After Effects #1, #2 & #3

For your first lesson in After Effects you need to successfully show me that you understand the following areas:

Scale
Rotation
Opacity
Position
Audio
Export

For lesson #2 in After Effects you need to show me the following:

Split Layer
Levels
Add an adjustment layer
Add one Effect
(Rotation-if you did not do it successfully the 1st time)
Export with Audio

Lesson #3 needs to have the following:

Add text with an Effect
Add Particles, and play with the particles
Play with colors and fonts
You must show use of the camera rotation

20 points each

Script and Angles

You need to create a script that includes the following for your film :

   a.  Camera Angles-think about your angles with the guide below.

   b.  How long you will be on each scene (guesstimate)

   c.  What will be happening during each scene and angle

   d.  I need you to write out a script of what people will be saying as well.  

        (your scripts will be worth 20 points)

Camera Shots-and what they portray

A camera shot is the amount of space that is seen in one shot or frame. They demonstrate different aspects of a film's setting, characters and themes. As a result, camera shots are very important in shaping meaning in a film.


An extreme long shot  contains a large amount of landscape. It is often used at the beginning of a scene or a film to establish general location (setting). This is also known as an establishing shot.

A long shot  contains landscape but gives the viewer a more specific idea of setting. A long shot may show the viewers the building where the action will take place.

A full shot  contains a complete view of the characters. From this shot, viewers can take in the costumes of characters and may also help to demonstrate the relationships between characters. For more information on costumes and acting refer to Chapter 4.

A mid shot  contains the characters or a character from the waist up. From this shot, viewers can see the characters' faces more clearly as well as their interaction with other characters. This is also known as a social shot



A close-up contains just one character's face. This enables viewers to understand the actor's emotions and also allows them to feel empathy for the character. This is also known as a personal shot.



An extreme close-up contains one part of a character's face or other object. This technique is quite common in horror films, particularly the example above. This type of shot creates an intense mood and provides interaction between the audience and the viewer.

When analysing a film you should always think about the different camera shots and why they are being used. The next time that you are at the cinema or watching television see what camera shots are being used.

Camera angles-and the messages they portray

It is important that you do not confuse camera angles and camera shots. Camera shots are used to demonstrate different aspects of setting, themes and characters. Camera angles are used to position the viewer so that they can understand the relationships between the characters. These are very important for shaping meaning in film as well as in other visual texts.
The following examples will help you to understand the differences between the different camera angles

A bird's eye angle is an angle that looks directly down upon a scene. This angle is often used as an establishing angle, along with an extreme long shot, to establish setting.





A high angle  is a camera angle that looks down upon a subject. A character shot with a high angle will look vulnerable or small. These angles are often used to demonstrate to the audience a perspective of a particular character. The example above demonstrates to us the perspective or point of view of a vampire. As a viewer we can understand that the vampire feels powerful.

An eye-level angle  puts the audience on an equal footing with the character/s. This is the most commonly used angle in most films as it allows the viewers to feel comfortable with the characters.

A low angle  is a camera angle that looks up at a character. This is the opposite of a high angle and makes a character look more powerful. This can make the audience feel vulnerable and small by looking up at the character. This can help the responder feel empathy if they are viewing the frame from another character's point of view.


As with camera shots, you will be able to see many examples of camera angles in any film or visual text that you view. The next time that you watch television or see a film, take note of the camera angles and think of how they affect your perception (idea) of different characters.

Another camera angle that you might come across is a Dutch angle.

A Dutch angle  is used to demonstrate the confusion of a character. The example above should disorientate you.

Sites to view on Camera Angles:

http://vhsadvancedfilm.blogspot.com/2012/11/camera-anglesshots.html

How and why to use different Camera Angles: CLICK HERE
How and why to use different Camera Angles part 2-CLICK HERE

Camera angles/shots

Click here to see: 40 photos that show emotion 
Click here to see: Emotions in relation to Body Language

Children's book

Choose a Favorite Childhood book and turn it into a Movie.  You are free to use your favorite style of Filmmaking.  I would love to see some of you choose Stop Motion-they always turn out so cool.

YOU MAY WORK WITH ONLY ONE or TWO OTHER PEOPLE. 

