Editing OTS: Feedback Sheet Improvments

After making the improvements our first focus group suggested me and Emily both showed it to other Film Noir enthusiasts. Emily took some sheets and also got some suggestions.

Two of the people watching it whom we got feedback from

A screenshot of Emily's blog post about it and a picture of one of the people she got to watch it

Overall, the feedback we got was mainly positive but there was some improvements suggested which we took action on:

The three improvements were: 

1. Lengthen the sound of the gunshot 
2. Changing the gunshot noise to the same time the killer raises his arm as this could be more effective 
3. Lower the background noise

In response to these we made the following improvements:

1. First suggestion: due to previously trying to do this and it failing we tried a different route, Emily created another gun shot sound to see if that would be better but after adding it and me asking others for feedback on it, the previous one was said to have been better
   

   

   Emily emailed the sound she recorded to me

   

   I added it in to iMovie to see what it would be like

   
   

   

   1. And after sending her a video and asking others we all agreed the previous one was better

   So after attempting to lengthen the gunshot noise we aren't able too.
2. Second Suggestion: Me and Emily had actually previously tried to do this before but in the end preferred it where it is placed now due to the suspense it gives and also due to the placement of the voiceover.
3. Third suggestion: I have muted out the background noise as much as possible but it was challenging due to having to have the volume up enough to hear Emily and Zach's monologue. 

Editing OTS: Focus Group Feedback

M2U00783 from Sophie Mace on Vimeo.

Above is the video of the focus group we did today, we decided to show it too our peers as we wanted critical/technical feedback and thought they would be most appropriate.
Afterwards me and Emily watched over this video and I made a note of all the improvements we needed to make:

As you can see once we made these adjustments we ticked them off

• As one of the constructive criticisms was that the titles looked like the ending we altered this by adding the titles over the wedding shop scene: 

• The second was that the gun shot was too short so we tried to overlap and that didn't work so we played around with it in several ways and the sound has now improved
• Thirdly, some of the shots lingered a little too long so we went through and shortened the lingering ones which now makes the entire OTS better
• Lastly, it was said that the music pieces being three different ones meant they should overlap and flow into one and due to difficulties we've removed the music piece that was in the titles and have rearranged the two left.

Now the improvements have been made, here is the second cut:

Silent Temptation Cut Two from Sophie M on Vimeo.

Editing OTS: Finished First Cut & Feedback

• Today me and Emily finished editing our first cut. Here it is:

Silent Temptation from Sophie Mace on Vimeo.

• To get initial improvements for our OTS we held a focus group with our peers. We chose to do one with our peers as we wanted critical feedback and thought them the most appropriate to learn from. Click here to see the post with their feedback.
• In order to get  feedback form our target audience and what improvements they think we could make to our OTS, I have made a feedback sheet in which we will give to people who watch it. Here is the feedback sheet:
  
  When making the feedback sheet I checked with Emily a couple of times that the questions were suitable:
  

• We are going to get roughly 5 people from our target audience to fill in these sheets and once we have all the feedback sheets in, we will gather the information and consider/make the adjustments they've suggested. Click here to see the post on the feedback the sheets have given us. 

Editing OTS: Recording Jingle & Adding it to our OTS

• To record our jingle we simply found two hollow metal objects and pinged them lightly together and the noise that was made resulted in: Jingle Sound from Sophie Mace on Vimeo.

• Due to me and Emily being unsure on whether the sound fits in with the production logo/entire OTS, we are going to make sure to ask feedback on what they think of it, what could improve it etc. Therefore I will update this post when a final decision is made on the jingle sound.
• This is where we have added it in our OTS:
  
  Update: We have decided that the sound is suitable and fits because from the feedback we received it didn't get mentioned and when asked they said they liked it.

Editing OTS: Final Music Decision

• I was allocated with the task to find a suitable back up plan for music (click here to see that post).
• I managed to find a couple of suitable songs as you can see from the post above but the second song, which we were going to use in the wedding dress shop we changed to use through the titles. Therefore I have now started to search for a more suitable option. 
• For permission I asked them both if it would be okay to use it (if we credit them) and one has replied and we are still waiting for the other reply. 

• For the other piece of music we sent another message asking him to let us know via email:
  
  Since this he has emailed us to let us know. This is his email to us:
  
  
  
• Update: For the wedding dress shop scene I have managed to find a suitable piece of music: Click here to listen. I have asked for their permission and I am awaiting a reply!

• He replied and has allowed us to use his music in our piece.
  
  

Editing OTS: Final Foleying Experimentation & Adding It To Our OTS

Today we have recorded the foleying noises that we need for our OTS.  I researched this previously (click here to see the post) and we also experimented with it (click here to see that post). After doing both of these we decided it would be best suited for our OTS.

• Firstly, we recorded the gun shot. Here is a video of us practising creating the gunshot:

This is where the gunshot is placed within iMovie:

The smallest green section is the gunshot. We have placed it where suitable

• Next we recorded the footsteps and the heavy breathing. Here is us creating firstly the heavy breathing and secondly the footsteps:
  
  
  
  

• This video is the sounds we used in our OTS for the heavy breathing and footsteps:

Foleying Sounds from Sophie Mace on Vimeo.

• Here is where we placed the heavy breathing and footsteps in iMovie:

It's the 'New Recording' ones

• For the heavy breathing which is the top one we split it in order to adjust the volume in each clips separately to make the noises more accurate. 
• Finally, we we're going to try and record a heart beat and once realising the challenges in this decided it wouldn't be necessary in our OTS, we ensured this by asking several peers and they also said that they don't think it would be vital as the sounds we have layered already makes it sound good. 

Editing OTS: Production Logo

Emily has been allocated with the task of creating the production logo for the beginning of our OTS. Once this is created I will update this blogpost with it and we will add it to our OTS.
Update: 

We have now added this to our OTS. To see Emily's blog post on making it click here.

We've also added transitions either side.

 Here is a video of how the transitions looks:

IMG 9861 from Sophie Mace on Vimeo.

We have yet to create the sound to put with the production logo but will do these asap.

Editing OTS: Researching Music

• For a back up plan we have decided to research some Film Noir music that we may be able to use. I was allocated with the task to search around for some appropriate choices.
• I firstly searched on YouTube and then later looked around online.

• So far I have found some suitable choices and will check them with Emily as soon as possible. I have found one song that I deem appropriate link to the song: Click Here . I have also found a couple of songs an artist has created and they are featured here: Click Here. Once a more final decision has been made I will update this post.

Update: After discussing it with Emily we have decided that the first link is appropriate so we have asked him permission to use his music in our OTS.

What I have asked:

We will hopefully being using that piece in the wedding shop scene and me and Emily both agree that it very suited and will work well.

For the second link we have chosen the song (click here to hear it) as we think the first minute or so is suitable for the first running scene therefore I have also asked him if it would be okay to use his piece:

For more updates on the music for our OTS refer to this post.

Editing OTS: To Do - First Cut

Done  / Currently doing

• I was allocated with the task of creating a check list of what to do to reach our first cut:
• Finish adding transitions - Update: We will be able to finish this as soon as we have the production logo.
• Sort out music for clips - Update: I have now got the music & just have to add it.
• Foley sounds we need - Gunshot, Footsteps, Heavy Breathing etc Update: We are going to work towards creating these noises next lesson.
• Add production studios - Update: We will add this as soon as Emily has created it.

When we finish these few steps we will be ready to have a focus group to get feedback on it etc

Update: We have now finished our first cut and to see it and feedback refer to this post: click here.

Strengths: As I have done some editing previously, editing is a fairly strong point for me, although as we are using new software there does come some challenges
Weakness: Making a final decision on some things whilst editing is proving to be a challenge for us as we say "We'll decide later when such of such is done..." and I think to progress more with editing we should be more willing to make final decisions, as they could always be changed. 

Editing OTS: Recording & Adding Voiceover

Voiceovers are considered a typical convention in the Film Noir genre and therefore me and Emily whilst brain storming initial ideas decided to do one would be suitable and effective for our OTS.

• Today after deciding what to record it on (settled on using the voiceover installed on iMovie already) we recorded the voiceover:

  

  Here is the picture I took of Emily recording the voiceover.
  Click Here to see the post that includes the script to see what she says.

  
  
• We then started to decided where to place the voiceover. We originally wanted the voiceover right at the start but when testing out the right place we have changed our mind to later in the first section. We may still change the placement when we add the gun shot sound:

  

  Here is where we have placed the voiceover at the time being.