Sunday, 28 October 2012
FILM IDEA...
Film Idea and Key Concept
Here is some information on short films about bulling and our film idea
Sunday, 21 October 2012
Short Film Ideas and Refined Ideas
Short Film Ideas and Refined Ideas
Here are some of the ideas we have came up with for our short film and also our refined idea
Saturday, 20 October 2012
Short Films about Bullying
Here are some rather negative ending short films about bullying, they are both very effective and there message is to get people to understand how bully can effect a person. It shows it can cause a person to commit suicide or cause depression in later life
Friday, 19 October 2012
How to Make a short Film?
What you need to make a short Film:
- Descent video camera
- Tripod
- Computer/ Laptop with the correct editing software
- DV Tape
- Sound Kit
- Actors/actresses
- The Location
- Here is the thing; anyone can record and image, but that is not making a film
- Learn the following features of your camera
- focus ring
- white balance
- iris.
- focus ring
- Narrative, or Documentary? Download a free script writing program. A good one is called Celtx.
- If you are going to make a fiction film, Narrative. Think of a basic story idea. You can get a lot of ideas for films from things you read in daily life, short stories, newspapers, etc
- Outline your idea. Write out your script, using Celtx; if you have never written a script before pick up a book that explains script writing and character development, and that along with the Celtx program will be all you will need.
- Write out your script
- Consider the following points in writing your script
- Character development
- Plot development
- Inciting incident
- Character arch
- Character development
- Story-board each shot in the film. Decide what each shot in the movie is going to be. For example, wide shot, over the shoulder, tracking shot, close up, extreme close up, medium wide shot. crane shot, dolly shot, etc.
- Decide what you need for each scene. This is called a breakdown sheet.
- Determine the setting of the scene. Is it external(EXT) or internal(INT)?
- Determine the equipment you are going to need.
- Determine the actors and crew.
- Determine what props, make-up costumes, etc., will be used.
- Start casting for cast and crew for the movie.
- For crew you are going to need as many people as possible, but at least the following
- Camera Man
- Director of photography
- Sound recorder
- Costume and make-up person.
- someone who knows something about lighting Provide food for your crew and expense money and a copy of the film.
- Edit the film, you do not need to use an expensive program at all. With the right skills, a free program that came with the computer can make stunning films. Do not think you need to use the most expensive program out there!
- Show the film to friends and family and/or post it to YouTube. If ybe
Basic Information for a Short Film
What You Need to Know about A Short Film:
Characters:
TODOROV:
Characters:
- Short Films tend to stick to 3-4 main characters, this is because being 'short', short films dont have time to create deep back story or history for characters, therefore character numbers must be kept low to allow the viewer to relate to the characters in the small amount of time.
- The max length for a short film is 35minutes, the typical time is between 5-10 minutes, if tihey were any longer they wouldnt be classed as short.
- Short films nearly always contain a twist, thie reason for twistiing the storyline is to make the short film more interesting as they are short, without one the short film would be uninteresting.
- Short Films typically have a low budget. This is based on the fact that most Short Film directors are independent without the sufficient backing in terms of funding. They keep there budget down by sticking to one or two locations and only using 1-4 actors. having such a Short Film allows costs to be little to nothing in some departments as some actors will work for free if they really like the storyline.
- Short Films usually take an everyday situation that we can all relate to and then flip it on its head in some way.This allows the viewer to relate to the Short Film, but at the same time intriguing the viewer
TODOROV:
- Tordorov's theory of equilibrium is typically applied to Short Films.
- Equilibrium- Everything is normal
- Disequilibrium- A problem occurs
- New Equilibrium- Problem is solved, Everything is back to normal; However a change is noticeable
Friday, 21 September 2012
Short Film's
A short Film in its entirety, lasting approximately five minutes, which may be live action or animated or a combination of both, together with two of the following three options:
This is a short film which is quite strange and i really like the storyline, I found it a bit creepy, but I love how they have created it. This is my favourite short film, I really like the story its something different and I havent seen anything like this before, I love the acting in it, the boy is very cute, miss parday's very lovely and kind and the x fiance is very tough and doesnt care about anybody else but himself and he wears very scruffy, rough, tough, dark clothes and miss parday's the complete opposite. Heres another short film which is a comedy, this ones very simple. Its a bit strange as the men do a lot of strange things such as killing eachothers pets. I do really like this one but were not going to do a short film like this and I personally think its to easy and to simple. This is another short film which I found and I really liked as its quite funny, its different which is always good! and I really like how the gods and the normal down to earth man are shot, theres always low angle shots of the gods to make them look bigger and more powerful and theres high angle shots of the man to make him look small and not powerful at all.
