Week 1: Visualising the Narrative
I have created a comprehensive guide depicting a broad range of camera shots and angles with a statue of the Joker, using videos to show my understanding of pans and tilts, also reflecting what we have already learned in the workshop with Daniel about photography general knowledge. I have been thought how important is the meaning of the camera shot and how their influence made the audience more or less interested in the action of the scene to summarise the movie. Indeed the camera shots are the visual narrative of the image, they will give meaning to the different scenes.
We were also talking about the shooting plan something that is always used in movie productions, as is well known as the map for everyone working on the set.
The video represents a list of camera shots as ECU, BCU, CU, MCU, MS, MLS, LS VLS, and XLS. also the camera movements, PAN, TILT, ZOOM, PULL- OUT, and a combination of DUTCH ANGLE SHOT AND ZOOM.
What I would like to do after the degree of Visual effects? Well, the answer is quite simple, I would like to be what has inspired me to be here a movie creator, visual effects artist, someone who creates the feeling of the impossible to be possible in people generally in kids. I remember my first movie in the cinema, Independence day, of course, I watched it with my parents. The explosions, the airships, aliens. I fell in love with the movies. Since then I was focused to reach my goal. I believe that my admiration and aspiration for George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Guillermo Del Toro, Michael Bay, Peter Jackson, James Cameron, Ridley Scoot, and The Russo Brothers.
In addition one of the most important characters for me is Stant Winston, a fantastic and brilliant special effects artist, has been working in the biggest blockbuster in Hollywood movies, he took the impossible and made it possible, creating monsters that look real and alive. Furthermore, he has collaborated with the most talented directors creating characters like T- 800 and T-1000 in “Terminator 2” with James Cameron, “Aliens” with Ridley Scott and J. Cameron, the T-Rex, and many other dinosaurs, in “Jurassic Park”, with Spielberg.
George Lucas, Director & Producer of the entire Star Wars Universe
Ridley Scott, Director & Producer of Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator, Martian
Guillermo del Toro, Director & Producer of Pan's Labyrinth, Pacific Rim Saga, Blade.
Stant Winston, VFX & SFX artist creator of, the alien, T-800, Avatar, T-Rex.
Steven Spielberg, Director & Producer of Jurassic Park, Jaws, Private Ryan, Back to the Future.
James Cameron, Director & Producer of Avatar, Titanic, Terminator, Alita
Peter Jackson, Director & Producer of the entire Lord of the Rings universe
Christopher Nolan, Director & Producer of Batman, Inception, Interstellar.
Overall these Cinematographers named above, I will choose George Lucas and Steven Spielberg as the creators of many techniques, different shots, and of course to change the way of making movies and visual effects visionary. Using stop motion, mockups, blue and green screens, fractal effects.
And this is where my inspiration and aspiration come from.
Week 2: Camera Work.
A quick short movie of my day
Nathan starts the lesson with a fresh basic reminder from last week's lecture, the shooting plan, the excessive we made during our break, the types of shots. Following by some references and images from some artists, photographers, and video documentaries about the war in Vietnam. Also, we analyze the move JAWs and The Clockwork Orange.
The task of the lecture for the one-hour break was to use our resources to create a history using 12 images or 12 sequences and upload them as a short movie to the Wix website. I did film myself to create this short movie. Using everything we went through with Daniel and Nathan. Camera Angles, Camera movements, and the basics of photography, like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. To complete this task we had an hour and fifteen minutes.
WorkShop Week 2 With Daniel.
Exposure Triangle
Well when we think about exposure a lot of the times we think about images being too bright or too dark but there is more to it than that, we can have images that are noisy or images that are blurry are really nice and crips, or images they have lots of stuff in focus or just the one thing. maybe it's totally out of focus altogether and the exposure tringle helps us understand how all of that works together and the exposure triangle is made of three things, Shutter speed, Aperture and ISO having these three things well known our pictures will be perfect.
Shutter Speed
The shutter speed as we can see in the images above, depends on the subject we wanna capture, we will need to choose between different speeds in this range this will be in balance with aperture.
In the Shutter Speed we can see that works as a window, depending on the speed we have to choose, this window will close faster or slower. 1/1000 is a second divided 1000 time.
Aperture
The aperture is inside your lens, if you check the inside of your lens you can see clearly that is a ring-like iris inside your eyes, that will let the light come through depending on how much light you need or you want in the case of the lens/cameras. a lower number means a big aperture more light but also means less focus, the depth of field will be smaller. And a higher number means less light, the ring will be closer that was before but also will mean more depth of field.
