LO4 Final Edits + Exporting

 FINAL EDITS

FALLEN

https://youtu.be/fs4W53_2UFA?si=q_DLe9QnD9a3O1Qx

This is my final version of my film, you can see my use of planned Visual and practical effects, such as the dialogue/text boxes and especially the animations over my characters. My animations mostly were over the characters eyes, meant to add to the scene instead of taking it over completely. I find there is a certain charm in the live footage being combined with this bright animation, despite the horror theme usually having scenes appear a lot more grim, I do find that my characters appear a lot more alive and interesting and I like their slight contradiction in appearance to the overall mood I'm trying to make. It gives a false sense of security in a way but it depends on the audience members.

My original plans involved a lot more movement within my characters, alongside much more complex shot types, however, I struggled with positioning my props appropriately, and by using different, wider shots, it would have exposed some of the behind the scenes techniques I used to hold my models upright, such as propping my taller, skeleton character "Marrow" up against a small model chair. Whilst the chair is black and would be hidden, the character position isn't appropriate for my plans. My smaller character, "Soot" was also a little too small for the shot types I intended to use, she occasionally needed to be propped up on a box to make her level with Marrow, which wasn't very efficient in the long run. However, I don't dislike the result of my struggles, I think I still stuck to my original plans closely, such as my editing techniques and the general appearance of my scenes. 

The animations aren't smooth, but they add a hand drawn type element to my work which adds that little bit more character. Some shots don't look exactly how I want, such as with the lighting levels being a little too dark in areas, but they aren't too much of an issue as they're decently unnoticeable unless pointed out.

CRYPTID

https://youtu.be/BkhWRIZmaV0?si=axDmyKU337zc4gto

In my final version, you can see the use of practical effects, primarily vis the large scale model of my creature. Unfortunately, while I hoped to use a lot more practical effects, most ended up being added in post production considering it's primarily text and glitching effects, which are of course not really possible to add outside of editing.

I did stick to my plan closely, with it being a silent trailer, I had to rely on the visual element a lot more with the appearance of my creature being shown briefly on odd occasions within the 30 seconds. Yet, I do believe using cap-cut for this did limit what I could do, whilst a lot of effects are pre-made templates, it felt too rushed, with my practical effects being the single prop I handmade for half of the trailer. There's the fading in of the creature at the end of the trailer, I mostly stuck with my decision to show it (going against some feedback) as otherwise I wouldn't have much content wise to fit in the trailer, It also just generally brings in more interest and gives a better idea of what the trailer is about.

I added elements such as background 1920s style music, which mostly makes it sound a little more interesting than just solid silence. I also added a voice filter over the audio of the ending clip, giving it an old camera recording feel, also editing the scream to sound a little deeper yet equally as sudden. 

EXPORTING (FALLEN)

I exported my file as a 1080p mp4 file, as this will allow for my video to be high quality when uploaded to YouTube, giving the audience the best experience

I made sure my entire film was selected, as I had an issue before where I accidentally only exported half. This was saved to my desktop so I could easily locate the file, and then was uploaded to YouTube as an unlisted video so it's only accessible via a link.

LO3 PUTTING TOGETHER MY PRODUCT (FALLEN)

FOOTAGE IN LINE WITH PRODUCTION PLAN

https://youtu.be/tnrhWOcUCeo?si=ujhN3u9wmPt5rsa9

This video shows the majority of my unedited clips, enough to show visual effects, especially the use of practical effects via the use of props as the main characters instead of real actors.

Evidently, my camerawork is simple, being basic still shots as it wasn't the most feasible to move the characters and shift the camera simultaneously. However, you can notice me moving the characters in a slightly uncoordinated manner, as I was basically planning their movement whilst also trying to connect it to my storyboard plans. It's also obvious how most of my effects will be added during editing, even my lighting effects will be made primarily with editing lighting levels and brightness.

