Additional Techniques To Improve Our Video

Our current understanding, when it comes to camera techniques, is probably not as extensive as we would like. As a result, I have done some research into some techniques that we would like to incorporate into our music video. This also includes editing techniques and some general ideas for specific shots.

-Standing Still Timelapse- 

One of the shots that we would like to capture is what I have named a 'standing-still' timelapse; where a subject stands still in the middle of the frame whilst everything moves at a very fast speed around them. I had a basic understanding of how to do this but, with the help of my girlfriend who translated this video (which was the only tutorial I could find), I have researched exactly how to do it successfully. We need to use a tripod in order to keep the camera stable and also need to take photographs with the time lapse remote - around 120 frames for 6 seconds of footage. 

-Canon 700D Depth of Field-

For our Music Video to look professional and authentic we need to experiment with depth of field, wherein a subject is in focus whilst its surroundings are out of focus. This draws attention to the subject. This tutorial helped me understand the more technical aspect of this way of filming, including what aperture to have my camera set at. Hopefully I will be able to replicate this inside of our final production. 

-Colour Correction-

Colour grading is one of the most complicated editing techniques that is vital for our media production. Using it will allow our clips to look a lot more vibrant and professional. Watching this video gave me a basic knowledge on easy techniques to colour correct, like using the brightness and contrast features, but it also helped me understand colour theory and the grading aspect of colour correction. 

-Premiere Pro Letterboxing-

Letterboxing gives our final product a much more cinematic look, which aids the fact that our music video is based around a narrative. The video above allowed me to see what letterboxing looks like (alongside some other ways to make out footage look more cinematic) and also provided a preset for us to use, which allows us to implement letterboxing into our own product. 

-Smooth Zoom Transition-

One transition that we really wanted to use in our media production was the smooth zoom, which acts as a transition between two clips by zooming into on and out of another. This video helped me understand exactly how to do this, especially with making the zoom 'smooth' by using mirroring tools and blurring. It also gave me a basic understanding of adjustment layers and why they are used instead of applying effects to the existing layers.