Production Meeting: Fri 31st January 2014

Who was Present: Tom Adams, Rory Forrester, Adam Duffield
What We Discussed: Amendments to Editing Sequence, Possible Re Shoot

Today a production meeting was held to discus future plans for the project and how we would further develop the project. Moreover the discussions included the possibility of re shooting and re staging the whole scene. This would include multiple more days to film and re shoot the project. Also discussions were held surrounding the special effects and how we would need to adapt some of them or even change them. We discussed in greater detail with our class teacher Dave and he recommended certain things that could be done to improve greater improve our video. These included re thinking the whole sequence and re thinking the location and a multitude of different shots and layout of the project.

From this production meeting we learnt that multiple elements of our film needed improving and that we should schedule our time accordingly to plan and carry out said changes that needed to be done.

Our Updated Schedule

Post Production Rough Cut Feedback | The Shattered Looking Glass

Tom Adams | Rough Cut | The Shattered Looking Glass

Annotated Matte Painting Definition Cards

KEY - BLUE = Similarities GREEN = Differences

David Mattingly's Definition on the Left | My definition on the Right

From both of the cards we can see that the definitions are pretty different with the majority of differences being most evident on the left hand card. Where as my definition gives a more overall definition of Matte Painting. David Mattingly's definition goes into much more of the specifics of Matte Painting.

My Revised Definition Upon Final Review of Separate Cards

Matte Painting is a historic Film Making technique which dates back to 1907. Matte Painting has many forms including The Glass Shot, the Original Negative Matte and The Projection Matte. In which a man made element is planted in an live action scene to re-create something in an image. For 80 years amazing things have been created using these techniques.

Working Day: 17th January 2014

Today in lesson we filmed new footage for test editing. This footage would involve an Ice Ball. Evidence of this is too follow.

After Effects | Test Footage | 14th February 2014

Today I spent a lot of valuable time on after effects learning once again how to use basic masks along with integrating external images to create an overall effect.

Ice Leaf Effect | After Effects Work Space

This was my workspace layout for working in After Effects today. I chose this layout because it was the most effective layout for me to use and get work done furthermore I could achieve a more high class finish. Throughout my work I adjusted multiple settings to move the ice leaf about to achieve the final video.

Time Line Workspace

Basic Leaf Hand Special Effect | After Effects

In today's lesson at 13:05 I practised using special effects in After Effects. I then uploaded the footage to YouTube and it is below.

Gary Woolley | Health and Safety Talk

Today the Site Manager and overall Health and Safety Manager Gary Woolley came in to give a brief talk on Health and Safety within the college and more specifically the Media Department. The following notes were taken throughout.

The talk started briefly giving an overview of health and safety. Shortly Gary mentioned health and safety in more detail surrounding climbing onto benches and different objects. He then described this time of year and mentioned that multiple surfaces are slippery at this time of year and its best to avoid them or ask for a piece of carpet if we want to film on those surfaces. Paying closer attention to the amount of moss around at this time of year.
Discussion moved onto disruption in corridors and the fact that we have to be aware of other students around as well as using the various signs and props we are assigned to use to help assist other students in knowing we are present filming in that corridor.
When filming we have to take extra care when filming on stairs in the college as in the past there has been multiple accidents relating to filming on stairs.
It was emphasised that we need to take into account that we are not always audible and visible to other students especially in more concealed areas.

Gary Woolley | Health and Safety Talk

Schedule Update 14th February 2014

This file is our updated schedule for 14th February 2014.

Tom | Audition Tapes | The Shattered Looking Glass

Audition Tapes | Rory Forrester

Audition Tapes | Adam Duffield

Health and Safety Sheet

Possible Project Problems

Inconveniences
People working on set during filming. Can be solved by asking them to wait or moving them along.

Too much traffic. Can be solved by waiting for traffic to pass or moving the traffic along. Also we can not film during rush hour or on the lead up to rush hour as there could be extra traffic during these times.

Bad lighting on set. This can be solved by adding extra external lights or in post production.

Keeping Concentration throughout the project. This can be solved by focusing more on the project and more major issues.

