Production Experiments

1. Experiments
Thomas Dickinson

2. Process
For my experiment, I decided that I needed more experience with a camera
before making my documentary. So the equipment I used in my experiment was
a camera, a tripod and a microphone. The tripod was to keep a steady, central
shot which is familiar in interviews like this within documentaries. Initially I
wasn’t going to use a microphone, but the person helping me film had one for
his experiment so it made sense to test it out. Overall, I’m happy with the
professional look of the shot, as it looks like it could be straight out of a
documentary.

3. Process
In this experiment, I interviewed my friend about who he was and what he liked. Before going
into the interview, I hadn’t wrote any questions so I just had to ask very basic questions that
came to my head. The whole interview looks professional, with the use of a medium close-up
because in my opinion it looked the best. However, the way in which I interviewed the guest
was very informal and funny almost; whereas in my actual product it’ll be formal and serious.
The footage was filmed with a camera, a tripod and a microphone mounted to the camera.
The lighting in the footage was accomplished with two huge lights facing diagonally to the
person being interviewed giving him equal light coverage from both sides at the front .To edit
the footage down from the original two minutes long, I used Premiere-Pro which is something
easy to use and I have practice with it. The only issue I have with my product is that the
persons eyeline is lower than it’s supposed to be.
Production Experiment

4. Process
Green Screen Prodution Experiment
In this experiment, I rendered over a green screen for the first time ever. The software
I used to render over the green screen was photoshop, which was easy as I have a lot
of experience on it. I did it by going onto the effects tab then the keying tab and then
by pressing ultra key. After that, I dragged the ultra key effect over the video of my
interview and opened the effects control tab. Finally, I selected the eyedropper tool
and clicked the green from the green screen and replaced it with a picture of a lake.
Overall, I think it looks good the only problems are the chair’s visible and there’s a faint
square around the interviewee due to the light reflecting off the green screen. If I were
to do it again, I’d make the interviewee sit on a stool so you couldn’t see the chair.
Also, I’d aim the lights better so there wouldn’t be so much light reflecting onto the
green screen or I’d cut the green screen closer to the interviewee.

5. Reflection
What elements of your experiments will you
include in your final product?
I will include the green screen around the interviews, as
I think it looks better and it’s remarkably easy to do.
Another thing I will include is the use of camera angles;
however, I will make the interviewees eyes match up
with the eyeline. The reason I will match the eyes to
the eyeline is because it makes the whole thing look
more professional and symmetrical. Also, I will be using
a camera a lot while making my documentary, so I will
use what I learnt in my experiment while using it.

6. The first thing I did to make the credits was select a fitting image for the
background. After that, I selected a new layer and the new text option.
To make the text look good while rolling I had to write a lot so I wrote
ingredients of a Christmas dinner. Then I went down to responsive
design and selected an option called roll. There was options to make the
credits longer, shorter or angled but I left it normal as I think it looks
more professional.

7. What elements of your experiments will you
include in your final product?
In my final product, I will include rolling credits
as I think they look professional. Also, using roll
credits is a clear way to lay out everyone who
worked on the product.
Reflection

8. I decided to attempt some animation as in documentaries like this one,
when there’s no conclusive evidence they animate it to show a visual
representation. This was my rough attempt of drawing Loch Ness. I used
the pencil as the paintbrush can leave blurry edges and I think for a
basic design it looks very good. I added the trees on a separate layer and
then merged down just to make sure it looked good. Finally, I added
texture to the water as it looked boring without it. If I were to make this
again I would add more trees and I’d add clouds in the sky.

9. I animated these creatures to go in the loch, as in the actual animation, I’d
have done a video comparing what all the possible things the Loch Ness
Monster could be are. I used a pen to draw them as the paintbrush leaves
blurry edges which looks weird in my opinion. The creature on the left is the
traditional look of the Loch Ness Monster. On the right, is a drawing of an
elephants trunk which is a common theory of what the Loch Ness Monster
could be. I drew an eel on the far right but I did it on the wrong layer by
accident so I coloured over it. Overall, for quick drawings I think they both look
good. However, if I were to do it again, I’d draw more creatures and I would
add more detail to them.

10. Reflection
What elements of your experiments will you
include in your final product?
I may include animation if I have enough time as
I think the context I chose to use it in would
work very well if utilised properly. The creatures
and background looked fine, but they were
basic, so if I were to do it properly I would add
more details and texture.