For this practical, I made a 'stabbing' sound effect. For this I used a sharp kitchen knife, half a melon and a phone to record the sound.
I then started to record the sound of the knife going into the melon at different speeds and at different points of the melon, fr example, through the skin or through the seeds etc.
However, when I listened back to the sounds, they did not sound like I would have liked them to. When I showed the rest of my group the sounds, we made a group decision that we would use a pre-made sound effect that would sound more professional and realistic.
Here is the final sound effect that we used in our opening scene:
-To experiment with the transition of our typography
I started by searching for an appropriate transition for the clip pressing the icon below and decided on the Zoom transition in the bottom left of the screenshot below.
After this I needed to import, using CMD + I, the typography. This brought me to the screen below where I selected the file I needed.
After finding the file required I then imported it pressing the button below.
After this in the footage part of the screen the typography appeared so I selected it as seen below and then dragged it into the new project.
Here you can see I have placed the transition over the original clip in Final Cut Pro X
Here you can see the close up of the bladed (CMD + B) clip along with the transition placed on top of it, equating to a timed amount of 4 seconds.
Whilst watching over the footage I realised that it faded to black. to combat this I right-clicked the transition and clicked on the option below to stop it from doing so.
After this I then exported the file using the button below to both YouTube and the desktop.
- To amend the current typography of our film to compliment the transition and lighting of our film.
Initially, I used this photo:
For the amendment of the typography I used this screenshot of our opening clip:
Following the same steps as my previous blog regarding typography (as seen here) implementing the new picture as the background, I completed the typography.
However, I noticed that the text was not 'popping' as much as it should have in certain areas. So by following the same video I used to create the typography https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S893jAVHP3Y, I was able to make the text be more prominent.
I did this by copying the layer by pressing CMD + J as seen below. After this, I pressed CMD + I to invert the layer mask, illustrated by the black box next to the copy of the layer.
Then by using the brush tool below, making sure that the white colour was my foreground colour. As seen in the screenshots below.
Using the dimensions below of 400 size and 25% opacity, I brushed over the area highlighted in the screenshot below to make that part of the text pop more and become more visible.
Utilise a zip in some way
Use stitching to create an eye with a cross on it
Use a noose around the neck
Use fake blood to make it permanently crying
Stitch the head into a better shaper by cutting the top off and sewing it back on
Make the mask stuck in the shape of a face by getting it wet and full of PVA glue
Use nails and hooks as added features to the mask
First Experimentations:
I tried to make the material of the sack stay in a position and make it mould to the shape of my face by soaking it in water with PVA glue mixed in and the results were minimal as the material dried out and the PVA glue had little to no effect on the integral structure of the material. After these findings I discarded the idea of moulding to the shape of a face. End result below
Secondly I used two types of fake blood one being a spray and the other being a thicker liquid on the material to make the mask more gruesome. I simply just applied them both to separate sections of the material so that I could gauge what one would be more effective.
The results of this clearly show that the thicker liquid is more effective as the spray was not as strong as I had originally thought. The thicker liquid being on the right and the spray on the left.
Next I created the back of the mask with hooks and nails. Layering them alternatively in opposite directions facing different ways.
I continued to administer this technique down the whole back of the mask creating a quite punk metal feel, and helped the mask to contribute more towards the genre conventions of horror.
Next to heighten the feel of horror, I tied a noose and threaded it through slits I had cut into the trim of the bottom of the mask. This is illustrated below.
Next for one of the eye holes, I cut into the material as a test to see the effect of the cut. This is illustrated below.
After this I decided sew over the the cut to make the effect more threatening, playing on the primal fear of the unknown embedded in the audience. The resulting effect is illustrated below.
Simultaneously I had the idea of having a cross on one of the eyes. I began by testing this out on a scrap piece of material.
This ended up looking as it does below alongside the incision made for the other eyehole.
After sewing up the eye hole it looked like the following illustration.
After this I decided to sew on a half opened zip, on the mouth of the mask as it gave the mask a sadistic smile and charm to it. This is illustrated as seen below.
After this to add an even more gore to the mask decided to use the remaining spray and liquid to cover the rest of the mask in key places such as the noose tie and the neck of the mask.
Evaluation:
- The overall outcome of the mask to a large extent fulfilled what I had in mind for the mask
- There was no real shape to the mask which would have been made by the top which did not comply an attach how I wanted it to.
