Production: 1st Location Shoot

1st Location Shoot:

Today I began filming on Location at Staunton Harold Reservoir outside Lount. The purpose of today's shoot was to capture scenic footage to use in between the scenes with the lead actress walking in the woods. Using the appropriate white-balance settings, exposure and aperture, I wanted to create a cold misty scene; complimenting the frost and dew on the ground and in the trees. The intention for these is to make it seem like a dream, something that's a vision inside the lead actress' head (when the rotoscope version of her is dreaming.). Likewise, for the scene at the end of the short film when everything is 'real', I intend to use settings on my camera to create a warmer positive feeling.

Post Production: Beginning Rotoscope Animation

Beginning Rotoscope Animation:

After aquirring the raw footage on shooting day. I began the process of rotoscoping the scenes. To do this, I first loaded the video into Photoshop, cut it down to the appropriate shots needed, then converted the video to PNG frame files. After this, I had each frame to begin tracing over using a graphics tablet and Manga Studio 5. 

Production: 1st Studio Shooting Day

1st Studio Shooting Day:

Today was the first official shooting day for the visuals of my project. I hired out the 1/2 cove photography studio at the university and hired several items of equipment ready for today's shoot. Such pieces included the Cannon 600D camera, an accompanying tripod and dolly for use of tracking shots.

 The purpose of today was to capture my main actress against a plain white background for the scenes in my film that are meant to be on a 'sketchbook'. This is so that in post production, I can carry out a method of animation called rotoscoping. This being drawing over the actress' figure to create an animated version of her at the same frame rate as the raw footage.

Research: Rotoscope Animation

Rotoscope Animation:


Rotoscope animation is a method that involves tracing over frames of an subject; whether it be an actor or a moving object, to create an animation of the original subject. Sometimes, the traces are combined with the original moving image to create a combination.

Thought of You

Thought of You, directed and animated by Ryan Woodward is an example of rotoscoping. The short film involves an animated dance sequence which is symbolic of relationships. It was created with the help of dance choreographers creating a sequence that was filmed as live action. The frames were then traced over by Woodward to create the film. Also, he used creative methods such as additions of wings and elongated body parts to give the short film a sense of elegance complimentary to the dance choreography.

A Scanner Darkly 

This film, directed by Richard Linklater is based on the graphic novel A Scanner Darkly.  Rotoscoping was used to give the film a comic look as it would appear in a graphic novel but also, to play with the theory of "The Uncanny Valley". In psychology, this suggest that the things we see that look human or familiar but at the same time, are slightly off or unnatural looking; creepy, the brain doesn't know how to process this. This feature is what helps define this film as a "Science Fiction Movie".


Research video on Form and Function in A Scanner Darkly

Research video "Vsauce: Why Are Things Creepy?" explaining the  uncanny valley


These case studies in researching rotoscope animation helped me in understanding how and why rotoscoping is used and how I will use it in the context of my short film. As such, I intend to use rotoscoping with the intention of the familiarity of live action movement of the human body whilst making it seem that it's not quite real as it will be show like a sketch on a page. Thus defining the rotoscope scenes as a sequence of internal thoughts of the main character. 

Beginning Production: Sound

Sound:

I begin the practical element of my project with sound. With production now underway, I spent Saturday morning recording exterior sounds in east Staffordshire for use as dietetic and non-dietetic sound; using the Tascam  DR-40 Recorder. Most of the sounds I recorded in the woodland area will be used in positive scenes of my film as an essence of tranquillity. 

In addition, I recorded generated sounds. For example, to create an unsettling creaking sound, I recorded a metal ruler being scrapped along guitar strings that made a sound like a de-tuned violin. There still some more sounds I need for my film but they will be recorded over the christmas holidays when filming begins.

Visualising A Scene

Visualising A Scene:

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With enough tests conducted with the ripple effect, I began to visualise a scene for my final story idea for the project. Here, the ripple effect is used on two different layers; the brick wall and the countryside. The third layer; the path, remains unchanged and was edited in Photoshop to be separated from the brick wall. The iris transition effect is also used in this video to create the scene of a doorway opening up in the concrete to a dreamy hillside.

Applying Ripple Effect

Applying Ripple Effect:

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After my first test with the ripple effect, I applied it to a more practical use in a music montage video. The effect is on top of a picture of water which also changes in terms of colour properties and exposure. As well as this, I added the star simulation effect.

Adobe After Effects: Experimentation With Ripple Distortion

Experimentation With Ripple Distortion:

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In accordance to a brainstorm of ideas for my project, I had a scene in mind with a rippling effect. As an initial test with the effect, I created this video of a ripple inside a picture of the ocean.

Lynda.com Tutorial: Ripple Effect

Ripple Effect:

Extending my knowledge of After Effects, I learned the basics of the ripple effect on Lynda.com. This relates to a concept image drawn in my RVJ when brainstorming for narrative ideas.

Adobe After Effects: More Animation Skills Tutorial

More Animation Skills:

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In another tutorial, we were taught the extension of animating on After Effects. This included the use of creating s phere from a 2D image, parent and child options, moving image from a sequence of images and positioning in further detail to create a craft landing, then taking off on the moon.

Adobe After Effects: Basic Animation

Basic Animation:

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This is my first attempt at using the basic animating option for After Effects. This included changing position, scale and rotation of an object over a duration of time. In this case, I animated a bird flying into the distance. Also, I included the snow simulation to add substance to the scene.

Adobe After Effects Test: Stars and Keying

Adobe After Effects Test: Stars and Keying:

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Prior to starting Uni, I had a play around with some of the effects on After Effects to create a short video of myself  playing the keyboard in front of a starry celestial background. The effects include the star simulation and keying to remove the green screen behind me in order to create this effect.