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Blog 8 Week 11 - The Final Blog

This weeks deliverables -

- Shoot last of inside videos ✓

- Final edit of outside video

- Look for appropriate graphics for outside video ✓

- Rough edit of last inside video ✓

- Meet with supervisor ✓

- Write last journal 8 week 11 ✓

The last blog post - wow, I can't believe how fast it got here. Coming up to the deadline of finishing the professional project, I have been focused on the details of the project.

One detail that I was encouraged to explore was changing the capital 'T' in my logo to a lower case 't' as seen below.

However, after making these adjustments, I have returned to the original capital 'T' as I believe the lower case 't' looks like a plus sign in this font and I did not want any confusion when looking at the logo. So I have decided to stay with the original logo font and size.

ALL MY SHOOTING IS FINISHED! This is such a relief and so exciting as now I get to focus solely on post production. I have been putting the finishing touches on my first inside video and have been experimenting with colour grading on the outside video. Below is a before and after of the colour grading.

Although this looks like a very subtle change, it is so necessary for consistency and the overall intended look and feel of this video. Bonneel et al (2013) suggest that colour grading plays a vital role as "the color palette used in a movie often plays a critical role in establishing its visual look" (Bonneel, Sunkavalli, Paris and Pfister, 2013). It is this attention to detail that makes a video more engaging resulting in more people consuming it and therefore, buying from my company. I have found colour grading to be time consuming but very rewarding.

I have also found some graphics that fits the outdoorsy/light hearted/picnic vibe for this video as seen below.

I have decided to go with mostly white graphics with some pastel/muted colours to contrast the warm light in the visuals.

Below is my first draft of the last inside video before colour grading and graphics/logo have been added.

I have enjoyed adding the visuals to complement the beat of the music and really love the pace of the visuals and music together at the end of the video.

The hair and makeup in this video is also very different to my other videos in order to further drive the difference in the clothing and attitude of the three videos.

Overall, this experience has been so rewarding and has pushed me to work under difficult circumstances. I'm impressed with how all my videos are coming along and feel that I have stuck to my original concept and inspiration but have made the project my own by adding my creativity and vision. I'm so excited to see the end project all completed!

This weeks tasks -

- Add graphics and logo to outside video

- Add graphics and logo to inside video

- Continue writing report

- Create pitch power point

- Meet with supervisor

Reference

Bonneel, N., Sunkavalli, K., Paris, S. and Pfister, H., 2013. Example-based video color grading. ACM Transactions on Graphics, 32(4), pp.1-12.

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Blog 7 Week 10 - Nearly at the finish line

This weeks deliverables -

- Shoot remaining outside outfits ✓

- Find program for graphics ✓

- Draft edit outside video ✓

- Gather clothing and accessories for last inside video ✓

- Write next blog ✓

I can see the finish line! I can also see the end product of my project as well. It has steered away from what I had initially imaged it would look like but I believe I have made it my own rather than copying my inspiration.

Over the last two weeks I have had a lot of time to step away from the project in order to gain clarity around how I wanted to make the final project mine. I believe I have achieved this through the aesthetic of the visuals and simplicity of the graphics.

It took A LOT of research, trial and error and almost buying the whole Adobe suite finally finding a program for graphics that I feel is the correct fit for my videos. The only down side of this is that it only runs on my phone.

Below is my first draft with visuals, music, graphics and logo included!

I am so exciting to have a first draft of one of the final videos! I still want to tidy it up and potentially add some more graphics but I'm happy with how all the elements are working together.

The video has been cropped into the appropriate size for Instagram stories and Tiktok videos as well as Pinterest posts. I have also edited the text of my logo as the 'L' at the end of 'MTL' could easily be mistaken for a number 2. I believe the new font still has the elegant feel but can be read more clearly.

An unexpected challenge I faced was how to crop the end logo into a circle shape. I did not expect this to be so extremely frustrating but eventually got the desired outcome. I'm pleased that I didn't abandon how I wanted my logo to look and persevered.

Over the mid semester break I finished filming the outside video and have began to edit this into a rough draft with the music. I am also half way through finishing filming my last inside video. Below are some screenshots of these videos.

I wanted all the videos to have a very different look and feel to each other. I feel that even though I have had to use the same models, I have achieved this through location, clothing, lighting, makeup and hair.

These holidays I have also made a start of the report for the project, writing this has been very insightful and a great way to look back and reflect on my journals and how my concept has evolved over this learning period so far.

Overall, I feel positive about my project and the work I have researched and created throughout each phase of production and am excited to see the finished result!

This weeks task -

- Shoot last of inside videos

- Final edit of outside video

- Look for appropriate graphics for outside video

- Rough edit of last inside video

- Meet with supervisor

- Write last journal 8 week 11

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Blog 6 Week 9 - Circumstances

This weeks deliverables -

- Shoot outside video! ✓

- Rough edit outside video

- Decide graphics to use for sheet backdrop video

- Make last inside video mood board ✓

- Meet with supervisor ✓

- Write blog 6 week 9 ✓

Again, this week didn't go as I had planned. This is becoming pretty normal for these blogs and I'm learning to go with the flow.

I wasn't able to shoot all the outside looks this week as it has been raining, cold or windy. However, I am not too concerned at the moment as I still have time to shoot. I did get to shoot one look for this video, below is one of my favourite videos from the shoot so far.

The shoot was very laid back as I didn't want to stress my sister out. I treated the shoot as an afternoon walk that I just videoed some moments. I also made sure to give contain positive feedback (as you can hear in the video haha).

The biggest problem I faced during this shoot was my own shadow. This was frustrating as I loved the sunlight when my sister is facing the sun but that meant you could also see me.

I will have to compromise and potentially use a filter in post production in order to achieve that golden hour sunlight.

This week I have also finished the rough edit of the sheet backdrop video and have run into a hurdle with the graphic elements. I exported the video into Canva to add graphics, text and logo and soon realised that I can't add graphics with that program. When using Canva I can only add graphics to the whole video, I am unable to put an in and out point for each graphical element. Therefore, I have had to look for other programs for graphics.

This search has been unsuccessful thus far as I am looking for a free program that can run on my computer and has the style I am wanting. It is becoming frustrating that I haven't found a program as I am so excited to start adding graphics but I will continue to research and hopefully find a program that suits this week.

On a lighter note, I have made a mood board for the last inside video.

My vision for this video at the moment is for the fun clothing to contrast the neutral background. The video will include both my sister and I and will have club like music. The whole vibe of the video is to be exciting and young.

I will gather some clothing and accessories together this week for this video.

Overall, throughout this whole experience I have been impressed with how I have juggled the project at differing stages of production. At the moment my three videos are at three different stages of production.

Sheet backdrop video - Post Production

Outside video - In Production

Inside video - Pre Production

I have found that I enjoy the pre production/ idea conception phase the best so far.

This weeks tasks -

- Shoot remaining outside outfits

- Find program for graphics

- Draft edit outside video

- Gather clothing and accessories for last inside video

- Write next blog

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Blog 5 Week 8 - Planning and re-planning

This weeks deliverables -

- Finalise look and feel for outside shoot ✓

- Finish rough edit for sheet backdrop video ✓

- Scout location in house for backdrop of inside video ✓

- Research logos and play with how I want mine to look ✓

- Meet with supervisor ✓

- Write blog 5 week 8 ✓

I was hoping that I could write that I had shot another one of the videos in my journal but I had to work around the weather and timing and it just couldn't happen. I am hopeful that I may be able to shoot on Saturday.

I scouted an area for the outside video with my sister as I have had a changed of heart about the look and feel of the shoot. I know definitely want to shoot at 'golden hour' to get lovely warm sun light. This means that I will be shooting around 5:15-5:45ish. This short time restraint has shown some difficulties as either my sister or myself have had uni classes or meetings however, tomorrow we are both free and the weather looks promising, so fingers crossed.

Below is the new and improved mood board for the shoot.

I have drawn up a new shot list for the outside shoot as I find them extremely useful as a model and photographer. Also, as my sister is not a experienced model this should make the shoot less complicated as she can follow a list of poses to do. I will also physically show her how I want her to move at the shoot so that she feels comfortable.

I have also spent my week making, editing and revising logos. Logos are obviously needed for any company or brand in order for audience and customers to recognise, to increase brand identity and visual communication (Kohli and Suri, 2002). I have also researched logo design and what makes a logo appealing. Kohli and Suri (2002) found that "A high level of naturalness makes them more satisfying to look at and leads to a stronger positive affect" I had this in mind when I made the logo below.

I believe this 'naturalness' of the logo also fits with the vibe of my brand and the videos.

Lastly, I have scouted locations inside the house to film the last inside video in. I am wanting to use these two areas, after moving cords out of frame. I also have to be conscious of the time of day I would shoot and how this would affect lighting.

This weeks tasks -

- Shoot outside video!

- Rough edit outside video

- Decide graphics to use for sheet backdrop video

- Make last inside video mood board

- Meet with supervisor

- Write blog 6 week 9

Reference

Kohli, C. and Suri, R., 2002. Creating effective logos: Insights from theory and practice. Business Horizons, 45(3), pp.58-64.

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Blog 4 Week 7 - learning all things post production

This weeks deliverables -

- Edit the sheet backdrop video ✓

- Gather clothes and accessories for the outside video with my sister ✓

- Make mood board of last inside video ✓

- Look further into other programs to edit videos (colour grading and graphics ✓

- Meet with supervisor ✓

- Write blog 4 week 7 ✓

This week include's some half ticked off action items on my to do list. For example, I have been in the post production phase for my first video, the sheet backdrop video, yet it cannot be fully ticked off as it is not completely finished.

This week I have found myself in a state of flow in post production and have enjoyed this side of production more than I had originally thought I would. I believe this may be apart of the reason the video is not complete yet. As I have enjoyed it so much, I find myself becoming more and more critical of the project and how I would like it to look so that it will be work I am proud of. This experience has also taught me that I should give myself more slack when it comes to how I first envisioned my project and the time I thought it would take me. Moving on, I will allow myself more time for certain tasks such as post production and not be so hard on myself.

I am pleased with how the footage from the first shoot is looking and I like the backing song that I have chosen as I believe it fits the soft vibe of the video as well as capturing the attention of an audience. Below is a quick look at the first draft.

It is still a bit rough and needs some colour grading but overall, I love the transitions on the beat and have a vision for the end product.

I have also spent a lot of time this week playing around with graphics and logos. Below are some examples

I have learnt that I tend to gravitate towards bright pink colours, this was something that I was not totally aware of before this project so it has definitely been interesting to reflect on.

I haven't picked a final logo yet as I am not sold on any of the above. I imagine a logo that is simple and diverse in order to match the different videos I am hoping to create. I have not achieved this just yet, but I am hopeful!

After researching software for post production graphics, I have decided that I will use Canva as I can edit to the size requirements for social media such as Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest. I am also exploring the idea of creating longer videos for platforms such as Instagram Reels.

I have started to gather together clothes and accessories for my next video and am waiting on a sunny day to shoot with my sister. If i don't change my mind before shooting, I am wanting to go for a causal spring picnic vibe.

I have also thought about the possibilities of a third video that would take place inside. I am drawing inspiration from the video below.

This weeks deliverables -

- Finalise look and feel for outside shoot

- Finish rough edit for sheet backdrop video

- Scout location in house for backdrop of inside video

- Research logos and play with how I want mine to look

- Meet with supervisor

- Write blog 5 week 8

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Blog 3 Week 6 - Research, Learning, Practice

This weeks deliverables -

- Research graphics advantages in online advertisements ✓

- Research post production platforms ✓

- Gather clothing and accessories for shoot ✓

- Make mood boards for shooting with models (just in case)

- Meet with supervisor ✓

- Write blog 3 week 6 ✓

I managed to tick a lot of action items off my to do list this week, I even fast tracked my timeline and shot my first video!

I found creating a timeline at the beginning of the project useful however, as the project continues to change due to lockdown restrictions I am finding myself on a different, fast tracked timeline.

With the extended lockdowns in my area, I have reflected on the possibility of shooting with models. It became too difficult to balance the idea of how I would shoot with myself and my sister at our house and also potentially shoot with models outside of lockdown. I have decided to just focus on how I am going to portray my make believe clothing company through online video with the lockdown restrictions and the resources I have. This is why one deliverable is not ticked.

This week I've decided to take advantage of the time at home to shoot my first video. My first idea for this video was to shoot outside with a sheet backdrop however, the weather was not on my side so, instead I shot with the backdrop inside. This brought up some lighting challenges as it was overcast outside therefore I was not able to use the natural lighting of the sun.

I researched some at home ways to create professional studio lighting and found the website below to be extremely useful.

The idea of using household objects to reflect light onto the project got me thinking. I set up the sheet backdrop in our living room and used the TV to project a white screen to light up the room, I then used my white board to reflect this light onto the set as seen below.

My sister helped to shoot the video following my shot list as I reviewed each take. Below is the shot list.

I am now in the post production phase for this video. I firstly decided to edit the videos on DaVinci Resolve as I have prior experience with this program however, after downloading it and importing my footage, it proved that my computer is unable to run the program as I don't have the required CPU. I will now use imovie to do a simple edit and another program to edit the graphics and text.

Lastly, I have researched why it is important for graphics to be used in online video advertisements. A study researched the "growing significance of Graphic Design in making social media content and posts more eye catching was conducted, clearly revealed that the present young generation get highly clued to the "various qualities of graphic design" (Mukherjee, 2018). This showcases the importance of using these elements in online videos. It was also found that "88% of respondents considered that graphic design has emerged as the strongest tool of online brand promotion" (Mukherjee, 2018).

This weeks tasks -

- Edit the sheet backdrop video

- Gather clothes and accessories for the outside video with my sister

- Make mood board of last inside video

- Look further into other programs to edit videos (colour grading and graphics

- Meet with supervisor

- Write blog 4 week 7

Reference -

Mukherjee, T., 2018. [online] Available at: <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339913946_GROWING_IMPACT_OF_GRAPHIC_DESIGN_IN_SOCIAL_MEDIA_AS_A_TOOL_OF_BRAND_PROMOTION_CONSUMER_AWARENESS_A_PERCEPTION_STUDY_OF_JAIPUR_BASED_MASS_COMMUNICATION_STUDENTS> [Accessed 27 August 2021].

