Finishing Editing the Short

    

    After doing the major parts of editing it was time for sound. The sound was very important for our film. This is because our film is mainly silent in dialogue. Because of this we had many background noises incorporated into our film. We decided to make these noises ourselves. What we did was we found a way to make the sound into a mic. If we couldn’t exactly remake the sound, we found an object that sounded just like it. This part was a little difficult, but was worth it. Overall the sounds are very easy to make. For example the major sound that we made was arguing. We simply argued in the mic but tried to alter our voices. Once this was done, I overlapped the sound. I cut it to the certain parts that we needed it, and I lowered the volume or adjusted anything else to make the sound fit.

    After the sound was perfected this was the last step in my editing process. After this, my group and I met up again. We talked over the phone and I spoke to them about how everything went and essentially what was done. They understood and knew exactly where to take it from there. After this each group member edited the parts of the film. We had group meetings anytime someone finished and I answered any questions or any concerns. My group and I have finished the major parts of editing. We have some finishing touches to make but we can’t wait to see the final product of our short.   

Continuing the Editing Process

    

    To continue, I had to cut each piece of footage. Once I was content with the footage I was ready to get more in depth. But before I did this, I communicated with my group mates. We all went on a call and I told them what I kept and what’s gone. We all agreed on the choices I made when it came to cutting. I reviewed with them what I was planning to further do with the footage, so that they could have an idea when they took over. After this call I felt more confident in the editing. I was able to get everyone’s approval and we were able to throw around ideas. 

      The next step and editing was to work on the transitions. This is important to have a seamless short. This is also important for any scenes that had any special editing techniques, and makes the film seem more professional. The first thing I did was add the basic transitions. This includes regular cuts in scenes that had dialogue or anything else that wasn’t special. I then focused on anything different. For example I had to change the transition to zoom for some of the scenes. This would play into the plot and requested edit. For example, for an action match scene I had to make sure the clips lined up. Not only that but I had to make sure the physical in the clips matched up. This is so that the graphic match could be easily perceived by the audience. Once the transitions were finished the last thing I did was sound.

One of our action match scenes.

The Editing Process

         The next step was actually editing. Because we planned out the editing we were confident in starting the process. The way we scheduled our editing goes as follows. I would edit the beginning of the film, my group mate Lauren would edit the middle and my other group mate, Savanna would edit the end. Like I stated in the last blog, we made sure to communicate. This was important because of the lack of face to face we suffer from remote learning. I edited the footage on the software iMovie. I was confident in the software because it was the same one that I used last year and I knew it worked well and had everything needed. 

          The first thing I did was watch every single clip. Because this is a five minute in length film, there was a lot of footage. So to properly know what footage we had I had to watch every single one. When watching the footage I looked for significant scenes and made sure they were correct. Another thing I did was check off every scene in the script that was filmed. I did this because last year my group and I missed a few scenes to film, so I knew that this could possibly be a problem. To avoid this I made a checklist and made sure each scene was filmed. Once this was done I selected the footage. I took every piece of footage that we would need in the short and put it into the editing software. Once I had all of the clips, I started to cut them. This process was very long. I also had to make sure that this was done perfectly. I wanted to make sure everything was included and nothing was cut out that could benefit the film.

Planning to Edit our Short

    After concluding filming, we started to edit. In my last project I edited a lot of the footage. I find that I enjoy editing, because I am good at it and I like to dissect the footage. It’s also fun to see the film come to life and have pride in the finished product. So going into this I was looking forward to editing. My group and I decided to split the editing. We would each edit on separate days. After making this editing schedule, we had to distribute the footage. We filmed on my group mates phone, So we had to find a way to get the footage to all of our devices so we could edit. After a couple of tries, we created a shared album that allowed us to all view the footage. We found that this worked better than just sending the good clips. We were able to have access to bloopers and screenshots to post on our social media or blogs.

