This term I have made 4 short films, each illustrating a trend. The videos are made to advertise the clothes, rather than creating lifestyle videos that use a narrative we went for short snappy, emotive videos.
Each video is a a combination of different shoots, all put together in post production. We set out to create images that look very digital, we embraced the post production to make the videos snappy. We did a couple of shoots on location, one was to film the projection elements and the other was to film the different textures we wanted to incorporate in the videos. I also shot in a green screen studio, diving us lots of flexibility in port production. Shooting with the green screen was such a great experience, learning how to use it has been invaluable.
Although these videos are made to advertise the clothes I am exploring the link between the still image, the printed magazine and online. In many magazines an article or an editorial will be accompanied by a link to more information online are a link to view a video on an App. With the internet becomes the opportunity to share a lot more information. I wanted to explore how that effects the photographer and the work produced.
I have not only made a zine but a website that will accompany it and can be accessed on computers phones and tablets. I have used a QR code to make it super easy to access the website and make in immediate link between the still images and the videos available online.
I have really valued this experience as I am hoping it will be a valuable skill to have when I am a working photographer.
This term has given me the opportunity to work with many different people and the opportunity to work with a lot of new software and push me to create videos and zines, exploring a new avenue of photography I hadn't previously allowing me to gain many new skill and become a much more flexible photographer.
Saturday 31 May 2014
Term Summery
This term as been an amazing experience learning new skills, I have really pushed my self into new experiences, working alongside a fashion student and using new equipment like moving image camera and green screens. None of this I had done before, I am now confident to do a shoot with a green screen or working towards a brief with some one, to realise their ideas not my own. I have worked on many shoots before with fashion students but as the photographer I have taken the creative control. I have also learnt how to use many new adobe programs which is super useful, Ii have tried to leaner how to use Premier Pro in the past and really struggled to push my self when it was for personal work but having to work it out to ensure the client is happy gave me the motivation to really understand it.
I have real enjoyed this term and really enjoyed exploring dance and fashion along with moving image and the still image, looking at where magazines and photography are heading. I feel this term has equipped me with skills that will be incredibly useful going into industry.
I am not 100% happy with the final product this term and know if I had more creative control I would have come out with a very different final product but I feel that it has been such an amazing learning experience that it is not important and 2nd year is supposed to a time to experiment and learn new skills. I am so pleased I have gained the skills I have and explored photography and the moving images as I feel much more confident moving forward that I will be able to achieve videos and images that I am happy with.
I have real enjoyed this term and really enjoyed exploring dance and fashion along with moving image and the still image, looking at where magazines and photography are heading. I feel this term has equipped me with skills that will be incredibly useful going into industry.
I am not 100% happy with the final product this term and know if I had more creative control I would have come out with a very different final product but I feel that it has been such an amazing learning experience that it is not important and 2nd year is supposed to a time to experiment and learn new skills. I am so pleased I have gained the skills I have and explored photography and the moving images as I feel much more confident moving forward that I will be able to achieve videos and images that I am happy with.
Book Fair Display
The plan for the book fair was to have the Zine displayed along side a tablet or a digital photo frame which would be playing the videos as they are the Key element of this terms work. Unfortunately the files I made have become corrupt and I can't export them with the correct file extension, I have serpent hours treeing to get it to work and on the phone to the company but unfortunately it isn't going to work.
I don't own a Tablet so I am going to display the videos on my laptop, I will leave it playing on repeat and if people would like to access the website they can use the QR code in the magazine. It will also give my work an element of longevity as one the book fair is over it means people will have the link to my website and access to my work after the event.
I don't own a Tablet so I am going to display the videos on my laptop, I will leave it playing on repeat and if people would like to access the website they can use the QR code in the magazine. It will also give my work an element of longevity as one the book fair is over it means people will have the link to my website and access to my work after the event.
Creating the zine
I wanted the zine to be a visual guide to the trends communicated in the and and journal of the process of making the videos. I built each page separately and then put them together in the right order in Premier Pr. It was a compacted experience as I was unsure how premier would work at the printers, I built one in the order the pages should be viewed and one in the order the would be when printed and folded together in a book.
I have ensured the book emphasises the QR Code and that the link to the films won't be over looked as the films are the key element of this terms work.
When making the zine I had to carefully consider how the zine would translate the trends and how to create a run inning theme that would change the way the different trends would be read.
I chose to keep it simple and speak with a digital theme to match the videos and the idea of the QR Code. I kept a black and white theme through out the book so it wouldn't detract from the trends themselves and it wouldn't stingily give away what is inside the book and create any preconceptions that would change the viewing experience.
In creating the zine I learnt how to use premier pro which I have never used before so it was a really great experience as I now can confidently use a new software that will be as a photographer.
