Video and Sound Production - Exercises

  Video and Sound Production - Exercises

|| 22/9/2025 – 8/10/2025 (Week 1 – Week 3)
|| Yang Shumeng
|| Interactive Design / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
|| Video and Sound Production - Exercises

---

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

---

1. Lecture：

Week 1: Introduction to Cinematography – Shots, Angles & Techniques

1. What is a Shot?

A shot is a continuous piece of footage recorded from the moment the camera starts rolling until it stops.
By manipulating elements such as shot size, angle, movement, composition, and focus, filmmakers shape emotional impact, direct attention, and control narrative pacing.

---

2. Shot Sizes

Shot Type	Description	Purpose
Extreme Wide Shot (EWS/ELS)	Subject appears very small within a vast space	Scale, isolation, geography
Wide / Long Shot (WS/LS)	Full figure visible with environment	Establishing action and spatial context
Full Shot (FS)	Head-to-toe framing	Show posture and movement
Medium Wide Shot (MWS/MLS)	Framed roughly from knees upward	Balance character & environment
Cowboy Shot	Mid-thigh upward	Originally used to show a gun holster
Medium Shot (MS)	Waist-up framing	Natural conversational scenes
Medium Close-Up (MCU)	Chest and face	Emphasize facial cues
Close-Up (CU)	Face or important detail	Strong emotional impact
Extreme Close-Up (ECU)	Isolated detail (eyes, mouth, object)	Intensity, symbolism
Establishing Shot	Location introduction	Setting, time, environment

---

3. Camera Angles

• High Angle — Makes subject seem weak or vulnerable

• Low Angle — Adds power, dominance, heroism

• Eye-Level — Neutral, natural perspective

• Over-the-Shoulder (OTS) — Dialogue scenes, character dynamics

• Point of View (POV) — Shows a character’s perspective directly

• Dutch Tilt — Unease, psychological tension

• Bird’s Eye View — Abstract perspective of layout and patterns

• Worm’s Eye View — Dramatic admiration or power shift

---

4. Camera Movement

Technique	Effect
Dolly / Tracking	Moves with subject, reveals space
Pan	Horizontal pivot, reveals or follows action
Tilt	Vertical pivot, reveals scale or information
Zoom	Optical magnification without moving camera
Follow Shot	Immersive attachment to character movement
Steadicam / Gimbal	Smooth, controlled long takes
Handheld	Raw energy, realism, urgency
Crane / Drone	Sweeping aerial drama, scale

---

5. Composition & Framing

• Rule of Thirds — Balanced, visually engaging placement

• Central / Symmetrical Framing — Order, tension, confrontation

• Leading Lines — Guides viewer’s gaze to subject

• Foreground / Middleground / Background — Enhances depth

• Frame Within a Frame — Focus + narrative metaphor

• Headroom & Lead Room — Natural spacing, directional breathing room

---

6. Depth of Field & Focus Control

• Shallow Focus — Isolates subject emotionally

• Deep Focus — Everything remains sharp; spatial storytelling

• Rack Focus — Redirects attention within the shot

• Creative Focus Methods — Tilt-shift, soft focus, split diopter, etc., for style or surrealism

---

7. Special Cinematic Techniques

• Top Shot — Graphic overhead viewpoint

• Tracking In / Out — Emotional intensification or distancing

• Slow / Fast Motion — Mood effects and action dramatization

• Split Screen — Parallel action, contrast, or simultaneity

• Mirror Shot — Symbolism, introspection, duality

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: Storyboards in Film and Animation

What is a Storyboard?

A storyboard is a visual representation of a script, illustrating how each scene will appear before filming or animation begins. It converts written ideas into sequential images that show camera angles, framing, movement, and key actions.

---

Key Functions

• Translates script content into visual form

• Plans shot composition and camera direction

• Supports communication across the production team

• Helps identify potential issues early

• Maintains narrative flow and pacing

---

Types of Storyboards

Type	Description	Usage
Traditional Storyboard	Detailed drawings with notes on camera movement, audio, and timing	Professional film production
Thumbnail Storyboard	Quick sketches focusing on idea development	Early planning stage
Animatic / Motion Board	Storyboard frames edited with sound and timing	Tests rhythm and shot transitions

---

How to Create a Storyboard

1. Identify key scenes and major actions from the script

2. Draw or place reference images for each shot

3. Add notes on angles, movement, dialogue, and effects

4. Review with the team and refine layouts

5. Use as a guide throughout filming/animation

---

Purpose of Storyboards

• Visualize the final product before execution

• Ensure continuity and narrative clarity

• Improve efficiency by reducing on-set confusion

• Serve as a blueprint for production departments (camera, lighting, art, editing)

---

Reflection

Storyboarding significantly improves production workflow. It ensures the entire team shares a unified creative vision and smooths the filming/animation process by anticipating visual and technical needs in advance.

Week 3 quiz：

Week 4: Production

1. Overview of Production Stages

Film production is an organized, multi-phase process in which each stage contributes to transforming a concept into a finished screen product:

Stage	Purpose	Key Activities
Development	Generate and shape the core idea	Scriptwriting/adaptation, securing rights, initial funding, hiring director & lead cast
Pre-production	Detailed planning before filming	Budgeting, casting, storyboarding, location scouting, set and costume design, scheduling
Production	Actual filming takes place	Camera work, lighting setups, acting performances, directing and on-set coordination
Post-production	Construct the final narrative	Editing footage, adding sound and music, CGI/VFX, colour correction, titles
Distribution	Delivering the final work to audiences	Marketing, premiere screenings, theatrical release, platform distribution

Each stage relies on successful decisions made in the previous one, ensuring a clear pipeline from idea to visual execution.

---

2. Key Production Roles

Film production is highly collaborative and requires many creative and technical roles working toward a unified vision:

Role	Main Responsibility
Producer	Oversees the entire project — finances, schedule, logistics, and team coordination
Director	Leads the artistic vision and directs performance and visuals
Screenwriter	Writes the script, narrative structure, and dialogue
Production Designer / Art Director	Develops the film’s visual environment — sets, props, style
Costume Designer	Designs clothing that communicates character identity and story context
Cinematographer (DP)	Manages camera operation, lighting, framing, and visual tone
Editor	Shapes pacing and structure by assembling footage
Actors	Bring characters to life through performance
Music & Sound Director	Controls music, sound effects, and atmosphere to enhance storytelling

---

3. Summary

Film production progresses from idea to screen through a well-coordinated workflow of planning, collaboration, and visual storytelling. Each production stage builds upon the previous one, ensuring the final film is polished, coherent, and emotionally compelling for its audience.

Week 4 quiz：

---

2. Instructions：

---

3. Process Work：