     Once this was done, it was time to start planning the editing. My group and I had many meetings on this. This year is of course a different experience for all of us. This was because last year we were able to edit as one. We could sit in class and edit with our whole group, while everyone put their input in. But because of remote learning this year that was not possible. So my group and I had to overcome this obstacle by finding ways to edit apart but together. So we came to the conclusion of splitting the editing and communicating with each other heavily so the editing stayed consistent and on the same page.

Filming Salems Indoor Scenes

 

         My characters scenes were the last to film. My character, Salem had a lot of thought out scenes and more importance when it came to props and camera movements. For example, my characters plot required a pregnancy test. My group and I wanted to get that together. This was so that we could pick the right one and one that would be shown obvious on camera. After we picked up the prop we were ready to film. Before we filmed we looked over a few things. First we went through each scene so we could refresh the plot in our heads. We then set up the filming location. We did this to make sure everything was in place and visible. After this we started rolling the camera.

        These scenes were one of my favorites to film. Because this was my assigned character, I was acting in the scenes. I loved doing the acting and think I did it well. I had to make sure that each emotion was correctly conveyed. In order to do this I looked back at the script many times throughout filming. I also had to work with the camera. This meaning I had to make sure the scenes were showed the way my group and I envisioned. For example, if there was going to be a certain movement for the camera that would come into pay when editing, like a graphic match, I had to make sure that I acted in a way that would work with that edit. We also had to make sure we shot all of the scenes needed for those types of edits. Once we were done with this we cut on filming and started getting ready for editing.

Filming Graces Indoor Scenes

 

     The next thing to film was Graces indoor scenes. We knew that we had all of her props and the location set up, so we decided she was best to film next. Grace had a lot of background noise. Her particular plot in the short was arguing parents. At first we were going to have her dad play a role. We later decided against this because we wanted the film to connect only with the three girls. We felt it would help the audience to understand the situations better. This could also help them relate or feel for the characters. Bringing them to like the film and remember it. So, we stuck with just the three girls and thought that Graces background  noises could be made and applied later on.

     When it came to Graces scenes I filmed them. My other group mate, Lauren helped by keeping the script nearby. This was so that I would know what to film next and figure out how I could manipulate the angles and camera movements to play into the plot and Graces emotions. When filming I had to make sure the scene was set. This included getting rid of anything that was not relevant but was in the scene. I had this problem with mirrors. The room we were filming these scenes in had a lot of mirrors, so I either moved the mirror or angled the camera a bit differently. I also had to make sure every shot was perfect, no matter how it had to be achieved. For example, in one of the scenes Grace is shown upset and laying on her bed starring up at the celling. This shot was achieved by me getting on top of the bed and shooting directly over her. Once these scenes were completed we had one more sequence of scenes to complete.

Filming Chloe's Indoor Scenes

 

          The next step in our filming process was the indoor scenes. The way our films plot goes, we had three individual clips to film. This was because each character had a story to tell in their scenes. The first person we filmed was Chloe. We did Chloes scenes first because we knew she had the most and it would take more time. My other group mate Savanna filmed these scenes while I directed them. This consisted of me saying what was next in the script. I also included what I wanted the scenes to look like. I also helped with props. Chloe had many props in her scenes so I  placed them and set them up in the shots. 

         To continue, Chloe’s scenes were also the most important. She had the big cliff hanger scenes. These scenes would make our movie more interesting. Chloe had to operate through obstacles in the film and at the end decided to take her own life. Those final scenes were important to get right. We wanted them to be believable. This meant perfection in the acting and filming. I went through each scene with my other group mates. After this, I showed my group mate that was filming, what angels each scene had to be and what exactly should be shot. For example, at the end of the short film there is a scene where it shows Chloe’s hand clutching a pill bottle. The camera then pans to her phone ringing. We shot this scene many times in order to get the right angel and feel. Overall, filming Chloes scenes took a lot of thinking but in the end they turned out perfect. Now all we had to do was film the other two characters.

