Coursework Schedule

A2 Media Studies Schedule 2012-13 Lutterworth College

The Busted Video Evaluation

PRE-PRODUCTION

In the pre production of busted we firstly had to watch the original version of the video and establish if we had all the necessary equipment to recreate every scene. Once we knew it was possible we storyboarded each individual scene and every cut; this included drawing a rough sketch of the frame taking note of the positioning of characters and props, angle of camera and movement of camera. We also had to note down the precise timing of the shot, relevant  audio running parallel with the footage and duration of scene. The main diificulties we faced with this task included making sure we didn't accidentally miss the scenes that were sometimes less than a second long, determining the exact point in the lyrics the scenes were cut and drawing the scenes accurately enough for future reference during filming. We storyboarded the original video up until one minute fourteen.

Once we knew the exact scenes we would be filming we then had to establish the outfits and props we would require e.g. guitars,ties, blazers, projector. We had to decide who would be acting each part and the locations in which we would shoot the video, this also affected the suitable days we could shoot as well, since exterior shots relied on good weather for filming.

PRODUCTION

In the production of the Busted video we firstly had to decide which scenes would be filmed first and then accurately replicate the set-up and framing of shots to be as true to the original as possible. This meant having the correct props, characters, costumes and music for each scene. We relied on our storyboard to get the right characters in each shot and recall the shots length and movement. It was important during filming for us to repeat most shots a few times to guarantee the desired look, and to also shoot more of the shot then we needed, so we had leeway when editing. When using the camera it had to be positioned correctly within the room and the use of zoom and panning was used accordingly. Lighting also had to be considered and altered for each scene, as some were intentionally in a low lit room. Skills we acquired included focusing on detail and trying to maintain continuity and watch out for unwanted things in the frame. We need to improve greatly on time management, as many of the initial shots took far longer than expected and so direction of our team and decision making could have been more

efficient.

POST PRODUCTION

Once we had gathered all our required footage we then had to upload it to the computer and import it into an editing programme called Adobe Premiere Elements. Once we were ready with all our footage we had to choose the order of the shots, we relied on our story board for this, and found it challenging sometimes to identity the relevant section from the clip thumbnails. Also some scenes were actually part of many separate shots and so had to be split and cut accurately. We had to have the correct length for each shot and the lip syncing and dancing had to match up and be chronological to the song. We also didn't use all of the footage and so had to decide upon the best version of each clip and sometimes manipulate individual clips to improve them, such as increasing the zoom, adjusting brightness and sometimes speed of shot. Once this was organised we used some overlapping of shots to fade them together and make the transitions smoother. Then the video was ready to be uploaded to YouTube. The key skills I learnt during this task was how to use the software and perform simple actions, as I had never used it before. This was challenging as even if I knew what I wanted to do it wasn't always clear how. I believe I now have a better understanding of how to put a video together and have far more consideration for the various elements involved..

Charlotte's Pre-liminary work

We have begun by undertaking a continuity filming exercise in which we have been filming someone walking through a door, crossing a room and then sitting down to have a conversation. From this we have had to use various shots including close ups, mid shots, over the shoulder, shot-reverse-shot and longs shots. We will then edit our footage together using adobe premiere elements to achieve a clip that matches the action together in a way that flows smoothly. Before attempting this task we storyboarded our plans for the shots including positioning of camera, zoom, order of shots, location, dialogue and duration of shot.

Further footage we have filmed includes a lip syncing activity in which we filmed each other singing to a Busted song whilst attempting to match the sound and visual. We will also edit this on Adobe premiere. From this activity I learnt the difficulties of achieving a realistic clip of someone singing to the music in a genuine way and the importance of them appearing to match the expected physical appearance of the singer.

Busted - Preliminary - Shannon

Pre-production

This stage involved me watching the official music video through YouTube and making a storyboard that displayed all the film timings, shot duration, lighting information, transition and lyrics. The storyboard was useful, as when I was putting the clips together, I could refer to it and ensure all my timings were correct and it allowed me to create convincing lip syncing. I also created a shot list; this allowed us to be organised when filming our shots (for example filming all of the outside shots together) and prevented losing time caused by moving indoors and outdoors.

