Category: classnotes

Week 8 Blog Post

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Caleb

Hey everyone,

I myself am relatively new to the video essay genre of content. That being said, I’ve seen a fair share of these works over the years. One that I find particularly interesting is a video essay by Jeffiot about finding the creator of the skull trumpet gif.

I believe this video works incredibly well as a video essay. From the editing to voice-over works, graphics, and sound effects, each piece has purpose and creates an overarching flow for the narrative. Narrative is a key word here, the video is structured almost like a feature film or documentary. A prologue is provided followed by an actual introduction with proper credits and calling card of the episode. There are clear sections designated by the narrator, acts if you will or parts, as the video continues.

The structure appears very well thought out, especially for a channel that isn’t insanely well known, but one with over 100k subscribers. Learning from this particular video, I have several key takeaways that I can and will most likely use in my own video essay.

  1. Script: A carefully written script that progresses the narrative effectively and in a logical direction.
  2. Video clips: The creator utilizes a mixture of their own captured footage and clips from various other sources when discussing ideas relevant to the visual imagery.
  3. Clear topic: The idea of this videos essay is clear, from the title to the content of the video, every piece of information correlates or traces back to the skull trumpet origin in some way or form.
  4. Editing: Each transition and cut has a purpose, following the speed of the narration smoothly and making sense with each word spoken.

These are only a few ideas that I feel would work very well in my own work, yet they convey the success of this type of video essay regardless.

Thanks for reading.

-Caleb

Ai Cinema Blog Post: (Week 7)

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qharris24

AI Movie Clip Prompt: “Harmony of Time”

The scene opens on a serene, otherworldly landscape under a twilight sky. The horizon is adorned with floating islands, each hosting its own unique ecosystem. A river, shimmering with hues of gold and azure, flows gently through the air, weaving between the islands without gravity’s constraint. The camera follows the river’s course, revealing clocks and hourglasses seamlessly integrated into the natural environment. Trees with leaves shaped like watch hands rustle in the wind, and flowers bloom in fast-forward, their petals opening and closing with the rhythm of seconds.

As we delve deeper into this dreamscape, the river leads us to a grand, crystalline clock standing majestically in the center of a floating meadow. The clock is unlike any other; its gears and hands flow like liquid, changing shape and form, symbolizing the fluidity of time in this realm. The meadow around the clock pulses with a soft, ethereal light, casting long, dancing shadows that play along the ground.

Suddenly, the clock begins to chime, its sound resonating through the landscape like a harmonious melody. With each chime, the scenery transforms: day turns to night, then back to day; seasons change within moments, showcasing the beauty of spring blossoms, the warmth of summer sun, the golden hues of autumn leaves, and the serene stillness of winter snow, all coexisting in a beautiful, ever-changing cycle.

The camera pans up to the sky, where constellations of stars move swiftly, tracing patterns of ancient timepieces across the cosmos. A shooting star crosses the sky, leaving a trail of sparkling light that forms the silhouette of an hourglass before fading away.

As the clip nears its end, the view zooms out, showing the Timekeeper standing atop the highest floating island, watching over the harmonious flow of time in this dreamlike realm. A sense of peace and understanding reflects in his eyes, as if he’s found the key to balancing time’s relentless march with the timeless beauty of the moment.

The scene fades to black, leaving viewers with a sense of wonder and a longing for a world where time flows in harmony with life itself.

Look or Style of Film:

  • Visual Style: The clip should be rendered in a surreal, vibrant style, emphasizing the fluidity and ethereal beauty of the dreamlike landscapes and time elements.
  • Animation: Focus on smooth transitions between scenes and the fluid movement of time-related elements to enhance the dreamy, surreal atmosphere.
  • Sound: Incorporate a soothing, mystical soundtrack that complements the visual transformations and the concept of time flowing in harmony.
  • Narrative: Although primarily visual, the clip should convey a sense of narrative progression, moving from the exploration of the landscapes to the revelation of the Timekeeper, symbolizing a journey towards understanding and harmony.

