Project #1 – Point Park

Specific types of shots for my first project in Video Production & Editing! I walked around Point Park’s campus to take a closer look at some specific areas. I was also able to explore different types of shots used in filming.

For this project, I filmed the entire video by myself around campus. I also made edits on the video, including slight color adjustments and making sure footage was in order based on the depth of the shot.

In this project, I realized first and foremost that shooting alone can be difficult.  The equipment is bulky and it can help having a second hand. I also learned that focusing the shot before filming is crucial to having nice footage. I probably would have picked more interesting shots if I were to re-shoot it. I felt like my best shots were of the Starbucks cup and it would have been nice to connect the footage by showing trash in a city environment.

PSA – Reducing Carbon Footprint *REVISED*

Climate Change is a real issue facing our world today. This is a Public Service Announcement for keeping your CO2 emissions low to do your part in preserving the Earth for our children! Music courtesy of audioblocks.com.

For this PSA, I actually filmed all the shots in and around my apartment. Due to the very warm lighting inside, I had to make some adjustments in color correction during the editing process.  I also had to add a stabilizer to a few of my last shots because I couldn’t fit the tripod in the angle I needed on my front porch. I added a bright, upbeat tune to the background from a royalty-free site called audioblocks.com to lighten the mood.

For this project, I learned that white balance and stability can make or break your footage.  Thankfully, I was able to salvage my footage in post-production. I also made sure to pay attention to the length of each shot, not holding them too long on still clips. The voice over took me a few tries before I was able to cut it down to 30 seconds, but I felt that I still included the most important points while holding the audience’s full attention.

NAT Sound – Auntie Alex Pet Sitting *REVISED*

Alex Trybus tells us about her pet sitting route of her new business, Auntie Alex Pet-Sitting in Pittsburgh, PA. Meet some of her furry friends: Tucker, a black Labrador retriever with personality, the curious Beagle, Lincoln and the vocal dachshund siblings, Pepper and Tucker.

This was definitely one of the most entertaining projects I’ve ever worked on. I was able to tag along with Trybus on her house visits and meet her clients’ pups, each with their own prominent personalities. We traveled from Bridgeville to Moon, then finished up in Mt Lebanon. Pepper and Tucker were not fans of the camera, so I had to be quick and sneaky with my shots!

Moving inside and outside definitely requires attention to light and white balance changes. I also had to readjust audio significantly in this piece due to the natural sound of barking under Trybus’ voice. I definitely needed some color-correction in pot-production because we were moving from inside to outside frequently. Because I went on a walk through the neighborhood with Lincoln, I needed to add a stabilizer to clean up those shots.

Free Form – Wigle Whiskey *REVISED*

Wigle Whiskey is the first distillery in Pittsburgh since Prohibition. I spoke with Anthony Levenson, Front of House Manager about what you can expect if you visit their original location in the Strip District – Pittsburgh, PA.

I visited Wigle on a night they were hosting a private tour, which was perfect for filming. The space was small, but had very interesting things going on in every corner. From their bottle selection, to distilling, to the historical tour I had a lot of opportunities to capture different b-roll.

In this project, I learned that filming in a busy place can be exciting – but also has its challenges. I wish I could have used a tripod, but wasn’t able to because the space was small for the size of their tour. I did realized that color-correction and stabilizing was a must in post-production. Overall, I think this video turned out well and included some interesting clips about Wigle!

Final Project – Democratic Socialists of America *REVISED*

Part of a grassroots revolutionary movement spawned by the election of Donald Trump, members of the DSA hope to form a government that educates and takes care of its people as a priority. The members of this organization pride themselves on their active approach to addressing community issues and playing a more dominant role in the political arena. 

Shooting this project was an enlightening experience. I attended not only the DSA monthly meeting, but visited their brake light replacement clinic as well.  Along with filming, I also captured an audio interview with Pittsburgh DSA co-chair Adam Shuck.

The audio I captured in the single interview was my saving grace in post-production.  Despite using headphones and a mic, the audio I gathered at the meeting had so much background noise that I initially didn’t notice, which really impacted the quality.  I learned to be adaptable, and learned that cutting out some damaged parts can really help the piece overall. Editing down hours of audio and video footage really allowed me to have an eye for important details, a valuable skill in the editing industry.