Digital Production #4 - Multicam Test

Today we tried out filming with a multi-cam set up (the lecturer eased us in, with recording a random interview with one camera, then two, then three). I think I got extra brownie points as I asked Ethan who went on the one camera what his settings were so mine was the same. It went well, but some of the footage turned out a bit dodgy (need to make sure to white balance and speak up if you can't see someone and they aren't in focus!) I think I did pretty well with what I had.




We then got told to install Periscope and to go out and get a few random VoxPops about "something current". We went out with the P2's first and got our first VoxPop (one guy I got really didn't want to be filmed, so I got another guy). I then went out with Periscope and did the same task, I even got 10 hearts on it! 



I noticed that more people were comfortable with me on my phone than an actual camera. 

https://www.periscope.tv/Sarahtrix19/1OyKAvVBrNzGb
(world's most unflattering thumbnail that I apparently can't change)

The lecturer then tried to show us another live streaming app (can't remember the name), where you can connect multiple phones to use as a multi-cam set up. Good idea in theory, but it had recently changed so you could only film 15 seconds. Bit of a fail. 

The lecturerthen showed us the broadcast software they use at the Uni. It's called X Split Broadcaster, and you can put funky graphics on it, and make the video screen bigger or smaller. Looks fairly straightforward. There's also options to put the stream online and you can do multiple ones at once, but it increases the chances of one crashing. There's a natural 15milisecond delay also. 

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For independent study, I found one online streaming service, and one PC service. For my online one, I have chosen 'Livestream' (https://livestream.com/). It's widely used. You can broadcast video online through camcorder, computer’s webcam, smartphone, camera, etc. The service offers a variety of video tools, media players, embedding and sharing features. However it is only a free trial (just found this out). Most of the sites I could find were free trials only (then pay after that) or were just dead and deactivated. 

My software one is Open Broadcast Software (https://obsproject.com/). It's free, an open source that keeps getting better, easy to use and works well. I've found a review website that describes it better, with technical jargon just for the lecturer;

"OBS is what I use to stream. I love its stability, low resource cost, and simple interface. Multiple capture sources can be arranged and stacked with a simple GUI, and you can switch between scenes with a quick cross-fade. Capture sources can be whole displays, regions of displays, windows, webcams, and direct game capture. I imagine some are out there, but I've never found an incompatible game—and there's always window capture as a backup." 

- http://www.pcgamer.com/whats-the-best-livestreaming-software/

And an extra one I found is an App called 'Freedocast' (http://www.freedocast.com/#!/home). I have just installed it and it's very similar to Periscope but with less viewing figures, and claps instead of hearts. However it does have more features; you can broadcast just audio as well as a video, you can put the flash on and disable chats, and even add a location. You can also change the privacy settings. It's also a very simple app to use. 

Digital Production #3 - P2 Tech Dem

Today we had a P2 tech dem and a quick activity/quiz with a free drink at the RTS Awards at stake. I didn't win but it was fun! We use the P2's rather than the AVC's for multi cam as there's three of them and they are HD. For this particular project, we need to film in 30fps as that's what YouTube allow for live streaming. To get 30fps we need to put it in American mode (aka NTSC), which is found in option 9, then system frequency, and change it to 60hz. When we are finished, we need to put it back to PAL (English, 50hz) as students often forget to check the settings. We also want to put the video output as 720 to suit the vision mixer, and it also uses less bandwidth.

To connect it to the vision mixer, make sure the wire goes into component out, and also switch off the mic and phantom power on the camera. We then connect the wire to a mains adaptor (the battery charger, but don't charge batteries on it while it's being used as a mains adaptor as it doesn't work). 

On option 6 of the menu, make sure SDI is on and meta is off, and that it's also on 1080i and not auto. If you want to show the battery on the video, you can do that on display, then put video out OSD, on. 

We can also record as well as stream if we decide to edit it later. 

Visual Culture #2 - Consumption

So our visual culture lessons have gone topsy turvy, not quite sure if Monday relates to the last Tuesday or this Tuesday. I like to put both the lessons together so I'm going to have to work it out! *update* Just realised when looking back at my notes Monday lesson relates to the same week Tuesday's lesson!

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In Monday's session, we looked at media consumption, suggesting My So Called Life as a case study. After looking it up, turns out it has Jared Leto with a really weird hairstyle in it, so I'm going to have to watch it now.

http://bit.ly/2dpza4t

Media consumption differentiates in each generation. Generation X (late 70s - early 80s) or 'slackers' consumed media in the form of soaps, vinyls, MTV, indie, pen pals and from a young age (also called the 'latchkey kids') with modern day family structures. 

