Week 4 Blogpost

This week I come across the AI fashion week debut in NYC. Followings the related articles and interview clips, it is fascinating to see every process automated entirely by AI, from cloth designing to stage set-up. The quality is phenomenal to the extent that I initially think it is a Vogue editorial. Personally, it is an interesting observation because this content substitutes the involvement of human labor. For example, it replaces the photographers to capture the atmosphere backstage. You can review the show’s images in the attached link:

Here is the page of the event: https://fashionweek.ai/

FAQ: https://fashionweek.ai/faqs/ 

I look up FAQs and discover two requirements: contestants need to “facilitate the reproduction and sale of your collection” and the final quality is aligned with Vogue’s. Therefore, I guess the contestants extract samples from trendy fashion collections and prompt them in machine learning. They then organize the output images in a linear order that matches the theme of their collection. However, it is questionable whether the use of AI might be considered ethically creative as far as in the garment industry.

We are able to explore new creative directions for our inaugural sketch, from a series of Tweet threads to interactive mediums such as TV news. As far as we develop, it widens the available options with the tools in hand. For example, we can stimulate a podcast focusing on the issue or even recreate it in the form of TV news. However, it strikes a problem that we have not agreed on the medium. Therefore, everybody comes out with different sketches.

We hope that for future work, we get familiar with the technological options provided. For instance, I am interested in the collaboration feature of Reduct where we can create a design-thinking framework. In Eleven Labs, the voice synthesis has a paid subscription feature for integrating real-life voice

For this week’s video, I am particularly enthusiastic about how Simon Willison demystifies the complexity of machine learning concepts. He does not use jargon in explanations but rather compelling language with interactive visuals. For example, when he illustrates how LLMs actually work, he brings out the Apple auto-translator to break down the similarities in AI topics. One key principle that hooks me is when he shows interactive methods with AI. He blatantly zeroes in on the AI’s lacking in which hallucination turns into obviousness. He recommends we understand how the model works and learn the hard lesson that the iterative process will be never polished. As a result, we have to be the deliberate moderator of the companionship with AI.

Here is the link to my Week #4 sketch (please use RMIT account to access):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OwNd7RGXziUBp9DQEVcnUN1IU-IUZWu-/view?usp=sharing

 

 

Week 2 Blogpost

Here is my group’s media sketch of the week:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QCMD8XnfzsrHwsaM-O5Ti9MecfXdOf1LJNf6HPY-Lyc/edit?usp=sharing

Please use your RMIT account to access the document

Week #2 Vlog Reflection:

Week 3 Blogpost

Here is the access link to our media sketch:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Jlv0gk9_BcMvUyvkUE2_nK9qGrUAmfpYDLrZL6VqEfc/edit?usp=sharing

Please use your RMIT account to access the document

Here is my written reflection:

Week #3: 

A Reddit user posts his Ai-generated recreation of the famous Mona Lisa in the modern day in the AI-art subreddit and received critical responses from other users. Here is the link to the post:

https://www.reddit.com/r/aiArt/comments/11e3elz/modern_day_mona_lisa/

I think it is an interesting case study to remind us that even the most updated language models are fragmented with prejudices and biases, especially in this example, unrealistic visual depictions of women’s bodies. Also, I find out it is Stable Diffusion, the notorious text-to-image, diffusion learning model. To put it simply, training images will be processed through image encoders to represent the information as vectors (Zhao 2023). The diffusion model combines all this information to find relative associations and utilizes them to create final products (Zhao 2023). However, during my research, I discover that the model was primarily trained on images with English descriptions. This explanation explains why the image of the AI modern Mona Lisa is rifled with irrational visuals, largely due to the unhealthy environment of data input. 

