U of M Multi-Media Mayhem Fall 2019: November 2015

Friday, November 20, 2015

Mejia, Video Assignment 2.5

Rock Paper Scissors from Catalina Mejia on Vimeo.

Billington, Pre-Video Assignment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If9S-xA-QJA

This was not a good multimedia project. While the video and audio quality were good throughout, there were definitely a lot of issues. The first thing I noticed was the framing. In the first shot of Martin Reynolds, all you can really see is his head and it's at the bottom of the screen so there was too much top space over his head. Another issue was the text. It should be in the lower third opposite from where the subject is looking. Also there shouldn't be a lot of text on one line, it should be broken up. Finally, all of the subjects looked directly at the camera. I thought I was fine at first with Martin, who was introducing the piece, but then everyone did it.

http://nyti.ms/1YnYuFh

This is a great multimedia video. The framing was really good because they mixed up the shots and would sometimes show the subject's upper body, and then it'd switch up and get closer to their faces. Additionally, the subjects were looking off-screen as they should be. As a whole the video was really captivating because it opened by setting the scene about gambling and then smoothly transitioned into Josh Adams telling his story about how he is a recovered gambling addict. Finally, the B-roll footage was great throughout the video and the shots were relevant to what they were discussing at that point and time in the interview.

Billington, Video Assignment #3

Rock, paper, scissors

https://youtu.be/un7BQyuIWcc

Barnett, Video Assingment #2

Sequencing HW:

Barnett, Video Assignment #1

Brodsky, Pre Video Assignment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwY-yp_H-zg (Bad)

I selected that video as an example of a bad video because of the way the interviews are shot. The composition does not follow the rule of thirds and many people are in the center of the screen looking right at the camera.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/11/16/by-one-measure-this-wicked-el-nino-is-the-strongest-ever-recorded-what-it-means/ (Good)

This video was interesting and extremely informative. I enjoyed the format and thought that it was able to stay interesting on a relatively boring topic.

Arbelaez. Pre-Video Assignment

This is an example of a good multimedia project, and it is also impressive that it is a high school project. The shot of the main guy, Brent O'neal is clear and clean, and the audio is crisp throughout. On top of this, the interview is structured in a nice flowing manner, and the things that he mentions usually pop up in related b-roll, intermittently cutting back to him to have him deliver opinion. Overall it it very concise and efficient with its actions. A well done project.

This is an example of a bad multimedia project. The music is the first thing you notice, because it is so horrible. The tune of the harmony does not fit in with the mood of the poem being presented, and ends up causing a shocking dissonance. The visuals are very difficult to see, because the pictures that are chosen are grainy and blurry, and the text of the poem is black, set against black pictures, which makes it impossible to make out. This project shows how badly you can miss the point of a project with poor audio and confusing video.

Littlehales, Pre-Video Assignment

This is a good video done by the New York Times because of the visual stimulation, steady camera work, and variety of angles. The abundance of different shots of the neighborhood speak volumes about the diverse culture of Jackson Heights. Obviously not at the level of NY Times, but a bad video project nonetheless. The camera work is unsteady, distracting, and is only filmed from a level around the chest area.

Moore, Pre-video Assignment

The Good: Nice detailed shots. The camera did not move and changed angles for each step in the process. The bad: The camera moved way too much. In the beginning, the video went through sequences way too quick. The cameraperson also disregarded the 180 rule when he or she recorded the back of the person's head who was getting the mask done.

Hamilton, Pre-Video Assignment

Good Sequencing Video

This cooking video is interesting, has clear video, many angles, and is in an easy to understand order.

Bad Sequencing Video

This video began with really good angles, but the story line quickly grew boring. The video quality was okay but there were several really shaky shots where I could tell a tripod should have been used.

Haq, Video Assignment #3

vid 3 from Mina Haq on Vimeo.

Coggins Pre-Video Assignment

Good Video-

My Life After Manson from The New York Times - Video on Vimeo.

