Portrait Photography - Year 3

Narrative Portraiture: Foundations of Portraiture by Chris Orwig




Also check out Jamel Shabazz (Street portrait photographer)

Daily Create Blog Posts

Daily Create Blog Posts.                                

CyberARTS Year 3.

There are 20 options here for sound/image, still photography and video assignments. You must complete 10 of them in total.

You must complete one by the end of each week.

You must have at least two from each category. (sound/image, still photo, video) The rest is up to you.

1.   Take a close up photo of an object with unique texture or pattern; make us guess what it is.

2.   Make a photo of anger, or something that makes you angry.

3.   Make a photo that emphasizes one color much more than any others in the shot

4.   Record some outdoor sounds. Pair them with one, three or five still images.

5.   Fabric: we wear it, sleep on it, decorate with it. Make a photo of an interesting cloth design or texture.

6.   Take a creative photo without aiming in the viewfinder

7.   Take a photo that shows two contrasting things, e.g. light & darkness, life & death, cats & dogs etc.

8.   Power plugs are ubiquitous. Can you make a creative photo of such a common thing?

9.   Mix a sound from nature with a musical selection so both can be heard clearly.

10.                 Make a short audio of the sound of water pinging, flushing, splashing, roaring, tumbling...and add an image, or three or five.

11.                 Draw a flower with your eyes closed. Then turn it into a vector illustration.

12.                 Make a photo of an outdoor scene free of any human artifacts.

13.                 Take a picture of an object that is a metaphor for your learning style

14.                 Make a photograph of a plastic object that you’ve used today.

15.                 Make an extreme close up 30 second video of someone playing a musical instrument, using at least three different shots.

16.                 Record 30 seconds of ambient sound in your environment. Pair it with images that contrast the sound you've recorded.

17.                 Take a closer look at where you spend a lot of time. Photograph something there you never noticed before.

18.                 Take a picture of construction.

19.                 Make a 30 second video with sound of a typical street scene using wide, medium, close-up and extreme close-ups.

20.                 Find a grid pattern somewhere (brick sidewalk, ceiling tiles etc.). Make a photo of an interesting slice of it.

Drop Box Link for Humber files

Click HERE for the link to see Humber's work

Requirements for Basquiat Inspired Digital Image - Year 3

Your document should be min. 8.5x11" and max. 13x19" @ 300 p.p.i to be printable on a 13x19 paper.

Your choice as to format and size (in other words, you can make it square, tall and thin, or otherwise...

Year Three - Logo Design

Logo Design is vast and challenging.

Here are some valuable resources that you can explore.

Start here with 60 PRO TIPS on LOGO DESIGN at creativebloq.com

What make a BAD LOGO  at justcreative.com

What makes a GOOD LOGO

Creating a "mood board" (idea board, inspiration board etc.)


Next Steps:

1. Review some of the information on what makes a good logo.

2. Create a Pinterest board of interesting logos. (10-15) (should take you about 15 - 20 minutes max)

3. Choose the two strongest ones and post them on your blog: (should take you about 45 min.)

A) Analyze them in terms of the FIVE essential characteristics of a good logo. (You should know something about the company and where the logo is used in order to identify whether it meets the criteria - see image below)
B) Analyze them in terms of the elements and principles of design (that are significant - ie. line, distinctive shape, use of colour, emphasis, unity etc.)

4. Present one of the logos to the class at the end of the period. I will select you at random during the last 20 minutes of class!!

Movie Trailer Parody Assignment - Year Three Tech

Movie Trailer Parody Assignment.

TGI 3M1 CyberARTS Year Three                                                     

Ms. Silverman

Sound in multimedia productions has a tremendous impact on the outcome of the final product and on the viewers’ interpretation of the production.

Try watching any movie or tv show without the soundtrack – even just without the music and you will be amazed at the lack of emotional impact – or the lessening of emotional impact.

Þ   Your assignment is to effectively and drastically change the mood and emotional impact of a movie trailer for a well-known Hollywood movie.

o   You may rearrange the clips from the trailer

o   You MUST change the soundtrack (music AND sound fx)

o   You may use the original voice-over, or create your own, or “borrow” from other sources

o   Your trailer must be around 2 minutes long - give or take 30 seconds. Please, no longer than 2:30 and no shorter than 1:30. You will lose marks for going over or under.

