Technology
As I mentioned in my earlier blog post, we used a small microphone that we were able to plug into the Iphone we were filming with. This made it easier to record ambient sounds such as leaves rustling and the slapping of feet against pavement. When using this microphone, I found that it was much easier to record sounds of people walking if we held the camera next to their feet. Also, we had to be careful not to record sounds at to high of a pitch; it blows out the microphone and does not pick up, so we learned in shots that require screaming and when it was very windy, we’d move the mic further away from the source of noise.
Lighting
Another problem we ran into was finding the correct lighting for each shot and making sure it fit in and kept continuity. One thing I learned was how to adjust the lighting and contrast on an Iphone, in order to achieve a more realistic affect. While we needed to film during the daytime, we did not want the shots to appear sunny and optimistic, so we had to improvise and shoot from behind buildings where the sun was blocked out. Filming in the dark was a major challenge as well. Despite wanting a very dark and creepy vibe, we also still wanted as much clarity as possible so viewers new what was happening. This was especially important for the dark scenes because those scenes hold the most suspense and action.
Resources I Consulted
In order to fully understand how to use the microphone, as well as what not to do, I researched several Youtube videos and articles on how to use a compressor microphone. Below is the video that I found to be the most helpful.
Sources:
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