REVIEW AND EDIT

As you can see here, I've put my clips together and edited their length, with this screenshot showing the beginning opening clip, which was extracted from some of my other work to be used again (which made it easier for me to create the work quickly as it was an existing resource).

My clip edits are also seen in some of my screenshots below

APPLYING PLANNED VFX

Opening sequence

Film Title Sequence effects

My Clips

In this screenshot, I was primarily focusing on editing my text boxes (all of which are the same editing wise). You can see how I've edited the opacity of my clip, allowing for my prop to be seen yet keeping the text visible. I initially created the box on photoshop, where it was a lot more basic/plain, however, after adding it into my footage, I made it fit in with the general appearance of my film by increasing the noise, giving it a grainy appearance which also makes it a lot more animated, despite being static. I also roughened the edges, as the original PNG was only a simple box, this was generally to make the clip look a lot more visually appealing, I've tried to put my elements together as fitting as possible so mood stays how I want it to. 

I added my text in a separate layer, downloading a font from dafont.com which fits the overall theme. This is timed appropriately to my dialogue sfx, using a wipe transition to bring the dialogue in. This generally just makes my work more visually appealing, as opposed to just having text pop up at random intervals, I made them transition in as if the characters were actually speaking. 

I didn't make use of many transitions between shots, however, I did use a cross dissolve during the walking scene in order to combine 2 clips. Unfortunately, the fabric background shifted between shots, which left a noticeable cut between the shots, so I tested lowering the opacity of my second clip and putting it slightly over the top of the first, this was ok but made the second clip too dark, and there was the sudden colour change between the overlap and the clip alone. I. then took another route and simply tested the dissolve transition, which worked well as it mostly only faded the background together before the characters appeared on screen. This change is now only noticeable if you know there's a cut there in the first place 

This screenshot shows how much goes into the textboxes alone, there's many layers due to the multiple elements that have been created externally, such as the icons and the box itself, meanwhile the text is added in premier. I had to make use of the wipe transition at the beginning of all my text, with this needing to be timed correctly when 2 lines are present, as each row of text is a different text box which is timed to keep up with the text appearing on screen.

In this clip you can see how I've duplicated the same element mutliple times with the 'additive dissolve' transition. This is to create a light flickering effect when my antagonist appears, connoting that something so bad is approaching that even the environment is suffering, being the lights flickering at the gradual, increasing thuds and clanks as the antagonist crawls toward the protagonists. I did this by simply adding a black box over the footage in the scene, then lowering the opacity before splitting it into uneven segments for a more natural flickering.

+AUDIO

This screenshot defines where I've added sound elements, pointing out my dialogue and soundtrack in the background and how they've been put together/edited to fit the scene they're in. I simply shortened and extended my dialogue to match the characters talking speed/how fast the text appears on screen, as you can see on the timeline. This of course connects to my vfx as my dialogue is timed with the voices to connote more realistic speech patterns, such as pauses for example. 

CRYPTID 

FOOTAGE IN LINE WITH PRODUCTION PLAN

https://youtu.be/W2epk2nnabQ?si=IvAB5LrA_gaGezYE  (Please make sure this is on 1080p)

For this, I've simply laid out the order of my clips, some of which were free to use from youtube due to my inexperience with producing certain effects. (The glitching effect was found as a free to use effect.

In order to improve this, I plan to add a glitching sound effect, using text over the black clips to specify the release date and also add my credits for branding, which connotes that the trailer is made professionally. I will mute the clips in order to add another over the top, helping to connote an eerie feel by using a sound that fits more into the horror genre, I also have some sounds ready which are sampled from other recordings I have created and not used for this edit, however, I think it stops them from going to waste.

