Final Cut Pro 7 software

In post production for this documentary project I used the editing software Final Cut Pro 7.
I was taught the basic techniques and shortcuts to the software by a friend who had been using the software for a long time and knew it well. I had practiced using the software on a few previous projects so that by the time I came round to editing this project I knew what I was doing and was confident in using it so I could concentrate on the film's content more than the editing process.
During this project I also experimented with colour grading and colour correction to ensure that my shots were vibrant enough to show India to its full potential in terms of its vast variety of colours and landscapes. I thoroughly enjoyed this process and developed my knowledge and skills of how to operate the software and use it to its fullest potential.

Here are some screenshots of examples of processes and techniques I used when editing with this piece of software.

Here is an overview shot of the timeline in Final Cut Pro where the editing process takes places. There are 2 video tracks and multiple audio tracks which gives me the ability to play multiple audio files at one time such as ambient background music, the non diegetic voiceover and diegetic sounds from the surroundings. 

During the interview with Jos I used the SmoothCam effect which increases the stability of the image as I did not have access to a tripod at the time. This effect resulted in a smoother outcome making a more stable image for the audience.

In the Browser window in the top left corner shows the number of original media files that were used within the production of the film, including video files, audio files and still images.

Filming diary

Day 1 - 

Still jet lagged from the day travelling before I walked into the town we're staying in on the outskirts of Pune to look around city and find potential filming locations. At the end of the road we were staying on was the main city road where I was able to film a number of B-roll shots, for example the traffic passing by and lanterns at the side of the road which were there for the Diwali festival. The weather was extremely hot and stuffy in contrast to the English weather so was a short filming trip until we headed back to the place we were staying at to refill with water and rest for the days ahead.

Day 2 -

On the morning of day 2 I got into a minibus to take us to the centre we would be working at and used my external sound recorder to record some of the music that was playing on the local Indian radio stations which I could use as background music in my final piece. We then returned in the afternoon to where we were staying so I used this opportunity to walk around the city and the area we were staying to shoot more B-roll footage of the natural surroundings and the establishing shots of the city that could be used in the opening. As I was filming I heard the sound of bongo drums playing in the distance so I decided I would try and find the source of the music. After 5-10 mins I found a bongo band who were practicing. I explained to them my project and they allowed me to record some of their music to be used within the film. I then stayed for another 15 mins whilst they asked me questions about England. In the evening I took my first ride in an autoricshaw which is the Indian version of a taxi, however it's more like a motorbike with a roof. Having said this I was able to capture great shots out of the side showing the travel through the whole city and 'madness' of the city and environment they live in.

Day 3 - 

In the afternoon of Day 3 I was introduced to Jos who was the leader of an organisation that took women who were in slavery and gave them jobs and skills to make a new start to life. He told us some amazing stories of the people he works with. I knew this would be a great opportunity for me to find out first hand what "Freedom" meant to him. I approached him at the end of his talk to us and asked him whether it would be possible to interview him for my project. He was more than happy to and I gave him the question I wanted to ask and without any further direction spoke for 6 minutes straight on the concept of freedom. It was a mad rush in order to make the shot perfect and I ran into my first technical problems when the memory card ran out of space mid take. In the end everything fell into place and it was a perfect opportunity that I am fortunate to have found and gave me the interview I could base the documentary film around.

Day 4 - 

The evening of Day 4 brought on the first day of the Diwali festival celebrations, which meant the city was jam packed with people messing around with fireworks at the side of the road and incredible paintings on the floor of the streets. This was a golden opportunity to get a lot of B-roll footage of the people in the city celebrating and many shots of fireworks in the sky. In the evening me and my dad both set up our tripods on the roof and experimented with our cameras taking photos of the fireworks.

All in all the trip to Pune, India was a great opportunity and a gold mine for incredible footage that was impossible to capture every last image of. The camera and sound equipment worked extremely well and made filming and post production quicker and easier and improved the quality of the final product massively.

