Task #10 Completed: Film A Time Lapse Video (Kim)

10.  Film a Time Lapse Video

Time Lapse Definition: denoting the photographic technique of taking a sequence of frames at set intervals to record changes that take place slowly over time. When the frames are shown at normal speed, or in quick succession, the action seems much faster

Some of the tasks on our original list included filming different types of videos, including a stop motion, underwater, and time lapse video.  So, I decided to combine the time lapse task with the making crepes because a time lapse video needed to be involved with something that took a very long time.  And because each crepe had to be cooked separately and we had so many trial and error situations with the recipe, the crepes took a long time.

The crepes task (#9) actually took several hours, but I filmed clips to create a time lapse video just about two minutes long.  

However, I encountered some technical problems with this task and will share them with you:

1.  You need a tri-pod to film for this long a time period.  I didn't have one, and I also didn't have a person to film for me for most of the clips. My brother was the other person making crepes with me, and he was too busy making the crepes.  So, I alternating between making things with one hand and filming with the other, and putting the camera down in certain spots and hoping the shot worked out.  

2.  I do not recommend the time lapse feature of the iPhone.  The new iPhone update has a time lapse feature, and some of the clips in my video were filmed using it.  For my purposes, the speed was way too fast on the time lapse.  Slowing it down on my computer created a bit of a blurry effect.  

3.  In addition, filming with the iPhone means you need to film landscape.  However, I forgot a few times which is why some of the clips are so small.  This means it is not easy to film one-handed, so that wasn't a realistic goal for me.  I also was not used to trying to film in a store, so I didn't realize it needed to be landscape for the best quality video.

Here are the clips I was able to edit into a time lapse video:

Task #9 Completed: Make a dessert for friends and family (Kim)

9.  Make a dessert for friends and family.

My brother and I decided to make crepes.  We decided on this recipe: 

http://duhlicious.com/2011/03/red-velvet-crepes/

It wasn't the simplest recipe to choose because it has three parts to it (the crepe, a filling, and a chocolate ganache sauce).  It also had a few things we had never heard of before, like mascarpone cheese (which turned out to be a light, fluffy, and sweet cheese used to enhance the filling).  

Because it was red velvet, our batter turned out bright pink.  The crepes themselves were the correct red color.  

Admittedly, our first attempts went poorly.  My brother Kevin described as a trial and error task that was "more error than trial."

This was our first crepe.  To say it went poorly may be an understatement.  

Our second attempt didn't go much better.

After two failed attempts, we headed to Bed Bath and Beyond to get the supplies we realized we couldn't succeed without: a non-stick pan and a no-stick skillet.  

The chocolate ganache sauce.

My dad decided to really over-chocolate the crepe.  

But after we had the right materials and made a few mistakes, we were successful.  My brother mastered the ability to flip the crepes while I made the ganache sauce, rolled and filled the crepes, and poured confectionary sugar over the cooled crepes.