Video & Sound Production - Final Project

26/09/2022 - 28/11/2022 (Week 05- Week 14)

Yong Kai Yi (0352826)

Video & Sound Production
Final Project

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TASKS

Storyboard draft:

fig 01: stop motion storyboard draft

fig 02: visual effects storyboard draft

Final draft:

fig 02-01: visual effects storyboard draft

Due to the weather issues and some other obstacles, I only ended up filming 3 visual effects.

Filming progression:

fig 03: filming day 1

Testing the camera angle and lighting. Used about 4-5 hours that day to film everything, and then start to edit and realized the GREEN SHORTS!!! It causes a problem when I tried to edit the green screen. Hence, I need to reshoot, because the whole dress code is changing so I need to reshoot for all other scenes as well. 

fig 04: filming day 2

Before shooting myself with the tripod, I asked my friend to be the subject to see if the angle and stuff are ok. 

fig 05: filming day 2

The most struggling part is filming the green screen scene, I tried so hard to find a matching angle with the original scene (from Spiderman), I don't even dare to touch the tripod when I did the filming and need to import the footage to laptop and try a rough edit to see if the footages are fine. 

Editing progressions:

fig 06: mask with the rectangle tool

Using the rectangle tool to crop out the unwanted parts, to avoid problems when trying to edit the green screen. After that, I add the 'key light' effect on the clip but it causes a lot of semi-transparent pixels.

fig 07: color range effect

I was referring to this tutorial video, it teaches how to use the color range tool and add a solid color layer instead to create its own 'green screen'. 

fig 08: color range effect

But it turns out, there is still some of the texture from the original green screen. So I was thinking maybe the subject is not contrasting enough with the green screen. 

fig 09: color correction 

I tried adding Lumetri color on the clip and adjusting the brightness, contrast, and so on. But it still doesn't work for the color range tool. 

After a few failed attempts, I try asking Mr. Martin how to solve it. THIS
TUTORIAL VIDEO
 solved everything. But before that, I need to open a new AE, and just import the green screen clip. 

fig 10: using the color range tool

By following the tutorial video step-by-step, the Youtuber first teach us how to use the color range tool and refined it. After doing the color range thingy, add another effect "Advanced Spill Suppressor" to refine the edges, and also "Key Cleaner". It sure looks better than my first attempt, but there are still some green screens there. 

fig 11: suppressor

The suppressor tool can remove the green edges on the subject and replace them with a grey color. After following the tutorial of the 1st part which is using the color range tool, it doesn't work best for my footage so I continue the tutorial, he teaches how to use keylight in detail.

fig 12: keylight screen matte mode

After adding the keylight effect, it sure will have some semi-transparent pixels and leave out green screens, so turn on the screen matte mode and use clip black to increase the blacks, and use clip white to increase the whites. It solved the main issue I had previously. 

fig 13: keylight modification 

Then, we can use clip rollback to add a little transparency for the edges and change the replacement color to hard color to make the color of the subject looks more natural. 

fig 14: scale and position

After repeating the same steps for another footage, I try to match them with the spiderman scene, using the scale and position tool. 

fig 15: Timing

After removing the green screen and refining the edges, I tried to match both footage timing, size, and position, making sure they are the same, so it looks smoother. 

fig 16: color correction

As per the tutorial video, using foreground color correction for the subject is better, as it only corrects the subject (matte) but not the edges and other things as well. 

fig 17: video editing in PP

For the other scenes that don't require those tools from AE, I use Premiere Pro instead to compile the videos. 

BACK TO AE

 

fig 18: color correcting 

Then, after compiling the footage in Premiere Pro, I back to AE and adjust the color of the subject. 

fig 19: try different footage

Just in case, I chose another footage that might fit as well, and make a comparison, to see which one fits the best. Both of the footage were filmed from different angles. Therefore, I repeat the same steps for removing the green screen, refining the edges, and color-correcting the subject.

fig 20: adjust the size

Then I tried to match the position and size with the previous clip because the angle is different, so the size and position need to be fixed/ adjusted. 

BACK TO PREMIERE PRO

fig 21: add transitions

I chose the Spongebob time card to do the transitions for some of the parts.

fig 22: add speed

Then, I realized the speed of the overall story is a bit slow and might be a bit boring, so I increase the speed of the footage.

