My Life video and questionnaire

Project Connect – Self Development

My Life

Below are a few questions on Self Development for Project Connect. If you could spare 5 minutes of your time to complete this questionnaire it would be very grateful to us if questions were answered honestly so we can take on board your opinions and feelings to make a better product. Please answer in the comments below.

1.    Do you watch any stop motion?

2.    Are you Male or Female?

3.    How old will you be on 1^st April 2013 (In Years)?     

4.    What is your ethnicity?

5.    What city/country do you live in?

6.    Do you like stop motion films?

7.    Have you seen any stop motion films?

8.    What was it about these stop motion films that you liked/disliked?

9.    What would you like to see more of in a stop motion film?

10. Did you like the Self Development film My Life?

11.  What did you like/dislike about My Life?

12.  Do you find My Life Inspirational?

13.  Why?

14.   Do you think whiteboard animation looks effective?

15.  Would you show My Life to your friends/family?

16.  Why?

17.  What improvements could be made to My Life if you think there is any to be made?

18. Overall, please can you summarise your own thoughts and opinions with stop motion and My Life?

Post-production

To begin with I uploaded my photos to the computer and opened them in iPhoto so I could make a contact sheet with it for 20 photos a page. I opened them in Microsoft Word and crossed out images that I was not going to use in my final video.

It took me around 2 hours to edit the video I found it reasonable easy enough to do I opened up my video in Final Cut and slot in the photos. I then got rid of any photos that were not needed and rearranged the order so that it flowed in the way that I wanted to do.

I used all sound effects from Final Cut it was quite hard trying to get the right music and to slot in the right places but I think that it went really well and that it works well. I put in some background music for the overall theme, which is quite moving and enjoying and invites the audience in. I also put in some sound effects of movements of the stop motion to give it more effect. 

Production

This is one of the photos within the stop motion video

12,14,18th March 

I started taking my photos on my IPad as this was original idea I found it quite difficult to do as it made the video look to fake and not flow as well I thought I would change it back to whiteboard because I think this way it appeals more to the audience.

It took over a few days to take my photo, as I wanted the lighting to be consistent. Some of my photos are not in the right order but I enabled this when it came to editing as I rearranged them round so it flowed well.

All together it took me around 4 hours to do my photos this includes colouring in some letters and drawing them and taking the photos. It was quite time consuming but I took around 220 photos with about 50 photos that I didn’t use because they includes some of the background or some kind of mistakes.

I didn’t find it too hard to do but it would have been a lot easier if I had a cameraman or a drawer because getting in the right place to take the photo and draw it is quite consuming but I felt that I succeeded well enough in the end.

I had to add some photos when I were drawings as I didn’t have enough footage from the photos to make a video between 15 and 30 seconds but I used some information from my previous ideas and then developed on this which I thought made it look a lot better. 

Storyboard/dope sheet

Before and after my pitch to the client I had begun with creating my storyboards. After my pitch I based it on the same idea but just adjusted my storyboards so that it'd make more sense and flow better. As I realised from the beginning my idea didn't make complete sense and could confuse a viewer, which is not what you want when you are trying to make it appeal to them. Each shot I described the beginning of the movement like for example at the beginning with a small circle then I showed the end shot of where I wanted to get to in the next frames.

I did 9 shots and each shot shows two photos from beginning to end. I put in which shot types, duration, and sound.  I also wrote about what will happen from what shot to another. I got my worked signed off on 14^th March so that I could get on with taking my photos. 

Presentation and pitch

After looking at the pro and cons sheet I could see that both of the ideas were very similar so either idea could be as successful as each other.

I decided to go in the end with My Life idea because I thought drawing would go quite successful and be able to adapt a situation to a real life situation so that the target audience would be able to relate to this product.

I then created a presentation on PowerPoint with several different slides that would sell my idea to the client. I spoke about the initial idea and what I was going to do, the soundtrack, the theme, the pros and cons this is to tell the client that they are good aspects but something may be bad and get in the way. Also I wrote about my target audience for the product, the props I would need it make it this may be for the set or because I'm doing hand drawn animation I need to make sure I have the materials: pen, paper, rubber. I worked out how long the duration will be with the amount of seconds and the frame rate to work out the number of shots I will take.

