FMP Problem Solving
- 2. Theoretical Filming Outsid e Lack of lighting in woods for example Potentially Cold at night Raining or wet ground - potentially damage to equipment Cast being unable to be there Unwanted noise (wind, traffic, public, sounds) Filming Inside People potentially there Power cut – No lightingCovering up logos within the location Unwanted noise (wind, traffic, public, sounds) Cast being unable to be there Lack of refreshments Tripping over equipment in low light Missing production times Lack of toilet facilities Tripping over equipment in low light Carrying equipment Lack of funds Carrying equipment Can no longer use locations Actress is ill Issues with travelling to the locations Unable to obtain props Mind Map I
- 3. Practical & Technical Camera Does Not Work Audio Recorder Does Not Work Camera Battery dies SD Card is full Back Up errors Unable to do something because of ability Camera malfunctions Editing Software files corrupt Editing Software crashes Lack of lighting Props break Time Constraints on Locations Digital Noise Noisy Surroundings Mind Map II
- 4. Props & CostumesProps – The intended Props for the production could be lost, unable to obtain or break during filming so to avoid this I will get multiple versions of the props as back up depending on the funds I have available. The disadvantages of using props is that they may not be suitable or allowed at the locations that I wish to film at which could hinder the production process so I will reduce the problem by making it so the props aren’t strictly needed and the scenes work without them if needs be. This could play into the ambiguous nature that a lot of horror films employ. It saves on the budget if you do not need to show something and can be a lot more effective as the audience is given the opportunity to fill in the gaps with their own mind. Costumes – There are multiple issues that can occur when it comes to costumes for a production, one of the more prominent problems is that of the costumes becoming damaged before or whilst filming which means it would be in my best interest to have multiple versions of the same outfit to prevent it from hindering the production as much as it would if I did not have something to fall back on. However another issue includes the chance that the costume may not be of a suitable size for the actress and I don’t want her to uncomfortable on set so I will need to have her try the costumes on before I buy more as a backup because I do not want to waste the funds I have on an issue that could be easily avoided by following this method. Delivery – In terms of actually obtaining the Props and Costumes I need for the Production, I could run into multiple issues before even needing to consider the above problems and solutions as I could struggle to find the items I need within the budget so I will need to consider this when looking for them whether that be online or in a shop, considering both will increase the chances of finding exactly what I need within the funds and timeframe I have. I could also be left in a situation where the items don’t arrive for the limited time I have to film so it would be a good idea for me to give myself enough time for it all to arrive just incase any damages or delays occur.
- 5. Camera Hardware - The Camera and/or Lenses being damaged could turn the filming into a complete nightmare because it would completely ruin the footage and make it practically unfilm-able which would be a major problem as I do not have the required timeframe that would allow for this to happen so reducing and preventing the problems before they even occur would be very beneficial. For example if the Camera had any problems with controlling the aperture then that could again ruin the footage as well as make it extremely difficult to control the amount of light is let through and as I am planning to film the majority of the production in the dark, this would make the digital noise a major occurrence. However if all else fails I will have to compromise by filming with a phone which would unfortunately make the night scenes very difficult to film or even see in so making sure everything is working before I begin filming is of the highest priority. SD Card – There is a chance that something could go wrong with the SD card before or whilst filming which would make it impossible to film anything on that camera so to avoid issues like the files becoming corrupted, the SD card being full (and not having the time to delete the previous footage) I will bring multiple SD cards with me to the filming locations just in case anything like this occurs. There is also the chance that the footage could be corrupted/deleted once saved onto a computer so along the same lines as having multiple SD cards I will also make multiple copies of the footage wherever I can whether that be on the computer’s hard drive, Cloud storage or a USB stick.
- 6. Audio Volume – Low Quality – A cheap or damaged microphone will degrade the sound quality before it has even reached the camera. Consider investing in a powered tie-clip or overhead microphone to provide a strong, well balanced and clean sounding output. Look for known brands and use Amazon for customer comments and ratings. Do check that the microphone type will work with your camera as they are not all compatible. There are a number of other problems that can occur when recording sound. Most are due to low quality equipment placed too far from the sound source or a lack of consideration in the recording environment. Experiment with your microphones and if possible monitor it live on a good pair of closed-ear headphones. Finally don’t rely on just one recording, record at least three versions so you have a better choice in the edit. Foible – A foible is a slight flaw or defect In the audio – This can be in the form of strong audio levels that are just a little too strong which can result in some momentary distortion in the audio or background noise is picked up in recording. The best way of avoiding these issues is by taking care to All of these foibles are avoided with some simple attention to details before and during the shoot which can be done by double checking everything before filming even begins and can by extension reduce the chance of these foibles during your next filming sessions. When filming outside it becomes increasingly difficult to control how well the audio is picked up if it is being filmed on location without the use of specialist equipment so I will need to determine what equipment would be best suited for each of the locations I will be filming in i.e. a house, woods and an old building which could affect the audio recording in different ways – for example when filming outside I need to consider the potential sounds of cars driving past, wind and people so I will need to make sure I am filming away from said inconveniences as well as having a windshield on the boom mic if one is used. Other problems I will need to consider is that of the sounds being difficult to hear depending on how far away the action is from the camera so I will need to have any audio that is being recorded on the day to be audible from that distance or have everything recorded and added in during the post production process at a later date.
- 7. Software Video Quality Diminishes after Editing – Video Files Corrupted – The files becoming corrupted and other no one wants to face whether that be technical faults or accidental mistakes. So I should back everything up throughout the process so I do not lose my progress. I can also utilise video repair software from a trusted developer. It can be used to resolve video corruption issues like errors in video frames, sound, header, movement of videos. They can help to repair files like M4V, AVI, ASF, WMV, MKV, FLV, DIVX, WEBM, MJPEG, MPEG, AVCHD, MTS, MOV, MP4, 3G2, 3GP, and F4V videos that have either become corrupted, damaged or broken during the shoot or whilst editing. Out-of-Sync Audio – The audio being Out-of-sync is a common video editing issue and can completely ruin the quality of the production. video editing software such as Adobe Premiere Pro can allow me to readjust where the audio is placed which is a way to fix the issue. The issue is usually caused by different Sample Rates or Frame Rates and to resolve t this, a common for this is to split the video clips into smaller parts and vary the video frame rate till it is in sync with the audio because only matching the audio to the footage may not be able to to get the sound in-sync perfectly without further adjustments. There is a multitude of issues that can occur whilst editing and one of the most damaging issues is that even though the original video is of good quality, after editing the video quality deteriorates this can make it look pixelated, lose sharpness, get blurry, choppy, flicker or not play as smoothly as it did. This can be caused by changing the frame rate, resolution. To avoid this it would be a good idea to check the settings of the original video beforehand to ensure that I begin to edit under the same settings as to not stray away from the original format in terms of pixels, frame rate, video codec etc. It would also be a good idea to work on the highest-quality video source throughout and to not change the video format while rendering or editing.
- 8. Location There is a multitude of issues that can occur filming on location, especially outside when it comes to how the weather will be on the day as If harsh rain is predicted, I will need to review my schedule and either make a few changes or postpone the filming to a later time or date. However if this is unavoidable I do everything I can to protect the camera from any moisture that could build up at by always drying my hands, wiping down all the lenses I have used as well as any other pieces of equipment and electronics before I begin to shoot and after. At the end of the filming session I will place the equipment near a heat source to dry them before packing them away. The Weather - Pedestrians – The public can be an issue when filming outside as to avoid it I would need a great deal of orchestration which I will not be able to emulate, technical equipment, and setup. As an outdoor set has the potential to draw interested which can interfere with the filming process and make scenes completely un-filmable so minimizing this would be in my best interest for the filming process due to having a limited time in which to get everything right. Permissions – Whilst scouting out locations to film in, you are required to get permissions from them to legally film and use the location which can be revoked at any time for any reason so if this does occur or I cannot have access to the locations I want to use I will have to produce a plan of action for filming in a different location that can act as a replacement or else I will be left with nothing at the end of the filming period.
