Unit 203 Video Software

Unit 203 - Video Software

In this unit I will be using video hardware and software to capture sequences. I will also be using video software tools and techniques to combine and edit sequences, as well as being able to play and present video sequences. 

I have made a short comedy film which I edited on final cut pro. I made the short intro animation on motion and filmed everything on a Canon 650d. The ‘DCASnews’ trailer is the short version of the main ‘DCASnews’. 

‘The Other Side’, the black and white film i made, was filmed on a canon 650d and edited in final cut pro. This film is a horror film rather than a comedy film like the two ‘DCASnews’ videos. 

DCAS news trailer;

Changed the main edit to a shorter version. Made quick cuts between scenes, added long news style jingle, added a flash transition to make it look more dramatic, added quick ken burns to some scenes to give them movement. Also added news style transitions to the edit.

The Other Side;

I made quick cuts but slow shots to create the tense atmosphere and added sound effects to add to the intensity.

1.1 Identify the combination of input device and audio software to use to capture information to avoid any compatibility issues. 

When making films at DCAS we use the ZOOM recorder as our input device to record audio. We set the recorder at 48k so it matches our cameras. This means when everything is put together it will sync together with no problems. 

In the film I have made I have used the audio input within the camera. I used a Canon EOS 650d to film and record the audio. 

Most video is filmed at 48k. You have to make sure that audio and video is filmed at the same frame rate otherwise they won’t sync together as one will be slower than the other. 

Between built-in codec used by input device - 

When layering video files, for including logos etc, the layer will need to include a alpha channel to make it transparent. ProRes 4444 is Apples codec with a alpha channel. 

ProRes 4444 - This type of codec is not compressed. This codec has an alpha channel which is the transparency to the file. 

This type of codec has a transparent layer. For example if you wanted to add a small animation or logo over the footage you can because it has a transparent layer over the top. 

H.264 - This codec is compressed therefore it is a smaller file size than ProRes4444. Youtube recommends you to upload a video with this codec. 

When you export a film from final cut pro they offer a few different options to export the file to but the usual type we export to is the Web hosting option. 

Available Editing Software

At DCAS we have a few different types of editing software. The main software we use is Final Cut Pro but we also have iMovie, Adobe Premier and Motion. 

We use motion for making animations as well as intros to videos. 

File Formats

An example of an compatibility issue is when i was recently editing an orchestra film. The audio was recorded 44.1k where as the film was recorded at 48k therefore the audio started off correct but slower than the film. 

You would have to use a good quality recorder, you would need an audio interface to take the analog to digital.

You would need a program to edit audio in such as logic.

Input devices

To film the videos i used a video camera and the built in micro phone..

Other input devices include;

Built in webcam - records film and microphones is located within the computer. 

video camera - are specially made for filming video with basic audio recorder built in. 

mobile phone - built in camera and microphone

low and high resolution - I shot the film at 1080p which is the full HD. The higher the resolution the better the footage looks. 

The difference between analog and digital technologies is that in analog the information is changed  into electric pulses, for example human voice in air, analog electronic devices. Whereas digital technology is found in computers, CDs, DVDs, and other digital electronic devices.

In the film that I have made I used a canon 650d to film and used the audio from the camera. 

 1.2 Select and use an appropriate combination of input device and audio software to record sequences. 

Usually during film projects we film on two Canon DSLR’s and record the audio on a ZOOM recorder. We set the zoom recorder and cameras to the same settings so they will sync together. I normally export them at H.264 as they are smaller files. 

I filmed using one Canon DSLR in the film.

1.3 Describe the impact file size and file format will have on saving sequences. 

When a high quality file is compressed you get left with the artefacts of the original file. A compressed file will have very low quality. A small file size would take up less storage space than a large file size. 

The ‘DCASnews’ film is 4 minutes long and has a lot of animation and transitions. This film has a large file size of 454 MB where as the short trailer is 19 seconds long and is 36 MB so is small compared to the original file. 