Peer Feedback:
- The mask could have been improved by adding dirt and mud to really add layers of depth to the mask
- The noose colour could have been better as it is a neon green colour
- To create an effective way of portraying someone being stabbed
List of ideas;
- show the stab into a pillow or other object beneath the same clothing as in the film
- don't show the actual stab, show a reaction shot
- show the aftermath of the stab
Evaluations:
- 1. The use of a pillow would make the whole thing much safer and more ergonomically sound, also everyone would be happy by being safer and more precautious as no one would get hurt and we would still be able to do the scene. The down side is the it may not be as gory or as explicit as we want it to be as there will be less realism to the piece which is what we are trying to replicate. The pillow will also not look as life like as a persons actual body making it loose its effect whilst also making it look unprofessional and bland. This does somewhat conform to the conventions of a slasher film because the stabbing is actually happening in frame however using a pillow as a body replacement is something that isn't usually seen as there is normally a fake body which we unfortunately do not have access to.
- 2. Not showing the actual stab would be much easier to film as there wouldn't have to be a shot of the knife going into the victim leaving it much easier for us to make the wound look better. Therefore we would be able to make the two shots look better and more seamless to the storyline and to the conventions of horror. However the slasher genre heavily includes seeing the death happen as you would if you were in front of the action. This poses a problem as we don't have the resources to show the knife entering the victim as we would require movie grade props which unfortunately we do not have access to. This is quite conventional as there are many films that just show the reaction of the stabbing and possibly the aftermath of it and I feel that this would be the most suitable to the film as it would be more aesthetically pleasing.
- 3. The aftermath of the stab would be the easiest of the three and enable the most focus to be centred on the wound incurred by the victim. Although this would not be as interesting and creative it would effectively portray the victims death and enable for the wound to be perfected and the blood that gushes out of the wound to be perfected. The problem with this is that we would have to work a lot to perfect one shot that could potentially go wrong and make the whole preparation of the scene and camera shot a complete waste of time which is something that we will be limited to due to our shooting script. This would be less conventional yet very effective if pulled off correctly and perfected so that it is seamless.
Conclusion;
To conclude I found that the second option would be the preferred method to approach the film with as it makes the stabbing part easier yet still maintains its effect, the pillow idea I have fond to be a good back up plan as it is still easy to pull off and look good.
- to create a blood pack for our final filmed piece
To start off with I acquired the blood by visiting a local butchers and asked for some animals blood.
After recieving a bag full of blood I poured it out into a sandwich bag and made it compact so that when pierced it would almost spray out to allow the blood to come out realistically and for it to look more gore like
After pouring it into the bag I then twisted the unused part of it and tied a knot To prevent and spillage form occurring whilst I was stabbing it.
After this there was still a bit of air trapped in the bag however t combat this and give more pop to the blood bag I squeezed the bag so that it was not only easier to pierce but also easier for the blood to come out quicker and more immediately so that it seems realistic.
The camera that we are using to film our final piece of coursework is a 'Canon EOS 55D'. This camera has a self focus setting so this will make it easier for us to focus on the correct part of the scene. It also has a built in microphone, which works well, however we are using a microphone to increase the sound quality and to help to hide any background noise.
For this practical task I shot the following photographs at 8:30 in the morning on a dull and cloudy day. When we film our final shots, they will be shot from 8:30 am onwards.
Overall I am pleased with the outcome of the images as the light does not look too dark and you can see what is happening in the frame and the shots are focused which looks professional.
- To utilise editing in creating a new atmosphere to a scene
My choice of clip was this
taken from a scene in Sherlock Holmes.
After watching this clip for the first time I had already decided straight away that I wanted to include a heart beat whilst the main protagonist is thinking and the time had slowed down.
The clip was way too long to edit in its entirety so I decided to use the blade tool in final cut to change the clip length to a suitable time and cutting out any unnecessary footage.
After watching my first cut clip again (as seen above) I decided that the background noise in the clip was not suitable for the effect that I wanted to create so I detached the audio from this clip. making the bar beneath the clip go blank (as seen below).
After this I decided that I would include a breathing sound effect and a heart beat effect. I placed this in a new channel on final cut that i would use for any additional/external music needed for the rest of the clip. (as seen below)
Then looking at my next clip I decided to continue on the sound effect of the heart beat making it continuous throughout the moment of pause that the main character goes through.
After this the clip comes back to real time therefore I decided to make the heart beat continuous as the character it speaking in his thoughts. After this he stands still and prepares to fight. After noticing this i decided to find a faster clip of a heart beating to show the adrenaline that the character is building up whilst fighting.
As seen above the audio is detached this was a decision I made to make the focus on the character and the actions that he is about to be involved in. Also the cheering in the background distracted the focus of the scene away from the character so I decided to remove it.
