Video and Sound Production - Exercises
TANG LILIN (0376668)
Video and Sound Production
Exercises
21/4/2025 - //2025 （ Week 1 - Week 3 ）
Bachelor OF DESIGN (HONERS) IN CREATIVE MEDIA
LIST
- MIB
- LECTURE
- PROGRESS
- SUBMISSION
- FEEDBACK
- REFLECTION
MIB
LECTURE
Week 1 - Camera Shots
Movies are made up of sequences
Sequences are made up of scenes
Scenes are made up of shots
SHOT SIZE
Extreme Wide Shot (EWS)
Shows a very wide scene, with the subject occupying a very small part of the frame. The environment is more important than the subject.
Long Shot (LS) / Wide Shot (WS)
Includes the subject's entire body, but does not fill the entire frame and the surrounding environment. The subject and the environment are equally important
Full Shot (FS)
Includes the subject's entire body and fills the entire frame. Emphasizes the subject's body movements.
Medium Wide Shot (MWS)
Shoots from above the knee to the full head.
Cowboy Shot (CS)
Shoots from about mid-thigh to the full head.
Often used to capture the gun on the cowboy's waist in westerns.
Medium Shot (MS)
Shoots from above the waist to the full head. Often used to show dialogue and express character expressions.
Medium Close-up (MCU)
Shoots from about chest to the full head. Often used to show the subject's facial expressions.
Close-Up (CU)
Only includes the face, not the full head. Does not include the subject's hair.
Extreme Close-up (ECU)
Only shows a part, usually the eyes and mouth.
Establishing Shot
Single Shot
There is only one character in the frame.
Double Shot
Two characters appear in the frame at the same time, often used in comedy.
Triple Shot
Three characters appear in the frame.
Over-the-Shoulder Shot (OTS)
The camera is shot from behind the shoulder of one character. Often used in dialogue scenes. It guides the direction of the characters and establishes a connection on an emotional level.
Over-the-Hip Shot (OTH)
The camera is shot from behind the hips of one character. It is often used to create an asymmetric relationship.
Point-of-View Shot (POV)
The perspective shot from the eyes of a character. Shows the audience what the character sees. Increases immersion
Shows the subjective feelings of the character.
Camera Angles
Low Angle (LA)
Anything below the subject's line of sight is considered. Looking up can make the subject look more powerful and exciting.
High Angle (HA)
A shot looking down can create an imbalance of power between the subjects, weakening the character. It is emotionally depressing.
Extreme example: shooting people moving over a city.
Top View
Shooting straight down at a high angle of 90 degrees. The camera is directly above the subject.
Good for showing complex movements, suggesting a connection with the sacred, or capturing horrific details.
Dutch Angle
The camera is tilted to one side to create a feeling of uneasiness, confusion, fear
Eye Level
Most commonly used, non-judgmental and non-attractive.
Shoulder Level
Not too heavy, often used in dialogue scenes.
Hip Level
Shooting from about waist height. Often used in conjunction with cowboy shots.
Knee Level
Shooting at the subject's knee height
Ground Level
The camera is at the subject's ground level, sometimes even below the ground level. Often used to track the subject's movement.
Rule of Thirds
Divide the image into a 3x3 grid and place the points of interest at the intersections.
When framing the camera, keep the image on the intersections
Balance and Symmetry
Place the subject in the center of the frame to guide the audience's attention to the character.
Leading Lines
Use the overall linear elements of the frame, such as the road, to guide the audience's attention to the key points.
Blocking
Directors how to arrange the actors' positions and movements
Week 2 - Three-act Structure
Three-act structure
Refers to the framework for telling a story, mainly focusing on shaping the writer's plot
The story is the events that occur in the script.
The plot is the way the story is told.
Part 1: the Hook
The main purpose is to attract the viewer to the story and keep them watching.
Part 2: Inciting Events
The first exposure to the main conflict
Occurs about 12% of the film and sets the narrative in motion.
Part 3: 1st pinch point
The characters in the story are fully engaged in the conflict, usually from a point of no return.
Part 4: 1st plot point
Becomes the turning point that drives the plot forward, in order to show the risks faced by the characters.
Sets the upcoming midpoint
Part 5: Mid Point = 2nd plot point
Located in the middle of the event, it has a significant impact on time.
It may cause the event to develop in a completely different direction, with the protagonist in a passive state.
Shows the internal and external confrontations that the protagonist really faces
Part 6:2nd pinch Plot
Emphasis on the opposing forces, and the risks faced by the characters. Lays the foundation for the next plot
Part 7: 3rd plot point
The last scene in the story
Describes what is really happening in the story
Part 8: Climax
Starts at the 3rd plot point
Intensity or tension increases in some way
Week 3 - Storyboard
What is a storyboard?
