Week 13: Progression of Final Project

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to my final blog for this course! In this post I will be documenting my progression of my final project along with the challenges we encountered during our project. For our final project, Elena and I will be creating a music video of us playing Carlos Gardel’s arrangement of “Por Una Cabeza'' for 2 violins, in this project we will be showcasing our abilities to setting up professional film cameras and microphones along with editing skills. Prior to filming, we had watched plenty of youtube tutorials on how to set up film cameras and condenser microphones. Once we had gathered a handful of notes we were ready for film day!

During our whole process of filming and editing, we also encountered some challenges that came with this project. One major issue was our unfamiliarity with adjusting the technical aspects such as focus, exposure, frame rate, and other advanced settings. These adjustments are crucial for ensuring high-quality footage, but without proper knowledge, it was challenging to determine the optimal configurations. Due to our lack of experience in handling these cameras, we decided to set the cameras on auto mode. This mode allowed the cameras to automatically adjust the settings based on the environment and lighting conditions. Although this solution simplified the process and ensured that we didn’t have to struggle with the settings, it also meant that we had less control over the final output.

Another challenge was exporting the files from the SD to the computer. The file on the SD card were MXF files, we had to convert this to an MP4 file for us to import into Screenflow. We used a software James introduced to us earlier in the semester called Handbrake, a software which allows us to convert any sort of file format.

Besides all the challenges, I have gained a lot more experience in using cameras and editing, i hope to apply these skills in a classroom setting and pass down my knowledge to students in the upcoming generation. As music educators, incorporating audiovisuals elements can enhance the learning experience providing personalised feedback, allowing students reflect on their progress in a clear and direct manner. Most importantly I had lots of fun making the music video. Throughout the filming process, i gained a deeper appreciation for music videos. I became aware of the substantial effort and time that it takes to capture the perfect shot and edit. Ultimately, this was an enlightening journey that not only deepened my respect for this artistic medium but also motivate me to further explore and enhance my creative capabilities.