VSP Exercises

 23.04.2025 - 12.05.2025 ( Week 1 - Week 4)

WANG JINYI / 0374697

VSP60104 / Video and Sound Production / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylor's University

VSP Exercises

TABLE OF CONTENT

Instructions

Tasks

Quiz

Reflection

INSTRUCTIONS

Tasks

Week 1 "Mints" & "Doritos"

We learned how to do basic editing using Premiere Pro (Pr). The practice content includes editing the two advertisements "Mints" and "Doritos". The sequence of each advertisement's shots has been disrupted. We need to determine the correct scene sequence and edit out the complete video. The assignment requires uploading the finished product to the Exercises section of the blog. In addition, it is necessary to watch the videos of Zach King and "Everything Everywhere All at Once" to understand the different styles of editing and visual expression.

a. Mints

b. Doritos

Week 2: 

Shooting practice, shoot & editing 1

We split into groups and practiced shooting. Each person took turns filming 8 shots (like wide shots, medium close-ups, close-ups, etc.) using a phone. Then we imported the footage into Pr and added captions showing the shot types. 

Week 2 Exercise: Lalin

We also edited a 35-second video from pre-recorded footage called “Lalin” to practice cutting and pacing.

Week 3 Shooting practice, shoot & editing 2

Similar to Week 2, we did more shooting and editing practice. Group members took turns filming different shots, then edited and added shot labels in Pr. This helped us get more familiar with shooting flow and switching between shots.

Week 5 Storyboards

We started working on storyboards. We got a script with scenes, shot types, and dialogue, and had to draw simple storyboard panels to show characters, camera angles, and actions clearly. The teacher said the drawings don’t have to be perfect, just clear enough to understand the scene and shots. This helps us turn scripts into visual plans.

Quiz

Week 1

This quiz was quite basic. It mainly reviewed different lens sizes, shooting angles, and some composition techniques. Like "high angle" makes the character seem relatively weak, while "low angle" appears relatively strong. These are the contents known before, and the questions are straightforward.

In terms of composition, concepts such as "rule of thirds", "framing", and "leading lines" were mentioned, all of which are commonly used when shooting things. Overall, the content is not difficult. It mainly helped me reorganize the basic knowledge points, which will be helpful for the subsequent shooting.

Week 2

This week's quiz is about the three-act structure, which is a very common framework in film or story writing. The title is quite clear, mostly revolving around the function of each act. For instance, the first act needs to set the protagonist's world view and raise questions. The second act is the part with the most conflicts and the longest duration. The third act is about solving problems and wrapping up the story.

There are also questions such as the climax being the crucial moment of the protagonist's ultimate challenge and the midpoint being the turning point in the middle of the second act, etc. These are basically all contents covered in theoretical classes. After finishing it, the rhythm arrangement of the three-act structure became a little clearer.

Week 3

Week 3 quiz is about the basic concepts and uses of Storyboards. The question mainly tests that storyboard is used to visualize the sequence of shots and is usually drawn by storyboard artists in the pre-production stage. It doesn't include costume design, but it will have information such as camera angles and character movements.

It was also mentioned that the storyboard can help directors and editors plan the shots in advance, avoiding continuity errors or on-site chaos. It can be used as a reference, but on-site adjustments can still be made according to the actual situation. In terms of tools, specialized software such as Storyboarder or Toon Boom will be used instead of editing tools like Premiere Pro.

Week 4

The first quiz, I learned about the three main stages of film production: pre-production, production, and post-production. Pre-production is where all the planning happens, like writing the script, casting, and preparing the set. Production is when the actual filming takes place, which involves teamwork and time management. Post-production is all about editing—cutting scenes, adding sound, and doing color correction.

Each stage is important, and good preparation in the beginning helps the whole process run more smoothly.

The second quiz of this week is about the production team and their roles in film production. I understand that the director leads the creative vision, while the producer is responsible for the budget and schedule arrangement. The cinematographer is responsible for the photography and lighting work, while the production designer focuses on the appearance of the sets and costumes. The sound designer handles all the audio, and the editor uses materials to integrate the final story together. Every character is important, and teamwork is the key to making a successful film.

Week 5

This week, we learned about mise en scène, which basically means everything that appears in a scene and how it's arranged. It includes things like the setting, props, costumes, lighting, and even how actors move and interact. These elements work together to show the mood, meaning, and relationships in a scene. I found it interesting how something as simple as lighting or costume can change how we feel about a character or moment.

REFLECTION

These past few weeks learning filmmaking have been pretty hands-on and useful. Starting with basic editing in Premiere Pro was a good way to get familiar with the software. Putting the ads back in order helped me understand how important sequence is to telling a story. Shooting practice with my group was helpful because it made me think about different shot types and how they work together. Adding captions in editing also made me pay attention to technical details.

Learning about production stages and crew roles gave me a better idea of how many people and steps are involved in making a film. The storyboard exercise showed me how important planning is before shooting. Even though I’m not an artist, drawing simple panels helped me visualize scenes and camera angles clearly.

Overall, I feel like I’m starting to connect the dots between shooting, editing, and planning. I still need more practice with shooting and editing, but I’m getting there step by step.