- a poster for the film
- a radio trailer for the film
- a film magazine review page featuring the film
This is a short film which is quite strange and i really like the storyline, I found it a bit creepy, but I love how they have created it. This is my favourite short film, I really like the story its something different and I havent seen anything like this before, I love the acting in it, the boy is very cute, miss parday's very lovely and kind and the x fiance is very tough and doesnt care about anybody else but himself and he wears very scruffy, rough, tough, dark clothes and miss parday's the complete opposite. Heres another short film which is a comedy, this ones very simple. Its a bit strange as the men do a lot of strange things such as killing eachothers pets. I do really like this one but were not going to do a short film like this and I personally think its to easy and to simple. This is another short film which I found and I really liked as its quite funny, its different which is always good! and I really like how the gods and the normal down to earth man are shot, theres always low angle shots of the gods to make them look bigger and more powerful and theres high angle shots of the man to make him look small and not powerful at all.
Tuesday, 18 September 2012
Article on how to make a Music Video
How to make a Music Video:
Choose Your Song
Having a music video can help promote your band, through video sites such as YouTube and MySpace. As well as by getting exposure on national television. If you're a film maker making a music video is a good way of getting exposure and experience and bands are often happy to give you a creative free reign. A video doesn't need to cost a fortune what's important is having a good idea and working within your budget. Production companies charge a fortune for even the simplest promo video, but you can easily do it yourself. First things first, however. You have to choose your song.While it might make sense to make a video for your upcoming single there are a few other factors to consider:
- It can take a lot longer than you think to make a video, so by the time it's finished your single might have come out. It might be an idea to think about making the video for a subsequent single.
- Having said that, in these days of internet downloads, any track can be seen as a single, so there might be a track on the album that you have a great idea for a video for, even if that track wasn't originally planned as a single.
- Remember that it can take a long time to shoot and edit each second of video so while you might have a good idea for a video for that 10 min epic that closes the album it might be more practical to shoot a video for the 3 min pop song.
Get a Team and Equipment Together
However complicated (or simple) your shoot is, you'll need a team of people. As well as the actors/performers you'll need:
It's a good idea supply some kind of refreshments for your crew – that will not only keep them happy but also stop them popping off to the shops to get their own supplies, just when you need them for the shoot.
Ideally you'll be able to recruit a team who have their own equipment. If you have to get equipment, then you'll want to get the best your budget allows. While prices are coming down, buying a camera, lights and other gear will still set you back a small fortune. You'll be able to get more equipment for your money by renting gear; many places have community arts programs where you can hire equipment cheaply. You can also check out the local colleges in your area to see if they can help. If you are looking to buy gear, then do your research. For example you're probably better of buying a higher spec Standard Definition camera, than a bottom of the range High Definition camera.
- Camera person – At least one, and maybe more.
- Lighting Person – If you're filming inside you'll need lighting, and someone to look after it.
- Director/dogsbody – You need someone in charge of the shoot, making sure everything is running smoothly, and who can go buy batteries when you need them.
It's a good idea supply some kind of refreshments for your crew – that will not only keep them happy but also stop them popping off to the shops to get their own supplies, just when you need them for the shoot.
Ideally you'll be able to recruit a team who have their own equipment. If you have to get equipment, then you'll want to get the best your budget allows. While prices are coming down, buying a camera, lights and other gear will still set you back a small fortune. You'll be able to get more equipment for your money by renting gear; many places have community arts programs where you can hire equipment cheaply. You can also check out the local colleges in your area to see if they can help. If you are looking to buy gear, then do your research. For example you're probably better of buying a higher spec Standard Definition camera, than a bottom of the range High Definition camera.
