Wing$ Music Video

Story

Recently I have been thinking about making a music video, but I didn't know what song I would choose. I started looking through my playlist, and then I came to the song Wing$ by Macklemore. Once I started listening to the song, I knew that it would make for a good music video because of the story it tells about a kid who loved both basketball and basketball shoes, and he thinks that getting a certain pair of shoes will make him stand out from everybody else and be cool. Once he realizes that other kids in his school have the same pair of shoes he comes to realize that the way he dresses isn't what makes him original, but his personality and the way he acts is that makes him unique.

Process

Another reason I knew that this was a good music video to make was because once I watched the actual music video of Wing$ for inspiration, I already knew that I could cast the perfect person for the role of the kid. I decided to cast my cousin who is in the 8th grade, who loves basketball and in my mind, reminds me exactly of the kid in the actual music video. I spoke to my cousin and asked him if he would play the part, and he said yes, so then I started working on the script. Naturally I didn't want to create the same story with the same shots, so I needed to twist the story a little. When I was't writing the script I was listening to the song constantly to think of new ideas and shots. It took me about a week to finish the script, and then I began to storyboard for about another week. I started to film about three weeks ago and I only filmed on the weekends because I knew that my cousin wouldn't be available during the week because of homework and things like that. I haven't finished filming yet but I recently just finished the beginning of the video, and I hope to finish filming in about three weeks.  

Premiere Pro vs. Final Cut Pro

Premiere Pro

One of the main reasons that Premiere may be considered a better program is because it integrates well with After Effects an Photoshop, which are highly regarded, industry software. When purchased in a bundle, Adobe products form a seamless package that makes it seem as though it is just one application. Premiere is recommended over Final Cut because you can buy the same features for much less money. It is also seen as a better program because it can be used for both a Mac and a PC, which is much more convenient for those who may not be able to afford a thousand-dollar product. Although it used to not be considered a professional program, it recently came on the rise to be considered more professional than Final Cut.

Final Cut Pro

For years Final Cut Pro has been used by professionals and was considered to be more stable and faster than Premiere, however, it may have been based more on the operating system than the software. Final Cut is recommended if money is no object and/or you have an Mac. If you're a serious video professional, Final Cut will most likely not be able to meet your needs, because it lacks many features that are required for pros. Over the years it has been debated that Final Cut has had little regard for professionals, and has been abandoning the professional community over its consumer products.

Similarities

Both programs are part of large software bundles, which are highly recommended because of their power and flexibility over things like audio, graphics, etc. Most of the differences are very minor, however, it isn't recommended that someone should buy one product over the other because of a feature because when they become upgraded once again, they will likely catch up with each other and be even more similar. Although both programs cost a significant amount of money, they both offer free trials that anyone can use.

To Appreciate the Art of Film Editing, You Must Start With a Frame of Reference

What is an Editor?

Editors are the unsung heroes of great movies, and are a largely misunderstood part of the filmmaking process. In an article called, "To Appreciate the Art of Film Editing, You Must Start With a Frame of Reference",  Editors are the part-artists, part-technician, who, the minute the camera starts rolling, begins to organize each days footage to most closely approximate the director's vision. An editor catalogues every single take an actor takes of a line, and recombines them until every scene works. The editor's job "is partly to anticipate, and partly to control each shot that cinematographers get.

The Process

  The actual editing itself in a film doesn't take place until after all of the movie has been filmed and all the actors have gone home. The editors and film directors then work together day in and day out to  see how the finished product will turn out on the big screen. Whether working with film stock or digitally, the first round of film editing starts with the script. Film editors assemble the footage into a rough, or editor's cut, that follows the script by cutting and splicing various shots together. The rough cut shows the film editor where the film needs changes or corrections. The film editor will point these corrections out to the director. Working closely with the film director, the film editor begins the second version of the film, the director's cut. This version smoothes out all the flaws and corrections that needed to be changed. After the director's cut, the producer or movie studio reviews the film. The film editor then makes the third version, the final cut. The movie is then reproduced and put into theaters.

The reason I chose to read this article closely is because film editing is something that greatly interests me, and I think that it is constantly overlooked and under appreciated. What I enjoy most is seeing all the footage that has been filmed and adding different effects and music, and being able to see the finished product come together, knowing the time and effort it took to create it. I think that editing is one of the most crucial roles in creating any film, or video.