FinalCut - Technical Instructions

Photographs/images
Import your jpeg images into the browser
Drag each image into the viewer window
To adjust the size of the image (to zoom in or zoom out), go to ‘view’ in toolbar and click on ‘image+wireframe’
Adjust the size proportionately with the shift key
Go back to ‘view’ and click on ‘image’ after you have adjusted all the image frames

Adding transition effects to the images
After positioning your images in the timeline
In the browser window click on the effects tab
Locate the video transitions folder
Click on the arrow and choose from different transitions. e.g., Cross dissolve, fade in fade out etc.
Drag any one transition to the front and back of each image
Extend the transition in the timeline as per your choice
Render files and view the sequence in the canvas window

Adding other effects to images
Try: Video Transitions>3D Simulation>Cross Zoom

(You may try others, but note that most are too disruptive to the message and ultimately unusable)

Adding text
Use Video Generators>Text> Crawl / Scrolling. Use the controls in the Controls tab in the Viewer to set size, color, etc.


Adding audio to the timeline
Import and drag the audio file into the timeline and adjust the music according to your 5-7 sec time frame


Moving around an image
- Set the Duration of the image to 10 second or whatever length you want to be.

- Double click the image to open it in the Viewer.

- Set the playhead at the beginning

- Click on the Motion tab at the top of Viewer.

- Click on the diamond button right to Scale to create a keyframe

- Go back to Viewer tab and change Scale

- Set the playhead to the frame where you want to create another keyframe

- Click the diamond button to green to create another keyframe

- Scale the image in the Viewer tab again

- To move/pan the image, you also need to click the keyframe button by Center/

- In the Viewer tab to move the image while the playhead in on that keyframe.

- Drag the image clip to a channel and render

Assignment 5 / Social Media / Facebook

MEDIA: FACEBOOK

1. Begin a Facebook group based on the proposed product or service.

2. Name your group "Friends of (the name of your product or service)"

3. Write a 15-40 words for the "Common Interest - Beliefs & Causes" statement which describes the purpose of the Facebook group and your proposed product or service.

4. Create an appropriate visual for the group, based on a still from your animatic video. The visual should be graphically appropriate for the small display size used in Facebook.

5. Post the stop-motion and the animatic video on the group's page.

6. Get at least 5 people to join the group and have them give their opinion as to the usefulness and desirability of the proposed product or service, as well as suggestions for the features, users, product or brand extensions.

Zooming and moving around an image in Flash. (Ken Burns Effect)

1. Import an image to the stage and convert it to a movie clip. (see last week's instructions.)

2. Create a keyframe on frame 25.

3. Click on frame 25 and on your image on the stage. Using the Free Transform Tool, on the toolbar, enlarge the image. (So, now is you click on frame 1, the image is small and on frame 25 is enlarged.)

4. On the timeline select / click any frame between keyframes 1 and 25. On the properties panel, go to the "tween" pull down menu and select "motion". (If you have Flash CS4, go to "Insert" and select "Classic Tween".)

5. Save, and go to "Control" > "Test Movie". The image must zoom in.

6. Create a keyframe on frame 70. 

With that keyframe selected, select the zoomed image on the stage and change its position by dragging. (So, now the image on the stage is on a different position in frame 25 and frame 70.)

7. On he timeline select / click any frame between keyframes 25 and 70. On the properties panel, go to the "tween" pull down menu and select "motion". (In Flash CS4, go to "Insert" > "Classic Tween".)

8. Save, and go to "Control" > "Test Movie"

Flash Animation!

1. Creating a new Flash file.
Launch Flash CS3 Go to File > New.
In the “New Document” window, select “Flash File (ActionScript 2.0)”, then hit OK.
Save the file.



2. Setting the stage.
In the Properties box, click “Size” to open “Document Properties” Set Dimensions as 720x480, background color as Black, frame rate as 30 fps.



3. Inserting layers in the time line and name them.
On the layer palette (next to the time line), create new layers and name them according to your images. Each one of your images will be imported on a seperate layer. So if you have 3 still images, your flash will have 3 layers.



4. Importing images and converting them to a movie clip symbol.
Select first frame on your first layer, go to File > Import > Import to stage on the menu bar: Select your first image and hit OK. (Flash will ask whether you want to import all of the images in the sequence. Hit “No”). Your image will be placed on the stage. Then, select the image (by clicking on it on the stage) and go to Modify > Convert to Symbol on the menu bar. Name it, and select the type as “Movie Clip”. Then, hit OK. Select your movie clip on the stage and align it properly on the stage.

Select first frame on your second layer, go to File > Import > Import to Stage on the menu bar: Select your second image and hit OK. Flash will ask whether you want to import all of the images in the sequence. Hit “No”. Tour image will be placed on the stage. Then, select the image and go to Modify > Convert to Symbol on the menu bar. Name it, and select the type as “Movie Clip”. Then, hit OK. Select your movie clip on the stage and align it properly.

Select first frame on your third layer, go to File > Import > Import to stage on the menu bar: Select your third image and hit OK. (Flash will ask whether you want to import all of the images in the sequence. Hit “No”). Your image will be placed on the stage. Then, select the image and go to Modify > Convert to Symbol on the menu bar. Name it, and select the type as “Movie Clip”. Then, hit OK. Select your movie clip on the stage and align it properly.