This is a good video because it uses a lot of good B Roll shots. Patricia Krenwinkel was 19 when she was part of the Manson family and killed for Charles Manson. She was convicted of 7 murders and has spent the rest of her life behind bars. This is good because she shows raw emotion that isn't provoked by a reporter. She is telling us her side of the story. You can tell that she regrets everything she did. Her emotions tell the story of how she was finally able to escape from Charles Manson after being locked up. She is framed in the middle of the screen looking directly into the camera but she isn't fielding questions, rather she is telling us the viewers her story. So I felt it wasn't a bad thing that they had her framed in the middle of the screen.The New York Times did a great job on this video because they let Patricia tell her own story, had a lot of good B roll and natural sounds, and it also invoked a lot of emotions.

Bad Video-

This is a bad example of a multimedia project. The audio for the interviews is choppy. It is at points hard to understand what they are trying to say. The interview video itself is grainy and not very clear even on HD. The interview subjects looked directly at the camera a lot when they were answering questions. The footage of the wakeskating isn't bad, however the interviews are really bad.

Eliach, Pre-video Assignment

This is a good multimedia project because it's a really good, touching story, and there is good visual variety, while always showing the kid in his natural settings, such as playing basketball, in his room with his toys, or giving out toys to people on the street.

This is a bad project because there isn't much of a story, the sound is bad because of the wind, and a lot of the visuals are blurry, especially the footage from inside the car with the purple tint.

Haq Pre-Video Assignment

Good video: The video below is a fantastically edited New York Times video about how Hollywood can assist residents in the operating room. It has very clear, carefully chosen audio and multiple angles so that the progression of the surgery is natural and not at all choppy. The interviews are very well-integrated as well. The lighting is clear and the background audio is at the perfect volume, so the whole process is very dramatic. The camera switches to different, unique angles with ease so it doesn't feel rushed but it also doesn't feel too slow. Overall, very well made and told the story nicely. Bad video: The video below isn't terrible, but the angles stay the same for minutes at a time and there's absolutely no variety so it gets very stagnant and boring to watch. It would be a lot more visually pleasing if we could see different shots of the eggs being made instead of the same shot for several minutes of him doing everything at once.

Herrera, Pre-Video Assignment

Good: This is a great video because of the way interviews and animations are used to tell the story. The video blends clips from the movie "Space Jam" and interviews from credible reporters to create a parody of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. Even though it's a parody it is very well made. The great quality of the audio and footage, along with the use of archive clips from the NBA helps the parody seem realistic. Overall, I thought this video was really funny and entertaining.

Bad: This is a decent video but there were a lot of things that could have been done better. In the video the director uses too many camera angles. It seems like it changes angles every second. It would have also been better to include more footage of Brad Guzan playing in a game. They could have at least had him wearing goalkeeper gloves. The overall visual and audio quality are fine but there were just too many things going on.

Bryant, Pre-Video Assignment

Haunted by Columbine from The New York Times - Video on Vimeo.

Good: This multimedia project does a very good job with incorporating past news/misc. clips and past audio with present day interviews. The subjects in the interviews are framed well and also have very good lighting. They vary up not only the angle of the interviews but also the type of shot, changing from medium to wide angle (not much close-up in this project, but I feel as if close-ups would be ill fit). They also include good sources with experts and former students and a former principal. The audio playing over pictures and other various clips keeps the overall package engaging and interesting and keeps the audience from getting bored.

Bad: There is strange amounts of zooming in and zooming out and the close shots that the reporter takes are of strange subjects, like the newspaper floating around in the "extreme weather." The person who is being interviewed is also pretty far from the camera and from a microphone, making her hard to hear. The only medium and close shots they present is when they zoom in and out of things -- which after a while is a bit funky.

Coggins Video Assignment 3

Rock, Paper, Scissors from Joshua Coggins on Vimeo.

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Hurler, Pre-Video Assignment

Bad: While this is clearly a student's project, the video itself gives barely any context as to what is going on and the story it is trying to tell. The camera work is very wobbly and shaky, and it often moves and zooms around a lot within the same shot. At some points one of the girls that is talking is cut off the screen. While some different types of angles were included, this video could've used some more variety. Lastly, at some points the rustling of papers sounds louder than the girls' voices.

Good: This video does a great job of introducing the viewer to the subject and giving us some background information. A wide variety of angles and shots are used within the video which add more depth to the story. The audio is always clear and pretty much free of wind noise. While it's evident that a tripod was not used, the camera shaking is not to the point where it's distracting. The only time the camera moves is when it's panning to show the entire mural. The music in the background is kept low while the source is speaking and only raised when they're showing the art while he's not speaking.

