Colour Temperature and White Balance

       Colour temperature refers to an aspect of visible light that can be used to describe colours given off by certain situations. For example, if the lighting on a set is slightly blue it would be described as cold. On the contrary, if the lighting on a set is slightly orange it would be described as warm. Colour temperature is measured in Kelvin, as it's not a physical temperature, it's only visual.
       

       The colder the lighting, the higher it is on the scale and the higher its value in Kelvin (which can be confusing, as when you usually measure the temperature of something the rule is: the higher it is, the hotter it is). The white in the middle of the scale represents a neutral colour temperature.

       The white balance on a camera is what controls the colour temperature of the shot. White balance is the process of manipulating the colours from a light source, so that only certain colours are seen. The camera needs to be told what is white in the frame, so that it can calculate the correct colour of everything else. Most cameras have presets, such as daylight and fluorescent.

       These presets should really only be used as a frame of reference, as they aren't 100% accurate for every situation. For example, using the Daylight preset on a very sunny day will produce different results than when you use it on a less sunny day. Entering your own values for the white balance is the best way for you to produce an accurate white balance. An easy way of setting your own white balance is to hold a piece of white paper in front of the camera and use the eyedropper tool to tell the camera that that is what white looks like. However, if you do this and then decide to go back to a preset, the preset will produce an interesting effect, because you've changed the camera's value for white. Therefore, if when you used the daylight preset before setting your own white balance and it was slightly orange, after setting your own it may be far more blue and cold.

       Without correctly white balancing a camera you may end up with an unwanted effect, such as a very orange shot during a "sad" sequence. You want to be able to manipulate the colours of the lighting so that you can control all light sources (such as the sun).

      If, after setting up your lights, you are unable to produce the desired effect with the white balance on the camera, you can use gels. Gels are sheets of colour that are used to manipulate the colour temperature of the light. If you place a CTB (colour temperature blue) gel in front of a Tungsten (an orange/yellow light), it cools down the colour temperature without having to mess with the white balance settings on the camera. There are also CTO (colour temperature orange) gels and neutral density gels (to bring down the general composition of light if it's too harsh or bright).

      The use of gels, specific lights and the manipulation of the white balance can create a day-for-night effect. Basically, if you're wanting to film during the night, you're going to need to use multiple big lights (often Tungstens) so that the audience can see what's going on during the scene. However, you still want it to look natural - you want the light to look like moonlight. We perceive moonlight as blue, even though it's not, so you can use gels to combat the orange light (roughly 3800K) of the tungstens (or use large fluorescent lights if possible). For a day-to-night effect you also probably want to alter how wide the barn doors are open on each of your lights to create a realistic light effect. In the film 'The Antichrist', there is a scene that uses the day-to-night effect really well. The use of cool, fluorescent lights creates a moonlight effect on the water of the river and the subject in the forest. It's lit enough for the audience to understand and it's dark enough for it to be a realistic night scene.

       On the other hand, day-to-night conversions don't always look the way you want them to. Depending on when and where you shoot your scene, you may end up with a poor end result. If you are actually shooting during the day somewhere quite bright, adding a blue filter to your lights will not make day look like night.

      It may seem fairly convincing during the shoot, but once you get to post production you're going to realise that the audience is going to know that you shot it during the day. Why? Because the night isn't just blue. You want the shot to have a balance between a cold colour temperature and darkness. You only want the subject to be lit up during a night scene, which is what you'd use the blue gel/ change the white balance for.

       Sometimes people change the white balance so that it's purposely wrong. This can create an abstract/ artistic effect.

For example, we know that the lighting in this shot is artificial, because daylight (which we can see reflected on the table) isn't blue like this. Despite this, the shot still looks right, but in a slightly more edgy way. This can be used to influence the mood of an audience or create a cinematic effect.