I won't use any transitions between the clips, as I hope to create a fast paced trailer to fit within the small time limit I have set for myself, also connoting tension and building up some sort of anticipation for what is to come within a full movie. I will also add to this mysterious and eerie atmosphere I hope to have by using filters over the top, maybe darkening the shadows to put more focus on what Is happening in the centre of the screen. (this won't apply for the last clip as the entire thing is dark enough and hard to see, its current state works fine in my opinion

APPLYING PLANNED VISUAL EFFECTS + Audio

https://youtu.be/0Pox89E4vig?si=QgWBtatj5Gzptw8a (Set to 1080p)

This is the first edited version of my trailer, and as you can see I used the majority of my ideas mentioned in the offline edit.

I added the text over the top of the black clips, keeping my Production name bold at the beginning to connote importance. I then used the same small font throughout the rest of the trailer as it feels handwritten, as if it's been put there by a victim of the creature shown in my trailer. I added a glitching animation on most of my text too, as to tie it in with the glitching clip I added above some of my recordings. Glitching is also a common aspect in lots of horror movies, so I took this idea and used it in my trailer as something to further connote the genre.

For my sound effects, I also used a glitch sound effect (stock due to not being able to create a good enough effect) this sound is used multiple times throughout the trailer, editing the length of it for different parts. Then I sampled audio from my other recordings, with the breathing sound effect being added after I recorded myself breathing into a microphone. This could have been done during the recording stage, however, the audio was grainy and contained too much background noise which ruined the mood I was trying to create. There's also the use of a heartbeat sound, created by tapping on a desk to imitate beating, this sound quickly gets faster as the trailer moves along, connoting a sense of panic and hopefully inducing some tension within the audience

I added a filter over the top of each clip, darkening the clips to create a more ominous tone to further connote horror.

These pictures show my editing of the offline edit, adding the sound and the text onto the clips, unfortunately I had to transfer all my work over to a portable app called CapCut, which allowed me to work on the trailer at home and complete it. 

 

Like mentioned before, Transitions were kept to a minimum, considering I wanted my trailer to remain fast paced I stuck with simple clipping between shots to connote suddenness, keeping my trailer short and straight to the point as I intend for it to be more of a teaser trailer than anything. There’s also the use of filters over the top of any audios, for example the breathing sound I created has a radio type filter over the top, making it blend more with the clip as if it were a part of it to begin with.

 

LO3 PUTTING TOGETHER MY PRODUCT (CRYPTID)

 

CRYPTID 

FOOTAGE IN LINE WITH PRODUCTION PLAN

https://youtu.be/W2epk2nnabQ?si=IvAB5LrA_gaGezYE  (Please make sure this is on 1080p)

For this, I've simply laid out the order of my clips, some of which were free to use from youtube due to my inexperience with producing certain effects. (The glitching effect was found as a free to use effect.

In order to improve this, I plan to add a glitching sound effect, using text over the black clips to specify the release date and also add my credits for branding, which connotes that the trailer is made professionally. I will mute the clips in order to add another over the top, helping to connote an eerie feel by using a sound that fits more into the horror genre, I also have some sounds ready which are sampled from other recordings I have created and not used for this edit, however, I think it stops them from going to waste.

I won't use any transitions between the clips, as I hope to create a fast paced trailer to fit within the small time limit I have set for myself, also connoting tension and building up some sort of anticipation for what is to come within a full movie. I will also add to this mysterious and eerie atmosphere I hope to have by using filters over the top, maybe darkening the shadows to put more focus on what Is happening in the centre of the screen. (this won't apply for the last clip as the entire thing is dark enough and hard to see, its current state works fine in my opinion

APPLYING PLANNED VISUAL EFFECTS + Audio

https://youtu.be/0Pox89E4vig?si=QgWBtatj5Gzptw8a (Set to 1080p)

This is the first edited version of my trailer, and as you can see I used the majority of my ideas mentioned in the offline edit.

I added the text over the top of the black clips, keeping my Production name bold at the beginning to connote importance. I then used the same small font throughout the rest of the trailer as it feels handwritten, as if it's been put there by a victim of the creature shown in my trailer. I added a glitching animation on most of my text too, as to tie it in with the glitching clip I added above some of my recordings. Glitching is also a common aspect in lots of horror movies, so I took this idea and used it in my trailer as something to further connote the genre.