Heller, Pre-Video Assignment

Bad: The framing on the second subject is off. He's in the center of the screen and later on in the documentary, the camera person cuts off his head. The font for the supers is distracting. They didn't use a clear, plain text. The supers are also long (about a sentence each) so they need to stay on the screen longer. Although both subjects are looking across the camera, their bodies are not square to the camera. The background for both interviews is distracting. They should have cut out more of the "busy" backgrounds by getting the camera closer to the subjects. Lastly, although the music fits the theme of the documentary (it sounds like video game music) it is not the same pace as the subjects' voices. Therefore, the upbeat music makes the interviewers sound like they're talking slower than they actually are and makes them sound like they're struggling to keep up with the music.

Good: I found this one visually more engaging because of the variety of angles and pacing. For example, it showed people looking at their social media from several different angles such as straight on and over the subject's shoulder. One scene with the subject on a busy street with people passing by him was sped up so it added variety to the pacing. It has a mixture of detailed, medium, and panorama shots. The panoramas were good because they gave more of an overall view of the scene. It has a lot of good detail shots such as the ones of the kids' shoes climbing trees and the camera following their feet as they run. The music went along with the theme of the video; it added to it instead of distracting from it.

Flum, Pre-Video Assignment

Good video: This is an example of a good video because they have a good variety of footage that makes you feel like you are with Sherman on his journey from an unknown football player to a household name. E-60 also does a really good job of meshing together old videos, new videos, highlights, interviews and photographs.

Bad video: Not only is this a horrendous play in the history of Wizards basketball, but it it also a terribly filmed video. The audio is very choppy and just chaotic. At some points in the video, part of the court is blocked by someone's head. The camera is also shaky and moves all around the court so it makes it hard to follow.

Greenspan, Rock Paper Scissors

https://vimeo.com/146354753

Flood - Rock, Paper, Scissors

Edited at 9 a.m.

Rock Paper Scissors from Kirstyn F. on Vimeo.

Good: This is a good video, because of the narration, especially. It shows a side of life that many people are unaware of. Aside from the primary speaker, there are two other perspectives. The camera quality is very clear, and the videographer made sure to take very deliberate, careful shots. It's also a very intimate piece, because it shows close-up shots of the woman's home, shows her speaking her native language, which is most important to her, and discusses her relationship with her family. Bad: This is a terrible video because the camera was very unstable, the shot was focused on one angle for way too long and the result of the experiment was bad. It was a waste of time.

Dunigan, Pre-Video Assignment

Good: This video has an interesting wide range of shots. The color scheme in this short documentary is very eye catching and fits with the theme of the video. Overall, the way in which the shots are arranged and edited together flows very well and contributes greatly to the success of the video as a whole.

Bad: This project, although a solid effort, is not a great example of videography. The camerawork is often shaky, which is distracting to the viewer. The camera angles often aren't set up to frame the characters in successful ways. For instance, in scenes with two characters, often one character is fully in the shot while the other is barely in it at all. The camera often moves, not letting the characters themselves move through the frame.

Paciotti, Pre-Video Assignment

The Good:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/pink-goo-and-bandages-mold-a-live-us-marine-into-a-vision-from-the-past/2015/11/05/e7c83bc4-83e9-11e5-9afb-0c971f713d0c_story.html

The Bad:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GeiBB4aUW0

Dunn, Pre-Video Assignment

Rock Paper Scissors video

Rock Paper Scissors from Andy Dunn on Vimeo.

Good video example
New York Times: Black on Campus
I thought this video was very good at what it set out to accomplish and shows an excellent example of multimedia journalism. The first 30 seconds drop the audience into the middle of the protest at Purdue University and gives a good sense of what is going at this moment. The video then mixes in essential background info, such as the fact that three percent of Purdue's undergraduates are black, into the video after the audience is interested. Finally, I thought the video did an excellent job of demonstrating the conflict or struggle between unbridled free speech and the idea of an inclusive, accepting community. It did this not by an on-camera personality, monologue, or voiceover, but by letting the activists, students, and faculty talk for themselves. Especially with an issue as heated as this, I think the choice to not have a narrator gives less chance that the protestors and activists feel misrepresented by the media, since it is literally their own words.