Plan Your Shoot
The more planning you can do before hand the quicker you'll be able to shoot. If you're renting gear, the quicker you can shoot the less it will cost you, and if you're relying on favors, people will be more willing to help again if you keep the hanging around to a minimum. To plan, you should:
- Draw story boards showing each scene and shot
- List the crew, performers and props you'll need for each shot
- Try and brief the camera and lighting people beforehand so they know what you want from the shot.
Filming
On the day of the shoot be prepared and organised. Keep a record of shots you've made; it'll make editing much easier. Always allow plenty of time for shooting - the finished shot may only last 10 seconds, but could easily take several hours to set up and shoot. When you're happy with a shot, if you have time, shoot it again. You can never have too much footage, and the retake may capture something that you hadn't noticed first time round. You'll have your plan and storyboard to follow, but remember that some of the best moments in a video can be unplanned. Keep the camera rolling – these days tape is cheap.
Capture Live Footage
Filming the band playing live can provide you with great footage for a video. Filming the band at a gig will mean you'll be able to capture the bands live energy and their interaction with the audience. They are some difficulties, however:
Live filming may provide you with some great footage that can be used as part of a video, but if you want live footage to synch to a video, your best bet is to "stage" a live performance. Get the band to play along (or mime) to the track in front of an audience of mates or invited fans. You can then control the lighting, people's movements and get the track played as many times as you need (or at least until the band decamp to the bar!)
- They'll only play the song you've making the video for once so you'll only have one chance of capturing the right footage
- The live version may differ considerable from the recorded version so syncing the footage with the track could be problematic
- The band's, and particularly the audience's, movements won't be choreographed, so you, or your camera person, won't know where to be to capture the right shots
- The lighting and effects may look great to the audience but may not look great to the camera
- Your filming may interrupt the bands performance.
Use Stock Footage
You can spice up your video by adding stock footage but you need to be aware that, like music, almost all video footage is subject to strict copyright law. Making use of footage without the copyright holders express permission is illegal. (That shot from <i>Top Gun</i> may look great in your video but you'll need permission from Paramount Pictures to use it).
However, there are source of footage that you can legally use. Royalty free footage is footage you can re-use in any setting, without asking permission or paying the copyright holder a fee each time you use it - but you may have to pay a fee to obtain it in the first place! Fear not: there is free royalty free footage – footage that's in the public domain. Some sites where you can download public domain footage for free from are:
However, there are source of footage that you can legally use. Royalty free footage is footage you can re-use in any setting, without asking permission or paying the copyright holder a fee each time you use it - but you may have to pay a fee to obtain it in the first place! Fear not: there is free royalty free footage – footage that's in the public domain. Some sites where you can download public domain footage for free from are:
- The British Film Institute
- Google's collection of National Archives
- For black holes and other treats from outer space try the European Space Agency.
Editing
Your footage might be great, but it'll only become a great video through editing. To do a good job you'll need patience, time and more patience. You'll need to decide the 'feel' and pace of the video. Will it be made up of long sweeping shots, or quick sharp edits? Do you want to follow the mood of the song and edit to the music or do you want the video to contrast with the track?
The judicious use of the right effect can really set your video apart. As well as your software standard effects, there are usually many plug-ins that you can download (some free, most for a fee) so feel free to experiment (most plug-ins have a trial version you can play with for free before you buy). See tip 3 in the last step for more about the proper use of effects.
A word of warning: if you're making a video as a band it's usually best to delegating the editing process to one person. After they've done a rough edit you can discuss how it should be finished, but if 4 people sit round all trying to edit a video together a long process will become torturous and, almost inevitable, will end in falling outs.
The judicious use of the right effect can really set your video apart. As well as your software standard effects, there are usually many plug-ins that you can download (some free, most for a fee) so feel free to experiment (most plug-ins have a trial version you can play with for free before you buy). See tip 3 in the last step for more about the proper use of effects.
A word of warning: if you're making a video as a band it's usually best to delegating the editing process to one person. After they've done a rough edit you can discuss how it should be finished, but if 4 people sit round all trying to edit a video together a long process will become torturous and, almost inevitable, will end in falling outs.
Get the Right Software and Hardware
These days cheap, or even free, software can do a professional job of editing. The basic video software for Macs is iMovie and for the PC, Adobe's Première Elements is a good place to start. The more complex software available may give you more freedom and choice, but for the beginner these package can be overwhelming and very pricey.
