, we are currently in the post production phase and close to a rough cut. We are currently keying all of the shots and are preparing to add in the backgrounds and additional elements. Some of the delays included the wait for our puppets to be finished and the need for a reshoot of the interview before we could film any of the green screen scenes that had dialogue. Our plan to complete it by the due date is to divide up the edit; delegating the different tasks to each of us in order to finish it sooner.

Cinematic Camera Movement

Why does the beginning shot example look bad from a technical as well as a storytelling viewpoint?  What are three differences between the static shot examples that the narrator shows and shots with a dolly or a handheld rig?

    The beginning shot example looks bad from a technical as well as storytelling viewpoint as it is extremely shaky and jerky, which not only looks bad, but also likely isn't a good choice for what is happening in the story. Three differences between the static shot examples and the ones with movement are through the effect on the audience. With the more static shots, the audience is watching the emotions on screen; however, adding movement can help immerse them into the emotion, creating a greater impact. With the hand-held shots, create a bit of a documentary-feel and adds action to what otherwise would've been a very static scene. The slider and dolly is able to add a lot of production value to a scene with relatively cheaper equipment. Additionally, the slider was able to immerse the audience better within the emotions of a scene, conveying a deeper idea, and emphasizing more of the subject and his emotions.

Composition in Storytelling Pt. 2

What does this video essay say about the purpose of composition?  What does the narrator have to say about the use of lines in the frame? What does this video have to say about the use of artificial vs. primal control?  How is this used in composition?  Why?

    This video says that the purpose of composition is not only to create a visually appealing image, but also to convey and amplify details of the story to the audience via the visual storytelling. The narrator says that the use of lines in the frame can be used to direct the audience's attention, create different feelings, or to show details. Artificial control is the control of the aesthetics and where we should be looking. Primal control is where power dynamics are revealed at the specific moment of the story; either within interpersonal relationships or with the environment. This is used in composition to convey key details and ideas to the audience through the visual storytelling. This is because it impacts the way that the subjects and the space is framed, the different details included, the perspective created, and so on and so forth.

Composition in Storytelling Pt. 1

What are three things that you've learned in this video essay?  How do these relate to what you've learned so far until this point in this class? What does the narrator have to say about the frame?  What is it used for?

    Three things that I've learned in this video essay are early cinematography, compositional influences, and frames. These relate to what I've learned so far as it goes more in depth from what I've learned from last year's composition unit. We had gone over the history and learned about the influences that theater had on film during the early days and had gone over some of the compositional influences. The narrator says that the frame is able to create subtext. It is used for a variety of instances, such as making the subjects appear in a more unified manner, putting more focus onto the subject, and/or to create deeper implications. It can be used to show separation between "worlds" or people and it could also show themes or other concepts. Frames also don't have to be conventional "frames," such as doors or windows, and could be other things like people or objects.