My experience in time-based editing

Reading Response Week of 10/1-10/3

Craig, Understanding Augmented Reality (Chapter 4 – Augmented Reality Software) and Costello, Multimedia Foundations (Chapter 13  – Time-Based Editing)

The same goes for last week in regard to my thoughts on Craig’s chapter. Of course, chapter four was informative and it’s great to have on hand the logistical information covering AR software, but in terms of blogging there’s not too much there. I was fascinated yet again, however, with Costello’s chapter on time-based editing, as it took me back to practicing journalism in my undergraduate days.  

I thought the best way to handle this week’s blog post would be to discuss the concepts and terminology from the chapter and apply them to some video examples of my own. I’ll be citing from the following three samples: 1) a series of packages compiled while interning with the WTVR-TV CBS 6 Richmond, VA sports department, 2) a package created while assisting Dr. Tharon Howard in the MATRF during the 2012-2013 academic year, and 3) a package created for Dr. Cynthia Haynes’ final composition project in Spring 2013.

See the MATRF video via the YouTube Channel

I’ve chosen these specific packages because they are all different in terms of what program they were created/edited in and in the types of video characteristics they showcase. The sports packages were edited using Apple’s Final Cut Pro; the MATRF package, in Adobe Premiere; and, the composition package, in Apple’s iMovie.

The CBS 6 sports package features two stories, the SunTrust VA State Golf Championship and a feature on Richmond Flying Squirrels standout player, Brandon Belt. The packages contain many unscripted action and dialog elements, as described by Costello in the reading. The VA State Golf championship story includes sound bites from key golfers, voiceover (as read by myself) and b-roll of the event. Prior to TV debut, I added supers (or titles) so that our viewers knew who the folks were. The baseball story also features these elements, as well as nat sound from the game noise and the fan chatter. Both of these packages feature me, the reporter, on camera; I close the golf package (a sign-off) and open the baseball story (a stand-up) on camera.

Both the MATRF and composition project packages are less journalism-esque, as they were produced for educational purposes. Both packages include background music. As Costello writes, these audio assets were imported as uncompressed files and were placed on different tracks during the editing process. In addition, these two packages include titles in the lower third; these titles give information on the person talking and his/her affiliation or relevance to the story. The MATRF package features b-roll, while the composition project package does not.

The viewer might notice my lack of transitions in these three packages. Costello tells us why this is: “…you must use them with caution…sporadic and random use of transitions will likely overwhelm the viewer’s senses, potentially causing them to lose interest and disengage from the message” (412). Rather than incorporate fancy, out-of-place transitions and effects, I used simple cut-ins, cutaways, fades and dissolves to enhance the narrative continuity of each story (392).

I cannot stress enough the importance of file organization and saving. Costello highlights the issues of file size, storage and sharing capabilities, and I’ll be the first to reiterate his thoughts here. In all my times editing, the worst thing to happen is have files disappear or become accidently deleted. I’ve learned that file organization in editing projects is key, not only to the success of the end product but in the sanity of the creator as well.

I’m familiar with time-based, non-linear editing, and I completely agree with Costello’s closing thoughts in the chapter: “While you need to be able to use your NLE effectively, don’t get too tied up in the software—if you don’t understand basic editing concepts and theory, you won’t be able to communicate effectively…avoid becoming too attached to a particular NLE” (413). While I favorite Apple’s Final Cut Pro compared to Adobe Premiere and Avid (by a long shot), I’ve come to terms with learning how to work across these platforms.

Sources:

Costello, V. (2012). Time-based editing. Multimedia foundations: Core concepts for digital design (383-413). Boston: Elsevier.

Craig, A. B. (2013). Augmented reality software. Understanding augmented reality: Concepts and applications (125-149). New York: Elsevier.

All video content written, created and edited by Katie Mawyer.

*Addressing Error

In reviewing my blog posts, I've found that I posted the incorrect citation for last week's post on Craig Chapter 3. The correct citation is available here:

Craig, A. B. (2013). Augmented reality hardware. Understanding augmented reality: Concepts and applications (69-124). New York: Elsevier. 

The most recent blog post covered the Craig chapter listed for the week of 9/24-9/26, which was Chapter 3: Augmented Reality Hardware (rather than Augmented Reality Software).

If I updated the citation on that blog, the date of publication would show to reflect the edits; therefore, I'm correcting myself here. Sorry about that, and thanks!

Color use in film

Reading Response Week of 9/24-9/26

Craig, Understanding Augmented Reality (Chapter 3 – Augmented Reality Software) and Costello, Multimedia Foundations (Chapter 4  – Visual Communication)

Can’t say I was too keen on Craig’s chapter for this week. There were, however, a few passages or concepts that stood out to me, so I’d like to delve further into one here. On page 80, Craig discusses the role of compasses as a sensor for tracking. His words prompted me to recall a recent article featuring iOS7 updates. Along with the new mobile operating system came nifty updates for the compass app. In sum, Apple’s compass app now serves a double purpose – users have access to a level. Alas, technology has done it again; now, consumers can rid their levels and rely on their trusty iPhones for ensuring that surfaces are level and pictures are hung at proper angles. While this isn’t in respect to AR, it is an example of how technology (and the smart phone aka our hardware for AR) is impacting our day-to-day.

I was more intrigued with Costello’s chapter on visual communication. In discussing color, one of the main elements of design, Costello references the movie Catch Me If You Can and its use of color throughout the film to assist in character and plot development. This done in several movies, and thought I’d share some of those instances here:

Pleasantville, the 1998 film staring Reese Witherspoon and Toby Maguire – Jennifer (Witherspoon) and twin bother David (Maguire) play two completely opposite twins. Jennifer is the rebel type, whereas David goes by the books. One evening, after fighting over which TV program to watch, the twins are transported into a TV program, Pleasantville, where the twins become Bud and Mary Sue Parker in the 1958 black-and-white sitcom. During their time in Pleasantville, the scenery changes from black-and-white to color as the characters are exposed to new-age lessons, ideas, etc. Color becomes vibrant and vivid, the timing and placement of its use are critical to film and character development, and it’s used to indicate irrevocable change.

Sin City, the 2005 crime action film staring Bruce Willis and Jessica Alba – The film is based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel and takes place in a series of parts. While I haven’t seen the film myself, I’ve heard it on a must-watch list in terms of the way color is used. Reviews suggest that the use of red and blue is very powerful.

The Wizard of Oz, the 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer classic staring Judy Garland – The film is noted for its use of Technicolor, and its bright colors cannot be mistaken when used in combination with black-and-white scenes. This film actually incorporate

s several other notable vis comm principles of which Costello refers to in his chapter, including: contrast, depth, proportion and figure-ground.

The Secret Garden, the 1949 film is the second adaptation of the 1909 novel – The film appears in black-and-white for the majority of scenes; however, the scenes set in the garden appear in Technicolor. This use of color highlights the eroticism of the film, further illustrating the special nature of Mary Lennox’s character, as played by Margaret O’Brien.

These color techniques, as they are addressed in the readings, go hand-in-hand with our class conversation on subtractive and additive color.

Sources:

Costello, V. (2012). Visual communication. Multimedia foundations: Core concepts for digital design (95-126). Boston: Elsevier.

Craig, A. B. (2013). Augmented reality concepts. Understanding augmented reality: Concepts and applications (39-67). New York: Elsevier.

Omermus, W. “The niftiest iOS7 feature you haven’t found yet.” Slate. 21 September 2013. Retrieved on September 24, 2013, from http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/09/21/ios7_tips_compass_app_secretly_has_a_level_and_it_s_addictive.html

Pleasantville (film). (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved September 24, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleasantville_%28film%29

Sin City (film). (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved September 24, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin_city_film

The Secret Garden (1949 film). (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved September 24, 2013, from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Garden_%281949_film%29

The Wizard of Oz (1939 film). (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved September 24, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wizard_of_Oz_%281939_film%29

Optical Illusions: How do they relate to AR?

Reading Response for Tuesday, 9/17  
Craig, Understanding Augmented Reality (Chapter 2 – Augmented Reality Concepts)

In Chapter two, Craig outlines concepts related to augmented reality. Specifically, he discusses depth cues, defining them as “information used to determine how far away things are from us and how we understand the three-dimensional world we live in” (59). The information in this section sounded somewhat familiar, and I connected the teachings to my experiences with optical illusions. I wondered: How are these two concepts (augmented reality and optical illusions) related? After all, they come from the same family, don’t they? — They’re visually perceived images that add information to our physical world. Both seem to help (or challenge) us to understand the three-dimensional world we live in, as Craig describes.  

He writes that “artists have used these ‘tricks’ for hundreds of years,” and I immediately thought of similar tricks as they are used to create illusions (59). I consulted Wikipedia for a quick refresher on optical illusions, and the language used to describe these artistic representations somewhat mimicked that used when describing AR. In following along with the characteristics of monoscopic image depth, I’ve provided pictures of optical illusions that might correspond with some of the cues:  

Shading:

Craig tells readers “shadows give us clues as to where objects are in a three-dimensional world” (60). This optical illusion uses shading to manipulate the design, providing viewers with an altered perspective and perhaps inaccurate information about the scene they are viewing. The scene depicts a checkerboard with light and dark squares, and the illusion is that square A is actually the same color as square B. See how it’s done.  