I think my presentation did not go as well as I would have hoped. I got a bit confused in areas and my idea didn’t come across as I hoped. I felt that I could make it better, which my client agreed on.

The client questioned me on some things such as what the transition in time will be so I didn’t make it clear enough it will be a dream. From this I made sure my client understood what it meant about the bubble coming from the girl’s head to show it is in her thoughts something she wants to come. It would be quite hard to show an envelope opening and this could be quite time consuming and bore the viewer. He questioned the changes of age of the character I know that it is the same character at the same age but just her seeing herself in this life.

The client asked us to make sure the idea is something that people watch it so I had to think about different ideas to why a person will watch it. I had to make sure the audience will get the message of SELF DEVELOPMENT as to begin with I didn’t think this was very much noticeable. 

Pros and cons

From this I created pros and cons that help me understand all together what were the good and bad points and which would be more successful and produce a better stop motion.

My Life

Pros	Cons
Simple and easy enough to make	May not show the audience the meaning of the video it should
I have the props I need
Relates to a real life situation
Engage the audience

Pencils

Pros	Cons
Comedy element	Could be hard working with the props
Would remember the story because of the characters	Might get bored
Have all the props ready
Easy to understand

Two Ideas (Expanded)

First Idea

Start to second idea

I carried out several ideas and expanded on these two theme: the two ideas I expanded on were the pencil idea in the theme of respect and my life idea which was for self- development.

On these mindmaps I found out more information and did a thorough mind map of things that were important to these particular ideas. For example I wrote the synopsis of the idea, the props that were needed, characters, sound effects, genre and target audience.

My first idea I came up with was the pencil idea. The idea of this was that they were two pencils: one of them was bigger than the other. The smaller one gave the bigger one advice and didn’t listen and it tells that you should listen and respect your elders or other people. This genre of the stop motion would be a comedy because it uses two everyday objects and manipulates them into a conversation I thought this idea was good to use because it would make the audience remember. The target audience for this particular stop motion was aimed at teenagers because it is telling an important message about respecting people such as elders, teachers, family etc.  I also talked about the sound effects such as sketching sounds to add impact. The characters I drew out and made them known which were which and wrote a bit of a description about them.

The second idea was called my life. The story of this particular idea was a clock that each number represented each stage of life. At each number you achieve a different goal even when it is hard. The target audience was aimed at the same age group at young adults and teenagers because it is telling people to reach for their full potential. I also listed the props that I was going to use such as whiteboard, pen, cloth and maybe a clock. The main character in this was a drawn character as this was whiteboard animation and it will be a girl that will go through this development of life. 

Research/Mindmap

28^th February

Yesterday, I carried out some research into the themes: Consistency, Self-Development, Purpose, Responsibility and Respect.

 I found out more about these different themes and then tried developing several ideas for them then so that it would encourage and inspire others to promote a positive ethos. I also thought about the ideas to suit the target audience: staff and students as this is a main element of the brief. 

In the several different ideas that I came up with I had to think about the type of animation I would use these are a few of the ones I had in mind in using in some of the ideas: Wooden Man, Human, Objects: stationary and also clay. Some uses of the animation I thought were easier to make an idea up with more than others especially to compliment these themes.

Now, I think I want to develop some of these ideas further and I might also try add some more information to some of the mind map so I have as many possibilities as I can think of. 

Action plan

25th February 2013

This is my action plan to what I am doing, when I will be doing and the deadline for completion.

Mindmap

I have made a mind map about everything that needs to be done to make a product. 

Meeting the client

Today, 25th February 2013. We had a meeting with the client, who gave us information on the brief that has been set: Promoting Positivity using Animation. 

Our aim of the brief is to create a stop motion animation for Project Connect that is between 15 to 30 seconds long that will encourage and inspire other to promote a positive ethos. 

This brief was a formal brief because it is written in formal english language. It has strict guidelines and deadlines. 