After this I noticed that the sound of the heart beat was faded in the actual fighting part of the scene so I decided to raise the noise of it making the audio peaks turn red and yellow. Also I ended up keeping some of the audio towards the end and made the heart beat go from fast back down to slow to show how after the fight he returns to normality.
In our story-line, we have decided to include an extreme close-up shot of the victim's mouth. In this shot, the actor (Lucy) will breathe heavily and when she does, there will be a 'cold breath' coming out of her mouth. This will make our opening scene seem chilling and tense, due to the slow breathing and the 'cold breath'.
To ensure that we have an idea of what the outcome of this shot would be like, I decided to experiment and 'test' this shot. At first it was difficult to film due to the weather being too warm for the 'cold breath' to show. Eventually, the weather became cold enough for myself to film this experiment.
To get this shot, I filmed my model breathing on an iPhone:
Overall, I would have liked the breath to be more visible and I believe that this would be achieved by using a darker background so that the white breath and the dark background would contrast.
When we film our final shots, we would need to film this shot early in the morning on a very cold day to ensure that the 'cold breath' is visible.
- To create a sound effect
- Use abstract means to create a sound
Walking Noise:
List of ideas:
- Leaves:
Put a sheet of new and straight aluminium foil on a pillow, and cover with a thin cotton sheet (e.g. kitchen towel or similar), then push on the surface using your hands to mimic the steps. You can overlay this with the sound of snapping twigs to add realism.
-Alessio Sapora
- Swamp/wet mud:
For something walking around in the swamps or wet mud, try: – A big heap of totally wet toilet-paper on your desk… – Mount the mic close up… – “walk” around on it with your fingers… splash away!! Then mix it with whatever Foley footsteps you want.
– Kim M. Jensen
One day I laid out a tarp in my iso booth and did a smash up session with lots of vegetables and melons. At one point, I filled up a bucket of sludge (I believe that would be called a sludgebucket) and abused the contents for a while. I use that stuff for muddy sludgey footsteps, not to mention parts of all kinds of hits, stabs etc. Could be just what you’re looking for. Word of advice though: Do not get rid of the results down the garbage disposal like I tried to do. Cost me $200 in plumbing cleanout :)
– Jamey Scott
I think a wet sponge or rag with the right timing (heel / toes) will do the job.
– Manuel Laval
The best way I found to get the sound I wanted was to fill a 4×2 plastic case with earth and water. We actually made the footsteps with our hands in it.
– Jerome Boiteau
- Grass:
For grassy footsteps I have used newspaper in a plastic grocery bag and softly tapped the bag. It worked out pretty well.
– Spencer Johnson
Old cassette tape – unravel a few tapes and put the tape on different surfaces (carpet, stone etc) and walk on it. Also just rotating it between your hands.
– Mark Estdale
I think a wet sponge or rag with the right timing (heel / toes) will do the job.
– Manuel Laval
The best way I found to get the sound I wanted was to fill a 4×2 plastic case with earth and water. We actually made the footsteps with our hands in it.
– Jerome Boiteau
There are different kinds of grass – green grass and dry grass. People have already mentioned cassette tape for grass but I feel that this sounds exclusively like dry grass. For green grass I use military camouflage. Sounds great and doesn’t compress losing its depth and texture.
– Chris Piggins
- Crops in a field:
Record a bamboo or similar plant (it’ll need to have somewhat dry leaves) being continuously stroked and shaken. Then layer these recordings and use them for the for sound of crops swaying in the wind. For added realism, add some wind ambience as well, and whenever there’s a stronger gust of wind, time the rattling of the bamboo with this to give the effect of the wind picking up in the crops.
– David Filskov
- Metal
Record yourself banging a boot or a heavy shoe against a heater. You can use a pair of boots to simulate a walking pattern.
– David Filskov
Making a walking on leaves sound effect:
Firstly following the source above I placed aluminium foil on top of a pillow, after this, to muffle the pure noise of the foil, I placed down one layer of kitchen towel on top of the foil as shown below
After completing this this the pillow looked like this;
I then with my palm of my hand pressed down onto the pillow whilst rolling my hand forward to create a similar effect to someone placing their foot down onto the floor as seen in the analysis picture below:
After I had gotten used to the motion of rolling my hand and making it seamless I recorded the sound below:
Following this I went into post production to create the sound I wanted and made it so that the audio was dubbed over a video of a picture of leaves:
I deleted the video taken of the sound effect so that I could include my own image to fit the sound effect perfectly:
Then I used the footprint sound and looped it so that it sounded like someone was walking:
The final video:
