This week's task is to record and edit a 15-second video of a product ad. We did this by first learning how to set up a camera for recording and exploring new features such as fps, PAL, NTSC, resolution, and white balance.

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Before I get into what I have done next, I wanted to give more context on what PAL, fps, NTCS, resolution, and white balance are and examples of when they are used.

PAL, also known as Phase Alternate Line, is, in fact, the standard in many European countries. A PAL picture is made up of 625 interlaced lines and is displayed at a rate of 25 frames per second. This way of recording will reduce the virtual resolution in any video or picture to reduce the amount of flickering that occurs. PAL is still a very well-known and efficient way to record. As many TV shows and movies use PAL, it gives the video a more dramatic and cinematic feel.

Next to fps, also known as “frames per second," every single videographer needs to know what fps is and how to use it correctly to create a specific shot depending on the mood or what kind of shot they would use. FPS refers to the number of frames or images that are captured in a second. So, the lower the fps, the slower the video will be; however, in most cases, most big industries use lower fps to create a cinematic feel for them and give them life (like I said in the PAL explanation). So let's give an example of when you would use lower fps and higher fps. The only time you will be using higher fps is when you want to take a video in slow motion, which will require you to have a higher fps, for example, 120 or even 240 with most cameras, but you can have different fps options that could be higher. But if you want to record something that isn't slow motion, you might end up using 24 fps (Europe’s standard) or 30 fps (which is the rest of the world) to create a smooth but cinematic feel to any video.

NTSC is the opposite of PAL, as this mode is used in many countries outside Europe, such as the United States, Japan, and many other countries outside Europe. An NTSC is made up of 525 interlaced lines with a frame rate of 29.97 fps. This mode is pretty much the same as PAL but is used in different countries.

Resolution is the level of detail contained in an image. It mainly refers to how many pixels exist within an image. The higher the resolution, the richer and lower the pixels an image will have. It is great to have higher resolution in any video, as you end up getting a smooth and clean video that makes the pixels seamless. Here are some examples of resolutions that are used in video: 2K (1080p), 4K, and even 8K. There are some pros and cons to using any of these resolutions. For example, using a 1080p resolution is great for a decent-looking quality of video, along with a lower file size, which in a lot of cases doesn't have to be compressed, which saves time. However,  1080p doesn't bring the same feel to any video like 4K and 8K do. However, 4K and 8K resolutions can take up a lot of space with their large file sizes. It can be hard to transfer the videos into any video editing software down the line. 4K and 8K are usually used to take clear shots of an environment or a scene.

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White balance is also referred to as the temperature at which the white objects on film look white. But it does not just depend on white; it also depends on the other colours in the ilm. There are many settings for white balance, such as 5000k–6500k, which are natural and are used mostly to take video outside. Even though white balance is important to set up with your camera, you can always fix it up in post-production, where you can adjust how your recording looks.

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After learning the different types of camera setting to do with videography, I went on to practicing the different settings, and analyzing how i could use them. The features are going to be very crucial going into shooting the ad and editing it. I have also learned about different types of camera movements and when to use them. Here are some examples of camera movements: doll, track, tilt, and pan.

After learning the new features and tools, I went on to research a series of short product advertisements and analyse what kind of camera movements and shots they use. This is going to help me get a brief understanding of how advertisements are structured, so then I can have an easier time editing the product ad sequence.

Video Editing Process:
 
At first, I imported the footage that I had recorded and drafted a sequence that was around 15 seconds long. This stage of my editing process went well, as I was able to be more creative with the effects and text.
 
After drafting up a sequence, I went on to get the music for this ad, which may have been the hardest process of creating this ad.

However, after researching types of music using advertisements, I was able to find the right music that suited the pace of the ad I was creating.
 
I went on to add text as a placeholder for next week's task. Next week’s task was to learn motion graphics and create text for this ad. However, I already wanted to add some effects and text to visualise how I could create better text with animation in After Effects. After adding effects and text, I went on to add sound effects that helped the advertisement not sound too boring.

My first idea was to shoot the products in the studio and implement the camera movements that are usually used in advertisements.

However, the first time we were filming our product, it didn't really work out for us. However, the second time around, I was able to shoot smooth camera movements of the product, which had very good quality.

Personally, the first difficulty that I encountered while filming was that it took a long time to set up the camera for the actual advertisement filming, which ended up making the video not look as clean as we expected.

After editing the footage, I personally think it didn't go as bad as I thought it was going to; however, the biggest improvement I could have made to this ad is the music choice. I really underestimated how important music plays in advertisements. I thought that finding music was going to be the easiest process, but it ended up being the hardest. In future projects, I will make sure to really do more research on music and what kind of music I should include.

Overall, this week really taught me a lot about film production, which isn't an easy process and could be a very long process. However, this was a productive week, and I've learned a lot by experimenting with creating this ad.