25/06/25 - 27/07/25 ( Week 9 - Week 14 )
Carren Yeliandi / 0376990
Video & Sound Production / Bachelors of Design in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Final Project
Carren Yeliandi / 0376990
Video & Sound Production / Bachelors of Design in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Final Project
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Lectures
Refer to Exercise Blog
Instructions
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SHOOTING PROCESS
Cast:
- Main Character: Samantha
- Teacher: Carren
- Main Cameraman: Carren
On the first day of the shoot, we decided to follow the storyboard as normal. However, before starting the shoot we inspected how much of each scene consist depending on the location. We made the decision to do the first shoot on campus for scene two as it turns out that scene two has the least amount of shots.
As can be seen below, scene 2 consists of shots that uses a classroom as the background. After thoroughly reviewing the storyboard, we shot the classroom scenes in one day as it only consist of a few shots.
Fig 1. Storyboard Page 1 (Week 14 | 23/07/06)
The shots we needed for the classroom only consist of 3 shots as seen in the storyboard, from scene 2 shot 1 up until scene 2 shot 3.
As our video is intended to be a loop, the first scene is supposed to start at a different location which is at the dorm. But to streamline the shooting process, we shot it together with the rest of the other scenes.
After finishing the classroom scene, the rest of the remaining shots will be shoot at the dorm, which is where the majority of the scenes will take place.
The first shot that we shoot at the dorm would be the easiest, as it is a transition between the classroom to the bedroom, where the main character teleports. So we just needed to align the sitting position accordingly.
Fig 2. Scene 3 Shot 1 (Week 14 | 23/07/06)
As we go through the scenes, everything was going according to the storyboard and original plan. However, we did stumble upon a couple of hurdles. We realized that it was more difficult than we thought to be shooting scenes that has clones with only the two of us. It felt like there were not enough people to help adjust things and hold the camera at the same time. As a result we needed to do some scenes together and edit the result to look like it was still the same person, such as the POV shot. The POV shot was shot twice as it needed to show the main character’s body at the start, but then pans to a clone of her at the end. To tackle that, we shot first with the main character’s body holding the camera, then change to the cameraman to shoot after the camera pans to the door to show the clone of the main character.
The second hurdle that we faced was during the shot of the first clone appearance. We struggled a little on trying to keep the camera as stable as possible to make the editing process easier later. As we are planning to be using the masking method in adobe after effect, we needed to keep the background unmoving while having two different shots with different subject locations.
Fig 3. Masking Shot for Cloning (Week 14 | 23/07/06)
As seen in the picture above, it is the result we managed to achieve while maintaining the background unmoving on two different shots for the cloning process with different subject locations.
Due to location constraint, we were unable to proceed to do the next scene as according to the original storyboard plan. As the room is more cramped than expected, we are unable to do a wide shot of the two clones jumping back at the same time. So instead, we decided to do a split scene that showcases the same situation but with different method.
Fig 4. Diverting from Original Storyboard (Week 14 | 23/07/06)
This scene also came with an abundance of issues. We had a lot of trouble to create the perfect scene of clothes falling. The clothes that are left behind by the characters needs to be aligned on where they fall. It took us multiple shots just to get one right.
Fig 5. Deleted Footages of Clothes Falling Scene (Week 14 | 23/07/06)
The deleted and failed footages just for one scene of this went up to double digits as we really wanted it to line up correctly. It did not had to be perfect, just correct. But even so it still took multiple takes.
Fig 6. falling clothes scene (Week 14 | 23/07/06)
After losing count on the number of takes we did, we finally got one good throw that can be used for the scene. After that, the rest of the other scenes are not as complicated as this one. The shot with the second clone in front of the door was easier to shoot as it was easier to control the falling motion of the clothes that are slammed to the door falling downwards only.
The next scenes will be in the second page of the storyboard as seen below:
Fig 7. Storyboard page 2 (Week 14 | 23/07/06)
On scene 3 shot 6 we also improvised and diverted from the storyboard but only a little bit. We changed our mind midway after finishing the shot, and thought that doing it another way would be better.