Evaluation of EXTREME Camera Angles Tutorial Video

       We decided to record the audio for the video first, because we had the script ready for Amber to read - plus she had to leave in the second half of the lesson for photo journalism, so we wanted to get her part out of the way. On reflection, it probably would've been easier to record the audio last, because we had to make sure that we had a suitable clip for every line of audio, which was difficult. We didn't have a copy of the script on hand when we were filming, so it was hard to remember what we had to film, hence why Ellie, Kayleigh and Ryan went back out to film whilst I edited the footage we'd already shot.
       Everyone stayed in roll - Ellie the camerawoman, Kayleigh/ Ryan the actors, Amber the narrator and I was the editor. Everyone pulled their weight.
       Because of how we'd missed out certain shots, I had to leave spaces for the when I was editing. It wasn't too inconvenient at the time, but when it came back to adding them in I had to try and remember what went where. I also had to download several clips off of the internet, which meant that I had to wait quite a while so that I could insert them onto the timeline. It was also time consuming just to find appropriate clips and make sure that they were in a format that would be recognized by Final Cut. I originally converted the clips to .MOV but Final Cut couldn't recognize the file, so I had to settle with .MP4.
       Next time we would want to either carry a copy of the script or note down each shot that needs to be filmed so that we don't have to go out multiple times. It would also make the editing process far more fluid. It may also pay off to have someone else find and download the clips on a separate machine whilst someone else edits, so that they are ready to be inserted by the time they are  needed.

Plan: EXTREME Camera Angle Tutorial

Camera angles included:

• over the shoulder - over someone's shoulder
• birds eye - over the atrium or held by a person on a secure chair
• worms eye - place it on the floor face up (in a safe place)
• attached - hold like a hand bag (like it's attached to a bag)
• p.o.v - someone hold in front of eyes
• extreme close up - show eyes or mouth etc.
• high angle - point down at person
• low angle - point up at person

Ellie - camera woman

Kayleigh - actress/ voice over person

Mia - editor

SAD EVIL PANDAS GO.

Script:

K: Hello, in this video we're going to teach you how to use Extreme camera angles appropriately.

       Firstly the Over the shoulder shot. This camera angle shows an actor's perspective, similar to p.o.v, but from the subject's shoulder (it's less intrusive and more cinematic). To achieve this, the camera must be placed on a tripod that is at the appropriate height (i.e. the actor's shoulder). It's often used to show two actor's conversing. In this case you must follow the 180 degree rule, as to not confuse the audience.

       The bird's eye shot is often used as an establishing shot (specifically in Sci-Fi movies). To achieve this in a professional scenario you would need to use a crane or other similar equipment to elevate the camera. However, in a low-budget scenario you can either use a large tripod, extended to it's full length or the cameraman can hold the camera whilst standing/ sitting on a higher surface. If you choose to use the latter method, ensure the cameraman's safety before shooting.

       The worm's eye shot is the counterpart of the bird's eye shot. It's often used in dream sequences, pointed towards the sky, to relax the audience. All you need to do to achieve this is to place the camera on a dry surface and point it upwards. Make sure that others know not to walk within a certain radius of the camera so that they don't stand on it by accident!

       The "attached" shot requires a smaller, more moveable camera to be effective. Although, in some cases a larger camera can be used. In this instance, we are using a panasonic as if it is a hand bag. If you were to use a Go Pro to film this, all you would need to do is attach it to a hand bag and then carry it. Using a Go Pro would be more effective, as it provides a more realistic experience. This shot can be used in many instances. It's often used in music videos to provide an alternative view for the audience.

       Similar to the over the shoulder shot, the p.o.v shot shows the subject's p.o.v. However, this shot is far more intrusive than that of the over the shoulder shot, as it shows the direct vision of the actor. As a result, this shot is only used in appropriate circumstances, such as when you want the audience to identify with a specific character (excluding 'Peep Show', in which the entire sequence consists of p.o.v. shots, hence the name).

      Extreme close ups are appropriate for emotional situations, such as when a character is angry or upset. These shots show very minute details that may be missed when seen in wider shots. It's important to place the camera on a tripod or steady surface for this shot, as any tiny movements will be evident in the shot due to the extreme zoom. Be careful not to zoom in too much, as this looks awkward.

       The high angle is possibly one of the most used "extreme" shots in the film industry. It's used to show certain characters as inferior to their counterparts. A famous use of this angle is in Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho', when the detective is killed. The high angle effectively shows that his killer is dominant and has the power to end his life. All you need for this shot is a tripod that's almost, if not fully extended, depending on how dramatic you want the shot to be. I wouldn't recommend an overly dramatic high angle shot, as it can look awkward and in extreme cases, the camera could slip off of the tripod.

        In contrast, the low angle shot shows characters who are more dominant. If the character is looking directly at the camera during a low angle shot, it can suggest that this character is more dominant than the audience. For example, in 'The Dark Knight' there is a scene in which the Joker is pinning Batman to the floor, which is shot from a low angle, showing that he is more dominant in this scene. To achieve this angle the tripod wants to be lower than your subject, but not too low, because you don't want to be able to see all the way up your subject's nose. The camera should be tilted upwards, keeping your subject neatly within frame.