Within this meeting we spoke about Project Connect and that it is aimed to inspire youth to do things. At the moment we have posters on different floors within college that have a photo of a staff member with a quote from Thomas Edison. We thought these posters were not suitable for the youth as who Project Connect were aimed for as they are over 25. 

Project Connect wants to give the youth motivation/inspiration to do something with their lives. We have been set this project as an animation as it is easy to experiment by using objects such as lego and letters. 

The aim is to reinforce messages through these different themes:

THEMES

Consistency

Every small step makes a difference

Respect

I must respect the opinions of others, even if I disagree with it

Responsibility

Accept responsibility for your life. Know that is it you who will get you to where you want to go, no one else

Self Development

The whole of life is but a moment in time. It is our duty, therefore, to use it, not misuse it

Purpose

If we all did the things we were capable of, we would astound ourselves

We have to develop these themes into mind maps and find out where we could make a stop motion animation. We have to make sure we include multiple layers of sound, make sure it fits the target audience - for staff and students and it may also be shown on outlets - website, estream and projection within college.

Live Show Horror News

Thursday 25th October, we got together into our groups and we had one hour to set up our set to see what lighting were appropriate for our 'Horror News' for our group we had a green filter and red filter light upon the presenters face. In the hour I played the part of doing the auto cue I copied the script on to the auto cue and checked for spelling mistakes and made sure it made sense. I put down which camera the presenter needed to be looked at and when and it was going to cued in for the VT items and when it were. I then put my text into a appropriate font and size so the presenter could read the auto cue perfectly and felt comfortable. As playing the part of the auto cue I had to run the auto cue at a speed which were comfortable for the presenter but at some times I messed up and made it jump a few times because it was hard to catch up the presenter when he would change when he were speaking slowly then to a faster speed. We did quite a few takes of our video and it were nice to play a different crew part and may want to take part on it again in future.

To begin with I started helping out with a crew member in Group 2, I got choose to be part of PA which I were so confident with doing at first but I am glad I did take it on board and do the role because I really enjoyed it and would like to take part in that role. In the role I worked with the director to work out when each VT item were being cued and then talk over a headset to say a countdown from how long was left so the floor manage could cue in the presenter to be back on live show. From this I learned to gain more coomunicating skills, time management skills and organisation.

Overall, I really enjoyed the whole task of today's live 'Horror News' show and would like to pursue one of these roles again in a future project to see how I feel about it and to see if I grow more confidence and would like to carry it on. I would also like to play a few other parts to see how I like them and I am really looking forward to doing it again in the future.

Evaluation

In relation to my storyboards my final VT item is really similar but a few extra shots were added in place to make it have more of an interesting story and give more impact on the characters face so it makes the audience intimidated by the character this adds effect to Halloween theme. I decided to change the fuzzy screen to a different effect with the lighting mixer to change the colour from a moonlight to a orange light then pan the camera from one side to the other end of their body. 

I was happy with my camera work I feel they were quite a few different types of shots that I used to give impact on different kinds of feelings of the character and their emotions it was quite powerful as a closer up shot we could see he was scared. I feel that my camera movements within the VT item are quite good and give a great feeling within the video. I have seen since editing that my VT breaks the 180 degree as it passes the line of where it should be. 

I think my editing within my shots were good and very basically tightened together. I decided not to have any transitions in the video because I thought the plot of the story wouldn't fit with many transitions as they would be inappropriate. It took me a few hours too edit my video as I kept tightening my video and put in different sound effects and music to fit the theme of the video. I started with a horror theme music with the spookiness and thought to add the happiness effect on the video I would put a happier and more up beat song. I also had a jump cut within my video  and if I could change it I would like to grow on my editing and make it perfect.

I am happy that I used the studio to film my VT item because the lightening I used was very effective and fit with the theme of the video. Especially with moonlight and orange which is a complementary colour of Halloween. In the studio I set up many different lights with blue filters for the moonlight and orange for the happiness and warm feeling. If I could do another I would like to maybe film elsewhere to give more of a feeling of proper house.

To improve my video next time I would like to develop my skills in editing and make sure I can make it as good as possible as I can and use the appropriate transitions and audio when it is needed. I would also like to make sure I don't break any media rules and stick to them as much as possible and do it to the best of my ability. 