Services, P., Blog, R. and Lighting, D., 2021. 20 Creative DIY Photography Lighting Hacks. [online] FixThePhoto.com. Available at: <https://fixthephoto.com/diy-photography-lighting.html> [Accessed 27 August 2021].

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Blog 2 Week 5 - Decisions in an uncertain time

This weeks deliverables -

- Search for models (if filming can go ahead) ✓

- Meet with supervisor ✓

- Create another concept for videos ✓

- Create another mood board for video ✓

- Write blog 2 week 5 ✓

- Think about where to get clothing items and accessories ✓

This week has been one of decision making in terms of re-thinking my project due to the Covid situation in my area. Making plans at this time has proved itself to be difficult as the world is so unpredictable at the moment.

This project has already challenged me to think more than the traditional video advertisement, to be resilient and to adapt quickly to change without becoming to hang up on the original idea. I have learnt that I do become attached to my 'first draft' ideas and have had to work through and understand that changing the project does not mean that it is now not as good - if anything, it is better now!

I have researched why and how online video advertisements work to influence people and increase brand awareness. Çukul (2013) states that "marketers reported increased benefits across all categories since 2013 and trademarks increased the number of loyal fans and sales" within the fashion sector. She continues to state that "social media is an effective key for fashion brands as they allow them to communicate directly with their consumers, promote various events and initiatives, and build brand awareness" (Çukul, 2013).

This week I have also created three more mood boards as I find these extremely useful. The following two are for the new concepts of video ideas to shoot in my backyard with my sister. I have had to be creative with them as I want to make it as comfortable as possible for her as she is not an experienced model, while keeping in mind the restrains of a back yard.

The shoot will mostly include extreme up and down angles to mask the back yard location. The second mood board is for a shoot that will also take place in the back yard for natural lighting however, a sheet will be hung and props will be used to create more interest and difference in the video as seen below.

Lastly, I have began to look into different graphics I would use in post production of the videos as shown in the mood board below

I plan to research further into graphics and text next week.

As I mentioned above, planning for such an uncertain time has been difficult so, in the hopes that I may be able to shoot with models I have gathered together a few names that I'll reach out to see if they are interested in the project if restrictions ease.

Next weeks tasks -

- Research graphics advantages in online advertisements

- Research post production platforms

- Gather clothing and accessories for shoot

- Make mood boards for shooting with models (just in case)

- Meet with supervisor

- Write blog 3 week 6

Reference -

Çukul, D. (2013). Fashion Marketing in Social Media: Using Instagram for Fashion Branding. [online] Repec.org. Available at: https://econpapers.repec.org/paper/sekibmpro/2304324.htm.

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Blog 1 Week 4 - an Idea to a Project

Makayla The Label is a made up clothing company that I will create a series of five individual videos ranging from 10 to 30 seconds in length with text and graphic's appropriate for social media platforms such as Pinterest, TikTok and Instagram.

My goal for these videos is to showcase different clothing items in different locations with different models to create an interesting online advertisement that would increase brand awareness and profitability of the company.

Below are two linked video advertisements that I have taken inspiration from. Both utilise engaging visuals such as location, clothing pieces and models as well as text and music to captivate an audience. I hope to create something like this for my project.

To turn this idea into a feasible project, the last three weeks have consisted of finalising the project idea, completing a risk assessment form as well as understanding the goals and restraints of the project.

This weeks deliverables -

- Find a supervisor ✓

- Meet with the supervisor ✓

- Confirm project and get approval ✓

- Create timetable and stay organised ✓

- Hand in Project Proposal Form ✓

- Complete pitch in class ✓

- Make deliverables for next week ✓

This week I also put together my first mood board for the project, this was extremely exciting to finally see my vision 'on paper' and show others the vibe that I am trying to capture through my project. I am looking forward to play with clothing and accessories to capture the fun mood I am going for as well as finding a model that understands this and is excited to bring it to life!

All of the above is planning for a covid free world. As my area is in lockdown for the foreseeable future I will be unable to complete my project the way I have planned. If we continue in lock down - I do have a backup plan!

My sister is willing to model in the videos and I would have to film in my house and backyard. Although this is not what I have visioned I am confident that it would work. I am also willing to model in my own project.

I will also have to come up with a creative solution for showcasing clothing and accessories in a video without a model. That is this weeks task!

Next weeks tasks -

- Search for models (if filming can go ahead)

- Meet with supervisor

- Create another concept for videos

- Create another mood board for video

- Write blog 2 week 5

- Think about where to get clothing items and accessories