Filming and Sorting Footage

I filmed the two hour Vitamin L rehearsal yesterday and then stayed after for an interview with Janice.

The Rehearsal
Many kids were afraid of the camera so I tried to make it fun and less intimidating so I danced around and snag a little. But when I was going through the footage I realized I was singing too much and a lot of the audio for the footage is not available because my baritone voice is clashing with the faces of the little kids.
I uploaded all the footage, which took 3 hours, and then organized my hard drive. 

Practice Interview

Tonight I filmed and edited and interview of my dad.

I used a DSLR camera, flood light, and tripod to film this. I had two other cameras set up but the video looked to different from the different cameras so I decided not to use the footage from the other two cameras.
I used Windows Live Movie Maker to edit this video. It was fun to film and fun to edit, I am excited to do this more.

I learned:

Not too much White light! (It looks unnatural)
Beware of mirrors
Turn off the auto focus once the camera is focused
Dont move around as the interviewer
Have the camera positioned closer to the interviewer
Dont let the dog move the tripod
the three camera set up doesnt work if the cameras are different
editing takes for ever
Movie maker on Windows 8 is weak
It was fun

Barnsong Review

Today in WISE class we watched a documentary called Barnsong.
The documentary was created by a WISE student, about another WISE student.
Some questions we were asked to consider while watching the documentary were...

-What do you better understand about the WISE project?
In the documentary the kid who was creating the barn did not finish by the end of the school year. It took him until august to finish. I learned that it is okay to make mistakes, and even not finish the project by the due date. If we work hard then we are good. My project is very variable and there are not a lot of certainties yet, and I hope I am able to finish by the end of the year so that I can share the movie at my project presentation.

-What questions do you still have about the WISE project?
Are we going to have a day where we all share our projects in class? Not everyone has a blog and I can't follow everyone. Also how much flexibility is there in my consistency with my work. I have been sick for the past four days and haven't done much work on my project. I have time this next week to catch up and make plans and post more. Am I allowed to do that?

-Also the documentary didn't seem that impressive. It didn't seem like the kid spent a whole semester on it. I expect my movie project to look more professional. Watching that video got me excited about my video as well.

New Plan

Yesterday (Saturday) I got a hard drive to store all of the HD footage.
This Hard drive works with both Mac and PC which is going to be helpful for me because I will be using both.

And today I created a new plan...
What I am currently doing with my schedule is not working. I am too busy during the week and don't get much done on my project. So I have a new plan.
Here it is... I don't work on the project during the week, and then dedicate all my free time on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to the Project. So kinda like this...

Fridays 
Film Vitamin L concerts (they are usually on Fridays)
POST*

Saturday
Go to Vitamin L practice
Interview some kids
Go home and upload and organize the footage
Do research
POST*

Sunday
Reflect on the last week
Plan for the next week
POST*

Michael Stern's Comment: Why do you need to use both a Mac and a PC? This project looks really cool. Typically this is something that Vitamin L would have to pay for to have done. Very nice of you to do it for free.

Personal Growth

Well I am a very busy guy. During the week I have...

Leave home 8:15
School 8:50-3:30
Tennis 4:00-6:00
Rehearsal 6:30-9:30
Get home 10:00

I am busy for two reasons.

1- I really enjoy doing things... So I do everything.
I knew a couple months ago that this was going to be a very busy time in my life and yet I still committed to after school chior, the musical, tennis, and the WISE project because I knew I would regret not doing these things.

2- I don't like disappointing people... So I try to do everything really well.
I know it is not possible for anyone to do everything perfect but I am hitting a point where my commitments are overlapping and I don't have enough brain power to keep track of everything and do my best work in every area of my life.

I am learning that there is a balance I need to find. I can't do everything perfectly. The more things I commit to the more I have to compromise in other areas. For example I played tennis two weeks ago to prepare for the tennis season. I compromised studying for an economics test. I ended up getting a 73% on that econ. test which is below my standards.

