Video Production
Assignment: Design and Produce 3 Videos during the 2nd semester
Goals: Walk away with a DVD of all of your videos
Tools: Adobe Studio Production including: Premier Pro, After Effects, Encore, and MS Word
References: http://www.cybercollege.com/tvp_ind.htm
Samples: Student Videos
Photostory Pre Video Production Intro Project:
In the first semester, we will do a Photo Story Slide Show using Windows Movie Maker. This is to help introduce the concept of video production as well as gain some experience with a basic video editing program that exists on just about every computer (well, Macs have iMovie). This culmination of this project will also be included in your final DVD as an extra. The Photo Story Slide Show will consist of still pictures and music. This assignment that will be due at the end 3rd 6 weeks, but your pictures should be from the entire semester, not just one event. I will show you an example so that you can begin brainstorming right away for what you will want your slide show to be like so you can be shooting along the way. Do NOT wait until the 3rd 6 weeks to be shooting this assignment. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/moviemaker/getstarted/default.mspx
Over the course of the next ~18 weeks, we will be producing several videos, starting out with simple, in camera editing then progressing to using computer based software for composite track editing with audio and/or voice over. We will start first with an individual project, then complete a small group (pairs) and then a large group video (3-6). You will need to provide a Digital Video Tape if you wish to keep the raw video footage, as well as a VHS tape and a blank DVD for your final product. The last couple of weeks of school will consist of making your DVD, including the Scene selection and Extras.
It is important to note the complexity of trying to tackle a project like this. I expect 110% from each of you. Many aspects of this are as new to me as it is to you, relatively speaking that is. I know video cameras and know time code and video production…but I have not done it on these computers. Point is, there is no time to keep on you to stay working on something productive. Between the video projects, your independent photography research, and an on-line gallery development, and preparing for the ATPI contest, each of you have more than enough to do. Be INTRINSICALLY motivated (you), NOT extrinsically (me). The videos do NOT necessarily correlate to the 6 weeks. You need to start planning and shooting for the 2nd and 3rd videos SOONER than the 5th and 6th 6 weeks.
Projects are as follows (choose one on 1 & 2, a or b):
Video 1 (a or b)*
a. Video Story 1 – Individual project. You will produce a 2-4 minute video that either illustrates a story or instructs on the production of something. This is a video assignment in which the story is shot in "real time." In other words, you must shoot the entire video in the camera in the order it will appear in the final product. If you do a scene that doesn't come out right, you must rewind the tape and tape over the bad section. A storyboard must be approved before you begin shooting the video. This first video will eventually be edited, but it needs to be well edited in-camera. This video may NOT be a Claymation nor timelapse. While a worthwhile topics, these topics are more of a photostory as it is a composite of photos made into a movie.
b. PSA Video Assignment. Individual project. PSA stands for Public Service Announcement. Each person will produce two in-camera PSA's of approximately 30 seconds in length each, on two different public service topics. Like the Video Story 1, this is to be done entirely in camera editing only. This is to be a video that could be shown on commercial TV and taken seriously.
* You MAY do the video on a DSLR, but it will produce CLIPS that have to be combined, thus making this project a bit more complicated.
Video 2 (a or b)
a. Music Video: Team Project (2). Using either commercial music (or Garage Band on Mac 8a or the new iPad 2 to design your own), shoot and mix video tracks to go along with the music. You must NOT shoot this in real time as in the Video Story 1 or PSA assignment. You will have to have several different locations and/or camera angles. You will use the video editing equipment/software to create the final product.
b. Video Story 2 – Team project (2). You will produce a 3-4 minute video that either illustrates a story or instructs on the production of something. Like the Music Video, this is NOT shot in real time, and will be edited on the computer. Of course, you will need a storyboard.
Video 3
Group Video Project: Group Project (2-4). This is a larger production setup with an entire Production: Crew, set, sound, the whole thing. A Producer will be assigned to manage the project and is ultimately responsible for the project. Begin brainstorming topics for this project now and begin shooting simultaneously after the initial individual video has been completed. An example of this type of video is the documentary of “Prison Life: How I got here”. Another was “Class of 1997” a Senior Video…note, this involved a lot of shooting sessions and some after hours work to have it aired over the Channel 1 monitors at the end of the year.
General Notes: Please ask in advance to clarify any of the following general notes.
Videos MUST be appropriate for school presentation. The teacher must pre-approve your topics and storyboards for all videos. A storyboard must be approved BEFORE you begin shooting the video. Specifically, videos are not to include anybody smoking, tobacco products in the scene, alcohol, sex or other inappropriate or questionable behavior. If in doubt, ask first. Ask for permission, rather than forgiveness. The litmus test is...would I be proud to show it to Mr. Daniels?
Because you (and your partners in the group videos) should be behind the camera, either running the camera or the sound, group members may not appear in their own videos.
While it IS permissible to use your video project for another class, it must be distinctly for the purpose of THIS class in mind including attention to storyboard, scripting, composition, filming on a tripod, etc. IOW, if you can use the video you make for my class for another project, great, but not necessarily vice versa such that what is acceptable for another teacher may not be thorough enough for this class.
Your video must be filmed by you...and should not include a significant portion of another persons video. So, if you have to be filming a person watching TV, that would be fine as long as the clip is of appropriate length. But do not just insert clips of other videos for a video montage of other peoples work...or even your own from other projects.