       

Filming the Outdoor Scenes

 

       This past weekend my group and I started filming for our short. We all met up at my house and planned out our first shots. We wanted to film the scenes we had together first. This is because they were first in our film anyways and incase there was an emergency where someone had to leave, we already had the shots together. The first location was the park. We also filmed these first because we liked the lighting during that time of day. It fit with the film and plot. This was also one of the few scenes outdoors. Filming outdoors has its pros and cons. This location gives the film diversity, but theres also conditions we can’t control. This includes, lighting, weather and people around us. 

      To continue, these scenes came to be a success, even with the little control we had. My group member, Savanna filmed most of the shots, except for hers, while Lauren and I acted. We wanted the first of our scenes to be natural and happy, because our characters are friends. So I acted with savanna and we laughed and had fake conversation. These were easy to film since there was going to be music in the background, which would mean there was no real dialogue to act out. We then worked on the speaking scenes and walking scenes. We wanted to show the girls of the film walking in separate directions to show they are  walking home, but to also symbolize their life differences. We directed this by angling the camera so that an actor could be seen in the back of another ones shot. This would show them walking into that opposite direction and then switch to the background actors point of view. After these scenes it was time to move onto the individual indoor scenes.

Filming For Our Short Film

 

       The next step for our short film was to film. To do this my group and I discussed a schedule. We observed days of school we had off that we would all be available for. After checking we saw that thanksgiving break would work. We planned on filming the weekend after the holiday. We communicated and made plans, arranging rides and times. Everything seemed to be in place and we were ready to bring our short film to life. Unfortunately, we encountered some problems. These led to us deciding to push up the filming dates.

     The first problem we encountered was the fact that it was so soon after a holiday. My group and I didn’t think about how our families might want us home. A holiday is normally family time and our parents wanted us to be with them. Now knowing this my group and I wont schedule our filming so close to a holiday. Another problem we almost encountered was a group member not having a ride. One of my group members lost their ride because of their mom having to go to work last minute. This wasn’t a road block because we had already decided not to film due to our other problem, but it could’ve been. After this occurred, we decided to form backup plans for rides. We found a way to have rides no matter what. This plan consisted of carpooling or taking an Uber. Even though we couldn’t film and this caused our film process to be pushed back, we now feel more secure in the filming process. We haven’t discussed a new date, but we hope to film soon.

Finding Sound For Our Short Film

 

      The next step in our film was figuring out sound. This is very important for our film because theres not much dialogue. Due to this we focused on when it would be diegetic sounds or music. We then decided on a good balance. This would help give the film contrast. The diegetic sound will consist of natural sounds. For example, a pill case rattling, the slamming of a door, footsteps and more. This sound will be taken while the scene is shot. This helps to keep the film feeling as real as possible. The next decision was on what the background music was going to be.

     Our film has different moods to it and we wanted that to be portrayed through the sounds. We also wanted the music to be strictly instrumental. This decision was based off of a few factors. My group and I firstly understood how hard it is to receive the rights to a song. It’s not always guaranteed, so it’s safer to go with copyright free background music. My group and I also felt that having a song with lyrics would be too distracting and wouldn’t relate to the film. My group and I then decided on having light and playful background music in the beginning of the film, and then switching to sad and dramatic music toward the end. This music would tie into the plot. It will make the change in the film also more dramatic and obvious. Now that the sound is picked we are ready to start filming our short.

Marketing For Our Short Film

 

            In order to get this film out to the public we had to market it. This consisted of making social media pages. These pages would also help our film look more professional. This step was enjoyable, but also came with its difficulties. The first difficulty we encountered was making the pages similar. We wanted the usernames to be the same so that when searched, all of the pages could be accessed the same way. Since we were making a website, youtube channel, facebook, instagram and twitter, they all had different rules. For example, we could pick the username for the youtube, but for the facebook and twitter the names were randomized. While, they still related to the film, they weren’t exactly the same. This made my group and I a little frustrated, but we carried on with the process and everything else went smoothly.

