Video and Sound Production - Exercises

 Video and Sound Production - Exercises

|| 22/9/2025 – 8/10/2025 (Week 1 – Week 3)
|| BAI ZHUO QING, 0370042
|| Interactive Design / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
|| Video and Sound Production - Exercises

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Lectures
2. Instructions
3. Process Work
4. Reflection

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1. Lecture：

Week 1:

1. What is a Shot?

A shot refers to an uninterrupted segment of footage recorded between the moment the camera starts rolling and when it stops.
By carefully selecting shot size, angle, lens focus, camera movement, and composition, filmmakers can shape how audiences perceive emotions, highlight specific story elements, and control the rhythm or pacing of a scene.

2. Types of Shot Sizes

• Extreme Wide Shot (EWS/ELS): Shows a very distant view where the subject appears small, emphasizing the vastness or loneliness of the environment.
• Wide or Long Shot (WS/LS): Displays the full body of the subject along with a wide background, commonly used for scene establishment.
• Full Shot (FS): Frames the subject from head to toe, allowing viewers to observe body movement and posture.
• Medium Wide Shot (MWS/MLS): Captures the subject roughly from the knees upward, balancing the background and the figure.
• Cowboy Shot: Frames the subject from mid-thigh upward—traditionally used in Western films to include a holstered gun.
• Medium Shot (MS): Frames the subject from the waist up, ideal for natural conversation scenes.
• Medium Close-Up (MCU): Focuses on the chest and face area, conveying subtle expressions.
• Close-Up (CU): Concentrates on the face or an important detail to express emotion or highlight significance.
• Extreme Close-Up (ECU): Focuses on a very specific detail such as the eyes, mouth, or an object, creating intensity.
• Establishing Shot: Introduces the setting or location at the beginning of a scene, providing spatial context.

3.Camera Angles

• High Angle: Looks down on the subject, making them appear small, weak, or vulnerable.
• Low Angle: Shoots upward at the subject, giving a sense of dominance or authority.
• Eye-Level Angle: Maintains a neutral perspective, appearing natural and realistic.
• Over-the-Shoulder (OTS): Filmed from behind a character’s shoulder, often used in conversations.
• Point of View (POV): Represents what a character sees from their own perspective.
• Dutch Angle: The camera is intentionally tilted, adding unease or psychological tension.
• Bird’s Eye View: Captures the scene from directly above to reveal structure or layout.
• Worm’s Eye View: Taken from a very low angle looking upward, symbolizing strength or admiration.

4.Camera Movement

• Dolly / Tracking Shot: The camera physically moves forward, backward, or sideways to follow the action or reveal space.
• Pan: The camera pivots horizontally to follow movement or show a wider view of the setting.
• Tilt: Moves vertically up or down to follow a subject or reveal new information.
• Zoom: Adjusts the focal length to magnify or minimize the subject within the same frame.
• Follow Shot: Moves alongside the subject to create an immersive experience.
• Steadicam / Gimbal: Produces smooth and stable motion, frequently used in long continuous takes.
• Handheld: Adds realism and urgency through slightly shaky, organic motion.
• Crane / Drone Shot: Provides sweeping or aerial perspectives for dramatic visual impact.
• 5.Composition and Framing
• Rule of Thirds: Positioning the subject along the grid’s intersections creates balance and visual interest.
• Symmetrical or Central Framing: Delivers a formal, structured, or tense composition.
• Leading Lines: Uses lines or shapes within the frame to guide the viewer’s gaze toward the main subject.
• Foreground, Middleground, Background: Establishes spatial depth and layering.
• Frame Within a Frame: Utilizes doors, windows, or objects to visually “frame” the subject.
• Headroom and Lead Room: Leaving adequate space above or in front of the subject ensures a more natural feel.