Size:

Traditionally, size allows us to note which of two objects is smaller and farther away. Craig points out this too, noting “the size that objects appear to be gives us clues as to their distance” (60). This optical illusion denotes this through tricks. In this image, the corridor appears to look 3D, thus making both vertical lines seem different in length. The illusion asks viewers to guess which line in bigger (longer in length), when both lines are actually the same.

Linear Perspective and Height in the Visual Field:

In the outer two examples here, parallel lines are used to portray size, length and height. While the lines appear to be different, they are the same length. Take the example of the man and the boy: Both figures are of equal height, but their association and placement in relationship to one another makes the man appear taller. This placement, in combination with the use of vertical lines and checkerboard pattern, allows the viewer to make judgments based on what he appears himself to see.  

Brightness:

While similar to the shading cue, brightness places an effect on optical illusions with the help of color. This example uses a color gradient as a background to the image, thus the horizontal bar appears to be changing in color.

I’d be interested in having a class discussion on this topic, as I think we would be able to uncover some cool concepts at play here that AR has to share. In looking around the web, I found the following video that showcases an augmented optical illusion. Check it out here.    

Sources:

Craig, A. B. (2013). Augmented Reality Concepts. Understanding augmented reality: Concepts and applications (39-67). New York: Elsevier.
Optical illusion. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved September 13, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_illusion 
“Optical illusion: from Reality to Augmented.” 9 November 2010. YouTube. Accessed on 13 September 2013. Web.

Image Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checker_shadow_illusion  
http://www.moillusions.com/category/relative-sizes-optical-illusions 
http://gibbysfrenchfryreport.blogspot.com/2010/10/foghorns-lesson-in-illusion.html
http://chestofbooks.com/business/psychology/Achievement/Chapter-III-Sensory-Illusions-And-Suggestions-For-Their-Use.html#.UjN4UbzFau4
 

AR in Sports

ENGL 675: Writing for Electronic Media

Reading Response for Tuesday, 9/10

Craig, Understanding Augmented Reality (Chapter 1 – What Is Augmented Reality?)

In reading Chapter 1 of Understanding Augmented Reality, I continued to relate descriptions of the featured technology, as well as Craig’s definition of “augmented reality,” to experiences during which I’ve utilized, been immersed in the medium. Craig provides somewhat of a history and showcases the evolution of AR, and I questioned how dated this medium actually is. Upon hearing the term AR for the first time, I most recently considered it to be a new, up and coming medium; having now been introduced to the topic, I realize it’s been around a little bit longer than I thought and its presence is evident across disciplines.

According to Craig, AR is “primarily a visual medium” (1-2). Its origins can be traced to ancient times, but common examples are evident in our day-to-day lives. The field I think most of is sports television. Here are some images (compliments of Google):

We’ve seen the image overlay that Craig talks about in our participation with sports television and their affiliated programs. Sports reporters and anchors use virtual playbooks to assist them with their broadcasts; viewers use cues (e.g., first down lines, scoreboard-like reports, network logos, play clocks, etc.) to assist in their understanding of a game and its progress at a particular point in time and placement on the field. Viewing a sport on TV shows us the game as one in live attendance would see it, but with digital additions to the normal world. For example, our TV broadcasts come to us in slight time lags, and with closer, tighter — and in many cases, sharper — quality. The broadcasts use field indicators such as those listed above (the “information components” as Craig labels them) to show the viewer exactly what’s happening on a particular drive on the field (the “physical component”).

During my undergraduate years, I worked in Virginia Tech’s Athletic Communications Office. During televised games, the network would need an employee from our staff to communicate field placement and drives from our end to theirs via a headset. Our employee would verbally provide network technicians with individual drive stats so that these persons could accurately overlay the white and yellow lines on the TV screen for viewers at home. On the occasion that I filled this role — little did I know that I was participating in a common use of AR.

While these represent more dated examples of the medium, they illustrate my experience, understanding of AR. Of course, today we’re seeing complex, interactive, 3D variations created in the medium and we’re far more advanced.

Sources: 
Craig, A. B. (2013). What is augmented reality? Understanding augmented reality: Concepts and applications (1-37). New York: Elsevier.  

http://www.urban-survival-stuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/footballargame1.jpg
http://websterstyle.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/snapshot00576el.jpg
http://ictvictor.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/virtualplaybook2.jpg  
http://cdn.www.easportsworld.com/static/sportsworld-us/_assets/media/en_US/VirtualPlaybook3.jpg