         The website was difficult but came to be our proudest media form. The website was a little tricky when trying to put in the other links for the socials. Sometimes the links wouldn’t open. But through trial an error, everything worked out. The website has a theme related to our film. For example, the page goes from light, bright colors to darker ones. This is shown the further you scroll. This relates to our film because of how the lives of the three girls are further shown as lies and not as pretty as they’re displayed. The other forms of social media were easier to make. These consisted more of a name, a bio shortly explaining the actors and a coming soon date. After this was done the medias were complete and we were happy with our finished products. 

Storyboard For Short Film

    Storyboarding was the next part in getting our short film planned. Storyboarding is very important because of its visualization. My group mates and I made sure to talk about our vision as a whole for the film before making our storyboard. We split the drawings up for different scenes to make sure each one of us got the chance to be creative. Although drawing is very clearly not our strong suit, we tried our best to share our vision. Storyboarding will save us a lot of time in the long run because it helps plan out our entire film. Although this process can be long, carefully planning out each scene is very necessary. The storyboard is also a good way to see our film fully through before we start filming. The pictures help us see what each scene will hopefully look like. The sentences below each box are also very useful because they tell anyone reading what kind of shot and camera movements each scene will have. 
      This step is also useful because no time will be wasted on the actual day of filming. Storyboarding gives everyone in our group and out of our group a clear idea of what shots we want. An advantage of storyboarding is that we can find out what ideas we may have had that would work and what may not work. For example, we can try out multiple ideas or shots using the story boards and then see what we like best. Another advantage of this is that it can be easily changed depending on any new ideas we may have. Storyboards allow us to work out problems at an early stage before actual production takes place. This storyboard also helped give us an overview of the timing and rhythm of our short film. I think this part of planning is really tedious yet beneficial. Storyboarding has many advantages and will help our film in the long run! We are very excited to continue this project.

Planning Our Short Film

 

  1. Location- We will be filming at four different settings throughout the short film. The first setting is at a park. This is where the opening scene takes place, all the characters are introduced here. The next three settings are at each of the character's homes. There are three characters, Grace, Salem, and Chloe. These locations will be used to get an insight into each of the girls' personal lives. This location is actually huge for the plot of our story since each home is filled with the character's individual issues they face. 

 2. Health and Safety- COVID-19 is still a problem so we will need to take extra safety precautions to ensure everyone is safe. We will do this by social distancing when we are at the park and wearing mask anytime we are not filming. As for the scenes that take place in homes, we will all quarantine on our own so there is no risk of us having the virus and transmitting it to each other. A parent will also be around incase of any sort of emergency.

 3. Props: We will need a pregnancy test, pills and a pill bottle, a plate of food, and headphones for each of the girls.

4. Costumes- When we are filming at the park, we will be dressed casually in jeans/shorts and a t-shirt. These costumes will remain the same for each of the characters throughout the short film.

5. Schedule:

November 9- November 13, 2020

Planning/Storyboarding

November 23rd, 2020

Filming

11:30 am- All of us will meet up at the park. We will shoot there from 11:30 am to around 12:30 pm.

12:30 pm- We will make our way to Sophia's home to film the scenes taking place in homes.

1:00 pm to 2:00 pm- We will go over all of the scenes for Salem's character and film them.

2:30 pm to 3:30 pm - We will go over all of the scenes for Chloe's character and film them.

3:45 pm to 4:45pm - Film all of Grace's scenes and go over them.

November 27th- December 4th, 2020

Edit short film

December 5th, 2020: Re-film

December 6th, 2020: Re-edit

Short Film vs. Feature Length Film

  

             The short and the feature film are similar in many ways. They have the same mis en scene. The short and feature film have the same post apocalyptic theme and use dark lighting and dull colors. Theres also that same eerie feeling displayed in the both. The suspense is there and builds in the movie like it does in the short. This is done with the use of the monster in the beginning of the short and the film. The character makeup of the monster in both films is similar. The sharp teeth and big figure, and use of a certain sound when the monster is approaching further adds to the similar suspense/eerie feel. The film and the short also both have the same plot. While the short is a compressed version of the films plot, they have a similar conflict. 

