Basics of Audiovisual Production and Animation

Video and Audio Editing and Animation

There are a large range of skills that you could learn in making audio visual outcomes. Below are six miniprojects, each which focuses on a different software package. You should aim to complete three of these project to learn three different pieces of software. For each, you are going to create a simple project that will contribute to your portfolio. Throughout these projects, you will be learning to use stock, creative commons, and public domain images, videos, audio, and songs. It's not expected for you to produce a polished product at the end of each section; instead, it's about building up your skills.

At the end of this unit you should be able to make a range of audiovisual and purely audio outcomes, including:

Promotional Videos: Promotional videos for products, services, or events, incorporating visuals, text overlays, and background music.
Tutorials and How-To Guides: Instructional videos with screen capture to guide viewers through various processes, software usage, or DIY tasks.
Podcasts: Record and edit podcasts, improving audio quality and adding music or sound effects.
Video Resumes: Create dynamic video resumes that showcase their skills and qualifications.
Short Films and Documentaries: Short films or documentaries by editing video footage and integrating audio effects or narration.

It will be assumed that you can do some basic videography (taking video and picture) skills.

Important Note!

Your three projects are not meant to be amazing works of cinematic art. It is about making stuff quickly to learn the software! Do not get caught up "trying to think of what you are going to make". Just make stuff! You can throw it away once your done. Great skill comes from making mistakes and just making things.

If you take more than 5 minutes trying to think what you are going to make for each project then use the default provided.

Video Editing

Premier Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is a top-notch video editing software widely used by professionals. It's like a toolbox for filmmakers and content creators, helping them edit and enhance videos with ease. Developed by Adobe, it's known for its user-friendly design and seamless integration with other Adobe Creative Cloud apps. Whether you're making a short film or a social media video, Premiere Pro has all the tools you need. From adjusting colors to adding cool graphics, it's a go-to choice for anyone serious about video editing.

Project 1: Making a Game Jam Theme Reveal Trailer

Creating a Game Jam Theme Reveal Trailer is like putting together a short movie to show the theme of a game-making event. The goal is to make a quick and interesting preview that excites game developers about the theme they'll be working on. The challenge is to make it catchy and make people curious, so they're eager to start making their games. Let's explore how to make this trailer both fun and inspiring for the game developers.

Instructions

Video Recording

OBS

OBS, or Open Broadcaster Software, is a popular and flexible computer program used by people who create and share videos online. It lets you capture, record, and show multimedia content, and it's commonly used for live streaming on sites like Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook Live.

OBS comes with many useful features. You can use it to record your computer screen, webcam, and sounds, and then mix them together into a live video or a recorded video. This is handy for gamers, teachers, podcasters, and others who want to make professional videos.

One great thing about OBS is that it's free and can be changed to suit your needs. You can add extra features using plugins and use it on different computer systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux.

So, whether you're an experienced streamer or new to making videos, OBS is a helpful and easy-to-use tool for sharing your digital experiences with a worldwide audience.

Project 2: Recording Some Internet Games

In this project you will be recording yourself using OBS to play some internet games and speed run it. The suggested games are the New York Times Games which include the Mini Crossword, Wordle, and Connections that can all be played for free. If you are choosing your own games then make sure it is something short like Minesweeper, or Snake. Again the intent is not to make an awesome video but learn the tools as quickly as possible.

Instructions

Audio Editing

Audacity

Audacity is a free and powerful computer program for working with audio. It lets you record and edit sound, which is great for musicians, podcasters, and anyone who wants to work with audio.

With Audacity, you can record from microphones or other sources and then change your audio. You can cut, copy, paste, adjust the volume, add effects, and fix background noise in your audio. It also works with many different audio file types.

The cool thing about Audacity is that it doesn't cost anything, and you can make it even better by adding extra tools and using it on Windows, macOS, or Linux computers.

Whether you're a musician, a podcaster, or just someone who wants to improve audio recordings, Audacity is a user-friendly and feature-rich program for all your audio needs.

Lots of basic help can be found on the Audacity Support Page

Project 3: Kids Book Narration

For your third project you are going to record yourself reading a kids story. We will also add in some background music and some sound effects to make it punchier. Audio-books are a 5 billion dollar industry and growing fast. These basic skills will get you up to speed on all the skills you need to make any audio production from podcasts to voiceovers and more.

Instructions

3D Animation

Blender

Blender is a powerful, open-source 3D creation suite used for creating animations, visual effects, video games characters, and much more. It offers a wide range of tools for modeling, sculpting, texturing, rigging, animating, rendering, compositing, and editing. Whether you're a hobbyist or a professional, Blender provides a comprehensive platform for all your 3D needs.

Project 4: Character Dancing Animation using Miximo

Mixamo for Blender offers a quick and easy way to animate characters. With Mixamo, you can access lots of ready-made character movements and rigs. By using Mixamo with Blender, animating becomes simpler and faster. It means you can focus more on making your characters move and tell stories, without worrying too much about technical stuff like rigging. This combo lets you bring characters to life in a more creative and efficient way.

Instructions

2D Animation

Adobe Animate

Adobe Animate is a software for making 2D animations and interactive content. It helps you create things like cartoons and web animations easily. With its simple tools, you can design graphics and make things move smoothly. Whether you're making animated characters or web banners, Adobe Animate lets you bring your ideas to life and share them with others.

Project 5: Animated 2D Flower

This tutorial is a crash course in animation using Adobe Animate. You should follow through with the tutorial to make a basic animation of a flower dancing. You could modify the tutorial by choosing different colours of flowers to add your own flair to it.

Instructions

Post Production

Adobe After Effects

After Effects is a powerful software for creating motion graphics and visual effects for videos. It's like a digital toolbox for adding special effects, animations, and text to your footage. With After Effects, you can bring your ideas to life and enhance your videos with professional-looking effects. Whether you're a filmmaker, animator, or content creator, After Effects offers a wide range of tools and features to help you make your videos stand out and captivate your audience.

Project 6: Teleportation Effect

Instructions

Further Projects

Once you have finished three of the mini-projects above if you still have time try some of these short projects out as well!

Audio Recordings

Voiceover Demo Reel

Create a voiceover demo reel showcasing your vocal range and versatility. They can use Audacity to edit and compile different voiceover samples.

Public Domain Audio Book

Record a section of a Public Domain book. Project Gutenberg is an excellent source for large amounts of copywrite free works. You can make a audio recording or turn it into a video with AI Generated art or stock images/videos.

Spoken Wikipedia Articles

WikiProject Spoken Wikipedia aims to produce recordings of Wikipedia articles being read aloud to make the website more accessable to everyone.

Sound Effects Story

Create a short narrative using only sound effects. Use Audacity to record, edit, and arrange different sounds to tell a brief story without dialogue.

Video Recordings

Desktop Tutorial

In a short tutorial, use OBS Studio to capture their desktop while demonstrating a specific skill or software feature. This could be a quick guide on coding, graphic design, or any other skill you possess.

Interview Highlights

Record a brief interview either in video or audio and then edit a highlight reel. This could involve cutting together the most interesting or impactful moments.

Travel Montage

Create a short travel vlog. Use Premiere Pro to edit together clips from their journey, add transitions, and include a brief voiceover or text descriptions.

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