1. YOU COULD DO A SEQUEL TO A CHILDREN'S BOOK or

2. YOU CAN DO A PREQUEL TO A CHILDREN'S BOOK or

3. YOU CAN TRY TO RE-ENACT THE ACTUAL BOOK

*GET YOUR IDEA AND PARTNER GROUP APPROVED BY ME BEFORE YOU GET TOO FAR INTO YOUR STORYBOARD.

 http://childrensbooksguide.com/top-100

Let's take a look at a few Children's books that were successfully turned into movies.  Usually there is a twist to the original or more added to what already existed.  Don't be afraid to add to your movie.  It will make it more interesting for us as your viewers.  I LIKE TO SEE CREATIVITY THAT YOU COME UP WITH ON YOUR OWN!

Hansel & Gretel

Let's read the book and take a look at the trailer together. 

 

Student Examples:

Charles Hevey, Maverick Gentry, Sid Theissen and Nick Sklarek

Jack and the Bean Stalk

 

Sid Theissen, Nick Sklarek and Charles Hervey

No David!

http://sthiessen1.blogspot.com/p/advanced-films.html

Michael Cilona

Not a Stick!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkic9-zEusM 

Schedule for the week

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving break!  I wanted to post this for anyone that is scrambling to get their video's done tonight.  Here is the agenda for the week:

Monday: No School!
Tuesday: Watch movies that are done
Wednesday: Mrs. Schneid is out-Finish editing film if need be or free day!
Thursday: Introduce New Film and Photo lesson
Friday: Start learning After Effects.  We will work on learning After Effects from now until Christmas Break in class.  You will have from now until before Christmas break to film your next film and take photos for it as well.  You will be able to edit the movie over Christmas break or finish it before we leave-that will be your choice. 

We can Talk more tomorrow about the schedule

Film Competition

Here are your options for the next film:  

1.  Toyota Teen Safe Driving Challenge
http://www.scholarships4students.com/toyota_teen_driver%20_video_challenge.htm
2.  Anti Bullying Video
http://tvoparents.tvo.org/blog/tvoparents-blog/10-steps-stop-school-bullying?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=TVOParents&utm_content=Lorna%2BBlumen%2BBlog%2B1&utm_campaign=Bullying
3.  Answer the Following question: "How will you assist your community or school in overcoming a current concern or problem?"
4.  60 Second video on Consumer Scams or identity theft
www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/takeactioncontest
5.  Documentary Competition- encouraging students to think seriously about issues that affect our community and our nation.
http://www.scholarships4students.com/c-span%27s_studentcam_documentary_competition.htm
6.  Any film category at www.clevelandfilm.org/festival/guide/competitions

You may work with a partner or up to a 3 person group.

DUE DATES:
Friday November 22nd- Script written our and turned in
Tuesday November 26th- 3 Yearbook designs due to me
Tuesday December 3rd- Film Competion movies Due!

Here is last years Toyota Teen Driver Winner!  Check it out!

Create a Blog Site

Blogs Due on Monday!

GUIDELINES:
   You need the following 4 pages on your Blog Site:
         1. Home
         2. Photos
         3. Films
         4. Photoshop

   You need to customize the entire page including:
         1. Background Picture
         2. All Text Fonts
         3. And any color changes that you would like
      
    You must also have:
         1. Uploaded all of your Best Photos thus far on the Photos page
         2. Upload all videos to your Films page that you have done thus far
         3. Upload anything you have made in Photoshop thus far, this will
             include your yearbook design

WHEN DONE WITH BLOG START CREATING YOUR YEARBOOK DESIGN-FRONT AND BACK COVER DESIGNS

Scott Dommin's Photo Gallery

People Unit

Portrait Photography

For the next lesson you will be taking photos of people.  Let's take a look at some tips to taking photos of people.

CLICK HERE - 10 ways to take stunning portraits 

CLICK HERE -  Portrait Photography tips

Guidelines for this lesson:   DUE Monday, November 11th

Pay attention to the following rules:
             * The rule of Thirds
             * Depth of Field
             * Be a directive in telling your subject how to move/position, how to smile
                and exactly what you want them to do.

You will need to take the following photo angles all due next Monday:
1. Head Shot
2. Profile View
3. Full Body
4. Multiple People
5. Midview Shot
6. Fit to Frame

*20 photos of : Head shots
      Tips - Location can add to head shots
              - Play with the person looking into the camera and
                 in different directions, just past the camera          
              - Make sure you are in focus
              - Take a ton of pictures



 *20 photos of : Profile View (side view)
                        Tips - Take photos from both sides
                                - Take pictures on a small angle and all the
                                   way to the side too.
                   

