Send me your blog address:
Austrian Oak


EVERYONE ELSE UPDATE!!!!
you need:
-audition tape
-music video
-silent film
-the chase
-reaction film
-banana film

PLEASE update your blogs. They will be marked out of 100 at the end of term. Every video should be posted.

VIDEO: using a cell phone

CELL PHONE FILM MAKING: 

 The three major challenges: framing shots, transferring footage from the phone to your editing program, and converting file formats. Here's how this "hero" confronted each challenge:

FRAMING SHOTS

• On a cell phone, framing shots becomes a major headache, especially when you're shooting alone. You can't screw a cell phone onto a tripod, so you may have to compromise by using office supplies—a metal bookend and two rubber bands to hold the phone upright on the bookend. It will let you play scenes in front of the lens without having to hold the phone at arm's length. The bookend technique also yields a steady shot, which is next to impossible when you hold the camera in your hand. No matter how steady your grip, the typical cell-phone lens tends to exaggerate every vibration.  Many shots required multiple retakes to get anything remotely usable. 

FORMATS

• Many cell phones shoot video, but since you can't really predict which file formats and resolutions you'll get, you just have to test your phone to find out. If you ask a cell-phone salesperson what video-file format a certain phone creates, you'll generally get a blank stare. Some phones use the MJPG format; hence you need to install the codec on the PC you'll use for editing—you can generally get it from your phone's manufacturer. Others use special "phone-flavor" formats such as .3gp or .3g2, which you need to test with your editing program to make sure they'll be read.
• If push comes to shove, you can try using one of the many video conversion utilities that you can download from the Web. I've tried a number of them and have yet to find a perfect converter for all situations. The best solution is not to need one, but rather to have an editing program that reads your phone's video files. Fortunately, the Nokia N95 saved its files in the MP4 format, which is widely supported, so it was really no challenge.

FILE TRANSFERS

• While many video-capable phones have ample internal memory, not all offer a graceful way to move files to a computer. Some have an externally accessible SD card. The Nokia N95 has 8GB of internal memory and registers itself as an external drive when you connect it to a computer via USB.  Then you will just have to connect the phone to my computer with a USB cable, then drag and drop the files. Any phone that can shoot video has a way to get the video off the phone, though if it's by means of a removable memory card, you'll need a memory card reader (which I have)

You will create audition tape with cell phones and we will begin planning for the horror movie. As students finish drawings (Production Groups) will go together to paint their banners (6 at a time-or less)