This was for a “VERB” assignment WITH a COLOR THEME. One day, I had my son don his brown top hat and some brown attire to jump down the step filmed in various ways along with jumping back with video game sound effects up to grab a brown muffin and stuck to browns, white and black with the dog.

“MUFFIN JUMPIN’” ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

A PIRATESS FRIDAY PRODUCTION

COLOR PALETTE: BROWN BLACK and WHITE

“countdown 3 2 1 jump” by Sorrentix CC 0 Public domain

“SFX_Jump_48.wav”” by Jalastram marked with CC 0 Public domain,

SFX_Jump_45.wavby Jalastram marked with CC 0 Public domain,

SFX_Jump_46.wav by Jalastram marked with CC 0 Public domain,

SFX_Jump_28.wav by Jalastram marked with CC 0 Public domain,

SFX_Jump_17.wav by Jalastram marked with CC 0 Public domain “countdown 3 2 1 jump” by Sorrentix CC 0 Public domain

“Pickup Coin12”, by MusicLegends CC mark attribution

it was done in brown with different camera angles for each step and he jumped back up for the bown muffin which was the goal.

FINAL

Tranisitions:

Transitions used: films dissolve, cross dissolve, non additive dissolve, additive dissolve, page peel, pin wheel, VR light leak, barn doors, VR spherical blur, flip over

Narration the Olympic game farm is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide a safe wildlife friendly environment for lamas Tibetan yaks zebras Kodiak bears Roosevelt elk sika deer and American bison desperately needing to be rehomed from other properly licensed facilities and individuals that can no longer care for them.

Version 2

Version 1

Transformation Re-transformed

Redid the transformation video…

Production notes: VR lightrays, Film Dissolve, cross dissolve

The nature sounds were so clear with a Cannon EOS compared to the Kodak Pixma at the same location I decided it was better than the scipt over about spring coming which was just too much. Was my m\first attempt at getting credits to roll

Storyboard:

COMMON THEME VIDEO ASSIGNMENT

An assignment to use video and stills we already had and make a vid with music. Although they are bottles and the shape stays common, each one is very unique!

“Now I’m Going to try “Nuclear Orange Bomb!” This is supposed to have a terrorizing taste so here we go! It may explode all over me…Oh it’s coming loose!” at the end “AHHH!”

Storyboard

Transformation: Changes happen in life and stories

Transitions in film are shots that lead us through clues in a storyline and invite questions leading to the next one like: how? Why? What next? Filmmaking itself encourages extensive education, research and creation to implement the best tried-and-true traditional techniques to innovate new ideas. These are the “invisible threads” that weave a film together, but you can notice they are there once you get familiar with some of them. There are many different types such as: Fade ins, jumpcuts (fast flips to different scene), dissolves blend one scene to another by fading and time passes, cutaways where the viewpoint switches from a subject to the main action and a cut to black such as the monolith’s appearance in “2001’s A Space Odessey” to name a few.

Transformation takes us on a real-life journey of transitions like sunrises and the change from night to day or day to night… or revealing like a moth from cocoon to hatching with wings. Revolutions are seismically huge transitions that can invoke many emotions from starkly different shots of the battlefield and death to celebration shots of the victor and the change that has taken place. Color can transition us from one place to another like in “The Wizard of Oz.”

As far as streaming services go, they have totally disrupted the the distribution, attendance, and access to films and filmmaking.  No longer do we all rush to the movie theater for the big premiere.  Many people are watching short and long videos that were created for free using technology most users have like their own IPHONE in high quality.

CGI has come along and altered all tools are available for filmmakers.  Star Wars went from miniature sets and fishing wire hung starships to newer storylines with even more CGI and Jar Jar Binks. Gamers today might opt for a VR experience that plays out like a movie you are immersed in rather than go to a showing. AI algorithms are also aiding in scriptwriting, editing and more are being hailed as the “new” future of film right now, a MAJOR transformation for the industry, as more students and creators have access to AI. I love how in “The Frost” the snow is blended going across the shot sideways and the title “freezes over” I love the way the camera pans out to the landscape, and uses a fake shaky camera movement on the rock explosions. The panning and the reflections of the computer screen against the glasses in this video down right down to the fadinghandprint at the end hit at more traditional transitions in the futre as AI improves since there are alot of jump cuts as AI scenes generally have to be stitched together.

The entire AI movie of “The Frost can be viewed on the link below: (Be sure to bookmark my site, open a new page for this link, or use the back arrow to be sure and return for more riveting Piratess Friday content..I have also included a link to some IPHONE movies for the curious)

Welcome to the new surreal: how AI-generated video is changing film | MIT Technology Review

10 Awesome Movies You Didn’t Know Were Made on iPhone – Flickside

I have an assignment to make a short flick about transitions one idea of script and images/storyboard that I was going to mix with rock searching videos in streams I threw in powerpoint rather than paper sketch to merge with transitions in-between was…

Script plan for 3 minute class midterm and final project narrative:

Finding out what game OR ACTIVITY your FAMILY MEMBERS enjoy best, adds another dimension of connection no matter what their age. Personally? I have met all ages of CARD AND BOARD GAME  players from age 5-90 and had fun meeting other parents at comic shop events. 

