Video and Sound Production l Final Project
Video and Sound Production
Jesslyn Octavia Tjong / 0374562 / Bachelor of Design (Honors) in Creative Media
Video and Sound Production / Taylor's University
Final Project
For our final project, we were required to create a 1 minute video of special effects (VFX) OR stop motion animation (animation students only) in pairs.
Group Members:
1. Jesslyn Octavia Tjong (0374562)
2. Kimberly Miaw Jya Nee (0366836)
Process Work :
The Star (Upright)
Meaning:
When the Star card appears, you are likely to find yourself feeling inspired. It brings renewed hope and faith and a sense that you are truly blessed by the universe at this time.
Keywords:
hope, inspiration, positivity, faith, renewal, healing, rejuvenation
Creating a short film is a journey, and ours started with a single, relatable feeling: the quiet despair of being a university student overwhelmed by self-doubt. Our film, "Wish Card," is a 5-minute story about a young woman's shift from profound unhappiness to genuine self-care, all told through a unique visual language.
The Story: A Journey from Negative Thoughts to Joy
The film's protagonist is trapped in a cycle of self-neglect and emotional numbness. Her sadness isn't caused by a single event, but by a deep-seated feeling of being "not good enough." This internal battle leaves her exhausted and apathetic, making even small acts of self-care feel impossible.
The narrative follows a simple but powerful arc:
- Scene 1: The Weight of the Morning. We meet her in her room, struggling with her morning routine. Her unhappiness is shown through physical, faded Polaroids of her past sadness and by intrusive "whiteboard" VFX that scribble her negative thoughts onto her reflection and personal items.
- The Turning Point. A moment of quiet revelation with a glowing "Wish Card" — not a magic fix, but a symbol of her choice to believe in her own happiness. This moment triggers a visual teleportation sequence.
- The New Beginning. She doesn't teleport to a fantasy land; she lands in a local bingsu cafe, a place of simple joy and comfort. She is finally able to sit, relax, and savor a moment of self-care. This grounded ending shows that her transformation is about finding happiness in her real life, not escaping it.
Process Work with After Effects
A huge part of telling this story was mastering the visual effects (VFX) to bring her internal world to life. This was a challenge, and a lot of the process involved troubleshooting.
- The Polaroid Effect: I created the illusion of physical Polaroids by using a 3D camera to place the photos convincingly in her room.
- The Reflection VFX: This VFX needs the use of masking to show the two different sides in the reflection and what she was actually doing in the mirror.
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The Teleportation:
This was a significant hurdle. When the 3D tracker failed, we had to
find a different solution. We ended up using
a solid layer of cyan color as a shape, acting like a portal. Using Rotoscope also failed
which led us to use what we can do.
Week 9 (16/6/25) Chosen theme and started brainstorming for storylines.
Week 10 (23/6/25) Trial VFX shoot in class.
Week 11 (30/6/25) Received feedbacks from Mr. Martin in class.
Week 12 (7/7/25) Consultation with Mr. Martin.
Week 13 (14/7/25) Video shooting
Experience
Overall, this project was a fantastic learning experience, and I'm really glad I got to partner with Kim on it. It was fun being behind the camera and we spent a lot of time working and laughing, but the technical parts definitely put us to the test. Getting a handle on editing tools in Premiere Pro was a good challenge, and exploring special effects in After Effects was even tougher. The VFX, especially the teleportation effect, was where I really saw my own mistakes and admitted my faults. I need a lot more practice on that. I'm proud that we managed to push through our initial creative block during brainstorming and bring our ideas to life.
Observation
One of our biggest takeaways was just how much the right editing can elevate a simple story. We learned that the creative process takes a lot more time than we initially thought, especially when trying to visually execute our ideas. We found that the small details—like getting the timing of a transition just right or using masking effectively were what truly made the difference in the final product. The project taught us that strong visuals and engaging storytelling are less about complex concepts and more about patience, meticulous planning, and a willingness to experiment.
Findings
Ultimately, this project proved that good editing can transform almost any footage into something impactful. We discovered that when used thoughtfully, effects and transitions aren't just for flash; they can genuinely enhance the story and hold a viewer's attention. This taught us a key lesson: strong visuals and a compelling video often come down to careful planning, a lot of patience, and the courage to experiment with different techniques to see what works best.
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