Exercise 7: Mini Music Video

Focusing on concept, editing, pacing with music, and enhancing the video with After Effects to create a mini music video using public domain video footage for a copyright-free song of your choice.

To select your videos, visit the Prelinger Archives:

  • Search the collection or search by Topics & Subjects on the left side.
  • If you click on “More” under Topics & Subjects on the left side panel, it will show you all the topics.
  • To download a video, click on one and go to Download Options.
  • Then right-click on H.264 to Save Link As.

OBJECTIVES

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  • Understand basic concepts of editing
  • Practice seamless editing and transitioning
  • Develop temporal design through pacing and rhythm
  • Focus on audio and video sync
  • Create a meaning/mood/message that reflects song
  • Enhance the meaning/mood with After Effects: try adding effects, alpha or luma mattes, blending modes, rotoscoping, rotobrushing, tracking, creating split screens, and/or compositing other assets or animations…


RUBRIC

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Pre-Production (6pts)

  • posted chosen music & video clips
  • brainstorm results & rough outline

Exercise (25pts)

  • innovative concept & narrative arc (reflect music & beginning/mid/end)
  • enhance meaning/mood with After Effects (innovation & quality) 
  • temporal design (audio/video sync, pacing, rhythm)
  • transitions (match cuts, cut-on-action, invisible cuts, jump cuts, dissolves…)
  • composition/design aspects (framing, balance, color, contrast, blending modes, type, supporting graphics, consistency/variety…)


INSPIRATION

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Last Year’s Student Examples

Student Music Videos (with found footage)

Student Spoken Words (with public domain footage and fun AE compositing)

Student Spoken Words (with newer or original footage and AE compositing)

Professional Music Video Examples (with found footage)


EXERCISE SPECS

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Length: 30-45 seconds.

Size: 1920x1080px (you will need to proportionally scale and crop your found videos to fit this aspect ratio, and consider adjusting Brightness/Contrast or Levels in Video Filters under Image Control to improve image quality)

Content: Found footage from Prelinger Archives. Must edit – don’t just use their edits. Enhance the video in After Effects: try using effects, alpha or luma mattes, blending modes, rotoscoping, rotobrushing, tracking, split screens, or compositing other assets or animations…

Audio: 1 copyright-free or original song by you or someone you know with permission. I am open to choosing spoken word as well and/or sound effects. You cannot use the original audio with the videos you collect. Credit the music artist in your description area on YouTube or Vimeo! 

Tools and File Type: Premiere Pro, After Effects, and H.264 mp4

MUSIC RESOURCES

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Free Music Archive artists that don’t totally suck:
johnny_ripper
Podington Bear
YACHT
Jahzzar
Gablé
Music For Video Curator page
Gillicuddy
Lucky Dragons
Deerhoof
Vivian Girls
Thee Oh Sees
Glass Candy
Nine Inch Nails
WFMU Radio Station


SCHEDULE

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11.4 – Project assigned.
For next class:

  • Link to chosen music
  • Brainstorming concept:
    • What is the tone of the song?
    • The message or meaning?
    • What imagery comes to mind?
    • What narrative or message do you want to send?
    • What approach do you want to take? – image-association – collision or comparison montage, analytical sequential montage, motif, jump cuts, match cuts…?
  • Rough outline instead of storyboard
  • Link to Prelinger Archive chosen clips

11.9 – In class: Look at song choices, brainstorm results, rough outline, and clip choices

11.11 – No Class

11.13 – Saturday by 5pm– Show halfway progress on Exercise7 Slack Channel. Comment on at least 3 other classmates’ posts. Prioritize commenting on ones that don’t yet have comments. This goes towards your participation grade in this course.

11.16 – Exercise 7 due.


DELIVERABLES

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  • Upload final Exercise 7 mp4 to Vimeo or YouTube and link to Exercise7 Slack Channel.
    • 1920x1080px (remember you will need to resize your downloaded found footage clips to fit this size while you are working on the video)
    • .mp4 file format
    • 30-45 seconds 

Preproduction work during project:

  • Post chosen song, chosen clips, brainstorm results, rough outline to Exercise7 Slack Channel.