Importing Footage

Mike had given me the footage as a AVCHD. This could not be imported straight into Avid media composer. This then meant that after a lot of figuring out that I resorted to importing all the clips into Final cut pro and then exporting them as Quick times.

This was a lengthly process as I had to log and capture the clips to get them into Final cut pro and then individually select each clip and export checking the settings each time. As I had nearly 200 shots I spread the work load out over 4 iMacs and my laptop.

Log and Capture

Settings

Set up as exporting

Once all the clips had been re formatted as quick times I am now able to import them straight into Avid media composer and start renaming and organising them. I have set up a project in avid and created a Bin for each individual scene and named them with scene number, locations and time of da, for example, SCN1. EXT. 12TH FLOOR BALCONY. DAWN. This way it is clear and easy to see what exactly is each scene. I have also created a Rushed bin that I can import the clips to. This means I can then rename them and then put then in the correct scene bins.

Each clip is named with its shot number, take and a small description, for example SH5 TK1 CU OTS TO RHIAN. This was I can easily find the shot and takes of each clips and these also relate to the names given in the footage log.

Screenshot of shots labelled

The next stage in preparation for the edit is to re-sync the audio that hannah had given me. There was a lot of issues regarding losing some sound bites and problems with the mixer so not all the clips have audio. Between Hannah and I we decided there was no use syncing all the audio as the majority of it will be foley and FX. This being so I only sync a small number of shots from scene 1, 2 and 3. As Hannah was near by when syncing I was able to check her opinion and let her decide on what audio she felt should be used. 

To sync the video and audio I set both inputs to a mark. as there was no clapper boards to sync to I used Alli shouting Actions as a marker. This work alright except sometimes it wasn't clear. I then resorted to using "cut" to set the out points to and this seemed to work.

Screenshot as Syncing

As not all audio was used I created a log of what shots are now re-synced and the original marantz file name so that if I need to look back and find them I will be able to easily. 

Audio Log

Logging the Footage

The first step in Logging my footage was to create a Camera log off all the footage, the original file names, scene, shot, take and a description. In the last film I found this very handy as several times I had to re-connect the media and I could easily and quickly find the original file by looking at my log. This also meant I spent this time watching every single take and familiarising myself with all the footage.

Here are the logs for the first two day shots:

Due to the fact that there was no clapper board I found it very difficult to log all the shots. I was able to listen to what was said at the beginning of takes but even then this was only on a few of the shots. So in the end I resorted to logging the shots as letters. This way I was still able to log each take of a shot and group them together in regards to their scene. Luckily for me the scene that is all letters is scene 17. This is made up of lots of clips of Luke wondering around the forest so when it comes to editing I plan to use a wide variety of shot so there is no particular ordering as such, it will be more my personal preference. 

Shooting Days 1 + 2

During these shot days I was required to be on set standing is as the drive, as my car was used, and assisting Hannah as a boom operator. As editor I don't like being on set as this influences my opinion of the footage and creates a meaning behind all the footage. This being so, I was partly glad that as editor I was able to solve several problems before it had got to the editing stage. The main problem I managed to resolve was the use of limited angles, all the shots seemed to be different size frames but from one angle. I suggested this to Mike he seemed happy with my input and for this I think that it will benefit when it comes to editing.

The only scene that I am currently worried about is the pigeon scene. During the shooting day this was the last scene to be shot and everyone was cold and fed up. When saying that there was no way near enough coverage no one seem to be bothered and Alli mentioned to just blame her that I haven't got all that shots that I needed to make this scene work. I wasn't happy at this point as all the crew knew there was no way near enough coverage. I would have rather come back another day and done the shoot properly then to do half the stuff and leave it rubbish. So this scene is now going to have to be re shot at a later date.

Scene 1

Scene 2

Scene 3

After Effects/ Media Composer Practice

In preparation for the edit I had a play around in After Effects to create a similar effect to what Alli described in the script for a POV sequence. I had only used After Effects in our previous film and taught myself with the use of online tutorials and previous knowledge of Photoshop, which is very similar to After Effects. She described this POV shot as the windows screensaver from the 90’s so I found this example of something similar that I could try and create in After Effects.

To do this I have created a new composition using the settings of 1920X1080, 25 frames a second and of a duration of 30 seconds as I imagine the sequence wouldn't be for very long. This than give me plenty of extra time to play around with. I used the effect Particle World and spent ages changing each setting to see what I could create.

I found that the best animation would be to use Vortex as this could be tilted towards the camera creating more depth. I didn't really like the use of lines to create the particles so I thought I would play around with the use of stars instead.  This did create a cool effect as I was able to change the birth size to small and the death size to larger with added a lot more depth to the vortex making it seem like the stars were coming out toward the screen. 

