29.08.2022 - 07.12.2022 / Week 1 - 15
Yung Siew Weng / 0339847
Video and Sound Production / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Final Project
Final Project : Stop Motion
MODULE INFORMATION
INSTRUCTION
We are required to produce stop motion video / visual effects video by a given theme. Voice over, sound effects and music can be used to tell a compelling story. Confine to no more than 2 characters and locations and only 1 event in less than 15 shots.
Storyboard must be presented and get approval before the principle shot. Final video are required to submit in digital format :
- screen resolution 1080p (Full HD), 16:9 (wide screen)
- frame Rate 24/25 fps
- field option progressive scan
- audio quality 48kHZ, 16-bit stereo
- compression H.264
EXPLORATION
#Week 1
Mr. Martin briefed us on short motion and the aesthetic effect for the final project. This week, we are meant to shortlist three short motion or visual effect videos in order to decide which one to use for the final project. (week 1/ 29.08.2022)
The referenced video(s) :
1. Candy - Short Stop Motion Film
Fig 1.1 Candy - Short Stop Motion Film
2. Stop Motion Animation Fruit and Vegetables
Fig 1.2 Stop Motion Animation Fruit and Vegetables
After watching this video "Stop Motion Animated Fruits and Vegetables" by Clem Stamation, I think stop motion animation is really amazing and cool which can impress the audience. As me, from my perspective, before watching this video, I never knew these simple ingredients could create such fun and memorable ideas. It's arguably simple, but it provides an organic feel that indirectly makes the video unique.
3. Inside The Burger Vending Machine - Stop Motion Cooking
Fig 1.3 Inside The Burger Vending Machine - Stop Motion Cooking
Tomosteen's video "Inside The Burger Vending Machine - Stop Motion Cooking" features Mr. Bone as a "worker" in a burger vending machine, making mini burgers. Mr. Bones' fictional cooking process is so real and decompressing!
After several references and explorations, I decided to go for short motion as the I felt that stop motion are more interesting and the creativity of producing is more limitless. In fact, short motion is an animation technique in which a camera is repeatedly stopped and started, frame-by-frame, in order to give inanimate objects and figures the impression of movement. Meanwhile, the characters are all created along with their different positions and facial expressions. The direction of repeating, adjusting the characters and scenes by frame to frame providing a sense of ASMR or even can be used in marketing materials to convey a more 'organic' or 'hand-made' style.
#Week 10// Briefing
#Stop Motion
- Stop motion is filmed one frame at a time.
#Shooting Process
Pre-production
1. Prepare storyboard
2. Clock every shots. Calculating the Frames Needed (8-10 FPS)
3. Start collecting sound clips
4. Prepare materials and build the puppets and background.
5. Set camera on tripod.
#if you want to shot on the phone, you must have a tripod. OR you are recommended to shot in the school's camera. / Don't shot "RAW". FHD 1920, 6K. Use manual exposure & focus. Shot in 16:9
Production Shooting
6. Shoot during the day, but use artificial lighting.
Post-production
7. Prepare for editing (separate sequences in different folders)
8. Editing Stop Motion - change the sequence presets in Premiere Pro
[creating new project > choose the setting (1920x1080 24/25 frame per second)]
#Week 10- Trial Session
//we having an trial session on the day to having an idea how the stop motion goes//
#Proposal
After having somewhat idea towards the project, I started to do some visual research and finalise my final ideation. My latest proposal (7/11) :
Fig 1.4 Draft proposal, PDF (week 11/ 07.11.2022)
During week 11, I showed the progress on my proposal to Mr. Martin and yet received some feedbacks.
Feedback _ week 11/ 07.11.2022
Overall, right. But just afraid on the outcome of the execution. I understand your story but maybe you can add a gesture and captions towards the showman showing the gift is sending to the audience.
After receiving the feedbacks, I started to get the props, making it to be "alive". I spent sometimes to get the props as "luckily" all the white clays in the market that I found had all sold out, so I decided to get it online and lasts few days of shipping.
#Updated Proposal
Fig 1.5 Updated Proposal (week 15/ 07.12.2022)
After I received the clays, I started to build up the character and backgrounds.
Fig 1.6 - 1.9 Props (week 11/ 07.11.2022)
Feedback _ week 11/ 12.11.2022
Yup nice, you can just spend time to shoot the video.
After creating the props, I spent more time than my expectation to start video shooting on it. Yet, I had leave the props on my table for several weeks (I did not managed to arrange time to have the video shooting due my overwhelming assignments' deadlines) and the colour of the props (especially the snow ground) been somewhat affected. Although the props was not as nice as the original, I continued proceed on the shooting due to the time limitation.
Fig 1.10 Shooting (week 11/ 07.11.2022)
The props for shooting :
- Iphone 11 Promax
- Stop motion application
- Tripod x2
- Lightning
- Cardboard for background
Fig 1.11 Proof of using Stop Motion for shooting (week 14/ 30.11.2022)
After completed the shooting, I exported the footage and I used random video editing tool on phone to create a draft version (having an idea on how the outcome goes in a more rapid way; I think).
Fig 1.12 Draft editing #1 (week 14/ 01.12.2022)
I having the notion of the snowman was humorous and funny, saying bye-bye at the end and yet slip and fell to close the clips. And, I did send the version draft #1 to Mr. Martin for feedbacks and suggestions.