ISO
The ISO controls the sensitivity of our camera to light. The gain of the film the noise in digital. When you have a low ISO means that is less sensitivity to late. More ISO more sensitivity but more gain o noise in our images.
Week 3: Forced Perspective & Childs dream sequence.
Abandon house- Garden – Midday – Cloudy day.
Post pandemic crisis, many people have left their cities because of the virus, to Centre Africa where the virus was less strong. Now a days richest countries want to control that to their rules etc. Many people were left behind, some of them alive, others with sequels. Our history begins in London. An abandoned house, with a teenager, called Hugo.
Hugo is Brown hair, 1,75cm. dirty clothes.
HUGO
Outside in the garden, set, Looking at his door. Thinking about his future life and how lost and lonely is he. Waiting for someone to cross his door from inside. Keeping everything that he found previously on the streets.
The character has being alone for so many years, he is desperate for someone to come into his life. He dreams about the solution to his loneliness.
Week 4: Shooting plan drawing & class mates ideas
My Idea-
A cat and a fish staring at each other.
Living room
lights from the table, the one inside of the fishbowl and the one above from the ceiling in the living room.
3 cameras, one behind the cat, the second inside of the fishbowl behind the fish and the third above of them.
Rocco Scenario –
Two Characters – Two mysterious men in a suit
Two assets (these could be props or part of the setting) – One briefcase and a
pair of handcuffs
Environment – A subway station
Clear Lighting Source – Artificial light
Three camera positions to tell the story – Long shot of the men, Close ups, close shot of briefcase, Pan of briefcase
In the video below we can see how I made the storyboard for my photo story and future short '' The Hand'' and how I followed during the process of the first filming session. Using myself as an example for the future actor, that for sure will suit better in my story '' The Hand''.
Below we are going some images that will represent my photo story and how its gonna be filming. In addition, I will show the process of sound. Using Garageband free software from Apple that comes with my laptop.
I have added some additional frames outside of the storyboard that will be added to it. After the photo story, the shotting plan with the lights. I also included one image from the GarageBand project and the different from the different pianos I used for the soundtrack.
Workshop Week 5: Ajustment layers & color graiding cropping images.
Week 5 photography workshop was based on cropping, color grading and adjustment layers. As we can see in the image below. With the cropping tool ( perspective selected), we can adjust the corner of the images to change the perspective. This process will make the picture look straight.
We edit these images with some adjustment layers on them, we can see the process below. the first image is raw. images 2,3,4 curve, brightness & contrast and the last one the levels. The las images are the final result of this editing process. All these attributes can be medicated anytime, or add a new one in the window of adjustment, this will apply a new adjustment layer directly to our picture.
Week 5: Creating stories
Storyboarding Task – Creating stories from other sources 1:
Working individually, I will:
I have to select one of the images I have shared with you on Blackboard.
using the video and examples I have shared with you on Blackboard, you are to create your own 12 shot storyboard using a wide variety of shots including tilts, pans, medium shots etc.
ensure that you are thinking about composition and framing of each image!
label each of the images appropriately so that you are used to using the correct language and terminology.
Real picture
My composition
Storyboarding Task – Creating stories from other sources 2:
Working individually, you will:
I select your own appropriate large format image - this could a photograph or piece of fine art and repeat the exercise creating your own story.
I ensure that you are using close ups, extreme close-ups, cut-away shots etc.
I ensure that you are thinking about composition and framing of each image!
I label each of the images appropriately so that you are used to using the correct language and terminology.
Real picture
My composition
Storyboarding Task – Creating stories from other sources 3:
Working individually, you will:
I swap images with a partner and create a story from the material they have shared with you. Ensure that you are using close-ups, extreme close-ups, cut-away shots etc.
ensure that you are thinking about composition and framing of each image!
label each of the images appropriately so that you are used to using the correct language and terminology.
Real picture
My composition
Week 6: The Kuleshov Effect
Task 1
Working individually, you are to source 6 high-resolution still images of people as medium, close-up or extreme close-up shots.
Collect a good mixture of expressions and emotions.
When doing an image search, try to use ’https://creativecommons.org/’ so that you are not appropriating someone else's work.
Using the examples on the following slide as reference, you are to create your own three shot sequences juxtaposing additional imagery that you will source to create new meaning.
Task 2
Using the ‘Kuleshov Effect’ video I have shared with you as reference, you are to create your own short video (about 2 mins in length).
Use still images you have sourced from an open sharing source but ensure that they are a good resolution.
