When I saw everyone’s individual edit series, I was very happy that we were able to put into practice the ideas we presented to the class in week 9 and really showcase the editing style we aimed for. As a viewer, it was extremely gratifying to see all the different edit pieces and explore the diversity of video production.
Out of all the edits, I primarily looked at the commercial edits because I believed they best reflected each person’s editing style and allowed me to assess whether the desired effect was achieved. Two commercial edits stood out to me as they both focused on manifesting a great user experience but took two completely different approaches.
“The Sit’Em” by Jack was a commercial for a piece of furniture that brought happiness to both people and cats. Jack demonstrated a clever understanding of consumer psychology by incorporating real-life user experiences in a branded doco style, effectively making the commercial more persuasive. Also, to prevent the approach from becoming monotonous, Jack included footage of cats playing with the furniture, highlighting the cat’s user experience and adding a lighthearted touch to the entire video.
On the other hand, Boyu’s commercial took a more artistic approach to manifest the user experience. Although the commercial was centered around a coffee shop, the story revolved around two girls engaged in an enjoyable conversation, filled with laughter and the joy of life. This metaphorically represented the satisfaction customers can experience with the brand by showcasing the energetic interaction between the two girls. Additionally, Boyu made a smart choice by selecting these two girls as they embodied the values of the brand, presenting a scene that exuded elegance and enthusiasm. While most viewers may not have immediately known what product was being advertised, they would still be captivated by the engaging scene.
This semester, I found the studio course “People + Places” particularly interesting. It reminded me of a course I took in my first year called “Story and Place,” which delved into the relationship between place, people, and story. I have been exploring ways to represent a specific place through the lens of people and their stories. I believe that a place, in its geographical sense, holds no inherent meaning; it is the people and the stories associated with it that imbues it with significance. This studio course aimed to empower students to express a unique perspective on the connection between individuals and their environments based on their identities, interests and more. I found that students predominantly presented their work in a traditional documentary style. In particular, the A-rolls exhibited similarities, showcasing excellent compositions adhering to the rule of thirds. Also, most students used medium shots or medium close-ups for the interviews, which clearly captured the interviewee’s facial expressions in order to achieve a more natural look.
To give their videos a distinctive appeal, students demonstrated great creativity in their use of B-roll footage as well. There were two videos that best illustrate how the flexible use of footage can elevate the viewing experience: Made Slowly by Bronte Hall and Intermission by Olivia Barnes & Claudia Schenck.
Bronte’s video was about a guy named Jesse, a wood crafter, who shared his personal story. By showing seemingly random clips of Jesse’s everyday life, such as ordering food at the restaurant or crafting wood in the garage, this video gave me an illusion that Jesse and I have known each other for a long time, which resulted in a more realistic and authentic portrayal of Jesse’s story, allowing me to experience the boundless joy that wood crafting brings to him.
Olivia and Claudia’s video depicted the journey of Sofia, a retired competitive dancer, as she confronted her passion for dance after a decade-long hiatus. The video had a moody tone, with a focus on highlighting Sofia’s emotional transformation. I love the way they layered on the emotions through the use of mood-matching B-rolls. For example, when Sofia spoke about the traumas she had experienced as a child, the B-roll footage showcased her practising alone in an empty room, endlessly repeating the same movements, which gave me a sense of being trapped and controlled. But when she talked about the change in her mindset, the footage turned into a carefree expression of herself, dancing by the ocean. Her movements became lighter and she appeared to enjoy dancing more. This creative use of proper B-roll footage effectively enhanced the emotions conveyed in this video, allowing me to beeter connect with Sofia’s journey.
