New Years!

 It is now new years! I am currently on a plane. A plane during COVID? Yes, i’m currently on my way to New Orleans. This means, I am taking a couple days off of working on my film. I have just come to the conclusion that I need to create a whole new story. While I would love to leave that stress in 2020, I cannot. So here I am on my way to Charlotte, then New Orleans. Ive never been there, but it seems nice. I am going for my stepbrothers football game, the NCAA Sugar Bowl. I have a very busy weekend ahead of me so I won’t be doing any planning. Since I will not be on set (my room) this also means I won’t be filming. As i mention before in my christmas blog, I think it is important to take breaks and pace yourself. Personally, with creative projects, I need to work on my schedule. I will not priorities creative projects over math homework or a history test because one matters more than the other unfortunately. In the new year, I plan on creating a film I and proud of. Isolated, my film, is one of my new years resolutions as well as being more organized. I will not lie to you reader, I have slacked. I have put off working on this project in the name of other classes. But deadlines are approaching and it’s time to face the music.

New Story

 My friend got COVID, I am on lockdown. So now I am forced to come up with a new story. This is going to be extremely difficult because I don’t know what to do on such short notice. What if the new film doesn’t match the colors and theme I’ve implicated on social media. Will this create a whole re-branding, I don’t know. This is what my idea is. My first scene was going to be a “Quarentine Routine”. If i take this idea and expand it, while adding funny remarks and details, I can make it 5 minutes long. The issue with this is that there is no storyline or plot going on. This means I would need to add some dimension to the voiceover that goes over it.  I’m kind of getting stressed out about it to be honest. I have to get a whole new story, which means a whole new storyboard, etc. etc. The most convenient thing for me to do is create a story revolving around me and my room. This way, there will be no excuses as to why I cannot do it. A one-woman show if you will. I now need to start working on the storyboard. This part will probably be the most exhausting but it is necessary for a thought out film. Also, let’s find a silver lining. Although i have all this newfound stress, there is one benefit from all this. Since I have no one to film with, I can film anytime. This is convenient for me because my schedule is crazy.

There has been a change of plans...

 So today I have decided to start reviewing. The filming went well. I have a couple of good takes but I still have to do some more. But I have ran into a slight issue. There are many COVID cases in Florida. We might as well just be the epicenter for Coronavirus by now. Although my issue is the storyline, as the film is about a girl breaking from quarantine, it is a bigger issue. My co-star has got COVID. Due to this emergency, my mom has not allowed me to get with any friends to film. She hasn't let me hang out before, but this just adds fuel to the fire. So this issue is now out of my control. I am in complete and utter confusion. I now need to figure out a way of making a movie completely alone. This has gave me extreme anxiety because I have a deadline and I don't know what I am going to do with my story.  My plan is to rewrite the story but that is a problem for another day. This issue also means I have to re-storyboard as well as think of a story where I can still use my footage. Will it be in the same genre? Will I have enough time? I don't know, but that is a problem for another day, and all I can do. now is brainstorm.

Why I am not filming today or tomorrow

 I still have a lot of work to do left with my film. I just worked on my social media so I know I’ve done some progress. There is a lot of filming and editing to do and the clock is ticking. I know it is crucial that I film. Even more so since my last film day ended up so horrible. It is currently December 24, 8 pm. I did not film today nor will I film tomorrow and here is why. It is Christmas Eve, and with the horrible year 2020 has been, I need this holiday. I am at my grandparents house, with my dad, grandparents and brother from college. We just had a dinner that we spent all day preparing. Tomorrow I will wake up, come back here to spend time time with my cousins. After that I’ll go to my mom’s house and spend time with my brother and how excited he is about all his new toys. Once we get out of the Santa age, the school system has always assigned packets of work or projects to work on. To this I say, forget that. Why should I have to give up my holiday time, my family traditions and my mental break to keep up with something like school. I am not going to film today or tomorrow because there are more important things in life. Maybe on the 26th or maybe on the the 31st. But i know that while i am with my very old grandparents, i’m going to appreciate the time I have with them and give myself a break. I will have time to film, but filming on a holiday is something I won’t do to myself. Cambridge, if you are reading this for any reason, happy holidays!

Filming Again

           So now i need to film again. In case you haven’t read the last filming blog, my first filming attempt went rather rough. So now I have to re-film the first couple of scenes. I would say today was better. Because my failure, today I used my mistakes to learn and perform better. I started off by filming the bed scenes. I used my phone to check if the camera was positioned right. This was such a smart moment in my mind. I had an issue so I hacked my way around it. This helped me tremendously. It prevented me from making my previous mistake because my camera was centered the way I wanted it to be. Although that was a positive, i did make a reoccurring mistake. It is extremely hard to film in my house. I have two parents taht work from home, a 5 year old brother and an extremely loud grandmother all in a small house. This made me frustrated. I was constantly trying to find a quiet time but it was never quiet enough. There were many interruptions and random sounds. This annoyed me because I had to refilm and refilm. Finally, I got the take I needed. I would say that today was a more successful film day.

Reviewing

 So now that i have filmed one day, I need to review my film. This is important now so I know to refilm. When I looked at my footage I was very dissatisfied to see it. All my time went to waste as the footage is now useless. I am filming and producing this movie by myself. But I am also in it as well. This causes problems because I don’t have someone to help me. If i had a partner to record correctly, it would’ve saved me this misstep. Most clips were out of focus. This makes the clip irrelevant because I can’t use it in any way. Some clips were not angled correctly or centered. My camera does not have a reversible viewfinder. Therefore I have to get physically behind the camera and set it before running back into the frame. I feel like I have wasted my time because I have no footage and a day wasted. It has made me learn though. I learned my camera was set to manual focus and not automatic. This meant, the way I set it would not stay focused once I stepped in the frame. On my next film day I will took what I learned and put it into use. I will leave my camera on automatic and check each clip after being taken to see how it looks. But that can all wait because my next step is some social media marketing.

Filming Day

         Today I began filming. I wanted to start with the alone scenes because they are easiest to do. I put myself into some new clothes and i started filming. I filmed half of the morning routine. Because I am filming myself, it is very hard. I had to reshoot multiple clips. My camera doesn’t have a reversible viewfinder, so i cannot see what I am filming. That challenged my filming process because I had to spend more time refilming. I also am having problems shooting a specific angle. Some clips are top view of me laying down. I couldn’t figure out today how to film it. After filming I looked it up and got the idea to put my tripod on my bed and flip the camera as low as I can. Another difficulty I ran into was noise. I live in a house with three adults and a 5 year old kid. This means there’s constantly a lot of noise. Many clips got interrupted by a shout or an interruption. This is something I couldn’t really control and began to aggravate me. Overall it wasn’t a good filming day. My next step is to review the footage I have.

Social Media

 In the past weeks I have created social media accounts. I have created an Instagram for sharing photos and videos. The Twitter is for teaser and dates. The YouTube is for trailers, behind the scenes, and any other clips. Finally, the Facebook is for media of all sorts. Today I worked on two things. These things, balding a following and developing a theme, are important to me so I can have a strong, cohesive front. I am currently focusing on building a following for these accounts. They all have 20-40 followers. I want them to have more so I will follow accounts that are random, in hopes they will follow back. I want an engaged audience to build hype around the film. I also want all my social medias to seem consistent. In doing this, I have developed certain aesthetics for my social media. For example, certain colors, tone, etc. All of my advertisements are rather ambiguous and mysterious. I am doing this because until the film is released, I don't want to give too much of the story. This leaves things up to the audience's imagination and keeps them wondering what my film is about. Today I worked on developing some graphic designs for the Instagram. All the aesthetics I mentioned above are represented below. I also updated my website to match better. The overall goal I am trying to accomplish with my social media is a cohesive aesthetic that makes audience put it all together.

Advertising Plan

 When it comes to any business or project, marketing it is key. Advertising to the right audience can make or break your success. I am marketing my film to 13-20 year old viewers. I know they spend a lot of time on social media so properly advertising it to them on social media would be effective. I want to make this film feel like a brand. What makes something a brand is consistency. This means using a color scheme, a consistent vision, and an overall look and feel to the film and all promotions around it. Whether this be trailers or movie posters, they all need to match so people associate the brand to the movie. Therefore, I decided to take some initiative today. I knew I wanted a platform to make these advertisements so I bought myself Adobe Creative Cloud. In this package I receive multiple programs I can apply towards different aspects of advertisements. Photoshop for designing posters, Premiere for video editing, InDesign for infographics, Illustrator for logos, etc. Although this is completely unnecessary and excessive, I find joy in these things. Promoting the film sounded far more exciting than actually producing it, so I want to make it right. I have uploaded a couple of posts to Instagram but until I film, Youtube promotions will have to wait. I also need to start uploading on Twitter as well. The overall look of my brand is darks and cool tones and I want to promote it like a teenager would because the point of view as well as the demographic is to teenagers. I think this step is really important to the film. I know I am not actually selling this movie or making a strong "fanbase" but it shows the dedication. I plan to edit a couple of things to promote and tease the film.

Why I did not film over Thanksgiving Break.

You would think that if a student has over a week to get an assignment done, they would at least begin. Well that wasn’t my ideal break. Overall school drains me out but the week leading up to Thanksgiving break had me aggravated at any and every assignment. Also my family from out of town that I haven’t seen since quarantine started we’re in town. I just felt like with school and my job, I had felt exhausted and was looking forward to break. Any responsible person might think i’m irrational but I really needed the break. I took the vacation to avoid school-work, spend time with my family, and just overall relax for the sake of my mental health. I can film during the week when I am in a productive state of well-being but this break was not that time. With seeming two different sides of my family, Thanksgiving day, my brothers birthday, and my job, I didn’t even have time to film. But to every issue there is a solution. I have decided to film during the week. This is when I am the most productive and motivated. The “creative juices” of mine are flying so it would be great for me. I now have a sense of urgency to catch up and that pressure usually makes me work better. This coming week I will now film the bedroom scenes. Also, unrelated yet totally related, I have bought myself a new computer. This is helpful because the advanced version of iMovie will allow more accessibility to advanced editing. Also the SD port will allow me to be able to film on my camera, which is better for the overall production of my film. So yes, I didn’t film, but for the sake of the film and my mental health, I think its a win-win.

Advertising

 To begin marketing the movie to the media, I had to get social. The first things I had to do was create a logo, color scheme, and an email. I am going to be filming it in my room and usually have my LED colored lights in a purple-blue rotation. Therefore, when creating the logo and color scheme that is what I went for. My colors are purple, blue, black and pink. These colors are important because this is what I will keep consistent throughout all platforms. The next step I had to do was make an email. This is great because since I had to make multiple social media accounts, I can keep everything together. I first started with Youtube, putting my logo as the profile picture. I then set up Twitter and Facebook. The one I was most excited for was Instagram. Instagram is my favorite social media and I think it is popular amongst the age group I am marketing to. I have already started posting pictures teasing future updates. I want the Instagram to be the main source for set photos and clips, since it is a photo-sharing site. On twitter I want to share "testimonials" and dates, since the app is more for text and less pictures. On the Facebook, I want a mix of both. On the Youtube, I will post clips and behind the scenes footage. The big thing is to promote on all platforms consistently.  I am very excited for the promotional aspect of this project. I pay close attention to what gets marketed towards my age group and I want to take that into my own process. 

Planning: Storyboard

 Storyboard

Storyboarding is a very crucial step to planning. I like to consider it the script for actions. This gives the directors a chance to organize the scenes in order, take by take. My storyboard consist of 11 pages.  In boxes, each frame is mapped out. These boxes draw out each take by the angle, movement, setting, and other elements. In total there are 62 clip descriptions and 6 scenes. The storyboard has a setting and angle description. The storyboard can be helpful for shooting so I don't forget to shoot anything. It was also helpful for planning because it helped me further visualize my film. It helps the film make sense in my mind as well and see how the storyline plays out. 

 

Planning

                Now that I have a premise for my film, its time to start planning. I want to shoot the house scenes first. I can do that myself with a tripod and my camera. I can film these any time, during the week or on weekends. This part of the film is a flexible shooting period, which is great. There is another half of my film though. This half needs go be filmed with people. It is important to note that the COVID pandemic is still going on. Therefore, I need to have the least people as possible. My parents do not want me going out to keep me safe so this will cause another issue. I only have one day to film. I now have to coordinate a day in November to film. This day will consist of 3 or 4 friends. I want to film as safe as possible but it needs to be done. Once I finish storyboarding, I will start the filming process. The first scene I will film is the montage. It is supposed to be like a morning routine. It also includes clips of online school. Therefore these scenes can be filmed on weekdays. The planning of filming is crucial to maximizing your day. 

Short Film vs Feature Length Film

 The short film 9 was originally directed by Shane Acker. In 2009, Tim Burton and Universal Studios produced it to be a full length film. To begin with, the main difference between them is the plot. In the feature film, the storyline was more drawn out. In the short, it was a very fast storyline meaning only scenes crucial to the storyline were included. This also means there were more details. The long film had space to add unnecessary details or jokes to keep it entertaining. Short films are fast so they grab your attention and keep it for the length of the film. The short only had a couple scenes but each scene was important. Full films have to make it entertaining throughout. This means that full length films have a more build up character development compared to shorter films. Another difference is there is dialogue. In the short there was no dialogue and mostly just sounds like running and panting. In the feature film there was dialogue to keep it entertaining. This is actually something I really liked about the short but I understand why it was necessary for the long film. I liked how in the short, he got an idea across with no words and just off visuals. The graphics in the full film were also a lot better.My other note is that the feature film had a positive ending and a less dark theme to it. I enjoyed it more because it felt like an interesting journey while the short left me unsettled. Overall, I liked feature film because of the story and graphics but so believe the short was better executed.

Research 9: The Feature Film

I have just watched the full film based on the short film 9. The basic storyline was the same but the approach differs. Shane Acker, the director, partnered with producer Tim Burton. Before I watched the full film, I resonated the short with Tim Burton’s style. I found the collaboration interesting. The full film had a different approach maybe due to its production company and making it more marketable. The film came out in 2009 and was produced by Universal Studios. The film was longer so more detailed. It still followed the basic plot of the short. It’s a story about a dystopian world where rag dolls live. It is running and hiding from machines until it finally faces them. These machines are trying to wipe them out, similar to the short. This film had dialogue to make it more appealing. One last thing is that the film had a more optimistic view. It had a happier ending. This could be again a marketing tactic. If a full movie doesn’t have a happy optimistic ending it might not do well. The graphics were honestly a lot better. The detail in the characters and the setting further amplified the plot. The character development was further detailed due to the more time it has as a full length film.

Research 9: The short

I have just finished the short film called 9 by Shane Acker. This movie was very unsettling. It followed a robotic ragdoll and A dystopian world. The film was dark and I could tell it had a deeper meaning but overall I didn’t understand it. I did not like it because the scenery and lighting choices made it some thing out of a nightmare. There was a part where a mechanical beast-like creature removed the souls out of the friends of the main rag doll. The main character was called 9. He then ran away from the beast with its container of souls. It’s following the dolls  journey as it runs away and gets a chance to unleash all of its friends souls. Although he did not have a face, his gestures showed his emotions. One thing I noted was the fact there was no dialogue. I think it made it so much more dramatic overall. I think the details spoke for the plot more than words could. So many ideas were presented without one word spoken. The only sounds were natural sounds such as walking and gears turning. The movie gave me like junkyard vibes. It was very dark much like the film Coraline. The director was very creative but in like a scary, Tim Burton way. He showed a whole story in 10 minutes without any words so I must say it is a well executed film. I wouldn’t watch it again personally because it was very creepy. 

Genre Decisions

       So, now that I have researched all the possible genres, I need to make a decision. The possible films are a comedy, a romance or a drama. I originally only explored the idea of a drama. I wanted to make this emotional drama about mental health and feeling free. Although I still think that idea would be beautiful, I had to look inward. I would not enjoy making a film that serious. I would have such an amazing time filming a comedy, and that's the moral. As a person, I'm trying to go out of quarantine and have a fun time, like my character. I think if I actually was getting one night away with my friends, it would be fun and lighthearted, not emotional. I think experience is the best way to learn, so that is what I will do. I decided I want to make a lighthearted, comedic film about a group of teens having one night of freedom. This could make the film more genuine. The film I will be basing it off is Project X and The F*** It List. These two films are about teens going wild when they stop following their parents and societies rules and just making memories. Although I like the drama and romance ideas, the comedy film is more me, if that makes sense. The decision is one that I did not expect but I think the result is going to make a better film. My next step would be to start brainstorming details such as characters and scene ideas. Because I am choosing a comedy, I have to follow the comedy norms and genre structures. The one thing I need to keep in mind is that I cant make any of the comedy inappropriate or insensitive. Im not an insensitive person but comedy can be controversial so that is what I am trying to avoid.

Genre Research- Drama

             The last genre research I would be doing is Drama. This is one of my favorite genres because I feel that it develops the characters feelings more in depth and makes the story more emotionally relatable. My pitch is very personal. I am the girl stuck in quarantine longing for one night, but so is everyone. During this global pandemic everyone is forced to stay home and put a halt to the fun, lively lifestyle we are used to. The toll that quarantine has taken on me has made me appreciate my friends more than ever but has also affected my mental health as I feel everyday is the same and has no longing purpose. All these emotions can be portrayed in a drama film. One of my favorite camera movements in drama films are tracking shots that track someone walking or moving. The angles are usually eye-level, unless portraying the idea of being more/less powerful. The editing is very close or are cut to focus on reactions or the emotions of the cast. Examples could be eye line matches, which react to something such as a phone notification, which then cuts to the phone. Mis-en-scene is very broad depending on its subgenre such as teen drama or historical drama. The outfits are quite substantial, whether they are exaggerated or substantial for the character, one example of tis would be Wonderwoman's costume which is key for her character. The lighting is also very broad depending on the genre but while intense or deep conversations go on, the lights get dimmer and the background focuses so that the audience can focus on what they are saying and not get distracted by any side features. My favorite examples of Drama films would be Bombshell, Queen & Slim, and the show Euphoria. I actually want to base one of my scenes off of a scene from Euphoria where Jules was shown standing in a car with the roof open listening to music, feeling the wind in her hair as she goes through a tunnel. That scene showed her being free, happy and content. I like drama movies because they establish connections and do an amazing job of telling stories with an emotional perspective. Although, I dislike how some drama films are too serious and feel like I have to invest my attention every second or I will lose the story. Overall I think drama will be the best genre for me to do my film.

