Author: troytorcasio

OVE – Video Five – How to make a Glass of Juice

Glass of Juice from Troy on Vimeo.

This was the final sketch that I created which was an instructional video on how to pour a glass of juice. This was a satire once again of The Katering Show on their cooking segments. I wanted it to be an extremely simple task that almost anyone could do to highlight how cooking shows tend to talk down to the viewer. The humour was not necessarily from the acting or dialogue but rather the nonsensical thought that the viewer did not have the ability to open up a fridge and pour themselves a glass of juice. To add to the confusion I say I am pouring orange juice when in fact I am using apple to fill the glass.

For this video I tried to incorporate all of the previous feedback from the other videos as well as what I felt worked well. I used the tripod for most of the shots with close-up of each of the actions performed. I also tried to break-up the dialogue by using multiple camera angles when speaking to the camera. I also used the DSLR to film the video which from previous videos yielded the best results as well as the natural lighting which seems to create the best atmosphere for the video. If I was to do this video again I would have added some music to complete the intended effect otherwise I’m happy with the outcome of this video.

OVE – Video Four – Booze Review: Chilli Vodka

Chilli Vodka from Troy on Vimeo.

This video was an attempt to re-imagine a segment from the The Katering Show in which the hosts review an alcoholic beverage without any professional knowledge of the product. Learning from the errors of some of the previous videos I used a DSLR on a proper tripod to hold the camera steady when necessary and used a medium shot for most of the video as done in The Katering Show. In the same vein of the show, I tried to overact the scene to illustrate the immense heat of the drink and to play-up the comedy aspect of the video. I also attempted to make the video more dynamic by using multiple shots including a cutaway of me running to the bathroom to be sick. I think the casual conversation made it feel like I was talking to the audience making it seem more relatable. I filmed the video with natural lighting to give the illusion that I was just standing in my kitchen having a conversation with someone as well as making it seem friendly and inviting.

I feel that this video worked because it engaged the audience as it was not just one camera shot and had some action occurring rather than just talking to the camera. I also tried to use props to my advantage (alcohol bottle, whiskey glass, apron) to give more of a professional look to the video.

OVE – Video Three – The Final Food shot

Food from Troy on Vimeo.

This was the first video I shot on the DSLR and the intention was for it to be the gratuitous shot shown at the end of cooking programs to showcase the food in all its glory. It is basically a series of shots panning across the dish of Shepherd’s Pie with cheesy instrumental music (the music was generated from PhotoStory 3 so to the best of my knowledge it is able to be freely used/royalty-free) but drawn out for around 20 seconds longer than necessary. The shot to me fulfills the aim in that firstly the DSLR gives it the right look colour-wise and makes the imagery more dynamic and the style of it fulfills the style goal of The Katering Show which is to parody cooking programs. It also works in that the humour is derived from the awkwardness of the situation, mainly the excessive length of the video. Shooting the same pie, at different angles, gives the illusion that something else is going to happen but never does; its just the same style of shot repeated.

Overall I feel this video would work, but as part of a bigger project as the shots and music are there, but it is a one track video; it does not lead into anything. If I were to shoot this again I would use better lighting and a greater range of angles as most of the shots are similar and does not showcase the food as good as what is possible. Furthermore more props and decorations could have been used to make the food seem ‘overdressed’ adding to the humour of the shot.

 

OVE – Video Two – Words without looking

Words without looking Part 1 from Troy on Vimeo.

Words without looking Part 2 from Troy on Vimeo.

This video was produced together with the previous video and attempts to emulate the break away content that appears occasionally between segments in The Katering show. In the above two part video Cameron and I, using the items from a nearby cupboard, attempted to play a Pictionary-like-game, where the person drawing cannot look at the page while the other person guesses the word being drawn.

I decided not to show the audience what the word was, in an attempt to get the viewer involved in trying to guess the word along with the participant, in order to make the video more engaging to the viewer and more interactive as a result.

I feel the concept works as the humour is derived from the actions and follows a simple concept (like the show). The implementation of it was not so successful with the camera being too static. In my opinion the content is entertaining and even seems to fit the actual style of the show with its relatable humour. The camera work however (again using the mobile) lets the video down and makes it seem much more static than it needs to be.

For the next videos I abandoned the phone filming method and switched to a DSLR because although the phone was more convenient, it did not create the right look for instructional-style videos.

OVE – Video One – What would you do?

What would you do? from Troy on Vimeo.