Photography album

When out in India I also used this opportunity to take a number of different photos to take home as memories and also to show the vibrant culture and environment out there. Here is a short selection of my favourite photos.

Documentary Genre

The style you select to tell your story could be based on one of the following documentary genres...

1. Personal

- A ‘first person’ account of personal experiences. The narrative relates to you, the

storyteller and focuses on a significant event, issue, premise or memory.

2. Biographical

- An account of a significant person’s life, or focusing on particular aspects, occasions, occurrences or highlights in a person’s life.

3. Historical

- An account of a significant event that happened in the past. Archive materials such as

video, photos and documents can be used.

4. Analytical

- An account of a specific event or investigation or issue that is analysed and clarified.

5. Compare and Contrast

- Where the narrator compares the similarities or contrasts the differences between two subjects.

6. Cause and Effect

- Where the narrator gives an opinion on the reasons for something significant happening and reflects on the resulting changes.

7. Persuasive / Advocacy

- An account of a specific investigation or issue where the narrator tries to

influence the viewer by taking a particular stance or position by using supporting facts, or by considering an opposing point of view.

8. Eye-witness (as a participant)

- An account of a specific investigation or event where the storyteller is an actual participant. Often referred to as Cinema Vérité when the film-maker becomes involved in the story

9. Observational (fly on the wall)

- An account of a specific investigation or event where the storyteller is an observer. This is other referred to as ‘direct cinema’ and is an unbiased approach. The audience draws their own conclusions.

10. Doco-drama (re-enactment)

 – The re-enactment of a particular even where actors play various dramatic parts.

 

Radio advert - Production and Product

When creating this short radio advertisement I used a piece of software called Soundtrack Pro that allowed me to record my audio and use a multiple number of tracks in order to create the final product. Here are examples of the production process using this software.

Here is a screen shot from the process of editing the radio advert. As you can see there are two tracks, Track one with the background guitar music and Track two with the short sound bites of speech which I recorded with a microphone. Using Soundtrack Pro allows me to cut any extract of sound down to my desired length. It also gives me the opportunity to add filters onto the voiceover or music to create a certain mood or have a specific effect on the audience listening, which is very important as the aim is to grab their attention in a short amount of time.

For my sound bites I used the audio filter BitCrusher as it enhanced the sound making it louder and more direct to the audience which is what I wanted as it was more likely to catch the audience's attention.


Here is the final Radio Advert.

Radio Advert - Research

As an ancillary task for this documentary film I produced a potential radio advert. This would be used as a resource to give out information about the film and to access a large number of people to advertise the documentary to the target audience. In order for the radio advert to be effective I needed to ensure that it grabbed the audience's attention in a short period of time. I did this by using short questions that related to the topics within the film.

There is a broad range of choices for type and length of radio adverts. With changes in the radio industry and better production technologies, the mode of commercial presentation has changed, and commercial advertisements can take on a wide range of forms. The two primary types of radio ads are 'live reads' and 'produced spots'.

Cousin to the ad-libbed commercial, 'live reads' refers to when a DJ reads an advertiser's spot on the air, delivered from a script, fact sheet or personal knowledge.

'Produced spots' appear to be more common. A spot is 'produced' if the radio station or an advertising agency record it for the client. Produced commercial formats include: straight read with sound effects or background music, dialogue, monologue (where the voice talent portrays a character, as opposed to an announcer), jingles, and combinations of these. Studies show that the quality of the commercials is as important to listeners, generally, as the number of ads they hear.

Anecdotal evidence shows that people generally think listening to commercials in exchange for free radio is a "fair deal". Thus, radio advertising can be an effective, low-cost medium through which a business can reach their target audience. Studies show that radio ads create emotional reactions in listeners. In turn, consumers perceive the ads as more relevant to them personally, which can lead to increased market awareness and sales for businesses running ad schedules. 

Broadcasting my short advert out to the country on a radio station such as BBC Radio 4 would allow me to access a large number of people and give information about my documentary film for example topic and viewing times and platforms.