Editing the Main Product

The first part of the editing process was looking at all the shots that we recorded. The shots that were good were kept in a folder on the hard drive and the bad shots were put in a different folder on the hard drive just incase we could salvage the shots with some editing. 

After this we created a new project in Adobe Premiere Pro and imported all the shots into the project and ordered them into the different shot locations by creating folders. We created 9 sequences for each scene. After this, we cropped each shot down. We then imported the voice-over and split up into the different scene using the razor tool on Adobe Premiere Pro. After putting the split up voice-over into the relevant sequences, we started to put the shots in the corresponding places to match up with the voice-over. 

In some of the shot compositions, we added cross dissolves to add a bit more creative flair to our sequence. Once we finished putting all the shots in place, we found we had gaps in the scenes. In order to combat these gaps, we created text graphics on Adobe After Effects. 

The text graphics were used for the parts in the script were figures are being used to emphasise the amount. This helped fill in the gaps and break down the information. Furthermore, text graphics allowed the audience to know who the expert talking about HS2 was. One of the graphics shows HS2 brand image covered by the amount of money, HS2 is planned to cost and then the number explodes with a cash register noise accompanying to signify that HS2 is going to cost the taxpayers a lot of money.

We then started editing with the sound levels so that the voice-over could be heard over the clips. We did this by introducing a hold on the volume and set it to a certain decibel level. After putting all sequences back together and playing it, we found that the shots were lacking colour due to the poor cameras. We combated this by using the colour correction effect where we could change the saturation levels to make the shots look brighter and more colourful. 

Finally we added a background track to the whole sequence and we used exponential fades to fade out the music instead of just straight cutting the sound. When the voice-over was playing, we put the maximum volume limit to the background track so it could be heard in the background quietly. We then exported the media and uploaded it to YouTube.

  

The Route Graphic

Whilst planning the extract of the documentary on HS2, we thought people should be informed where it is going. Instead of using archived footage or still images of where HS2 is going, we wanted to create an animated map by using our Adobe Premiere Pro editing skills. We thought an animated graphic would be more exciting than a still picture and explaining the route. This graphic took around 4-5 hours of editing to make. We used Adobe Premiere Pro to construct the graphic and we followed a YouTube tutorial to learn the skills required to make it. We mainly used the write on effect and crop to make it look like a real moving map.

Here is the route graphic that we made.
 

We used this tutorial below to achieve this graphic.

Introduction graphic Development

Introduction Graphic - 1st idea
We used a copyright green screen train and imported it on to Adobe Premiere Pro. We imported a screen grab of a bridge from Google Map. We used the ultra key effect to allow the train to run across the bridge. We set the colour on the darkest green on the green screen train clip. We then used the matte generation tool and changed the tolerance and pedestal to make only the train appeared. We checked to see if the whole train for shown on the screen by changing to alpha channel which would make the train go white and rest go black. This allows us to see if the whole train is being shown. After this we moved the green screen of the train clip to video 2 with the screen grab of the bridge to video 1. Finally, we added some text to show the original documentary name.

Having realised our first idea for the introduction graphic would require a lot of time to make on Adobe After Effects & Premiere Pro we opted against the idea. We thought that the graphic wouldn't be worth the time for the amount of marks we'd gain producing it, making it not time effective. So we decided to go for filming a still close up of a train going past the camera. This shot is simple but looks very picturesque in my opinion. After the train goes past the camera, we created text which fades in from right to left. The text being the title of the extract of a documentary.

 Here is our first trial introduction graphic. 

From camera to computer screen

From Camera to Computer Screen
To get the footage from the camera to the computer, you need piece of equipment called an SD reader. With this you can put the SD card from the camera into the reader then it can be connected to the computer and from there the footage can be uploaded to the computer and the editing progress can begin.

Filming Progress

Day 1
The first day of filming we interviewed MP Christopher Pincher. The interview will feature quite prominently in our extract. We filmed a two shot of me and Mr Pincher. I was holding a microphone so we could use that audio if the camera audio wasn't loud enough.

