On the technical side of things, editing is a key component of video production. Editing can make a video tell a story. It’s also important in the world of online video, as sites like YouTube impose file size limitations on the videos that users submit. In my view, this is a good thing because of copyright laws and bandwidth management. Further, it is very easy for users to get bored while watching a video. Of course, they are not going to stay bored for long, so if you don’t have a well edited video, they are going to quickly watch something else instead. This is one area in which web video is different from other traditional video formats. While television shows and feature length films are edited to fit a predetermined, standard length, there are no set guidelines for how long a video on the web should be. Traditional media companies that have been successful in creating T.V. shows and movies struggle to create content for the web that matches the popularity of content created by amateurs. Although editing is one of the most important steps in the process, not everything can be “fixed” in this post-production phase. This is why planning is such an important part of pre-production, as Larry Johnson points out in Web Video. If the right shots are not captured during production, or if the scenes do not follow the rules of continuity, there is very little that editing can do to tell the proper story. Nonetheless, editing is a key part of creating video for the web.

Working on a project for SFCityDish.com has made me realize my position as a content creator. While working with a team to create a 3-5 minute video showcasing a local restaurant, much of what I have been learning about video on the web came into play. Many of the things that I read in Web video by Jennie Bourne and Dave Burstein regarding image and sound quality, equipment setup, and interviewing skills came to mind throughout the process. I have also been considering the process of editing. Although editing happens in post production, you must plan your shots in preproduction, and make sure that you have enough of the right footage during production so that you can edit it in post. Reading about this sort of thing has given me a much better idea of what to expect and what is important in each stage of the production process, allowing me to fulfill my position as director effectively.

Throughout this project, I learned the real value of teamwork in a professional environment. I was fortunate enough to have a great team. It turned out that Kristina (producer), Carl (assistant director), and my skills balanced out very well. Every aspect of this project was executed with excellence, from camera work to communicating with our clients. For all of this to work, we had to trust each other and be responsible for fulfilling our own roles. Nothing could replace the experience of working on this professional project with a great team.

Our guests last week were amazing. We had visitors from Tube Mogul, Moderati, and Media Melon. This combination of guests opened my eyes to the many aspects of online video, both behind and in front of the camera. Youtube and other “destination sites” are out there and obvious, but there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes to produce and distribute video online. One problem that came up several times was how to make web video profitable. Even though this type of content is extremely popular right now, the industry has yet to come up with an effective way to make money from it. Even companies like YouTube are losing money while their content and popularity grow. This presents a great opportunity for fresh minds to figure out some new and innovative solutions. I am considering working with some other web and advertising students to approach this dilemma.

Hi My Name Is Kappy - Animation

This quarter I took an introductory course in 2D Flash animation.  Throught the course, each student developed their own short animation for the web, step-by-step.  Each step, from character creation, to storyboarding, and finally, production, was documented weekly via this homework site

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My personal experience with this project was quite interesting.  Animation has always been something I wanted to try, and I enjoy watching 2D

This is the second version of my character.

animation on the web.  I decided to base my animation on an graffiti painting aerosol can character that I have illustrated in the past.  While Adobe Flash is the standard program for creating these types of videos, it is not the easiest program to learn.  However, by following some of the basic principals of both animation, and storytelling, I was able to express my idea creatively and effectively.

On the technical side of things, creating a walk cycle is one of the fundamental aspects of animation.  This process involves creating a motion loop that makes walking (or in this case, hopping) look natural and seemless.  Once I created a walk cycle for my character, I put it in front of a still background and a moving scene.

Storyboard #1

One  of the great things about animation is that you can create a story based on any subject you can imagine.  That being said, every good animation has to convey some sort of story, no matter how long or short, recognizable or abstract.  I created a storyboard that involved my spray can character travelling around the city spray painting different things until he finally finds himself face to face with a train.  Completing the storyboarding proccess was essential to creating a cohesive animation.

Although my final animation is no feature film, it served as a great learning project.  As animation is one of the most popular forms of online video content, I am glad to have have better understanding of how it is created.