Color Correction (CC)

Color correction is a vital step when making any kind of film.
Color correction includes: fixing exposure problems, white balance problems, repairing excessive noise from aggressive ISO settings, expanding contrast from LOG – or Flat- recorded images, and setting the initial black, white and gamma points according to this website. They have the important job of correcting the white balance in all the clips so that it remains consistent throughout the film.

Digital cameras capture all light, therefore, a raw uncolor-corrected film may look uncinematic to the naked eye. However, with color correction, it can make all the difference between a good film and a great film. CC can be done in both Premiere and After Effects

Many people get confused between color correction and color grading. Little do they know that color correction is a form of color grading. Color Grading involves more than correcting exposure problems. Color grading can also include changing the overall look by altering the tints, shades, and hues of the film to create or enhance the mood of the film. This can make the viewer emotionally invested in the film simply by color grading.

When I first heard of color correction I did not understand it. I thought that color correcting was color grading which I believed was unnecessary. Thinking that it would look like a mistake, I did not like the idea of changing the colors of footage. After writing this blog I learned it is ABSOLUTELY necessary. Not only for fixing white balance but to create a mood.

As you can see above there are two images. On the left is a non color corrected image. To the right is a color corrected image. Let’s point out some differences. First of all, the contrast is much higher on the right in terms of saturation. you can also notice that the shadows are more prominent and was most likely adjusted. Finally, the noise was edited out of the image creating a sharp and interesting image. These subtle changes may be subtle but in a colorist’s eyes, CC is what makes films have a mood and gives it a cinematic feel.

To learn more about color correction, click here

Photo by Pathum Danthanarayana on Unsplash

Comparing Portfolios

After looking at several professional portfolios, I realized several differences that separate myself to a professional. The two portfolios I liked the most is Kuon Yagi and Ben Mingo. I chose these two portfolios for their stunning appearance and use of User Interface and User Experience. If you do not know what either of those is, please check out one of my previous blogs by clicking here.

Organization

The two professional portfolios are well organized into projects. Within each project are clean mockups that show their work along with a detailed description of the project. The organization in my portfolio could be better. For example, in my portfolio, there are several elements regarding the Trax app. It would be better to group it all in one post because they’re all from the same project.

Style

Both of the professional portfolios have their own styles which are carried out throughout the website and sometimes used in their projects as well! I do not have a certain style, unfortunately. I am hoping to find my style as I develop my skills as a designer. For now, I am leaning towards a minimalistic type of style with a mix of an illustrator style like Malika Favre. I find her work very interesting and unique.

Website

The User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) are very well designed in both portfolios. They are also VERY interactive in terms of hovering,  dragging and clicking causing cool animations to slide in with dramatic easing showing the projects they’ve worked on.

Given that my WordPress account was free, My website does not look as well as the professional ones. It would take money, which is something I do not have, to make a good lookin’ website. However, it is not all about the design of the website itself, instead, it should be about the quality of the work produced by the designer.

Overview

Overall, my is subpar compared to professional ones. However, one advantage I have over them is time.  With more time, I  have the opportunity to create more work than a professional. I hope to create an amazing portfolio with awesome work. Even though I am still unsure of what to focus on specifically (like logos, app designs, web design audio, animation etc.), I have enough time to figure out what I want to specify in.

Photo by Augustine Wong on Unsplash to see his cool pics.

Offline vs. Real-Time Video Editing

There are several types of video editing in the industry of today. In this blog, I will be talking about offline video editing and real-time video editing. How are these two types of video editing different? How are they used in the industry?

Offline Video Editing

Offline video editing is used to eliminate to lag caused high-quality footage when editing in Premiere or After Effects. This is done by compressing the videos to a lower resolution to make it easier for the computer to handle. Once the editing is done, the low-resolution footage is replaced with the raw footage and viola, efficiency over 9000!

This type of editing was used since the good ol’ days with film! As time passed, offline editing became popular because it was easier with the technology they had at the time. However, nowadays people do not often work ‘offline’. Technology greatly advanced over time, it is only used if the computer is not capable to handle raw footage.

In the industry, offline video editing is rarely used unless necessary. Due to advanced computer technology, offline editing is not necessary. However, it may possibly be used when raw footage is in 4K resolution.

Real-Time Video Editing

Real-time video editing is more common in the industry such as sports, music, and events. The best way to do this is with multiple cameras, to get the best shot of whatever it may be they are filming. For sports like hockey, multiple cameras are required to get the best quality. Still-shots work better for events like a piano concert and would only require one camera.

This type of video editing requires multiple CPU’s (computer processing unit), multiple gigabytes of RAM (random access memory) and high-powered hard drives. It is typically only professionally practiced. I believe it is very challenging because there is only one chance to get it right. However, to be efficient, camera work would be practiced to be precise and smooth.