Day 2
On the second day of filming we decided to film at the train station as the whole extract of the documentary is about HS2 which is the railway being built from London to Birmingham so train station would feature frequently in our extract. We started by going to ticket office inside the train station to ask for permission for us to shoot which they agreed to happily. We moved onto the platforms, obtaining different shots of different subjects. Mostly our shots consisted of pans, long shots, close ups, medium shots and handheld shots. We tried experimenting with shots like the dutch tilt however they don't match the conventions of TV documentary. The shots consisted of trains, people getting onto the trains, the train station, national rail signs, London Midland logos and timetables. These shots will mostly go in scenes 1,3,5 but will occasional feature in the other scenes. After filming at the train station, we decided to go film at Tame Valley Nature Reserve. This location is much regarded for its picturesque countryside. We needed shots of the countryside to show what HS2 is going to destroy and the habitats it will destroy. The shots consisted of pans, long shots, close ups, medium shots.

Day 3
A week later we went and filmed again after reviewing the footage we got from day 2. We found that our shots at the train station were too similar so we needed to obtain a few more different shots. In addition, we needed shots of the town Tamworth and get footage of towns most well known places, like the river Tame the shopping centre, st Edith's church, the market and the statue of Sir Robert Peel. We chose to obtain too much footage than we needed as some of the footage may be unusable.

Day 4                                                                                                                     
The fourth day of filming, we decided to get a few more shots of Tamworth. We began at Ventura Park, the well known retail park. We knew being a retail park, traffic would be horrendous so we filmed some of that, to show one of the points that the HS2 would reduce traffic in areas. Then we got some shots near the SnowDome and the lake there as we felt we needed a few more shots, that didn't consist of trains and buildings.

Tayte's Filming
After reviewing all the clips, we found that we were missing a few clips to tie in with the voice-over. So Tayte went and filmed at house where HS2 is going straight through and filmed the protest posters on their stop HS2 board. He also captured some more footage of traffic on the A5 and cars going up and down roads to also go with what we filmed in Ventura on Day 4.

Equipment 
For the filming of our media we used different pieces of equipment and without these the product would have never been completed.

HD Camera - Is used to film all what we have filmed.
Tripod - To help position the camera at different levels of height and different angles
Phone Cameras - We used these for when we wanted to get detailed shots and more colourful shots, then we used these for the screenshots and pictures we used for the Print artefacts. 
Microphone - We used this in the interview to make it easy to be heard.

Problems During Filming

The weather

The weather, shots looked different because of it. The worst thing about this country is the very inconsistent weather. This proved a problem to us as we did 3 filmed over a few weeks in which the weather got particularly colder each time and it caused a few of the shots to be different than others. We solved this by using colour correction in the editing to edit the backgrounds so they all look similar and consistent.

Having too many of the same shots.

Each time we went out we underestimated the amount of train shots we got and ended up going out and filming for 3 days instead of 2. Also after looking at the final amount of footage we did get too many of the same shots, which means, I think that the documentary at times can look a bit repetitive.

Voxpops

When conducting the voxpops in Tamworth, we found no-one wanted to participate in our project, so we had to gather people from our school to talk about the HS2 which was still good as we got some great opinions .

Time management

I feel like we could of managed our time a lot better, as I think we spent far too long planning the documentary, rather than getting the majority of the filming done earlier.

Planning the expert Interview with MP Christopher Pincher

During the planning process of the documentary, we analysed different modes and types of documentaries. We discovered that most documentaries that trying to put across a certain point of view on a topic are expository documentaries. Expository documentaries use interviews with experts to persuade the audience into believing a certain point of view as well as using facts and figures to backup an argument. So we had an idea of getting someone official to go and interview and ask questions about the HS2 like a HS2 researcher or Sir Patrick McLoughlin (former Secretary of State for Transport). However we were unsuccessful and were planning to stop using this idea. Until we found out that our local MP Christopher Pincher was visiting our sixth form for the politics students, knowing this we emailed Pincher to ask him he would like to participate in our extract.

The interview overall went well, as I conducted all the questions correctly and we definitely got more footage than we needed as MP Christopher Pincher was very good at giving detailed answers to are in depth questions. Tayte manned the camera as we both agreed that I would be the better interviewer as I knew more about the overall subject. We originally planned for there to be a shot reverse shot during the interview, however the room we were given was slightly too small and we had to improvise and use a standard Two shot which overall still work well.

During the editing process, we are thinking of using as much as this footage as we can, as interviews with experts is a common convention in a documentary. This can be seen in documentaries like supersize me & Banking on Bitcoin which keep on referring back to the same expert throughout the film, this is what we have tried to implement into a shorter space of time, in our film.

Here is all the whole interview of me interviewing MP Christopher Pincher.