Scan this QR Code to go to my website and view the zine :)
Acqua Alta
This Term I was commissioned to do the photography for a theatre company about to take their show on tour. I shot the show as they did one of their final dress rehearsals and then did a photo call where I took the show and made small changes to create strainer images and leased with both the cast and the lighting crewe to produce visually strong images. It was a really exciting opportunity as it is my first commission in the area of photography I am really passionate about.
Friday 30 May 2014
Creating a Website
I have created a website this is simple but sophisticated, there are three sections, the first being the videos which are dispelled when you first visit the site in a film strip manner. The second is a section that explains the work and the third is a contact page.
I have kept it super simple to ensure the focus is specifically on the videos, leaving very little to distract the viewer.
I haven't made a webs tie pervious to this term I have only ever worked with blogs, this term has been invaluable for learning new skills that I will need as a photographer. I have been pushed out of my comfort zone and had to learn how to use a variety of different software.
Link to website - http://katie-apwk.4ormat.com/#0
I have kept it super simple to ensure the focus is specifically on the videos, leaving very little to distract the viewer.
I haven't made a webs tie pervious to this term I have only ever worked with blogs, this term has been invaluable for learning new skills that I will need as a photographer. I have been pushed out of my comfort zone and had to learn how to use a variety of different software.
Link to website - http://katie-apwk.4ormat.com/#0
Link between online and paper
I am exploring the link between online and paper copies, in most magazine it will often mention in an article to look on an app for more information to direct you to the website to watch a video that goes along with the paper editorial. I am exploring this link in my project. I will produce a zine with some stills from the video and supporting information about each trend. I will also use the zine as a place to explain my influences and the process of making the film.
I plan to create a website which will have all 4 videos on and a link to the online version of the zine. I will make a QR cod which I will have in my zine so people can look at the images and have their own copy of the zine but have instant access to the videos on line.
Tim Walker shot an editorial for Vougle UK in Mongolia, he produced some incredibly beautiful images that made a really engaging editorial. It was accompanied by a video that could be viewed on the Vogue App http://timwalkerphotography.com/videos
This is an example of the way photography media and fashion is going. I am really excited about exploring the link between the two in this project and it is been super beneficial as I feel I have acquired skills that will be really useful post uni.
I plan to create a website which will have all 4 videos on and a link to the online version of the zine. I will make a QR cod which I will have in my zine so people can look at the images and have their own copy of the zine but have instant access to the videos on line.
Tim Walker shot an editorial for Vougle UK in Mongolia, he produced some incredibly beautiful images that made a really engaging editorial. It was accompanied by a video that could be viewed on the Vogue App http://timwalkerphotography.com/videos
This is an example of the way photography media and fashion is going. I am really excited about exploring the link between the two in this project and it is been super beneficial as I feel I have acquired skills that will be really useful post uni.
Tim Walker Mulberry
Tim walker made these videos as part of an advertising campaign for Mulberry, I love the way he uses layering and stop motion to create a real visually interesting composition that explores movement time and scale. The techniques used are similar to how we made our videos however Tim Walker made them on a large scale and moved them when shooting we did ours all in post production as we wanted to create videos with a digitalised feel.
Work Experience
Through out this term I have been going on work experience with dance photographer Chris Nash, I have been able to go along with Chris to both studio shoots and location shoots in the theatre. It has been an invaluable experience, I have been able to see technically how he works and uses lighting and equipment as well as how he interacts with the dancers and directs them. It was particularly interesting watching how he would take a section of dance and manipulate it slightly to make it work in a still image feather than on stage.
Premier Pro
I edited all the videos in Premier Pro, I had never used the software before so the whole process was learning on the job. It was a super challenging experience but I gained so much from it and managed to learn a lot from it. I am not confident to use Premier Pro.
I worked closely with Kath Wilkinson the fashion student to create the videos, she would tell me what effect she wanted to achieve and I would use the software to realise her vision. It was a challenge as I didn't have free reign to create videos I was happy with, I had to listen to all the decisions she made and execute them well. It made it difficult as some of the time I wouldn't be happy with a decision made but I wasn't in place to be able to change it as I was doing this for Kath not my self.
Although this was a challenge it was a great experience to lean as when I graduate I will hopefully be woking for client and working to their brief and iras rather than my own.
once I had understood the basics of Premier Pro the process of making the videos went really smoothly. It wasn't too difficult to put them together. I hadn't realised that if you saved a video but didn't export it all the date would be easily lots so we ran into a lot of problems in the process of making the videos.
I worked closely with Kath Wilkinson the fashion student to create the videos, she would tell me what effect she wanted to achieve and I would use the software to realise her vision. It was a challenge as I didn't have free reign to create videos I was happy with, I had to listen to all the decisions she made and execute them well. It made it difficult as some of the time I wouldn't be happy with a decision made but I wasn't in place to be able to change it as I was doing this for Kath not my self.