Overall, I am please with my VT item and achieved a good product that fits with the theme of Halloween and gives the audience a bit of spook but funniness as well. I feel I bought appropriate props for my video  with the costumes and fits the Halloween costumes quite well and used suitable music and feels happy with it. 

Post-production

Monday 22nd October, I captured my footage onto the Final Cut Pro after we shown how to use the new Final Cut programme so we knew the basics on how to edit with the new software. I began by cutting down my clips and slotting them into the order I would like them to be shown in and then I used to blade tool to cut   pieces where I felt the footage were not appropriate.

Due to learning about the software on the previous lesson we did not have time to edit all our VT item so I finished off from where I left from the previous lesson. I really tried tightening some clips and try get it picture perfect without any continuity errors which I can now see they may be a few errors in my editing and filming. Such as when Chad is in a different position in one shot to the other. I decided not to put any transitions into my VT item accept from the end to finish it off because I thought it felt more unrealistic so I decided to stay with just the basic footage tightened up. I then slotted in some sound effects that I thought would go with the basic theme of the story and have a overall background noise of the whole entire VT item up in till Chad the character turns into a pumpkin.

I finished my VT item about an hour or so before the deadline so I was in plenty of time to re edit and make it better if I wanted too. I feel happy with my final outcome of my VT item I felt that it gave the message what I was expecting came across correctly because I wanted a scary storyline but to have a humorous outcome in the end and I feel that I have met that target. If I knew more about the program I would of liked to have got them picture perfect and no continuity errors and if I had time to of gone and re shot the sequences again. I added a few extra shots in when I was filming because I felt they were quite relevant when I was there. Overall, I would say I am please with my final VT item and that it final outcome came out how I intended. I thought that the lighting in my project worked really well and I am really pleased with that aspect and thought the filters worked well.

Production

Thursday 18th October, I got my pre-production paperwork signed off so I could get ready and go film.  I brought in my props and costumes that were needed for my video such as face paint, fake blood, vampire cloak, pumpkin head and inflatable pumpkin. I decided in pre-production to film in the studio but to start with one of my group members for Horror News were filming in their so I helped out filming with their project to begin with. It took a few hours to film my VT item because I had to decide what lighting I was using and set them all up in place and choose what filters I were using and when they were going to applicable.

As my idea developed in filming I decided to put filters over the outside lights of the studio to make it look more of a moonlight in a apartment of the corridor. I also used a blue filter in the studio as my only light so it looked as if the moonlight were shining through a window in a haunted apartment to add to the spook and idea of halloween. In my last shots my character playing Chad who gets attacked turns into a pumpkin in the end and it was to dancy funny music so I put a orange filter on one of the lights so it looked more happily and jolly. The orange also symbolises halloween. I used a light fader from when being bit and laid on the floor to fade from the moonlight to orange.

I started filming the studio inside scene to begin with the door they were quite a few takes and practicing as I wanted to get it perfect. I took quite a few different angles and camera positions of the the opening the door and seeing the expression on my characters face. Also my character kept smiling and laughing within filming which took a few more takes. Then moved onto when Dracula attacks the person it took a few takes to do right as to make it look quite believable and not to have Dracula in the picture. I then moved onto film outside the studio that is being the apartment from before he goes into the house.

I feel filming went really well and I was really pleased with what footage I have caught and was excited to edit and put all the footage together and to see the final outcome.

Pre-production

The storyboard sheets for this project

On 14th October, I started doing paperwork for my final idea of each shot of the VT item it took me about half an hour to hour today whilst I decided each shot was going to be. Also, for adding in the shot, angle, size and transitions for when I will be filming and editing it would make it easier. I then used my storyboard as a guidance for my shot list and also added the storyboard number, the dialogue and audio for the shot in the actual VT item. I created a breakdown sheet only one as I were in one location and then wrote the cast that I needed and the crew members, costumes and everything I needed for production.

