For the 3rd and final video series for Assignment 1, I knew that I needed to make something different. Instead of doing the normal music video-type of video, I looked up and researched various YouTubers (Peter McKinnon & Daniel Schiffer)and quickly learnt their style of in-camera transitions and aesthetics. Though the resources around the apartment were very limited during lockdown and my mental health isn’t doing too well under the circumstances of this virus, I wanted to create an aesthetically pleasing video, as well as a feeling at peace when watching it.
How did I author the video I recorded to upload to Instagram?
With the tighter restrictions happening around Melbourne, getting out of the house to find inspiration or to film (i.e. jogging or doing groceries) was never going to happen. Anyways, instead, I concluded that I should keep the theme of staying at home throughout the 3 videos.
The concept of this video is focusing again on the aspects of finding time and space for contemplation during COVID-19. The approach was to create a compilation of activities that I did around the apartment which allowed me the time and space to think thoroughly about life and other aspects during COVID; and also to display how boring and dull these things can get when you are doing it everyday. The saying that if you do the same thing every time, you will eventually resent it; this comes to mind when I came up with this concept.
For this shoot, I solely used my iPhone XS Max rear camera (4K at 24fps) and attached it to my store-bought tripod. I figured out that recording at 4K & 24fps is the recommended setting for “film style” as stated by Apple. I also turned on my flash when recording in the dark; this has helped me tremendously when shooting in low-light; wish I had thought of that sooner. For this week’s video, I attempted to solely film and edit it on my iPhone through the iMovie app or third-party apps such as inShot. However, I found it quite challenging to edit in-camera transitions on the iPhone due to the screen being relatively small to edit precisely. Eventually, I ended up airdropping the videos onto my laptop and edited it on Final Cut Pro
The brainstorming phase helped me out a lot when trying to come up with the video. Writing it down and thinking of what would work and what wouldn’t early on made it easier for me not to waste time when it was time to film. I purposely wanted to start the video off with a sound of a pocket watch going ‘tick-tock’ and ending the video with a “ding”. It implies that everyday in lockdown is the same; the concept of ‘days’ are slowly becoming irrelevant, and we are in a loop. What’s also really cool is that Instagram on mobile automatically loops the video. The start and end scenes are black; in a sense, it is an ongoing cycle, and this helps to further portray my approach of the days becoming the same, as well as what I am contemplating about as the hope of life getting back to normal is further away.
All the shots were filmed with a tripod to reduce shakiness. Though I did see an improvement of stability (comparing it with Week 1’s video), it was still not stable and professional enough to my liking. However, I was impressed with the outcome of the dollying of the hot water being poured into the mug. I turned my iPhone into its vertical position and slowly slid the iPhone on the table-top, away from the mug; I also attached the iPhone to the tripod to increase stability. Even though the camera did not focus on the mug as I panned away from it, I still liked the aesthetic and outcome of it, in context to trying it the first time.
I chose the coffee to be my cover photo as I think coffee resonates with almost everyone. Coffee at most times helps us get through the day, especially when your days consist of staring at a computer screen and not leaving your house for the unforeseeable future.
Initially, I wanted to mute the sounds captured from the videos and dubbed it with pre-recorded foley which was available online. After trying it out, it did not feel authentic, and thus I kept the original sound. I was lucky enough that there was no talking or external sounds, i.e. music or the TV going off as I was filming. I’m glad I kept the original sound as I enjoyed using the sound of the ambience of the apartment to keep it as “real” and natural as possible. Some mishaps which did happen that I cannot take back was when I was recording the coffee scene. I was listening to music through my earphones while filming, and I did not realise how loud the music was. The music got into the final video, as it did create a cool muffled sound effect. Nonetheless, it was a rookie mistake, and hopefully, my video does not get copyrighted due to it.
Furthermore, I used a mixture of in-camera transitions and pre-set transitions pack that I downloaded online. It was different from what I usually do in my videos; the past two videos saw me using the beats of the music to jump-cut into scenes. The smooth transitions allowed me to have a natural and continuous story in the video without having any awkward cuts or pauses, or the need to depend on music.
I also downloaded and used a pre-set transition sound effects pack (whoosh sound effect) for scenes which had left/right transitions to add more depth into the transition.
Moreover, the choice to leave music out worked out well for me as it gave the effect of the video being ASMR-esque. The use of natural sound really enhances the surroundings and scenes in the video, showcasing these activities as boring, but also therapeutic in this time of need.
How did I publish my video for Instagram?
During the production process, I kept in mind to always keep the point of focus in the centre. This is in case I wanted to publish the video in square format, as well as choosing a nice cover photo where it would be seen fully on my Instagram profile. I did not want to repeat last week’s mistake when producing the video, where I had to spend more time fixing up the scenes when I tried to upload it in a square format.
My caption for this week’s video was in the form of a question, asking the audience to answer it to themselves. I have noticed that many people are deeply affected by this lockdown and how positively or negatively they are coping with staying at home. Adding the love heart emoji creates the sense that I am free to talk to anyone who needs a friend or companion during COVID.
I decided to up the notch for hashtags this week. Other than the usual COVID and Melbourne hashtags, I added in popular hashtags such as #Coffee, #Laptop, and many more to further expand the reach of my video. In addition, I also added in my geo-location to Melbourne CBD instead of my accurate location in the city. This is because I think selecting the whole CBD area will allow my videos to reach to a lot more people, and also not to reveal my exact location.
In conclusion, I am pleased with the outcome of the video but not fully satisfied due to minor mishaps. However, I am happy with the progress that I have made from Week 1 in terms of editing and filming knowledge. Recording solely on my iPhone has also given me a new appreciation for their camera quality as I usually push them away for a proper camera. The affordance of the iPhone’s camera allowed me to record smooth videos in 4K, and without the need for expansions, i.e. boom mics, lenses etc.