Introduction Test Videos - Typography
- Feb 1, 2018
- 4 min read
I have decided to experiment with titling my video. Building on previous work done in stage one of the course where I attended a Typography workshop, and dedicated part of my stage one art rotation studies to typography, I have decided to briefly explore different fonts using the VHS style camera recording software.
Test 1 - Typewriter
I have two version of this test. One is of the typewriter simply typing out the title of the video in free time, and the other is in time to the piano piece I wrote and plan to experiment with. Currently on my test pieces, I have used the piece 'Nocturne' by Chopin, as it is a very special piece to me and is highly relevant to my personal headspace in relation to thoughts and memories.
(first test)
(second test)
Second Test - Light Box
A homeware item that appears to be trending at the moment is light boxes. I have one myself, however decided to be more creative with the way in which I filmed the title, by placing it on a clean reflective glass surface in a dark room, making the light reflection hugely effective and aesthetically interesting.
Third Test - Peg Board
Another 'trending typography' at the moment is peg board, with individual slots for the letters to be placed into. On this particular version of 'headspace' I added a full stop to the word, as the peg board footage seemed more harsh and dark thank the others. Therefore I felt the need for it to appear more definite and final.
However there are several versions of this piece.
(first one)
By applying the rule of thirds to my this shot, I had the peg board in the right hand 2/3rds of the camera. I think this was effective however prefer the second test in this series, as the positioning in the bottom right '4 squares' of the rule of thirds is more effective visually. I also chose to experiment with a free hand camera shot, without using a tripod to see the effect. In my opinion it makes it more personal and appropriate to the first person style of filming.
(second test)
In this shot I applied more detail with the lighting. I decided to turn out the main room light halfway through the shot, to see how the lighting can change the feel of the video. I really like this version, and think that the use of the light box to under-light the peg board is interesting. It shows the lights turning off and shows the darkness while still being able to see the text, meaning it is an effective way of not only controlling the light but also the atmosphere in the video.
(third test)
In this test, I took a slightly longer video to ensure that over all 3 tests, i had at least 4 seconds of film with the correct positioning and lighting I wanted. Obviously with all the tests, I will blank out the audio and fit it to the re-appropriated sounds (piano and voicemails).
(test four)
In this last test, I decided to include the light switch in the shot to see how incorporating the surroundings in the room would affect the shot, and how its positioning as a smaller object juxtaposed against the pegboard changes the feel. Looking into this deeper, the viewer could clearly see how the room is dimly lit in this shot, and instead has a focused light somewhere behind the camera pointing at the wall. The light could easily be turned on, however it is a conscious decision to keep it off, which forms a strong connection to the thought of headspace, and maybe not always necessarily wanting to be happy and 'switched on'.
REFLECTION
Due to the aesthetic properties of each shot, there is no stand out version of the three different fonts. I think it would actually be interesting with putting a version of them all into the video, creating a 'rule of three' to solidify the title at the start of the video. By repeating it, it also eliminates any chance of not knowing what the video and audio is about, as previously in test pieces without any text or explanation it would be difficult for an outside viewer to understand the message and purpose of the short films I have created.
One other thing I have noticed, is due to my conscious choice to record and edit all my videos with a VHS style effect, the quality of the video has obviously decreased. When I started using the app that edits the videos, it wasn't an issue as there wasn't any text to focus on need to read anything. However now introducing the titles, particularly in the typewriter test, the text is quite blurry. I think this is OK as i am planning to use all 3 text pieces as the introduction, however if I was to do this project or work in this style again, I would perhaps find editing software that can apply the VHS and R&B effect without having to compress the video and thus decreasing the quality so much.
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