.

Genre research: Romance

             When I got this assignment to make a 5 minute film, I immediately thought of a teenage coming of age movie. I did not picture it to be a romance but the more I think about it, the more I see potential for a beautiful story. The summary of my story is a girl who is tired of quarantine and longs for one normal night again. By adding a love interest, the story is about a forbidden love that has been building up for months. I have seen multiple movies quite similar to this such as Romeo and Juliet, Everything Everything, Midnight Sun and Five Feet Apart. In all these films, whether its a medical condition or a family rivalry, the two teens cannot be together. Romantic movies follow certain guidelines through filming and editing that enhance the romance in the film and establishes an emotional connection between the couple and the audience. The first example of shots used are two shots which usually show the couple next to each other; I feel they do this to emphasize to the audience what a beautiful couple they are. Producers also choose to have zoom ins a lot; I see this especially during that kiss scene towards the end of most romantic movies. The mis-en-scene is quite common as they usually wear casual attire but I notice that the women are wearing dresses a lot which I think further emphasizes the femininity in her role. The lighting is usually warm or dim as it creates a sense of tranquility, also street lights are usually blurred which again adds a soft tone to the scene. This brings me to editing. I see split screens a lot during phone calls in romance films. Fade ins and outs further amplify that soft effect I was talking about earlier. Some things I love about romance films are how the full story is shown, the happily ever after if you will. On the other hand, romance films are so predictable. You know in the beginning when she meets the one guy that they are going to end up together and in love, happily ever after and what not. I can never watch romance movies twice if they are strictly romance movies, because I know exactly what is going to happen. The story I have would be beautiful as a romance film but i think it wont focus on the mental health aspect as much as I would like to in the 5 minutes I have, because the story would be too focused on romance and getting the guy.

Genre Research: Comedy

         A fun and humorous way of twisting this story would be to make it a rebellious film about some rule-breaking teens who have the most epic night of 2020. Teen comedy movies about defiant kids do really well in box offices and are relatable to audiences in the teenage demographic. Some example of this would be Project X, Good Boys, and Ferris Buller's Day Off. Comedy movies use certain norms to enhance the storyline in a comedic favor. For camera angles and movements, some examples I can provide are zooming way too in or way too out. Its kind of a silly feature that makes you focus what is going on further emphasizing the joke. Another angle commonly used is the low or high angle. This could be funny as to show power or lack thereof such as getting lectured by a parent. I think Comedy uses the most sound effects next to horror. In comedy movies there will be random crashes or laughter or sometimes even no noise to let the audience laugh after a joke. The music in comedy films are usually upbeat or intense. The mise-en-scene of a comedic film depends on its subgenre. Goofy films focus on characters appearance such as dramatized features like a large nose or a mustache. Teen films dress realistic to teens unless making fun of a "dorky" teen or a high school stereotype. A very common editing technique used is shot-reverse-shot during conversation. One thing I love about comedy films is how they are usually light-hearted and are casual. They are easy to watch and the whole crowd has a good time watching it. To contradict what I just said, I don't like how not many comedy storylines don't get taken seriously and cant portray a deep message. A teen comedy would be funny and lighthearted in the quarantine circumstance but it would not portray the deep meaning on how leaving her house will help her mental health.

Genres I would like to research

           My pitch follows the narrative of a teenage girl that has been in her house for months. She longs for one night to spend with her friends making memories like she used to. The story takes place amongst teenagers and is an optimistic film so that rules out some genre choices. The best fit for my film would be a comedy, a romance or a drama.

            The first option is a comedy. Although I did not plan to make this pitch a comedy, I can turn this whole situation into a joke on how we cant leave our house. The story could focus on a group of teens rebelling against their parents to go break some rules and have an epic night. The film could be a rebellious take on the typical coming-of-age film. An example would be Project X, a movie about a group of kids who throw an insane party while their parents are out of town.

            The next option would be a romance. My pitch is vague enough to include a love interest so I could make the film about a girl who is longing to see her boyfriend or just a guy she has wanted to see during quarantine. This would be a more typical teen romance movie but I think the circumstance between a forbidden love would make a beautiful story. An example of this could be Romeo and Juliet, where the two love interests know they are not allowed to be together but put all costs aside in the name of love for each other. 

            The final option for tis story would be a drama. This film could be about a girl letting loose from the daily COVID-19 routines and breaking free from the restraints of her parents. This coming-of-age narrative could focus on how she finds happiness in herself and just enjoying all the things she once took for granted. This narrative would focus mostly on her feelings and her perspective on the world going on around her. An example would be Jem and the Holograms, a film about a girl breaking free from the restraints of the entertainment industry and just being herself and finding happiness.

            Overall I need to research these different genres more in depth to make a valid judgement. These three ideas I previously stated would all be great movies and follow my pitch but the stories would be completely different.

Pitch

 After being in quarantine for months, a teenage girl longs for one night t of friends, music and memories  she will never forget.

Solo Blog

              In elementary school, I saw group projects as a fun opportunity to spend time with my friends. Now in high school, I can't stand a group assignment. My assignment is to produce a 5 minute short film and fully advertise it. We are given the option to work alone or in a group of up to 4 classmates. I am choosing to complete it alone.  Although I will have friends featured in my film, they will not make any decisions. That is exactly why I decided to take on this project alone. I do not want my grade to be based on anyone else's work or lack thereof. As it is my grade, it will be a representation of my skills and work. A benefit is control but a setback would be workload.

            In AICE Media A level, I did my first project in a group and although it was my favorite project, I did not like working in a group. It is easier to work with a group because of time management and work load. Working in a group though, limits your creative control. For example, if my group does not like my idea I have to work on a full project that won majority vote or is easier to do. That is a problem I ran into a lot last year with my group projects. I like to do all my work with dignity and creativity, so to do a project I don't want to do would leave me bored and bland. When you get full creative control, you don't have to vote for every song, every shot, and every costume. No one will fully understand your vision until it is executed so if I have full control I can do things the way I want and express my emotions, not a collective groups. 

        The only downside to working alone is the workload and responsibility all falls on you. I have to manage story-boarding, advertising, filming and editing all by myself in addition to all my other classes. That is a lot of work for a 16 year old I will not lie. As I said earlier though, I do all my work with pride so I am glad to take on a challenge.Working in a group can also be very distracting as people tend to collaborate with friends. This leads to getting off track. Last year a two-minute film which was supposed to take one day to film, ended up taking two days. The only reason for this is because we were not being serious with our time. I like collaborating with people and everyone loves less work but I do not believe I would submit an assignment that is authentic. The film I create will be an accurate representation of my creativity and skills. That is why I am choosing to work alone in this group-based project. 

Welcome Back Blog

     I am back! I came back for round two of my film making career with AICE Media A level. This year I am so excited to be making first full short film. Not only will I be making a short film, I will also be completely marketing it to the world. So I should probably re-introduce myself. Nice to meet you, my name is Macy Genevieve Villar. I am a 16 year old junior at Fort Lauderdale High School. I am bilingual (English and Spanish), but I do boast three full Italian sentences. My hobbies include photography, music-listening and excessive phone usage. I have three brothers and we like watching movies together. Some of my favorite movies are Project X, Charlies Angels, and Kingsman Secret Service. I like wearing a lot of black and white because I think it makes me more productive. My dream job is to be a millionare, investor, philanthropist and influencer; the Kim Kardashian of Wall Street if you will. My dream colleges are University of Miami and The University of Florida. I like fashion and R&B music as well as Asian food, roller coasters, any form of art. My favorite project that I have made in the past year has been my Vans commercial. I liked that one because it was short and fun, also quite impressive for my first film. This year I am excited to make a full movie as well as promote it. Promotion and advertising is quite beneficial to me as I want to enter the business world. I am currently forming a pitch for the movie; tis is the first step to the very exciting project ahead.

Audiences Essay

          Technology modernizes purely off efficiency and convenience. In today’s age, everyone does not consume media in the same way due to the advancement of technology. Although film was originally distributed through cinemas and VHS tapes, now there are countless services and methods to watch your favorite films.

            In modern day and age, a film can be distributed through a multitude of ways. With apps such as Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu, you can watch original movies produced by these companies without having to go to a cinema or wait for a DVD to come out. “Netflix’s catalog relies upon a complex web of algorithms that, nourished by monitoring its subscribers online use, aims to contribute towards formalizing satisfactory viewing decisions”, (Eva-Patricia Fernández-Manzano, 2016). These apps and streaming services run algorithms to suggest content based on previous viewings, this could be a reason for their large number of users; instead of targeting the population, the algorithms target to you. With these streaming services, it allows users to watch their favorite shows and films from their phone, computer, or smart television, which is very convenient for its users

For an experience, cinemas exist all around the world to watch new movies. There are many cinemas worldwide to watch the newest blockbusters. Many films by big corporations such as Walt Disney Studios, Universal productions, and Paramount can all be viewed at theaters. I don’t think cinemas will ever disappear because it is an experience you can’t get from watching a film on your phone. Although cinemas are a highly-grossing industry, they have been seeing a decline in sales “Streaming and other leisure-time enticements appeared to take a bite out of movie ticket sales in 2019, with total admissions declining nearly 5% to 1.244 billion” (Hayes, 2020). This can be due to the competition from other services.

Furthermore, another method to enjoy film is through DVD or BluRay disks through a player. All though it is not common for young people to own many DVDs, there are still millions of dollars being made through DVD sales annually. Films such as Aquaman, A Star is Born, and Avengers: Endgame all made over $20 million each in 2019 through DVD sales, (Numbers, 2020). Although DVDs are declining due to digital films and streaming services, there is still a profitable method to make more money off hit movies.

Today, to watch a movie there are so many ways. You can buy physical movies, you can rent from a local Redbox, you can go to a cinema, you can watch a movie on YouTube or Netflix, there are so many different options in the 21^st century that consumers can choose whatever is the most convenient to them. Companies can choose what is the smartest for their films when it comes to maximizing profits and viewers.,

Works Cited

Eva-Patricia Fernández-Manzano, E. N.-G. (2016, July 06). Data Management in Audiovisual Business: Netflix as a Case Study.

Hayes, D. (2020, January 17). U.S. Movie Ticket Sales Dip Nearly 5% In 2019, Reflecting Competition. Retrieved from DEADLINE: https://deadline.com/2020/01/movie-ticket-sales-2019-decline-domestic-box-office-1202834469/

Numbers. (2020). Top Selling DVDs in the United States 2019. Retrieved from Numbers: https://www.the-numbers.com/home-market/dvd-sales/2019

Extract Practice- Game of Thrones

       The director’s purpose of these two scenes are to demonstrate a boat landing to a kingdom and men of different background having a conversation about power, succession, crime, family and more. The director was able to convey this information while also establishing a mood using camera angles, shots, sound, mise-en-scene and editing.
The opening image was an aerial view of a boat traveling over a waterway. The aerial shot suggests movement as well as showing the boat with flags entering a kingdom. While the aerial shot took place, a thematic score played to intensify the serious mood. The next take of this scene showed the two men on the boat while the camera zooms in on their faces as they look off into the distance, which is most likely the kingdom they are entering. Their faces were very determined which further establishes the mood that the conversation and business that is about to take place were very serious and important. While they are on the boat, the day is cloudy, natural light. This gives off a pessimistic, somber tone, whereas if the director chose a bright, sunny day, it could suggest that the conversation was more light-hearted. The next transition was a jump cut between the view of the boat on the waterway and the men in the kingdom room. This transition suggests a change in location and therefore a small passage of time.
The next scene was of the two men from the boat having a discussion with three men from the kingdom. The long shot of the two men showed off their costumes and setting which are important for two different reasons. The costumes all the men wore were not modern, maybe 1000 A.C. which suggests that this storyline is very old and develops the story. Their costumes were also very heavy suggesting it was either winter or takes place in a northern country. The room they were in had marble floors and high ceilings, which suggests they are inside the kingdom now as these are signs of wealth. While the men were talking, the camera followed a shot-reverse-shot, which shifts the perspective and focus from the men as they speak to each other. In addition, the very dialogue was important because of the information but as well as being an indicator of the time period this took place in due to their tone and mannerisms. The lighting in this royal room was natural, as it lightly leaked in from a large window, which also indicates the time period.
In conclusion, the author used many small tactics and paid very close attention to detail to portray his vision into these two scenes. Their closeness to detail is what smoothly established their vision. With a combination of camera shots, movements, sound, editing, and mise-en-scene to establish a mood, location and characters.

Creative Critical Reflection

Final Movie

Re-Edit

To re-edit was a crucial step. I now needed to re-edit my film according to my peer review. First I cut the scene of the bathroom out. I felt that this scene was too long and served little development to the storyline. This scene was 30 seconds which took up a quarter of my film. Although this scene was difficult to edit and a hassle to film, it took up too much time. The scene was a split screen and was already sped up to make it shorter. Next I cut off a portion of the scene where Juliana is tying her shoes. An extra 8 seconds were spent solely on her walking into the room. This unnecessary footage made the film too long so I removed it. Next I fine-tuned the cross cut conversation to be less choppy and more fluid. Next, I made the establishing shots shorter as well as changing the transitions. This made it more fluent and allowed time for the viewer to get an idea without stalling. The re-edit portion is important to the whole storyline. Therefore, I need to go back and change the storyboard. These changes were due to my peer-review saying that the film wasn’t clear. The re-editing took approximately twenty-five minutes. Overall, I think the re-edit made the film more fluent and clear. 

ReShoot

With all the footage I collected over my two film days, I have come to the conclusion that I don not need to reshoot. Although some scene were flawed, I can edit the errors away. The scenes i filmed took multiple takes so I have excess footage. I had a couple scenes i planned on reshooting some scenes for clarity or speed. These clips include the bathroom scene, walking scenes, and some dialogue. I had originally planned on reshooting some scenes than a pandemic called COVID-19 spread across the globe leading everyone to self quarantine. The reshoot was scheduled for March 19, but quarantine started a week prior. It was not suggested to leave or be in groups. This pandemic has caused complications for all groups and their projects. Luckily, I filmed before hand ensuring I had enough footage to create a film. This lead to complications in my timeline for the film. Due to these complications it is not an option to get my group together to film. Although I have my own gear and equipment, i cannot connect with my group mates. As a result i have to utilize editing to get a different result. According to a  peer’s review, the footage was well but the storyline was confusing. Therefore, I need to make my film more simplistic so a viewer is more clear. Although the reshoot didn’t get to happen, I believe I will be able to make a film that will still be fluent and cohesive.

Editing

Editing this film was stressful. First I reviewed all my footage, deleting bad takes and organizing all the good clips in a folder. This made the footage easier to access. Then, I imported all my footage onto my editing software, iMovie. Once i imported and arranged all my clips, my film was six minutes long which was three times the maximum length. I immediately knew that I had made huge mistakes. I thought my film would end up being too short but I was far from correct. I then discovered that iMovie had no way of adding a split screen. Due to this I downloaded multiple apps to find the best one. By using an app called Split Video Screen, I was able to create the split screen scene. I added the split screen scene to replace the original footage and that got me down to four minutes. To shorten the film, I had to maneuver the the clips. This includes clipping and speeding up the clips. I could not do this to scenes with dialogue as changing the speed would distort their voice. I got my film down to 3 minutes but then I realized one scene still needs additional editing on to when a voice over is made. I then used the instrumental downloaded song on the footage without dialogue. I altered the volume on different scenes to erase external noises such as side conversations or cars driving. Editing is simple on iMovie, but because it is so simple, I had little creativity when it came to transitions and in-depth editing and trimming. The editing process took me about an hour and a half.

Filming Day- Continuation

             For my next film day I filmed again at my friend Mariapaula's house. Once we got there I printed the photo I needed for the filming. I first filmed the scene of Emily tieing her shoes and reacting to the photo. I needed to rip the picture up in half as well as drawing a gun. This scene was easy to film as I just needed to half a shot oh her walking in a bedroom and begin tieing her shoes. I then got a close-up shot of the picture on the wall. I got a reaction shot of Emily looking at the photo, then I got her putting it back. This scene was filmed twice and was reshot due to acting mistakes or unclear directions. A high angle shot in an aerial view showed her grabbing the 'gun' off a counter.  The next scene featured Darwin spraying cologne and following a similar sequence. He sprayed the cologne on his chest, grabbed his wallet, and a photo fell out. I filmed a closer angle of him picking up the photo and went back to the medium shot. Then he proceeded to put his wallet back in his pocket. The next clip showed a different counter, with Darwin placing the cologne down and grabbing the knife and exiting. This scene gave us difficulties because the location was dark. To fix this, I resulted to using a flashlight to lighten up the scene. We had to use different ways we can to lighten up the foreground of the scene. The final scene I shot was the photo album scene. This scene had Darwin opening and looking at a photo album. He proceeded to shut the book dramatically and walk out the frame.

Peer Review

            For my peer review I looked at a group of three guys; Jorge, Jack and Alex.They were prepared with a film that fell between the time frame. When I watched their movie, it was well produced. The titles matched the genre of action-thriller. The letters were red and uniform and they came in a suspenseful way. Half of the necessary titles were included. Although the titles such as produced by, director of editing, etc., was included the names were not. The editing was well done as it was fluent, cohesive, and logical. The film angles did not vary that much though. No high or low angles were in the film. The story-line was clear; a robber breaking in and getting ready to kill someone. The music matched the clips, as they built suspense and created an anxious mood. Although there was a score, there was also digetic sound such as walking and car doors. No was dialogue was in their film though, which would have been helpful to a storyline. There was a pan establishing shot of a street and of the front door. The location and theme were well-established from the get-go. The most interesting part of their film in my opinion was the use of the trunk shot. The use of this scene was what clearly established the story and provided some foreshadowing. Overall, their film had some errors but it was an overall well-done film.

 

Filming: Day 3

        By this point I was almost halfway complete with filming my scenes.My next scenes to film were the walking scenes. The first walking scene I filmed was the tilt.This shot was harder to film because I had to tilt my phone upwards while walking backwards. This made it difficult but after several attempts, I got it. This scene was a close up. This scene was a tilt from walking feet up to her head. To do this scene she had to walk slowly to give me time to rise smoothly. She was "talking to her grandma" so I had to record her lips moving to match the voice over.This conversation scene will be cut into several clips. These clips will form a cross cut conversation. The next scene I filmed, was also of Juliana walking. We moved further down the street to differentiate the scenes, but show she is in same location. This scene was around sunset time, which meant we ran out of time. I was not able to finish filming in one day. I have three scenes left to film, therefore another filming day is needed. This is mostly because I spent too much time wasted on other scenes. My next scenes that I need to film will take less time. My next step now is to begin reviewing the film I already taped.

Filming: Continued

            Furthermore, we had to continue filming. We were being unproductive with our filmimg so we had to start picking up the The next scene I filmed was our conversations with our assistants. I had to create "mugshots" of our assassins so we lined Emily up against a wall and took a photo of her. I followed the same procedure with Darwin. This wasted filming time which could have been avoided. I filmed Mariapaula and Rafael playing assistants with headsets and laptops. Once I filmed them, I filmed the screen showing the images we took earlier that day. Next we recorded the car scene of Darwin on the other line of the call. This scene was shot in the car, which was relatively easy to film.This was shot on the car's headrest and is a medium-shot. The corresponding scene was of Emily walking down the street answering Mariapaula's call. This was a medium-close up as well as a tracking shot. The flaw I ran into was the audio. Because we were outside, the wind made the dialogue unclear. To resolve this issue, I had my cast speak the dialogue, but I will also record a voice over to layer on top.  To save storage and time, I began to record the scenes that are cross-cut conversations all in one take. This way I can chop it up in editing to be a conversations. This also prevents any noticeable changes between takes.

The First Filming Day

      To begin the process, I gathered my equipment to begin filming. I charged my camera, grabbed an SD card, my tripod and a bag to store it all in. I was working with another group as we had overlapping film days. We met at 1:30 on Monday, February 17th. I filmed with several classmates of mine. While my classmates were using my camera, I decided to use my phone to tape this film. The quality is 4K and is much more convenient as I was working on the film myself. I began by filming the establishing shot. To do this, we crossed the street and placed the tri-pod on the sidewalk. I waited for cars to stop crossing the street so it would not intercept our shot. As I shot the houses, I got various angles and tried to get the angle closes to the one represented on my storyboard. The next scene we filmed was the bathroom scene of Juliana (played by Emily). I shot this scene all in one take. I will cut it into segments while editing for the cross-cutting. The only cut I had to do for this scene was when Emily had to change costumes. I was able to get the scene the way I wanted after two takes. The parallel scene I had to shoot with Javier (played by Darwin), was a bit more difficult. My actor Darwin, was having difficulty acting and doing the actions comfortably. I wanted the scene to look natural, so we had to do several takes of this particular shot. This scene was in a mirror so I had to shoot from a side view which led to an over-the-shoulder effect.

Planning: Storyboard

The final step in planning is building a storyboard. This step is crucial to the film making process. This gives the directors a chance to organize the scenes in order, take by take. In boxes, each frame is mapped out. These boxes draw out each take by the angle, movement, setting, and other elements. My film totals to 65 boxes. These boxes draw out any movements, the actors and any props. I mentioned the lighting as well as the shot type. This storyboard will serve great purpose on filming day. The storyboard is the guideline for the film, therefore we will film accordingly. The settings are mapped out accordingly such as outside, bathroom, car, bedroom, etc. The storyboard is a sketch of how the film will look.

 

Planning:Title Design in Detail

The first two minutes of a film both attract the viewer as well as credit the producers. The titles are played along the corners of the frame to give credit while not distracting from the film. The font must be legible and easy to read quickly. I chose to use white letters in a black box. This will complement
any scene as well as making it stand out. The font I preferred was very narrow, so with some spacing I was able to make the font more legible. For the title of the film, I prefer bold letters. This keeps it symmetrical and is less distracting. The bold letters stand out, differing it from any other titles. All titles except the film title will go in the top left and bottom right corners. The titles should be presented long enough for the viewer to read once or twice, but should not linger to get all of the titles presented throughout the first two minutes.

Planning: Location, Sound, Participants, Health, Schedule

     One of the most crucial steps of the film making process is planning. To avoid wasting time on set, which is money, it is important to plan the details down. In this slideshow, I discussed the location for filming. The set played a large role in the story dynamic and the environment the characters will be portrayed in. In the slideshow, a picture of the house being used is included as a basis for size and aesthetics. The sound is extremely important too. I have downloaded several audios of thematic music for the background. Selecting the right music will set the mood for the film. The participants are my cast members as well as parents, for supervision. My safety procedures are included, in case of an emergency and to prevent any injuries. My schedule is planned out to be completed by mid-April.

