Video Outline: Twilight

I have chosen a piece of music from he luna nova website called Twilight Music. It is a dynamic piece that, to me, captures the feeling and mood of the end of a day. A calming, winding-down atmosphere is the central focus of the first part of the piece, but it grows from there, almost maniacally. Growing louder, and more dramatic with volume swells and the vibrato of violins, it eventually flattens off and recedes back into serenity once again, where it started.

I'd like to capture the feelings expressed in this video, or at least representations of these feelings or moods i think the piece conveys. maybe some time lapse footage of outdoor scenes at sunset or twilight, paired with footage of a single person, or couple at most, walking. I want-close ups of this so i get the details of their movement and actions, shots with hands/feet/arms/torso, etc. maybe some medium shots to establish location in space. all at twilight of course. Storyboard to come.

John Harbison - "Twilight Music"

How To Get Ready for a Date: Storyboard and write-up

The whole thing took about two and a half hours to shoot. I had two assistants, and it went smoothly. I shot in chronological order for the most part, with some cuts out of order. Hopefully this makes the editing process easier in the long run. We shot at my apartment, mainly in three rooms, all adjacent to one another. I had a lot of fun, but it was also a lot of work. I also learned a few things once i let the camera roll that i can use next time i film.

3 point lighting

3-point light applies light from all angles to an otherwise singularly illuminated location. It consists of the (1) Key Light, (2) Fill Light, and the (3) Back Light.

To adjust for the stark contrast between subject and background when filming outside in harsh light conditions, fill light, or a white and/or reflective 'bounce' card can bounce residual light onto the subject from another direction, adding more light to the subject, thus balancing out the hard contrast.

How-To Video research: How To Stay Awake While Driving

The instructions and hints in this video are well-illustrated and shown clearly throughout. Also, the video suggests multiple solutions for fighting off sleep behind the wheel. It also sheds a more scientific light on changes that occur throughout your body in reaction to stimulus.  This video will at least get someone started on what to do, if they ever find themselves in such a situation. I would have liked to have seen more suggestions however.

White Balance

White Balance is the determined 'color' of white light on film. But white light has no real color, our brains perceive the shift between the varying temperatures from various light sources. Sunlight is a blueish light (technical term), while fluorescent and incandescent lights are green and orange, respectively. And these colors are due to the temperature at which these lights are emitted. In early photography, this white balance didn't make much difference, but with the advent of color, things changed.

Place, by any means necessary.

My video deals with the many places of my feline friend, Domino. His unspoken philosophy seems to be, if I'm here, it's my place. Which means, his place is wherever he is most comfortable, wherever he feels most at home. And he clearly illustrates this all over the apartment.

The idea is summed up in two sentences at the end of the video. The cat is a simple creature, and this video sticks to that ethos.

Fun Times With Quick Time