Filming Blog

   I was the only person in my group, so I did the entireity of the filming. I set up the tripod and camera. Before this, I had never used a tripod. Over the course of the filming period, I learned how to properly extend the legs. There are 3 clips on each leg. When the clip is unlocked, that section of the leg is able to move freely. When it is locked, the leg won't move. There was a level on the tripod that allowed me to see if the tripod was even, which I found interesting. Additionally, I learned how to properly attach and detach the camera from the tripod. At the beginning of filming, I put the camera on incorrectly. This lead to shaky videos and a difficult time trying to move the tripod. However, I fixed this early on and filming went smoothly. The experience was very hands on, which helped me better understand the tools. 

    I also directed the commercial. I followed the storyboard near exactly. However, I changed the location from a table to a bench. This was because the bench allowed for a better looking visual. The table was against a dirty, gray wall. The bench, however, had a green field behind it. Being both a director and an actor, I self-directed myself. I adjusted my acting based on how it showed up on the camera. This let me have full creative control over the commercial. I got to ensure my vision was seen through fully.

   As I previously mentioned, I was also the sole actor in the commercial. This was difficult, since I have no acting ability whatsoever. Because of the simplicity of the commercial, though, I think I did ok. I mostly acted as a regular person would. There were no special costumes or long lines to learn. The hard part was staying in frame. It wasn't easy trying to find an angle that worked that was also comfortably fit in frame. After each take, I had to rewatch what I filmed and adjust myself based on that. Overall, the filming process was easy. I learned a lot about each aspect of the process by myself, which I think enhanced my understanding. This will allow me to better help my teammates in future projects.

Editing the Commercial

     The editing process was difficult. However, this was mostly for technical reasons. The computer I had dumped on did not have the correct editing program. I had to move my footage onto a different computer. I did this by moving the folder with my videos on it into a USB flashdrive. I moved to a new computer. However, this one was unable to connect to the school's internet. Therefore, I could not log on and use it. Eventually, though, I was able to log on and at least import my videos into Pinnacle Studios. I was not able to edit down these clips.

    Before the import could be done, though, I had to re-dump. I put all the files from my USB into the new computer. Once I had ensured that the videos had been put onto the computer, I removed the USB. I opened Pinnacle Studios. It took a while to load and open up. Once Pinnacle Studios was ready to be used, I clicked the import button. This is located in the top right of the program. From there, I selected each of the videos individually so they could be imported. Later on, I realized that I could have instead just clicked the folder to select all the raw footage at once. The footage had begun the importing process. 

  The footage took a long time to import. I found this interesting because I didn't have that much footage. Additionally, most of the footage was short. I theorized that it was because of the computer, rather than the program. Eventually, the import was finished and my footage was on Pinnacle Studios. I could not begin to actually edit because of time restraints. Next class, I am planning to cut down the footage and edit out unneeded bits. I will also need to detach the audio and replace it with my voiceover. I may also need to add text and a few transitions. I will allot time to do these things next class.

Storyboard

The text I wrote on the first panel of the storyboard was difficult to see in the picture. For this reason, I typed out what it says. In the first panel, there is a wide shot of a person is sitting at a table outside, trying to draw. There's the ambient noise of an urban setting in the background. This artist is frustrated and scribbling on their sketchbook. Zoom in on their upper body. This leads into the second panel.

In the second panel (a medium shot), the artist is sitting exhausted, staring at their sketchbook. They're thinking about how the deadline for their art project is coming up and they have no inspiration. All of the artist's thoughts are told through a voiceover narration. They look up from their sketchbook and look over at their Dunkin' Donuts coffee cup. Cut away to the cup. 

The third and fourth panels are similar. They each are close ups of the coffee cup spinning counter-clockwise. There is a slight, subtle zoom on the cup. The artist talks about how great the coffee tastes and how they wish their art could be as good as the coffee.

The fifth panel cuts back to the artist. They seem less upset and realize that the coffee has inspired them to draw. They begin to sketch and once they put down the pencil, the camera zooms onto the sketchbook. 

The sixth panel is a close-up of the sketchbook, in which the artist has drawn a Dunkin' Donuts coffee. A pencil rolls in from the side. The voiceover says the Dunkin' Donuts slogan, "America runs on Dunkin'."

Editing Lesson

   Today, I learned how to set up the camera and the basics of editing. I also learned the process for checking out the camera in the classroom. This involves filling out a form and placing it in the correct folder. Additionally, I learned about the pieces of equipment that will be used while filming and dumping footage onto the computer. This includes the SD card, SD card reader, and the tripod. To place the camera onto the tripod, first I have to extend the legs of the tripod. For extra height, there is a lever near the top of the tripod that allows the camera to be raised or lowered. From there, the plate on the tripod with the silver button needs to be loosened. Then, the camera can be screwed onto the tripod. If it is loose, there is a small screw on the camera that tightens it.

  To dump the footage from the camera to the computer, first the SD card must be removed from the camera. Then, it is put into an SD card reader. The reader is put into the USB slot of the desktop. In order to ensure that the raw footage is always available to be used, a folder needs to be created that contains all of the footage from the SD card. Usually, the files are stored into the DCIM folder. However, they may also be in the "Private" folder. Once the files from the SD card have been imported onto the computer, I open Pinnacle Studios. This is the editing software we are using. In the top right corner, there is an import button. I select all the raw footage and import it into Pinnacle Studios.

   Now, the editing can begin. In the top bar, there is an "edit" button. From there, I can drag the footage I want from the library into the timeline. To do cuts, I move the slider to right before I want to cut and select the razor icon at the top of the timeline. I can then delete the footage I want cut once it's been split. To add transitions, there is an "Effects" button that can be accessed when footage is right clicked. The effects tab contains transitions, corrections, and cropping tools. To add text, there is a "T" to the left of the timeline. The text must be on the top track to be visible. I also learned how to remove audio and add voiceovers by right clicking on a take on in the timeline and selecting "Detach Audio".  Once the final video is done, I can export it using the export button in the top right.