Any new computer should be capable of editing film footage, and even a ten year old PC should be able to handle basic video editing software. Video editing takes up a lot of hard drive space, so keep your hard drive clear and get rid of footage your not using (but be careful not to delete footage you ARE using!). Investing in a new hard drive to store you video footage on is probably a good idea.
The output format will depend on it's destination. Highly compressed formats are best for streaming over the internet (Quicktime is the most universal), DVDs are great for send out to press and media, and a DigiBeta tape is need for TV broadcasts (something you'll need to get made up at a professional production company).
Any new computer should be capable of editing film footage, and even a ten year old PC should be able to handle basic video editing software. Video editing takes up a lot of hard drive space, so keep your hard drive clear and get rid of footage your not using (but be careful not to delete footage you ARE using!). Investing in a new hard drive to store you video footage on is probably a good idea.
The output format will depend on it's destination. Highly compressed formats are best for streaming over the internet (Quicktime is the most universal), DVDs are great for send out to press and media, and a DigiBeta tape is need for TV broadcasts (something you'll need to get made up at a professional production company).
Be Creative
How many videos have you seen on MTV that consist of the band playing in a club, with the lights flashing whilst the audience jump up and down? Exactly. Try and think of something different when you make your video. Filming a Hollywood blockbuster on a shoestring budget will generally look crap! One of the most interesting videos I've seen recently was of the band playing in the back of a transit van while it went through a car wash – the only cost was the car wash fee. From this simple idea they made a interesting and quirky video that was premiered on MTV Europe.
Tips for Making a Good Music Video
Beware of Using Excessive Zoom:
It may look cool while you're shooting it, but in the final edit zooming often looks clichéd, and unless done with a very steady hand can often look amateurish.
And Excessive Special Effects:
Even the most basic video editing software has a myriad of of special effects for you to use; color changing, rolling edits, split screens.....it's advisable to use them sparingly. A good video isn't a showcase for how many effects you've mastered. It's usually better to use a couple of effects throughout the video to create a certain feel rather than use as many effects as you can to make a video exciting (if you need to do this, then maybe it's time to rethink your idea. or add some more footage - see Steps 4, 5 and 6).
But Think about Adding Sound Effects:
A dramatic music video may be enhanced with some addition sound effects. If your video begins with someone walking down the street, you could add the sound of footsteps or ambient street noise over the intro. If you're making a video for someone else make sure they won't mind you adding sound effects to their perfectly crafted tune!
Don't Be Over Ambitious:
A simple idea well executed is often more effective than a complex idea done badly.
And Ignore All I've Said:
The most interesting videos are made when the rules of convention are bent, buckled and broken, so keep experimenting and above all else, make something interesting.
Many thanks to video director Arthur T. Flegenheimer (stage name) for his expertise!
This is an article that we found on a website about how to make a music video and we are still deciding now if were going to do a music video or a short film but if we do do a music video this will prove to be very helpful.
It may look cool while you're shooting it, but in the final edit zooming often looks clichéd, and unless done with a very steady hand can often look amateurish.
And Excessive Special Effects:
Even the most basic video editing software has a myriad of of special effects for you to use; color changing, rolling edits, split screens.....it's advisable to use them sparingly. A good video isn't a showcase for how many effects you've mastered. It's usually better to use a couple of effects throughout the video to create a certain feel rather than use as many effects as you can to make a video exciting (if you need to do this, then maybe it's time to rethink your idea. or add some more footage - see Steps 4, 5 and 6).
But Think about Adding Sound Effects:
A dramatic music video may be enhanced with some addition sound effects. If your video begins with someone walking down the street, you could add the sound of footsteps or ambient street noise over the intro. If you're making a video for someone else make sure they won't mind you adding sound effects to their perfectly crafted tune!
Don't Be Over Ambitious:
A simple idea well executed is often more effective than a complex idea done badly.
And Ignore All I've Said:
The most interesting videos are made when the rules of convention are bent, buckled and broken, so keep experimenting and above all else, make something interesting.
Many thanks to video director Arthur T. Flegenheimer (stage name) for his expertise!
This is an article that we found on a website about how to make a music video and we are still deciding now if were going to do a music video or a short film but if we do do a music video this will prove to be very helpful.
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