Juxtapose images and use sound where appropriate to show your understanding of the Kuleshov effect with at least 4 different examples.
Use any appropriate editing software and device.
Task 3
Shoot your own video sequence using moving images to show your understanding of the Kuleshov effect.
•Juxtapose shots and footage using sound where appropriate to show at least 4 different examples.
•Use a variety of long, medium, close-up, tilt, panning, tilting shots…(etc)
•Use any appropriate editing software and device.
ASSIGNMENT 1
Photographic Storybard
Using the skills and understanding I have acquired through our sessions and with what I have been doing in our photography workshops with Daniel, I have to plan, create and present a photographic storyboard showing a clear visual narrative. I will use specific shots and techniques to showing my understanding of cinematic language and style. Keep the editing of my sequence concise and trim my piece down to only the most essential elements to tell my story more effectively.
Brief 4 ‘My own path’ – I will devise and create your own photographic storyboard. In the words of Mary Lou Cook "Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun." I have included: 1. Extreme Close-up or Close-up shot; Extreme Long shot or Long shot. 2. At least one shot showing shallow depth of field with a large aperture. 3. At least one shot showing movement – either frozen movement or blurred and drone shot.
My story is:
Kids dreams, loneliness, weak up myself.
Abandon house- Garden – Midday – Cloudy day.
Post pandemic crisis, many people have left their cities because of the virus, to Centre Africa where the virus was less strong. Now a days richest countries want to control that to their rules etc. Many people were left behind, some of them alive, others with sequels. Our history begins in London. An abandoned house, with a teenager, called Hugo.
Hugo is Brown hair, 1,75cm. dirty clothes.
HUGO
Outside in the garden, set, Looking at his door. Thinking about his future life and how lost and lonely is he. Waiting for someone to cross his door from inside. Keeping everything that he found previously on the streets.
The character has being alone for so many years, he is desperate for someone to come into his life. He dreams about the solution to his loneliness.
Storyboard
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
SOME STUFF A NEED TO CRAFT AND MADE TO FILM
The purple colour represents the world of dreams
Table with a hole in the centre to pass my hand throughout.
A hole in my garden to be bury in it
Music was also made by me in GarageBand.
PHOTOSTORYBOARD/ THE HAND
Assessment 1
The PDF of the Hand
Use the arrows left and right to see the story animated
THE SHORT MOVIE
I still working on the music, and some stop motion animation with the hand. Also, I have to say that this is the basic idea of my concept for this short movie. The idea is to keep the viewer with the doubt about the dream, the main character is dreaming or not ? thas is the main question.
WEEK 7: Artist research & inspiration
Phil Szostak: Concept artist Star Wars & Mandalorian
Jose Peña: God of War Video game, Santa Monica Studios
WEEK 8:The 12 principles of animation
This week task was to make a short animation using your own camera or your phone. I have used in this case my camera, my tripod and some clay. To edit the animation I have used Photoshop, relocated the frames in the other in the timeline I wanted. Then I made the loop to make the animation be infinite. The light was coming straight throw my window. The round is just a piece of brown paper I found at home. The idea of this task was to prove or skills and knowledge about frame ratios and to work with them and to understand the basics of traditional animation.
THE CLAY BALL
This image shows how I used my camera and what was my set for the animation.
WEEK 9: Applying Skills
Task 1
Reflective/Critical Analysis and Tutorial
WWW ( What Went Well ):
During my work, for my project ''The Hand'' everything went well, organization and shooting ideas following the storyboards plans. Also, the reflection of my progress in the course is reflected in the results. In addition the extra work and referencing for my ideas. I have made a lot of research on many different softwars, like Garage Band, Premiere Pro & After Effects, watching many tutorials, for the composition of the last shots in the hand.
EBI ( Even Better If ):
What could be better in this project was the lack of support from my colleague's cause of the actual situation in the world, I like to say that as a person I like to hear a different opinion and a different perspective of my idea. This will help me a lot in future projects when I will be supported by the extra ideas from my colleague's and my lectures.
Including in this topic the lack of resources, lighting, reflectors, microphones and the missing hand.
Task 2
Preparing your animation / Animatic:
Basic Questions for Storyboardd Artist
What is the story about?
The story will continue or better to say will make better the stop-motion animation of my hand growing like a flower.
Who are the characters?
The character will be me.
In each scene, what do they do or say?
It will be my hand growing as a flower but is the representation of a human bean growing inside of the earth, like inside of a mother.
In each scene, which characters are in the foreground, middle-ground or background.
