Video and Sound Production - Task 1: Exercises
21/4/2025 - /5/2025 / Week 1 - Week 6
ChenYuhan / 0378131
Video and Sound Production/ Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylors University
Task 1: Exercises
ChenYuhan / 0378131
Video and Sound Production/ Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylors University
Task 1: Exercises
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INSTRUCTIONS
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LECTURES
week 1:
To do list:
1.Finish "mints" and "Doritos" editing exercise and post it in blog under "Exercises".
2.Study Week 1 Asynchronous material and Do the Quiz to prepare for week 2 shooting.
3.Watch Zach King’s videos/ Animation short (Animation stream students).
4.Watch 2022 film Everything Everywhere All at Once.
5.Purchase Tripod.
Fig1.1.1,week 1 Briefing Google Slides,week 1(2025/04/23)
Shot Size
1.Extreme Wide Shot (ELS)
Make your subject feel distant or unfamiliar. Emphasise the location or isolation.
2.Long Shot (LS) / Wide Shot (WS)
Capture the entire body of a person without filling the frame. (Leave space above and below) Showcase the stunning background.
3.Full Shot (FS)
Fill the frame with your subject while maintaining focus on the environment.
4.Medium Long Shot (MLS) / Medium Wide Shot (MWS)
Frame the subject from approximately the knees upward.
5.Cowboy Shot
Frame the subject from around mid-thighs up.
6.Medium Shot (MS)
The most frequently used shot. Frame from about the waist up, emphasizing the subject more prominently.
7.Medium Close Up (MCU)
Frame your subject from roughly the chest up. Maintains a slight detachment even in intimate conversations.
8.Close Up (CU)
Capture a subject's emotions and expressions. Fill the frame with a specific part (often the face) of your subject.
9.Extreme Close Up (ECU)
Maximize the frame with your subject. Typically focuses on eyes, mouths, or critical details like gun triggers.
10.Establishing Shot
An opening shot that clearly defines the setting of the scene.
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| Fig1.1.2,shot size,week 1(2025/04/23) |
Framing
1. Single Shot
Focus on one subject. "Dirty Single" includes another person in the background for an over-the-shoulder perspective.
2. Two Shot or 2-Shot
Frame two characters together. Often used for comedic effect.
3. Three Shot or 3 Shot
Essential in adventure films, allowing three subjects to be captured simultaneously.
4. Over-The-Shoulder Shot (OTS)
Film your subject from behind another character’s shoulder. Frequently used in dialogue scenes.
5. Over-The-Hip-Shot (OTH)
Position the camera with a character’s hip in the foreground.
6. Point of View Shot (POV)
Depict the perspective of a character.
Camera Angles
1. Eye Level Shot
The most natural camera height, presenting subjects in a balanced, neutral view that mimics real-life perception.
2. Low Angle Shot
Filmed from a lower position, looking upward at the subject to convey dominance or authority.
3. High Angle Shot
Captures the subject from above, creating a sense of vulnerability or weakness.
4. Hip Level Shot
Positions the camera around waist height for a grounded yet slightly elevated perspective.
5. Knee Level Shot
Places the camera near the subject’s knees for a low but still structured viewpoint.
6. Ground Level Shot
Positions the camera directly on the ground, aligning with the subject’s base for an immersive angle.
7. Shoulder Level Shot
Frames the subject from shoulder height, often making them appear slightly shorter than in reality.
8. Dutch Angle or Dutch Tilt Shot
Tilts the camera sideways to evoke tension or unease.
9. Bird's Eye View Shot or Overhead Shot
Captures the scene from directly above, emphasizing both the subject and their surroundings.
10. Aerial Shot
Filmed from a high altitude (e.g., helicopter or drone), showcasing vast landscapes or cityscapes.
Composition
1. The Rule of Thirds
A fundamental framing technique that divides the frame into a 3x3 grid, similar to a tic-tac-toe board, to create balanced compositions.
2. Balance and Symmetry
Used to visually convey character traits and highlight power dynamics within a scene.
3. Leading Lines
Lines (real or implied) within the frame that guide the viewer’s attention toward important subjects or elements.
4. Eye-level Framing
Places the camera at the same height as the characters, creating a sense of equality between the audience and the subjects.
5. Depth of Field
Refers to the range of distance within a shot that appears sharp, which can be controlled using the lens aperture.
6. Deep Space Composition
A technique where key elements are placed at varying distances from the camera, creating a sense of depth, regardless of focus.
Quiz
Fig1.1.3,quiz,week 1(2025/04/23)
week 2:
To do list:
1.Exercise: Shooting practice, shoot & editing (add caption:Adobe Premiere Pro CC - Basic Titles for Beginners), post it in your blog under Exercises section.
2.Exercise: Editing Practise 1(Lalin).
3.Lalin final cut: Edit to 35 seconds sharp.
Document process under Project 2 section.
4.Report week2 asynchronous class quiz result.
Fig1.2.1,Week 2 Google Slides for Framing and Storyboard,week 2(2025/05/01)
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| Fig1.2.2,Three-Act Structure,week 2(2025/05/01) |
Act 1: Set-up
Introduces the characters, their story world, and some inciting incident. Usually takes up 20-30 minutes of the film.
Act 2: Confrontation
The main part of the story, usually leading us to the worst thing that could happen to the characters.
Act 3: Resolution
The ending should bring some kind of catharsis or resolution (whether it's a happy or sad ending).
Hook:
This is the opening of the film and the first act. The main goal here is to hook the audience.
Inciting Incident:
It drives the plot forward. Our interest is piqued, and now our protagonists are about to face the belly of the beast.
First Plot Point:
Entering Act 2, this is the point of no return.
First Turning Point:
The first turning point occurs about a quarter of the way through Act 2. This is usually the first obstacle, albeit a small one, and is usually related to the antagonist.
Midpoint:
Halfway through the film, this is a point that changes the plot.
Second Turning Point:
Entering Act 2 or the midpoint. This is crucial to setting up Act 3. The protagonist is really in trouble, and the audience starts to wonder how on earth they are going to get out of it.
Third Plot Point:
Entering the Third Act. Therefore, this plot point leads us to the most important level of the story so far. This moment also reintroduces the main villain of the final act.
Climax:
The climax is the moment that the entire story has been leading up to. It's the big explosion, the final battle, and that passionate kiss.
Ending:
Finally, the story comes to a close. The ending allows us to take a breath and see how this journey has permanently affected our characters.
Quiz
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| Fig1.2.3,quiz 2,week 2(2025/05/01) |
Lalin:
1. Which part is act 1, act 2, act 3 respectively? Describe each act with ONE paragraph only.
Act 1: Lalin is a girl who came to Japan alone and wears a mask every day. Because of the distance between Japanese people, she can complete tasks with a mask without showing her ugly face.
Act 2:
She shared her beauty photos on social platforms and gained people's love, and met a kind boy. But when they met offline, she refused to show up because she was afraid that her true self would be discovered.
Act 3:
After a mental struggle, she bravely took off her mask and embraced her imperfect self.
2. What is the inciting incident in the movie?
She fell in love with this kind boy, but she was afraid that her true self would be discovered by him, so that he would stay away from her. This brought the story to a turning point.
3. What is the midpoint scene in the movie?
Lalin and the boy met on the Internet, and chatted and shared their daily lives.
4. What is the Climax scene in the movie?
Lalin chose to bravely take off her mask. Facing her imperfect self and life, she chose to bravely change herself.
5.What is the theme of the movie?
Never feel inferior and frustrated about your appearance, and always have the courage to change yourself and the power to pursue love.
1. Which part is act 1, act 2, act 3 respectively? Describe each act with ONE paragraph only.
Act 1:
Evelyn struggles with her daily life until Alpha Waymond tells her she must save the multiverse.
Act 2:
She jumps through many universes, gains powers, and faces her daughter’s dark version, Jobu.
Act 3:
Evelyn chooses love and understanding, reconnects with her daughter, and saves the multiverse
2. What is the inciting incident in the movie?
Alpha Waymond appears in the elevator and tells Evelyn about the danger in the multiverse.
3. What is the midpoint scene in the movie?
Evelyn fully unlocks her powers but realizes she still can't stop Jobu or understand her.
4. What is the Climax scene in the movie?
At the "everything bagel," Evelyn reaches out to Joy with love, not control, and brings her back.
5.What is the theme of the movie?