I then make a floor plan of my chosen location for filming my video whilst I did that I did a camera plan and risk assessments to see if the place is safe. I then put the camera plan into a shooting order and put in storyboard number and camera the locations.

Pitch

Thursday 11th October, we got into our groups and discussed the ideas we finally developed on and made a treatment for our VT item. One of our group members were not here the lesson before so we all got him up to date and shared our ideas for inspiration. We then choose who we thought to be our main presenter of 'Horror News' who give off a great impression of a scary and spooky feeling you expect to here.

As a group we got up and individually presented our own VT item, I feel it went okay but could of gone better and could of been a bit more confident in myself. I think people understood my idea and thought it was quite funny but next time I feel I might have to speak a little slower and not rushing.

I now need to decide on who my cast are going to be and get on with my pre-production work over the weekend.

Treatment

TREATMENT(Horror News)

Name:- Attacked by Dracula

Synopsis:-

From the news storyline we see CCTV footage of a person who is walking along then chased and bitten by Dracula they then drop to the floor in the background will be very tensing music while the camera goes all fuzzy and the person is then turned into a pumpkin and starts dancing.

Duration: - 30 seconds

                                                                

Requirements (Props):-

Fake Blood

Dracula Costume- Fake Teeth, Cloak

Pumpkin Costume

Requirements: (Cast):-

Dracula

Person/Pumpkin

Idea

On the 9th October, we had 40 minutes to think of various ideas to make a VT item that we were individually scripting, storyboarding, filming and editing a 30 second to 2 minute Halloween clip for Horror News.

We did a mind map of all the characters, objects and things to do on Halloween this were to help us on our ideas and be able to expand on these and create a short story. 

I didn't come up with many ideas at the beginning but I had a rough idea of a flash mob of people dressed in Halloween costumes such as Witches, Vampires etc dancing to thriller.

For another idea I got some inspiration from basing it round the idea of York Maze and with characters like clowns with chainsaws but I didn't feel I could develop this idea. 

Another idea were about a drunk witch that I thought would be funny but it could be rather complicated to make the story to how I pictured it.

We then got into our groups and discussed our ideas with each other but I didn't have a good enough idea that I felt I wanted to work further with. so I went home and came up with the idea of a person that were bit by dracula then turned into some other Halloween character or object I thought I would be able to make this easy and that it would have a comedy element to it.

My VT item will fit into one of these stories and my other group members will slot into the others.

1)    Studio- Hello and welcome to a very special Halloween edition of Horror News. My name is……

2)   Studio -Our first story of the night is……

3)   Studio - Response to first story and intro second

4)   Studio - Response to second story and intro third

5)   Studio - Response to third story and intro to fourth

6)   Studio - Response to fourth story and intro to fifth

7)   Studio -….and now for the Sports news with our correspondent (insert their name)

8)   Weather – (Group VT or live in the studio )…and finally let’s take a look at the weather with (insert their name)

9)   Studio - Well that’s it for tonight – thanks for watching……..

Post-production

I began capturing my footage today and changed the setup to the appropriate setting of HD as this is what I filmed in. I renamed all my different clips to what I want to use and not to use in my final product. I knew what I wanted to edit and where so I fitted all of the clips in the right place and just adjusted to them  so it fit. I am hundred percent happy with this product because this isn't so funny as the first but we did stick to our storyboards.

Production

Today, we started filming about 9:45am we started off filming shot 1 which were an over head shot over of the adoption form as we started outside because we thought it was going to rain and wouldn't know how long it would last so we wanted to get it over and done with. It then started to rain so we had to go inside for about 5 minutes which slowed down filming time as we didn't have any filming to do. We then went back outside and started filming shots 2 to 6 we got through them quite quickly and got it in about 20 minutes. It went pretty smoothly and we soon finished filming this wasn't a very long process but a bit more difficult because of the rain.

New Idea/Pre-production

Last Tuesday, we watched all our videos as a group and got feedback which were we needed to stick our storyboard more than thinking up a new idea of the day of film, then ben to better dressed and it to be a lot more funnier and believable. We then decided to get back into our groups and re-develop our idea we decided to create an idea of a man going to a door and asking if he would like to adopt a tiger then the owner of the house says he already has one and shouts over his tiger that comes out then the tiger runs after the adoption man down the street.