          The short and the film are also very different. While the feature film has dialogue, the short does not. There was no need for dialogue in the short, because it didn’t need it. The short was able to communicate the plot without dialogue. However, in the film, dialogue was used to make the film more intriguing and get across more information. The films also had more characters than the short. This use of more characters is a result of the stretching plot and now availability to provide background information to the audience. The plot is also longer. Theres more conflicts and plot changes in the film than the short. And while the film and short were different, both had the same director style.

Research 9, The Feature Film

 

         After watching the whole film, I can say that I enjoyed it and thought that it was well done.  The full film had more background information and had a much bigger plot. The ideas were similar, but expanded. I noticed that there was talking in the full film, while in the short there was none. I suspected this would be the case. So having the dialogue added to the films overall plot and made it more intriguing. The mis en scene of the movie was also very well thought out. The whole movie had a very eery and dark feeling to it. The use of dark lighting and dull colors, made this post apocalyptic theme more apparent. The character development also added to the film. 

       The main character acted the same as he did in the short, but now audiences were able to explore his past and connect more with him. He starts off shy and not knowing much and blossoms into a braver person. The same is done again with the villain. The movie unfolds why this character is there and terrorizing them. The way this was done makes the film ten times better and more complex. I also like the extended plot. Even though the conflict presented in the short remained in the feature film, there was more. The characters were battling an overall conflict with the monsters but also trying to decode their existence. The use of more than one problem makes an audience more involved. This also gives a more satisfying ending. 

Research 9, The Short

 

               After watching 9 the short film, I had many thoughts. I thought that the short film was really good. I can also understand why it got picked up as a full movie. One reason why I think this is the way the short was directed. The creatures did not speak but only used hand gestures and facial expressions. I thought that this deepened the film and allowed viewers to read into the plot and pay ore attention to the characters and their mannerisms. The short also built a strong connection between the viewer and the characters. Even though it was a short film i still found myself getting emotional with the plot. This was genius on the directors part because it took the viewer through a whole story with plot twists etc. This is important in a short because they all need to have structure, while making sense.

      I also noticed the difference in the makeup of the characters. The main character and his friends were small and had big doe eyes. They were friendly to each other and were caring. On the other hand, the evil character was big and mean. They gave this creature sharp pointy teeth and long claws. A friend of the main characters was killed off in the beginning by the villain. This characterization builds the connection between the viewer and the main character, while building the fear with the villain. This again allows the audience to see the full plot of the short almost like its a full 2 hour film. It also makes the plot more tense and interesting. I enjoyed this short and think that it will offer me guidance with my short. 

Genre Choice For Film

    

          After researching three genres my group and I came to a decision. We chose the genre drama. We chose this because it relates the most to our film. The storyline of our short film is similar to other films in the genre drama, so we saw it fit. We were inspired to choose drama out of the other researched genres because of its accuracy. Comedy, doesn’t  apply at all to our film. Our film doesn’t use comedy in any dialogue and doesn’t use anything for a purpose of laughter. With thriller, while some aspects of our film are surprising, it isn’t a nail bitter. Nothing about our film will keep an audience at the edge of their seats, like thriller films do. And even though we do have an unexpected plot twist, it’s not enough to call this film a thriller. Our pitch doesn’t need to be tweaked. After the research, my group and I still stuck with our original plot and ideas. It was however very interesting to learn about the other genres and their common tactics.We still always felt compelled to the drama genre and knew that that would be our end result. Another reason why we picked drama is because of the similar CLAMPS. Drama tends to use dull lighting and the sounds tend to play cake the scenes. This is similar to what my group and I want to do for our film. We have many ideas on using sound to our advantage by adding intense music and sound affects. Since this is similar to what drama films do, we again found it fit to call our film a drama film. Overall, my group and I are ecstatic to start planning and filming our drama film.