A storyboard is a tool for visualizing a script, which allows you to intuitively organize the sequence of a film. Break it down into a series of orderly frames.
Traditional version: Basic pencil sketches with arrows for camera movement, details such as characters, props, etc.
Thumbnail version: Simple images without any text, suitable for quick ideas and small team collaboration.
How to make Milanote
1. Identify the key scenes in the script
First, break down the script and mark the key parts of the story. Highlight the action, rhythm, costumes, narrative clues, etc. And determine how to transition from one scene to the next.
2. Draw the key scenes
Create a column for each scene identified in the script, and attach a title and number.
3. Add images or sketches
Begin to conceive the visual characteristics of each beat in each scene.
4. Describe what happens in each frame
Composition and framing: Determine the position of characters and objects in the picture.
Transition: Plan the transition between shots.
Character movement: Determine the position and movement of characters in each shot. Show how they interact with each other
Emotions and Expressions: Define the facial expressions and body language of the characters to show their emotions.
Annotations: For things that are not easy to show in the picture, use annotations.
Dynamic Action: The fast-paced action in the action scenes can be broken down in detail in this series of panels.
5. Share with the team and collect feedback
After the storyboard is completed, invite members to review and share their feedback. This helps to understand how others interpret the content in the storyboard
6. Use as a reference on the day of shooting
Use the completed storyboard as a reference during the shooting.
Week 4 - Part 1: Production stages
Film production is usually divided into the following five stages:
- Development
- Pre-production
- Production
- Post-production
- Distribution
Development
Producers develop ideas into films.
The package：The collection of creative elements that make up a project.
Financing：The money a film company raises to make a film through pre-sales.
Pre - Production
Necessary work before filming, covering everything from financing to filming.
Budgeting：List the approximate costs during and after filming.
Getting the Team Together：Hire professionals such as photographers, makeup artists, production designers, costume designers, and actors for the required roles.
Preview：Make storyboards and shot lists
Production
The shooting process is usually very tight, because the longer it takes, the higher the cost.
the Call Sheet：It is issued by the assistant director before shooting every day. The content covers the daily working hours and work content of each member of each department.
the Set Up：The props and power department set up the lighting and other arrangements for shooting. After completing one setting, they immediately start the next one to prepare for shooting.
Shooting：
Post - Production
Image Editing: Cutting the footage together and processing the sound.
- Stage 1: Arranging in order, regardless of rhythm
- Stage 2 (rough cut): focus on rhythm
- Stage 3 (rough cut): Decisions become more complex and the picture needs to be locked.
Sound Editing: Placing the right sound in the right place, integrating sound effects, dialogue, and voiceovers into place to ensure that they meet the requirements of the scene.
Additional visual effects: Adding various visual effects, or color grading the picture.
Distribution
Marketing: Different marketing strategies need to be developed based on the budget and estimated box office.
Secure distribution: Large studios usually have their own distribution companies, but independent studios usually sell to multiple companies.
Week 4 - Part 2: Production Crew
1.Producer: Team leader who manages and coordinates the entire production process from start to finish, ensuring that the project is completed as planned and on budget.
2.Director: Responsible for overseeing the filming and production of the film, the core of the film, and inextricably linked to other staff members.
3.Writer: Responsible for carefully writing dialogues to make them more natural. And shaping the sequence of events in the film to ensure that the transitions between scenes are natural.
4.Production Designer: Responsible for creating storyboards as a preliminary draft and showing the visual progression between scenes
5.Art Director: Responsible for the film's set, providing physical environment architecture, scenery, interior decoration, and purchasing props to make the scene more credible.
6.Costume Designer: Responsible for visually conveying the background of the times, character information, and character traits through clothing.
7.Photographer: Responsible for shooting, and must pay attention to the performance of lighting and camera.
8.Editor: Arranges the shots into a continuous sequence, which has a profound impact on the choice of shots and sequence.
9.Actor: Responsible for portraying the characters in the film.
Week 5 - Mise en scène
Mise en scène is a French term that translates literally to "placing on stage." In the realms of theater, film, and other visual storytelling mediums, it refers to the overall visual arrangement and presentation of a scene. This concept encompasses everything that appears within the frame or on stage and how these elements are organized to convey meaning, emotion, and narrative to the audience.
Key Components of Mise en Scène
- Setting and Location:
- Physical Space: The environment where the action takes place, whether it's a realistic setting like a living room or an abstract, symbolic space.
- Time Period: The era in which the story is set, influencing costumes, props, and set design.
- Props and Objects:
- Items used by characters or present in the scene that can symbolize themes, indicate character traits, or advance the plot.
