Mysterious Plushie

In this little Plushie video I tried to make smooth panning shots. Furthermore I played with focusing on unimportant things like the grass so that the Plushie in the background is not focused what should effect that you don't really know who that is. In the beginning I shot from different angles to bring more life in it but it didn't work well. Also in editing I added some nice effects to create the mysterious look. Probably I need some more videos to be good in editing with Final Cut because it's completely new for me. I just used Adobe Premiere before and this, in my opinion, is easier to handle with because you are more free in styling your film and no work is done for you. After editing the first few scenes, I got the idea how to do it correct. Although I have a camcorder too, every camera is individual and the settings are more or less confusing. First I had to get to know the Canon to make those shots. 

Next time I will try to have a better story, more action also in the background and more scenes to have more variation. Besides that I want to be faster in editing. 

I like the feeling when I create something new. This time it was when I made my Vimeo and Jimdo Account. Those two websites are not difficult to understand but you have to understand them first. So finally it was easy to upload my video on Vimeo and to add to my Jimdo Website.

Everything in this universium has a logical explanation. You just have to find it. :)

1.) Plushie sits in library reading a book.

2.) Plushie recognizes the good weather (looking out the window).

3.) Plushie walks out the door.

4.) Plushie sits on a chair in front of the library.

Unreachable Sunshine

Welcome to the second Plushie film reflection. This time I had a story leading the film. From beginning to ending it is hopefully easier to follow and understand the idea. I think I did again well with the shots and movement of the camera however the film still consists just of a few clips. Besides that some shots are probably too long and more cuts would be better but as I already said, I had not enough clips to create more variation during the boring reading scene. It's the same with background music. I didn't want to use different songs for each emotion so I chose a song which starts slow and kind of gets happier in the end. I think for every film the most difficult part is finding the perfect music that matches to the story, emotions, action and cuts. If I can't compose my own perfect music I have to adapt the video to the best music I can find. 

My second try of making films was way easier. From filming to editing in Final Cut and uploading everything to Vimeo and Jimdo. I had no further problems in finding everything and I also helped some other students when they needed help. In my opinion I know now how to use the Canon Vixia HF S200  and Final Cut Pro X much better than before. 

Important things to remember:

• initialize/ format camera with SD-Card before filming
• finish importing the videos before you take out the SD-Card

• JVC: plug microphone in slot A

Final Cut Pro X:

Exporting: file --> share --> master file (default)

New Project: file --> new --> project

Add Effects (transition): right-click on clip --> Show Video Animation --> Compositing: Opacity 

Separate Audio: right-click on clip --> Detach Audio

Brian Gawlik - He was the first film and technology teacher at BBA. Sadly he passed away on Dec. 8 2009 in the age of 48-years after a long time with cancer. With a lot of experience in film/news business (working for CNN) and no teaching experience but his inspirational and encouraging moods he went to BBA in 1999.

Gawlik Room - A technology room, which includes a green screen and a lot of other film equipment. A good place to get ideas and implement them. This room is called after Brian Gawlik

Canon Vixia - A small Camcorder. Easy to handle with and good for on the way.

Clip - You have filmed 2 minutes and cut out 5 seconds of this scene. This part is called a clip.

Editing - The process of cutting and putting clips and effects to one film together.

Event (in FCPX) - the place where you can find all the imported films

Final Cut Pro X (FCPX) - A professional program to edit the clips

"Fix it in Post" - this means you can fix/correct the mistake in Post-Production (editing)

Initializing SD Card in Canon Vixia - formatting the SD in the camcorder

Jonathan Levin - 

Library (in FCPX) - the place where all the events and projects are saved

"Lock it down / or  lock it up" - full attention tho who is speaking

NatS - Natural Sound 

BBA News Room - a good place to shoot the news in a professional way

Pre-Production - before shooting you try your ideas. It includes a storyboard, movement of camera, actors learning their lines.

Post-Production - editing, adding music and visual-/sound effects, light correcting, 

Project (in FCPX) - space to edit a film

Scene - clips together are one scene. A film consist of many different scenes (Scene 1: sitting in train, Scene 2: arriving at home)

Timeline

Panning shot - a movement of the camera without a lot of shaking that goes from a first place to a second place in one shot.

Effect - Effects change the look or sound of a clip to look/sound better or to create a special atmosphere.