Blurred Text Animation

01/04/2022

In this task, we were asked to create an example of a title animation using Adobe After Effects. This title was going to use the animation effect of blurring.

First, I created a new project and new composition. Then, I chose a landscape background image using the Pexels.com website.

Second, I created a new text. I chose the Phosphate font and centred it at the bottom half of the window using the alignment tools.

I clicked the animate function in the control panel, then 'Blur'. Then, opening' Range Selector', I set 'Start' to 0 and added keyframes in the appropriate places. I then altered 'End' to 100 after adding more keyframes.

Next, I opened the advanced panel, selected 'Based on' and selected 'Words'. This altered the animation entirely, so now completed words faded in instead of individual letters.

To smooth the animation, I highlighted all the keyframes and added the Easy Ease effect. Once I was satisfied with the animation, I exported it.

Moving Dissolved Text Animation

01/04/2022

In this task, we were asked to create an example of a title animation using Adobe After Effects. This title was going to use the animation effect of position.

First, I created a new project and new composition. Then I made a solid and added the four colour gradient effect.

In the effects panel, I changed the colours of each section of the gradient.

Next, I added a new text. I clicked the 'Animate' function and selected 'Position'. I then moved the text to the bottom of the animation window.

I clicked 'Add Function', selected 'Property' and chose 'Opacity'. Next, I set the opacity to 0.

Opening 'Range selector', I set 'Start' to 0 and added a keyframe at the beginning of the timeline.

Moving along the timeline, I added another keyframe and set 'Start' to 20. I figured out that the higher this number, the quicker the text would rise up.

I opened 'Advanced', then set 'Based on' to 'Words'. This changed how the text moved from individual letters to whole words.

I added the 'Easy Ease' animation to all the keyframes to gain that smooth effect.

Rotating Text Animation

01/04/2022

We were asked to create an example of a title animation using Adobe After Effects in this task. This title was going to use the animation effect of Rotation.

First, I created a new project and new composition. Then, I chose a green background in the composition settings and set the timeline length to 10 seconds.

I inserted a new text and selected the 'Impact' font. Then, I centred it in the middle of the animation window using the alignment tools.

I needed to alter the 'Anchor Point' so the animation would function in the way I wanted it to. So I clicked 'Animate' and then selected 'Rotation'.

I altered 'X Rotation' and inserted keyframes into the appropriate places. I also did this with 'Y Rotation' and 'Z Rotation'.

Next, I added the 'Easy Ease' effect to the keyframes to ensure a smooth animation. Lastly, I exported the clip.

Finally, I uploaded all three text animations to YouTube so I could link them to my blog. I think these animation techniques will be beneficial when making the title for my documentary. I believe coming up with a unique title screen for my documentary will make it stand out and capture the audience's attention.

Super Size Me Documentary

Sams Homework

-START-

05:00 - What problem is this documentary trying to solve? (Take note of the information

dictated before the main title sequence).

This documentary is set out to answer some concerning questions, for example, Are food companies like Mcdonalds solely to blame for obesity? Or are the customers responsible for what/where they eat? Is fast food really that bad for you?

10:00 - Who is the presenter/narrator? Do you think his DECISION to go overboard with his preparation is too much? (Think of Risk Assessments/Health & Safety).

The presenter is an American male called Morgan Shurlock. In his preparation for the experiment, I believe that Morgan took steps to get a detailed, accurate report on how his body was before the 30-day trial started. At the end of his experiment, the thorough tests and examinations he undertook could be compared before and after. This will show what changes happen after someone eats only McDonalds for 30 days, and it will have the scientific evidence to support it.

15:00 - Why is Morgan interviewing lots of random people on the street as opposed to 'expert' interviews?

Morgan is interviewing many people on the streets to get some diverse opinions. For example, he really wants to know how often people eat fast food and what fast-food restaurants they frequent. It's always a good way to get the views of the general public.

20:00 - How do you think the documentary is being filmed? Is it a self-filmed vlog, or is there an additional person behind the camera?

This documentary is being filmed by two people or more. Morgan will occasionally film himself; however, there are scenes in the documentary where he looks at another person or the person holding the camera. I believe they could be using a small, lightweight digital camera (or what would now be called a vlogging camera in this decade).

22:00 - Keep watching for the next minute or so - What's happening here? Would you consider this a turning point within the narrative?

I believe this is when Morgan realises just how big the supersize McDonald's meals are. He begins to get a tummy ache and isn't feeling too great. When Morgan first took a bite out of the burger, he enjoyed the taste. However, his attitude changed once Morgan started getting stomach pains.

**VOMIT WARNING from 23:00**

25:00 - How many types of Archive Footage have you seen so far? (Video, Photo, Illustrations etc). Have any images shocked you?

I have seen three types of archive footage in this documentary so far. At the beginning of the video, they used several illustrations. One example would be the map of the world they used to show how many McDonalds stores there were in the world.

They have also included archive photos, and one example could be the photos of Morgan's mother in her kitchen.

Lastly, they have used archive video. An example of this would be the conference about diabetes held by the 'Health & Human Services'. It is reasonably apparent that Morgan and his team did not film this but downloaded it and used it in his documentary.

30:00 - We're 30 minutes in. Are you still INTERESTED in watching? If you are, what's caught your ATTENTION in the factual programme so far?

At around 30 minutes into watching the documentary, I was still not very interested in it. Nonetheless, I am curious to see the results of the experiment.

I like the way the documentary was filmed and edited. It flows nicely, and I can see how some find it entertaining. However, I feel like it drags on and becomes tedious, especially when Morgan keeps asking different members of the public the same questions. For example, "How often do you eat McDonald's?"

35:00 - What role does McDonald's menu items (food/drink) play in the narrative?

I believe some viewers may find it shocking when the narrator explains how many calories are in particular menu items. For example, Morgan compares the calorie number of several desserts, and it explains how easy it is for a healthier choice to be looked over for something bigger or tastier.

42:00 - What's the difference with the 'the Big Mac lover' compared to our 'experts', 'bystanders' and 'kid interviewees'? (coming later). Is he a considered an expert (of eating Big Macs??)

Don Gorske is introduced to the audience as a 'Big Mac Enthusiast' via a caption in the bottom left corner. He later goes on to explain how he ate '265' Big Macs in the first month. I suppose he could be considered an 'Expert' if he gave any factual information about the meal, but he does not. Because of this, I would not believe him to be an expert.

45:00 - Why is there animation featured with narration in specific parts? Can't they reconstruct this with actors and make the scenarios Morgan's talking about more realistic?

I believe the use of animation features has been added to the documentary to make it more entertaining for the audience. I don't think they should use reconstruction because hiring actors and creating scenarios can be costly. Reconstructions can also come across as inauthentic.

51:00 - Why do some of the school children have a black box covering their eyes? 55:00 - What's the reasoning behind Morgan using the kids unhealthy eating habits and schools serving packaged 'slop'? Is he supporting or protesting against the cause?

This documentary protects the identity of the young children by covering their eyes with black boxes. This was a popular method of concealing identities in the late 90s or early 2000s. Nowadays, face blurs or pixelated effects are used in a situation where the editor needs to protect the identity of the subject or people in the background.

Morgan is supporting the cause when he uses the children's bad eating habits to protest the 'slop' schools are serving for lunches. Most parents, teachers and adults seem to turn their heads when children's eating habits are questioned.

If parents were told how much damage unhealthy food was doing to their children's bodies, they are more likely to change their eating habits. I also think that schools should be educating young children on how to eat healthily.

60:00 (01:00) - We're 2/3 into the documentary. Give me TWO facts which you've taken from the programme that have really stuck with you throughout watching the film? (Morgan's dropped loads throughout the programme - most recently: Houston, Texas, was rated as the #1' fattest' city in America).

The first fact I couldn't get out of my head was that the 'Big Mac Enthusiast' ate 265 Big Macs in his first month. I think it's disgusting what that man is doing to his body, and I'm also shocked at how skinny he is, as most people would have gained a shocking amount of weight by consuming that many calories.

The other thing I can't stop thinking about is how many stores did not have a nutrition sheet available. I'm reasonably sure that would be against regulations in the UK and Europe.

70:00 (01:10) - I know we haven't covered this in detail at all during a lesson in class. Can you identify in the last 5 minutes if there has been any 'jeopardising' moments in the film?

(Take a closer look at the weigh-in, blood tests, Morgan's Mum's phone call etc).

Just over halfway through the experiment, Morgan begins to really struggle with the side effects of his diet. He suffers from headaches, and he begins to get tired quickly. Morgan also begins to show signs that addiction has started. He starts only to feel better once he eats Mcdonalds.

A doctor examines him and reveals to Morgan that he could get very sick if he continues with his experiment. His liver is most at risk. Getting news like this could potentially jeopardise the experiment. Morgan could choose to put his health first or ignore his doctor's orders and continue.

75:00 (01:15) - So far, we've had a mixture of Doctors, Nutritional Experts, Lawyers and McDonalds servers (employees) being interviewed in their places of work as opposed to a studio interview setup. Why?

*WARNING - Upcoming graphic imagery in the next minute or so (from 75 mins in)*

The way Morgan and his team interview clients is very convenient. Instead of asking the interviewee to make time in their schedule to come to a studio, Morgan travels to them.

I feel that letting the interviewee be filmed in a familiar environment will help them relax and also give the video more authenticity. In addition, the backdrop is more natural and appropriate for what they are talking about.

80:00 (01:20) - What's the risks being presented here? There's about 10 minutes until we get into the conclusion of the programme, so it may not end happily. What are your thoughts on the amount of danger Morgan's putting himself into?

I think Morgan is putting an unnecessary risk to his health. I think he should stop now and that he's made his point. Morgan didn't even have to complete the experiment for it to become a risk to his health and wellbeing.

The doctor's advice is for him to stop, which should speak for itself. The doctors who first took his tests at the beginning of the experiments did not even suspect it would be this drastically dangerous.

86:00 (01:26) - Do you think Morgan's doing the right thing by calling a potential interviewee as opposed to consistently following up with email after email? He could of course go to her workplace/house - but what complications could that lead into?

I think Morgan could've emailed to set up a potential interview but knew he could get faster results from calling. I do not believe it would be appropriate for Morgan to go to her workplace as it could be seen as stalking or harassing.

92:00 (01:32) - Now that Morgan's proved his point with how 30 days worth of McDonalds can affect the average man - what is the message that he's trying to recite in this closing segment? (Keep watching for the next couple of minutes to hear the rest).

"Who do you want to go see first? You, or them?" - Morgan Spurlock (2004)

I think the message that Morgan conveys in his closing statement is to choose to eat healthily. Businesses in America don't care what the long term risks are to their customers when they eat their food. The corporations know that people are or will be addicted to their food, so why should they change when nothing has been proven. These fast food joints won't look out for the customers, so it's the customers' job to look out for themselves and their children. If they don't, they could end up with life-threatening health problems or death.

94:00 (01:34) - PRE-CREDITS: What effect is created by the conclusion of everyone's stories that featured within the programme? Why is it beneficial to know this? (Pay attention to ABC - Always Be Closing. As well as the 3 act narrative that we learnt from the previous project!)

I believe getting to know what happened after leaves the audience very satisfied. It wraps up the story rather than leaving it on a cliffhanger. I think many people will watch this and think twice about what they eat and how often they eat fast food.

-END-

ANY CONCLUDING POINTS?

Taking everything into consideration, this is a comprehensive documentary. It includes multiple interviews with regular people and experts. Doing this provides the audience with opinions from both sides of the coin.

Morgan and his team even ran their own survey where he asked 100 nutritionists whether people should be eating fast foods and how often. From that survey, the audience heard legitimate statistics and facts from experts.

This documentary also included some graphics and animations. While some documentaries resort to scene recreations, that doesn't always work well. Using recreations can take the authenticity away from the film.

I believe Morgan and his team used different kinds of archive/stock footage in this documentary. Also, the editor used frequent cutaways to keep it interesting. As a result, I never felt like it was dragging on too long or I was losing interest. 

Interview Task

05/04/2022

When used in documentaries, interviews provide the story with authenticity. In addition, adding expert opinion makes it seem as if the subject matter is factual. Interviews are a good way of telling a story, sometimes even revealing unexpected facts.

What could go wrong in an interview?
Technical failures

Documentaries should include interviews as they:
Inside incite on the topic
Expert Opinion
Authenticity 
Story Telling
Variety
Revelation & unlikely facts

Think about the scenery/backdrop before you set up the equipment.
Do background research on the topic before the interview starts. 
Let the interviewee know how you would like them to answer the questions.
Write a list of questions and subjects before you start the interview.
Let the interviewee read the questions before you start so they can prepare answers if they have to. 

In this task, we were asked to practice an interview. Our class was separated into groups and given five interview questions.

My group had four people, so we got given two cameras. Using more than one camera in an interview is always good as you get more than one camera angle. Also, it makes it more interesting for the audience this way.

In post-production, I used Adobe Premiere Pro. I first created a new project and named it 'Interview Task'.

I added our 'main camera' clip to the sequence first. I then added the zoom audio track and the 2nd camera video. Before I could start editing, I needed to match up/synchronise the tracks. To do this, I highlighted all the clips and then right-clicked. Once the menu opened, I selected 'Synchronise.'

The video footage from camera 2 was dark and grainy. It was nearly unusable as using the auto-correct feature in the Lumentri Colour panel did nothing. I spent some time playing around with the exposure, highlights and whites. Eventually, I got the clip to a semi-usable level. However, there still is a drastic difference in quality and colour between camera one and camera two.

Next, I unlinked the audio on camera one and camera two. I needed to do this to delete the original audio. I then linked the zoom audio clip to camera 1 to make editing easier.

Once I cut and edited the clips into position, I added some text graphics. As the interviewee did not answer the questions in whole sentences, I needed to display the questions on screen, so the audience knew what we were asking.

I created several legacy titles and copied each question into a text box. After completing that, I dragged the appropriate questions to the correct clips.

I wanted a smoother transition when the questions appeared on screen, so I right-clicked at either side of the titles and applied default transitions. This made the text fade in and out of the video.

I really enjoyed this task as it let us practice and prepare for our future interviews. I learned several dos and don'ts. For example, if I was using a camera I had not used before, take several test videos and upload them on a computer screen to ensure they came outright. This will avoid any reshoots.

Peer Review

Sams Homework