Before filming, we also discussed what costume and props we would need to bring in. This helped because then we were organised and didn’t have to delay filming which would give us less time editing afterwards. Pre-production also involved sorting out roles for each person in the video so we would all know what we needed for our role and the ‘band’ could learn their lyrics. Prior to all of this, we practised lip syncing so we understood how important timing is when it comes to editing and putting it all together; I feel this was beneficial because then everyone was given experience in accuracy and timing when it comes to making our actual music video.

I would I say I perhaps I need to work on making a more accurate storyboard when it comes to making my video since some of my timings were slightly out when editing ‘Busted’ but I was lucky to have the original music video to fall back on and refer to however I will not be able to do this when I create my own as it will be highly time consuming. During pre-production, I learnt the skill of lip syncing and know it is important to be accurate to make it easier when editing.

Production

After having allocated a camera man/ director, we reviewed the shot list and decided which shots we were going to shoot first. Since the weather was dry, we decided it would be best to film the outside shots first; this way we would avoid falling behind if bad weather was to occur in the next lesson. The person in charge of sound had to ensure the soundtrack was in the right place and ready to play when instructed by the director as this prevented loss of time with getting the song to the right place.

Whilst filming, with the majority of the shots we filmed them more than once; this way when it came to editing we could pick out the most convincing shot and disregard any where there were mistakes or timing issues. We also had to refer to our storyboards so we knew which lyrics were being sung and how the lighting needed to be set to make it match up to the original; the storyboards also ensured we covered all the shots we needed and didn’t miss any out.

I learnt that often you cannot get the filming right in the first take and that filming the same piece multiple times is good as it allows you to pick out the best one and ensure there are no mistakes that are obvious to watch. Also, the importance of an assertive and organised director became clear during the production stage; the cast need to be arranged and directed to prevent wasted film time.

Post Production

After completing all of the filming, I uploaded the footage into Adobe Premiere Elements and sorted through the film to see which shots were suitable to use and which needed deleting.  The editing process was very time consuming and required a lot of patience. I worked from the start to the end as this seemed most logical rather than jump forwards and backwards through the song and become confused about what parts I’ve completed.  I found it quite difficult to lip sync the images to the song as the video footage needs to be accurately positioned in order for it to look convincing to an audience. Cropping the videos to the correct timings and fitting them in with the song was also hard because nothing could be even half a second out otherwise the whole editing piece would be out of sync.

Adobe Premiere elements allowed me to adjust the lighting out shots if needed and also zoom. Being able to zoom was essential in this case because after uploading all of the film, there was, in fact, one shot missing. Luckily the line was covered in one of the group shots performed outside so I was bale to zoom in on the band members face and catch him singing it; the end result was successful and looked like any other shot in the film. Again post-production involved me checking my storyboard and ticking off the shots as I edited them in and the timings helped me to get my video in time.

I need to consider the time it takes to edit when making my own video as I don’t want to run out of time and have a half-finished piece of work. Also, I found that the shots of the band where they were actually singing, when being filmed, created a much more convincing piece when I edited it and lip synced them with the soundtrack than the shots where they are miming. When creating my video, I want it to look as realistic as possible therefore my artist will actually need to sing and then I can cut the sound out afterwards.

Overview

My media product uses forms of real media products because the video was first storyboarded, then we created shot lists and casted roles, following this we began the filming process and finally we finished with the editing process. We worked within a time frame which uses conventions however we had limited cast members and so some of the crowd scenes do not look full like they should therefore we have challenged the original music video. Personally, I think that my video is very effective and convincing. When compared to the actual ‘Busted’ video, you can see that mine is generally accurate and my timings correct.

Storyboard for Busted

This is the storyboard I drew up when planning the 'Busted' music video. The thing I found most time-consuming was ensuring the timings were precise in order to make it easier for editing; it was especially difficult when the cuts were fast-paced however my storyboard was extremely useful when it came to editing the clips together.