Bad video example

While the audio is clear, the interviewer isn't clear on what he is asking most of the time. Also, the editing added to the video with photos and video is often distracting and crudely added, which distracts from the interview. The video overall doesn't really have a point that I can make out. On the positive side, the camera is held steady for the most part and it is watchable, besides the moments when the awkwardness of Kyle Mooney takes over.

Chavkin Pre Video Assignment

Good
This video does a great job at using both photos and videos, as well as incorporating music when it's appropriate and realizing when music isn't appropriate. Additionally, it does a good job in varying the angles used on the videos, from close-up to medium range to long distance.

Bad
This video doesn't use good angles during the interviews as all of the subjects are looking directly into the camera. Additionally, it sounds too scripted and boring and the background music tends to be distracting from the people who are speaking.

Campisi, Pre-Video Assignment

Good: I thought this video was really well done, and I really enjoyed watching it. The b-roll shots were extremely varied, and there was a variety of close-ups, medium shots and wide shots that each gave a different perspective on New York City, keeping the viewer interested and intrigued. The interview was also well framed, keeping the subject on the outer third and looking across the shot at the interviewer. The topic was interesting, no shot played for too long, and transitions were fluid and interesting. The story was great and put a unique twist on a place that a lot of us know about and have been to but haven't experienced in this light. I was immediately pulled in and wanted to keep watching, and combined with the lighting, music and effects, I think the author did a really great job with this video.

Bad: This video had so much potential to be really interesting and unique, but it fell short of my expectations. The beginning seemed a bit choppy and the author didn't provide much background with regards to where the video took place and the significance of that place. Additionally, the interviews weren't always well framed; many times, the subject was in the middle of the shot and not on one of the outer thirds. Because these subjects were deaf, the audience didn't have any audio to listen to, so it would have been nice to have some faint music in the background to keep the audience engaged. The interview clips were too long and required the audience to pay attention to reading too much text at a time, leading people to be less interested in the story and less likely to keep watching. There also weren't really transitions throughout the film, and the author never provided much context or significance to who these people were, how they were related and what the actual story was. This video also could have used some b-roll to provide the audience with some sense of location or atmosphere, and because there wasn't any, the video jumped from one interview to the next and didn't connect the subjects together or provide any visuals to keep the audience engaged. The basis of this video was an interesting idea and could have been successful with better execution.

Jackson, Pre-Video Assignment

This is a bad example of a multimedia project because it lacks variety of angles and frames. While the narrator is speaking, there is only footage of the dog walking around on its own by a fence. The interview is also a little awkward because it's a little choppy and the camera is right in front of the speaker. Also, the title of the speaker doesn't come up until halfway through the interview.

This is a good example of a multimedia project because there are many different shots and angles that all go together logically and smoothly. As the woman is talking in the background, each shot goes along with what she is saying. It not only shows the dancers, but also the school itself from the outside, and it has shots of what the surrounding area looks like. There are a variety up close-up and far-away shots, and the viewer gets a good idea of the school from the combination of audio and video.

Sobel, Video Assignment #3

An Evening of Rock, Paper, Scissors from Nick Sobel on Vimeo.

Feingold, Pre-Video Assignment

The good video that I chose is from The New York Times and won't embed onto this site for some reason, but the link is below. This multimedia project is about student protests at Purdue University. It has many different angles, various interviews with both sides of the issue shown. There is a lot of B-roll to supplement the interviews that take place in the video, and there are far away shots, close up shots, and medium shots. Overall the length of the video is good, as well as the camera work and content.

http://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000004045468/black-on-campus.html?playlistId=1194811622182

The bad video that I chose is from Youtube and is a student who took JOUR203 in the past. There are a variety of shots and interviews, however there were some issues with this video. The quality of sound needs to be improved (with a lavalier microphone). Also, the viewer doesn't know really know what the video is about until halfway through, due to the fact that there is no introduction. The french teacher in the video gives a bit of an intro into what the project is about, but it is hard to hear her speak so some viewers might miss this.

Genota, Pre-Video Assignment

I think this video above is a good example of a multimedia project. Stylistically, the videos has good framing and a variety of visuals. The audio is also really good. The pictures that were shown were all related to what she was saying at the time. The content is also really interesting and has a logical organization to it.