Feedback _ week 12/ 02.11.2022
Excess 30 seconds was fine but the message (the letter and ending message) was not clear. If for "me" as audience, the gift should have gone to the camera to fill up the frame. Suggested on the end should be the gift fills the frame and follow by the ending text: This is for you. But if you don't want to reshoot maybe you can cut earlier, where the snowman holding the gift facing the camera, freeze there and zoom in slowly.
After receiving the feedback, although I thought that I can reshoot, but unfortunately I saw my props' face was facing on the floor in the morning then... I think that I shall not rebuild all the stuff (due time restrictions). I did some amendments on the draft #1 and yet produced the draft #2 version (Fig 1.13) :
Fig 1.13 Draft editing #2 (week 14/ 02.12.2022)
On the version, I make amend based on the previous draft #1, by adding the caption "who's letter" and the end outcome on zooming into the gift. The version was still a rough version.
Feedback _ week 12/ 03.11.2022
Alright.
After receiving the feedback, I continued on a final version of the stop motion in Premiere Pro. At the very first, I inserted all the clips and reconstructed the duration for each frame and also did some transition on the last frame (zoom to the gift).
Fig 1.14 Development, Frames (week 15/ 05.11.2022)
Continued, I applied an adjustment layer for basic colour correction and colour grading. I previewed the outcome by using the comparison view to check the before & after outcome :
Fig 1.15 Development, colour grading (week 15/ 05.11.2022)
Fig 1.16 Development, sound effects (week 15/ 05.11.2022)
The sound effects that used :
- sound of walking on the wooden floor ; Santa walking
- sound of opening door ; mailbox opening
- sound of throwing something ; Santa throw the mail
- sound of pulling a rope ; Santa pulling the mailbox
- sound of squeeze a duck toy ; Santa pushing between the tree and mailbox
- sound of cartoon running ; Santa ran away
- sound of confuse ; Snowman confusing
- sound of scratching itchy hair ; Snowman scratching his head
- sound of speak in speedy ; Snowman talking to the environment
- sound of getting an idea ; Snowman get an idea
- sound of something struggling on the floor ; Mailbox struggled
- sound of kicking ; Snowman kicked the mailbox
- sound of popping out ; Snowman's head transitioned
- sound of pop up ; Snowman transitioning
- sound of moving something ; Snowman preparing the gift
and etc..
Continued after the sound effects, I proceeded to the VoiceOver recording on the lines :
1. Santa : HOHOHO , Hi !
2. Snowman : Letter ?
Since we having the tutorial on using Audition before, I used the application to create a more "realistic" lines.
For line #1 Santa, HOHOHO, Hi!
> stretch & pitch to make the voice lower, and apply EQ and hard limiter :
Fig 1.17 Development, line #1 (week 15/ 06.11.2022)
For line #2 Letter?
EQ > Denoise > Phase > Pitch Shifter
Fig 1.18 Development, line #2 (week 15/ 06.11.2022)
To make the video closed in a more interesting ways instead of just a text"this is your gift", I used Adobe Illustrator to create a graphical text :
Fig 1.19 Graphical text "A gift for you" (week 15/ 06.11.2022)
Then, continued by the last step, insert into the clips.
Fig 1.20 Insert the clips (week 15/ 06.11.2022)
#Final Outcome, Final Project : Stop Motion
Fig 1.21 Final Outcome : The Missed Letter (week 15/ 06.11.2022)
Youtube Link : https://youtu.be/WEFQfmj9GKI
FEEDBACK
Feedback _ week 11/ 07.11.2022 @ Proposal
Overall, right. But just afraid on the outcome of the execution. I understand your story but maybe you can add a gesture and captions towards the showman showing the gift is sending to the audience.
Feedback _ week 11/ 12.11.2022 @ Props
Yup nice, you can just spend time to shoot the video.
Feedback _ week 12/ 02.11.2022 @ Draft #1
Excess 30 seconds was fine but the message (the letter and ending message) was not clear. If for "me" as audience, the gift should have gone to the camera to fill up the frame. Suggested on the end should be the gift fills the frame and follow by the ending text: This is for you. But if you don't want to reshoot maybe you can cut earlier, where the snowman holding the gift facing the camera, freeze there and zoom in slowly.
Feedback _ week 12/ 03.11.2022 @ Draft #2
Alright.
REFLECTION
Overall, the experience throughout this project was pretty interesting, but the final outcome was not what I expected since the props got a bit dirty and yet "ugly." Despite the facts of the outcome, I decided to name this project "The Missing Letter: Dirty Clay." Because it is made of art clay, I got the impression that the arts have a kind of notion: an ugly Santa gifting you the gift, despite the fact that becoming Santa will make him lose his appearance and beauty, but he still wants to bring blessings and happiness to the world.
The biggest challenge throughout the assignment was the time restriction. Since I have piles of overwhelming stress and deadlines, I am forced to push this assignment to the end of the semester. At the very beginning, I was really excited to create, shoot, and produce since it was the theme that I was most interested in. But reality had a lot of punches for me; I had expected too much of myself yet having poor time management to complete this piece. As a result, I reasoned that if I could manage well, say, if I had 48 hours per day, I would undoubtedly seize opportunities to make the outcome more approachable and satisfying. But in the meantime, I am satisfied with the imperfectness, as the process really cheered me out, "Merry Christmas"! :D
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