Video & Sound Production Final Project

 Video & Production Sound - Exercises

21/04/2025- /0/2025 / Week 1 – Week 14
Valenz Jycee Primadi / 0373407
Video & Production Sound  /Creative Media/ The School of design
Exercises

---

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Lectures

2. Instructions

3. Final Project

4.Feedback

5. Reflection

---

LECTURES

---

 INSTRUCTIONS

---

This project was done collaboratively as a group. For more insights, you can also visit my teammate Valerius Ethan Wirawan’s e-portfolio (0372774):

https://valeriusethan.blogspot.com/2025/04/final-project.html

Final Project Week 9 (Brief)

We began by exploring various VFX tutorials to determine which visual effects we would like to implement in our video. The selected VFX technique will be a key element in enhancing the storytelling and atmosphere of our short film.

As instructed by Mr. Martin, each group was asked to choose a tarot card to base their story around. Our group received Card 5: "What is Going Against You". This card typically represents inner conflicts, obstacles, or external forces that hinder one’s progress. heres is the synopsis: 

Final Project Week 10 trying the VFX 

Since our theme was about magicians or something like "What's Going Against You?" We tried one of our chosen VFX techniques, levitating.

Here's the tutorial : https://youtu.be/jx2xaFnXt8w?si=eRnvKJ0M46ixuNJL

Because there have been several revisions, we haven’t been able to conduct proper trials or revise some parts of our stories. The process has been focused on adjusting and finalizing earlier feedback, so other aspects like testing and story refinement are still pending.

Final Project Week 11 (Ideation)

This week, we finalized our proposal after revising the story. In addition, we also started looking for a video tutor who can guide us through the production process and help improve the quality of our final output.

To support the filming process, we developed a storyboard that allowed us to map out each scene visually and plan the composition of every shot in advance.

Among our visual references is the film Tarot, which influenced us through its distinct color palette and the narrative elements that support its tone.

Week 11 (3, July, 2025) Shooting day

After our consultation, we proceeded with the shoot on Friday. We brought in another actor, Yong, who was eager to be part of the project and contributed significantly. The filming took place at Taylor’s, specifically in one of the lowest-level classrooms, and was conducted in the middle of the night.

During the filming process, we had to make several on-the-spot adjustments to fit the space and conditions we were working with. The layout of the room, lighting availability, and real-time challenges required us to adapt parts of the story. 

We explored different camera angles and lighting techniques to find what worked best. To give us more control during post-production, we filmed in F-Log for easier color grading. We also created our own fake blood using cornstarch, water, and food coloring — a fun, messy process that added realism to our shots and helped bring the scenes to life.

Bloopers (BTS)

This behind-the-scenes moment was captured during our shoot day. I wanted to include it because it perfectly reflects the chaos, excitement, and laughter we experienced. It’s one of those moments that might seem small, but it holds so much energy, a reminder of how fun and unpredictable the process was. Definitely a memory worth keeping.

Week 12 VFX (Jycee's POV)

VFX 1 text Appearing

First, I imported all the video clips I needed into the project. Then, I began experimenting with ways to make the VFX card appear naturally in the scene. My starting point was masking the card to isolate it from the background and prepare it for further effects.

Next, I added the text I wanted to include  “Never Charge With Money.” To make the text stand out, I applied a glow effect using a glow plug-in, giving it a more dramatic and eye-catching appearance.

Next, I worked on the VFX, using position, opacity, and rotation to animate the elements. To make the motion smoother and more natural, I adjusted each keyframe using the graph editor. It took several of trial and error to find the right timing and movement that felt just right for the scene.

After completing all the VFX work, I compiled and integrated them into the video clips to enhance the overall result. 

VFX 2 Moving Card

Next was the moving card VFX. We wanted the card to appear as if it was being moved by a magical force. To achieve this, I first imported the necessary files, especially the magic effect assets that would help create that illusion.

Since there were a total of five moving cards, we started by designing and preparing the card visuals in Photoshop. 

After that, we brought them into After Effects for animation. To create the movement, we masked each card and used a Null object to control their rotation and position, making the motion appear smooth and coordinated. I also add the magic effect for each cards, with free magic effect from youtube.

after that I compile it into one pre-composed

VFX 3 Showing Card

To reveal the image, I used simple VFX techniques. I adjusted the position to align the image perfectly with the card, scaled it to match the card’s size, and used opacity to make it gradually appear when the tarot reader snaps their fingers. Additionally, I added a magic power effect around the reader’s hand to enhance the illusion and make the transition more dynamic.

VFX 4 Levithating

For the levitation VFX, I faced quite a few challenges, but with some guidance, I managed to achieve the best result I could. I used position and a Null object to control the movement. The process started by photobrushing the tarot reader’s body and shadow to separate them from the background. 

Then, I began working on the transitions. One of the main issues was making the fall look realistic  initially, it didn’t convey a sense of falling, so I increased the speed. After several revisions, we decided to rotate the tarot reader’s body to make it appear as if he was falling headfirst. The core of the levitation effect relied heavily on position adjustments.

Week 13 Editing Video (Valerius's POV)

In the post-production phase, we concentrated on refining the project through various editing techniques, including color grading, video editing, and adding sound effects (SFX) to enhance the mood and overall viewing experience.

For the color grading and correction, we followed a layered approach starting with basic adjustments like exposure, contrast, and white balance. To bring out a warmer, more dramatic tone, we increased the temperature slightly and reduced the exposure to create a dim, mysterious feel. Highlights were lowered, and blacks were deepened to add depth and mood. 

We also used curves and HSL secondary adjustments to fine-tune specific tones and isolate colors that supported the scene’s emotion. The final look combined warm yellow tones with rich, dark browns, giving the overall footage a cinematic, slightly eerie atmosphere that matched the theme.

During filming, we used smartphones as external microphones for clearer audio by placing them close to the subject. To sync the audio with the video, we used the clapperboard’s clap as a reference and manually aligned the sound in Adobe Premiere Pro. We also added sound effects and ambient audio from online sources to enhance the horror and mystery. All audio was adjusted for volume and polished with fade-in and fade-out effects for a smooth final result.

To maintain the film’s mysterious tone, we kept dialogue to a minimum. To ensure the audience still understood the context, we added text on black screens throughout the film. The chosen font was inspired by classic Hollywood styles, adding a cinematic and timeless touch that complemented the overall mood of the story.

We carefully adjusted the composition to guide the viewer’s focus toward the card, which holds a key narrative element. It reveals that the Tarot reader was never meant to charge money for her services. However, she chose to ignore this, and as a result, faces a fatal consequence her death by the end of the story.

Final Outcome