Visual Effects:

Visual Quality & Film Stock: The clip should be rendered to mimic the quality of high-resolution 70mm film stock, known for its rich detail, depth of color, and dynamic range. This choice will give the landscapes and time elements a tactile, immersive feel, with a fine grain texture that adds to the dreamlike atmosphere.

Cameras & Lenses: Utilize digital simulation of vintage anamorphic lenses to capture the wide, panoramic views of the floating islands and the dreamlike landscapes. These lenses will contribute to the surreal quality of the scenes by creating characteristic lens flares and a slightly distorted, yet beautiful wide field of view, emphasizing the vastness and the ethereal nature of the environments.

Lighting: Employ soft, naturalistic lighting with a golden hour glow for daytime scenes, enhancing the dreamlike quality with warm tones and soft shadows. For night scenes, use cooler, moonlit tones with strategic low-light conditions to highlight the mystical elements of the landscape, such as the shimmering river and the glowing crystalline clock. Lighting should be dynamic, subtly changing to reflect the passage of time and the transformations within the dream world.

Color Scheme: The clip should feature a vibrant, yet slightly desaturated color palette, emphasizing pastels and muted tones to create a sense of otherworldliness. This palette will make the transitions between seasons and times of day appear seamless and magical, while still providing a visually rich and engaging experience.

Production Design, Sets, & Costumes: The production design should be intricate and detailed, with each element of the dream world carefully crafted to reflect the theme of fluid time. Sets like the floating islands and the crystalline clock should combine organic and fantastical elements, using materials that appear both natural and ethereal. Costumes for the Timekeeper and any other characters should be timeless, blending elements from different eras and cultures in a way that transcends specific time periods. Fabrics should flow and change, reflecting the mutable nature of time, with subtle, intricate patterns that hint at the complexity of the timekeeper’s realm.

General Aesthetic: The overall aesthetic should draw inspiration from classic surrealist films and paintings, with a modern twist that incorporates advances in visual effects and animation. The goal is to create a visually stunning piece that feels both timeless and innovative, inviting the viewer into a world where time is not a constraint but a canvas for beauty and exploration.

This detailed approach aims to guide the AI in creating a short movie clip that not only tells a compelling story through its visuals but also achieves a specific, high-quality cinematic look and feel, making “Harmony of Time” a captivating and immersive experience.

-Quincy Harris

Week 1 Blog Post

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Caleb

 

Looping With Lola

Run Lola Run is one of the most fascinating films I’ve seen to date. From the cinematic imagery to camera positions, describing this film to someone who’s not seen it before may throw them for a loop. Describing the narrative momentum of Run Lola Run is the focus of this post however, so let’s dive into it.

How does this film manage to keep the attention of the audience? There’s certainly a lot going on even before the time loop aspect is introduced. There are a handful of factors that retain the film’s momentum, the first being attention to detail.

The first loop introduces most of the films characters that in sequential loops have their lives changed by Lola’s actions. We see this through the pictorial montage after Lola interacts with people. As the audience, it’s interesting to us to see how the lives of the characters change with each time loop. It may entice the audience to think how the next loop will affect these characters, maintaining their interest and giving the film more room to explore this narrative.

A screenshot from the film Run Lola Run.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not only do we see repeated characters through each time loop, but objects as well. Clocks are the “golden object” if you will, or the object controlling the flow of the film for the audience. The clock displays where Lola is in the narrative, especially in the following time loops. A clever plot device that helps push along the story while keeping the audience engaged with Lola’s journey.

Similar to the clock, locations in the film are repeated to clearly inform the audience that a time shift is taking place. These locations also help to pinpoint Lola’s location in the narrative, such as the train crossing over the bridge that Lola runs under.

Lastly, Run Lola Run maintains the narrative flow using incredible cinematography and a tight-nit story. There are a few questions left unanswered in the film such as why Lola has super-human screams, how the time loops are happening, and other similar vein of questions. These questions don’t need answering however as I believe the story would become too convoluted for the audience if they were.

To coincide with this point, the films’ identity in the form of cinematography has no real definition since the story has no real answers. The film diverts the audience’s attention with animation, various camera shots, and overall flow to allow the audience to focus on other aspects of the film and ignore the rising questions.

I will be recommending this film to everyone I know.

Take care,

-Caleb