Video Semester 2 Reflection

Short Film

     For this project, we had to create a short film using our own scripts. We started the project by pitching script ideas to the class. Next, we created a treatment and synopsis for our scripts. Then we began writing our scripts. After we wrote our scripts, the class voted on the ones that we wanted to produce. Then, we made groups and began pre-production. We did storyboards and production schedules to keep us productive during filming. During filming, we filmed 3 days at 3 different locations. Once we finished filming, we began editing. this project took around 3 weeks to complete. We faced some challenges along the way, such as the Ain during filming days, and the lack of time to edit. We overcame them by using a tarp and umbrella, and by staying extra to edit. I learned about short film production and new editing tricks. Our feedback was that it was really good, but it was hard to follow in some parts. Overall, I thought it turned out good, and it portrayed the script well. 

Music Video

     Another project that we did was creating a music video. We had to create a music video, either from an original idea or recreating another one. It took about 3 weeks to complete. Along the way, we faced challenges, such as filming dates and finding actors. I learned more about editing and shot sequencing. Our feedback was that the filter on the "flashback" videos was too dramatic. We did not get a chance to change it. Overall, I thought it turned out good, and we could have improved it if we had more time.  

Class Time

     I thought I used my class time well this semester. If I finished early, I kept improving the project or did other work. If I needed to, I would come in after school to work on our project. I also dedicated a lot of time outside of class to film.

Strengths

     I think my strengths are in pre-production and editing. I have good ideas for pre-production, and want to plan ahead so we are organized during filming. I also think I am good at editing. I like sequencing the clips and making them the best they can be.

Areas of Improvement

     I can still improve in many areas. I don't really know how to se the camera, so I could improve my camera skills. I also can improve on shots and framing. To improve these areas, I can use the camera more often, and study shots and framing.

Short Film Experience

     During the short film, I was the editor and also helped with some filming and art direction. Our short film was horror/thriller. During the process, I learned a lot about short film production and shot framing. My script writing skills also improved due to writing the longline, treatment, synopsis, and script that I created.

Conclusion

     This semester, I enjoyed the short film and music video. If I could change something, I would perfect all of the shots on our short film so that it was really good, and change the music video a little bit. This semester, I learned a lot about entertainment video and shots, and pre-production. Next year, my goal is to have fun in my ecomm strand, and be successful. This year was really fun, and I learned a lot this year. 

Semester Final- Graphic Design

Projects

Greeting Card

     I enjoyed doing the greeting card project this semester. For this project, we had to create a greeting card using Illustrator and InDesign. This project took around 1 week to complete. While creating this, I faced some challenges, such as using InDesign for the first time. I learned how to use Indesign and overcame the challenge. I took feedback from my peers and teacher to make my project better. In my original idea, I wanted to use a calligraphy font, but I ended up not using it because I could not trace it the way I wanted it to look. Overall, I liked the design on my card and thought I did well.

Color Typography

     Another project that we did was the color typography quotes. We picked 4 different quotes, and used typography and fonts to create them. This project took around 1 week to complete. I faced challenges with laying out the text, and finding color schemes. I learned how to mix fonts and make boring fonts more exciting. I got feedback that my colors were too hard to see. I changed one of the designs from the original black and white typography design. I enjoyed this project, and overall thought that I did well, but could have improved in some areas.

Event Advertising

     One of my favorite projects was the special event advertising. We had to research a musician or artist and create advertising for their event using postcards, posters, and tickets. This project took around 2-2.5 weeks to complete. I had some challenges, such as coming up with ideas for postcard design and creating the ticket layout. I learned more about layout and design. My original idea was pretty much the same throughout the project, and did not change drastically. I think that I did well on this project, and that it is one of my stronger projects.

Class Time

     I think I used my class time wisely this semester. If I finished early, I started the blog post or worked on endorsement work. I researched how to improve my skills if I needed the skill for the project. Outside of class, I used Raven 50 to work on endorsement work, such as the Sophomore Committee t-shirt, Fashion Show poster, and address cards for my grandparents.

Strengths

     Some of my strengths include coming up with ideas to make, and using the pen tool. I think that I can come up with a lot of ideas while sketching/thinking, but I have trouble executing them. I also think that my pen tool skills have improved a lot this year, and I now know how to use it to my benefit. I also have good time-management skills, and normally turned in all of my projects on time or earlier than the deadline. 

Areas of Improvement

     I think I can improve in many areas. My technical skills in Illustrator and Photoshop can be improved. I also think that I can improve in vector portraits, because my vector project did not turn out good, and I was disappointed with it. I can also use new color schemes and be adventurous because I tend to use the same shades of colors. 

Conclusion

     Overall, I enjoyed this year in sophomore graphic design. I liked the creative freedom that we had with each project, and how I could make each project unique. If I could change anything in his class, I would do less tutorials I Photoshop because we used Illustrator more often, and I would do more illustrator tutorials. For next year, I want to be successful in my e-Comm strand (SID), and have fun. I enjoyed this class a lot this year, and it helped me learn a lot about graphic design. 

Movie Trailer

Pre-Production

     For this project, we each had to start by choosing our movie trailer. Clueless was one of my first options because it seemed like one of the only trailers that was easily recreate-able. We then got our groups, and started pre-production. We went through the trailer and screenshotted each frame, and put that into a google doc. We then had to go through and listen to the words to create the script. As we were doing this, we also had to find actors. After we assigned roles to actors, we began filming. 

Production

     We filmed one block day at school, as well as around an hour outside of school. Most of our shots took place at school, and we tried to recreate them as accurately as possible. We had a little trouble finding accurate costumes, so we just went with the closest we could find. We filmed at Price Chopper for the "restaurant" scenes, and we used my car for the car scenes. 

Post-Production

     After we filmed all of our shots, we started editing. Someone else on my team sequenced the shots. Later, I went back in and straightened the clips out and added little details such as music, sound effects and graphics. I enjoyed doing this project and trying to re create each shot. If I were to do it again, I would get more shots, and redo some of the ones we had. Overall, I enjoyed this project and it taught me a lot about pre-production and editing. 

Vector Portrait

Pre-Production

     For this project, we had to choose a photo of a family member or ourselves and use vectors to make a portrait. I originally chose a picture of my sister, but I ended up switching to a different picture because the lighting in the photo was weird. After I selected my image, I put it into Adobe Photoshop, and cropped it to be 8x10. Then, I added a posterization layer to make the values in the picture more apparent.

Production

     I put the edited picture into Adobe Illustrator, and started creating my project. When I first started, i was extremely detailed, but it was taking up too much time. I restarted on a new layer, and started with the eyes instead of the skin. I started with the inside of the eye, and worked my way out, and finished with the eyelashes and eyelid, and the eyebrows. Next, I did the mouth. I used the picture as a reference, but I mostly created the teeth and braces by themselves instead of tracing. I then did the lips, and put all of the components together. Next, I did the nose. I struggled with the nose, and could not get it to look how it was in the picture.I moved on to the skin. I colored the skin first, then did the highlights and shadows. I also couldn't get the skin to look how I wanted. Then, I did the hair by starting with the main colors and shapes, and then moving on to the smaller details. I finished the project by doing the neck and the shirt.

Final Product

     Overall, I thought my final product could be better. I struggled with the nose, skin, and highlights/shadows. If I had more time, I would work harder on these aspects, and improve them. I thought that the mouth was the best part of the project. I also would add more detailed eyelashes if I had more time. 

Music Video

     My group chose the song Photograph by Ed Sheeran for our music video. To create our video, we had to come up with a general story line. We took the general idea, and created many different ways to portray it and picked one. Next, we matched the lyrics to the shot descriptions, and time amount for each shot. Then, we created a detailed schedule for filming that included what materials we needed and what shots we needed. Then, we began filming. We filmed for 2 day for around 1.5 hours each day. On the first day, we started at Sar-Ko Park and got all of our shots that we needed. Next, we went to Black Dog Coffeehouse and filmed there. After that, we went to Hy-Vee, and finished filming for day 1. On day 2, we filmed at my house and got all of the bedroom shots. After we were done filming, we started to edit. We started by putting the shots in the rough order, then going to each "memory" and editing them. We put a filter on the memories to show that it was a flashback. Then, we added transitions. Our last step in editing was to add the credits at the beginning.

     During this project, I learned a lot about planning and pre-production. We had a lot of time to prepare, so it helped us a lot during filming because we were so detailed. I also learned that you should always get more shots then you need, because we ended up using some of our extra shots to fill space. If I were to do this project again, I would choose actors that knew each other better to avoid awkward scenes. I would still make a detailed pre-production plan, and I thought we were effective while we were filming. I really enjoyed doing this project because it was a lot of creative freedom, since our group decided to start from scratch instead of recreating one.

Typography Designs

Pre-Production

     This week, we created typography quotes, first in black and white, then in color. We started by choosing 10 quotes, and then choosing 4 from those. Next, I went to dafont.com and hose fonts that I liked. I chose some calligraphy fonts, and some simple fonts to go with them. Next, I started to create them in Illustrator.

Production

     In Illustrator, I started by typing out my quote and laying it out the way I wanted. Then, I played with the fonts, and found ones that I liked. Next, I created small graphics if needed, and added more detail and design to each one. For the colored quotes, I took out one of my ideas to use a different quote. For the rest of them, I picked a main color and then added other colors based on the one I had. I also had to create mountains for one off my quotes, so I created some simple mountains.

Final Product

     My final products can be seen in this blog post. I think that the "adventure is out there" quote with the mountains is my best one because it was the most creative of all of them. If I could do this again, I would create more graphics. Overall, I think that my designs turned out pretty good. I enjoyed doing this project because we had creative freedom to do what we wanted with the quotes, designs, graphics, and colors.