Vortex with Stars

 I decided to then go back a play around more with the use of a line as the stars I felt they looked to cartoonish. I then spent a long time trying to figure out how to create this depth with the lines as I was unable to change the birth and death size of each particle. I also didn't like the speed of which the particles would disperse across the screen so after trying to find a tutorial online I managed to figure out that if I changed the longevity to longer seconds that this then made the particles stay on screen longer and thus slowing the process down. This also meant that the vortex was now larger and went out of frame so when making the velocity smaller it brought the vortex back smaller again. But this seemed to make the vortex appear faster again. At this stage It is still not clear what is being shot to go in this sequence so I decided to leave it as this point and when it comes to creating the effect for our film I already know what effect to use and ways of creating this effect.

Vortex Effect with lines

Vortex from above going towards screen

Here is a video version of the effect that I created. This is not how I wanted it to be as I want to create more depth, like with the stars, but it shows what I was attempting to achieve.

UPLOAD VIDEO 

There is also another POV in this scene which Alli has described in the script as "Isa looks around, stars twinkling and fading at the edge of screen". While sitting in with Marc Corrance, the online editor for The Voice, I saw that he had a load of effects pre done in a Bin that he just used as and when he needed. One of these effects are similar to what I imagine for this sequence. It was a lot of lens flares and lights around the edge of the frame. I thought while I practicing in After Effects I would play around with what is possible on there so that I can then just add the sequence in while editing in Media Composer over the footage given to me. Here is the three main camera lens flares on  After Effects and I think that they all will work well, especially if I key frame them so that the slowly move. 

Lens: 105mm Prime

Lens: 35mm Prime

Lens: 50-300mm Zoom

During the scene in which Luke sees eyes on his nails I plan on using Media composer to do this effect. I will apply a mask to the shot of the eye and then use a tracking tool to trace the movement of the nails. This should then save me a lot of time rather then having to keyframe the movements. This being so, I have notified Camera operator and Producer to make sure that the actors nails have a mark on in order for me to do this.

As I hadn't used this tracking tool before I had a practice in Media Composer with some old footage I had. From sitting in watching Marc Corrance, he showed me how he used the tracking tool to the paint over a cameraman that was in the background of a shot and a Fire exit sign. He went through the process he used to do this and therefore giving me a basic knowledge on how to use it. Here are a few screen shots of me practicing the tracking in preparation for the edit.

Practice Tracking Starting Point

Practice Tracking Path

Technical Report

Schedule for Editing.

At this time I am unable to put in specific date in regards to when I will be gaining the footage so this is my rough version showing when I plan to get all my footage logged, re-synced and then each fit done by.

So I plan to get the footage after each shoot day so that I can start logging and organising the shots as soon as possible. I will then have to re-sync each shot with the recorded audio bites. I plan to do this over the first two days of my edit week. I would want to get this done sooner but because not sure when filming I won't know what time scale I'll have before the official edit week starts.

I then plan to start my rough assembly of the overall film by the end of that week. this then means that in a meeting with both director Alli and sound designer Hannah as we will have an assembly to discus showing up any issues that may arise. I will also make sure at this point I have any music from Hannah that will be influential as I can the start my rough cut using the music to build up those scenes.

During the second week of Edit I will plan to develop the narrative more cutting down any unnecessary shots and trimming the edges more. As well as having another meeting with Alli to discus the progress so far and any suggestions she might have as Director. We will also be having a tutorial with Anne on Friday 14th so this may also bring up more issuer I will have to solve.

During the third week of edit I plan to be at the sage where i am just tidying up a lot of the cuts and sorting timings etc out. I also plan to start the effects in regards to the eyes on fingers and POV sequences. Hannah will also have started the sound design during this week so there may be scenes that need tweaking in regards to timings and sounds so we will both be meeting and go through these alterations during this week.

The rough cut screening is on Thursday 20th March. during this screening I'm hoping on getting lots of feedback from the tutors and other students so I will need to make any possible changes that are suggested.

The last stage I plan to do for this edit is to finalise the effects and grade the film. These can be done int he first week of sound edit as they do not alter anything that would affect Hannah. I am still in the process of deciding on what software I will use to do this.

Walking Dead

In Walking Dead there was a scene in which one of the characters, Lori, is walking through the woods. When watching this scene I couldn't help but picture this sort of style to be used in the scene in Sunshine Calling where Luke is wondering in the woods. They show a lot of close up shots of Lori looking around hearing things, then there was a long shot as if it was a POV of someone/ something watching her. there

1.55 mins onwards (Link Here )

When talking to Hannah about the sound design for the film she had mentioned several times about creating this sense of things that are there through sound but not actually show them. This is what I would imagine it to be like, where it is implied that there is someone watching but actually there is no one around. This would be a good way of building up some tension as Luke is stumbling around the forest alone on his trip. As well as talking this through with hannah I also showed this clip to Mike, our camera operator, so that it might give him some ideas when thinking up his shots as this is what I think would work well.

Annotated Script

Here is a copy of my annotated script showing all my shot ideas and when I plan on cutting between them.