5. Working with timeline.
On your first layer, go to the “frame 10” and add a key frame (go to Insert > Timeline > Key Frame). And go to “frame 40” and add a frame (go to Insert > Timeline > Frame).

On your second layer, move the first key frame to the “frame 21” by dragging. Then, add a key frame on the “frame 41” (go to Insert > Timeline > Key Frame). And go to the “frame 75” and add another frame (go to Insert > Timeline > Frame).

On your third layer, move the first key frame to the “frame 55” by dragging. Then, add a key frame on the “frame 75” (go to Insert > Timeline > Key Frame). Go to the “frame 87” and add another key frame. Add keyframes on “frame 94” and on "frame 105" as well.



6. Working with “tween” animation.
Select “Frame 1” on your first layer (and select the movie clip). On the property panel, go to the “color” pull down menu and select “Alpha” and set the value as “0”. Then, click a frame in between key frames 1 and 10 and on the property panel, go to the “tween” pull down menu and select “motion”.

Select “Frame 21” on your second layer (and select the movie clip). On the property panel, go to the “color” pull down menu and select “Alpha” and set the value as “0”. Then, click a frame in between key frames 21 and 41 and on the property panel, go to the “tween” pull down menu and select “motion”.

Select “Frame 55” on yout third layer, (and select the movie clip). On the property panel, go to the “color” pull down menu and select “Alpha” and set the value as “0”. Then, click a frame in between key frames 55 and 75 and on the property panel, go to the “tween” pull down menu and select “motion”. Then go to the “frame 94” (select the movie clip”) and on the property panel, go to the “color” pull down menu and select “Alpha” and set the value as “0”. Then, click a frame in between the key frames 87 and 94 and on the property panel, go to the “tween” pull down menu and select “motion”.



7. Exporting your movie as a QuickTime Movie.
Save and do “test movie” (on the menu bar: Control > Test Movie). If everything looks good, you can export the movie as a QuickTime movie. On the menu bar: File > Export > Export Movie… In the QuickTime Export dialog box, click “QuickTime Setting…” and set the proper setting (MPEG-4 Video) and hit “OK.
Now, you can view the movie in QuickTime.

Assignment 4: Stop Motion Video

Media: digital camera, FinalCut

-Make a stop motion video using a digital still camera and FinalCut,
suggesting the purpose and how a product or service arising out of your
brand platform theme might function.

This is “denotative” (what it does, its purpose) rather than “connotative”
(its essence, its marketing message, etc.).

-The entire video is one scene. See http://leo.media.mit.edu/?p=89 for
similar examples.

-Start by planning the stop motion video with a simple storyboard using
the provided template.

-Make your stop motion video, then post the video on YouTube and
make a link from your blog.

FINAL CUT / STOP MOTION INSTRUCTIONS

There are 4 palletes in Final cut
1. The Browser (where the jpeg files that make the stop motion video are imported)
2. The Viewer (where you can see each file individually)
3. The Canvas (where you can preview your video)
4. The Timeline (where the files are set up to make the animation)
(They are in different windows, so If accidentally you close or loose one them, go to
Window > Arrange > Standard, and you will get the default view again.)

A) Set the duration of each jpeg file.
The movie has to have an animation effect so the duration of each jpeg on the timeline, has to be very small. Go to: Final Cut Pro (on the top left) > User Preferences > Editing (window). Set the Still/Freeze Duration
to 00:00:00:04. (Now every file imported in the browser will have that duration.)

B) Import your files in the browser.
Go to File > Import > Files. Choose your files. (for a 5 second stop motion video you need about 50 jpeg files).
Make sure that they are in the correct order. To be sure, select all of the files in the browser, go to View > Arrange > by Name.

C) Select All your files from the browser (apart from the "Sequence" icon) and drag them to first slot of the timeline below. Select them on the timeline and go to Sequence > Render All > Video.

D) Play your video on the Canvas (on the top right side).

E) Save the project in Final Cut (File > Save Project)
Then go to File > Export > Using QuickTime Conversion.
Save it as a QuickTime movie.

Upload the video on YouTube, and embed it on your blog.

AUDACITY

1. The controllers are on the top left side.

2. You can record a track or a sound by using the "RECORD" button, or import a track.

3. To import a track:

Go to Project > Import Audio OR go to File > Import Audio (depending on the version of Audacity you have). Select a file from your computer (mp3, aiff, or wav) and hit Open.

  

If your track or sound is too long, you can "cut" it. Select part of it with selector tool (above). Click on the "scissors" button, or hit Delete.

4. You can zoom in or out, to see your tracks better:
Zoom In > command 1 / Zoom Out > command 3

5. Select the first seconds of a track. Go to Effect (> Utility) > Fade In.

(The same with the last seconds, only Effect (> Utility) > Fade Out).

6. Import more sounds or tracks and fade them in and out, like before.

  

Depending on when you want them to be heard, you can drag each track on the timeline with the double sided arrow (above). By fading them in and out, and positioning them on the timeline, they will be mixed more successfully.

7. Once you have imported and arranged your sounds, you can control their volume from their info boxes on the left OR from: Effect > Amplifier > Amplify (depending on the version of Audacity you have). "Mute"(on the left of the bars) makes them silent.

  

If you want to change the volume of one part of your track or sound, select the "star" tool on the top left. Click on the beginning and the end of your selected part, and adjust.

8. When you are finished, save the track as an Audacity file, (File > Save Project). Then export it as wav, aiff or mp3 (File > Export as....).