Working Class Zero

I am currently in my sandwich year in my university course, which is Creative Technologies (Multimedia) at the University Of Glamorgan's Atrium campus in Cardiff.

I will be spending the first half of my placement with ProMo-Cymru, while I'll be spending the rest of the placement with Burning Red.

As part of the year in industry, I have to write a weekly post of what I do and what I've learned. Hence this page on my blog.

Why did I call it Working Class Zero? Well, it was the first thing to pop into my head, really.

So, here's to a productive thirty eight weeks worth of productivity and experience. What fun.

Placement One // ProMo Cymru

Week One - 20/08/2012

Basic induction to the place (mainly an update to make sure I know where everything is and what's done). Then, went on to edit images for Clic that where taken during the National Eisteddfod. Also helped out with editing and translating articles.

All of the photographs taken during the Eisteddfod can be seen here. The majority of the photos seen in that set where taken by me, using a Canon EOS 600D with my Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens.

Also edited green screen footage for a DVD project that the company is currently working on. As the lighting was not the best, there was a need to edit the footage using After Effects. And that's what I did.

Also sat in two meetings; one on the Clic project and the other where all the editors from Wales meet to discuss the progress of the regional Clic sites.

Was ill for two days, but as I was able to access my work from home, I was able to work from home.

Week Two - 27/08/2012

This week concentrated more on photography, as I was asked to photograph two events. Both of them to represent theSprout.

The first was to photograph a dogs home in Cardiff (near Vale of Glamorgan), my task was to photograph the dogs that where there for an article that was written about the place. The second was to cover the Cardiff Mardi Gras

For the Cardiff Dogs Home photographs, I used a Nikon D80 with a Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 lens, which is the camera used by ProMo-Cymru. To cover the Mardi Gras, I used my own Canon EOS 600D with 24-105mm f/4L lens.

Also, I was involved with the final stages of preparing a magazine for print. The seventh CLICzine needed to have translations for all the articles for the printed zine, so I helped out with translation and linking, also proofread both English and Welsh versions of the zine.

Week Three - 03/09/2012

Again, this week concentrated on completing the DVD. I was mainly working on chroma keying various footage that had someone talking and an interpreter. As this DVD is aimed for deaf people, the interpreter is signing. I also supported with translation, editing and uploading videos and articles up on both CLICplay and CLIConline.

Week Four - 10/09/2012

Mainly concentrated on completing the chroma keying task. As the footage was not the best lit, it was required to mask out each person individually and rotoscope the interpreter for a cleaner key. Some colour correction was applied to some of the clips to generate an easier key.

Week Five - 17/09/2012

This week still concentrated on the creating of the DVD. My task was to create a DVD menu, which required a video background to allow for interpreters to sign the menu buttons. Another task was to help with two email bulletins - CLICshot and theSprouter's Digest. For CLICshot, my main focus was translation, while for theSprouter's Digest I aided in adding content to the bulletin.

Week Six - 24/09/2012

Still working with the DVD, my main task was to add subtitles to the video. I was given the task to turn the script into a subtitle script to import into DVD Studio Pro. I also began to add chapters to the footage to ready to link the video to the DVD menu. I also helped with shortlisting for this year's CLICawards, which will be held at the end of October in Caerphilly Castle.

Week Seven - 01/10/2012

Again, I concentrated on inputting and finalising the subtitles in the DVD, for both Welsh and English parts. I also edited and uploaded articles onto the Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Anglesey-based websites, ShoutTawe, Carmarthenshire Youth and Defaid respectively.

Week Eight - 08/10/2012

After correcting the subtitles, I had to complete the DVD in its entirety. I learned how to use stories in DVD Studio Pro to group various chapters together to create a "play all" function for different aspects of the DVD. Also supported in editing and uploading articles and videos for various websites.

Week Nine - 15/10/2010

This week began with concentrating once more in the DVD, as it was needed to edit the subtitles. Translation was also required for both the DVD and written pieces.

Towards the end of the week, I was asked to create an animation in Adobe After Effects in a similar style to the introduction of the Harry Potter films. I was also created a basic animation of a spider climbing down a web, shooting another web, then climbing back up.

