II Read the text and define the main idea of it:
Video Design
Video design may be referred to as motion graphic design or interactive design. Motion design is the art of graphic design within the context of motion graphics such as film, video or computer animation. Examples include the typography and graphics seen as the titles for a film, broadcast design like show opens for television or the spinning, three-dimensional logo at the end of a TV commercial. If you watch much TV or see many films, you will notice that the graphics, the typography, and the visual effects within these mediums have become much more elaborate and sophisticated. The dramatic elevation of this art form is largely due to technology improvements. Computer programs for the film and video industry have become vastly more powerful, and more available. Probably the leading program used by motion graphic designers is Adobe After Effects, which allows to create and modify graphics over time. Adobe After Effects is sometimes referred to as "Photoshop for film." A newcomer to the market for motion graphic design programs is Apple Computer's Motion. Motion is an inexpensive and user-friendly program that promises to hugely enlarge the ranks of motion graphic designers. A typical motion designer is a person trained in traditional graphic design who has learned to integrate the elements of time, sound and space into his/her existing skillset of design knowledge. Motion designers can also come from filmmaking or animation backgrounds.
A lot of people when using a graphic motion design application, find it is an object-oriented application. These media files can be still images in pixel or vector format, movie sequences and audio files. Inside the application a 'new composition' with its own and independent timeline, resolution, frames-per-second and pixel size can be created.
When creating a composition, one or more of media files can be inserted. The files appear on the composition window, as well as in the timeline.
Layers have properties which can be manipulated such as position (x, y and sometimes z), scale, rotation, opacity, etc. Layers merge with each other by using transparency information provided by the alpha channel and blending modes, which change the way a layer affects the layers below. Almost all the modifiable properties can be keyframed, which means that its value can be stored at certain positions through time. And this is one of the basic principles in computer animation, the use of the computer to interpolate values between keyframes through time.
Since motion design is created using images and video sequences, a great complementary tool is a 3d software package. Cinema 4D is widely used for its intuitive interface, layered export to Adobe After Effects, and the additional MoGraph module, but there are also several others. Such packages can generate images or video sequences with an alpha channel, which stores all the transparency information.
III Make up a plan of the text.
IV Translate the paragraph in italics in a written form.
V Render the text in brief in a written form.
VI Work in pairs. Discuss the questions.
What is video design?
Where and how can video design be implied?
What influenced the development of this area of design?
What computer programs are used in motion design field?
What skills are needed to become a video designer?
What kinds of media files do you know?
What can be created inside those files?
What properties do the layers have?
How do the layers merge with each other?
What is one of the basic principles in computer animation?
VII Practise reading the dialogue with your partner:
N
ice
head shot, John!It’s a picture of my wife. We went for a walk up the woods today and I saw a ray sunshine coming through the trees so I asked my lovely wife to stand in the light while I tried to get a shot. It was taken at 3.30 this afternoon. But I’m afraid it’s not really a head shot, but a portrait.
Why? A head shot is a photographic technique where the focus of the photograph is a person's face. It is essentially the same as portrait. However, headshot is an image that portrays people as they are and is more of a 'mug shot', however simple or stylized it might be.
Not exactly. The emphasis here must be done on the word “portrays”. A portrait will often 'portray' the person with elements of his life, such as his work, interest, etc. Whereas, a head shot is a front-on (photograph, facing straight at the camera, with the face being the centre of the picture and containing minimal or no surroundings. The facial expression is usually neutral. These head shots are usually used as a form of identification. They are used as passport photos, mug shots and on other forms of photo identification and often require the temporary removal of facial accessories such as glasses.
I think it’s really hard to distinguish whether it is a head shot or a portrait. But anyway it’s great! I like it, light looks good, is it all natural light, or did you use any fill flash on it?
All natural light, mate, I didn’t take my flashgun with me. As I’ve already said the light coming through the trees was lovely…
This photo shows how good natural light can be, I definitely under-use it.
Nice lively expression. You've captured her eyes beautifully. It’s well lit/exposed with just the right amount of detail in the hair and skin. It’s great DOF* – there is no distraction at all from the background.
Thank you. I’m pleased you like it.
* (DOF) depth of field