In the middle scene will be the hand and for the background, a will located a dark shadow in the representation of the world of dreams.
In each scene, with whom are they in conflict?
The conflict will be for the viewers. They will not notice the difference between the real world or the world dreams.
In each scene, where does the conflict take place?
The conflict (the scene) will be in my garden.
In each scene, what intensity is demanded?
What should be the main light sources, for both interior and exterior?
The main lights will be the Sun and will be full exterior. Maybe I will use some less.
Where will the key lights be positioned?
Top and around the set, the less maybe will be located around the hand.
In each scene, when are the long, medium and close-up shots necessary?
These specific shots will be saved for the main growing scene as fingers and movement making the scene more creepy.
What kind of reflectors, filters, gels etc. are called for to create the mood?
I may create some home reflectors and put some filters in my lens.
What colours dominate each scene?
The palette will be full fill with cold colours, but not in the Hand.
What types of sets, costumes and make-up are required?
Table, soil, plants.
Task 3:
Work on a script or simple story breakdown and shot -list for my short animated piece
I just open my eyes, a mystical atmosphere is surrounding the shed, I have got out tired of my loneliness and following my weird ideas as a child to my back garden. The idea of plating my thumbnail in the soil. I can not remember it was part of my dream or not, but anyway I am too only in this empty city. Everyone has left, scare and rich, where the excuses to leave everything behind to the countries less affected from Covid-19 the new nightmare of human bean including themselves.
I try to meet people outside, but the people who stayed were too scared to meet others outside, or worse not with too many days left to share, cause they were too sick. Even though supermarkets are still full, I will not die because of the lack of food.
The nail just disappears into the ground, maybe a bird took it. After a couple of hours, I can see that something is coming from the ground growing faster and faster. A finger came through.
Sunny Day, Afternoon.
Thinking to myself
What is this?
Something is going on there, the finger is moving and getting bigger. (Representation of a flower growing). The second fingers just came through.
Looks like a hand, why it is moving.
The hand is growing faster and faster. The third finger just came out.
Elias> Then the hand is moving like is looking for help, or just wanna be pull out. What is this, looks like a dream. Do I Still dreaming? The loneliness is consuming me. I don't know the difference anymore between my dreams and reality. If this is real I would love to see what is coming next.
Task 4:
WEEK 10: Applying Skills 2
Week 10 was really good, we were working together again drawing some scenes directly from the scripts, The movies were, Aliens, 300, Forrest Gum. We also need to show the camera action for the different scenes.
Here is the task:
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Working in small groups and using the sample script, students will work on a storyboard using appropriate film grammar.
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Remember that your group must always keep the following 2 objectives in mind when storyboarding:
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Detailed breakdown of narrative.
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Clear communication – visual representation. Present the final representation of story visually through sequential images.
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Break down the scene into minor ‘beats’. Each ‘beat’ should represent one or two shots.
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Devise a shot list and shooting plan
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Applying your learning from previous sessions with visualisation, staging, framing, camera movement etc. communicate each idea in the scene using simplified drawings.
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For the first iterations, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Get them out of the way as you continue to rework and refine your scenes.
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Add descriptive words that would help others understand and follow your vision.
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Use lines, arrows, frames within frames, directional lines, etc. that would visually indicate direction, shot types, or anything else needed to convey your ideas.
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You can use a storyboard template or you can draw your own.
Dong and I decided to work together as a team, in this digital sketchbook will be both storyboard. we chose Aliens scrip for the task.
Aliens script
Task 2: NoTan
NÕTAN FILM STILLS
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Nōtan (濃淡) is a Japanese design concept involving the play and placement of contrasting light and dark elements as they are placed next to one another in a visual composition.
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Your task is to choose a selection of at least 6 film stills from a live-action or animated piece based on what you believe to be successful compositions, shots or frames.
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By focusing on tonal contrast, you will make your own drawn copies or transcriptions of these images in high-key black and white. You may use any medium – but black ink would work best. Consider how narrative is conveyed in the image.
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Record your work on your Digital sketchbook accompanied by your own annotations.
IRON MAN
TRANSFORMERS
GLADIATOR
Week 11: Thinking Ahead
The Hand pitch:
Video introduction (trailer) of The Hand.
This will be the first step.
To catch some possibles investors I will show them a tinny part of the script.
Second step. Script
I just open my eyes, a mystical atmosphere is surrounding the shed, I have got out tired of my loneliness and following my weird ideas as a child to my back garden. The idea of plating my thumbnail in the soil. I can not remember it was part of my dream or not, but anyway I am too only in this empty city. Everyone has left, scare and rich, where the excuses to leave everything behind to the countries less affected from Covid-19 the new nightmare of human bean including themselves.
