Vocabulary

During today's period, our class embarked on a collaborative journey to delve into the intricate world of cinematography, dissecting essential terminology such as Sound, Mise-en-Scène, Editing, and Camera techniques.

Within my designated group, our exploration honed in on:

1. Fade-in: A gradual emergence of an image or scene from darkness, typically used to commence a sequence or signify the beginning of a narrative.

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3. Fade-Out: The gradual disappearance of an image or scene into darkness, often employed to signal the conclusion of a sequence or indicate the end of a storyline.

4. Wipe: A dynamic transition where one image or scene is progressively replaced by another through a sweeping motion across the screen, creating a seamless shift between contexts or locations.

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6. Slow Motion: A cinematic technique that reduces the speed of action, lending a sense of heightened drama, emphasis, or visual poetry to a particular moment within a narrative.

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8. Short Take: A brief and short shot, capturing a concise moment or detail within the broader cinematic framework, often utilized for pacing or emphasis.

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10. Long Take: An extended shot that unfolds over a prolonged duration without any cuts or edits, offering an immersive and uninterrupted view of the action, setting, or character interactions.

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12. Superimposition: The overlaying of multiple images or scenes onto a single frame, creating complex visual compositions or symbolic juxtapositions within the cinematic narrative.

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14. Ellipsis and Expansion of time: Manipulation of temporal continuity within a film, either condensing or elongating narrative time to enhance pacing, intensify emotional resonance, or convey thematic depth.

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16. Visual Effects: The incorporation of digitally generated imagery or practical effects to enhance the visual aesthetics, realism, or fantastical elements within a cinematic work.

Adobe Premier

Learning advanced editing techniques in Adobe Premiere Pro is a valuable skill that enhances the quality of your final film projects, especially when submitting them for portfolios, In class we watched videos that highlight the following techniques.

1. Trimming and Cutting:

- Precision Editing:

Mastering the art of trimming and cutting allows you to fine-tune the timing and pacing of your film, ensuring each scene flows seamlessly into the next.

2. Ripple Edit Tool:

- Maintaining Duration:

The Ripple Edit Tool is a powerful feature that enables you to adjust clips while automatically maintaining the overall duration of your project, saving time and effort.

3. Rolling Edit Tools:

- Seamless Transitions:

With the Rolling Edit Tools, you can smoothly shift edit points between adjacent clips, ensuring seamless transitions and continuity in your storytelling.

4. Keyboard Shortcuts:

- Efficiency Boost:

Utilizing keyboard shortcuts accelerates your editing process, allowing you to execute commands swiftly and effortlessly, thereby increasing productivity.

5. Adding B-Roll and Overlays:

- Visual Depth:

Incorporating B-Roll footage and overlays enhances the visual depth of your videos, enriching the storytelling experience for your audience.

6. Source and Program Monitors:

- Precise Overlay:

Exploring the Source and Program Monitors empowers you to overlay additional footage with precision, utilizing effects like Picture-in-Picture to creatively enhance your visuals.

7. Effects, Audio, and Color:

- Creative Enhancement:

The Effects Panel offers a plethora of transitions, color effects, and audio enhancements, allowing you to add creative flair and polish to your films.

- Audio Mixer:

Balancing audio levels and integrating music effectively contributes significantly to the overall impact and immersion of your film, enhancing the viewer's auditory experience.

- Lumetri Color Panel:

Delving into color grading using the Lumetri Color Panel enables you to elevate the visual aesthetics of your project by fine-tuning parameters such as exposure, saturation, and contrast, thereby achieving a cohesive and cinematic look.

Developing a story

In class we learned how to develop a story, I will show you what I learned and perhaps you can learn something as well.

1. Idea Generation:

Before anything else, we need a central idea for our story. This idea will serve as the foundation upon which we build our characters and conflicts.

2. Building the Main Character:

- Beliefs and Individuality:

Our protagonist should possess distinct beliefs and values that shape their worldview. These beliefs influence their actions and decisions throughout the story.

- Identity:

Explore who the character is beyond their external traits. What experiences have shaped them? What are their strengths and weaknesses?

- Desires and Goals:

What does the main character want more than anything else? This desire will drive their actions and fuel the narrative.

- Personal Conflict:

Identify an internal struggle or dilemma that the character grapples with. This conflict adds depth and complexity to their journey.

- Consequences:

Consider the consequences of the character's desires. What price are they willing to pay to achieve their goals?

3. Developing External Conflict:

- Outer Challenges:

In addition to their internal conflict, the character faces external obstacles or challenges that hinder their progress.

- Stakes:

What is at stake for the character in overcoming these external challenges? The higher the stakes, the more engaging the story becomes.

4. Building Other Characters:

- Contribution to Conflict:

Secondary characters should play a role in shaping the protagonist's journey. Their beliefs and actions may either align with or oppose those of the main character.

- Opposing Beliefs:

These characters should embody beliefs or values that conflict with those of the protagonist. Their opposition forces the main character to confront their own convictions.

5. Narrative Structure:

- The Journey:

Follow the narrative structure outlined in the video, moving the protagonist through different stages of growth and change.

1. Zone of Comfort: Introduce the protagonist in their familiar environment.
2. Desire: Establish what the character wants or desires.
3. Enter an Unfamiliar Situation: Propel the character into a new and challenging environment.
4. Adaptation: Show how the character responds and adapts to their new circumstances.
5. Achievement: The character achieves their goal or desire.
6. Heavy Price: Explore the sacrifices or consequences the character faces in pursuit of their goal.
7. Return to Familiar Situation: Bring the character back to their original environment, changed by their experiences.
8. Having Changed: Reflect on how the character has grown and evolved throughout the journey.