Video Projects Pre-production Planning Steps
1. Determine Theme
2. Write a treatment- where, how, tone, script
o Treatment should have about 3 paragraphs of what is happening in the storyboard.
o Include any necessary materials, resources, actors, etc.
3. Make a story board for each major scene
o Indicate camera action, movement, composition, etc.
Samples:
Instruction, Tips, etc.:
Movie Production:
MovieMake Photostory: Finalize your project by creating three exports: Full AVI (1.5 GB), QTf (QuickTime full size, no compression...about 650 MB), WebQ (QuickTime Small, 320x240, 50% compression).
To convert a YouTube video, try this site: http://vixy.net/ It has converted a few for me in the past...however, YMMV as this type of hack is always changing. The challenge is that movies on YouTube are in a non-traditional format...and sort of hidden...but they aren't hidden very well. So, downloading them is not too difficult. Converting them from an FLV (flash video) to AVI (audio video interleave - a compressed video format developed by Microsoft) is the trick. If you don't want to convert them, you can download a FLV Video player. There are several out there...I just use one called "Wimpy FLV Player". It is simple...and seemed to be virus and ADWare free, but again...YMMV...so be forewarned when messing with this stuff. But if you want to do more than just play them on your computer, like use it in a PowerPoint presentation, or email it to somebody, you need to convert it to AVI or some other format. The http://vixy.net/ site offers to convert the movie on their site. All you have to do is give it them the URL of the video on YouTube. It takes a little bit...but then offers to download the video for your, as an AVI, to your computer. They offer several formats so be sure to know what you need (there is even one for converting to an iPod format). Another Video Downloading program is "Video Download Helper available at downloaderhelper.net. It will download just about any video from any site. It is free to use their basic version, but if you want to convert to AVIs and not have a watermark placed on the converted video, you will need to pay for a license. Also, be sure to check the video right after downloading as several videos have required multiple attempts.
Convert WMA to AVI
I asked how the opening credits of the Forbidden Kingdom were created. This is the answer I got: "An artist cuts all the individual parts of the pictures apart and maps them to planes. Next, the camera is animated along with the some of the planes too. A few of the objects such as the fist near the beginning used a 3d model instead of a simple plane. Overall, the effect is awesome."
AVI, programs to use to convert uncompressed - http://ask.metafilter.com/50723/Adobe-Premiere-Pro-15-encoding-export-problems
Video Production in Premiere Pro 2.0
https://admin.adobe.acrobat.com/_a295153/p35732746/ for a video tutorial on the Keyboard Shortcuts. Unfortunately, this is for CS3...but it should be largely the same.
http://blogs.adobe.com/genesisproject/Pr%20Essential%20Kybd%20shortcuts.pdf - PDF of keyboard shortcuts, again, CS3
Steps to Begin with Premiere
Capture your Video•Before starting create a folder for Video Projects•Location–Set location to P drive–Browse to your Video folder, make a new folder for Video # that you are working on–Name your video
•Connect FireWire
•File Menu–Capture (F5)•Cue up tape (you can use the computer controls)–If you entered the time at the beginning of your tape, you can try “Scene Detection”•Press the record button.
DVD production in Encore:
Encore will be a bitter sweet experience. You will be bitter to figure out...but sweet when you do. Unfortunately, my ability to help you is limited...you will need to learn to use the program on your own...it is part of the challenge.
Photostory made in Movie Maker must be saved as DV-AVI, which is NOT the default. If you did not export it correctly...please RE-export it to be included in your DVD. Go to Save Movie File, choose My Computer, Next, Show More Options, Other Settings, choose DV-AVI (NTSC). This will put it in the correct 720x480 format.
Encore Library is located in the Public\Video\Video Production\Library for Encore. You will need to map the drive as 'K' if you haven't already.
Create a menu system with: Play, Scene Selection and Extras. Make either your V1 or V2 as your MAIN movie. Put the other movies, the slide show, Bloopers, etc. under a sub menu under extras. You can create your own menu in Photoshop. Just save the image and text as a PSD (don't flatten).
All items for your DVD get imported as assets into the project.
General Error: http://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/145/859839 Read this if you get an error while trying to burn your disk. There may be other answers...but here is at least one thing to try.
Hardware error problem: http://www.adobeforums.com/webx/.3bc0e656 probably just a bad disk. But, the disk might still work. Check it out.
DVD Case Cover:
Create a DVD Cover. 7.125 h x 10.5 w 200 Res. The spine is about 3/8". Include a name and a year on the front. Include contents on the back. Be creative with the design. Remember, the right is the front, left is back.
Do this AFTER you have your DVD burning or any other dead time when you are not actively working with a video.
Video Terminology
Use Google to search for "Video Terminology" (with out the quotes). http://www.filmland.com/glossary/Dictionary.html or www.cs.columbia.edu/~hgs/rtp/glossary.htm or Photography Vocabulary (look for link to Videography Terms) Please do NOT just copy and paste. Please try to familiarize yourself with these words.
animation action lines
aspect ratio
character generation claymation continuity credits director dissolve dolly dub editor fade in/out lux
microphone monitor mosaic noise
pan pedastal
playback rack focus
scene script special effects generator storyboard strobe tilting tracking
transition truck voice over wipe
Video Review - 4th 6 Wks Test
Video Review - 5th 6 Wks Test