Part 1

Describe what you gained from the studio

At the start of the semester, my initial expectation for this studio course was to gain more knowledge about video production and elevate my professional skills through practical experience. I thought we would be spending a significant amount of time learning advanced and fancy editing techniques. However, I gradually realized the importance of the mindset towards video production. I used to be too focused on whether my videos looked fancy or not, which often resulted in unsatisfactory content quality. I learned that a good video should be created with careful consideration, spending more time on analyzing the intended audience and the social value that needs to be conveyed, rather than just showcasing fancy editing techniques.

This shift in my mindset towards media production helped me find the focus, enabling me to balance between tasks at different stages of production (before, during, and after), which significantly boosted my productivity. Now, I feel like this studio course not only provided me with opportunities to improve my video editing skills but also taught me how to work as a real media practitioner.

I believe that this studio course is cleverly structured in terms of finding the sweet spot between theory and practice. The first two weeks, where we discussed the history of the film industry, provided me with a deeper understanding of the industry without becoming too dry. Additionally, we explored the characteristics of media production in different periods. However, I must admit that this course exceeded my expectations in terms of the amount of practical editing work. We spent a significant amount of time editing our own pieces in the editing suite, either individually or collaboratively. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience as it allowed me to learn the workflow of a video editor, rather than simply familiarizing myself with shortcuts on Premiere Pro.

 

Part 2 

Reflect upon your work and contextualise it considering the studio prompt, brief and aims.

For my edit series, I made the bold decision to shoot the majority of the footage in three different edits in the same location. My goal was to convey a specific mood to the audience through rhythm and enhance the emotional connection using sound design.

The narrative edit takes the form of a pseudo-music video, where I wanted to experiment with how the rhythm of music affects the overall audiovisual experience. Instead of choosing the music at a later stage, as is usually the case in video production, I had already determined the music before the shoot. This allowed me to selectively shoot the footage to match the rhythm of the music. The music itself is quite moody, and there is an emotional shift in the climax, which helped deliver the story based on a three-act structure. In the setup part, the video begins with a few shots showing the man’s loneliness and his struggle for life, accompanied by the gradual clarity of the piano to immediately immerse the audience in a slightly depressive mood. The following shots depict him walking alone, with his mood remaining low. I intentionally used several shots of him walking forward without showing his face, as it is generally believed that not showing someone’s face tends to convey a negative mood. The use of fast-cutting enhances his loneliness while giving the audience a sense of his eagerness to embrace nature. The shift in mood occurs during the confrontation part, where the shot of the duck swimming upstream serves as a metaphorical representation of the man, symbolizing his determination to face life’s difficulties. After this rousing rhythm, the resolution part begins in a more soothing way. The ambient melody reflects the man’s reassurance that he has taken from his struggling life to embrace nature and enjoy the peace it brings. I believe there will be a clear emotional connection between this edit piece and the audience, especially those who share a similar life experience. Specifically, the audience can get a sense of empowerment through nature, leading to an optimistic attitude towards life. While I was satisfied with the overall delivery of emotion, this edit piece left much to be desired in terms of the integrity of the storytelling. For example, the man’s struggle with daily life was not shown well enough. There should have been more detailed shots that reveal his daily struggles, such as establishing shots of his room and close-ups of a messy table. Only by giving the audience a full insight into his daily life can they truly appreciate the joy he feels in embracing nature afterwards.

The documentary edit primarily focuses on delivering genuine emotions to the audience. Initially, I struggled to find a suitable interviewee. Most of the photographers I contacted had their own jobs, making it difficult to arrange a convenient time for the interview. As a result, I decided to interview myself, and I found this additional perspective in media production quite enjoyable. The goal of this edit piece was to be realistic, so capturing relevant B-roll footage that matched the content of the interview was key. This allowed the audience to have a clear perception of the interviewee, which in this case was myself. I must admit, it was a bit sneaky since I know myself better than anyone else, enabling me to capture B-roll footage that truly reflects my personality. I believe the audience can feel my love for photography as I shared my genuine thoughts and experiences. However, the emotional connection could be deepened by revealing more details. For example, focusing on “first-time experiences” could potentially stimulate the audience’s curiosity. Including moments like my first time-lapse of a starry sky or my first portrait could enhance the overall impact.

The commercial edit was a positive and experimental attempt. Before the shoot, I conducted research on commercials and the characteristics presented by various brands, particularly outdoor brands like Arc’teryx and The North Face. My biggest takeaway was that the essence of promoting a product lies in manifesting the user’s experience, providing potential consumers with a comprehensive sensory experience of the product rather than simply showcasing its functionality. With this in mind, I decided to focus on the user’s experience of wearing outdoor gear in the wilderness. I used overlays to highlight functional features like water and tear resistance, aligning them with natural elements to emphasize the intimate relationship between nature and the brand. Furthermore, I intentionally omitted the use of music throughout the video to restore a realistic forest soundscape. I captured various sounds using a Zoom recorder, creating a sound design that embodies the purity of nature. The intention was to provide the audience with an immersive experience, evoking a sense of “being there.” Additionally, I minimized the prominence of the outdoor gear by incorporating wide shots that integrated the person with nature. This visual design aligns with the brands’ spirit of companionship and being in harmony with nature. Despite the functionality of the outdoor gear, I wanted the audience to ignore the gear itself and instead focus on the magical beauty of nature.

 

Part 3

Appraise how you went with Collaboration over the whole semester, its challenges, its benefits, things you learnt about yourself and others.

Collaboration played a huge role in this studio course as we spent a lot of time experimenting with different styles, and everyone had the opportunity to work with others, whether it was conducting video shoots around campus or editing in the editing suite. These tasks required teamwork, and I thoroughly enjoyed working with other people. While we may have specialized in different areas, we all strived to achieve the same goal. However, teamwork could be tricky at times, as it involved interpersonal skills. At the start of the semester, I was a bit worried about working in a team because we didn’t know each other, and I felt slightly embarrassed to ask others for help in setting up the camera. Additionally, when a group member had ideas contrary to mine, I couldn’t honestly express my true thoughts and instead kept them to myself, which didn’t contribute positively to teamwork and only isolated me from the group. But as we got to know each other better, I felt more comfortable expressing my thoughts without feeling pressured. That’s when I truly began to enjoy the fun that group work can bring. During the shooting sessions, we all had the opportunity to play different roles, and we shared our experiences with each other. It was refreshing to see someone else approach the same scene in a different way. This exchange of ideas really enhanced my professional skills and broadened my perspective on media production and I am grateful to all the people who helped me boost my creativity during this collaborative process.