The important thing is that the changes you make effectively and drastically change the mood and emotional impact of the movie trailer.

You will be evaluated on the following:

Effective and dramatic change in mood                                               

Effective choice of soundtrack/music                       

Effective use of sound fx                                               

Effective use of voice-over     (you should be re-recording the voice-over)                                   Syncing and placement of Audio in relation to visual

When you are finished, you must post the original trailer as well as the altered trailer on your blog with a written report stating:
Your process - how you came up with idea - take use through your creative process.
Your choice of sounds - music, fx, voice to change the mood.
How you did - why you think you effectively and dramatically changed the mood of the trailer.

The written report will be evaluated on the following:

Communicates clearly, professionally                       

In depth description of how mood change was achieved (sound and visuals)

–      original vs. new trailer

Movie choice and sound ideas must be submitted to me by Friday September 13 at the beginning of class. 

Final Trailer posted on your blog with the written report, ready to present in class 
DUE: Friday September 20th, 2013

Please save your final trailer in the original file format as well to drop into the drop folder. 

Here is a spoof of Stephen King's classic horror film, The Shining turned into a romantic comedy.




Here is a suggestviely homosexual romance mashup of Top Gun.



And a horror/obsessive stalker version of Mrs. Doubtfire





For some more inspiration, check out some of our past year's student work:

Toy Story 3 By Blaire 

Spiderman: The horror by Niem (from two years ago)

Also, look on Year 3 blogs from past students and you'll find their trailers and written reports.

For info on how to download a trailer check google. There are many tutorials on how to do it. Help each other out.

Check out this 3D Facade mapping

This is one heck of an advertisement for LG Optimus one. Impressive. Perhaps we can create something like this for the outside walls of LCI. Amazing inside...

Video Pre-Production

Please prepare and hand in the following documents by the end of the class on Friday March 26, 2010:

1. Story Outline/Proposal

In a few paragraphs, summarize your idea for your video. Who are the main characters? What is the main focus of the video? Is there a conflict and resolution? Narrative arc? Also add any other details that you think are important - technical requirements, music and sound, etc.

2. Storyboard

Using the templates provide, or you can make or download your own, create a storyboard of your video idea. This will give you a visual picture - scene by scene - of your video and should include music, dialogue, sound fx, voiceover, and a description of the visual scene including specifics about lighting, setting and type of shot (C/U, MS, LS etc.)

3. Shot List

Using your storyboard to guide you, create a shot list that groups similar scenes together. You should be shooting the same locations on the same day. Include in your shot list any required materials, props, talent, costumes and equipment for that shooting day. Also include any permission that may be required to shoot (i.e. inside buildings, or on private property, or permission from people) and be sure to get the permission well in advance!

4. Shooting Schedule

Once you have your shot list, you can create a shooting schedule with dates and times for your various shots.

5. Script/List of interview questions

If you are shooting a documentary, you will want to generate a list of 3-5 questions to ask the people in your video. Keep your focus in mind and think in advance of what the conflict/obstacles are that your individual may have overcome. Address this issue and find questions to ask that put this into context. Be as specific as you can.

If you are shooting just about anything else, you will need a script. This is a written version of your storyboard, with your dialogue clearly laid out and descriptions of each shot.

Here is an example of a script for a recruitment video for hospital volunteers. CLICK HERE.

6. Equipment/Materials List

This is your overall list of all equipment, talent, props, costumes, settings etc. that you will need. This will be broken down in your shot list so that you know exactly what you need for each shoot.

7. Title Page

This should include your name, my name, your class, the title of your project and the date.

That's all folks.

Please hand this in on paper to Ms. Silverman by the end of class on Friday March 26, 2010.

Videojournalism: Year Three

Check out the following sites:

10 Tips for Video Journalism
Visual Editors
Media Storm
Mercury News Photo (Great video stories)
Visual Journalist

Using the 10 Tips for Video Journalism, find 2 videos to view and critique. The videos should be found through the links from these sites and should all be shot in a video journalism style.