       Thank you for watching our tutorial. Happy shooting!

Camera Angles

High angle:

       For this angle the camera is positioned above the subject with a crane or other piece of suitable equipment. It is often used to show that the subject is inferior to another person or thing. For example, in 'Psycho' by Alfred Hitchcock a high angle shot is used to show that the detective is inferior to the killer, as he is stabbed and then pushed down the stairs. It's also foreshadowing, as the audience can't see his point of view, which makes them suspicious as to what is about to happen.

Upside down angle:

       In this angle the camera often starts with the subject being upside down and the shot being right side up. As the shot progresses the camera rotates so that the subject is right side up, instead of the shot (or sometimes the other way around). In 'The Dark Knight' this is used to show how the audience are slowly becoming acclimatised to the Joker's logic. It also presents the Joker in a strange way, making his mental condition apparent on the outside. However, in 'The Girl with the Dragoon Tattoo' this angle is used to show the twisted mental state of one of the main characters (by moving from the character being right side up to upside down).

Canted angle (Dutch Tilt):

       This camera angle is often used in MTV music videos to create an interesting and dramatic effect. This angle was used extensively in the film 'The Third Man' to show the main character's alienation from a foreign environment. With the horizon of the shot being tilted the audience feels slightly disorientated, possibly as the character would, so that they can empathise with them.

Worm's eye view:

       The worm's eye view is the counterpart to the bird's eye view shot. It's often used during a dream sequence or a character's thought track, as it's a relaxing thing to look up at the sky. In James Cameron's 'Avatar' this shot is used to show the point of view of Grace, who is dying. The shot symbolises her soul leaving her body and joining the other souls in the tree of life.

Noddy shot:

       A Noddy shot usually shows an interviewer reacting to the interviewee. Although this isn't commonly used in films, the 'Scream' franchise use this to show how the media play a key part in the films (particularly in 'Scream 4').

Zolly shot:

       The zolly shot (dolly zoom) requires the camera to be rigged to some kind of dolly track. As the camera moves forwards on the track, you zoom out, creating this weird separation extending effect. To make an effective zolly shot you must zoom out at the same speed as the camera tracks in. In 'Vertigo' by Alfred Hitchcock, this shot is used to portray how Scottie (the main character) is afraid of heights. It looks as if the stairs are extending, making him seem higher up than he actually is.

"Attached" angle:

       I'm not 100% sure what the official name for a shot like this is, but I'm referring to when a camera is attached to a moving object to create a strange sense of movement. In this picture above it shows a man playing a brass instrument. He has attached a camera to the end of his instrument so that when he plays it the camera moves dramatically forwards and backwards. This is more often used in music videos than films, however.

The Basics of Post-Production Workflow

       The very first thing that you should do in the post-production process is decide where all of your media will be stored. It's important that everything is stored in the same place so that if you ever need to transfer the project to another device, you don't lose anything. It also makes the job 100 times easier.  You should make a new folder and name it appropriately.

       I've named my folder 'The Project' and I've placed it on the desktop, making it easy to find. You can choose to save your work on an internal or external hard drive, depending on what is best for you (if you plan on working on several different machines, saving everything on an external hard drive would save time).

       Now it's time to set up Scratch Disks on Final Cut Pro. These are very important, because they dictate where autosaves, log and transfer footage and other files are saved. Firstly, navigate to the "Final Cut Pro" tab at the top of the page and then click "System settings".

       A window will pop up entitled "Scratch Disks". You'll see that there are four boxes that are all ticked. Next to them there will be a button that says "Set". Click that and navigate to the folder you created earlier. By doing this, you will tell Final Cut Pro to save all files in said folder and so nothing will be lost.

       Your project can consist of as many or as little sequences as you want. Sequences relate to the timeline in which you are working with. If you double click on the sequence you want to work with you are able to add or change footage within that timeline.

       When it comes to exporting the finished product, you may want or need to have the file in a specific format. If you're producing work for a client they may need the format to be DVD/ internet friendly etc. Final Cut Pro has two main methods when it comes to exporting: Quicktime movie (a high quality compressed version of your project in a .MOV file - an Apple developed format) 

OR Quicktime conversion (this allows the user to choose the format of the finished project, as well as the resolution and the quality).

