Production and post-production: Final cut

After a long way we finished our movie. After consulting with the director and a producer we managed to create a final cut. 

When it was done there were a few things I had to do finalising our movie:

1. Music. I had to make sure the music I used in the background is cleared for unlimited usage. We used our friends cover, who agreed to share the music.
2. Picture and sound. I found scary background sound of footsteps, door slam and wind. The addiotonal sound was used in the scenes when Chloe is walking home through Park Wood path. She is alone, so we can hear her footsteps and the quiet sound of the follower behind the trees. I had to also make sure the sound is not too loud and the coversation is clear. I overlapped the sound in our first opening scene, when the follower-Ryan is alone in his room. We can hear his breath and created sound of the memories (Chloe and Ryan) we recorded and edited.
3. Colour and picture improvements- I used fast colour correction in the Park Wood conversation scenes, where the picture was too yellow and I changed the brightness and contrast where needed.
4. Pace. I double checked if everything is clear. Some scenes have to be longer than other, so everyone can clearly understand it.
5. Graphics/Credits/Titles. We created a nice tranisition pace with a title of our movie- The Follower, which comes after the first opening scene. We also added credits in the end, with our names on a black background. I apllied a few default transitions, to make the next scene come smooth- for example Chloe waking up in the cafe.

I personally think our group shows great teamwork, we coopartated without any problems. Each of us had the position and we were stick to that, helping each other when needed.

The moving image project gave me a chance to learn how to organise shooting, how many small details come in the process of filmmaking. 

And finally I  learnt how to edit the movie:

• how to add transitions
• colour correction
• how to add sound effects and music
• how to export the final project to Mp4 format and reducing the size 
• how to set the frame size
• how to add graphics,titles and credits
• how to play with the pace and speed
• how to prepare a rough cut

Production- new scenes and jump cuts

We had to repeat a few scenes, and we added new shots to our movie so it can be much more interesting and keep the tension!

1.  I discovered that jump cuts build a confusion and dissaray. We filmed more quick scenes to combine with the other ones- for example we decided to add some jump cuts when Chloe goes back home- when she opens the door, we have a quick view of the stalker just right the corner, than when she shouts if there is anyone home, we have another view after, when the stalker holds his hand on the door. I think it keeps the movie really intense and interersting.
2. We played with lightining during filming, so the close up of the stalker is much more scary when it should be. We simply used a lamp, we switched it off and on for a few seconds, when the main character looks directly on the camera. Lightining can be a good way to make it more creepy!
3. We filmed more close ups of Chloe and her facial expressions. It goes really well with the sound effects and jump cuts! For example- slam of the door- she feels insecure, she gets a message from a friend- a relief.

Production- Park Wood Scene

Last weekend we had a chance to film our missing scenes in Park Wood. The second scene starts with a conversation of Grace and Chloe near the kitchen table.

This week after filming our missing scenes I have managed to prepare a general rough cut of our movie. 

What I learnt:

1. The conversation scenes has to be combined really carefully- I experienced a difficulty with a small jump connecting two continuing shots- the eyes of the actress were in the slightly different position. I had to make sure the eyelines between the characters work, like I found out on our lecture and youtube video. I found a solution though, and I managed to use mid shot with the same part of the conversation, instead of a close up, when the eylines didn't work.
2. The colours- I have noticed that the colours are too bright and yellow. I used the fast colour correction to the opposite colours like blue and changed it. It looks much more natural now and it gives the accurate imression of the evening.
3. Mixing with different shots all the time makes a movie much more interesting. We experimented with all kind of shots.
4. Changing the subject during the conversation makes it more clear and interesting- I have managed to combine the scenes in the right order- when Chloe talks the camera shows close up on her and changes to Grace when she talks. Isn't it much more interesting than showing two characters at the same time, sitting near the kitchen table?
5. Now I know, that the rough cut is a way longer than our actual movie should be. That is just a first step and when you view it again you realize which scenes you have to reduce. Our movie has 4 minutes now, so there is still 1 minute to reduce.

Production - filming

I didn't have chance to introduce our actors. We were really lucky and our Producer (Rebecca) has friends from drama course. They were happy to help us, it was a good practise for them, so was for us. They got to know the script to understood the idea of the movie.

Chloe and Ryan

Grace

During the filming in the cafe:

We were lucky enough to have a quiet background that day, as there were no people in the cafe.

During the filming I learnt a few important things:

1. Always check the equipement before you take it for filming- we had an issue with a battery, and we had to use a Canon emergency camera instead as a solution for that problem.
2. Make sure the actors understand the plot and their reactions are accurate- for example the relief or being scared. It's all about their expressions.
3. Make sure the actors wear the same outfits, have the same hairstyle and jewellery. All the details matters!
4. Make sure the background is exactly the same to avoid misunderstanding. Movie need to have its continuity.
5. Make sure, that actors are in the exactly same position, when you are filming a continuing scene to avoid jumps.

Production- Rough Cut

The first thing I have done if it goes to editing our movie was sorting the files and selecting 5 main scenes to prepare the first Rough Cut, just like learnt on our editing lecture. I tried to combine what we filmed and check if we still need to repeat any scenes. The example above is the Rough Cut of the first- opening scene we had.
It was just the idea, to connect it in the right order, which was obviously edited and reduced later.

The next scene we filmed was the closing part, when our main character wakes up from the dream. The viewer then can start thinking, if the events happening before where real or was it just a dream?

The example before is our closing scene, which was repeated because of the missing parts and jumps. I learnt that not every part can be combined with another, you always have to find the right second in the video to connect them, to avoid several jumps.

Another example of a rough cut is our scene when Chloe comes back to the house, after a filling of being followed.

After my practise editing I learnt and realised:

1. We need to have many different shots to combine the whole movie- wide shots, cutaways, close-ups.
2. We need to film more cutaways to give the idea of location- for example, when Chloe is waking up in the cafe.
3. Not every scene can be connected with another- the best way is to put a different shot in the middle if it jumps all the time, or try to cut it a 1/2 seconds before/after. It is all about experimentation.
4. We need to repeat a few scenes, which where out of focus, with bad lightining, when acting is not matching the action- for example Chloe getting home, she is too calm after realising that someone is following her.

Pre- production: First filming and editing, Day in Jennsion

This week I had a chance to edit our short practise - movie from the workshop.
We called it DAY IN JENNISON. After editing, the length of the video is 2:05 minutes.

What I learnt during our first filming and editing:

1. Before setting up, check the location- look around, is the lightining good, do we have enough space, is it really crowded and noisy?
2. Be careful with the background sound- if there are any people having a conversation near the set, be aware of a loud background noise- it can affect your movie! We had that problem if it goes to the phone-call scene in Jennison social area. I tried to find a solution and I discovered an option DeNoiser in Adobe Premiere CC. If I set the Offset to -10 dB and Reduction to 17-20 dB, the background noise was slightly quiter. We realised, that we have to film in the quiet background, just to have the conversation very clear.
3. I discovered that the title should be followed by a transition to appear really smooth to the movie and slightly mix with the first scene.
4. I explored how to export the file from Adobe Premiere Pro to Mp4 format,keeping a really good quality. I have chosen a H.264 format, the I have changed the preset to HD 1080i. Then to reduce the size or the exported file I changed the target bitrate to 16 and a maximum bitrate to 30.
5. I got to know, that even one short scene can be cut in the middle and connected in another second,  just to speed up the action.

 

These are the steps I have taken while editing in Adobe Premiere CC. Firstly, I have imported all video files to the program and I have chosen the best ones to begin editing. I was looking for the files with satisfactory quality of sound and clear shots with good lightining. After selecting the files, I have done necessary cuts to reduce the footage and show those significant parts.

I created the opening and closing pages in Photoshop to use with transitions.

I have added opening and closing transitions to the footage, so it looks smooth and it informs the viewer about the title and the end of the movie. I watched a very helpful tutorial before doing so.

I used an option gain audio in all videos to reduce the sound to a proper level and DeNoiser (Reduction 17dB, Offset -10dB), trying to reduce the bacgkround sound in the file showing a phone call, so the viewer can hear the actual conversation with a bit quiter background. 

Useful tutorial I found.

Finally I got to know how to save the file and export media to the format I want. I learned how to achieve the file with a high resolution and reduce the size with keeping good quality at the sime time. The result is a 2-minute video in HD resolution, formated to mp4, which can be read in any program for watching movies.

Tutorial that helped me:

Pre-Production- Inspiration

There are several thriller/horror/psychological movies, which use as my inspiration while filming and editing.

The plot, script in Fatal Attraction as inspiration

One of the most popular and the oldest films is Fatal Attraction directed by Adrian Lyne and starring Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, and Anne Archer. The films shows a woman becoming obssesed with a married man, with whom she had a weekend affair. 

Frames, cuts, forest scenes in the darkness, sound effects in Blair Witch Project as inspiration

The Blair Witch Project (1999) shows several scary scenes placed in a forest. The movie tells a story about three students who dissappeared while filming a documentary about the legend known as a Blair Witch. I found out, that almost 19 hours of usable footage was recorded which had to be edited down to 90 minutes. The editing in post production took more than eight months. 

Filming at night may be challanging, that is why I will focus on editing the scenes in the dark and its lightining (shadows)and adding the sound effects if needed- wind, footsteps, rustle.

Tension, change of action, surprise and confusion in Orphan as inspiration

One of my favourite movies- Orphan (2009) shows a  great example of innocent character who appears to be a completely different person. Film holds the tension till the very end- the viewer can gradually explore the real face of the adopted daughter, who planned the whole thing from the beginning, becoming obsessed with the father.

I have started doing the research if it goes to editing, I found some useful tutorial which gave me the idea of what I am really going to do and what should I be focused on.

• Sort all the files, name them and put into the folder, select the main scenes, sort them in the right order
• Always have a script and view it while editing, to avoid unnecessary mistakes and keep the action in the right order
• View all the shots and start putting them together, slowly preparing a rough cut
• Consult the rough cut with the other members of the group and cut the scenes where needed
• Look for sound effects, background music, transitions and a title page, look online how to attach them and how to make the movie intersting through editing
• Try to fix the scenes with bad lightining, sound, frame size