BACK TO AE AGN

fig 23: mask the freeze frame

Then, for the next effect, I will be working on, is the sucked-in-to iPad effect. By following this tutorial video. So I need to freeze frame when I start to suck in and mask myself out.

fig 24: adding puppet pin

Then, add some puppet pins to animate the motion.

fig 25: 2nd attempt mask

Then, I realized that is not the perfect frame to be frozen, so I mask another frame instead.

fig 26: add keyframes for puppet pin

Then, I start to add keyframes for the puppet pin. 

fig 27: content-aware fill

At first, I thought I forgot to film a clean plate, so I tried using content-aware fill, but due to the memory issue, I can't make it. 

fig 28: failed content-aware fill

After failing the CAF, I realized there was a clean plate at the end of the video......

fig 29: mesh wrap

Adding a mesh wrap effect to fit myself into the iPad, so it doesn't exceed the screen.

fig 30: mask

So, I just continue the regular process and mask myself out after I ''m sucked into the iPad. Unfortunately, it doesn't work again, so I found another tutorial video to find an alternate way to do so.

fig 31: track matte

By following this tutorial video, I got to know how to use track matte. First, use the pen tool to create a shape-fill layer where I wanted the subject to disappear, then add an alpha inverted track matte on the puppet pin layer. 

fig 32: CC light rays

When I was halfway editing in Premiere Pro, I realized the suck-in effect was a bit awkward. Therefore, I added CC light rays to make it more like being sucked into the screen. 

BACK TO PREMIERE PRO

fig 33: add ae comp to pp

Adding the files to premiere pro and starting to compile everything and edit.

fig 34: audio

Moving on to the audio editing part, I tried to add some BGM but it sounds weird and not natural. So, I just remain the ambiance sound instead, because the footage was cut and trimmed so the audio was unmatched. I downloaded a room ambient sound to replace it, but I still remain some sound effects that are created in the original audio so I total have 4 tracks, one for original audio (some might need to remain), one for deleted original audio (which will be muted, but saved it there just in case), one for downloaded ambient sound, and one for additional sound effects.

fig 35: audio

I trim some of the original audio because some parts I wanted but some parts are too distracting. 

fig 36: self-recorded sound effects

Because the original audio didn't have a really clear sound when I sweep the book, I recorded using my phone and imported it into the file. 

fig 37: adjustment layer

fig 38: crop effect

I added an adjustment layer in order to let me add a crop effect for the dancing scene. I wanted to add the black bar just like the original ones, the reason I wanted to add one more on the top is just in case my footage was too weird and sometimes might exceed the original black bar which was not supposed to. Therefore I add a black bar on it to prevent this happen.

fig 39: ending

Lastly, I add my own credits at the end of the video matching the audio.

Final outcome:

fig 40: final outcome

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FEEDBACKS

Stop motion storyboard: A bit boring when the main subject just kept walking, try to start with dancing immediately and tries some dance move that can't achieve in real life which can make the stop motion looks interesting. 

Visual effects story for VFX: No need for too many visual effects, can shorten a bit the story.

(for the green screen outcome) Scale down the subject by about 5-10%, and match the color with the background.

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REFLECTIONS

I suffered a lot at first because I was not sure whether go for stop motion or visual effects, hence I made two storyboards and show them to the lecturer. I am too indecisive at that point, I keep changing my mind. Then, I decided to go for VFX, because I have been through a lot of tutorial videos, and I do not want to waste it. I spent about a whole day looking for tutorials and seeing how can I apply them to my story. Then, another obstacles again, I need to borrow my friend's phone in order to shoot in a high resolution, hence I need to meet my friends to shoot. The first day I wore green shorts for the green screen, it actually caused a lot of problems while editing, which made me decide to reshoot, and I am really grateful that my friends are still there for me. On the second day, it took me a shorter time to finish the shooting, most of the shots are filmed by myself with a tripod. Also, that day was raining heavily which caused I unable to reshoot the outdoor scene (avatar jump) so I need to cut one effect, luckily the minimum requirement is 3 effects and I am still safe. During the editing I also suffered a lot, because everything is so new to me, key light, masking, content-aware fill, and so much more other effects that I discovered online. I even learned how to clear the cache for my adobe software, because it was so laggy when I tried to load the effects in AE, and it also limited me to do some effects which require a lot of RAM. Overall, it's quite fun as I do love to do video editing, I purposely leave this project at last as I wanted to put all my efforts and focus on it. Throughout the whole process, I am really grateful I have my friends, lecturer, and YOUTUBE to help me out, give me feedback, and so on.