Planning Blog

      The commercial I have planned will have a person sitting with a cup of Dunkin' Donuts coffee. They will be looking for inspiration for an art project. The deadline is approaching and they're nervous, until they begin thinking about the coffee in front of them. They describe the coffee's flavors and subtly explains the product. At the end, the person has calmed down. A smile appears on their face. They're inspired and begin to draw. The Dunkin' logo fades in over a sketch of a coffee cup. The entire video will be done with a voiceover narration added in post. Below is a list of the props and costumes I will need, along with the locations I will be filming at and the backup plans in case the location can't be attained.

1) Props
*Dunkin' Donuts cup
*Dunkin' Donuts bag
*Dunkin' Donuts donut box
     -Because of how simple most Dunkin' commercials are (only really showing the product being eaten or looked at by consumers), the props I will need are limited.
*Whipped cream
*Cinnamon powder

     -To sell the illusion that there is a real drink in the cup, I will fill the cup with whipped cream and put the cinnamon powder on top.

*Sketchbook
*Pencil

2) Costumes
*Everyday clothes
     -The costumes don't have a significant impact on the commercial because the subject is an average person.

3) Schedule
*10/10: planning
*10/14: storyboarding
*10/21: filming/begin editing
       -The filming required for my commercial is minimal, so if time allows, I will begin editing on this day.
*10/23: finish editing

4) Location List
*Interior cafeteria
      -The cafeteria is the location that is closest to looking like a restauraunt on campus. This is the ideal location to film the commercial, as it would be the most fitting place to film an ad about food.

5) Backup Plans
*Alternative locations
     -If I am not allowed to film inside the cafeteria, I have two backup plans: the senior patio or outside of the cafeteria. The senior patio has tables that would be visually appealing for the commercial and would look similar to how outdoor seating of a Dunkin' Donuts looks.
      -If the senior patio already has a lot of people filming in it, I will move to the exterior of the cafeteria. The reasoning for this is similar to why I would move to the senior patio. Additionally, it has covered areas in the event that it rains.

*Wind
   -The props I'm using are light because they are empty, so wind would make it difficult for them to stay still while filming. If there is wind, I will place heavy objects I have in my bookbag inside the props to keep them from moving around.
     -Additionally, wind would make it hard for the sketchbook's paper to stay still. In this case, I will tape pages together in a way that would make the tape not able to be seen on camera.

Research: Conventions and Codes

I chose to create a commercial for Dunkin' Donuts, a fast food restauraunt speciailizing in coffee and donuts. The process of making a fast food commercial is very different than making one for a clothing brand or place. However, there is some overlap. Fast food commercials heavily utilize the "common people" technique of advertising. The brand will show regular, everyday people enjoying their food to make the consumer feel a sense of belonging for eating their food. If you don't eat their food, you may feel left out and compelled to do so. An example of this currently is Burger King's "Impossible Whopper" campaign, in which they ask people on the street to try their burgers and give them good reviews about it. Additionally, food brands use music and jingles to make their brands remembered by the consumer.

Despite the similarities between how brands advertise, there are some differences in how food products are advertised. Fast food brands often show zoom-ins of their food with a narrator explaining the ingredients. The food is often prepared with fake ingredients and hidden parts in order to make the meal look ideal to the consumer. An example of this is how IHOP utilizes small cardboard circles underneath their pancakes in order to create the illusion of a perfect stack. However, this may be irrelevant in the process of making the Dunkin' Donuts commercial, due to most of their menu being drinks. 

With the rise of the internet, advertising campaigns have shifted from focusing on their older, long-time consumers to capturing the millenial and generation Z gaze. Because of this, advertisements are now quicker and more to the point than they would have been in the past. Shorter videos are more likely to capture the attention of younger audiences and potentially go viral online. In fact, the importance of an ad going viral is so huge, most brands have resorted to making their ads surreal and therefore gathering more attention and making the brand memorable. An example of this is the Puppy Monkey Baby campaign from Mountain Dew from 2016, which is still remembered today. In summary, advertising for a fast food brand is primarily about making the food look as tantalizing as possible and the ad itself as memorable as possible.

Introductory

Today we did a practice extract. We watched a clip of Mr. Robot and had to analyze the sound and mise en scene of it. The day prior we did a similar activity with camera movements and editing, but I was absent for that portion. I think I did well with the sound aspect, but mise en scene was difficult. I didn't know how to put what I saw into words. Additionally, I forgot the specifics of what mise en scene was. I was able to remember it included location, costumes, and lighting, but besides that I wasn't able to remember what made up mise en scene. Sound was easier, as I could clearly put what I heard and when into words. I feel like I don't have to put as much practice into that aspect as I do with mise en scene and editing.

Despite being absent for the first portion of the extract, I attempted the camera movements and editing parts of the practice using Mr. Robot. I found camera angles and movements easy to describe, but editing was very difficult. I ended up repeating myself a few times because I was running out of things to say about the editing. I think it's one of the harder things to write about because of how subtle the editing is on some pieces of media. However, it could be difficult simply because of how clueless I am with editing as of right now. I don't know much editing terminology, as I switched into Media Studies later into the quarter. However, I am trying to memorize and learn the terms as I go.

Overall, the extract was at a moderate difficulty for me. Some aspects were very easy for me, such as sound and camera movements. However, mise en scene and editing were very difficult. I'll need to practice those parts moreseo than anything else. Hopefully, through the upcoming commercial project, I will become more familiar with editing and therefore get better at identifying editing in pieces of media.