- 9. Equipment Damaged Equipment – Following the correct procedures for protecting and looking after the equipment will be of highest priority during the filming process as not only will it hinder the production if the equipment does get damaged in any way there may be extra charges if it is from College or end up being a waste of money if purchased myself. Power Issues – Filming outside brings into account that there won’t be any power sources to connect any electrical equipment I.e fog machine and light sources to light up the sets So I have already planned to use a portable generator which in and of itself brings a few health and safety risks which will be addressed but the use of a small generator instead of something solar powered will allow me to use the equipment even if the weather isn’t so great. This will also allow me to move around the location if needs be because of any unforeseen circumstances. When it comes to the filming process being unable to obtain the equipment I will need whether that be a tripod, audio recorder or lens etc due to just not having access to them or the specific items I need due to bookings being fall or something along those lines making them inaccessible. I will need to make sure that I have all the equipment I require from the bookings department in enough time to avoid the risk of this happening. Another way in which I will attempt to avoid this by purchasing my own versions of said equipment if my budget allows for this to be the case. Unable to obtain Equipment -
- 10. Solution and Alternatives Summary The previous section of the PowerPoint details a few of the problems and their respected solutions that may occur throughout the production process within the sections of Props & Costumes, Camera, Audio, Software, Location and Equipment to cover as much ground as possible. For Props & Costumes I spoke about how The intended props for the production could be lost, unable to obtain or break during filming and how I would come up with a solution to these issues i.e. I will get multiple versions of the props as back up depending on the funds I have available. As for Costumes, I followed a similar structure of talking about how the costumes can become damaged before or whilst filming as well as how I would combat this by again having multiple versions of the same outfit to prevent it from hindering the production as much as it would if I did not have something to fall back on. For Camera related problems I noted that the hardware becoming damaged would set the production back so it is important that I check that it is all in working order before filming so I can properly prepare for making changes and/or getting replacements. Along the same lines as this something could go wrong with the SD card before or whilst filming which would make it impossible to film anything so to avoid issues like the files becoming corrupted, the SD card being full (and not having the time to delete the previous footage) I will bring multiple SD cards with me to the filming locations just in case anything like that occurs. Audio problems can also occur whether that be when controlling the volume, quality of the recording and other easily preventable mistakes which can all usually be prevented by taking care of the details when recording. For the Software side of production I listed that video quality can diminish after editing if the settings aren’t configured correctly which I will need to do to get the best quality image I can, Video files can become corrupted so I will back them all up as often as possible – audio can also become out of sync within the software and I have noted how to fix and prevent this. Away from the standard issues, I also included ones that can occur when filming on location which becomes more specified for wherever said location is, for example when filming outside in the woods I will need to take into account the state of the weather as it can greatly affect the production by ruining a shot or making filming difficult so I need to be prepared to adjust schedules and protect exposed equipment if necessary. Pedestrians are another problem when filming on location as curious onlookers can interfere with production and create the need to protect the equipment just in case, however the biggest problem that can occur when location filming is being unable to get permissions to film there so I will need to have back up location if any fall through. Lastly I noted down a few of the issues that can occur with any equipment which covered being unable to obtain the equipment where I will need to make sure I have any equipment booked early enough or compromise by purchasing it myself, damages to the equipment where I will need to take care of it and make sure I am following the correct health and safety procedures and finally the lack of power sources when filming outside which I will combat by hiring a portable generator with enough voltage to power everything.
- 11. Cost & Time Cost I have compiled a list of what items I will need to buy and those of which I will try to rent from college - my purchase list includes renting a portable Petrol Generator for £28.00, possibly a LED video Light Panel for £29.99, a Blank DVD Disk for £8.00, Fake Blood for £3.99 and a Prop Weapon for around £5 to £25 which makes the current props come to around £69.99. Whilst in the costume department I am planning on purchasing either a Romacci Women Vintage Loose Long Sleeve Cotton Viscose Dress priced at £16.99 on Amazon and £10.45 on LightInTheBox, Plus Crochet Lace Open Shoulder Maxi Dress which is £12.00 at Boohoo and less likely a Haunting Beauty Ghost Costume which is priced at £36.75 on Amazon. There may be other purchases that need to be made later on in production but they will be added as and when in a separate document. It would be ideal for me to purchase the cheaper options as not only will I have limited budget but I also plan to buy multiple versions just in case anything happens to any of the items. I am willing and able to spend around £100 to £200 on the production as a whole. Time Production is intended to start on March 18th but due to when the locations I would like to film in are available I cannot start filming till the Easter Holidays but I will use the time I have to improve any previous work and produce other content related to the film i.e the soundtrack and other sound effects once I have a better idea of what will actually be happening in the film scene by scene. The schedule detailed in my Proposal is only a rough estimate to give me a foundation to build upon so once everything is in place I will create another more accurate schedule to follow. Evaluation is expected to start around May 20th so I will need to make sure that I am not only on track with my schedule but also n track to have everything finished for that date as I cannot afford to run over the required time with the final project.
- 12. Health & Safety Potential Issue: How to act/prevent: Extremes forms of weather Make sure the crew are dressed appropriately and that I have covers to protect the equipment. Tripping over exposed equipment Make sure that the equipment is clearly visible at all times Lifting hazards Move carefully when lifting heavy objects or equipment and ask someone to help if needs be. Visibility when using a Camera Make sure the camera operator is comfortable with their route and that there is nothing in the way for them to trip over (especially in low light) Liquids Near equipment Make sure that any liquids are kept away from any electrical equipment as to not damage them or cause an electrical fire. Accidents on Set Make sure that there is some sort of First Aid Kit for any small accidents that could occur during filming. Use of the generator Make sure that everyone knows how the generator functions and to keep the output below its maximum as to avoid a more serious accident.
- 13. Contingency PlanningPotential Issue: How to act/prevent: Battery running out on Camera: I will make sure that the battery of the camera is fully charged and that I have extra batteries just in case. Sound recorder doesn’t work: I will test the equipment beforehand to make sure it is working correctly and if I cannot record anything on the day of filming, I will either record the sounds at a later date or use stock sound effects if necessary. Behind Schedule I will note down specific days and times I would like to film on/in with enough time to go over if the filming process requires it. I will also prepare to scale down the production if it is either taking too long or I am unable to do certain sections etc. SD Card Full I will check that any unnecessary photos/videos are deleted from the SD card before filming as well as continuously backing up the footage so I don’t run into the issue of not being able to clear the card if the situation requires me to do so. Unable to use Locations I will need to make sure that I have back up locations for each just in case a situation like this occurs so I am still able to have a finished product at the end of it. Cast unable to film I will need to make sure that the dates I want to film align with their schedule as to not prevent anything from going ahead. Weather Issues I will need to reschedule filming to a later date. If impossible, move filming to indoors entirely if I am able to do so.
- 15. Research for Practical https://youtu.be/KnHMs40yaiY How To Remove Noise From Video in After Effects - No Plugins Canon T3i 600D Shooting at Night with No Video Lights https://youtu.be/5w2q8JM317I Digital noise is a common issue when it comes to filming in the dark or low light which can be hard to avoid when the settings and lens being used aren’t correctly configured for the current light levels within the scene being filmed. This will more than likely be an issue I come across in my own filming so this video tutorial will help me to iron out any issues around this to a point that would be acceptable and a much nicer viewing experience. This tutorial is easy to follow and explains a lot of what needs to be done during the process. This video details the settings that would be best suited for filming in the dark to lessen the amount of digital noise that develops within the footage depending on what light levels are within the location you are filming in. It goes through each section – ISO, Aperture, Frame rate and shutter speed which can affect the amount of light that is let into the lens and by extension the amount of digital noise.
- 16. When Editing a Horror Movie or Thriller, Timing is Key Lighting a film with an IKEA trash can https://youtu.be/at5kzilqdV0 https://www.videomaker.com/article/c3/17056-when-editing-a-horror-movie-or-thriller-timing-is-key Research for Practical This is a behind the scenes video for another short film that has a genius idea for a make shift light source to light the darker scenes with an IKEA bin which works by having the inside surrounded by some tin foil with a huge bulb in the center. This technique is a cost effective way of lighting up a scene so I will definitely implement it into my own production as I am worried that the light I already have will not be bright enough to light the scenes well enough over all which could potentially ruin the film. This article details some tips when it comes to the post production process to make it a lot more effective and keep it more in line with what is traditionally included in the editing of a film in this genre. It will help with developing the design and form the editing will take before the process truly begins. The author of the article has included screenshots in each section which show it in visual details and makes it easy to compare with my own work once I am at that point in the production.
- 17. Video: Shots Experiment Planning; Examples I will go outside to the local lake to film these shots as a form of practice for they may be utilised in the final production if and when they are suitable for the scenes in questions. Practicing these will mean that I am not completely in the dark once filming comes around so I am not just wasting my time on the day due to the tight schedule in which I have to film within. • Close Ups • Tracking Shot • Dutch Angle • Low Angle Shot • Handheld Shot • POV Shot • Over the Shoulder Shot
- 18. Video: Shots• Close Ups • Tracking/Panning Shot • Tilted Angle Shot • Low Angle Shot • Handheld Shot • POV Shot
- 19. Video: Filming in the Dark Experiment Planning: To do this experiment I will wait till the correct time of night where the local street lamps turn on and light up some of the surrounding area to begin testing the ISO, Frame Rate and Shutter Speed settings that would best suite that specific level of light. This will allow me to better understand the settings I should implement when filming in similar levels of light for the production on location. After playing around with the different settings as part of each of the factors that can affect how well a scene is shot in such conditions, I have developed a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t depending on the amount of light within the scene as well as the best choices of settings to reduce digital noise before requiring to go into After Effect and attempt to remove it to the best of the tools ability. I needed to practice filming in the dark as it will be a major part of my film so it is imperative that I am prepared for filming in similar levels of light when production begin
- 20. Editing: Removing Digital Noise Upon following the tutorial found online I took a low light piece of footage that I filmed in a previous experiment and placed it into Adobe After Effects as the tutorial described – within the software it was a simple process of locating the Remove Grain option in the Effects & Presets section and applying it to the footage on the timeline. Initially it didn’t think it made much of a difference but this isn’t supposed to be a complete fix as the settings when filming the original scene should be as close to perfect as possible so if there is any digital noise that occurs I can then use this method to clean up the footage to make it a lot nicer of a viewing experience when shown on a bigger screen as this could severely take away from the enjoyment of watching the film. Although I will need to experiment more with the Preset as I do believe that with delving further into the different settings, I will be able to make the end result a lot better.