1. Go through the 10 tips as you watch the videos and comment on the video's use of each tip?
Where do they stray if at all?
2. What do you find some of the most effective elements of the video (look at cinematography - shots, lighting, environment. sound - fx, natural sound, use of music. interviews - how they're shot, choice of clips, how long do they stay on the interviewee?).
3. What if anything do you find not as effective.
4. What is your overall impression of the video? Are you captivated? Inspired? Bored? What mood or emotions do you feel?
5. What ideas do you have to improve the video - editing, interviewing, shooting, sound?

Also...if anyone is interested in applying to be part of a documentary video free workshop series for youth!!!! CHECK THIS OUT! Youth Films International Go to the Tell it like it is video applications. They say they'll likely accept applications until the 3rd of March. Do it!!!

Video making tips and tricks - SILVERMAN

Hello CyberARTISTS!



This posting is for both year threes and fours and will serve as either a refresher, or some valuable new information about some basic tips of video making.



Your Assignment:

Click the link HERE and read through the slideshow on Creating Video for the Web.

Take NOTES!!!

I want you to take about a page of notes that dissects the most important information from these 16 slides. We will meet on Monday to discuss your findings and discuss the basics of video making. This is good information whether you're creating an art video or a short documentary on a local hero. From here we'll divide and conquer (so to speak).



Your notes: Due Monday March 1, 2010.

Please submit them to me for marks. So make them legible!

Movie Trailer Download

For the movie trailer sound assignment, here is a Youtube Video that explains how to download a youtube clip on a Mac. Be sure to use Safari and not Firefox to do this. There are a bunch of pop-up notes that come up - pause the video and read them. They explain how to do it. You can also choose the HD option if you want to. If I could figure it out, you can. I managed to import it into iMovie and then extract the audio. From there, have fun!

Here's the link. Or, you can watch it below.

Work on this assignment for the next two days. Have fun with it and please read through the requirements of the assignment. There are extra copies on the table in the computer lab.

Ms. S.

The Art of Sound

Sound is a HUGE industry and holds many varied career opportunities. In the movie industry alone - whether it be small independent productions or massive blockbuster movies, sound production is technical, creative, artistic and crucial in making the visual in audio-visual really shine.



Here are some sites to explore to learn more about sound production and post-production and to find some technical information about microphones.



Videomaker.com - an online magazine dedicated to creating and publishing video

Filmsound.org - for the art of sound design for film

Equipment Emporium - an online resource for film and video production, specializing in production recording

Film Inside Out (iofilm) - here's an article on recording good sound for film and video in a blog called iofilm, on the art and craft of making movies

Good luck and remember to create an 11x17 (2 page spread) of your finished work - as though you were creating a buyer's guide for a magazine like Wired or some other techy magazine.

Due: Thursday Feb. 18, 2010

Additional reading: Here is a lick to an article called Sync Tanks that discusses post-production sound in depth. Please read through it over the next week or so and take some notes of the key points.
We will review it next Thursday before you show your final microphone buyer's guide.

El Anatsui at the ROM

This is looking to be an exciting semester in the CyberARTS program! It is time to dust off our blogs and get them up to date again.

Your assignments for Wed. and Thurs. are as follows:

1) Take a bit of time to update your blog. Rethink the design elements so that it is beautiful to look at while still being functional (easy to read and navigate). You may need to use your own time out of class to complete a redesign of the blog. If you change your address, make sure that you leave the new link in my comment box so I can update the sidebar.

2) El Anatsui! It is time to do a little digging into who this artist really is and why is there such hype around him and his artwork. If we are going to make art as a response to his work, we need to understand him and his message.

Read as much as you can about El Anatsui on the internet. Start with this link. While you are reading, make notes in a word doc and be sure to reference the webpage, date and author. (See your agenda for how to reference webpages)

3)Your Blog post will consist of several main sections:
a) Who is El Anatsui?
b) What does his artwork look like? Describe the stylistic characteristics of his work but also post or link to one or more images. Consider and discuss which design principles are significant or dominant.
c) What are some of the big concerns/ideas he is communicating through his artwork?
d) How do you connect to his work? What do you appreciate about his work? Does the work of art hold some particular attraction or personal association for you? You can mention your participation in the ROM project as well.

* Aim to make this post personal rather than a formal critique. Write your opinions and thought about his work. Enjoy!