Cables

Composite Video (analogue)

The analogue transmission carries standard definition - 480i (interlaced) or 576i signal. It's used for standard formats such as SECAM, PAL and NTSC. The cable only carries one signal, unlike S-Video or Component, meaning the quality of the signal can be quite poor. In addition, once the signal is lost, it can't be brought back. These cables can be used for most home analogue video equipment, such as a TV. However, this cable doesn't transmit audio, making it inappropriate for DVD players etc.

S-Video (analogue)

This cable carries a standard definition signal, just like Composite video (480i and 576i). However, S-Video is a higher quality cable, as it separates black and white colour signals. Two signals are better than one. However, it doesn't support as high a resolution as the component cable. The cable has 5 pins, four of which have their own ground pin. The bottom pin is simply for holding purposes. This makes it more appropriate for analogue equipment that may need to move (e.g. if you're using a TV on a movable stand the wire is less likely to fall out). Again, this cable doesn't transmit audio.

Component Video (analogue)

Component Video is separated into three different signals - red, green and blue (RGB). This allows for a higher quality colour image. Component is capable of full HD resolution, but the nature of digital TVs means that extra conversion must take place, which can create artefacts. Not all HD sources support progressive output, so the signal may be limited to 1080i. Although component isn't as impressive as HDMI, it's the cable you'd use if a HDMI was unavailable. You may use it for a games console etc. This cable also doesn't transmit audio, making it appropriate for store use (in the display area you can see the images on screen, but you can't hear anything).

VGA (analogue)

VGA is often used for computer monitors and can connect to an array of equipment including: HDTVs, netbooks, video cards and laptops. Similarly to the component video cable, it splits the signals into three different colours - red, green and blue. These cables can allow for any resolutions between 640x400 and 2048x1536, but the higher resolution cables often require coaxial wiring and insulation for a higher quality. VGA doesn't support audio, making this cable appropriate for showing presentations etc.

DVI Cable (digital)

DVI is considered to be a better cable than VGA, because it's a digital cable, meaning no loss in quality. There are three main types of DVI cables, all made  for different uses. These are DVI-D, DVI-A and DVI-I. It can be used for HDTVs and video cards and the cable comes in single and dual link. DVI cables are capable of a higher resolution than VGA (3840x2400), making them the preferred option. Despite how high quality these cables are, they still can't transmit audio.

HDMI (digital)

HDMI can be used on a wide range of devices including: cameras, blu-ray players, monitors and computers. It is a single cable that transmits both video and audio, making it a preferable cable. The fact that it's digital also makes it preferable, as there's no loss of signal. There are three versions of HDMI cable; version 1.0 supports 1920x1080p; version 1.4 supports ethernet, 3D and 3840x2160 at 30fps and version 2.0 supports 3840x2160 at 60fps.

RCA Connector (analogue)

Similar to HDMI, RCA cables are used to transmit audio and video signals. The cables are considered to be consumer grade, as they are very common and often come with most electronics (e.g. consoles). However, they are primarily used for stereo equipment. They can be used for many devices before and after the digital switchover (VHS, DVD players, TVs). Despite their usefulness, they are susceptible to hum and noise and they lose quality over distance.

1/4 and 1/8 (3.5mm) jack (analogue)

The smaller jack (3.5mm) is mainly used in phones and DSLR's, as these cables are intended for short runs. The larger jack (1/4) is for audio recording equipment, stereo equipment, guitar and bass leads. Generally, the bigger the equipment, the bigger the jack needed. Also the larger jacks are of a higher quality, but they wouldn't be appropriate for phones, because phones are too small.

XLR Connector (digital)

This is the most common cable used for microphones, as the switch allows for a large amount of movement without letting the microphone fall out of the back of the camera. There are 3 pins, similar to the balanced connection on a 3.5mm or 1/4mm jack. The female end is usually the source and the male end is the input. Using a 1/4 jack on a set to record audio would be a bad idea, as the cable could easily fall out of the camera without anyone knowing and so the footage would be audio-less and unusable.

Understanding the Basics of Editing

How to edit in Final Cut Pro

Importing footage:

1. Right click on the upper left hand box (the bin), then click Import - Files.

OR

Click File - Import - Files

2. Select which files you want to import by navigating to their saved destination via the window, and then click Choose.

3. Now your file(s) are imported into the bin. To use the footage all you have to do is drag it into the timeline below.

4. OR click on Log and Transfer in the File menu (if you want to import files directly from the camera)

Select the clips that you want to transfer from the device of your choice. Drag the into the Transfer Queue area and click okay. These clips will be added to your bin.

