Sound Production Animation - Evaluation

Evaluation

We were given the task of producing a soundtrack for a silent animation using Foley Sound. We had to create our own sound that was appropriate for the animation we chose (we chose Princess Mononoke), and add them in editing. We also choose an appropriate soundtrack (Prelude and Action by Kevin McLeod) to accompany the video.

What We Did Well

The foley sounds we created were fairly simple (blowing through a pen lid for the effect of arrows zipping through the air, tapping against wood for the effect of the horse's hooves etc.) but worked well when synchronised with the visuals as they were timed perfectly and gave the illusion of being the actual sound.

The soundtrack we chose to accompany the visuals was a piece of music called Prelude and Action by Kevin McLeod. This is a very fast paced piece of music that uses Drums and woodwind instruments. This is appropriate as it fits the tone of the visuals. Because of the location and time period the animation is set in, it wouldn't be appropriate to use music that uses any instruments like electric guitars, synthesisers or other technological effects as these are a lot more modern and wouldn't work alongside this clip.

The audio we recorded was synchronised well with the visuals (the sound effects of the arrows were placed exactly when the character's fired their bows). Our aim was to sync the sounds we recorded with the visuals so perfectly that viewers wouldn't be able to tell these are foley sounds as opposed to being the acutal sounds of horse's hooves, arrows being fired or swords clashing.

What Could Have Been Improved

One problem with our final video was that there were some sounds we could not produce ourselves. For example, we could not find a sound to match the visual of one of the soldiers slashing a woman with his sword. Although we created the sound of the sword swinging through the air, we could not find a way to mimic the sound of the steel cutting slashing her. This would be a complicated sound to create ouselves. Given more time, we may have been able to come up with some creative way of creating the sound, but we ended up needing this time to edit our video. This is something that, if we could repeat the task, we would give ourselves some time to improve upon.

Importing, Exporting and Editing

Importing, Exporting and Editing

Importing a file
By clicking 'File' and selecting the option 'Import', we can then import 'Files', allowing us to select files from the computer that we can import into Final Cut Pro for editing.

Rendering a file
Before it can be viewed and edited in Final Cut Pro, a file requires rendering. This is usually a quick process depending on the length of the clip, but it then allows for the file to be edited.

Cutting a clip (Before)
By selecting the 'Razor Blade Tool', and clicking at a particular point in the clip, a clip can be cut. This means that one continuous clip can be cut and separated into two or more, making the editing process much easier.

Cutting a clip (After)
Now the clip has been cut. Using the 'Razor Blade Tool', the clip has been cut halfway through, turning the one clip into two separate clips. This allows for one section of the whole file to be edited without affecting the other.

Cropping a clip
If a clip is  unnecessarily long, and requires shortening, this can be done using the cropping tool. Simply by clicking from the end or beginning of the clip, it can be dragged to the point you want the clip to start or finish,

Adding effects (fade)
To help allow for smoother transitions between clips, effects can be added. In this example, I have added a fade effect between two clips to smoothen the transition. This was done by clicking the 'Effects' tab and looking in the 'Video Transitions' folder.

Exporting a file
A file can be exported by selecting 'File' and 'Export'. I exported it to 'Quick Time Movie' where the  project can be played back.

Production Gear

How to use Production Gear

{This is a link to our instructional video titled 'How To Use Production Gear': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wsm2q5vvmg}

Our task was to create an instructional video that clearly demonstrated to the audience how to use the different pieces of equipment associated with audio and video production (microphone, camera etc.). We explained and demonstrated how each piece of production gear was set up safely and properly, how each was used effectively, and why they specifically were used. We also made sure to emphasise the importance of each piece of equipment by showing the problems we would encounter if just one was taken away. For example, at 1:27 we shut off the lights, and the actor in the video couldn't be seen in the dark, showing how difficult it would be to film without the proper lighting.

What We Did Well

We accomplished our task by clearly demonstrating for the audience how each piece of production gear is used and what their purpose is. For some of the more complicated pieces of equipment like the camera, we used close ups when setting it up as there are many small buttons and switches that cannot be seen from a normal distance.

One of the greatest strengths of our instructional video was the format. The actor (Sam) would introduce a piece of equipment and, step-by-step, would guide the audience through how each one was used and what its main purposes were. The transitions between each demonstration were also smooth and kept the video well-paced. I passed equipment to the actor from out of the shot so that there were no silent pauses and the video's rhythm was never broken. Anytime that there were pauses, we were able to fix this in post-production by adding transitions such as fade in, swipe and dissolve.

What Could Have Been Improved

There were a few problems with the instructional video that we didn't notice until we had uploaded it to YouTube, and that we would improve upon if we were to repeat the task. For example, in the final video, because of the music we used to accompany the video, the actor can sometimes be difficult to hear, as the music is slightly too loud. If we were to repeat the task, we would make sure the actor's voice could still be heard over the music, as the instructions given throughout the video are more important than the video's soundtrack and therefore it is more important that they are heard.

The video also ends quite abruptly which could throw off some audiences as the rest of the video is fairly well-paced. Instead of going straight from the final demonstration to fading out, we could have come up with a better conclusion to our video in which the actor would have thanked the viewer for watching the video and said goodbye, as this would have appeared as a lot less rushed and abrupt than our ending to the final video.

How We Worked As A Group

I believe we worked consistently well as a group throughout the project. Our Director had a clear idea of what he wanted to film, but as a group we all had our own input and helped to shape the video into a final version that we were very happy with. Our cameramen also worked efficiently and one member of the group also helped write a script for our actor. Our actor was enthusiastic throughout the project and was always open to new ideas that he would act out. As a group, we worked together to edit the video.

I operated the microphone as well as assisting the actor by passing him the pieces of equipment that he would then demonstrate how to use to the camera. I also helped with the editing process as I was familiar with the software and had some input with the soundtrack we chose to accompany the video.