The stock market crash was a huge milestone in this era, making people jobless and degrees no longer matter. People made films and art to show their frustration, which is really the opposite of a 'slacker'. Advertisements were also made to shock viewers.

http://data.whicdn.com/images/154314225/large.gif

Grunge was also a big factor in this generation with Dr Martens, flannel and the anti-consumerist outlook which also related to the 1960s, where people also fought to make art which was really experimental. Art and music often collabed as well. The lecturer also started talking about something about the Stonewall Riots but didn't explain what.

Feminism in the 60s and 90s were also very significant and apparent. The 60s has second wave feminism, art such as 'The Femme Mystique' to subvert the male gaze. The 90s also had the Riot Grrl (I studied this in A Level ayyyy), Guerilla Girls and Queercore.

A big icon of the Riot Grrl manifesto - Marla Singer from Fight Club

http://bit.ly/2dpza4t

The introduction to social media in the Millennial generation brought a whole new level of media consumption with the 'fourth screen', bringing together people, but we also can't switch off from it and have no idea what the long term impact will be, especially with new developments such as augmented reality (Pokemon Go). It's also increasing bullying, the fear of missing out, addiction, etc. 

The lecturer also briefly named some theories; Uses and Gratifications, Reception Theory, Hypodermic Needle and the Bobo Doll experiment. Luckily I studied them all in A Level Media so I know what they are about (currently digging up my notes so I can upload them on here!) She also briefly said A Clockwork Orange which I think was in relation to the Bobo Doll and violence, so I'm going to upload a gif of it anyway.

http://i.imgur.com/XK6E3.gif

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In Tuesday's lecture we learns about the theories and ethics of consumption. But first, a few key terms;

• consumption - means to an end. Using up resources to fulfil needs
• consumerism - economic order and ideology

Improvements of material things made urban growth more efficient, with shops competing with each other, generating 'purchasing power', but also endorsed slave and child labour. 

Colonialism meant that there could be new markets and cheaper products (which made more profit). These new markets were displayed like theatres, with buildings such as the Trafford Centre in Manchester.

http://bit.ly/2ddrWNW

With this consumption, luxury products became essential. Wants became needs. This became a social construct and we now depend on it.

And now, some theories;

• Torstein Veblen: Theory of the Leisure Class (1899). Conspicuous consumption as a symptom of the middle class. Accomplishment in wealth/display. Shallow. Consumerism is feeding the leisure classes.
• Neil McKendrick: Birth of Consumer Society (1983). Consumer culture. Industrial revolution = accessibility. Luxury becoming necessities.
• Colin Campbell: Romantic Ethic and Modern Consumption (1987). Protestant work ethic- hard work=wages=God rewarding hard work. Divine reward. Catholic religion was slower as they were anti-materialistic. Romantic movement about fashion and status. Bought goods for emotional responses.
• Grant McCracken: Culture and Consumption (1990). Tracked to Elizabethan era. Nobility spending conspicuously, such as stately homes, to show power and status.

Consumption brought about satisfaction, making people think they are basic needs. But now, there is too much availability with different brands, making others fail. 

I seem to have made a cute spider diagram, can't quite remember what is means, but here it is anyways.

Satisfaction became addictive, which meant sustainability is ignored, leading to mass consumption. Some products are on the same level and do the same things, but some have more status (a big example is cars). Aesthetics become more important than appearance.

I am really struggling for gifs for this session

http://37.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1xvxdqkaw1qg0vi9o1_500.gif

A few more key terms:

• conspicuous consumption - openly spending. Superiority.
• emulative spending - copying spending patterns of different classes (e.g. middle classes copying aristocricy). Normally lower classes copying higher classes to make it look like they have money
• invidious consumption - deliberate purpose to inspire envy in others
• cultural capital - spend money to show culture. Higher status in society, higher expectations. Education.
• retroactive need - manufacturer created want in consumers mind. Think it's a decision made by consumer.
• target marketing - marketing aimed at specific group
• market segmentation - dividing groups into spending patterns. Offer products to suit needs. Links to target marketing.