I try to meet people outside, but the people who stayed were too scared to meet others outside, or worse not with too many days left to share, cause they were too sick. Even though supermarkets are still full, I will not die because of the lack of food.
The nail just disappears into the ground, maybe a bird took it. After a couple of hours, I can see that something is coming from the ground growing faster and faster. A finger came through.
Sunny Day, Afternoon.
Thinking to myself
What is this?
Something is going on there, the finger is moving and getting bigger. (Representation of a flower growing). The second fingers just came through.
Looks like a hand, why it is moving.
The hand is growing faster and faster. The third finger just came out.
Elias> Then the hand is moving like is looking for help, or just wanna be pull out. What is this, looks like a dream. Do I Still dreaming? The loneliness is consuming me. I don't know the difference anymore between my dreams and reality. If this is real I would love to see what is coming next.
The animation part in the movie:
The third step for the short movie will be the animation part where the hand will be stop motion animated, how is growth, following a flower. This will be the representation that everyone comes from the earth. Also that everyone equal in front of death. We all are part of the same world.
The dream part:
I am trying to keep the doubt of: is the character sleeping or is he awake. After the last scene, you don't know really if the character is dreaming or not cause the character is coming from the soil, and the viewers saw the hand growing.
S.M.A.R.T
The short will be approx 3 minutes. Will be presented Video and some parts will be stop motion. following the original idea from the beginning of the course. I would love to achieve with this short movie first the experience and learn from my own mistakes, second the short The Hand is going to be my first short.
The success will first be proud and happy with my work, something that is getting more a more difficult everyday cause every day I want a better Elias, second will be a good review from my colleagues a get some feedback from them I will love to know what the think about my work.
ASSIGNMENT 2
A PROJECT THAT MIX VFX TOOLBOX & VISUAL NARRATIVES
My idea began at the beginning of the semester, with the idea of mixing these two modules, creating something new, or guessing something new for me. THE HAND, that's is how I called my short movie. for this project I have used a lot of new techniques that I haven't used before. Like, stop motion with flowers the opportunity to get a green screen and experiment with it was amazing, or creating my own music, I have no idea how to really play any instrument, but I was experimenting and felt awesome. I have watched so many Tutorial, researching, and of course, using everything I have been thought in class.
I will leave here a brief of everything I have used for this incredible project that a least for me it is.
Here we are Dong a really good friend and colleague from the course, helping me with the set-up and the camera. Also, Isabella was there to help me to with the camera later on.
This day I made the shotting for the first animation in stop motion for the intro in The Hand.
I guess next year with the university working 100% for the students will be easier for me to create new things using the equipment from the university cause is really sad we couldn't use anything till now.
During these two hours we were there I was able to use the normal green screen with the light already set up, and a pop up blue a screen that was really useful for the brush of my flowers to keep the greens on it
FLOWERS GREEN SCREEN
FLOWERS BLUE SCREEN
KEY1.2 IN AFTER EFFECTS FINAL OUTCOME
Screenshots following the workflow
In the image to the left, we can see that I have used Lightroom to organic the shots in two different files, one with the green screen and the other one with the blue screen.
Hera I am key framing my mask to hide some areas of the flowers.
In the third image, I am reversing the time to play the animation backwards
Here I have created a adjustment layer with a mask to feather the area I wanna to be less focus
KEYING, MASKING, LIGHTING SOLIDS
RED PLANET INTRO WORKFLOW, LIGHTS 3D TEXT
MATCHING THE BACKGROUND WITH THE FLOWERS
TRYING DIFFERENT SUPERPOSITIONS WITH THE ANIMATION AND OTHER MOVIING IMAGES
AFTER EFFECTS TO PREMIERE TO FIX THE BACKGROUND
MASKING THE GROUND IN PHOTOSHOP
GREEN SCREEN IN PREMIERE PRO & MATCHING THE FRAMES
WORMS KEYING FOR THE INTRO
A DIFFERENT ENDING IN BLAC AND WHITE, WITH THE WORMS
CREATING THE MUSIC FROM 0 TO MATCH THE IMAGES
Other effects I have used for the short movie, camera flares, camera blur, Hue / saturation, Key 1.2, lights, camera, vineta. Then color correction was made with Red giant, colorista VI, I also made research to how properly match the color and the light following always my original idea.
WORMS
THE HAND