How does this apply to me?

Personally, I will probably not use either form of video editing. This is because my computer has the power to render raw footage and I do not wish to pursue to be in the industry of live TV broadcasting. However, this is new knowledge to me and will one day serve to help me when I have a terrible computer or when I work with super duper high resolution! Thank you for reading my blog, and as always… let’s get this bread.

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

Bootstrap CSS!

What is a bootstrap? A bootstrap is a line of code that makes the framework for websites easier for developers. They are also used as templates for typography, buttons, tables, navigations, models, and several other functions. This makes web development ten times easier than starting from scratch. Having a template gives the coder a head start in developing the website.

Bootstraps prevent repetition between projects, add consistency to design and code between projects and between developers, quickly and easily prototype new designs and ensures cross-browser compatibility. Browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Edge, Safari, and Opera are all compatible with the bootstrap. This makes it the website available to more people.

Another advantage of bootstraps is that they are responsive. This means that they adjust to whatever device is being viewed on like smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. This is vital to every website because without a responsive website the UX and UI between the product and the user would be a disaster. It would look unorganized as if someone copy and pasted oversized graphic elements.

The image above shows an example of how a responsive website looks like. We have the Desktop, tablet, and mobile versions on the website adjusted by their dimension and resolution of the screen. As you can see the header is sized down according to the viewing device. It is also noticeable especially in the mobile version that the layout changed from profiles lined up horizontally versus in mobile where the profiles (circles) are lined up vertically.

One way to get bootstraps to create a website is through the website getbootstrap.com. This website allows any web developer to get a bootstrap to include in their work.  These shortcuts also have pre-styled components like dropdowns, button groups, navigation bar, breadcrumbs, labels, badges, alerts, progress bar, and several others.

Essentially, bootstraps are shortcuts of code in HTML and CSS; instead of typing fifteen lines of code, it could be shortened to three with the power of the bootstrap!

Why is Bootstrap so popular?

I believe bootstrap is popular because of the possibilities it is capable of. The templates Bootstrap provides can be altered to be one of a kind. Making a website could take only a matter of minutes, while at the same time visually look modern unlike former ways of building websites. Web Responsiveness is also another factor that makes web developing a lot easier which is why it is so popular.

Photo by David Rangel on Unsplash

CD vs MPPM

Creative Director (CD)

A Creative Director has to do more with advertising and marketing products. They work with designers and artists to guide them to get the desired outcome of what the Creative Director envision. On the business side, CD’s work with sales teams and marketers.

In most cases, creative directors earn a bachelor’s followed by several years of experience.

Some skills that a creative director must have is leadership, decision-making skills, and analytical. These three qualities make up a proper creative director. Leadership in order to manage the team in the right direction. Decision making because the CD eventually has to make the final choice for the final product. Lastly,  analytical skills to assure everything is perfect from artwork to data.

The annual median income for CD’s in 2010 was around $108,260. That’s pretty good in my eyes. However, it’ll take a while to get there.

Multimedia Production Project Manager (MPPM)

This job is no joke. It takes a lot of perseverance and determination from beginning to end.  Multimedia covers radio, television, and several other mediums. They are also in charge of “organizing schedules, budgets, and people… from initial planning, estimating and scheduling, through filming or recording, and on to final budget and production reports.” according to Ian Linton. Basically, they are the head of the project. Without a multimedia production project manager, everything would fall apart and nothing would get done.

There are some tough qualifications to reach this position. Experience and leadership are two requirements to be a multimedia production project manager. An MPPM must have experience in every part of the process required in a project. Knowledge is power. What is most important is familiarity with production like lighting, filming, recording, and editing. Being an MPPM does not technically require a bachelor’s degree, but it would look good otherwise.

The median annual salary of a multimedia production project manager varies between the type of industry. For example, Motion Picture industry earns around $92,820 a year for a PM while those in radio and television only work up to an annual $54,120. One tip to earning a lot of money is git good.

Comparison

Both CD and MPPM require leadership. Another similarity is that both titles require experience. Someone can’t just get a degree and start working as a CD/MPPM. They have to work their way up. On the other hand, Creative Directors work more with advertising than a multimedia production project manager does.

5 Audio Design Jobs

Audio design is an essential aspect when it comes to games, video, and several other projects requiring sound. Sound can bring something dull to life. It is a powerful tool that makes everything 10x better! Here are five jobs that have to do with audio design.

Technical Sound Designer

The Technical sound designer is responsible for all the sound effects including the following: music, sound effects, and sound design. Collaboration between other composers and sound designers to have consistent sounds throughout the project. Qualification includes excellent communication and organization skills. Salary is between $50,000 and $71,000 a year.