Even in a meaningless world, love and human connection make life worth living.week 3:
What is a storyboard?
A storyboard is a visual representation of a film sequence and breaks down the action into individual panels. It is a series of ordered drawings, with camera direction, dialogue, or other pertinent details. It sketches out how a video will unfold, shot by shot.
It's is similar to a trial-run for your finished film, video, or commercial, laid out in a comic book-like form.
-Drawings, sketches, reference images or photographs to represent each frame.
-A description of the shot — any relevant information on the action, dialogue, or composition.
-Shot specs — shot size, lens length, two-shot, etc.
-Arrows to indicate camera and/or character movement or how each shot connects to the next.
How to create a film storyboard in 6 easy steps?
1. Identify key scenes in the script
2. Map out the key scenes
3. Add images or sketches
4. Describe what happens in each frame
5. Share it with your team
6. Finally, reference it on the day
-Composition and Framing: Decide how characters and objects will be framed within each shot. Use the rule of thirds and other compositional techniques to create visually appealing and balanced frames.
-Transitions: Plan how each shot transitions to the next. Smooth transitions create a cohesive flow, while abrupt changes can be used for dramatic effect.
-Character Blocking: Determine character positions and movements within each shot. Show how they interact with each other and the environment.
-Emotion and Expression: Define a character's facial expressions and body language to capture their emotions and reactions.
-Annotations: Use additional notes or captions for things that can't be easily conveyed in the visuals.
-Dynamic Action: For action scenes, break down fast-paced movements into a sequence of panels to ensure clarity.
6. Finally, reference it on the day
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| Fig1.3.1,quiz 3,week 3(2025/05/05) |
week 4:
What are the stages of film production?
1.Development
-The Package
A big part of a producer’s job during development is putting together a package. This is a collection of the creative elements that will be part of a project. This may include a screenplay, a piece of intellectual property, a director, or some actors.
-Financing
How a film is financed can take many forms, and the routes for studio financing are very different from those for independent films.
2.Pre-production
-Budgeting
With the aid of a line producer (who goes through a budget "line by line"), the producer will look at where money will go during and after the shoot. This means creating a detailed shooting schedule which will foresee location, cast, film crew, and equipment costs (among other things).
-Getting the Team Together
For the crew, a producer, usually with input from the director, will hire heads of departments — professionals like the cinematographer, production designer, costume designer, etc.
-Pre-visualizing
This might mean making a storyboard or writing out a shot list. It also means consulting with the production designer to decide what sets will look like, and meeting with the costume designer to think about what the costumes will look like.
3.Production
-The Call Sheet
All these answers and more can be found in the call sheet, a document sent out by an assistant director each day before a shoot. It tells each member of each department what their call time is and what they should be planning to do for the day.
-The Set Up
-Shooting
4.Post-production
-Picture Editing
The first is the assembly, essentially where the editor and director review the footage, select takes, and put them in order with little regard for pacing. The second is a rough cut, where rhythm becomes more of a priority. Finally, there's the fine cut, where decisions are more intricate and the cut is approaching picture lock.
-Sound Editing
First, there's sound editing. This is essentially putting all the sound effects, dialogue, voice overs, and more in place. Take a listen to some of your favorite movie scenes and try and discern just how many things are happening on the audio tracks — chances are it's far more complex than you'd initially realized.
Then, there's sound mixing, which refers to getting all of the levels correct for exhibition (and various exhibition settings). This is a scientific process, and requires years of training and practice.
-Additional Visuals
These days, what’s captured on set is often by no means the final image. There's a lot of additional treatment that goes into many shots, including various types of VFX like compositing.
5.Distribution
-Marketing
-Securing Distribution
The Roles of The Production Team
1.Producer
This person is essentially the group leader and is responsible for managing the production from start to finish. The producer develops the project from the initial idea, makes sure the script is finalized, arranges the financing and manages the production team that makes the film.
The producer also coordinates the filmmaking process to ensure that everyone involved in the project is working on schedule and on budget. Without the producer at the helm, films do not get made.
2.Director
The director is primarily responsible for overseeing the shooting and assembly of a film. While the director might be compared to a novel's author as a film's primary visionary, he or she would not be able to make the film without the help of numerous other artists and technicians.
In fact, the notion of the director as an author is misleading because it assumes the director, like an author, does everything. A director works at the center of film production, but is inextricably linked with dozens of other people who get the job done together.
3.Screenwriter
While the dialogue in a film may seem natural to the viewer, a writer carefully crafts it; however, the screenwriter does far more than provide dialogue for the actors. He or she also shapes the sequence of events in a film to ensure that one scene transitions to the next so that the story will unfold logically and in an interesting way.
Like the producer, the screenwriter's role is generally overlooked by the movie-going public, yet is essential to the completion of any film. If there is no script, there is no movie.
4.Production Designer
Before one inch of film is shot, the production designer is the first artist to translate the script into visual form. He or she creates a series of storyboards that serve as the film's first draft.
A storyboard is a series of sketches on panels that shows the visual progression of the story from one scene to the next. Creating this sketch of the film on storyboards also ensures the visual continuity of the film from start to finish. Storyboards serve as the director's visual guide throughout the production and will be a template to follow during the editing process.
5.Art Director
The art director is responsible for the film's settings: the buildings, landscapes and interiors that provide the physical context for the characters. This person is responsible for acquiring props, decorating sets and making the setting believable.
6.Costume Designer
Costumes convey a great deal about the film's time period and the characters who wear them, including their economic status, occupation and attitude toward themselves. Be sure to think about how costuming can show something about the character visually.
7.Cinematographer
The director of photography, or DP, is responsible for capturing the script on film or video. The DP must pay attention to lighting and the camera's technical capabilities.
When the director wants a shot to achieve certain visual or atmospheric qualities, the DP achieves it through his or her choice of lighting, film stock and careful manipulation of the camera. This craft is referred to as cinematography.
8.Editor
Shortly after shooting begins, the editor begins to organize the footage and arranges individual shots into one continuous sequence. Even in a single scene, dozens of different shots have to be chosen and assembled from hundreds of feet of film. The editor's choices about which shots to use, and the order in which to place them, have a profound effect on the appearance of the final film.
9.Actors
Responsible for portraying the characters in a film, actors work closely with the director and cinematographer. Considering an actor's role within this larger context also suggests that his or her job is much more difficult than just appearing on the set and reciting lines.
10.Music Supervisor
Music has been an integral part of movies since cinema's earliest days in the 1890s. A piano or organ player accompanied even the simplest silent films. The silent movie palaces of the 1920s were equipped with elaborate organs and orchestra pits to accommodate large groups of live musicians. Today selecting just the right music for the film will intensify the story for the audience.
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| Fig1.4.1,quiz 4,week 4(2025/05/13) |
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| Fig1.4.2,quiz 5,week 4(20205/05/13) |
week 5:
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| Fig1.5.1,What is mise-en-scène,week 5(2025/05/22) |
1.What is mise-en-scène?
In French, mise-en-scène literally means “placing on stage,” or the process of how theater directors would decide what should go on the stage and how those elements should be arranged. This same concept was easily borrowed by film directors — everything you see on-screen is part of the “mise-en-scéne.”
This includes elements that fall under the umbrella term of production design (props, wardrobe, set design, movie props, etc.) as well as cinematography (cinematic lighting, frame rate, depth of field, camera framing, composition). In addition, the blocking and staging of the camera and actors, their performance, and even what we hear on the soundtrack (film music, sound design) counts as mise-en-scéne.
2.Tim Burton's Eccentric Set Design and Art Direction Explained.
Tim Burton is a visionary director in every sense of the word.
Every director has their influences but few filmmakers pay homage to them quite like Tim Burton, The most recognizable influence is German Expressionism, which manifests in angles lines and exaggerated architecture — think of the graveyard in Frankenweenie. We can see Burton’s love of monster movies and the animation style of Ray Harryhausen. There’s also the throwback ‘60s science-fiction aesthetic all over Mars Attacks! And we can’t forget the cookie-cutter wholesomeness of his suburbs, directly referencing his own childhood in the domestic utopia of Burbank, California.
From a production design, set design, and art direction perspective, the mise en scene in Tim Burton movies is second to none. The whimsical and the macabre, the extra plain and the exaggerated, the ghoulish and the fantastic — Tim Burton is a true world-builder.
3.How to use color in film?