Also, last Friday I forgot about my first mentor meeting. I forgot about the meeting because I had too much on my mind. I compromised my brain power in order to do homework that day. I was very embarrassed when I realized I missed the meeting and emailed my mentor right away.

In terms of this project I really want to make it awesome, because I don't want to disappoint all the people involved in it. But I'm afraid I have to cut down in some areas to make it more manageable. One thing that I am going to do less of is my notes on "Video Nation". I was planning on having in depth notes on each chapter, but I am going to just read the book and not upload in depth notes. Another thing I might have to cut down on is the length of my posts.

How about every Tuesday is Personal Growth Day. Where I talk about time management, commitments, failures and stuff like that... I think that is a good idea.

Plan For The Week 3/10-3/17

Monday 3/10/14
Make plan for the week.
*POST

Tuesday 3/11/14
Add Part 1 to the Video Nation page.
*POST

Wednesday 3/12/14
Add Part 2 to the Video Nation Page.
*POST

Thursday 3/13/14
Add Part 3 to the Video Nation Page.
Get the DSLR camcorder from Mr. Cass.
*POST

Friday 3/14/14
Film the school concert.
*POST

Saturday 3/15/14
Get an external hard drive somehow.
Move all footage to the hard drive.
Add Part 4 to the Video Nation Page.
*POST

Helpful How to Videos

I registered my book "Video Nation" on peachpit.com

Throughout the paperback copy of the book there are blue televisions in the margins (like the one below) that correspond to downloadable videos on Peach Pit.

I am now able to download those videos by Jefferson Graham that correspond to parts of the book.

It took four hours to download all of these videos, but now I have them saved on a separate flash drive.

Also, today I updated my equipment page to include the camera I used last Friday at South Hill Elementary.

First day filming!

6:00 AM
I get up. Eat food. Prepare for the day.

6:40 AM

I leave for Felix's house to pick up his camera. He teaches me how to use his AIPTEK digital camcorder...

And his Samsung digital camcorder...

I took this quick video with the Samsung digital camcorder...

The cameras are great but they have their weaknesses. The Samsung digital camcorder has low resolution, and the AIPTEK camcorder has low battery capacity and low sound quality. The cameras hadn't been charging overnight so they were both low on battery. After he is done giving me a tutorial I thank him. I take both the cameras but decid only to use the HD AIPTEK camcorder.

7:56 AM
I arrive at South Hill and go to the main office. I talk with one of the staff members about media release of the students. We agree it is best if I film the students as little as possible.

8:06 AM
I read chapter three in my book, "Video Nation", about filming techniques. My research will be recorded in the Video Nation tab. I use what I learned from that chapter, and from my conversation with Jeff to start planning the filming.

8:17 AM
I check the lighting, and it is weak. I ask one of the custodians if he could turn on some of the stage lights. He does, and the lighting for the video was a lot better.

8:20 AM
Filming begins!
Sound check starts and this is my chance to get some close ups. I get as many interesting angles as possible. I apply the rule of thirds when focusing on my subjects. I also sing along to the music, smile, and laugh as much as possible. I want the chorus members to be relaxed and have fun. I get some great reactions from Jan, Jewell, and Keara on camera. The camera runs out of battery and I have to plug it in. This is annoying. Next time I film I am definitely going to charge the battery overnight.

8:45 AM
When the kids start filtering into the cafeteria I move to the back and start filming the kids sitting down. I bump and tilt the camera a lot during this time. In the future I want to keep the camera stationary so I can have a cool time lapse effect of the kids filling up the room.

9:40 AM
The concert finishes and I go out in the hall to get some good shots of Vitamin Lers high-fiving the little kids. The hall is crowded and it is hard to get a good angle. I finally get a good angle. It is perfect! I settle in between two lines of kids in the hall, with them walking away from me. Jewell is in between them giving them high fives on both sides. I had just gotten into the spot when... the camera runs out of battery! Ah! I would have loved to have that shot in the video.