This was the first video that I shot and I tried to implement the conversational element between Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan of The Katering show i.e. the witty banter between the two hosts. The video was filmed on my phone and involves a long shot of Cameron and I having a pointless conversation on what you would do with a large sum of money. I feel the concept works as the video is based on the dialogue rather than the camera work, much like The Katering Show, however it feels more like it should be a part of a larger video instead of stand alone content. Originally we chatted amongst ourselves, as if the camera was not present, but then changed our tactic and decided to talk to the camera as the hosts do a majority of the time on their show. The talking to the camera method seemed the most engaging to the viewer as they were being directly addressed as if they were part of the conversation, whereas when we were talking to each other it seemed more natural and less forced like the viewer was sitting opposite listening. If I were to produce something similar to this in the future I would try to alternate more in the speaking styles and attempt to use more camera angles as the video, after a while seems too static.

Online Video – The Issues

From the feedback of Seth one issue that seems to be slowing arising from our current project is the lack of a clear concept statement. Both me and Linda have begun to create videos but do not have a clear idea as to a theme. At this stage our overarching idea is comedy in mundane, human activities. Her sketches seem to reflect the idea of her presentation i.e. The Katering Show whereas mine are more improvisational and reflect more of my presentation i.e. Comedians in Car Getting Coffee. We need to zero-in further onto our concept which hopefully will become clearer as we continue to create more sketch videos.

Online Video…what is that? – Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

http://comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com/

What is it?

A series created by Jerry Seinfeld that involves him selecting a car that will appeal to the guest; a fellow comedian, and driving them to a café or restaurant for coffee.

It is notable as it is a television-quality web show that takes elements of television, such as the production values and season structure, and combines them with the freedom of the web, such as varied episode length and wider distribution.

Are the videos an appropriate length?

In my opinion the videos are an appropriate length in that most episodes are around 10-15 minutes; roughly the length of a coffee break.

Why are they suited to online rather than traditional distribution methods?

It is suited to online because of its content; it’s a relaxed show with very little criteria (A comedian, a car, a coffee shop). By making it as a TV show, episodes would be forced to be of a certain length and the addition of commercials would disrupt the flow of the show.

Do people watch it?

As of January 2015, the series had surpassed 25 million streams.

How can the show be watched?

I’ve personally watched it on my phone, smart TV, laptop and tablet so the show can be watched on any online device that streams video.

Being online does it allow for reordering and re-imagining?

The show has been reedited by the developers into shorts called Single Shots, where clips of episodes are collected into 3 minute videos about a particular topic.

Is it a new concept?

The concept is new based on a DVD extra Seinfeld had developed in 2002, where he filmed himself and a friend, making a return trip in a car, from New Mexico. He said the idea was an experiment as a guess of what would be entertaining.

Where does the video appear on the web/Can it easily be found?

The video appears on the Crackle website itself, the website comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com and on YouTube.

Is it a big or small production?

It is a small production with a budget of roughly $100,000 per episode.

Does it appeal to the intended audience?

As the show is short enough to be watched in a break, it appeals to its audience as it is exactly what it is about; two friends chatting over coffee. It is a real activity that people can relate to.

Does the format work?

The format works because it is simple and to the point, both in its subject manner and its presentation; the title describes the show. Also being online means no commercial breaks and no intervention by the network allowing the viewer to immerse themselves in the conversation.

MI 2 – On the Line

After attending On the Line, which was the final seminar in the Wanted series about digital media, I found it interesting in that the guests provided information on not only how they got into the industry but how graduates should enter the industry.  The Matrix theme was done well with the binary graphics and on-screen effects. They even went so far as to have a group member shave their head to appear more like the character Morpheus. The glow sticks for asking questions was an interesting gimmick that worked well. The topic was a bit dry at times transitioning into more amusing anecdotes rather than information and did not present much new content however this was more due to being the last seminar in the series rather than the topic itself. The presenter did a good job both in moving the seminar along and listening to the guests and asking them relevant follow-up questions. The staging was done perfectly with the matrix curtains on either side of the screen, the guests well lit and the green tinted LED creating mood lighting. One minor issue was the light pointing towards guests washed out the screen a little, but it was still able to be read fairly easily. The event was generally well publicised and drew in a good viewing crowd. Posters were put up across the various campus buildings including a series of posters within building 5 itself leading from the entrance of the building, up the stairs, across the hallway to the entrance of the room in order to direct people to the specific location. Generally the seminar was well done, there were no apparent technical problems and the guests seemed to enjoy themselves. The information seemed a bit redundant, but that was due to being the last seminar rather than the guests themselves.