When telling a story, colors:
-Elicit psychological reactions
-Draw focus to significant details
-Set the tone of the movie
-Represent character traits
-Show changes or arcs in the story
A well-designed movie color palette evokes mood and sets the tone for the film. When choosing a particular color, remember that there are three main components — hue, saturation, and brightness.
-Hue – the color itself
-Saturation – intensity of the color
-Brightness – The darkness or lightness of a color
As Bond mentions in his film color theory video, many viewers will have predictably similar reactions to certain colors. A strong red color has been shown to raise blood pressure, while a blue color elicits a calming effect.
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| Fig1.5.2,color schemes,week 5(2025/05/22) |
4.How location affects your scene?
Tracking and managing set requirements early in your production process is integral to controlling your film’s mise en scène.
5.Costume & Make-up
Look at any film and you’ll see proof that costumes are one of the most important elements of mise en scene. Costume gives the audience unmissable information about each character.
Costumes tell us a lot about both the big picture and the particulars.
6.Lighting
Lighting, like all the elements of mise en scène explored on this list, is best considered early in Pre-Production, during the script breakdown phase.
We find a striking example of lighting the Film Noir genre. The Film Noir style characteristically has strong contrast in color or shade with a prevalence of chiaroscuro lighting. This isn’t only because a lot of classic Film Noir movies are shot in black and white: it's also achieved through lighting.
The contrast of stark blacks to ethereal whites, the moody lighting, the highlights seen and unseen all combine. They inform us of the theme of this period piece and the characters' places in the world.
But a film does not have to use drastic lighting to set mood, tone, or theme.
7.Camera Placament
Whether at a high angle above the subject or a hundred feet away, where the camera is and what it captures should be determined before you arrive on set.
Make a shot list. Start tagging your elements. Stay organized. Be prepared.
8.Composition
Composition is an element of mise en scène that has infinite possibilities. There are rules of composition many image-makers use when framing their subjects. These can be obeyed or broken depending on your intent for the shot but how you frame your shot is massively important in bring all of these mise en scene elements together.
Ultimately, characters and action should suggest the layout of the image, the placement of elements within it. Good composition guides a viewer’s eye and leads a viewer’s focus within the frame.
The Rule of Thirds is one way filmmakers can imbue their frame and scene with the focus they desire.
9.Blocking actors
Where an actor is arranged, and if, when, and how an actor moves in the scene, all highlight the reason for the scene itself.
Blocking organizes the action, the business of the moment. It flavors what’s going on, both on the surface and underneath.
Does an actor take a step, scratch an itch, put on a hat, do a jumping jack, bite into a sandwich? Does an actor do this before, after, or in the middle of speaking? Why? It can all have a major effect on the dynamics of the scene.
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| Fig1.5.3,quiz 6,week 5(2025/05/22) |
TASK 1:EXERCISE
Exercise 1: Editing
week 1:
Fig4.1,exercise editing 1,week 1(2025/04/23)
Fig4.2,exercise editing 2,week 1(2025/04/23)
Exercise 2: Shooting
week 2:
Fig4.3,exercise editing 3,week 2(2025/05/01)
Fig4.4,exercise editing 4,week 2(2025/05/01)
week 3:
Fig4.5,exercise editing 5,week 3(2025/05/05)
Fig4.6,exercise editing 6,week 3(2025/05/05)
week 4&5:
Fig4.7,exiercise editing 7,week4&5(2025/05/13-2025/05/25)
FEEDBACK
week 1:
I learned the basics of audio and video production and we learned some interesting parts about sound, which I was very curious about.
week 2:
We studied storyboards and filmed ourselves as models, which helped us better understand this knowledge.
week 3:
We improved and re-produced the previous video, which helped us get a preliminary understanding of PR.
REFLECTION
Experiences:
When I first came into contact with the course of sound effects and voice, I was very curious. The professor was very kind and humorous. He encouraged us to actively answer questions and make bold assumptions and think.
Observations:
pr is a relatively difficult software to use, so in addition to class, I found that I had to spend a lot of time searching for more teaching videos, which was a big challenge to my independent learning ability.
Findings:
I found that editing is an art of story splicing. You can combine multiple shots into completely different stories according to the order and color settings. It's amazing, isn't it?
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