How to cut/slice/trim and add cross fades:

1. There are 3 ways of cutting your clips. The first way is to double click on your chosen clip, which brings up a menu like this:

Navigate to the place in your clip (using the play button etc.) that you want to start from and click the button at the bottom of the screen that looks like this:

This will trim your footage to this point. Now navigate to the point where you want your video to end and click to the button next to the button you previously clicked.

Now you can drag your footage from the bin to the timeline and it will be trimmed.

2. Or you can drag your footage from the bin straight onto the timeline and drag the end inwards (cropping).

So this would change to this:

3. Or you can use the razor tool on the footage in your timeline

The razor tool is in the toolbar on the far right of the screen (the 6th one down).

Choose where you want to cut your clip into two and, with the razor tool selected, click on your clip to separate it.

4. Now that you've separated your clips, you can add a cross fade. Drag the second clip further up the timeline.

5. Double click the second clip and navigate to the following menu (click motion)

Click the opacity option.

Drag the slider from the right (100) to the left (0), making sure that your cursor is on the beginning of the second clip, and click the diamond button to the right of the 0 to set a keyframe.

Move your cursor along to when the second clip and first clip stop overlapping and set another keyframe - this time at 100 (drag the slider all the way back to the right). Note: You don't need to click the keyframe button twice, it will automatically set a keyframe once you've changed the opacity value.

OR

Navigate to the Effects menu above the bin.

Then go to Video Transitions - Dissolve - Cross Disolve and drag said effect onto the clip(s) you want to cross dissolve.

Now when you watch your video clip 1 should fade into clip 2.

Exporting:

1. Navigate to File - Export - Quicktime Movie

Make sure to name your video and choose the appropriate settings (usually Current Settings, Audio and Video and None). Then click 'save' and your video will be exported.

Evaluation of 'How To Shoot An Interview'

       Initially, we sat in a circle and decided on everybody's individual roles. I was assigned the role of the director and so it was my job to control what was in frame when. I was also the main editor. Originally we sat down and wrote a script for the actor's speech, but then we decided that we wanted to do a voice over for the video (except for the first and last shots where Amber would be talking directly to camera). So, instead of continuing with the script (which we could do after we'd filmed) we chose to get on with the filming.

       We'd had a brief discussion on how we wanted to do things so that we knew where to start. It made sense to leave the shooting of the lighting until the end, as we'd need as many lights as possible for the rest of the video. As for the sound, we only needed one boom pole and mic for the video production, because of the decision to use a narration (which turned out to be a good one!) We needed 3 cameras for the production: two for filming (one for close ups, and one to be stationary) and one for the demonstration. Overall, the filming went pretty smooth and everyone worked together. However, some people were left without anything to do once their job was completed (for example, once the lighting had been set up there was no need for the lighting operator (until it needed to be changed again)). We also filmed more than we needed (multiple takes of most shots) so that we definitely had enough footage when it came to editing.

       The editing process was fairly smooth, as we had plenty of footage to choose from. The two shots that we had to record sound for (Amber talking to the camera) could have done with being re-shot, as the sound quality was a little fuzzy. This may be because I had to increase the volume of each shot in Final Cut Pro though. However, every other shot was of an adequate quality, so I think we've done pretty well in terms of filming. All of our transitions were either cuts or fades, as a tutorial video doesn't need anything too flashy. We chose some "elevator" music for soundtrack to give the audience something cheerful to listen to whilst the demonstrations were playing. 

       We ended up recording the narration twice, as the first set was completely out of synch with the video and it was too fast to cut up and re-arrange. The second time we wrote down what happened in each shot of the video and made a script for Amber to read. These narrations worked quite well. However, there were still some long pauses between narration, due to lack of content (there was no way of elongating the speech without it sounding silly).

       I'd say our video met the brief, as it displayed how to set up lights, camera and record the sound in a way that all audiences could understand. Our team worked well together, as we communicated efficiently - if someone suggested an idea it would be taken into consideration. The final product reflects how well we worked together.

       The only improvement we'd need to make is to make the narrations more detailed, to make sure that no one would misunderstand what we were saying (however, we didn't think this was completely necessary as the narration combined with the visuals made it clear enough for most people). We'd also re-shoot the first and last shot (as mentioned previously).