I kind of lost interest here and my notes are hardly readable (I think we mostly watched videos here anyways). The conclusion slides were too long as well; the lecturer may as well have just went through the whole presentation again. Overall, this week's lecture was not as bad as last weeks. But his presentations are way to wordy with complected words, and he reads straight off them. I may as well just read them online.

Another big film example of consumerism and colonialism

http://bit.ly/2dAnNG4

Charlie's Day and a Half - Readthrough

Today, one of the level 6's cast me in their minor project. It's been a while since I've acted and I feel blessed being cast as a part. I've also said they can use my house for locations or if they need a hand with any crew roles, they know who to call.

We did a quick read through today and I guess it went well with Jamie talking about the series as a whole, shooting days, costume, locations and other actors. The read through can be seen below.

Digital Production/Film Making #2

This week's session was some sort of religious motivation experience or something. I don't even know what happened. We learnt about the Johari window and how to develop characters with it. There are four different windows which I will explain below;

• open - everyone knows this
• closed - others know but you don't
• private - you know, but no one else does
• potential - no one knows, not even you

We then got given a picture of this random bloke on crutches in a corn field and made a story of him. We created a guy called Connor (or CORNer) who steals corn with his fake disability. The lecturer then showed us a video of him and it turns out he is a war veteran which made us feel really bad.

He then did this trippy story about a priest and a person about having tickets to get into heaven which ended in this jigsaw with the person going to hell for asking for a bigger ticket and the priest going to heaven.

We then watched back our adverts for homework. I also learnt to never film on a flat wall, always film on a corner to add definition and interest. This week, we have to make a storyboard with pictures and see if anyone can guess the story without any descriptions. Jack came up with an idea and we arranged to film Sunday morning, but only me and Liam turned up. We didn't have the camera or any props, so we had to call it off. I sent an apologetic email to the lecturer for our group and how circumstances meant we could only hand in plans. The lecturer wasn't happy and neither was I quite frankly.

Digital Production - Pitch

So all of Digital mutually agreed to try and pitch some of our ideas on Monday's session so we can get started with scripts, paperwork, etc. The pitch below looks very empty but I will talk more about it in detail on the day. I also have two ideas I'm pitching, and one is different to my original idea (the courtroom drama/murder mystery). The new idea suits everyone as it's part chat show, part murder mystery.

Four Colour Ghosts - Freak

Tonight a few students helped the graduates film (or be extras) in a music video by a band called Four Colour Ghosts. We were scheduled to leave at 12am so it was going to be a long night. 

A few of the human burritos and a smoke bomb

Jacob became an extra because of the beautiful job me and Chloe did with his beard.

We got set up and waited for dusk and the rest of the actors/freaks/motorbikes to arrive. The pyrotechnics also warmed up (literally). 

Me and Chloe were on the "main camera" (we got promoted as we got loads of pretty shots) and we were on a camera all night. Chloe was my focus puller until we were moving about in the crowd. We got a lot of lovely shots and we make a good team! We were so on fire (heh) we finished two hours before the wrap time. A really enjoyable night's filming! Thanks for the opportunity. 

Digital Production - Introduction

Today the lecturer introduced us to the module handbook for this year. This module is worth 40 credits which means more work (400 hours altogether). We need to make an "as live" show (we say it's "as live" in case there's a technical fault). There's quite a few things we also need to research; the audience, how we would fund it, the production hierarchy and morals and ethics (since it's being broadcast on the internet, we need to be careful of controversy). 

For this module, we need to produce a broadcast (15 minutes or more, or 3 five minute shows) including 20% VT (2nd unit) material- this could be ad breaks, titles, credits. We also need a production diary (the blog) and a 1000 word evaluation. 

Don't forget books! Secondary research is still important. It's worth a look into how the streaming process works, different delivery formats (Facebook Live, Twitch, etc). 

For homework, we needed a few different examples of live videos (see below presentation). I also have some notes to accompany the presentation which I will also upload below.



Count Arthur Strong

• Broadcast on BBC1
• I was there so I know it's live! Genuine laugh track
• Mostly filmed in cafe but some VT material

Starkid - Trail to Oregon

• YouTube broadcast
• Pic is just proof it's live. Pay to see.
• Production's can mess up!

Muse - Live at Rome Olympic Stadium

• Cinema worldwide release
• First concert filmed in 4k

Visual Culture - Introduction

Today was our first lecture (in Hartlepool College, temporarily) with our other visual culture lecturer. He introduced us to the module and what was in the handbook and to some key terms;

• cultural appropriation - usage of one culture by another
• acculturation - reinforcing culture
• transculturation - cultural exchange
• agent - capacity for effective action
• hetergenous - different
• homogenous - same

Weeks 2-4 will focus on "Visual Culture as Rhetoric" which the lecturer pronounced as "retric" which really confused me. I've always thought it was "retoric". The slides were full of confusing words which weren't fully defined, but did have examples (I had to figure out the above definitions). I also find they read directly off the PowerPoints (which have many typos). I really struggled with this seminar and zoned out and panicked because of it. It might be a good idea to regroup as a class after the seminar to make sense of it and put it in our own words.

The deadline for this module is Friday 20th January, 12pm. We are allowed 10% internet sources like last year. He also introduced us to this website called "worldcat" which searches for key words in books which might be useful. Also, figure out the worth of the essay in evaluations!

I have one key question I will have to find out, is whether the journal has a word count, and how much we need to write. And how many topics from each seminar we need to research (two?).

Digital Production - Ideas

I had one idea a while back to film a live gig but the band has fell through and I just don't think it will be possible. Also linking it to the brief, it requires set pieces and a second unit. So I have another basic idea which needs developing if it gets the go ahead. It's a courtroom drama. We don't need a jury, possibly only the judge, the victim and the accused. The second unit can be flashbacks of the murder. Also there can be a big plot twist at the end (which I'm working on but I'm not saying because spoilers). 

(23/09/16) I told the lecturer about this idea today and a courtroom setting might be difficult and a better idea might be like a murder mystery in The Grand Hotel (kind of like live Cluedo!) and people can live chat about who they think did it.

I also had another idea of a live news broadcast where aliens attack and everyone think's it's real- a little bit like War of the Worlds but in a modern setting. 

Creative Film Piece - Ideas

Having a quick browse through the possible topics of the Visual Cultures, three stood out as interesting to me: Colour, Semiotics and Gender. I have one strong idea at the moment for the 3-6 minute short we are going to do, but it's basically a rip off of Sin City which is really putting me off making it. I will be utilising accessible ways of filming by using an app I found called Colour Splash (here's a tester image I tried with it) and it worked pretty well.

Basically my idea will be a lot of still images giving the illusion of movement (like a stop motion), with some colours picked out. I was thinking of having a female as the main character. Not quite sure what happens, but I can include her holding a few brightly coloured objects to represent what she is going through. Oh yeah I don't plan on using dialogue, just music. Maybe people can figure out what is going on based on colour alone.

I did some quick research into colours to try and get a basic storyline and possible things she could be holding or is involved with. She could hold a dark blue umbrella to represent depression. Have dull yellow wallpapers to represent illness. She can wipe away bright red lipstick to suggest her romantic interest has gone, or her power has.

http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html

Introduction to Level 5

So this year, we have three new teachers (two of which we met today). Our visual culture lecturer introduced herself and the module to us, with some useful hand outs. She also showed us a few experimental films she was passionate about and they looked really beautiful. For our visual culture this year, we need to write a 3000 word essay, a Creative Response (journal) and a creative film piece, which needs to be 3-6 minutes. I have a few ideas already which I will upload in a different post.

We then met the lecturer who is teaching the Filmmaking pathway (but us Digital are with him for a few weeks). We did a few ice breakers and then discussed vital roles, camera shots and adverts (preparing filmmaking for their Kodak module). We got a few pieces of homework which I will add to this post at a later date.

Dissertation Ideas

Might be a bit early to be thinking of dissertation, but I want to get a head start and just have a post up so I can jot ideas down.

Vampire Films

I've already done something similar for my A Level Film coursework and (kinda) my Visual Culture journal in level 4, but it's what I love, passionate about and can rant for hours about. But what exactly about vampire films? I'm interested in cinematography so I could talk about the visual look of different vampire films (maybe spread it out a bit and say horror films), but I feel I can only talk so much about that. I feel more confident talking about the context of vampire films. I can research it more in depth at this level. I could link to different theories like the male/female gaze, context, apotheosis/religion, etc.

Fandom

Does fandom sell a film and spread the word? Why do people cosplay? I can talk for a while about this topic too being a member of loads of different fandoms and it will be interesting to find out if fandom saved a film with word of mouth. I can also talk about cosplay, comic cons, and social media. I could talk about theories like hyper-reality, and also link it to context, whether this is a new thing, or if it's been around for a while.