Editing the Video

When filming was finished, editing needed to be taken place. This would be the main difficulty as we needed to ensure to use various, successful shots as well as ensuring the video is in time to the music. 

We continuously referenced back to our specific time lines and story boards as it allowed us to know exactly what shots and angles went where. 

We made sure to put the change of scenes in the right place. 

We started the editing by editing the music:

As you can see, we used the fade technique so that the song built up. To maintain continuity, we also used the fade technique at the beginning of the clip too. This meant that the video and music link together well.

The beginning of our video is also a Pan Shot. The use of this shot allows an establishing shot. It allows the story to start along side the music. 

As there is a lot to edit, we wanted to make the load more manageable for ourselves. Therefore, we named each video clip. This meant that we could see where every shot is and ensured we did not miss any key ones out. 

Each clip has accidental sound behind it. So for each clip we inserted into X movie Plus. We had to Remove or Destroy the link This allowed us to delete the sound to each video, allowing the song to be the only noise heard. 

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Through further editing, I was able to learn techniques to use in order to improve the video and allow it to flow. One thing that I found was beneficial was reducing the play speed of clips. This allowed me to hold an image for longer. For extreme close ups this was beneficial as sometimes the camera would  shake. Holding the image for longer solved this problem. I used this technique in the two examples shown below. We wanted to hold the image of the hand longer to gain suspense. For the pills, the camera was rather shakey so reducing the play speed allowed this to be less obvious. 

Throughout the video, I've either used Cuts or Cross Fades to change from clip to clip and scene to scene. Shown below is an example of an effective use of cross fade. At this point in the video, the story completely changes from Alice in the bathroom to the scene where she tells her friend that she is in love with her. The image of her in the bathroom cross fades to Black which then Cross fades into the next scene. This seems to go extremely well with the music as well as being a successful transition. There is no problem with continuity.

Another example of a cross fade within the video is shown below. As well as allowing great change from scene to scene, it also allows successful transitions from one shot to another. An example of this is shown below (Alice is getting into the bath). We are shown the transition between two different shots - mid shot to the side and a birds eye view.

Many cross fades are used throughout the song. Shown below, are further examples:

As shown, using cross fades can be very successful. However, we also used cutting in certain parts of the video to allow the video to move on quickly (this has been done where the music speeds up). Further towards the end of our video, cuts are obviously used to portray Alice's frustrating life all in one. By using Quick Cutting, we are able to reflect her state of mind (and show how all these factors in her life have build her to this depression). The technique increases the drama and urgency to our video. 

Due to having to do extensive filming with use of natural lighting in the bathroom, each time the lighting varied which made it difficult to keep the film continuous. Shown below is an example of where the lighting is too bright compared to the rest of the video.

As you can see, the picture is rather bright so, I looked on effects to see which one would improve the image. After trying many out, we decided to use the effect of the 'Grey Scale'. We did not go full gray scale we decided to use half and half 'Grey Scale' effect.

This effect was very successful as it decreased the brightness of the clip allowing continuity between cuts. It also worked as the surrounding is already rather black, white and grey. Therefore, it is not obvious that a grey scale effect has been used. 

We also used further effects to change parts of the film in order to maintain the same lighting. In the outside scene especially, the lighting varies due to the sun going behind the clouds etc (something we cannot control). 

For the outside scenes, the colours are too obvious to continue using grey scale to change the brightness. Therefore, we used the 'Brightness and Contrast' effect.

Instead of decreasing the brightness function, we decided to increase the contrast which seemed to be more effective. An example of this is shown below where we have increased the contrast to 20. This was used in the close up of the hands as the bird eyes view shot that we have used means that the sun is very bright. 

Throughout the editing, we wanted to ensure it all Linked. If one part does not link, then our whole video could turn out bad. Shown below is some examples of how we tried to link each scene together. 

From going to the classroom back to the bathroom, I wanted there to be a connection rather then just cutting straight from one to another. Therefore, we decided to use Alice performing the same actions with her hands in one scene to another. This makes it obvious to the audience that the two scenes are linked. 

Nearer the end of the video, we have used the quick cutting as talked about earlier  after this we have a long hold on a close up of Alice in the classroom. We have cross faded this with a close up of Alice in the bath. This links as it shows that her feelings are the same. 

Shown in this post are all the different techniques we have explored through creation of our video. We have incoorprated many of these techniques and effects throughout.