- 21. Editing: Colour Grading After venturing outside to my local river and filming experimental shots for another Experiment I thought it would be a good idea to refresh my knowledge and practice colour grading in Premiere Pro after being more familiar with how it is done in Vegas Pro 15 due to the fact that I have been using that line of software since I first started to edit. For the experiment I wanted to simulate making the scene darker than it was intentionally shot as by selecting the SL BLUE COLD setting from the drop down menu whilst also experimenting with the Curves and Colour Wheels & Match which added a more unique style to the lighting of the footage, I also wanted to emulate the look of early 2000’s Japanese Horror movie Remakes where the colours are rather washed out with a blueish tint which I achieved by emphasising the blue from the separate colour wheels under similar settings. I think both attempts worked out well, however I will definitely need to mess around more with each sections to further my techniques within the software.
- 22. Audio: Recording outside Experiment Planning:
- 24. Soundtrack: Using Music Software For the FMP I thought it would be a good idea to produce my own soundtrack for the first Time as I have usually utilised the use of copyright free music in my productions, however I would like to push myself further to truly show how much I have grown as a creative. If not the whole soundtrack (depending on time constrains and ability), I will attempt to produce the soundtrack for some of the scenes so my own creative identity can become a part of the project. The practice began by using GarageBand, a program I hadn’t properly used since Year 9 Music at School so I went in being rather rusty when it came to the different options and instruments so I just started to implement different sounds into the timeline to see what would stick, initially once I had become better at using the software I decided to practice creating a short piece that takes influences from a couple of my favourite horror/thriller movie soundtracks – these being Scream and Halloween. I love the combination of synth and angelic choir so attempted to create something in the vein of that. After getting to jist with the program again I began to implement a multitude of sounds/instruments in a sequence until it worked – I ended up using Classical Male Ensemble, Heavy Wobble Bass, Dark Chords, Galactic Layers, Airship Rising and Monster Bass to create a sample that has influenced from the soundtracks mentioned above yet has its own identity which is an aspect I would like to carry over to the official soundtrack of my film.
- 25. Experiments Summary For the experiments I began by finding some research which allowed me to practise certain filming, audio and editing techniques as shown in the previous slides. The Shot experiments had me going outside to the local river to film several shots that I may or may not include in the film which were Close Ups, Tilted Angle Shot, Handheld Shot, Tracking/Panning Shot, Low Angle Shot and a POV Shot. I then went onto practising filming in the dark as I am planning to do so in the production and needed to follow a tutorial I found online detailing the best options for using a DLSR in a low light location which has helped me understand it a lot more. I then moved onto dealing with the issue of Digital Noise which can occur when the settings aren’t correct for the scene so I found another tutorial on how to do this within Adobe After Effects and it was a simple process of locating the Remove Grain option in the Effects & Presets section and applying it to the footage on the timeline – however more experimenting will be needed in this area as I want to make the scenes look as professional as possible. After that I went back into Adobe Premiere Pro and used one of the shots I filmed in a previous section to practise colour grading in the program as I only had experience with doing so in Vegas Pro previously which will make the transition from using my usual preferred program a lot easier once I get onto the post production section – I wanted to emulate early 2000’s Japanese Horror movie Remakes as well as simply making the original scene darker than it was originally which was a simple process yet again and I ended up with some good results as I achieved something similar to what I intended. On the audio side of the experiments, for this project I would like to produce my own soundtrack (which I haven’t attempted before) so I went into GarageBand and begun to test different sounds before attempting to create something that takes influences from a couple of my favourite horror/thriller movie soundtracks – these being Scream and Halloween. I love the combination of synth and angelic choir so attempted to create something in the vein of that. These Experiments will help me throughout the production to make a better end product overall.