"Alone Time" in the Pandemic

 

The video project I created focused on the benefits of spending time alone. I felt that learning to be by myself was a very important and positive experience for me during the pandemic. But it was not simply being by myself that was positive, it was what I learned about myself and how it helped me academically that made it my positive experience during this pandemic. I was very excited to share my personal experience for this project because I feel that many other students can connect with me and understand being alone. 

I learned a lot from this project. I have never really worked with a storyboard or editing videos so this project was full of new experiences with me. I learned how to plan my camera shots, my script, and my video editing so that the whole project flowed smoothly. The storyboard was very important for me in planning and putting my video together. My personal laptop does not run very smoothly so I borrowed my friend's MacBook for this project. I was able to learn how to use iMovie properly and effectively as well because of this project.

Normally when I watch other people's videos I am able to point out issues and changes that need to be made. But for my own video that was very difficult for me to do. I had one of my friends look over the video a couple of times to make sure the video flowed nicely. I also figured out that it is a lot of work to be a content producer rather than a media consumer, especially with a video. Being the creator was difficult for me because this video was a multi-step process including a lot of new technology and programs I hadn't used before.

I was pleasantly surprised with how easy the video editing process was. I uploaded my audio clips but removed the video and overlapped that audio with new videos I took. The new videos were of me completing actions that were narrated over by my pre-recorded audio. I was also surprised with how helpful the storyboard process was, specifically when deciding what picture angle I would use: medium shot, close-up or long shot. I used the class reading on Shots Storyboard to help me figure out when and why I should use certain camera shots.

The class readings were very beneficial in the planning process for this project. In specific, the images on page 13 of the storyboard pdf shared in class helped me to understand what the different types of shots looked like. This allowed me to understand what my video would look like even before recording. Likewise, the example storyboard at the bottom of this source also helped me to see what information I should include in my personal storyboard before filming.

I think overall my video project worked very well. I think that my audio and picture quality during filming were clear for the viewer. I am not exactly the best person when it comes to speaking in front of a camera, but I tried my best. That being said I think some of the acting skills could be improved upon, as well as my interview skills. But, all in all I think my project was a success and clearly expresses my message on a positive experience during the pandemic.