BOARD AND CARD GAMES ARE VERSATILE ENOUGH TO BE PLAYED OUTDOORS AND INDOORS, while online games can connect players across the world.

QUE: Game shelf vid

Board games, online games, card games.. Take interaction with family to a whole new level. 

QUE: display case vid  

Audio: FOR US, Collecting cards and understanding their value adds a whole nother level of gift giving.

AUDIO: Card games have standard setups just like board games do.

1. Que: CARDCLOSEUP of card WITH AUDIO “Cards in card battle games usually have hit points, a cost of other cards needed to play it, captivating artwork making it collectable, and a rule or description of what it actually does.

WE COLLABORATE ON DECK IDEAS AND DEVISE STRATEGIES TO MAKE OUR DECKS FUNCTIONAL FoR BATTLE…

We pack a binder with extras if someone wants to Trade!

Then when we are ready, it’s off the the comic shop we go to meet new people, have fun, learn and play

Questions: How long have you been playing Pokemon Chris? What inspired you to start a new gameshop in PA?

Video SHot sampler 1-8 TYPES of SHOTS

OVER THE SHOULDER – Conversation and Comfort: OTS frames a character from behind, over someone else’s shoulder. It immerses us in dialogue, creating intimacy

1. Extreme Long Shot (ELS):
   1. Scale and Esteem: An LS shows the character within their surroundings, emphasizing scale. It can evoke vulnerability or insignificance. An ELS places the character against vast landscapes

Medium closeup MCU Light and Learning: An MCU frames the character from the chest up, emphasizing facial expressions. It’s perfect for moments of realization or enlightenment.

1. Establishing Shot (ES):

Avidity and Sanguine: An ES introduces a location or setting. It sets the stage, creating anticipation. Picture a bustling marketplace at dawn—the camera sweeps across colorful stalls, capturing the energy and promise of a new day

1. Emblematic Shot:

Intention and Identity: An Emblematic Shot symbolizes a theme or character trait. It’s deliberate and iconic. Imagine a detective’s badge gleaming in the moonlight—it represents duty, justice, and identity – Our recognizable trade binder

2 shot – Dichotomy and Dynamics: A Two Shot features two characters together. It highlights their relationship—be it love, conflict, or camaraderie…both of us close together collaborating on deck ideas and devising strategies to make our decks functional for battle

Extreme closeup -revealing details

1. Extreme Close-Up (ECU) and Close-Up (CU) Shots:

Motives and Maps: In an ECU, we focus intensely on a character’s eyes, lips, or a specific object. It conveys intimacy, secrets, or hidden intentions. A CU reveals emotions, details, and motivations

Extreme close up had to have a map and motive the motive was the rule on the card and the reason of play..the map is my playmat showing where each card goes

1. Abstract Shot:
   1. Exploration and Andragogy:. It invites interpretation and creativity. Think of distorted reflections in a funhouse mirror—.

YES! absolutely I can feel raindrops when I see footage with sound or feel a rouch driftwood edge when I see it portrayed correctly. There are several categories beyond touch taste and feel a video can convey such as “Equilibrioception” where one feels unsteady or unbalanced.

The feeling I was aiming for earlier was “Pruritology” or feeling “itchy” is a sense of the skin to get your attention of a select area. The study of “Pruritology,” investigates causes, mechanisms, and cures. Itches range from “psychosomatic” at the mere mention of mosquitoes or viewing pictures of poison ivy, to different degrees from minor {like a bite or chronic physical responses) to a rash like chicken pox or a condition like eczema. There are many different neural pathways that lead to this “itchy feeling and satisfaction phenomenon” depending on all kinds of factors, from allergens, mental states, and underlying medical issues and this leads to a nociception auto-response where we “Scratch” at the itch until we feel “satisfied” and the itchy feeling has gone away. Here is the same video with a title page and credits in case you are curious.

I went to the 3D showing of Migration at the beginning of the quarter with my kiddo and decided to do  a clip of the movie for storyboard class practice.  The audio is on the left the visuals I drew are on the right.  Storyboards are like snapshots of each frame that are used to tell or plan a story by filmmakers.

At this showing, I also happened to see as an extra bonus after the previews that involved Vector and some minions on the moon.

Who is Vector from the “Despicable Me” franchise?  Everyone knows Gru, the main villain, but Vector was a side villain, whose plotline just got resurrected in this short easter egg preview attached to the “Migration” movie to draw extra attendance from movie “geeks” like myself who loved DVD extras or hang around to see if there’s a little bonus clip after the credits.  Illumination studios did a great job on that series, so (to not divulge too much information) if you have not had a chance to see the minion movies…Vector had stolen a shrink ray with plans to shrink the moon and wasn’t referred to in any that followed.  He does see Bob (the floating minion) who is waiting for a ride and attempts to even catapult himself off the moon, but winds up elsewhere and does not get home to where we know if he will reappear anytime soon, be re-discovered later in a future minion movie, or just be a continuing running update gag about his status every once in a while to satisfy curious fans…only the future will tell.

If you wish to know a little more bookmark my site and check out

WARNING SPOILER ALERT: What Happened To Despicable Me’s Villain Vector Finally Confirmed 13 Years Later (screenrant.com)

This was a hilarious short I ran across and just decided to include here… 

Audio and Sound Effect Importance

Audio is extremely important in video production because of all of the emotional strings that can be pulled depending on the chromatic scale and happy, sad or dramatic tone of the music used.  Comedic pieces might have recognizable themes running behind them like in the Benny Hill Show.  Cartoon music might pause right before Wile E. Coyote drops an anvil or pauses in midair to emphasize the moment.  The Queen’s Cartoonists use of sound effects, moods, and tempo demonstrate a wonderful example in this video here and the same principles can be applied to all visual media from TV shows and commercials to movies. 

The music l chose in one of my previous projects was dramatic on purpose because I wanted to add some excitement to the educational topic highlighted as well as our business installations being linked to progress and advances from earth to outer space.  

Bram Stoker carfully chose the music in Dracula’s Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to span from haunting- “The Beginning” | Bram Stoker’s Dracula (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) to the “Love Song for a Vampire” video, one of my favorites I chose to include here: 

I always tended to group my songs into themed sets when I would add a recording to a cassette tape in the 80s and divide my CD collection categories in the 90’s and 2000’s in a similar manner.  I would name these tapes or sections things like:

“Playful” and throw songs or CDs in that had childhood games or lyric mentions like “Pop Goes The Weasel” – 3rd Bass (1991), “Mary Had a Little Lamb” by Stevie Ray Vaugn, KORN – “Shoots and Ladders,”  or just fun upbeat songs like “Beautiful People” Marilyn Manson, songs I could skip along to like “Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats, Sublime’s “Hong Kong Phooey” (or the whole “Saturday Morning: Cartoons’ Greatest Hits” album produced by Ralph Sall or upbeat albums in general.

Favorite genres like jazz would have abums from bands like Cherry Poppin Daddies, Harry Connick Jr, and Squirrel Nut Ziippers…how do you organize your music?

Image Systems In Movies: What Is It?

Posted By adminFebruary 16, 2024No CommentsEditImage Systems in Movies: What is it?

There are several movies with an “image system” that come to mind and some I ran across during research.  An image system is a repeated visual technique or image that reappears.  Some are obvious like the red balloon that floats though almost the entire 1956 short film  “The Red Balloon.”

Some are used to highlight the story…in the “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” the cameraman uses different shot techniques such as blurring and loss of visuals to illustrate the forgetfulness of losing memory. Other image system examples (in too many movies to mention) range from rear view mirrow views in detective or racing movies to views in windows or the use of many reflections in different mirror angles.

In my favorite movies, such as “Tank girl,” “The Mask,” “Roger Rabbit,” and “Cool World” animations and comic book stills or even a cartoon universe are injected that show the same character in similar iconic attire.  Lori Petty appears in a tank top or pigtails for Harley Quinn in Batman series fame  similar to the character she portrays.  Jim Carry is repeatedly seen in a yellow suit when he is in “Mask” form, and both  Jessica Rabbit reappearing in her iconic red dress and the “Cool World” Holli Wood character and cartoon world keeps blending with reality.

Dystopian sets and panels help connect some of these plots with the stories they were borrowed from and reinforce continuity of the story setting.  Once aware of what image systems are, it is hard to not watch and catch a few director image styles as an “Ah-ha!” moment in future viewing to come.

Please bookmark my site and enjoy these links:

Related article:

Tank Girl | Lori Petty Walked so Harley Quinn Could Run (thecompanion.app)

COLOR – Making Movies Stand Out

Color is a fun yet important setting consideration when deciding how to film a movie.  Color can emphasize all kinds of moods from blue for sadness to red for rage.  “The Matrix” uses a green color palette for coding and a futuristic/tech look.   Movies sometimes just highlight one character by painting it a different color from the rest like the red coated girl in Schindler’s List.  She represents innocence and from the rest of the black and white film, her death  is highlighted this way to show war deaths as meaningless.

Screenshot 2024-01-30 051406.png

“Schindler’s List” by elycefeliz is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

To highlight the main character, certain movies will also highlight the main character with certain colors.  In “The Mask” Jim Carry’s Character is always seen in green makeup with a yellow suit making it easy to follow the antics going on, and “Kill Bill” put Uma Thurman in an iconic yellow jumpsuit.  “Mad Max beyond Thunderdome” sticks to mostly machine dark colors on top of the desert sand color behind.

Most interesting of all, “Dick Tracy” stuck to a 7 color-palette scheme in the making of the movie. The director and cinematographer went as far as painting the buildings, choosing the cars, and making the suits based on the scheme of primarily red, green, fuscia, orange, cyan, blue, and yellow.  The saturation brings more drama and the audience is not used to seeing a fixed pallete used in that manner, I highly recommend seeing it as a treat to the eye.

11 Things You Might Not Know About Dick Tracy | Mental Floss