A small size file is usually not as high quality as a large size file as it doesn't have to process as much data. An example of this is different resolutions. If you export a film at 280p it would be a lot smaller file  that a full HD 780p file. 

Proprietary formats supported by software used (e.g. QuickTime, RealPlayer, iTunes);

For example, iTunes can export audio in WAV, AIFF, MP3, AAC, and Apple Lossless. 

Quicktime supports AVI, DV Stream, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and QuickTime Movies. 

Different container formats include;

MPEG and BDAV MPEG-2 Transport Streams - used in DVDs and Blu-ray discs.

Advanced Systems Format - Microsoft-based container format.

Advanced Systems Format - Microsoft-based container format.

QuickTime - Apple’s container format. 

1.4 Identify when to use different types of information coding and compression

Codec - is a program that compresses data so it can transfer data faster and it decompresses received data. Examples of codecs are MP3, WMA and RealVideo. 

Compression is how you reduce the file size of an image, video or audio. An example is when you upload photos or videos to websites such as YouTube and Facebook they compress the files.

The difference between lossy and lossless compression - Lossless compression is when a file is compressed, the quality is the same and it can be decompressed to the original quality. An example of lossless compression is flac.

Lossy compression permanently removes data so it cant be decompressed back into its original format. For example a MP3 file. 

Video Quality - the camera I filmed on, recorded at 1080p. Standard definition quality is from 240p to 360p and high definition is 720p to 1080p. 

1.5 Store and retrieve sequences using appropriate file formats and compression, in line with local guidelines and conventions where available. 

You would compress the file to a lower quality file for a draft projects then export it full quality for the final project. Social media sites such as Facebook have their own recommended file size for videos.

When saving file you should give them appropriate names and save the assets in named folders so its easy to find and everything is together.

When creating videos I import all the footage I filmed for the video and then key word and sort them into appropriate reels.

2.1 Identify the footage to add, keep and remove 

I have chose and inserted clips that I thought worked in the film. I cut down most of the clips to get rid of laughing and bits I didn't want to use. 

I planned what I wanted the film to look like and what I needed for it. I filmed the intros first, then filmed the other parts to it after. 

I trimmed down most of the footage by blading it as some of it I didn't think needed to be in the film.

2.2 Select and use appropriate audio software tools to mark-up and edit sequences. 

While editing the film, some of the audio was really quiet. Rather than turning up the audio in the clip, I added a Gain plug-in, this helped boost the audio levels in the clip which I applied it to. 

2.3 Organise and combine information for sequences in line with any copyright constraints.

We store all our files on a hard drive with everything in a suitably named folder and save all the assets with appropriate names so they are all easy to find. 

2.4 Describe how copyright constraints affect use of own and others’ information.

As the films I have made are all original. In this film I have made, there were no copyright constraints as it was all my own footage, graphics and music. 

If I did use any image or music that wasn't mine i’d have to make sure they were available for commercial use before using them as part of the film.

You can’t download any song  or image off of the internet without using the owners permission.

3.1 Describe the features and constraints of playback software and display devices.

One constraint would be if the software is supported on the device or not you watch it on.

For example you can’t watch a 4K  video on normal hd screens.

3.2 Select and use an appropriate combination of video playback software and display device to suit the file format.

As the films I created went on YouTube I exported them out of final cut in the ‘Web Hosting’ option. 

3.3 Identify the settings which could be adjusted to improve the quality of presentations

I could record the audio separately to improve the quality and I could mix the audio to make it suitable for the final product. 

I could also create my own music to fit the films better, as my friend created a short original jingle for the intro of the ‘DCASnews’ film, I think with her help I could create original music to use in the films and this could give the film a better outcome. 

I colour corrected some of the shots to fit with the other footage but some of the footage is darker than others so I could make adjustments to the brightness to make the colours consistent.

As my films were quite fast cuts I didn't need to make any adjustments to the frame rate. In the black and white film I made I sped some shots up to add to the affect and keep the intensity throughout the film.