6. Depth of Field and Focus

• Shallow Focus: Keeps the subject sharp while blurring the background, emphasizing emotion or importance.
• Deep Focus: Keeps everything in the frame—foreground and background—equally sharp, showing the full environment.
• Rack Focus: Switches focus between two points in the same shot to shift viewer attention.
• Creative Focus Techniques: Includes tilt-shift, split-diopter, and soft focus to achieve stylistic or dreamlike effects.

7. Special Cinematic Techniques

• Top Shot: Captures the subject from directly overhead, offering a flat, graphic perspective.
• Tracking In / Out: Moves the camera closer or farther from the subject to control emotional intensity.
• Slow or Fast Motion: Alters the speed of action to heighten mood or dramatize a scene.
• Split Screen: Displays two or more scenes side by side simultaneously.
• Mirror Shot: Uses reflections to reveal character emotions, internal thoughts, or symbolic themes.

Week 1 quiz：

Week 2:

Three-Act Story Framework

Act 1 – Setup (around 25%)：

The story begins by introducing the main character, their world, and the situation they live in.
Everything seems normal until a major inciting incident breaks that routine and pushes the character into action.
By the end of this act, the protagonist faces a turning point — a choice or event that changes their life and sets the main story in motion.

Main ideas:

• Build the setting and introduce key characters.

• Present the main goal or conflict.

• End with a decision that leads to the central journey.

Act 2 – Confrontation (around 50%)：

This is the heart of the story, where most of the tension and development occur.
The protagonist faces obstacles, failures, and small victories, learning more about themselves along the way.
The midpoint brings a big twist or realization that shifts the story’s direction.
It eventually leads to the lowest point, where everything seems lost, forcing the hero to change or find new strength.

Main ideas:

• Raise the stakes and deepen the conflict.

• Show character growth through struggle.

• Build toward the climax.

Act 3 – Resolution (around 25%)：

This act delivers the climax, the story’s most intense and emotional moment where the main conflict is resolved.
After that comes the resolution, which wraps up loose ends and shows how the protagonist or world has changed.

Main ideas:

• Resolve the main conflict.

• Show transformation or consequences.

• End with a sense of closure or a new beginning.

Summary：

The three-act structure serves as a creative roadmap rather than a strict rule.
It helps organize the flow of the story, keeps the audience emotionally engaged, and provides a natural rhythm from setup to resolution.

Week 2 quiz：

Week 3：

What is a Storyboard?

A storyboard is a visual outline of a film or animation, showing how each scene will look before shooting begins.
It turns ideas from the script into a sequence of images that explain camera angles, framing, and movement.

Main points:

• Translates the script into visuals.

• Shows camera details and key actions.

• Two types: traditional (detailed) and thumbnail (simple).

• Helps directors plan and communicate clearly.

Reflection:
Storyboards make the filming process smoother and ensure everyone shares the same visual direction.

How to Make a Storyboard：

1. Choose main scenes and actions from the script.

2. Draw or add images for each shot.

3. Label frames with camera angles, movements, and notes.

4. Review with the team and adjust if needed.

5. Use it as a guide during filming.

Purpose:
To plan shots, maintain story flow, and visualize how the final film will look.

Storyboard Summar：

Storyboards are visual planning tools in film and television production, used to visualize the visuals and rhythm of each shot before filming.

They include angles, movement, dialogue, and scene descriptions, helping the team unify their ideas and improve efficiency before shooting.

Common Types:

Traditional: Detailed drawings with annotations.

Thumbnail: Simplified conceptual planning.

Animated/Motion Board: Emphasizes rhythm and shot transitions.

Purpose: To preview the narrative and arrange composition in advance, avoiding chaos during filming.

Week 3 quiz：

Week 4: 

Production:

1. Overview of Production Stages
Film production is a structured process divided into several main stages, each with a specific purpose in bringing a story to life.

• Development: The initial phase where ideas are created, scripts are written or adapted, and funding and key personnel such as the director and main actors are secured.

• Pre-production: The planning stage that prepares everything before filming. This includes budgeting, casting, storyboarding, scouting locations, designing sets and costumes, and scheduling the shoot.

