My First Time Video Editing: From Fairground Clips to a Real Video

Okay, so for our AICE Media class, we had to learn Adobe Premiere Pro. When I first opened it, I was extremely overwhelmed. There were so many buttons and panels! But our teacher told us to watch these helpful step-by-step videos from ASB Classroom, and they basically held our hands through the whole process. Our project was to make a short video about the Pineapple Whip stand at a fair, using clips that the ASB Classroom provided. Here’s how it went.

Learning the Software: One Video at a Time

The ASB videos broke everything down into simple steps. We started by preparing our media, which is when you put all the video files and audio into one folder so you wouldn’t lose anything. Then, I learned how to create a new project and import those files into Premiere. The  Organize Media video was a lifesaver; I made "bins", which are just folders inside Premiere, for the interviews and the B-roll shots of the Pineapple Whip machine, workers, mascot of the stand and more. This kept me from going crazy looking for stuff.

The first time I learned how to create a sequence by dragging a clip to the timeline, it started to feel real. I learned how to add soundbites by placing the interviews with Zack, the manager, and the sweet elderly lady onto the timeline. Then, I got to the video of  how to add b-roll, and learned how to place shots of Zack serving pineapple whip, filling up the machine with juice, and other shots to make the video more cohesive, over what they were talking about. This is where it started to look like a real video!

The Experience: Putting It All Together

The real work started with the Making Edits video. I had to cut out all the "ums" and long pauses to make the interviews flow. It was tricky at first, but using the Razor Tool (which looks like a little knife) made it easy to chop clips up. My biggest challenge was the audio. The fair was loud, and the interviews were a little quiet which made adjusting the audio difficult. I learned to use the "Essential Sound" panel to balance everything out, which made a huge difference.

I had to make the spacing in between audio levels bigger so I could
 get a bigger view of how high the volume of the interviews had to be.

A really fun part was adding lower thirds, those little titles that tell you who someone is. Putting "Zack, Manager of Pineapple Whip" on the screen made it feel like a professional. Finally, after all that work, I got to export the video. Hitting that button and waiting for it to render was so nerve-wracking, but seeing the final video play perfectly was an amazing feeling.

What I Learned and What's Next

I learned that editing is like being a detective and a storyteller at the same time. You have to find the best moments and piece them together to make sense. The most important takeaway was that good audio is everything. You can have the coolest shots, but if people can't hear the interview, it doesn't matter.

For my portfolio project, this is going to help me so much. Now I know how to structure a story, use b-roll to make it interesting, and fix my audio problems. I’m actually excited to film and edit my next project because I feel like I have the tools to make it look and sound good.

Check out my final clip about the Pineapple Whip stand below. You’ll hear the lady talk about how she always wanted to try it as a kid and how she loves that it's made with local fruit. It all came together in the end!

Camera Work Reflection

 Camera Work Reflection: Putting Theory into Practice!

Hey everyone!
For my AICE Media Studies class, we just finished two big projects on camera movements, shots, and angles. It was a process of learning the terms to actually using them, and I want to share how we went through it.
First, our learning process was pretty easy; in class we'd take notes on the definitions of all these technical terms, like what a tilt is versus a pan. Then, we watched movie scenes and identified the shots and movements we spotted. These projects were out way to take what we learned and put it to the test. The transition of naming them to creating them ourselves gave me a better understanding of how to use them correctly and gave me a first-hand experience of their meanings. 

Here's a look at my final projects!


Camera Shots/Angles Project

Camera Movements Project: The Final Film Surprise:

This project was all about action. We were asked to include six different camera movements to tell a short story based on the prompt "surprise."

Challenges & Successes:

This project had its fair share of complications. Our biggest obstacles were our location being really noisy and not having the proper equipment. Our main prop for our idea was a big box, and we didn't even have one!We had to make do with a smaller box from our teacher, since it was the best we could do in the short time, and it lead to a more funnier ending scene. A major success was that we finished taking the shots pretty quickly and we both felt like we did the acting portion to our best abilities. 

The Experience :

 My partner and I contributed different things, which definitely made it more fun. They came up with the main idea, while I provided most materials and suggestions to how we could make it better. We also got to act as the characters, and that was fun since there was many funny bloopers we got while trying to shoot the video. 

What I learned:

I learned that the work after shooting, like the editing and putting everything together, takes a lot more time and focus than one would think. After the shooting, I thought my partner and I would easily be able to clip the scenes together quickly, but instead we had to cut each clip to the exact right moment and line up the movements so they flowed into another, along with deciding on the audio for the footsteps, on whether to make them ourselves or find one online. These small creative decisions, that require input from both people, took longer than the actual filming. In the end, they made the video all the much better, so it was definitely worth it. 

What I'd Do Differently:

I would definitely find a quieter location to film, somewhere with no other students. Because it was so loud, we couldn't make any original sound effects from the little clips, like dialogue. I think it could have made our movie funnier and more entertaining, especially since entertainment is a key factor for a project like this. But, I do really like how our video is with no dialogue, so honestly, no regrets. 

Camera Shots & Angles Project: A Water Bottle Love Story

For this project, we had to tell a complete story using a sequence of specific camera shots and angles, like closeups and high angles. Our story idea was a high school romance between two water bottles names Vann and Sunny. 

Challenges & Successes:

We faced some tough difficulties here. We had nowhere to travel to the locations we wanted, we didn't have the proper materials, and we struggled with time management and procrastination. My partner forgot to bring their water bottle one day because they had afterschool practice and was going to be using a much bigger water bottle, and didn't remember that we were going to be taking pictures for this class. That specific water bottle was crucial to the story since it was the love interest, Sunny! This issue caused us to finish the project late. Even though we had some stress, we also had our fair share of successes. We were resourceful as we asked others for their water bottles and they readily agreed. We also realized that majority of our classmates had water bottles from the popular brand "Owala" and we used this to our advantage to portray the trope of "she's not like other girls." We used a whiteboard to draw the settings we couldn't recreate, and we were overall successful in telling a story that people could understand just through the shots. 

The Experience :

Just like the first project, we contributed different factors. We both had basically the same idea and I took most of the pictures on my cell phone, while my partner drew out the storyboard. We both asked around for materials and contributed our own. I had a really nice time because I got to express my creativity by drawing out the settings, and creating mini sets for the water bottles to use. 

What I learned:

This project had different type of planning process. Surprisingly, taking pictures with purposeful angles and shots takes a lot longer that I could've imagined. Making the storyboard took a long time because we needed more scenes than. the first project, and we had to really analyze our idea on how to best explain the story through such shots and angles. When it was time to get the pictures, it took a while for the same scene because it was hard to get the emotion required for a love story from inanimate objects. 

What I'd Do Differently:

I would 100% plan our ideas and schedules better to fight time management issues and procrastination. If we had been more organized, our scenes could have been better, which would've let us submit on time, and given us stronger examples for future projects. 

Final Thoughts:

Overall, both projects were super important. They taught me that planning is key, but so is being flexible and resourceful when things don't go as planned. I'm really proud of what we created, and now I feel like I truly understand what we learned on camera work. I'm already noticing different movements and angles in my favorite TV shows and movies! 

Catch you next time!

-Zunairah