Fig 8. Camera angle change (Week 14 | 23/07/06)
As can be seen on the above image, we revised the shot to be focusing more on the main character, whereas the original shot focused more on the environment. The first shot of this scene ended up looking a bit too bland and uninteresting, so we improvised and changed the angle so that it follows the characters eye movement. The camera then follows their line of sight, going left and right, as if calculating the surrounding instead of just a unmoving still wide shot.
To fix this continuity issue, we decided to add additional scene where the main character is shown waling downstairs and walking in the hallway towards the door while putting up her hair as she walks. This will serve a purpose to show a point where she put her hair up, thus fixing the continuity issue.
Fig 9. Added scene to fix continuity issue
With everything finished, we finally compiled it all together and pick the final shots we want to use. However, there was one more issue when we review the footages again. The scene where the main character first got teleported into the classroom did not flow correctly. At the dorm on our first shoot result, she opened the door with her left hand while when teleported she is holding the handle with her right hand. It made the transition not smooth. So we decided to reshoot the entirety of the classroom scenes.
Fig 10. Re-shoot of scenes
EDITING PROCESSES
After the shootings are finished, we immediately went to editing. We used Adobe Premiere Pro (PP) and Adobe After Effect (AE) for this project.
We first tried to arrange the video in PP and importing it to AE for the VFX but decided that it was a little too complicated. So we first edited the VFX clips in AE and export + render the video before arranging all of them in PP for further editing.
I. VFX Scenes
There are 4 VFX scenes that needed to be edited using AE, technically it's only 2 types but since there are 2 POV, it became 4.
The first two are the cloning scenes. It is an over the shoulder shot (+reverse over the shoulder shot) from 2 different POV where in the first POV, person A is looking at person B who is the clone of person and the opposite person for the second POV.
A. How to edit a cloning VFX video :
1. Take 2 shots from the same camera position. example : shot 1 - Samantha sitting with their shoulder in the camera on the right side of the shot and shot 2 - Full body shot of Samantha standing on the left side of the shot.
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| Fig 11. Cloning Shots (Week 14 | 23/07/06) |
2. Put both shots into AE and arrange for the first shot to be on top of the second shot (depends on which one is better to be layered on top of the other shot).
3. Click on the first shot in the composition editing area and create a mask by using a pen tool, just enough to cover the person in shot 1.
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| Fig 12. Cloning Editing Process (Week 14 | 23/07/06) |
-> If needed, open the arrow just beside the lock feature in the composition editing area and open masks > mask 1 > raise the mask feather (ex. 30,0 pixels). This is to smoothen the edge to make sure that the masks is not too obvious.
-> Roto Brush Tool is also an option to be used. Just roughly draw around the person you want and then press alt to delete the part you don't want. After you are satisfied with the results, press spacebar or resume video so that the tool can mask every movement.
4. Play the video to make sure everything is fine, file > export > add to render queue > render.
B. How to edit a Person -> Clothes VFX video :
1. Take 3 shots from the same camera position. example : shot 1 - Empty background, shot 2 - impact shot (Samantha scoot back hitting the door/bed) and shot 3 - clothes falling.
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| Fig 13. Person -> Clothes Shots (Week 14 | 23/07/06) |
2. Put all three shots into AE. shot 1 - BG on the very bottom, shot 2 and 3 position is not important (unless layering is involved) as it is 2 different shots but will be put in two different time.
3. Cut and arrange the shots. Shot 2 -> Cut on the point of impact and shot 3 -> cut from the point the clothes began to fall in the position where the person hit the door/bed (impact). Shot 3 will be arranged to be played after shot 2 is finished.
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| Fig 14. Person -> Clothes Shots Arrangement (Week 14 | 23/07/06) |
4. Mask the clothes using roto brush tool + alt or pen tool + feather.
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| Fig 15. Person -> Clothes Editing Process + Optional Scene (Week 14 | 23/07/06) |
Optional Scene : if the person in the video is sideways during the impact, example : Samantha hitting the bed. A short clip can be made where only half of the person can be seen while the other half is already gone. Just to add a little transitions between what's there and then gone. It is to be placed between shot 2 and 3.
-> It can be done by masking the person and erasing half of the body (pen tool + feather or roto tool brush + alt) and moving it slightly to be more closer to the impact point.
5. Play the video for checking and if the results are satisfactory, file > export > render queue > render.
Technically, there are more VFX scenes like the teleporting part but due to minimal equipment, it is done solely by scenes and body placement so that it looks like a smooth transition.
II. Sound Editing
After the AE process for all the needed VFX clips are done, we went ahead to PP to arrange each scenes in order for the shots to make senses as well as control the pacing.
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| Fig 16. Whoosh Transitions Editing Process (Week 14 | 23/07/06) |
We also added a whoosh scene to symbolize the change of pace and feeling of the scenes by using effects and a short adjustment layer.
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| Fig 17. All Sounds Placements (Week 14 | 23/07/06) |
We muted (deleted) most of the sounds except the classroom scenes as we thinks that the sounds are good enough as it is. Most of the scenes are quite with some BGM on important part of the video.
For example, to showcase the loop more clearly, we cut the music from the back and then drag it to the front before cutting it to the needed length. To hide the sudden abrupt music, we added a little fade in and fade out. The eerie BGM is solely placed starting from when she suddenly teleports to her room up until they disappears. The fun daily life BGM will starts when she (the third clone) will appear and realize that she's late to class and it will loop again from the beginning.
We used minimal sound effect on parts that are important, for example we used a sharp noise for an eerie transitions when the two clones first met. a quiet room ambiance for when the eerie music ends and the third clones walks in + a door opening and closing sound from the original video in the same scene.
The thump sound of when she teleports and fell on her bed was actually recorded manually as we couldn't found a suitable sound effect. There is also 2 sound effects of thump sound on the person -> clothes VFX scenes, at first it was for the wood and bed impact but after further listening we interpret it as more of an impact sound and clothes falling sound.
III. Color Grading
After the sounds are done, we went ahead to do color grading and a slight color correction on the VFX scenes as they have a much more desaturated color compared to the overexposure on the clips in PP.
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| Fig 18. Overexposure Correction Settings (Week 14 | 23/07/06) |
We first fixed the overexposure by adding an adjustment layer (File > New > Adjustment Layer) and using the color workspace (Window > Workspaces > Color) to lower the brightness and contrast.
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| Fig 19. Scene 3 Color Correction (CC) Settings (Week 14 | 23/07/06) |
We then color corrected the VFX shots in scene 3 using the same tools. At first we thought one adjustment layer would be enough for the entire scene but decided to split it into a few parts as some needed more correction that the other. However, most of our shots in the other scenes were shot in the same place so no color correction was really needed. The classroom scenes were also intentionally left like that as we want to showcase the difference in location via colors.
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| Fig 20. Different Scenes Color Grading Settings (Week 14 | 23/07/06) |
After the color corrections are done, we did one whole adjustment layer ranging from the beginning to the end and cut it according to the scene. However, we decided to use one settings for most of them except for the eerie moment up until just before the fun BGM starts. That part were more desaturated and darker by a slight percentage.
The unexistent color correction in the classroom scene made it look slightly more desaturated than the scenes before. It makes somewhat a gradient where little by little the scenes becomes more eerie hence more desaturated. The whoosh scene also became the turning point where the desaturated scene became more saturated. Overall, it was a desaturated cool blue color grading.
After some review and feedbacks, we are finally done!
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| Fig 21. Behind The Scenes (Week 14 | 23/07/06) |
Reflections
It was a really fun project and I had enjoyed the entire process to make this final project. The shooting actually took 2 days due to continuity issues and we had to reshoot the classroom scene in a different way than what was on the storyboard, a lot of the shooting did not really go the way it should look like based on the storyboard either due to equipment issues, location issues or just because we thought it would look better if we did it some other way. We did the entire process together so the decision making didn't take long and overall everything was done in about 3 days of shooting, arrangement and VFX editing + 1 day of color grading and sound editing. The editing was fun to do together as well, some parts were actually accidental but we decided to let it be since it looks and sounds good. I was really proud on how fast and efficient we work as well as how good the quality of our project is. I had also saw my friends' work and was really surprised on how unexpected the plot and VFX used is, it was really fun to watch.
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