• Production: The filming stage where all plans are put into action. The director, cinematographer, cast, and crew work together to shoot the scenes following the script and storyboard.

• Post-production: The editing phase where the film is assembled. This involves cutting footage, adding sound, music, and visual effects, and finalizing color grading and titles.

• Distribution: The final step of releasing the completed film to audiences through theaters, festivals, or streaming platforms, supported by marketing and promotions.

2. Roles in the Production Team:
Film production is a collaborative effort that requires many creative and technical professionals working together.

• Producer: Oversees the entire project from start to finish, managing the budget, schedule, and overall coordination.

• Director: Leads the creative vision, guiding the cast and crew to bring the story to life visually and emotionally.

• Screenwriter: Writes the script, develops the story, and shapes dialogue and plot structure.

• Production Designer / Art Director: Designs the film’s visual look, including sets, props, and overall style.

• Costume Designer: Creates costumes that reflect each character’s personality and background.

• Cinematographer (Director of Photography): Controls lighting, camera movement, and the film’s visual tone.

• Editor: Assembles footage, determines pacing, and shapes the narrative flow.

• Actors: Portray characters, express emotion, and interpret the director’s vision.

• Music or Sound Director: Selects and manages music and sound to enhance mood and storytelling.

3. Summary:
Film production moves from idea to screen through careful planning, teamwork, and creative execution. Each stage—development, pre-production, production, and post-production—builds on the previous one to create a cohesive final product ready for audiences.

Week 4 quiz：

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2. Instructions：

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3. Process Work：

Exercise 1:

The objective of this exercise is to download all video footages from Google Drive and import them into Adobe Premiere Pro for editing.

Steps:

1. Download all the required footages from Google Drive.
2. Create a new project in Adobe Premiere Pro.
3. Import the downloaded footages into the project.
4. Arrange the video clips on the timeline in the correct sequence.
5. Export the final video.

Video 1 Process:

Fig 1.1 video 1 process

                                                                                             Fig 1.2 Final video 1

Video 2 Process:

Fig 1.3 video 2 process

Fig 1.4 video 2 process

                                                                                               Fig 1.5 Final video 2

Exercise: Editing Practise 1 (Lalin):

Fig 1.6 Lalin process

Final Video (Lalin):

YouTube link:https://youtu.be/GytOP5gxRoc

                                                                                                   Fig 1.7 Final video Lalin

Exercise 2:

Deep focus-FG: MCU, BG: Full body

O.S on M.S

O.S on M.W.S

Tight M.S

Tight M.S Side Angle

Fig 1.8 Final video Exercise 2

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4. Reflection：

Week 1

This week helped me see visuals in a completely new way. I realized that elements such as camera distance, angles, and framing are not chosen randomly—they directly influence how a scene feels. A simple change in camera placement or composition can shift the mood and emotional tone of a story. Cinematography, therefore, goes beyond recording scenes; it becomes a powerful tool for expressing emotions and storytelling visually.

Week 2

In week two, I developed a clearer understanding of how stories are structured. Learning about the three-act structure showed me how narratives are carefully built through a beginning, middle, and end. By analyzing works like Everything Happens at the Same Time, I learned that even stories that seem complex or unconventional still follow this structure. This approach helps maintain tension and keeps the audience engaged through key moments in the story.

Week 3

This week highlighted the value of planning before filming begins. I learned that storyboards play a crucial role in visualizing a film ahead of time. They allow filmmakers to map out shots, camera movements, and transitions clearly. Having a well-prepared storyboard not only improves efficiency during production but also helps ensure that the final film stays aligned with the original creative idea.

Week 4

Week four brought everything together by introducing the full filmmaking process, from initial planning to final editing. I gained a deeper appreciation for how collaborative filmmaking truly is. Each role—whether director, producer, cinematographer, or editor—contributes something essential to the final outcome. Understanding how these roles work together helped me see filmmaking as a collective effort where teamwork is just as important as creativity.