Scene Analysis of Wave Interactions

Pick a video of your choice, and analyze it by looking at different scenes.  For each item, you will add an artifact of choice to a digital portfolio.

I.  Noise reduction and leveling
What do you hear in this scene?   What should you hear in this scene?  One way to do this is to watch without volume first, and then watch again.

II. Decibels
Pick a scene that has action--a sword fight, a car chase, a gun fight.  Identify 10 noises and estimate the decibel effect at 5 meters away, and then at 10 meters.   You may borrow the decibel meter, if necessary.

III.  Doppler effect.  Pick a sound scene where you hear the pitch of a sound moving.  Create a sample problem, based on the speed of the source and/or the observer, and calculate the expected frequency as the sound moves towards or away from you.

IV. Interference.  Pick a scene where different sounds are interacting with one another.   Explain if the sounds are reinforcing or cancelling each other out.  One way to do this is to use Goldwave to sample each of the sounds individually as a .mp3, and then use a clip of them as an .mp3 together.  Compare the sound spectrograms.

V.  Shadow.    Pick a scene where shading is important.  Identify why or why not colored shadows are present, and give an example of a penumbra and umbra to predict where the scene was lighted from.  Does the shadow function as a mood device, or is it a function of the location or setting?

VI. Color.  Red, yellow, and blue are the primary colors of pigment, but red, green and blue are the primary colors of light.  As a result, there are a myriad of effects that can be created by changing the color of a character's clothing, or by placing different gels on lights.  Create a model of a scene where color is used effectively and see if you can duplicate the lighting.  Why or Why Not?

VII. Optics.  Refraction and reflection can have a dramatic effect, creating the illusion of distortion or illumination, distortion, or clarity.  Identify a scene(s) where both can be found, and explain what you see happening with appropriate diagrams.

VIII. Electromagnetic radiation. all ranges can be found in the magic of movies.  Identify three places in the movie where you believe the movie utilizes non-visible (at least to humans) types of radiation.  Specify what the frequency range of this radiation type likely is.

IX.  Speed of Light. The speed of light is finite, which limits how quickly communication can travel, even with radio waves.  Pick a scene where communication is happening, estimate the distances between the two characters, and and calculate the time needed for the event to happen.

X. Speed of Sound.  The speed of sound is temperature-dependent. Contrast the speed of sound during two events in the movie, listing assumptions and calculations.

XII.  Hearing Curves.   Movie designers work to make sure that all viewers are satisfied with the experience.  How does your understanding of hearing loss and hearing curves affect how a movie should be designed?  Here, Goldwave may also be helpful.

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Personal Research:

Find out about another application of waves in theatre or movies.   Dolby sound, 3d-pictures, frame rate consideration, CGI---all of these may be appropriate.   Use these ideas and develop a presentation, with resources, that explain your topic of choice.  Deliver the presentation in a creative format that will engage and entertain the learner.

Building a PinHole Camera

By tomorrow (Tuesday), you need a pinhole camera for each of you.   PT has a book that details this, or you can look on the web.  We are making a photographic paper camera.  Lucas Fangmann is in PTs room and can help if you ask nicely.  Some research can be found at these links.

http://www.kodak.com/ek/US/en/Pinhole_Camera.htm

http://www.pinholeresource.com/shop/home

http://www.f295.org/main/forum/