P L A Y

1. Materials and Processes Module An introduction to Sculpture and Video P L A Y Video- first steps

2. Materials and Processes Module An introduction to Sculpture and Video the content P L A Y This introduction to Video seeks to arm you with the basic tools to engage with video as a means for artistic expression The workshops introduced today will take you through some of the principles of working with video such as frames per second (FPS), Formats, managing your media files and the basic layout, navigation and processes within video editing software

3. Materials and Processes Module An introduction to Sculpture and Video the content P L A Y Due to the potential complexity present in video editing software, these initial workshops are relatively prescriptive. It is very easy to click your way into a cavern of the unknown, only to find yourself trapped and lost. Therefore, to encourage a successful application of these first steps, please resist the urge for complexity or exploring the immediacy of experimentation… for now. There is much potential from the simple beginnings that I aim to introduce you to here. From these foundations you will be able to grow your time based vocabulary according to your individual needs

4. Materials and Processes Module An introduction to Sculpture and Video the content P L A Y Video– first steps will use your first independent task of Growing Form to introduce you to stop frame animation and principles of FPS (frames per second). This will also highlight elements of managing files when working with digital media and time based editing software. Following this, we will use your proportional palette to look at Premier Pro CS6 to identify Layout, Navigation and Process. Should time allow, we will then develop skills further towards the principles of Pace, Rhythm, Transition and how to apply these elements within Premiere Pro.

5. Materials and Processes Module An introduction to Sculpture and Video workflow P L A Y 0 When using video editing software it is important to manage your files. We will explore methods to do this in more detail later on but it is important that you understand the principles of workflow present when exploring time based media. In general, when using software that edits or compiles digital media, what you see as footage in your project is a link to the original source file and not a copy of the source. This is important to remember- if you move your source files then the link will be broken. This will result in opening your project that contains all of your hard work, only to find that it contains no footage and lots of nasty messages to rub it in! It is possible to re-link media should this happen but it is best avoided from the start as I am sure you would rather invest your time in being creative.

6. Materials and Processes Module An introduction to Sculpture and Video workflow P L A Y 0 000000 0 0 0 B. A. Fine Art 000000 Computer number__ This management of workflow also extends to being relatively organised with your files when you are compiling them. Creating folders for different elements encourages easy navigation, but remember that these files will only be on the computer that you have saved them on. This should start with creating a file in your name in the student profile on the Macs (I will show you where this is located). Once you have created this folder, it would be good practice to create and name two new folders within it, one for photos and one for movies. Within these you can expand and have folders named directly in regard to their content as you add them.

7. Materials and Processes Module An introduction to Sculpture and Video format P L A Y Average Photo dimensions 3888 pixels (width) 2592 pixels (height) Full HD Video dimensions 1920 pixels (width) 1080 pixels (height) There are many different video formats that you can capture and export video in- too many to cover within this presentation. The different formats available each have their strength, whether that be in regard to overall quality of image or the convenience of small file sizes Formats can often prove a headache when using video, partly due to the range of options available and I will not go into this here. However, it is worth considering the difference between photos and video in regard to their overall pixel dimensions as shown above. It is worth noting that the higher the dimensions, the larger the file, and the larger the file, the more intensive the workload will be for the computer which may cause slow progress.

8. Materials and Processes Module An introduction to Sculpture and Video format P L A Y HD Video dimensions 1280 pixels (width) 720 pixels (height) It is for this reason that I recommend an output in general that is no larger than 1280 X 720 pixels. This may prove too high if working on a large project on the college Macs but this can be reviewed as we progress. Clearly there is a visual advantage in using the best possible quality and largest dimensions, but there may be times when elements of this must be balanced and a compromise reached. This can be achieved by compressing footage to a format that can be worked with realistically with the hardware available. Much of this will be through trial and error, being dependent on source footage, desired output and the computers performance when working with the media

9. Materials and Processes Module An introduction to Sculpture and Video format P L A Y PAL NTSC Region codes also have their role to play, though to a lesser extent today than in the past due to video being increasingly distributed online rather than solely through physical media. The two main region formats are PAL which we use in the UK and NTSC which is used mostly in America and parts of Asia. To encode a video in NTSC and put it on a disc may cause problems with playback if using a UK DVD player, though when played in a computer this may be ok. If you intend uploading a video to Youtube or Vimeo, you need not be overly concerned with this aspect of Format. It is however worth being aware of this should you encounter any problems

10. Materials and Processes Module An introduction to Sculpture and Video to conclude P L A Y Although the content of this presentation has highlighted certain technical elements that may appear far removed from your creative intentions, it is necessary to be aware of these points. The benefits of engaging with this background knowledge is that it will encourage you to explore work creatively within time based media with some understanding should things appear to go wrong The intention of illustrating these elements is to promote an easier passage towards realising your creative goals. When technical difficulties arise they can often have a drastic impact upon your momentum within the piece being made It is still inevitable that you will encounter the unknown and unexpected, sometimes for good, sometimes not so good. However, with the information presented here you should be better armed and as you encounter new issues; remember the value of video tutorial searches as well as discussing your discoveries with each other as you progress.