For this project, I feel like it could have been done better. I feel like with the pictures, some of them didn't make sense with what she was saying. With the videos, framing could have been a little tighter. The audio for the interviews and her narration weren't the same volume so it was a little weird. Other than that, I thought the idea was interesting.

Barnett, Pre-Video Assignment (Multimedia Review/RPS Sequencing Vid)

A good example of a multimedia project is the one below that was done as a part of The School of Life series about various interviews done with seventeen kids/adults over the course of a decade. It's a good project because it has a good intro that sets the framework for that the video is going to be about, and what the viewer will see. Also, it uses a variety of shots & b-roll while each interviewee speaks. On top of that, because these interviews were done over a couple years, the transitions between a girl at age 10 and the same girl at age 20 are very well done.

A bad example of a multimedia project is the one below that is a profile on the Next Step Recycling company. The fact nearly the first half of the video is a collection of different pictures while someone talks about the company - someone who isn't identified until halfway through the project and it turns out to be the founder of this company - is the primary reason this is a bad multimedia project. The project just starts off with Lorraine Kerwood (the founder) talking, but again she isn't identified within a reasonable amount of time so it's just some random person talking. She is talking about the company, but it seems like after a few shots of the signs, they isn't anything distinctive feature to any of the "products" shown that distinguish these items as Next Step Recycling products.

Here is the link to my sequencing for rock, paper, scissors

Fielder, Pre-Video Assignment

The "good video" I chose was one from the New York Times by Leslye Davis, Ben C. Solomon and Yousur Al-Hlou. The video is an interview with a woman who witness the Paris attacks with her family. There are multiple angles that the woman is shot from, including a close shot of the woman's face as she speaks, and a wide shot. There were also numerous clips of b-roll that add to the story. Some included shots of her child's artwork, parisian streets and flowers left on the ground and in walls. The clip won't embed, but here is the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000004043708/watching-the-attacks-with-two-daughters.html?playlistId=1194811622182&region=video-grid&version=video-grid-thumbnail&contentCollection=Times+Video&contentPlacement=7&module=recent-videos&action=click&pgType=Multimedia&eventName=video-grid-click

The "bad video" was one I found on YouTube called Egg Drop Tricks by Mark Rober. While the picture quality and b-roll is decent for this video, the editing makes it choppy. The first few seconds are filmed with Rober walking and the footage is shaky. The background music competes with Rober's voice when he is speaking. The music also becomes annoying. Some scenes also have echoey audio(when he is in his home). A lot of the b-roll becomes repetitive as the video goes on.

Mejia, Pre-Video Assignment

The video above is a bad example for many reasons. The very first thing that I noticed was that the quality of the video was grainy and overall really bad which takes away from the presentation itself since it's distracting. I also noticed that the lighting in a lot of the shots is either too dark or too bright which again, takes away from the project as a whole. The different video effects and transitions are poorly chosen and they don't appeal to me as an audience member. Additionally, there isn't a lot of variety in the shots. Ultimately, I just didn't want to continue watching the video and I would not suggest it to anyone. Honestly, bad is an understatement to describe this video.

The HTC video above on the other hand is a great example of a quality multimedia project in my opinion. The video is promoting the phone's function and it is easy to follow. The shots are clear and the overall video is creative in a way that grabs the audiences' attention and keeps them engaged all throughout. The step-by-step approach also broadens the products' audience because it breaks the barrier of having to be "tech-savvy" in order to know how to use this function or even own the cellphone.

Christ, Pre-Video Assignment

Good Example:

This New York Times video is an excellent example of a multi-media project. Starting off, the topic choice is both relevant and fascinating. Nepal is recovering from a devastating earthquake in April, so by picking a topic that is recent the journalist is already attracting viewers. In the video itself, I like how it started off by introducing a woman with cataracts. Despite a language barrier, the journalist is able to explain how cataracts impacts her life and prevents her from being able to work. He then introduces the doctor who is fixing cataracts in Nepal. There are close ups of the surgery itself and we see just how simple the surgery is. I also like how the journalist puts cataracts in perspective, saying how in the U.S. a surgery like this is very common and a simple fix. The video goes full circle by showing the woman from the beginning being treated. It ends by showing her reaction to her fixed vision, which provides the perfect closure for the story the journalist told.

Bad Example:

While the topic of this video is very important, I think The Washington Post could have done a much better job at telling it. Throughout the video, the main subject tells his story of recovering from substance abuse and tries to encourage those suffering from the addiction to come forward. The Post relies on a formal sit-down interview with him and photographs to tell the story. I think it could have been improved by including B-roll footage and perhaps following him around in his day-to-day life. I think it would have been better to have a narrator instead of text on the screen giving context to the story. I also would have liked to see more statistics on the number of people who suffer from addiction in the U.S. and maybe more information on how AIDS became less stigmatized in this country.

Pre- Video Assignment

Poor Documentary The opening to this documentary was both abrupt and awkward. There was no explanation to what the documentary was going to be covering so the viewer was confused the entire time. The audio in the interviews were not consistent and the interview titles were either too big or non existent. The camera angles were one dimensional and did not enhance the story. At one point, the camera haphazardly zoomed in and out aimlessly which made the overall project seem unprofessional. Good Documentary This documentary had really impressive close up shots. The initial shots were filmed evenly and the quality of the filming was clear and vibrant. The voice over did not detract from the film, but actually enhanced the storyline and kept the viewer interested. There were creative angles of the insects which gave a seemingly traditional story a new and creative approach. All of the clips were consice and audio was even throughout the project.

Vesely, Video Assignment #2.5/#3/RPS

(Same video also posted in the "Vesely, Video Assignment #2" post)

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Dunigan, Video Assignment #3

Video Project 3 from Maeve Dunigan on Vimeo.

Eck, Pre-Video Assignment & Rock Paper Scissors

Thin - Short Student Documenary

Thin – Short Student Documentary

BAD

In this project, the music overpowers the voices of the girls talking about a very serious subject – eating disorders. The title slides move too fast, giving the viewer not enough time to read the text. Some of the angles are correct, in which interviewees on the left side (on the outer third of the screen) and looking to the right at the interviewer. But others shots put the interviewees straight in the middle, making it distracting to the viewer. When the narrator is scrolling through images on Instagram, she also flashes images with text included. Because of these quick cuts, the viewer doesn’t have enough time to even comprehend what the text in those images are (i.e. “make them regret the day you called them fat,” “I want to be so thin that people whisper how skinny I am behind my back, etc.). I found this combination to be extremely distracting, as I wasn’t sure whether to look at the phone or the pictures behind the phone. In addition, the girl with short brown hair is on the outer third on the right and looking to the right, when she should be looking to the left. The final text slide at the end isn’t shown long enough, and I actually had to go back and re-watch it. Overall, the music overpowers narrator and the interviewees, and her message regarding the importance of recognizing eating disorders is lost.

Video: The Journey of a 9/11 Tree

NY Times: The Journey of a 9/11 Tree
GOOD

The ruffling noise of the trees in the background that starts off the video adds to the ambiance and importance of its “standing ground” in the 9/11 attack. I really liked the close-ups of the branches and flowers blooming on the tree, as it gave the video a more positive vibe. The framing for the interviews is on the outer thirds and the interviewees are looking on the correct sides. The captions stating the person’s title aren’t overpowering, are placed adjacent to the person, and are on the screen long enough for the viewer to notice and read. The music doesn’t overpower the voices of the interviewees. As Robert Zappala narrates the story of the tree sustaining the fire, the pictures allow the viewer to visualize his words. The only bad comment I would make about it was that there wasn’t a title for the construction worker with a beard and glasses. Taken as a whole, the video does a good job at balancing both natural sound and the voices of the interviewees, as well as letting the video tell the story.

Evans, Pre-Video Assignment

This is an example of a bad multimedia project because the camera work was just poor. The idea and message throughout the video was unclear and jumped from one idea to the other, which was really difficult to follow.

This is an example of a good multimedia project because the video quality is so clear. It clearly tells the story and gives the viewer a clear view of what is being described. The formatting of the interviewees and their voiceovers were great. I was not distracted by the camera work or the words placed on the screen, rather intrigued by the video quality and the clear message it tells.

Melnick RPS

Megar, Pre-video assignment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mY5FNRh0h4

This video is awesome because of the way that they use the visuals to describe the music. It looks really cool and is very comprehensive. Also, the way that the three superstars' interviews are integrated throughout and the interviews themselves is awesome. All three guys are interesting and engaging. Also, the music doesn't hurt.

This video is also made by a major news outlet about Skrillex, but it isn't nearly as appealing because they are just sitting down and talking and then including live videos. I don't think this is a bad project at all, but I picked it to compare with the other project. It is clear that compared with the NYT project, this is a lot less interesting and engaging.

Outlaw, Pre-Video Assignment

Learn - A Story on Education from Alexander Bertoni on Vimeo.

This is a good multimedia project because the creator layers natural and ambience sounds to play on the audiences emotions. The footage is very clear, there is diversity in camera angles and the project shows a story, rather than tells it.

"The News" (U-Arts Power of Propaganda) from Robert Lyons on Vimeo.

It's not that this is a bad project, but it could have been better. Sometimes the audio is loud, natural sound is distracting, and there were lighting issues. Also, the reporter was sometimes in the shot with his notes and everything, which was sort of random. The "man on the street" aspect was great, but I wish it could have been more concise.

Evans, Video Assignment #3

Josh Loock -- Pre-Video Assignment

Good:

I think this multimedia production was very good, it got the message across, and was very informative. the use of archival footage as well as live interviews kept things interesting, without making the information overwhelming. The camera movement was nice, and was not intrusive.

Bad:

I did not like this assignment as much. The subject matter is cool and exciting, but the intro was ridiculous, the music was distracting throughout, and the framing was poor for a lot of the shots. the slow-mo was cool, but it was over used and this video went on for too long.

DiBetta, Pre-Video Assignment

Aside from the fact that this project was done in black and white I think it's really well done. The shots were good when she was interviewing the owner of the studio and her name was displayed well. The narration of the owner talking while there were videos of yoga classes going on was also a nice touch. The transitions from images to video were also done very well in this project.

The video in the project was really shaky and blurry at a lot of times. There were also moments where I feel there could have been natural sound used to add to the video. For example the women sitting on the couch laughing would have been nice to hear. I also don't feel like there were a lot of different angles used and all the shots were mostly filmed the same way.

Rogers-Spatuzzi, Video Assignment 3

Rogers-Spatuzzi, Pre Video Assignment

This is a good video. The audio is clear, the camera isn't shaky, and the editing is good. In addition, the subject matter and interviews are interesting.

This video project leaves a lot to be desired. The camerawork is shaky, the editing is choppy and seems to jump around, and the sound quality is low, with some parts barely audible over the background noise. The only good thing about the video is that it tells an interesting story, but this does not outweigh the negative aspects of the project.

Pre-Video Assignment

While I enjoy the message, this multimedia project is poorly done. It's mainly generic stock images not taken by the people, hardly mentions what to do to solve the situation, plays the same song throughout that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with pollution, and offers little to no variety on shots or style.

Rock Paper Scissors -- Josh Loock

DiBetta, Video Assignment 3

Rock paper scissors from Haleigh DiBetta on Vimeo.

Rock, Paper, Sway by Cameron Neimand

Bernstein, Pre-Video Assignment

THE GOOD:

Losing Nemo from Fran Marquez on Vimeo.

THE BAD:

Josh Loock - Video Assignment 2

Hyman, Video Assignment 3

Rock, Paper, Scissors from Jacqueline Hyman on Vimeo.

Hyman, Pre-video Assignment

This video is pretty bad. It doesn't actually include video, just audio and pictures. The pictures have different effects put on them and meld into other things. It's hard to tell what the actual point of the presentation is. It says in the title that it's about stress, but there are just a bunch of different pictures showing people studying, praying etc. I never actually get the feeling that there's a story or an explanation of where stress comes from. Furthermore, the tone and music jump all over the place. There is no continuity; sometimes it's an urgent tone with upbeat music, other times there is a relaxing single instrument playing. These pieces jump in and out without any clear transition or connection to the photos they are paired with. Also, at times there are just a bunch of words on the screen.

In D.R. Congo - The Story Of A Solar Fridge from Vincent Urban on Vimeo.

