Author: Contributor

Directing Tips from The Video Village

Directing Tips from The Video Village by James Williams may 2012

This article summarizes things that could help you while you direct. The Video Village is a monitor that is attached to the camera but set away from it so that you can see and talk without being right behind the camera. Some cameras have Video Villages attached to the side of the camera. Having a Video Village would also make your film area a lot less blocked and people will be able to have a chance to move freely around the set. Most of the time the people inside of the Video Village are just the directors and the producers. I learned that when you get to bigger film sets and do other films that the video village is helpful and it makes the film easier to film. I could use this in one of my films to have one guy film and I will be in the village watching and calling if I want it that way or not.

http://www.videomaker.com/article/15438

Mary Poppins

All in all Mary Poppins is a wonderful movie. I’d never before watched Mary Poppins before looking at how it was edited. In Mary Poppins, there were a lot of scenes that made me wonder how it was done. Thinking to myself throughout the movie, I was pondering how this was done. Taking that I probably can’t make any of the amazing things that the editor of Mary Poppins did, even with all the effects software today. It just makes me think about how hard it was to do all the effects in 1964.

One of the things that made me wonder about this movie was when Mary Poppins was taking the items out of her carpet bag. The bag was obviously bottomless, but it was set on a table and there was nothing under the table. I had a theory on how Cotton Warburton, the editor, made this happen. But that theory went away when Michael, Mr. Banks’ son, crawled under the table. What I think he did was use green screen under the table and shot the scene two different times. Once when Michael crawled under the table and once when Mary Poppins was pulling things out of her bag. For her pulling the things out of her bag, I think they cut a hole in the table. But that is another theory that has to be wrong because Mary Poppins moves her bag to the other end of the table. I could be very wrong or I could be right. I may never know.

Another scene was when Bert, Mary Poppins, Michael and Jane jumped into the drawing on the ground. That whole scene when they are in the picture made me wonder. First when they actually jump into the picture, the effects are amazing. Getting that perfect must have taken a while, I can’t even begin to think about how I would do that. Throughout the picture when everything is animated and they are riding the marry-go-round and the horse come off, and they are riding the horses around the countryside. And how they are real people in an animation.

The part that probably made me think the most was when Mary Poppins slid up the railing, like people slide down railings, she was going up the railing and sliding across a flat surface. This happens twice in the movie, but the second time she is with the children and they are going down but they still go across the flat railing. How I think they did it was that they used stop motion on the parts when they are sliding across the flat part. When Mary Poppins is sliding up the railing, I think that they filming her sliding down the railing and just reversed it. But I again could be completely wrong.

In conclusion, the editing in this movie was supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. That’s the only way I could describe it. The movie Mary Poppins was greatly edited by Cotton Warburton. 

-Randi 🙂

The Sound of Music

Before I started watching The Sound of Music, I was thinking back on all the times I’ve watched it before. I honestly could not think of why this movie won an award for editing.

Yes there would have been many times the editor, William Rynolds would have had to make sure the audio and video were matched up, but other than that I couldn’t find or think of why this movie would win an award for editing. Of course this movie was filmed in 1965 (or thats when it won the award) and that editing would have been much harder than it would be now. There aren’t any significant parts in the movie that jumped out to me that would want me to give it an award for editing.

There were a couple of parts that I think would have taken green screen (if it was invented back then) or just really good positioning of the camera.

I personally love The Sound of Music, but I feel like it shouldn’t have won an award for best editing.

-Randi 🙂

Shooting Extreme Video for Profit

Shooting Extreme Video for Profit by H.Wolfgang Porter and Jackson Wong

This article taught me a few things on how to film an action scene and also how to sell it properly and gather a profit off of the video. Using the right equipment to film is a definite must because if you don’t it could prove catastrophic for the Filmer by getting in the way or you could get a very bad film. Go-Pros are used by many action movement filmers because it is covered in a plastic casing and has good quality picture, along with the fact that it can attach to helmets and other objects. Before you go out and film , make sure you have an insurance policy for both yourself and the camera because it could always go terribly wrong and someone or something could get hurt and the policy will allow you to pay for it. This taught me how to be safe and how to know the difference between my products of filming. I could use this information when filming my action piece so that is will come of good and not be a hassle.

Music Libraries

Music Libraries by Dave Sniadak June 2012

This Article talks to us about how music helps us shaped the film or object into a better idea of what the creator was trying to create. Music has been used in many films. Some use music from Itunes and have to fill out a copyright form to use it but others create their own music with some people and they only have to get a form from the makers which could be them since they created it, making it easier. Music can be used to add suspense to a film, bring tears to the crowd during a drama, or add intensity during a fight scene. Music companies usually help with larger films to get the copyright signed by the creator. This will help me learn to get copyrights for my music so i do not get in trouble with the law. Along with that, this will teach me to use the right music for the right mood that you are trying to set for your film. I can apply this in my movie trailer to help add suspense to the mood of the film.

How To Make a Storyboard!

How to Make a Storyboard by Jennifer Albright, August 2012

This article talks about many different ways to draw out your plans before you start filming. I talks about different shots from extreme close-ups all the way to long shots. This article tells us that you don’t have to be the best artist in the world to have a good storyboard, you could even use stick figures. On the storyboard, say the article, you should show the direction objects in the scene are moving and also if the camera is tilting, panning or zoom.We are reminded to not break the 180 degree rule. if you break this rule it can confuse people watching because it will make it look like two people are sitting on the same side of the table or area when they are really sitting across from each other. Storyboards can change a filming mess into a well choreographed film. I will use the ideas from this article to help improve my storyboards and keep filming according to my storyboard. This will help me when I am filming in many ways.

Horror Film Lighting on A Budget

Horror Film Lighting on a Budget by Terry O’Rourke , October 2012. This article talks about way you can learn how to do lighting that gives a scary effect and looks good on camera but doesn’t tear you limb from limb in cost. This teaches you the difference between light and dark and what you have to blend between the two, giving you that good light effect. Harsh Light is also mention in the article. Harsh light is where you can see the difference clearly between black shadows and white light. Harsh light is used in many dark chase scenes or when someone is hiding from the unknown. I can you pieces of this article to help me with chase scenes during my action film so I can give it that scary yet strong feeling of light. http://www.videomaker.com/article/15436

Spooky Effects

Spooky Effects by Peter Ross, October 2012

This article gives cheap and good idea for making people squirm in their seat while watching. There are many different effect that they talk about in the article. The effects are the broken bone effect when you have someone where a long sleeve shirt  and put a bottle in it but cut of the top and put a branch inside of it, when the person goes to break it, the bottle and stick will snap giving the sound of a broken bone and the look too. Another effect is the Radiating power effect where you take a glow stick and put it i your hand and then cover it up and it looks like your hand has some sort of pulsing power. I learned many new ways to give the creepy effects and make people jump from their seats. I can use this when I am making my horror movie for my final and literally break a leg!

Reviews on the Car Mount

This article ” Matthews PRO Mount System Car Mount” by Colin Marks teaches us about how to use mounts for camera and how to make effective use of these mounts to produce quality products.The mounts usually way about 7lbs and can stand about 26lbs. the car mount system comes with suction cups that attach to the vehicle and allows you to get close/hug the tire to get a cool view for your product. Along with other camera products this article tells us to have safety straps and to use them effectively because the equipment is not cheap and could cause trouble if broken. From this article i learned how to use other ways of holding the camera without a tripod and still get an effective shot for my video. I can  apply this new technique to films by attempting to use car mounts for chase scenes or for a car point of view.