Music Exploration and Color Grading
- Sara Francis
- Mar 12, 2018
- 3 min read
The first assignment of Week 3 of AV was to explore options for music and audio for our video project. After watching Introduction to Music in Film and Video by Ashley Kennedy, we were instructed to write a brief reflection of how we planned to use music in our project.
I also included the second assignment of Week 3 in this post where we practiced with color correction on certain shots within our project.
Assignment 1 - Music Exploration
In the Lynda course Introduction to Music in Film and Video by Ashley Kennedy, we learned the different ways great musical elements can affect scenes. In the first chapter, Kennedy talked about how it can help set the mood, style, and setting of the film. It assists with smooth transitions and montages, builds suspense and feeling, and more. She also mentioned how music can help the audience understand the emotions and behaviors of different characters. Music is usually a big part of the film and video puzzle and without it there will always be an incomplete picture.
For my interview with the Headmistress of the Saint Therese Classical Academy, I am planning on choosing non-diegetic music from Westar Music. The video’s overall mood is reflective yet happy. The music that I will search for will hopefully set a classical, scholarly feel. In the videos, Kennedy discussed the different feelings and emotions certain instruments can portray. She mentioned how string instruments can be felt as reflective. She also said that keyboards can be used for practically any genre. Knowing this, I am going to search for an underscore that has piano and/or strings for its primary instrument, has a classical feel, and sets a happy mood.
As I search for the perfect piece, I will keep in mind that I don’t only need one composition. If I can find two similar sounding tracks that can each match the tone of what my interviewee is saying, then I will use both in my video. I don’t want the music to be lost in the video/narrative, but rather to enhance it. I also will be sure to test the pieces I find to make sure that they fit with the emotions in the scene and add to them rather than take away. In the end, my plan is to find music that sets the mood and feel of the video and keeps the audience engaged throughout.
References
Kennedy, A. (2016). Introduction to Music in Film and Video. Lynda. Retrieved from https://www.lynda.com/
Assignment 2 - Color Grading
For this assignment, I watched multiple color correction videos from Ashley Kennedy and Jeff Sengstack. First, I watched a few introductory videos from Sengstack’s Premiere Pro: Color Correction and Enhancement. In those few videos, he instructed the best ways to set up the Premiere Pro workspace, the kind of physical environment one should have when working with color, and tips on how to make sure that your workflow is efficient.
Another video I found to be really helpful was Justin Odisho’s How to Color Correct in Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2017 (Basic Correction + Lumetri Scopes Tutorial). Rather than having to sit through an hour’s worth of Sengstack explanation, Odisho gave me a basic explanation of the Lumetri Scopes. It was just enough for me to understand how to view them without them seeming so intimidating.
Once I felt like I understood a good amount of color correction, I chose three clips to try out the new techniques. The first shot below of the boy watching TV was a little too warm. The whites weren’t white and it had a yellowish tint. To fix it, I used the white balance dropper and selected the white of the paper on the door. Once it auto adjusted, I manually tweaked the temperature, exposure, etc. The second shot of our Headmistress was slightly too dark. Once again I used the white balance dropper first and then edited from there. This time I focused on the brightness and contrast sliders to make the image balanced. Finally, the third image of the two boys. Once again, the image was a little on the warm side. So, I used the white balance dropper and adjusted the temperature manually to get the cooler look.
In the end, I learned just enough about color correction to get by but I would truly like to learn more. There are so many great resources and references out there to assist me in making sure that my video projects are looking their very best.
References
Kennedy, A. (2014, October 10) Premiere Pro CC Essential Training. Retrieved from https://www.lynda.com/Premiere-Pro-tutorials/Premiere-Pro-CC-Essential-Training-2014/170630-2.html
Odisho, J. (2017, April 15). How to Color Correct in Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2017 (Basic Correction + Lumetri Scopes Tutorial). [Video File] Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VDbf9VsZ88
Sengstack, J. (2011, August 17) Color Correction and Enhancement. Retrieved from https://www.lynda.com/Premiere-Pro-CS5-tutorials/Premiere-Pro-Color-Correction-and-Enhancement/51609-2.html
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