Minor Problems
Using various shot types. This can be solved by actively thinking of better shots that could be used. Pre planning our shots that we can use also, making sure they are not all mid or basic layout including lots of different features and points.

Bad weather. We can look up the weather and choose an appropriate day to shoot. Pre plan our filming session to ensure that weather is good.

Sound quality is poor. We can prevent this from happening by allowing more time to shoot and doing test shoots to ensure that all sound problems are eradicated.

Visual effects work. This can be solved by having more training before attempting the effects and shooting the footage in a different way.

Major Disasters
Actors not showing up. Remind them prior have backup actors ready on the day.

The camera breaks. Try not to break the camera in the first place by being careful with it. Choose a good day to take the camera out.

Casting Notes | Jason [Main Role]

For the role of Jason we are looking for a Broad minded and confident individual who knows how to react when put in a situation. Futhermore they should be able to take on tasks and take on new knowledge and use that in a situation.

We considered two people to play the main role of Jason these people are Adam, a group member, and me Tom a group member.
We considered Adam to play the role of Jason because he shows signs of all the correct attributes with a strong lean towards a sociable and outgoing side. 
We considered Tom to play the role of Jason because he fulfilled the view of Jason being a social person with a comedic twist.

Adam is our main character choice with Tom being the second Alternative person to act the role of Jason.

Casting Notes | Alexis [Main Role]

For the role of Alexis we are looking for a Qwerky and interesting individual who has an outgoing personality. Furthermore someone who is not afraid to speak out when they have to and has a fiery personality. Although the person needs to be able to display a more intelligent and developed side.

We considered three people to play the main role of Alexis these people are Charlotte, Sophie and Amber.
We considered Charlotte to play the role of Alexis because she shows all the correct attributes to be considered with a predominant lean towards a fiery attitude side. 
We considered Sophie to play the role of Alexis because she fulfilled the view of Alexis being a natural down to earth girl fulfilling the intelligence trait very well also.
We considered Amber to play the role of Alexis because she showed a very bias towards the intelligence and qwerkiness traits. Also she showed a confident and fulfilling out look.

Sophie is our main character choice with Charlotte and Amber being the second Alternative people to act the role of Alexis.

Production Meeting: Schedule Update 6th Jan

Who was Present:

• Tom Adams
• Rory Forrester
• Adam Duffield

What we Discussed:

• We discussed the schedule and how we are planning to use our time upon lead up to the rough cut and final projects.

Rotoscoping Special FX Research

Rotoscoping is mainly an animation technique used in film and TV. Rotoscoping is an technique in which animators  trace over original footage frame by frame for use. Furthermore using the Rotoscoping technique can create different moods and atmospheres within a video project. Rotoscoping is always used over the whole canvas to create the video moving effect throughout the canvas and all over it.

Example of Rotoscoping Moving Image

Rotoscoping is a classic Animation technique dating back to the early 20th Century. The technique was created by Max Flescher who used it in a majority of his animations and projects. Rotoscoping was first used in Max Flescher's series Out of the Inkwell in 1915. With his brother Dave Fleischer dressed in a clown outfit as the live film reference for the character Koko the Clown. Max Patented the method as his own in 1917. Fleischer used Rotoscoping in a large number of his later cartoons and animation projects most notable being the animation of Gulliver in Gulliver's Travels (1939). Walt Disney went on to use Rotoscoping later on after it was founded, an example being in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. From Snow White onwards, the rotoscope was used mainly for studying human and animal motion rather than actual tracing.

A good example of a film that was based around using RotoScoping would be the 2006 film directed by Richard Linklater called A Scanner Darkly. Brief Plot, The US has lost the war on drugs. Substance D, a powerful drug causing bizarre hallucinations, has swept the country. In response, the government develops an invasive, high-tech surveillance system and a network of undercover informants.
The Film featured a running time of 100 minutes as a result of that the film took over 15 months to animate to rotoscope over a step by step process. The animation phase was a trying process for Linklater who said, "I know how to make a movie, but I don't really know how to handle the animation." He had gone the animation route because he felt that there was very little animation targeted for adults.

A Scanner Darkly Film Screenshot

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotoscoping#History
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Scanner_Darkly_(film)