Audio-Visual Production Specialist

This job is in charge of adjusting and working with a variety of audio and video equipment. This job requires a lot of forethought on how they plan to take the shot, set up the lighting and several other tasks. It also takes a lot of knowledge about the equipment being used. To reach a higher level, it is recommended to earn a bachelors degree. Experience is also key to going up in the chain. Despite everything an audio-visual production specialist has to do, the median annual salary is only around $46,000.

Audio Programmer

Similar to what some of my colleagues will be doing next week, an audio programmer is responsible for “the processing, storage, and playback of sound effects and music in the game” according to music-jobs.com. They also must know about several programming software including Max/MSP, Java, and C/C++. In simpler terms, audio programmers use code to play certain sound effects depending on what the player is doing, or where the character in the game is and several other factors. The annual salary can reach up to $102,000!

Audio Engineer

Audio Engineers create, edit, and record sounds. How awesome is that! Click here to watch an interesting video about audio engineers and how they create sounds using materials you’d never think of! As an audio engineer, it is important to be familiar with audio equipment like soundboards, equalizers, microphones recording equipment and software. Their median annual salary is $53,330.

Sound Technician

A sound technician usually works uncover at live events like concerts and other stage performances. They are in charge of the sound quality, volume, and equipment. Soundchecks are when their part of the job comes in. After, it is just a matter of perfecting the sound to reach the ultimate quality. A sound technicians annual salary is around $63,340.

Photo by Enoc Valenzuela on Unsplash

Game Sounds

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1i6DMB46OD895arPbMMcFhPLmVHVEPXRN?usp=sharing

Double Exposures

 

Format for Animated Web Banners

If you’re reading this you have probably seen a web banner. Maybe there’s one on this screen at this very moment. Try hovering over it. Does it have a loop if it is left untouched? Depending if it is a good web banner it would have a; seamless loop, hover animation, and a call to action. There are six things to take into consideration in making an animated web banner: responsiveness, animation, file size, design unity, simplicity, and eye-catching.

Responsiveness

Having a fully functional responsive web banner is very significant because it allows the potential customer to at least look at the web banner. Perfect responsiveness creates a professional look with out bothering the potential customers.

Animation

Never ever put too much animation in a web banner or else it will annoy the viewer of the website and (1.) drive the viewer off the website and most important (2.) not want the viewer to click on the web banner out of suspicion it will cause a virus or possibly because the web banner is terrible. Less is more; even a slight animation is enough to attract the viewer’s eyes to the ad.

File Size

Careful now, file size is super important. I doubt anyone is willing to wait for an ad to load unless you’re the creator of the web banner. File size should always be kept to a minimum so it loads on to the web page easily and rapidly. One way to do this is to keep your frame rate to 24. However, if your web banner does not have many elements it would be acceptable to use 29 FPS (frames per second) which is supported by Google.

Design Unity

The design of your web banner must be similar to the website or landing page in order to prevent confusion to the potential customer. If the design of the web banner does not match the website, then you’re a bad designer! Sorry to break it to you, it’s not variety that you want, it is the repetition of elements with the product and designs of all platforms. If you’re still confused, look up the Joshua Tree of Design.

Simplicity

The final design should be simple and not overcrowded. Too much information can be overwhelming to the viewer and will make it harder to pick out the purpose of the ad and what it is exactly.

Eye-Catching

Try making a web banner that is clever. Thoroughly think about your web banner. Plan out what kind of animations you want to use. Create a storyboard to help visualize the web banner.

To learn more click here

Photo by Serge Kutuzov on Unsplash

Top 5 Annoying Ad Sizes

Medium Rectangle

The medium rectangle is 300 by 250. It is currently the most popular because it “tends to have more ad inventory available from advertisers, which can increase earning when both text and image ads are enabled” according to Google support.

Large Rectangle

The large rectangle is 336 by 280. It is pretty much the scaled up version of a medium rectangle. This ad size is typically located at the bottom right or left of the website.

Leaderboard

The leaderboard is 728 by 90. It is often located at the top of the website. It is in the shape of a long rectangle. According to Google Support, it performs well when embedded within text content or at the end of articles.

Half Page

The half page is 300 by 600. It is the shape of a tall rectangle or half a square because  The ad size creates a great impression on the website because it covers almost 33% of the website in my eyes. It can be located on the right or the left side. It is often preferred by brand advertisers because of the amount of space the half page allows (for more information to be added).

Large Mobile Banner

The large mobile banner is 320 by 100. As said in the name, it is best used for mobile devices like phones, iPods, and tablets. It is often used as an alternative to the medium rectangle or mobile leaderboard. The large mobile banner is typically located at the bottom of  a website