Planning: Sound and Dialogue

These slides are my sound and dialogue script. This goes through the detail of the sound being played throughout each scenes. Most scenes have no dialogue, while music plays. The sound will be alternative beat plays while the first scenes play. While the conversations go on, the music goes to a thematic score. The last scenes will have suspenseful music playing to build suspense. The dialogue will all be over phone calls, so it will require shot-reverse-shots. The sound is important for thriller films to build suspense. My next step is to find royalty-free music to use that fits the theme. The sound might be subject to change due to ambient sounds while filming.

Planning: Shooting Script"

This is the shooting script for the movie I am filming. The first two minutes required an idea of the story I am trying to create. I knew the basic idea of the story I wanted but I had no idea where was the right place to start. The slides go through each scene in detail.This includes lighting, positions, camera movements and angles. It is important to get as much detail as possible since this will be the guide for filming day. I tried to explain the vision in my head as best as possible so when I film, it will make the process easier. I referred to my cast in ways that are referable if my cast changes. I included various shots, angles, movements, acting, and the setting as well as lighting. I made sure to keep it unspecific to one location, in case it changes.

Title Research: Avengers

How many titles played throughout the opening sequence?

For the opening scene they had lots of titles that presented the jobs that created the film, but also gave the credit to the people that occupied the job. This includes casters, costume design and scriptwriters. In total, the opening scene for Avengers had 29 titles which each either introduced the movie workers or the companies that took part in the production of the film as well as director, Joss Whedon

What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
The main images shown in the opening sequence are clouds. Clouds and hurricane patterns are shown spinning in and out of the screen. This most likely represents the chaos that occurs when clouds come together such as The Avengers coming as one.

What connotations do the images carry?
They create a feeling of catastrophe or disaster. This might be coming in upcoming scenes or foreshadowing to a bigger picture.

How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The thriller genre usually includes some intense moments that could are suspenseful and or mind-bending. In this case it’s going to be one common factor that impacts the team of Avengers. The images of hurricanes and black and stormy clouds can signify that they are going to eventually lead to a dangerous situation for the main characters. The film might be how the character deals with this problem that is potentially life threatening and that is a normal convention in thriller movies.

How does this film establish an enigma from the outset?
Opening scenes set the mood for the entire movie. Thriller movies have exciting or intriguing introductions to grasp the attention of its viewer. The Avengers' introduction uses intense upbeat music to keep the audience interested and watching.No story line or characters have been given, just images to set the tone for the film.

What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?.
By using intense footage they can grasp the viewer's attention by having them try and figure out what it means. The lighting and sound can dramatize these aspects and increase the impact.

How has technology been used effectively? You want to consider camera angles, transitions and editing techniques.
The CGI graphics made clouds and storms. The transitions and editing made the scene come together as a whole to present an opening sequence that captures and keep an audience invested in the film.

Title Research: Split

The next film I analyzed is the film Split. This film was released by Universal Studios in 2016. The film was directed by M. Night Shyamalan.

How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
The opening scene has 22 titles in total. This starts off with producers, cast, other workers, and like always ends with its director, M. Night Shyamalan.

What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
In between the titles, a scene of a woman being transported through a hallway is shown. This scene continues to reoccur in between the titles as they flash.

What connotations do the images carry?
This image adds a mysterious and ominous tone to the scene. This indicates that the film might be confusing or more of a psychological thriller. The scenes flashing also add a sense of urgency. The sense of urgency combined with mystery is the origin of a true thriller.

How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The man with a mask is a sign of a thriller. The secret adds to the suspenseful aspect of a thriller film. This along with quick movements, such as the titles quickly flashing. These two add a sense of urgency or suspense to the scene.

How does this film establish an enigma from the outset?
The mysterious woman being transported through the halls is an odd image we don't usually see.The film establishes an enigma from the beginning by cutting in the middle of the scene of the man with the mask. The man is clearly up to no good, and by cutting right as the audience is about to see what occurs, it builds mystery and hype to continue watching.These scenes being flashed add a sense of suspense as the viewers do not understand what is happening. 

What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
Adding suspense and grabbing the attention is important for the first two minutes of a film. This can be achieved with the lighting, pacing, acting and music. The music was very eerie as it sets the moody tone for the film. These factors all create the urgency and suspense a thriller film should have.

How has technology been used effectively? You want to consider camera angles, transitions and editing techniques.
The camera angles did not play an impact since most of the opening sequence was computer-generated text. The letters connected to each other, which is ironic hence the name. The editing was interesting in that regard since it refers to the movie's theme. The flashing transitions also contribute to this.

Title Research: Seven

The next film I chose to analyze is Seven. I chose this film due to its glitched, dark header. The film came out in 1995 and stars Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman. The film was directed by David Fincher

How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
The opening scene has 42 titles in total. The producers started off, then mentioning actors, roles with more than one person and finally the director, David Fincher. The titles played fast and even glitched on and off the frame.

What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
On multiple occasions a shot of a dirty hand handling a needle is shown. The hands threading the needle, puncturing the fabric, and reaping it are all shown. Although I immediately do not know the significance, it may be explained later in the film.

What connotations do the images carry?
The images are all dim, fast and send an eerie mood. This creates a negative or somber tone to the film and the images presented in it.

How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The genre thriller is made of suspense and intensity. The film Seven uses dark fast clips to build suspense and curiosity. The constant glitching adds a sense of uneasiness to the montage. These moods are created through dark lighting, needles, and dirty hands.

How does this film establish an enigma from the outset?
The editors gave the audience enough scenery to get them hooked but does not give any of the story line away. This leaves viewers with several questions. What is he sowing? Who is he and why are his hands dirty? Why is everything glitching? These questions keep viewers entertained while they are watching names being shown.

What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
By keeping the opening sequence mysterious and dim, they can appear to their target audience. Their target audience in this case would be an adult seeking an intriguing, mind-bending film. They keep the takes mature and mysterious to achieve this target audience. This includes lighting, editing, timing and music choice.

How has technology been used effectively? You want to consider camera angles, transitions and editing techniques.
In my personal opinion, I am most impressed by the editing. The names glitched on and of the screen at fast paces but it looks smooth. For the time this was produced, the graphics were well done and unique.