For my sound effects, I also used a glitch sound effect (stock due to not being able to create a good enough effect) this sound is used multiple times throughout the trailer, editing the length of it for different parts. Then I sampled audio from my other recordings, with the breathing sound effect being added after I recorded myself breathing into a microphone. This could have been done during the recording stage, however, the audio was grainy and contained too much background noise which ruined the mood I was trying to create. There's also the use of a heartbeat sound, created by tapping on a desk to imitate beating, this sound quickly gets faster as the trailer moves along, connoting a sense of panic and hopefully inducing some tension within the audience

I added a filter over the top of each clip, darkening the clips to create a more ominous tone to further connote horror.

These pictures show my editing of the offline edit, adding the sound and the text onto the clips, unfortunately I had to transfer all my work over to a portable app called CapCut, which allowed me to work on the trailer at home and complete it. 

 

Like mentioned before, Transitions were kept to a minimum, considering I wanted my trailer to remain fast paced I stuck with simple clipping between shots to connote suddenness, keeping my trailer short and straight to the point as I intend for it to be more of a teaser trailer than anything. There’s also the use of filters over the top of any audios, for example the breathing sound I created has a radio type filter over the top, making it blend more with the clip as if it were a part of it to begin with.

LO2 INCORPORATING VISUAL EFFECTS INTO THE PRODUCTION PLAN + RISKS

 

INCORPORATING VISUAL EFFECTS INTO THE PRODUCTION PLAN

Visual effects are a prominent part in my product, primarily being the use of small puppets as the protagonist characters and antagonist, alongside the addition of small animations over the top of my footage to add more life into my characters. giving them expressions to connote their feelings, alongside connoting the mood I'm trying to create within my product (short horror/thriller film). The initial idea was to primarily use stop motion throughout the short film, however this would mean a lengthy filming process which will lessen the time I have for the editing stage, this means the small animations are the contingency plan, still taking a short while to make but are still quicker than recording and photographing my models repeatedly.

I will also use post production to add effects such as dialogue, with my plan involving the use of subtitles and textboxes all throughout. I do believe this is a rather unpopular choice for horror movies especially, as it tend to take the attention away from what is actually happening on screen. Yet, I do find that this would work to my advantage as I will most likely use a lot of still shots to animate over, therefore having a distraction may make the clips less plain. The text will appear on screen as if they're actually being spoken by the characters, being timed with voices to give a lot more of a realistic feel with their speech patterns. Yet this realism is contradicted by their voices just being sounds, sampling a meow from my cat as the base and then editing over this with voice effects to make them unique to each character (there's only 2-3 characters so this isn't that hard to do). All of these elements come together to make the footage a lot more visually appealing.

RISKS OF PROPOSED EFFECTS

My plans propose the risk of running out of time, considering the lengthy process of adding animations, timing the dialogue boxes, basically adding every possible effect over my footage. I will also need a good enough animating software for the small animations, planning to initially use Flipaclip, however the consistent flow of advertisements on the software make quick animating a hard task. Using smaller props/models also involves an increased risk of damage, due to the constant moving and posing per scene (at this moment in time, one of the models is already fragile and has broken slightly). This means I will need a safe area to store my props, and if any noticeable damage is made then it essentially ruins the general look of the movie.

I do run the risk of clips being lost, as my clips are constantly being passed between multiple devices for the animations, I may not be able to access the necessary files on certain devices. Storage is definitely a big issue to to most files being very large, and I've already had the issue of having low space in the necessary folders, therefore I may need to split my clips between multiple devices and import stuff in layer on to combine them into a single file. 

I do have a text downloaded from dafont.com, and there's the risk of this getting lost or deleted when moving between devices, so I need to make sure I make note of the font/file name so it can be downloaded on other platforms.

These effects are straight forward, however incredibly time consuming, therefore they're definitely feasible yet will be hard to do because of their use consistently throughout the short film. There's the main constraint of not being able to access the software necessary, such as premier pro to actually put the movie together as this is only accessible at college, so I will need to begin making my product in good time.

In product 2 (Fallen) I will only need affordable materials such as glue and thin paper for paper mache (which the model is made of entirely plus a few extras) - However, the model involves a few mechanical elements such as the light up eyes, which were cheap to purchase which may in turn make them less reliable to work during recording, so I will need batteries on hand to power them incase they decide to stop working. - While it wouldn't be the end of the world if the small features don't work, I'd have to use contingencies, such as some different camera shots, maybe some mega close ups to highlight the creatures features instead of the glowing eyes. - Or I would use sound effects such as low breathing to connote life instead of the eyes coming on.

LO2: STORYBOARDS + PERMISSION DOCS

STORYBOARDS (Product 1)

Product 2

FOOTAGE LOG (Prod 1)

LOCATION PERMISSIONS (Prod 1+2)

RECCE FOR LOCATION

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE

RISK ASSESSMENT

LO2: TREATMENT FOR BOTH PRODUCTS + MOODBOARDS/ SKETCHES

I have 2 products for this unit

Horror (FALLEN) Treatment for products 1

My chosen Idea would be to make a fictional short Fantasy Horror film, with my 2 protagonists being sent to search for a supposed 'Fallen Angel', however, they soon realise that everything is not what it seems to be.

The target audience for my movie would be any gender, however it would be 16+, due to the use of violent themes and maybe mature language. With them being in both the ABC1 and C2DE class with interests in fantasy and thrill.

I aim to have production begin around the beginning of October, however, weather constraints are a risk due to potentially damaging equipment or getting hurt on wet ground. So filming will be focused on days with acceptable weather conditions, unless filming can be completed in a single day.

Distribution will be primarily be done on sites such as YouTube due to my target audience being relatively niche, yet it works out well considering YouTube allows for easy sharing and makes gaining feedback straightforward.

I don’t think I have to worry much about legal problems other than Copyright, with there being the risk of using copyrighted sound in my work, therefore my sound will be created via Foley or downloaded from royalty free websites. All footage will be recorded by myself, so I won’t need to worry about getting copyright strikes from anything visual.

Locations will remain local, as my bedroom is the primary filming location for my work. I may try get permissions from other locations incase my idea shifts slightly, however my filming should be within my own house/on my own property.

CRYPTID HORROR TRAILER - Treatment for product 2

My Idea would be to make a fictional short Horror film, with the story starting off in a much more chill setting with the protagonist taking photos of nature, and accidentally crossing paths with something that isn't meant to be seen, leading to this creature following her home and she only realises when she looks at her photos at home, however by then it's already too late.

The target audience for my movie would be any gender, however it would be 16+, due to the use of violent themes and maybe mature language. With them being in both the ABC1 and C2DE class with interests in fantasy and thrill.
I aim to have production begin around the beginning of October 2023, however, weather constraints are a risk due to potentially damaging equipment or getting hurt on wet ground. So filming will be focused on days with acceptable weather conditions, unless filming can be completed in a single day.
Resource wise, I mostly will need the prop for the brief appearances of my creature, which will be handmade by myself long before filming begins due to it being originally created for something else - if any changes need to be made, I will only need affordable materials such as glue and thin paper for paper mache (which the model is made of entirely plus a few extras) - However, the model involves a few mechanical elements such as the light up eyes, which were cheap to purchase which may in turn make them less reliable to work during recording, so I will need batteries on hand to power them incase they decide to stop working. - While it wouldn't be the end of the world if the small features don't work, I'd have to use contingencies, such as some different camera shots, maybe some mega close ups to highlight the creatures features instead of the glowing eyes. - Or I would use sound effects such as low breathing to connote life instead of the eyes coming on.
Distribution will be primarily be done on sites such as YouTube due to my target audience being relatively niche, yet it works out well considering YouTube allows for easy sharing and makes gaining feedback straightforward. Release dates would be targeted to be around October 2025, due to horror movies typically being released around this time due to halloween (thus meaning people are in the mood to watch horror movies)
I don’t think I have to worry much about legal problems other than Copyright, with there being the risk of using copyrighted sound in my work, therefore, my sound will be created via foley or downloaded from royalty free websites. All footage will be recorded by myself, so I won’t need to worry about getting copyright strikes from anything visual.
Locations will remain local, with the first portion being filmed in the woods, therefore, I would need to gain location permission from the owners if necessary, unless I find a forest area that’s free to use. The rest of the film will be set in my own house, therefore permission isn’t really needed as long as any branded items aren’t shown.

