CCR Draft #4

How did you integrate technologies - software, hardware and online - in this project?

I integrated technologies throughout my entire project all from pre-production to post-production. I used simple text formatting programs to write down my research and ideas for my project. One of the examples in which I utilized a text formatting program, Microsoft Word, the most was when I was writing the script to my film. In it, I was able to adjust the margins and center text to represent dialogue and follow the useful conventions of writing a script. I had multiple minor tools that allowed for an increase in the work flow such as an SD card and an adapter for data transference.

The most practical tools during the production process were the camera and a tripod. The tripod allowed for the development of steady scenes to be setup and the camera had certain recording functionalities and playback features that allowed for the on-site changes to the shots that I recorded. I experimented with the multiple possible heights that could be attained using the tripod. I opted for a high that was usually over half of a meter, but I still experimented with the height periodically throughout filming. The printed copy of my shot-list and script helped direct my filming to provide direction and completeness to the product. The process of editing incorporated the most technologies that directly influenced the production of the film.

I utilized a temporary version of Sony Vegas 12, a professional film-grade program that would help with a majority of the editing process. I transferred film data onto a flash drive and then onto hard drives for backups, and then I loaded the video files from the camera onto the program. As I had planned, the loading my most satisfactory clips onto the program yielded a total timeline span of about 8 to 11 minutes. From here, I made my preliminary cuts to the scenes. After I had completed my rough cut of the scenes, my film opening had reached a length of 2 minutes. I could now use the other features that this program provided. The frame by frame ability of the program to cut out clips was very helpful because it helped be choose exactly how long I wanted scenes to last, thus, providing the effect that I intended on making. Just from the visual representation of the sound levels in Vegas, I noticed that the audio was poorly recorded. I had to try to equalize the audio levels using built-in functions in the programs that boost the volume of certain clips and ultimately increase the gain of the clips. This would introduce more noise to each clip that was changed. To combat this newly introduced noise, I tried to match it to existing royalty-free noise on the internet. This would allow for a homologous noise throughout the entire timeline. Downloading ambient noise on the internet was fairly simple, and placing I placed it into a new audio track of Vegas to allow me to edit it without many elements interrupting the clips.

I also used new tracks or layers to use the Media Generation tool to write text on the clips for the film opening credits. The standard font library didn't have enough appealing fonts for the genre of a psychological thriller so I downloaded a royalty free one from the internet. Whenever I felt as if I was missing certain elements that would benefit the editing in my final product, I would refer to resources on the internet. My skills at researching things like this as well as films, magazines, and how film industries advertise, market, and distribute their products improved from the use of technologies.