This is a very good project and video. It tells a compelling story that keeps the viewer interested. There is a slight, soft music in the background which does not cut off or change at any point, so the video feels consistent. The video never stays on one clip too long, but usually long enough that the viewer gets the idea. The voiceovers explain the situation in The Democratic Republic of Congo, and the project which MEDAIR is promoting. There are overall, medium, and detail videos which each give a different piece of perspective. For example, overalls of the mountains and villages, mediums of people's faces, details of people's feet in the mud. The idea throughout the story is consistent.

Beatus, FAKE video assignment three

VA 3 from Liam Beatus on Vimeo.

Beatus, Pre-Video Assignment

This was just a bad video, the audio was removed due to copyright, the color tint at times looks horrendous, the camera is shaky, it's only saving grace is it has some decent video editing.

I really enjoyed the creativity of this video. The animation is creatively done, and although it hurts my eyes at times, the video lines up perfectly with the song.

H. Miller, Pre-Video Assignment

Aside from the audio being a bit too low, I really enjoyed watching this video and all of its visual changes. The creator has a really nice variety of footage and angles.

There are a number of problems with this video. It's visually boring- the only shots used are those of the interviewees. The sound bites are also too long and there's limited nat sound to give it some color. The intro was shaky and confusing.

H. Miller, Video Assignment #3

Bell, Pre-Video Assignment

The settings on this camera are clearly at low resolution causing the girl to look fuzzy and her feats not clearly defined. Also this video does not make any sense as she just waves at the camera the whole time while the picture changes color over and over again which is extremely annoying to the eyes. Also the tone of music is loud at first and does not make any sense going along with this video. Also there is no sort of intro or outdo included with this, and is all one camera angle the whole time.

This video is a good example of high video quality because these guys are professionals. This video is from College Humor, a sketch comedy YouTube channel with multiple series underneath its company name. This series from College Humor is called Jake and Amir. And the reason why this video is so good is because the sound quality is perfect, you can hear everyone clearly and there is no background noise even though they film in their own office with their co-workers doing their normal work. Also, it adds comedy to the video with some amazing shots that go back and forth between Amir and Jake multiple times throughout the whole video. It also has a nice simple intro and out-tro that lists the company name at the end.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Vesely, Pre-Video Assignment

Good example: Video and audio are both crisp and sharp, there is a variety of b-roll that simultaneously helps add to the story and keeps the viewer interested, transitions are clean, and the progression of the story is easy to follow. Overall an enjoyable and informative piece.

Not-as-good example: The audio is often competing with distracting background noises, the transitions seem to cut over one another, the storyline itself is kind of confusing, and the camera person is (probably unintentionally) a part of the video.

Sobel, Pre-Video Assignment

Good:

The MLS did a really nice job with this specific video profile on Bill Hamid, the goalkeeper for D.C. United. The combination of the music and audio clips is perfect, as Hamid relates playing soccer to a classical music piece. The cameraman used great angles as well as nice lighting in every one of his/her shots. I was very impressed with this piece and thought all of the correct elements were put in place, in terms of multimedia.

Bad:

This project is an example of a bad multimedia project because there is no organization. I believe it was done for a high school project, but it is still inexcusable. Organization is key in multimedia projects and this group did not do the best job with picking the correct audio and images. It was poorly compiled, especially compared to the piece above on Bill Hamid.

Grim Pre-Video Assignment

Here's an example of a good video project. The creator uses a wide variety of different angles and it tells a story without using posed or premeditated shots. It also uses music and natural sound throughout to add to the quality.

Here's an example of a not-so-good video project. The interview shot is good, but the b-roll footage does not show variety or creativity. The b-roll footage also seems predetermined (when he's talking about baked goods and then there just happens to be footage of him looking at pies in a shop window). There is no natural or music to add to it either.

Melnick, Pre-Video Assignment

Good:

http://www.nytimes.com/video/business/smallbusiness/100000003867935/the-art-of-shoji.html?playlistId=1194811622347

Bad:

http://www.theslateonline.com/multimedia/5180

Stern, Pre-Video Assignment

BAD:
http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2015/11/12/engagement-ring-flushed-down-toilet-dnt.ktla/video/playlists/they-did-what/

GOOD:

http://www.nytimes.com/video/world/europe/100000004041067/survivor-story-the-drummers-stick.html?playlistId=1194811622182&region=video-grid&version=video-grid-thumbnail&contentCollection=&contentPlacement=13&module=recent-videos&action=click&pgType=Multimedia&eventName=video-grid-click