LEGAL AND ETHICAL (Applies to both)

I needn't worry about much about ethical concerns, however there is the risk of me accidentally filming in a location without appropriate permission. The basic locations are chosen for my work, however a specific woodland hasn't really been decided as of yet, therefore I will need to ensure that wherever I decide to film I have researched and gained permission if necessary. Despite this, filming will primarily be in my own house or local areas which are easy to access and don't need much permission to use for filming. 
There's also the risk of accidentally using copyrighted music/sound effect, therefore my sound will either be created via foley or found on royalty free websites, hopefully eliminating the risk of infringing copyright. (permission will of course be gained if sounds are copyrighted) - This will also tie into my unit 16 work considering I can use my foley work for the trailer.
I will stick to regulation laws, avoiding the mention of harmful and/or inappropriate topics alongside keeping language appropriate for a teenage audience (innuendos will maybe be used yet in a subtle way to avoid going against the age rating for the product)
I believe there's mostly ethical concerns with how my model potentially resembles figures that're prominent with religion, for example there is the slight resemblance to Baphomet, who is one of the official symbols of the church of Satan. whilst having any issues with this specifically is unlikely, there's still the small chance that this needs to be considered. Yet with my trailer being short and silent, the few clips of the model shouldn't be too problematic due to it being mostly shadowed out using low key lighting and dark backgrounds. Also due to my target age demographic being 16+, I will aim to maintain an M rating, which should be simple due to my teaser being silent, only relying on visuals that may be disturbing to a younger audience.

MOODBOARDS

LO1:Explain how special and Visual effects are used to generate audio-visual content

SPECIFIC EXAMPLES

VFX

DIGITAL COMPOSITING - The process of digitally assembling multiple images to make a final image, putting together CGI and live action.

BLUE/GREEN SCREEN - The use of big coloured screens to stand as backgrounds, which are later edited to look like real scenery later in production.

CHROMAKEY - Allows you to remove the background of a moving image, typically removes green/blue screen by selecting colours and isolating them.

COMPUTER GENERATED IMAGERY (CGI) - Typically effects that are added digitally, such as simulated explosions and animated characters added over a live action setting.

MATTES - Allows you to combine multiple images together, an older technique used to black out the background of a shot.

MORPHING - The way a shape can transform into another with a basically seamless transition

ROTOSCOPING/3D GRAPHICS - Rotoscoping is when you reference a live recording and pretty much overlay it with an animation, typically used to figure out character movements and help with perspectives.

SFX

MECHANISED PROPS - Machines that are created as props (moving elements)

STUNT PROPS - Soft/action appropriate props used during stunts (fake weapons made with soft material) and/or large models made for action scenes that won't harm the stunt double/actor. (fake furniture)

SCALE MODELS - A physical (usually mini) model typically used to imitate a large building/model for recording specific shots in a movie.

MAKEUP - The alteration of someone's appearance via the use of prosthetics and paint

PYROTECHNICS - Typically used when creating controlled explosions and anything that may be dangerous