Educators providing Courses in Edinburgh

Employing a mix of practical exercises and critical reflection, this introductory day course provides an overview of fundamental techniques for recording and editing voice, ambiences and sound effects for podcasts, video/film and art installations or just for fun. The course uses industry standard software and introduces a range of popular, high quality microphones and portable recording devices. The course has enough flexibility to be steered by the individual interests of the participants, but you will generally cover; the properties of sound, microphone selection and placement, gain structure, effective planning, noise limiting and reduction, sound editing, dynamics, sound processing and spatial effects. If desired, we can look at a variety of techniques for improving sound quality and recording audio from video conferencing, as we all find ourselves working and interacting in this manner every day. Computer experience is required. Morning * Microphone Selection – why and when to use * Applications, characteristics, limitations * Microphone type – Dynamic, Condenser, Lavalier, Shotgun, Boundary, Stereo, Binaural * Polar Patterns – Omni, Cardoid, Attenuated and others * Practical microphone placement and technique * Critical distance, proximity effect, shielding, simple acoustic treatments, filtering * Lavalier microphone – positioning, preventing distortion & rustles * Booming – positioning, preventing microphone bumps * Stereo Mics – phase issues Afternoon * Editing techniques (fades, looping) * Building a mix * Basic sound processing, noise reduction and dynamics (channel strips, EQ and compression) * Insert effects (modulation, filtering, distortion) * Send effects (delay, reverb) * Automation (of volume, panning etc) * Bussing (sending signals to multiple fx) * Mastering effects (limiting) * Exporting and file types   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Courses are subject to minimum enrolment. Please register early, within five days of the start date, to reduce the likelihood of course cancellation. Please read our cancellation policy before booking. Students, anyone over the age of 65, and those in receipt of any form of benefits can claim the concessionary price, offering a 10% discount on the full course price. Valid proof of eligibility must be produced on the first day of the course. Please use the code CONCESSION when prompted at checkout.

Adobe After Effects CC is the industry leader in video compositing software, offering an exciting and versatile array of applications for the creation of professional moving image work. On this course you will learn a range of visual effects and animation techniques, working between Photoshop and After Effects to create videos which explore text based motion graphics, character animation, green-screen compositing, 3D landscapes, motion tracking and lots more in-between. Alongside technical exercises the tutor will screen and discuss relevant artists, designers and filmmakers, providing both the technical skills and inspiration to create your own professional motion graphics work, filmic special effects or experimental artists video. Computer experience is required. Week 1 This week we will create a short video that combines text, still image and video layers. Through this exercise you will learn how to: * Navigate the workspace on After Effects * Set up a project and select a video format * Introduce video to the timeline and split layers * Change the position and scale of layers * Introduce basic text * Use selections in Photoshop to create a still image composition * Import this composition into After Effects to create a composite video. Week 2 This week we will look at basic animation techniques. Through a series of exercises, you will learn how to: * Use Photoshop to great multi-layered elements for animation * Import these Photoshop elements into After Effects * Work with key-frames and interpolation * Add motion blur * Duplicate and pre-compose animated elements * Create a parallax effect to give the illusion of depth * Apply blending modes * Work with the puppet tool to create moving joints for an animated character Week 3 This week we will look at converting 2D photographs into a 3D virtual space to provide depth and movement. Through a series of exercises, you will learn how to: * Convert a 2D image into a 3D space * Set up a multi-layered diorama in Photoshop * Import this into After Effects and position the layers within 3D space * Create an animated camera move through 3D space * Apply depth of field Week 4 This week we will look at working with green-screen compositing to place a live action figure within an animated backdrop. Through a series of exercises, you will learn how to: * Work with the Keylight filter * Adjust colour balance and tone * Composite the figure against an animated background * Introduce shadows and highlights * Use the green-screen figure to create a silhouette Week 5 This week we will look at applying masks to footage to create cutouts, as well as exploring different applications for effects. Through a series of exercises, you will learn how to: * Work with masks * Use the Roto-mask tool * Apply time re-mapping * Work with ‘Particle Playground’ and similar effects Week 6 This week we will look at working with the paint panel to create animated drawings, as well as using motion tracking to attach a text element to a moving point within a video clip. Finally, we will cover how to output your final project, adding sound effects and applying a basic edit. Through a series of exercises, you will learn how to: * Create text based motion graphics (kinetic typography) * Apply motion tracking to live action footage * Render your project * Add sound to your video   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Courses are subject to minimum enrolment. Please register early, within five days of the start date, to reduce the likelihood of course cancellation. Please read our cancellation policy before booking. Students, anyone over the age of 65, and those in receipt of any form of benefits can claim the concessionary price, offering a 10% discount on the full course price. Valid proof of eligibility must be produced on the first day of the course. Please use the code CONCESSION when prompted at checkout.