In pre-production we created a new treatment as it is a new idea and included the target audience to who are aiming it for, synopsis to our new idea, how long it'll take. Then we re did a storyboard of our new idea  which took up 6 shots we were happy with our idea and then got our paperwork signed off.

Evaluation Screencaps

 screen cap 1

 screen cap 2

 screen cap 3

screen cap 4

Evaluation

‘Funny in 15’ Evaluation

The footage that I edited for my ‘Funny in 15’ video were the one when the person knocks at a door with a catalogue then is chased down the street by the man in the house is reading the book at the end. I thought this was a good idea because it seemed quite a funny idea as it isn’t what you’d expect to happen when the character that Elias goes to knock at the door. Overall, I believe the recording went very well and I am pleased with the outcome but in some places they were continuity errors with the hat standing up then the hat that was bent over.

Original Idea

From the idea in the first place with pre-production our final product is extremely different as we changed the majority of the idea when filming as we didn’t seem it work or be as funny as expected. We stayed with the same locations as it would work and a man opening the door to someone coming but we added in him being crazy and jumping on the guy then running after him down the street then reading his book.

I believe the changes that were made from the original idea then created to the final were very successful and I am happy with the outcome of the video because I think it reflects a funnier side than in the first place. I am pretty sure it will make the target audience laugh as we aimed to do.

Camerawork

The camerawork in my video I feel was reasonably good throughout the video but in some places it lacked and didn’t look so good as others. We used many different shots and angles within the video, which reinforced the characters position in what they were playing at the time. For example in screen cap 1 it shows that Ben is more intimidating from opening the door and he is the main character and who you are more focused on.

The shots when Elias is going to knock on the door runs smoothly as he is still walking up to door on screen cap 2 then on screen cap 3 we see him knocking on the door I find this a good effect as we don’t see any continuity errors of him knocking then knocking again. I think the two separate camera work of seeing the character walk up the door is effective as we see two different perspectives which puts us in the position of being both characters in the story.

On screen cap 4 we see the footage of the door before Elias walks up it doesn’t seem very straight which isn’t so good because it doesn’t make it as effective or professional as its potential. The quality of the footage throughout isn’t very clear so this lacks in profession but I will make sure this is clear and too a better standard for my next project.

Editing/Audio

When I went to capture all my footage on too the computer it wouldn’t let me which I then realised we haven’t recorded in HD so I had to change the settings in Final Cut to DV because that were the setting we had recorded it. This was a bit of a let down as it put down the quality of the video which didn’t make it look so good and too the better standard it could be.

I feel editing went quite well and smoothly as I were on board with everything I wanted to do and knew exactly where I wanted each shot to be and how long they were needed to be. Some shots needed to be edited slightly tighter than anticipated because of the voices that were in the background from camera crew but in the end I feel the editing cuts that were made were made for a good reason and made it better.

The audio that we used within our video was the audio from the HD 1000 video camera that we were recording on and all the sound effects were already put in place at the scene. I thought keeping this audio was more effective and real than putting sound effects in after because it doesn’t give the same vibe too the audience.

Areas of Improvement

When I am creating the idea for my next project and going on to filming I would like to stick to the original idea and see it through to the end. I would like to stick to my storyboards with some changes could be made as I would have more time in pre-production to work out if it goes well with the target audience and fits all the criteria’s needed. Next time I will make sure I record in HD as this will make the quality of the film better and to a higher profession that this video. I will make sure all the time the camera is straight and made to look to how I anticipated it too look. I will go through and make sure there are no continuity errors and runs through smoothly as it is an important factor.

Overall Conclusion

Overall, I believe the video was quite good the majority the time it does include quite a few errors throughout but for the next project I will make sure I aim to overcome this in the future. It does include many strengths and weaknesses throughout the video but I feel it will reach to the target audience and make them laugh, as this is the key requirement. I think we used some good camera angles in the project, which reinforces the characters. I am pleased with the overall outcome of the video and hope I can develop my skills in the next project.