This was for the CLICawards, an annual event to promote and celebrate the talents of young people in Wales. It can be seen below. The audio was added by Dayana Del Puerto, ProMo-Cymru's Media Support Officer.



Week Ten - 22/10/2012

This was a week when the placement also had other young people visiting for the week on work experience. On the first day, I taught a young person on work experience a basic technique in Photoshop.

I continued with the work that was given to me; correcting the animation created for the CLICawards and modifying the subtitles for the DVD. I was also asked to create a short video to showcase the nominations for the Video Of The Year award, which will be shown before the winner of the award is announced.

Week Eleven - 29/10/2012

The main focus of this week was the CLICawards, an award ceremony that celebrates the talents of young people in Wales. My main task was covering the event. I was asked to film various parts of the night, which was held in Caerphilly Castle, and some photographic aid also. Towards the end of the night, I also filmed three interviews; two of which were award winners and the other with Keith Towler, the Children's Commissioner Of Wales.

Once the event was over, my main task was focusing on editing and uploading the content that I created online. Although the photographs that I had taken have not been uploaded yet, all three interviews have been uploaded to YouTube, and soon on CLIConline's dedicated video channel CLICplay.

I was also undertook training in a course entitled Raising Awareness Of Safeguarding Children, which focuses on different versions of child abuse and how to notice them.

Week Twelve - 05/11/2012

The week concentrated on completing the DVD that I was tasked to build ready for the launch. This involved building the DVD, testing, burning and finally completing the DVD package. The launch was held in Tŷ Hywel, the Welsh Government building behind the Senedd.

Week Thirteen - 12/11/2012

This week concentrated in creating idents as intro and outros for videos created under the CLIConline, ProMo-Cymru and theSprout name. Also aided in editing articles and translation.

Week Fourteen - 19/11/2012

This week, I continued to design idents for CLIConline, ProMo-Cymru and theSprout. I also developed my skills using professional grade plug-ins Trapcode Particular and Magic Bullet Suites, both created by Red Giant Software.

Week Fifteen - 26/11/2012

This week, I was given a pool of counties in Wales to monitor content and be the main contact for them. As I am the only sub-editor who can speak Welch, I was given the counties that use the language extensively. I also assisted in editing articles for theSprout, as well as continuing to create idents for theSprout.

Week Sixteen - 03/12/2012

I was asked to create one more pair of idents, this time for CLICplay, the dedicated video channel for CLIConline. Using plug-ins created by Video Copilot, I created a pair of animations in Adobe After Effects to simularte TV static and distorted pictures, as if there was bad signal. The assets used were created by Burning Red. Again, I also assisted in editing articles and contacting local editors to support them.

Week Seventeen - 10/12/2012

I was introduced into basic portrait photography and how to use flash lights. I ten went on to begin taking photos of the other staff in the office to replace the profile pictures on the company's website. I also assisted in writing and editing articles.

Week Eighteen - 17/12/2012

For my final week of my first placement, I mainly concentrated on writing and editing articles, as well as researching into using different features of After Effects to create different looks and feelings. I was also given three days during the Christmas holidays to moderate content for CLIConline.

Placement Two // Burning Red

Week Nineteen - 07/01/13

After being showed around the building, my main tasks concentrated on creating and editing web pages for regional CLIC websites, as well as creating various assets for the local websites.

I also covered the office launch of Meic, the advocacy helpline for young people in Wales, where the Deputy Minister for Children and Social Services Gwenda Thomas AM attended the launch. One of the photographs that were taken now appears on the Welsh Government website.

Week Twenty - 14/01/13

To develop my skills in Adobe After Effects, I was tasked to create idents and stings for multiple clients, I was also asked to assist in creating and uploading webpages to one of CLIConline's regional sites, Young Flintshire.

Week Twenty-One - 21/01/13

During this week, I continued with my task of creating idents, as well as supporting CLIConline on a content managing level, as well as creating digital assets for other clients.

Week Twenty Three - 28/01/13

This week was similar to the last, with also the addition of being asked to edit the behind the scenes of a  photography shoot that the company did a while back.

I also learned how to create demo websites using Adobe Muse, and used my skills in the Welsh language to support in changing content on CLIConline on a structure level.

Week Twenty Four - 04/02/13

For this week, I was asked to film the behind the scenes of a photoshoot that went over two days. It was for Rothfink, one of the company's clients. I also supported CLIConline by editing articles.

Week Twenty Five - 11/02/13

This week, I supported on a video shoot to raise awareness for young carers in Ceredigion. I was there to be an assistant cameraman, as well as to provide support for any technical issues that arose on the shoot. Adding to this, I continued to edit articles and the video shot the week before.

Week Twenty Six - 18/02/13

This week, I finalised and uploaded a video of a photoshoot that was held in Bristol two weeks prior. The video was filmed and edited for Rothfink, one of Burning Red's clients. The video can be seen below.



The video was filmed on a Canon 3D Mk III using both a 17-40mm f/4L and a 24-105mm f/4L lens. It was edited using Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 and used plugins called Magic Bullet Mojo and Video Copilot's Twitch.

Week Twenty-Seven - 25/02/2013

This week, I assisted with logo and branding consultation for a local website in the on the CLIConline network. I also assisted with site design development and bilingual application. Adding to this, I supported the company by creating various web assets for other sites on the CLIC network.

Week Twenty-Eight - 04/03/2013

I was an assistant on a photo shoot for a nation-wide campaign, where I supported by setting up the studio and learning more about studio photography. Adding to this, I also supported via proofreading, content stripping and bilingual assistance for theSprout Zine, a printed zine for young people in Cardiff. In doing so, I learned how to use Adobe InDesign, its workflow and basic print standards.

Week Twenty-Nine - 11/03/2013

I continued to support with bilingual application for theSprout Zine, and in the process learnt the standards of exporting for print. I also supported with creating brand guidelines for a client, as well as creating web content for other clients.

Week Thirty - 18/03/2013

A client required a looping animation for a product launch, and I was asked to create the final animation. I was given the InDesign project file and needed to animate it within After Effects. Unfortunately, there is no true workflow between InDesign and After Effects like Illustrator or Photoshop, so I was required to export the needed files out from InDesign and inport them within After Effects.

Week Thirty-One - 25/03/2013

One of my tasks for this week was to create a tutorial for a client. The subject of the tutorial was WordPress, how to log in, and to create and moderate content.

Another main focus of mine was to amend a website design for an upcoming site for the CLIConline network.

Another aspect of my work for this week was to redraw a diagram for another client through the use of Illustrator, as well as creating web assets for various projects.

Week Thirty-Two - 01/04/2013

For this week, I continued with amending the website design for the upcoming site on the CLIConline network, as well as discuss the possibilities of the Welsh alternative for another upcoming site on the CLIConline network.

Week Thirty-Tree - 08/04/2013

This week, I amended a design for flyers and business cards for a local information site regarding advice on drugs and alcohol for young people in Cardiff. This was done in Illustrator, which was then sent to print, where I learned how to export files for print, as well as the process of ordering print work.

Week Thirty-Four - 15/04/2013

This week, I started creating a set of five animations for a national campaign to share information collected from a nationwide survey regarding attitudes towards women in the workplace. I discussed with my colleagues what was needed to be done and then worked towards the final sets of animations. As these videos where an animated version of a printed infographic, the assets were already created, all that needed to be done was to set the assets in a new file ready for animation. This project continued for a couple of weeks.

I also helped set up an Issuu for a client, which was to hold their past issues of printed magazines in digital format.

Week Thirty-Five - 22/04/2013

Again, for this week I concentrated mainly on animating the infographics mentioned above. There was a lot of discussion as to what was and was not feasible, storyboarding each animation and setting up each shot ready for me to animate in Adobe After Effects. The work load also doubled somewhat considering that a single animation had to be exported twice - once in English and then again in Welsh.

Also, I also collected information, assisting in photographing and set up a blog post for Burning Red. I also contributed in with this,  which was a design challenge to create an album sleeve. The blog post can be seen here.

Week Thirty-Six - 29/04/2013

I was asked to amend the animations created the previous week. These amends where mainly to pull important information out to bring more focus to them, as well as adding a final section to each animation to highlight the client's social media networks. As well as these amends, I also continued with amending and the creation of web and print assets for various clients.

- FIN.