Using the Atem- For the final production I was given the task of being the visual mixer. This included using the Atem system, of which is the system at our college that records the footage from the cameras. You could see all of the live footage from our 7 camera set up, and the mixer’s job is to switch between them to record the 1 image. I had never done anything like mixing before, but after a run through with the director for his vision on when he wanted different cameras, as well as a Youtube video or 2 on when the best time to switch between cameras was, I thought that I was ready. I was very nervous beforehand as I didn’t want to mess up the production as bad transitions between cameras can look very unprofessional, and it is something that the viewer can pick up on very easily. After we recorded the intro, and transitioned to the first performance, the mixing began straight away, and with input from the director, the task was simplified and rather entertaining. Overall I think that I did an alright job as mixer, but there were improvements to be made for next time. One aspect that was very apparent was that I didn’t focus on the singer enough. Often I would go 10-15 seconds without showcasing the singing. This was also because I didn’t know the songs the bands were performing, but also the audio was recorded in the studio not our room, so I couldn’t really hear the lyrics that well. Another improvement would be to not swap between cameras as quick next time. After viewing the final edit, some camera mixes were too quick, and as a viewer it seemed unprofessional and unnecessary.
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