With our group’s media sketch this week, we plan to create a melodrama, music theatre script of the scandalous scene of Chris Rock slapping Will Smith. What does not work well is that the Chat GPT model does not update the event in its system. Therefore, it is unable to make a logical analysis of tension and it leads to the issue that the tension is resolved in an illogical sense. In the end, we are gladly happy with the results and our collaborations. Everyone helps spark the idea together so that all the scenes are linear and meaningful. For future media works of a similar kind, it is recommended that we could teach Chat GPT about what should/should not include. Although we frame boundaries to make sure that the story is not astray, we are thrilled with mesmerizing ideas that Chat GPT can spark.

This week’s reading creates an interesting comparison between large language models like ChatGPT and lossy compression algorithms, in order to identify the limitations and challenges of LLMs (Chiang 2023). There is a key quote that really stood out for me “If students never have to write essays that we have all read before, they will never gain the skills needed to write something that we have never read” (Chiang 2023). He asks about the effectiveness of the AI model, whether that “blurry copy of unoriginal work’ helps improve our writing or not. Everyone has to start by mimicking other writers’ styles before crossing to their original work. Therefore, AI might not foster writing but rather disrupt the necessary process in the quest to become a good writer. 

 

Reference List:

Chiang T (9 February 2023) ‘ChatGPT Is a Blurry JPEG of the Web’, The New Yorker, accessed 6 August 2023. https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/chatgpt-is-a-blurry-jpeg-of-the-web

Zhao G (2023) How Stable Diffusion works, explained for non-technical people, Medium website, accessed 6 August 2023. https://bootcamp.uxdesign.cc/how-stable-diffusion-works-explained-for-non-technical-people-be6aa674fa1d