- Costume and Makeup:
- Clothing and makeup that reflect a character’s personality, social status, occupation, or psychological state.
- Lighting:
- The use of light and shadow to create mood, highlight specific elements, and guide the audience’s focus. For example, high-contrast lighting can create a dramatic or tense atmosphere.
- Composition and Framing:
- How elements are arranged within the frame or on stage, including camera angles in film or the positioning of actors in theater. This affects how the audience perceives relationships and power dynamics.
- Performance and Acting:
- The actors’ physical movements, facial expressions, and interactions contribute significantly to the mise en scène, conveying emotions and subtext.
- Color Palette:
- The selection of colors used in costumes, sets, and lighting can evoke specific emotions or symbolize thematic elements.
- Spatial Relationships:
- The distance and arrangement between characters and objects, which can indicate intimacy, conflict, or hierarchy.
Week 1 in class Editing Exercise
Instruction:
This is the first class of this semester. Mr. Martin asked us to put the footage into Premiere Pro, organize all the shots and export them.
Progress:
After downloading, I imported it into Premiere Pro and created a Sequence to organize the shots.
Final Video：
Week 1 Editing Exercise (Independent Learning)
Instruction:
You need to find the correct order of the footage and export them after sorting them.
Progress:
First, I watched all the footage and wrote down the key information of each shot in the memo. Find the link point of each shot and listen carefully to the sound in the picture. This is an effective way to quickly find the order. After finding the order of a shot, remove its serial number, so that it is easy to find the order of the remaining shots.
Final Video：
Week 2 QUIZ
Week 2 Lalin & Everything Everywhere
Lalin
1. Which part is act 1, act 2, act 3 respectively? Describe each act with ONE paragraph only.
Act 1: Lalin, a girl from Thailand, posts photos of herself with acne removed on social media platforms, but in her daily life, she always wears a mask because of her low self-esteem, even at home.
Act 2: After graduation, Lalin went to Japan to repair her scars. She still shared her carefully processed photos on Instagram. She received some likes and got in touch with astronaut Nut, and they chatted frequently. But Lalin still wore a mask. One day, Nut asked Lalin to help translate a book, and he arranged an offline meeting. Such a meeting brought fear and insecurity to Lalin.
Act 3: Lalin finally chose to take off her mask, tried to face her true self, embrace her imperfections, and live confidently from then on.
2. What is the inciting incident in the movie?
Lalin received comments from social media, which prompted her to reflect on whether the photos she posted on social media were the real her.
3. What is the midpoint scene in the movie?
Lalin's inner struggle and introspection. She compared her real appearance in real life with her appearance posted on social platforms, and she began to doubt herself.
4. What is the Climax scene in the movie?
Lalin finally took off her mask and decided to face her true self in the mirror, which represented her great transformation from self-doubt to self-acceptance.
5.What is the theme of the movie?
It tells the story of self-acceptance and the process of trying to accept one's own imperfections. We need courage to face the pressure brought to us by society and shape our sense of self-identity.
Everything Everywhere All at Once
1. Which part is act 1, act 2, act 3 respectively? Describe each act with ONE paragraph only.
Act 1: Evelyn is overwhelmed by her life, running a self-service laundry that is about to go bankrupt and a precarious marriage, and alienated from her daughter due to purchasing on behalf of others. She is pulled into the multiverse by her husband in another universe, and then has the ability to travel between universes.
Act 2: Evelyn travels between universes, trying to understand the relationship between characters in the multiverse, as well as her own power and identity. When she learns that Jobu Tupaki's Everything Bagel is a threat, she is in crisis and the tension reaches its peak.
Act 3: Evelyn chooses empathy and understanding over control and destruction. She reconciles with her daughter and husband. She chooses to live in the present and embrace all the imperfections. The multiverse collapses and turns into personal healing.
2. What is the inciting incident in the movie?
During a meeting at the IRS office, she is pulled into the multiverse by Alpha, disrupting all her previous rhythms and pushing her on the path to save the multiverse.
3. What is the midpoint scene in the movie?
When Evelyn fully utilizes her multiverse power and confronts Tupaki, she touches the Everything Bagel, which symbolizes despair. She falls into crisis and begins to doubt.
4. What is the Climax scene in the movie?
Everything: No longer fighting with violence, but resolving with kindness. Repairing the broken relationships of the multiverse. At this time, she touches happiness and chooses love instead of despair.
5.What is the theme of the movie?
Exploring kindness, empathy and love in a chaotic and broken world.
Week 2 Shooting Exercise 1
Week 3 QUIZ
Week 4 QUIZ
Week 5 Group Trial Shooting
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Week 5 QUIZ
Storyboard Exercise
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