   *20 photos of : Full body (no standing straight up and down)
                      Tips  -The whole body needs to be in the frame,
                                 but not too far back
                               -Do not cut anything off (hands, feet , etc)
                               -Environment
                               -Unique perspectives


  *20 photos of : Multiple People
            Tips  -Tell a story between 2 or more people or
                     -Show an emotion
                     -People in action (doing something)
                     -Think about the environment with the
                       message you are trying to portray.



  *10 photos of : Mid shot views
            Tips - Make the background part of your composition.
                    - Shoot from different angles
                    - Patterned backgrounds can help
                    - Show 1/2 of the body (ish)
  

*10 photos of : Fit to Frame shots
        Tips - Get CLOSE, REAL CLOSE!!!
                - Your subject should go off the page on 3-4 edges

 

TODAY:

Write down 2 examples of what you want to do in each section.

Elementary Stop Motion

Director- The main person that keeps everyone on task and oversees everything.

Scriptwriter/Storyboard- The main person in charge of writing or drawing out the script for the video

Cameraman- The main person in charge of shooting the video and coming up with camera angles, you are working very close with the editor, assistant editor.

Editor- The main person in charge of putting the whole video together with audio, titles and end notes. 

TIMELINE:

Today Oct. 22nd-Get together with your groups and start talking about ideas as a group.

Movie Tuesday!

Stop Motion Movies due on Tuesday at the beginning of class!  I can't wait to see the creativity and hard work that all of you have put into this project. 

LET'S POP SOME POPCORN!

Landscape Film

DAY 1:

STOP MOTION within Nature.  Using Vine as our inspiration.  Let's check it out.

VINE-stop motion inspiration click here!

 

Guidelines for this film:
Stop Motion must be 30 seconds long.
Must be in a nature setting to follow our nature/landscape type theme. 

Due Dates for this film:

Wednesday Oct. 9th-Give Mrs. Schneid Group/Solo info.
                                  3 Ideas of what you could possibly do for your Film

Friday Oct. 11th-Your Storyboards.
                              Timeline is due.

Saturday Oct. 12th-Wednesday Oct. 16th- to create/set up the set/create characters if need be/
take photos/find a song or audio of some sort to go with your Stop Motion.

Thursday Oct. 17th-Friday Oct. 18th-EDIT (put everything together, audio and all)

Monday Oct. 21st-STOP MOTIONS DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS!!!!!

DAY 2:
1.  STORYBOARD: Write a GOOD Storyboard!

What is a STORYBOARD?

     A storyboard is a sequence of images and words drawn together on a page to form a plausible narrative.
     Storyboards are routinely used in the movie making business to 'preview' a movie before a single shot is taken. Not only does a storyboard allow for a dress rehearsal of the final product but by the very fact of being posted on the wall,it elicits early feedback and encourages quick, painless editing, leading to significant savings in time and resources.
     Disney was a storyboarding freak!
     A storyboard is an apt metaphor for how we make sense of our own life history.      Storyboarding can be used to sense emergent patterns in our own life story and to envision the life experiences that we wish to welcome into our future.
     Try storyboarding the past and future events in your Life!

Disney
Storyboard Inventor: Walter Elias Disney

Here is what you should have in your Storyboard:

• 10 Scenes
• Picture of what is happening in each scene
• Background
• Characters and what they will be doing
• Explanation of anything that you can't show in the picture
• I should be able to see a clear story line with a beginning, middle and end.  There should be a point to what you are trying to tell in the end.  

Here is how Storyboards are used with Disney and other large films:

DAY 3:

Stop Motion Movies:

 

 

The Power of Magic through Stop Motion

http://vimeo.com/33480080

Landscapes

Taking and looking at Landscape Pictures:

Tips for taking Landscape Pictures 1

Tips for taking Landscape Pictures 2

For your next assignment you are going to be taking Landscape pictures.  We will be going outside and taking landscapes around the building and then you may sign out cameras to take them after school as well.  For this assignment I want you to take at least 20 photo's of each of the following subjects:

1.  A building in the picture

2.  An object in the picture, does not need to be the focus

3.  Water, the Lake or River

4.  Trees/Hills

5.Sun Rise/Set or Moon

Example Photos:

1.

2. Photo by Mr. Doug Kishman

3.

4.

5. 

This last piece really is a wonderful picture in so many ways.  It has objects in the middle that lead you into the picture of the Rock/object in the lake with the sun setting in the background and the different colors and shapes within the clouds.