10:20 AM
I arrive at the high school and go to Mr. Cass's room. I ask him about downloading the footage onto my computer. My laptop couldn't do it so that is something I am going to have to figure out in the future. He also asked about my equipment situation and I said, "I got these cameras from Felix, but it isn't a permanent thing. I'm going to have to figure out what I am going to do in the future." He offered to let me use one of his DSLR cameras. They are HD and a lot better than the cameras I used today. We worked out that next Thursday before the concert on Friday I will go in and pick up the camera. I am extremely thankful. It feels good to know that he trusts me.

10:50 AM
After several failed attempts at uploading the SD card to my lap top I go to the library and post this on my blog.

Via text...

"Hey jeff, its josiah, can i have some pointers for tomorrow? Im filming my first concert, im excited! I got a camera bit i need an external mic cause the mic on the camera doesn't work..."

Three minutes later...

"Hey! Notes in general: keep the camera rolling the whole time, you can always cut stuff out afterwords. Bring more recording tapes or sd cards than you think you need; and hunt for some different shots (I.e. zoomed in, medium shot etc) but keep them consistent for each segment. As far as the external mic goes, do you know if you will be using the actual audio from the concert at all?"

"I want to have the option to use the audio, but for this concert i guess its alright if I don't."..."Just got an extra sd card, and im picking up the camera tomorrow morning. Then imma be ready to film. Whoohoo"

"Awesome man! Best of luck with tomorrow. Let me know how it goes."

"Yah Definitly."

After this conversation I called Janice to touch base. She emailed me media release forms for the chorus members to fill out, she also sent me a song list of the concert so I can anticipate how to film. I printed out the release forms and now I am ready for the concert at 8:00 AM tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Vitamin L board meeting, March

There are four youth board members and I am one. We meet the first Tuesday of every month.
Today in the meeting we discussed many things, including my project. I shared my project goals with the board. "I want schools to sign Vitamin L up." I delivered, "I am going to create a promotional video for Vitamin L and put that video inside of an electronic press kit, full of testimonials, letters, brochures, stuff like that."
"Do you have equipment for filming Friday?" Janice questioned. I am hopefully going to film a concert at South Hill Elementary.
"I will be able to use Felix's camera this week, but I am going to need an external mic because his sound doesn't work."
I hate feeling unprepared. I need equipment by the end of the week. Pegasys, Photosynthesis, and the high school can't supply me with equipment. I don't like relying on favors but I might need Felix's camera for the beginning of the project.

I am also nervous about filming Friday. This is the first time I have done something like this. I think I should email Jeff (my out of school mentor) tonight and call him tomorrow. I need to ask him...
             What do I need to do to prepare for Friday?
             How do I use this equipment?
             Should I interview people?
             What should I ask?

Once again... Excited and Scared


I have officially met my first deadline! I said I was going to post on the 4th in my two week plan and I did!
Now I just gotta keep it up. Wish me luck with my next deadline.
I    can    do    it.

Goals for the First 2 weeks:

*POST=updating the blog
Monday 3/3/14
-Create goals for the first 2 weeks of the project
-Ask Mr. Reiff to be my in school mentor during 5th period in F4.
     Explore possibility of using the schools equipment
     Ask Felix about using his camera.

Tuesday 3/4/14
-Explain the project goals to the Vitamin L board at the board meeting 5:00 -> 7:00
-Touch base with Janice about filming concerts.
*POST

Thursday 3/6/14
-Have equipment secured by this day. By any means.
-Study the chapters in the book "Video Nation" about filming, and interviewing
-Discuss filming techniques with Jeff and create interview questions.
*POST

Friday 3/7/14
-Film the Vitamin L school concert at South Hill Elementary.
-Transfer film to external hard drive.
*POST

Tuesday 3/11/14
-Study chapters 1, 2, and 3 of Video Nation.
-Plan interview with the principle of the school.
*POST

Friday 3/14/14
-Film the Vitamin L school concert.
-Get interviews and stay consistent with questions asked.
-Create a system of organizing film on my computer.
*POST