Was assigned another film today, an advert for a local company. It felt pretty good because I was given control over the whole edit and making sure the client got what they wanted through email correspondences. Hopefully it's ok but there may well be a list of changes in my inbox on Monday morning!

Went up to college for the first time today...Sam and I did a bit of Led Zepping in Clarabelle the Ka to pass the morning drive...

It was really good, I learned a lot about After Effects and have to make a film now using the new skills I've picked up. Thinking something animated with a monster in it (:




In this one we were tracking a spot on the footage so that the background moved with the camera



Here we were keying to create the silhouette and masking to create the ground, then just a bit of photo editing on the background photo to create the effect. There was some animation on the menu too, I learned a bit more about key framing.



...and creating a background and a foreground by duplicating and masking the same video clip.

Health and Safety - Unit 9

Not the most exhilarating of topics, but when the hard drive started smoking the other day I was glad to know about it!

Basically a hazard is something that could potentially be a source of danger, like a cable left unsecured on the floor. A risk is a situation involving an exposure to danger, in this case if the cable was in someone's path and they walked over it. 

For the majority of people in the Creative Media sector, computers are the main tool used in the workplace. This can pose a risk of repetitive strain injury (RSI) due to using mice and keyboards, and of eye damage due to looking at a screen for much of the day. Posture can also suffer in this situation, and this can lead to damage to employees' backs and necks.

Because of this, regular breaks for all employees are encouraged to rest eyes, and chairs that encourage good posture and wrist support aids are often made available to minimise the risk of RSI. 

Electricity (as I've been unfortunate enough to find out on a number of occasions) can hurt. The risk of electric shocks and plugs sparking is omnipresent in this job, so all sockets and appliances are regularly PAT tested by professionals. Any electrical item found to not be working properly is labelled and employees are told of the hazard. 

It's sometimes necessary for larger objects to be moved around the office, and this can pose a risk to the wellbeing of employees if they have not been briefed in the correct way to lift and carry such things. If this briefing isn't carried out, people may be liable to injure or strain themselves, most seriously their backs.

Due to the number of hard drives and power sockets in use by each computer in the work environment, cables sometimes have to run from the wall to various work stations. 

To minimise the tripping hazard posed to people in the office, all loose cables must be taped down securely, preferably with bright, strong tape so that people are made aware of them.

Where electricity is involved, there is always a risk of fire, especially if people are drinking at their desks, as spillage could cause a plug to spark. Papers and files stored around the office could potentially catch light easily, so any fluids should be kept as far away from power sources as possible, and fire extinguishers suitable for electricity and wood, paper and textile fires should be made readily available.

The office environment itself is key in ensuring the health and safety of employees in the Creative Media sector - if a working space is cramped, dim or messy, people are likely to be less productive than if it is spacious, well-lit and tidy. An undesirable workspace is also of detriment to morale, and if there is tension or stress within the office it is likely to be heightened by uncomfortable employees. Keep it clean and smiley! 

(: