FINAL PROJECT
VIDEO & SOUND PRODUCTION - FINAL PROJECT
LECTURES
FINAL PROJECT
DESCRIPTION
The task required producing a short Visual Effects video based on a specific theme. The story had to be conveyed through strong visual storytelling, supported by sound effects, background music, and voice-over if needed. The production was limited to no more than two characters and two locations, focusing on a single event and completed in under 15 shotsto maintain concise pacing.
REQUIREMENTS
A storyboard had to be prepared and approved before filming the main scenes.
The final video was to be delivered in digital format with the following specifications:
Resolution: 1920x1080 (Full HD), 16:9 aspect ratio
Frame rate: 24 or 25 fps
Scan type: Progressive
Audio quality: 48 kHz, 16-bit stereo
Compression: H.264
SUBMISSION
The completed video was uploaded to YouTube / Google Drive, and the shared link was embedded in the e-Portfolio. A short reflection on the creative and technical process was also required.
FINAL PROJECT VFX PROPOSAL
Figure 3.1 Proposal / Week 10 (25/06/2025)
PROCESS
Pre-Production
During this week, Aidai and I collaborated to film test footage for practicing the invisibility effect, which we planned to use in our final project. The shooting process was smooth and enjoyable. I handled the phone camera, while Aidai took on the role of director. Our friend, who kindly agreed to participate, played the actress.
After finishing the filming, we worked together on creating a storyboard, discussing and refining it.
Storyboard
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| Figure 3.2 Storyboard / Week 10 (25/06/2025) |
Overview of Our Story
Theme (Tarot):
Card 5 – “What is going against you”
Title of the Final Project: Inside Me
The story explores self-acceptance, inner conflict, and liberation from fears that hold us back from living a fulfilling life. It reflects the idea that our doubts and vulnerabilities are not our enemies but an essential part of who we are. By confronting and embracing them, we can achieve a sense of wholeness and discover true inner peace.
Shooting Day
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| Figure 3.3 Shooting Day/ Week 12 (09/07/2025) |
Week 12
We started filming our final project "Inside Me". The first day of shooting took place at home, where we focused on capturing the emotional scenes of the main character in her daily environment.
Props:
A smartphone (to show her emotional state while scrolling)
A mirror (main symbolic object of the story)
A sink with running water (for the key scene before the portal effect)
Filming Process:
We divided the shooting into three main parts:
Emotional Introduction – scenes of the character sitting with her phone, expressing sadness and isolation.
The Mirror Sequence – scenes with washing hands, the moment when the reflection stops moving, and the key dialogue “I am you, only inside”.
The Portal and Transformation – the final scenes where she touches the mirror and appears in a bright, open space, symbolizing freedom and self-acceptance.
The filming process went smoothly; we carefully followed our storyboard to ensure consistency of shots and angles.
During the shooting:
We used a tripod for stable framing.
Used cinematic mode on our phone to make it more professional.
Filmed clean plates for scenes where characters disappear or object float.
Repeated movements carefully for editing alignment.
Captured multiple takes for dramatic expressions.
Editing
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| Figure 3.3 Raw Footage/ Week 12 (10/07/2025) |
After finishing the shooting, we moved on to the editing stage.
The first step was to carefully watch every single shot to evaluate its quality and pick the most suitable clips for the final version. To keep everything organized and accessible for both of us, we uploaded all the selected footage to Google Drive.
After agreeing on the chosen clips and discussing the overall editing approach, we decided to split the post-production tasks. One of us worked on assembling the sequence and arranging the timeline, while the other concentrated on color correction, adding sound effects, and preparing the visual effects.
Workflow in Adobe After Effects
Visual Effects – Hand Through the Mirror
One of the key visual effects in our project was the scene where the main character’s hand passes through the mirror as if it were a portal. I worked on creating this effect in Adobe After Effects.
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| Figure 3.4 Progression/ Week 12 (10/07/2025) |
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| Figure 3.5 Progression/ Week 12 (10/07/2025) |
The process included:
Masking: I used multiple masks to separate the hand from the rest of the reflection and carefully animated them frame by frame to achieve a smooth transition.
Displacement Effect: The Turbulent Displace effect was applied to the mirror surface to create a realistic “liquid” distortion, giving the impression that the mirror was soft and flexible.
Feathering & Blur: Soft feathering and a slight Fast Box Blur were added around the edges of the hand to blend it naturally with the distorted mirror.
Reflections & Highlights: I adjusted the light and reflection levels to keep the scene consistent and believable.
This effect became one of the most important visual moments in the video, as it symbolized the transition from inner conflict to self-acceptance.
Visual Effects – Portal Transition
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Another important VFX sequence was the moment where the main character steps through the mirror and appears in a bright, open space. I created this portal transition effect in Adobe After Effects to emphasize the shift from her inner struggle to freedom.
The process involved:
Mirror Distortion: I enhanced the mirror surface using Turbulent Displace and animated it to ripple and “pull” inward, creating the illusion of a portal opening.
Glow & Light Effects: A soft white glow and subtle Light Rays effect were added around the edges of the mirror to make it feel magical and inviting.
Masking & Keying: The character was masked frame by frame as she stepped forward, blending her movement with the animated distortion of the mirror.
Bright Environment Transition: A white flash transition (Dip to White) was used to smoothly cut from the dark interior to the bright outdoor scene, symbolizing her emotional transformation.
This effect served as the visual climax of the story, representing her crossing into a new, liberated state of mind.
Workflow in Adobe Premiere Pro
The main editing of the film was done in Adobe Premiere Pro. This stage was focused on assembling the selected clips, creating the right pacing, and building the emotional tone of the story.
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Synced sound and adjusted volume levels
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| Figure 3.8 Sound / Week 13 (16/07/2025) |
I imported the audio files into the project and synchronized them with the video clips, then adjusted and balanced the volume levels to ensure clear and consistent sound throughout the video.
The main stages included: Sequence editing: I have arranged all the final clips on the timeline according to the approved storyboard, ensuring a smooth sequence between frames. Color correction: In the first part of the story, I used Lumetri color to create a dull, cold mood — I lowered the saturation, reduced glare, and added a light blue tint to emphasize the sadness of the character. For the final outdoor scene, I increased the brightness, contrast, and saturation to convey warmth and happiness. Sound design: I've synchronized the background music, voiceover, and sound effects. Transitions: Simple cutouts and a shift to white were applied to transition from dark indoor scenes to bright outdoor scenes, making the emotional shift more noticeable.
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| Figure 3.9 Progression / Week 13 (16/07/2025) |
Added Background Music
We choose a creepy and tension music for our background music .
Music 1: Link
Music 2: Link
Music 3: Link
Final Outcome
YouTube Link: Click here
Google Drive File: Click here
BACK TO TOP
REFLECTIONS
Experience
Working on the final project Inside Me was one of the most valuable learning experiences for me in the Video & Sound Production class. From the very beginning, we treated this project like a real production process, starting with brainstorming ideas, creating a storyboard, and organizing the shooting schedule. Filming was both fun and challenging — we had to think about camera angles, lighting, and props to make every shot visually meaningful.
I also gained hands-on experience in post-production. Editing in Adobe Premiere Pro helped me better understand how the rhythm of a story depends on the timing of cuts and transitions. In Adobe After Effects, I explored complex visual effects, such as creating the mirror portal and the hand-passing-through effect, which was a completely new experience for me. Although it required patience and many attempts to get smooth masking and realistic distortion, I learned how to control these tools effectively. Overall, this project gave me a lot of practice in both creative and technical aspects of filmmaking.
Observations
During the process, I observed how strongly visual and sound elements influence the emotional impact of a story. For example, color grading completely changed the perception of the scenes — the dull and cold tones in the first part made the sadness of the character more convincing, while the bright and warm tones at the end immediately gave a feeling of hope and freedom.
I also noticed how sound plays an equally important role. The mysterious door sound and low ambient background built tension, while the uplifting music in the final scene made the emotional transformation more powerful. Teamwork was another important observation — by dividing tasks, such as editing, sound selection, and VFX, we were able to work faster and give each other feedback, which improved the final result.
Findings
Through this project, I realized that even a short video requires detailed preparation and thoughtful decision-making to look professional. Storyboarding and planning saved a lot of time during editing because we already knew what shots we needed. I found that combining VFX with practical acting can tell a much deeper story, especially when effects are used not just for visuals but to support the narrative — for example, the mirror portal became a metaphor for self-acceptance.
I also discovered that post-production is where the story truly comes alive. Color grading, sound design, and visual effects turned simple filmed scenes into a cinematic and emotionally engaging story. Most importantly, I gained confidence in using Premiere Pro and After Effects, and now I feel prepared to create more advanced projects in the future. This experience showed me that patience, experimentation, and attention to detail are essential for producing quality video content.
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