#4 ASSIGNMENT (40%) Large Scale Production

  1. Reflect on the feedback your own group received and reflect on one of the other presentations (what was something you found insightful or intriguing there?
  • Our group pitch the idea of The Situation Comedy to the class and receive critical feedback from Ms. Ruth and classmates. We take inspiration from non-narrative sitcoms, such as the Seinfeld episode ‘The Pitch’, where Jerry and George pitch the show they’re on to NBC executives, and the overarching association of EVS and live-to-tape narrative. We plan to use the whole studio space for production, to maximize the “absurdist” effect of the narrative. The cuts in-between EVS and the intentional BTS narrative were worth investing in. However, the disadvantage of our presentation is that we are at the beginning stage of narrative development. There are a few crucial discussions before pre-production. First of all, we plan to use the whole studio (control rooms, hallways, sets) but we have not checked the feasibility and limit of technology. For example, are we going to put cameras in different locations at the same time and switch the vision during live taping? Or are we going to make some parts as EVS and cut back and forth the recorded and live tapings? More importantly, we need a detailed script of what we mend to produce, in consideration of the limits we might be facing. 
  • I feel intrigued by the presentation of Improv Games. They narrow down the format into specifications of three programs: Thank God You Are Here, Bus Stop, and Concept Clash. They illustrate the rules and how they want to use studio space to split up studio A into three segments for each program. I lean on to the expecting concepts of Thank God You Are Here and Concept Clash. Even though they spin off established game shows, it still creates boundless space for writers to throw in interesting prompts 
  1. Reflect on the work in progress in relation to the crew role(s) you have been assigned. What are some of the challenges you are facing? What are the ways you are incorporating feedback from classmates, your studio leader and the studio presentations? How is the collaborative experience informing the work thus far?
  • One challenge that I am facing is that I have no prior experience in the role of producer. Initially, it impedes me from conversing with other producers effectively because resource management is not my strength. However, I am thankful that our team of producers has such wonderful and multi-talented people who are willing to receive feedback critically and provide amazing support. I would like to thank Amira, Nicole, Jinli, and Larissa for filling in my experience gap. I appreciate that they cooperate with every crew role, keep up with new updates from each team, and respond quickly to individual demands. For example, I was assigned to be in charge of the EVS production team and the workload of EVS was enormous in the context of the time-limit frame. In total, we have short of a week to source inspirational ideas, and create mood boards, storyboards, and shot lists while waiting for the writer team to amend their episode script. Amira does not hasten us to finish the work in alignment with the set deadline in the checklist and Gantt Chart and gives us full control of creative freedom. Meanwhile, there will be different producers keeping in line with different aspects (GFX, audio, prop/sets, DA/floor manager). Therefore, everyone will play a role in the final product and run down the risk of overburdening with tasks. I incorporate feedback from classmates by showing my professional attitude to the production. I set deadlines for each of the EVS’s production stages and have call meetings with EVS members on the days to check their progress. I also talk to the writers and directors of each episode to pitch our EVS’s ideas, present visual preferences and got their checks before starting the shot list and clip sourcing. I endeavor that people show sympathy to each other by not overstressing the deadlines and having transparent conversations about what we demand to pull the best out of individuals.
  1. Reflect on the course readings or ideas/concepts discussed in class each week. You are also encouraged to link these ideas and concepts discussed to your own media making practice; how are these ideas useful in the making of your own multi-camera production?
  • I would like to refer to our reading of Week #9, the newspaper article “Behind the Scenes with Seth Meyers: Breaking news, last-minute Kanye jokes: How to make late-night TV in the Trump era” from Washington Post. The article explores the process of producing late-night television shows during the era of political turmoils. It shows the behind-the-scene efforts required to keep up with the constant stream of breaking news and unpredictable content. For example, they show us what happens if a piece of worth-noting news shows up before the air – how the screenwriter follows the news cycle. The highlight of the show is to create humorous content that reflects the political climate; therefore, any last-minute event will be counted in if deemed appropriate. For instance, the first draft of the special segment “Closer Look” “focuses on the Iran nuclear deal and Trump’s colorful former physician, Harold Bornstein” (Izadi, 2018). However, when they sit down for a meeting at 11:00 am, they stumble on Kanye West’s argumentative lines of slavery – and decide to add that for the show tonight. It is worth evaluating that they prepare a handful of political topics and carefully consider which one might be appropriate for each day. The writer Gentile discusses that “it’s worth checking in on America’s Plan B, Vice President Mike Pence” (Izadi, 2018). The article explores two helpful insights into making multi-camera production. First of all, creativity is under discipline. The writer Amber Ruffin refers to her and another writer (Jenny) as “the duo as “little murderers” who can attack a project quickly” and it shows that they quickly pump out the idea of mimicking rap of criticizing Kanye’s hate speech (Izadi, 2018). However, the script has to go under scrutiny and the writer makes sure that the script is communicated thoroughly before approval. Secondly, the first will never be the best. For example, on the day, the news of Ty Cobb’s departure from Donald Trump’s team is discussed to include in the show later. Meyers and his writers will run a rehearsal and test the effects of humor. If the audience does not get it, they will get rid of that joke. There are two details I take notice of one, “Baze listens to the audience reactions and writes a question mark next to jokes that work” and two, “Meyers and his writers huddle on set and race through “Closer Look” edits, marking what to keep and what to cut” (Izadi, 2018). It shows that not every initial line will pass the last check and if it is not working, never feel hesitant to change it for the better when time allows you to do it.
  • I would like to refer to our reading of Week #10, the newspaper article “The Big Bang Theory’ is ending, but we shouldn’t let multi-cam sitcoms die. Here’s why” from Los Angeles Times. It discusses the value of multi-camera production in the prospect of contemporary’s higher valuation of single-camera over multi-camera. It highlights the communal experience that multi-camera sitcom offers. Its unique charm shows in live studio audiences and laugh tracks. As a result, these shows create a shared laughter that enhances the comedic timing and energy of the performances. Moreover, the recurring format, characters, and predictable structure of multi-camera sitcoms can provide comfort and escapism for viewers (Lloyd, 2019). Separate from the intense focus on small details to tell a story, multi-camera comedy just “looks at people, at close quarters, talking, talking, talking” and emphasizes the share of space – meaning that everyone can be a part of the story, including the audience (Lloyd, 2019). This whole notion of multi-camera values extends to the theoretical implication of using studio space in media making. Every time we visualize how the show will be in, we had to carefully choose the linear sets for the show – all the sets have to be synchronized and in a together block. Next to that, the camera position is up to the second priority list: how many cameras are suitable for this concept? For example, the article mentions the three-camera traditional setup has been intensively used for a long period. However, there are some exceptions: the show (Mork and Mindy) “led producer Garry Marshall to add a fourth camera to the historical three to keep track of his restless star (Robin Williams)” (Lloyd, 2019). For interviews, we would likely recommend a maximum of three cameras. However, depending on different requirements, a fourth might be put if we want it to track the movement of the host. It gives us the mindfulness to rethink multi-camera is equally creativity-invested as single-camera production
  1. How do you hope the final work engages its audience and communicates a key concern of the studio? 
  • I hope that the final work will engage its audience with our meticulous devotion to making the most entertaining gameshow. We spend countless hours enhancing the scripts, with consecutive rollout of drafts and feedback from different departments. We work to ensure that the show has a linear flow that places segments into a logical order. Therefore, the result is sensational that it does not show any rigidity in the transition between games. We want the audience to feel the whole show as coherent content rather than fragmented, sporadic shows. It communicates a key concern of the studio: collaboration. I hope that by the end, we present a democratic atmosphere within the crew- which parallels with attentive listening and constructive feedback. As it contains roles and responsibilities, it is challenging to handle thorough communication without individual contribution. It means that every single body looks after each other’s work and raises their voice if he/she needs support. I hope with the live tape of the final show, we can see the outcome of collaboration in the group.
  1. If you were going to continue to develop the work (have it screen online or for broadcast), what would you improve or extend upon and why? 
  • If I were going to continue to develop the work, I would love to share communication with other departments rather than solely managing my EVS team. As a producer, my task is to cooperate with EVS mates, plan the production stages and manage the deadlines. Although our team successfully created the EVS on time for the show’s premiere, there are some things in terms of quality that I am not fully satisfied with. I expect that my team members should have a meeting with the graphic team to discuss the mutual visuals that we want to put out. For example, what kind of graphics do we want to put in our EVS? Should it be similar to the graphic shown during the live tape? I will love it if every visual aspect synchronizes and matter to each other, rather than the non-related part. 
  1. Reflect on collaboration and what you have learned through your experiences in this studio over the whole semester – how did you go and what were the ups and downs? You should devote 200 words to this. 
  • I have learned that collaboration is a critical criterion in making a successful product. I have learned from working single-handedly on a project to working alongside different people to project a delicate product. The advantageous side of collaboration is that I get to understand thoroughly the strength and capacity of each individual I got a chance to work with. For example, when I was tasked to be a producer, I do not understand the duties of this role. However, as I mentioned, I got support from people who are better at organizational skills than me and managing resources to finish the brief on time. I learned a lot from my teammates in many ways: how they are intricately detailed in their reports, how they communicate and keep an eye on different tasks, and how they ask out for help and support others when needed. It broadens my consciousness of collaboration. Sometimes things might not be favorite in teamworking and rigidity shows up. As a matter of fact that we come from different backgrounds and commute in variable social styles, so we can misunderstand the tasks. For example, I expected that the EVS script that the writer gives out to us is the narrative for the host in the clip. However, things change on the set they follow another script yet leaving me unaware of which one. In the end, I sort out how to balance internal (within my team) and external (to other departments) communication.

Reference list: 

Izadi E (29 May 2018) ‘Behind the scenes with Seth Meyers’, The Washington Post, accessed 29 May 2023. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/style/wp/2018/05/29/feature/inside-the-writers-room-with-seth-meyers-how-to-make-late-night-tv-in-the-trump-era/

Lloyd R (29 May 2023) ‘‘The Big Bang Theory’ is ending, but we shouldn’t let multi-cam sitcoms die. Here’s why’, Los Angeles Times, accessed 29 May 2023. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-st-big-bang-theory-multi-camera-sitcoms-20190505-story.html

Assignment #2: The Game Show

Paragraph #1: The GFX list proves to be helpful to me. The role of GFX is to give the graphic operator and assistant director a sense of how GFX is being played  during the show. Reflecting on our run sheet in the game show, I must reinstate the importance of a GFX list.

When I analyze the mock GFX list, there are some concepts that I conclude about: first of all, the description of the graphic, and second, the additional notes. It is interesting that the description should compile supportive information about the GFX. For example, what is this GFX about, where are we locating this GFX, the size, the font, the format, and so on. It is principally because the graphic operator and producer/writer need to format the content of the GFX to their desires. For example, in the director-booth video of the show “JEOPARDY”, the questionnaire graphic was formatted to be in sync with the overall concept. Looking at the color and the font format of the questionnaire graphics – in blue color and professional, acknowledgeable letter looks.

We will see how they calculate the different alternations of graphics. At first, it was a full-screen question graphic with a voice-over from the host, which might serve two reasons: one, for a break before a transition, and two, to fix any camera angles or errors. Since this game show is live and not pre-recorded, the full-screen graphic might be a sneaky way to hide the studio. The lower-third question bar is showcased during the overview screen of the whole stage. 

The additional notes are significant for the AD to indicate when and where the graphic is shown. They converse with a graphic operator on the placement of graphics (we do not want to see the blocks of graphics on the screen). In addition, for example, if I want to show an OTS graphic while the host is talking, the AD and director should acknowledge it in the GFX list so that they might set up the appropriate camera framing.

Paragraph #2: The history of SNL and its roots in popular culture illustrates the dividend role of inspiration in creative making. I never think of the extensive range that SNL in particular and the general comedy-variety format has historically changed our way of entertainment. The variety format is rooted in the vaudeville concept, which shows a variety of separate acts unanimously (Marx et al. 2013). A new format was adopted in the early radio format history: a general theme with a fictional setting, and controlled variations for the weekly installment (Marx et al.2013). As far as the emergence of pioneering historical and social contexts follows (ie. the transition to TV), it welcomes new styles of entertainment. However, the segregation that sets SNL apart is that it is a live-to-tape production, different from major pre-recorded shows prior in the history. It is adventurous to be exclusively liveness, especially with a show “predicated on the idea of bringing new talent with a countercultural flavor” (Marx et al. 2013). SNL includes a shifting roster of guest hosts, ensemble comedy with sketches/one-liners, and live performances of contemporary artists. It is an interesting tactic for the NBC directors to keep the show updated to change audience biography. The fact that they are still relevant for a long time should be regarded as a great success, retaining relevant ideas and replacing unnecessary ones. It gives me a new insight into the possibilities a live variety show might be operated. If we stay with the old format, keeping recurring characters and the same sketch of comedy, we are no longer adapted to the competitive market. I am thankful that the reading “Saturday Night Live and American TV” shows me historical records of ups and downs in television. It helps me understand how and why the right mindset, flexible to uncertainty, wins the test of time.

Paragraph #3: This game-show assignment enhances two integral aspects of live-to-tape production: the coherence in the team’s communication, and the importance of polishing pre-production. I raised expectations for this assignment when our team was formed on assignment briefing day. A substantial part of this is that the members are comprised of talented and insightful people who spent an impactful amount of time complementing the content and script. Based on the role division, I am not wholly involved in the developing content process. However, I skimmed through the script and run sheet the prior day to shooting and everything is pretty detailed. They write two separate scripts for the host and the fictional co-host, Dave the Dropout (in the EVS). There is no rigid transition between two different narratives in which each dialogue explains and continues the prior one. I am thankful this time that the team briefs the host about the content and prints out a deck of questionnaire cards for the host to follow. Therefore, we will not challenge him to read content out of Autocue throughout the show. 

(Below is the screenshot of our script and explanation)

I am satisfied that the guys put sound effects on the track – it anchors an interesting tweak from the simple narratives. However, we can do more with this aspect. Neglecting the accident of sounds occasionally not playing in sync with the screen, I think we could put intensively rampaging or nerve-racking theme sounds on round 1 – the revision or maybe lightning round 3. It might catch more attention from the audience, and segregate this round’s theme from general-question round 2.

(Look out for the screen switching at 1:55 – the sound plays)

The crew does an exceptional job at GFX. Great thanks to Jamie for pulling out fantastic graphic designs for the show 

(Some of our GFX do not make final cuts)

The time sheet is different as since we agree to discard the intro sequence at the outing. However, the presence of GFX before the EVS of Doug the Dropout explains the rule passed without any checks. I am confused when I double check on the title placement (ie. GFX in the name of EVS). This grave mistake does not pay us a massive consequence since I quickly put on the EVS of Dave at the right time after the host finishes the introduction

(As you can see, in the run-sheet, there is supposed to be the showcase whiteboard EVS before the Dave EVS. I maintained to put all EVS files in order without acknowledgment it not going to be used. Refer to 2:40)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GtBswVd366ylZH-_9dgeY726pWCTERCV/view

It is our mistake of not doing several checks on all the documents before the show. It should be better if, in the next shooting, we spend a considerable amount of time skimming through the errors, and correcting everything before the official run to avoid these mistakes.

Reference list:

Nick M, Matt S and Ron B (2013) Saturday night live & American TV, Bloomington : Indiana University Press.

Assignment 1: The Talk Show – Ready Camera One

First Blog:

When I first encounter the term ‘Multi-camera production’ in this class, I am not sure about this studio’s approach. Having previous interaction with the production mode ‘single cam’, which is historically based in cine, magnifies my insecurity about a whole different aspect. Not only though, I had no idea about either the workflow or technology in multi-cam projects. However, the more I place myself more into studio practices, the more I comprehend the outline of goals in studio descriptions. I am confident to stand up to new challenges which Ms. lovely Ruth assigns to our students. There are two big goals that I wish to achieve at the end of this course: to understand the workflow and technology of TV production, and comprehend how TV, as a cultural text and creative expression, would be able to thrive and prosper. In week 2, I take charge of the Director’s Asssistant, who monitors the set-in representation of the director and makes sure the crew completes their duties (Ruth, 2023). I also tried on Audio Director and especially Graphic (GFX) Operator, which will play a significant role in complementing the looks of future projects. After a few trials, I acknowledge basic pre-production and crew management for the talk show format. It is interesting to learn during the live tape-in, what responsibilities a team of core members (Director, DA, Floor manager, and so on) have to take charge of. 

Some other great insights come from the viewing of historic multi-media shows, including “I Love Lucy”. The show on its own provides vivid explanations for the different aspects of multicam and single-cam production. Multi-cam or single-cam do not supposedly interfere with the quantities of cameras on the set, but rather their settings. Most of the prevalent single-cam shows such as talk shows, variety/late night, etc will have live-studio viewers and the recording is based inside an in-house studio set.

(I Love Lucy BTS)

I hope to learn both theoretical and practical aspects of live-studio production in this course. I am looking forward to reading more industry-insider articles and augments of analysis, which would enrich my application of theories into real projects. The reading on Week 2 is definitely a wholesome summary of multi-cam and single-cam practices – an example of how this course proves to be personally helpful.

 

Second blog:

One interesting idea in the reading “An Introduction to Television Style: Modes of Production” of Butler differentiates between two modes of production, in following to the aspects of production stage. In the pre-production, scripting is not always following the same framework. In one-cam products which call for high-quality visuals (commercials, animation, music videos, to name a few), shot list and storyboard are prerequisite. In the script breakdown, the writers tend to jot down detailed actions, even the expressive moods, with the camera directions (either be zooming in close to the face and panning to the side, for example).

 

(The example is the Dark Knight screenplay breakdown. As you can see from the extract, the action line is cap locked to specifically emphasize what actors need to follow. In some cases, directors will jot down the camera movement, but I bet Christopher Nolan has a sophisticated storyboard instead)

On the other hand, Butler (2018, p.193) illustrates that soap-opera and sitcom comprise mainly of dialogue, with gaps in between that director may write in camera directions, as the script “less image oriented and literally no camera directions at all”. The absence of storyboards and shot lists can track back to the minimal set designs of most one-cam shows. Likewise, in our first live tape-in talk show, there is no prerequisite for ‘acting’. We only need to have a framework of how the talk show will run and the discussion theme, to the most minimal effort. What Butler (2018, p.193) intends to phrase non-narrative programs (game shows, talk shows, reality TV) as “speak in their own voices” is the outcome we are seeking. If we look more broadly into the TV production, the blended nature of two production modes leads to less preservative ideology around each pre-production procedure. A lot of planning in advance will be forwarded by members to find the tailored solutions for each program. In short-film, they break down the scripts into set pieces, and complimentary shot list and storyboard helps visualize those pieces prior to shooting. Whereas in single-cam products, especially live to tape, the push to liveness is priority. However, Butler declares about how each mode borrows the aesthetic technique from the other (2018, p.196). How I met your mother is an example of how the show seems to multi-cam (the use of laughing track to imitate a live audience and live studio-set) but intrinsically uses technique from one-cam (more creative camera movements, time on set is longer) (Butler, 2018, p.197). I think it is necessary to think of two production modes as more of the tool to expressive artist souls. Rather than sticking to one style of production, it works better to learn the beauty from both extremes and develop it for the good of my own.

 

Third blog:

Before the recording day, my team does not have a sufficient script for the talk show. Since I expect that the hosts and the participants are assumed to speak in their own voices, we are negligent of the fact that an organized script helps keep a trace of undesired possibilities (Butler, 2018, p.194). That leads to the problem at the production stage: we have a vague idea of the theme and rush to finish all the tasks on time, especially during the typing for autocue. There are some of the things I expect from the first live-to-tape talk show: one is with the music topic, and second is with our freedom in the choice of props, set design and lighting. The insufficiency of discussion is accountable for the absence of good graphics and lack of coherence throughout the show. For example in Group 2, they boil down to the discussion of a particular person (Kim Kradashian in this case), or else in Group 4, they discuss the Moomba festival. I feel it necessary for a 3 minute show to focus on a specific topic to avoid too general questions. It should be working next time if we had more sophisticated planning.

(In group 2, the host has a deck of questionnaire cards for guideline and the crew prepares some graphics in advance)

Following on the music topic, we could skim down to a specific music theme location or a favorite artist. From that on, we retain our audience’s focus on that topic only. Second of all, I sense that the show’s overall design is a little bit underwhelming. I was watching a YouTube video titled “Using Color to Tell a Story in Film” by the channel “In depth Cine”. There is a part they mention about three ways that film can achieve the color desire and one of them is lighting (In depth Cine, 2022). The lighting is sometimes overlooked; however, it can work as a statement for the show. For example, people watching Who wants to be a Millionaire identify the blue with the show. As I mentioned, it can be solved with sophisticated pre-planning in future projects. There are still some positive points to discuss. I am more than proud of working with teammates who understand their roles and show uttermost respect in communication. Even though we do not start off with the planning perfectly, our team soon covers up the disadvantages smoothly on the set. I want to give special appreciation to Josh and Olivia for being wonderful floor managers and directors. The crew makes my job as director assistant less difficult and the whole communication during the set is on point. Olivia sets up extraordinary visions by giving concise directions to camera operators, while she asks me for suggestions on the camera positioning and so on.

During the on set, me and Josh communicate back and forth to manage the situation in and out of the live set. We are on tight with the running order as giving sufficient time slots for trial and live recording in the compromised time span.

Reference List

Butler, Jeremy. G (2018) An Introduction to Television Style: Modes of Production. In: Television: Visual Storytelling and Screen Culture, Milton : Taylor & Francis Group, Routledge, New York, pp. 185-198.

https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/rmit/detail.action?docID=5264139&pq-origsite=primo

CBS (20 Aug 2020) ‘Behind the scenes of I Love Lucy’, CBS, accessd 21st March 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7yPwWoj4D8

In Depth Cine (28 Feb 2022) ‘Using Colour To Tell A Story In Film’, In Depth Cine, accessed 19th March 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbYjgJuvsDg

Lannom SC (2019) The Dark Knight Script: Screenplay Scene Analysis and PDF Download. Studio Binder, accessed 21st March 2023.

https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/the-dark-knight-script-pdf/

Richard, R (2023) Crew Role Glossary, RMIT Dashboard, accessed 21st March 2023. https://rmit.instructure.com/courses/117281/pages/week-1?module_item_id=4999647

 

 

 

#5.2 ASSIGNMENT – Final Reflection

I would love to give credit to the music video directed by my lovely friend, Emily Cox. A key idea addressed in the studio that I think Emily does good job for her M/V is the transition of sound and images. She takes advantage of the match cuts effect to transit between scenes and represents the vibe of the whole song: internal struggle with love. For example, the burning fire or the storm in the dark is the metaphor for the raging emotions that sit deep inside the character. To maximize the efficiency of the match-up, she blends two different shots to create a dreamy and conflicting look. I also love her choice of colour and lighting in this music video; it is fascinating. It correlates with the concept of moods in genres that we discussed in the studio before. I am not certain about her intentions behind those choices. However, I could sense that each scene should speak out a certain feeling. The bright red, dim light set of the bathroom with the lighter prop signifies the anger – red. Whilst, the dark blue set of the tunnel indicates the sadness – blue. We talked in class about different genres that might have their preferred choices of colour and lighting. Depending on the cinematography choice, drama might only use a bit of light to create contrast or blend the characters into the surroundings. I also like Trevor’s commercial edit. It looks fresh straight out of the commercials I see on TV. I like how he puts the snap photos frame by frame to create the rough motion of B-boy dancing. I also notice that he uses a lot of B-rolls of shoe close-up and place them with the main sequence to intensify the endurance of the shoes. The sound edit is on point. I am not sure if we ever mentioned sound editing in detail. Nevertheless, I love how we smoothly move from the sound of the zipper opening to the hip-hop sound. I bet there is a lot of work with sound design to snap with scene rotation.

I am also interested in the science fiction short movie, TANTRUM, from AUGMENTED CINEMA (Creating Immersive Media with Film and Video). I think the key idea that this short movie communicates is team collaboration. I can reflect on the Commercial genre edit (Freatom) that we did in our studio and my narrative edit from Series Edit Brief. In the team contribution sequel, I see that every member is in charge of different works, from VFX creation to editing and direction. Looking at the successful output, I think that they have shown an awesome teamwork spirit. Because every single duty is labour-intensive, it requires good communication between members to ensure every process finishes on time. The same philosophy applies to our Commercial genre edit. Although the fact that we edited the commercial individually, we had the voice-over recorded by our classmate. Working in a team, an essential characteristic in this industry, means that everybody knows their duties and ensures a good teamwork ethic. I also feel the need for a coherent group in the making of narrative edit. I would like to fragmentalise the production into three big categories: pre-production, shooting, and post-production. In the short movie Tantrum, the pre-production shows vividly through their preparation of the script, visual storyboard, and shot list. The post-production reflects on the sound design (the allocation of track and mixing afterwards), and motion design (VFX). Therefore, I can compare the difference in quality between a one-man movie versus a movie directed by a crew