Final Project

Taylor's University

Shubashini a/p Subramaniam / 0367697 / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media

Video & Sound Production VSP60104 

FINAL PROJECT VSP: Visual Effects Video (30%)

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Content List 

1. Lecture

2. Exercise

3. Slide Proposal / StoryBoard

4. Filming Process

5. Editing Process

6. Final Video

7. Reflection

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Lecture

Production Stages & Crew Roles

In our lectures, we covered the three main stages of film production and the key roles involved in the filmmaking process. These notes really helped me understand how each part of production connects and how important teamwork is in bringing a video project to life.

Production Stages

1. Pre-production
This is where all the planning happens before filming starts. It includes writing the script, drawing storyboards, picking locations, designing sets and outfits, casting actors, and getting the right crew members. Basically, this stage lays the groundwork for the entire project.

2. Production
This is when we actually film the video. It’s the most active phase, where the crew works together to shoot all the scenes based on what was planned earlier. It can be quite intense because of the tight schedule and how many people are involved.

3. Post-production
This is where we edit everything and turn it into the final product. It includes cutting scenes, adding music, sound effects, colour grading, and inserting any visual effects. This stage takes time and a lot of detail-focused work, but it's where the video really comes together.

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Key Roles in a Production Crew

• Director: In charge of the creative vision. They guide the cast and crew and make decisions on how everything should look and feel.

• Producer: Manages the budget and schedule. They handle the behind-the-scenes stuff to make sure everything runs smoothly.

• Cinematographer (DOP): Focuses on how the film looks visually. They work with the director to choose the right lighting and camera setups.

• Production Designer: Handles the visual style of the sets, props, and costumes to make sure everything fits the story’s world.

• Sound Designer: Takes care of all things audio, like recording dialogue, adding sound effects, and mixing music to match the scenes.

• Editor: Puts all the footage together to create a complete and engaging story. They work closely with the director and sound team to get the right tone and pace.

There are other important crew members too, like lighting techs (gaffers), grips, makeup artists, and stunt coordinators, but these are the main roles we focused on.

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Exercise

In week 9's class, Mr Martin gave us an exercise of a previous student's clip to do a flicking finger vfx effect on after effects. He gave us a tutorial too on how to scale, use green screen to do this:Slide Proposal / Storyboard

Results :

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Slide Proposal / Storyboard :

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Filming Process / Behind The Scenes :

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Editing Process:

Then we did a quick draft of the placement and realised including all of the scenes, would make the video too long and began picking, choosing and rejecting selected clips. We came up with our first draft that includes our VFX but not perfected jus to see the placement 

First Draft :

Then we proceeded to get the final placement down :

Next we started colour correcting the video :

As you can see in the video, I wanted to create a solemn and chilling look. Once the protagonist picks up the book the overall colour start to go on the blueish side indicating something strange is happening. To contrast that when the protagonist wakes up from her so called 'dream' the colours back to normal to trick the viewer into thinking maybe everything is alight ?

Lastly we added in the background music, audio clips and voices in :

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Final Video Submission :

Youtube Link : https://youtu.be/TBiidHoWULU

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Reflection

Experience

For our final video project, my partner and I created a one-minute short film inspired by Tarot Card 20: Judgement, exploring themes of self-reckoning, fear of exposure, and transformation. Our story followed Lucy, a girl drawn to a strange book that slowly pulls her into a surreal breakdown of time, identity, and control.

We used VFX to reflect Lucy’s inner fears: lightning strikes, duplicates of herself appearing rapidly to show time distortion, her mouth vanishing to symbolize silence, and finally her body disappearing. I handled directing, camera, lighting, and editing, while my partner acted and contributed to story development. Managing multiple roles with limited resources was challenging, but creatively fulfilling.

Observation

I realized how well VFX can enhance psychological storytelling. The Judgement card’s themes came through most powerfully in our visual choices, especially the vanishing mouth, which created an eerie sense of helplessness. Our storyboard and sound design were crucial in keeping the story clear and emotionally resonant.

Timing was everything, every second had to show Lucy’s descent. Working with my partner also taught me the importance of flexibility and collaboration, especially in small-team projects like this.

Findings

I learned that clarity and emotional intention matter more than complexity. The VFX were effective because they served the narrative. Judgement is about facing uncomfortable truths, and our visuals symbolized that in ways words couldn’t.

Sound played a huge role in building tension, especially when Lucy lost her voice. I also learned that even in a one-minute film, simple ideas, executed with purpose, can make a strong impact.

Conclusion

This project pushed me to grow as both a visual storyteller and a multitasker. It taught me how to use VFX meaningfully, manage small-scale production, and tell an emotionally rich story with limited tools. I'm proud of how we turned the Judgement card into a short film about fear, identity, and the cost of curiosity.