Although this was a challenge it was a great experience to lean as when I graduate I will hopefully be woking for client and working to their brief and iras rather than my own.
once I had understood the basics of Premier Pro the process of making the videos went really smoothly. It wasn't too difficult to put them together. I hadn't realised that if you saved a video but didn't export it all the date would be easily lots so we ran into a lot of problems in the process of making the videos.
Shoot 6
We did a third shoot to ensure we had footage of all the materials and textures we used so that we had a lot to play with in post production to illustrate the theme and compliment the dance. It was a really simple set up, I used natural light and shot some footage on location.
Thursday 29 May 2014
Green Screen Shoot, shoot 5
Shooting with a green screen was a challenge and a missive experiment as I had never used one before and had not technical instruction or advice. To use a green screen t must be evenly light to ensure when add an image in postproduction it will be added evenly. Shooting dance added the challenge of using the floor, i was advised to only shoot waist up as it is easier to light.
I used 6 lights, two to light the wall, two to light the floor and two to light the dance. I used lights with the same wattage for the walls and the floor but when lighting the model I used a 600 watt light and a 300 watt bulb to give the model texture and shadows, ensuring she didn't look really flat.
We were in the green screen all day and had about 8 dancers coming and going through out the day.
I shot videos for each trend, the style of dance reflected the theme along with styling organised by Kath Wilkinson. we shot an array of different dances and movement videos to piece together in post production.
Using the green screen was a challenging but invaluable experience, I learnt so much from it and gained a lot of confidence shooting moving image and directing a lot of dancer and working with a stylist.
I used 6 lights, two to light the wall, two to light the floor and two to light the dance. I used lights with the same wattage for the walls and the floor but when lighting the model I used a 600 watt light and a 300 watt bulb to give the model texture and shadows, ensuring she didn't look really flat.
We were in the green screen all day and had about 8 dancers coming and going through out the day.
I shot videos for each trend, the style of dance reflected the theme along with styling organised by Kath Wilkinson. we shot an array of different dances and movement videos to piece together in post production.
Using the green screen was a challenging but invaluable experience, I learnt so much from it and gained a lot of confidence shooting moving image and directing a lot of dancer and working with a stylist.
Projection shoot, shoot 4
The first shoot we did was the projection shoot. I have done a few shoots using projectors in the past, and the only one that has worked out well is the one in which I had an old fashioned over head projector as it throws out so much more light. Using modern ones it is difficult to get the correct light as you have to add in fill light which will waken the projection and makes it impossible to find a white balance as half the light is LED and the other half is tungsten flash, not ideal!
We borrowed and OHP from the Bonington moving image store and printed all the images we needed onto acetate.
It was a really great shoot as we had lots of space and could create a super dark environment, the only problem was a dark board all the way around the top of the room and the dark carpet, we used these to frame the clips nicely.
The draw back of using an old OHP meant we couldn't project moving images onto the dance like we had originally intend to but the acetate sheets move really nicely, we attached thin string to them and wiggled them to create movement that reflected the trend and the dance.
While shooting we shot clips for each trend using a variety of different images for each trend, filming both dance and more movement shots that will be useful in postproduction to link clips together.
We borrowed and OHP from the Bonington moving image store and printed all the images we needed onto acetate.
It was a really great shoot as we had lots of space and could create a super dark environment, the only problem was a dark board all the way around the top of the room and the dark carpet, we used these to frame the clips nicely.
The draw back of using an old OHP meant we couldn't project moving images onto the dance like we had originally intend to but the acetate sheets move really nicely, we attached thin string to them and wiggled them to create movement that reflected the trend and the dance.
While shooting we shot clips for each trend using a variety of different images for each trend, filming both dance and more movement shots that will be useful in postproduction to link clips together.
Ahh!
Organising the shoots was incredibly difficult as so many people need to use the studios and equipment at this time of year. The initial plan was to shoot everything in the studio as we could make it completely dark to shoot the projection sections of the videos and have continuity for the rest of the shoot. A studio would have provided a flexible environment in which to work.
Unfortunately the studios were fully booked for the next 4 weeks so we had to find alternatives.
We managed to track down a small lecture theatre in Newton that we could make completely dark with white walls to shoot the projection elements of the shoot.
We also somehow managed to book out a green screen which will be a much better environment to shoot in as we are planning to do a lot of post production work on the shoot and it will give me the opportunity to experiment with new equipment and software.
It has all come together super quickly, both shoots are happening next week which doesn't leave nay time to do test shoots.
Unfortunately the studios were fully booked for the next 4 weeks so we had to find alternatives.
We managed to track down a small lecture theatre in Newton that we could make completely dark with white walls to shoot the projection elements of the shoot.
We also somehow managed to book out a green screen which will be a much better environment to shoot in as we are planning to do a lot of post production work on the shoot and it will give me the opportunity to experiment with new equipment and software.
It has all come together super quickly, both shoots are happening next week which doesn't leave nay time to do test shoots.
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