Genre Research

  

           When it come to the Thriller Genre, the common camera movements are, Low angles which are used to display power in a character, high angles are used to show vulnerability, and eye level is used to show tension between two characters. The movements traditionally consist of, panning and zooming because this generates tension during the film. In thrillers close-up shots are mostly used to create more tension, while wide and long shots are avoided because it takes away from the tension of the movie. The common costumes in thriller films are extremely diverse, but many films choose to use deep, dark colors so it can set more of a mood. The lighting is usually darker in thriller films, so low-key lighting is used throughout. The audience for thriller films are usually 18+ because there is violence, blood, mental illnesses, etc. Makeup is usually a minimum but on certain characters like monsters or nuns etc. use a lot of make-up. Props are a big part in thrillers because they can help create more of an eerie mood. In thrillers settings remain the biggest part because, they help create the tension because they use places like forests, old houses, and very dark areas. The editing process in thrillers typically consists of these major edits; jump cuts, elliptical editing, graphic matches, and fast/slow paced editing. Using sound in thriller films help create and set the mood for the audience. sound really does change the way a film is perceived. For example, in a quiet place, the director decided to choose sounds that are mostly diegetic sounds for the purpose of making the film more thrilling.  The elements of thrillers that I like are, the feeling of uncertainty, suspense, and how it makes you always think what's going to happen next. The elements of thrillers that I do not like are the terror scenes, I usually do not like "pop-up scenes" which are parts of a film where an object goes into the frame very fast.

     

  

                   For the Comedy Genre, the common camera movements are push/in out clips, perspective shots, for camera movements, most are just the most basic ones. The main movements that are being used are zooms, tracking shots and tilts. Zooms help show emotion in actors faces, tracking shots (in comedies) are usually running or car scenes and tilts can sometimes show costumes/makeup. The most common costumes in comedies consist of bright, bold colors. For example, in the movie Zoolander, extremely bright and excessively bold colors are used to produce an emotion about the characters. Lighting in comedies helps move the plot along, so using high key lighting is the best option. The audience for comedies is very diverse; some comedies are meant for families, but most comedies are also 18+ due to language, substances and many more. Props are used in many comedies because a lot of directors will use a prob as something that helps move the storyline along. Editing comedies is tricky because you do not want to leave any humor out, multicam editing helps ensure that they get each scene correct. Sounds in comedies are usually non-diegetic sounds, or sounds added into the film so that the audience can thoroughly understand what’s going on. The elements of comedies that I enjoy are, how it makes me happy and the laughter that comes from watching them. The elements I do not enjoy in comedies are that sometimes the storyline is often slow, and most comedies are very similar, just with different actors.

           

     The drama genre often focuses on real-life events. Drama film is a genre that relies on the emotional and relational development of realistic characters. Common camera angles, movements, and shots found in a drama include close-ups,  long shots, over the shoulder, medium shots, extreme close-ups, bird's eye, point of view, pan, tracking shot, and wide shots. Close- ups are used to emphasize the expression on the face of an actor. Long shots and wide shots can be used to show the character and their surroundings. Usually the actor or object focused on will be in the center while anything else is in the background. Over the shoulder shots can be used for dialogue or to see the emotions of a character as they Arte told something by someone else. Medium shots show the characters facial expressions as well last body language. Extreme close-ups can add a sense of intensity or focus to a scene. Bird's eye can be used to gain perspective and show that one is of lesser meaning than another. Point of view can be used to let the audience experience how the character feels as they do something. Pan shots are commonly used for transition or to show off a setting in drama films. Tracking shots are used to follow the actor as they go through something (whether it's an activity or just walking). Common sound in drama films include, diegetic sound, dialogue, and voiceovers. Diegetic sound is used to keep the film as real as possible. Dialogues between characters are common whether they are positive or negative (they can allow ones feelings to be presented). Voiceovers are common when there is a narrator telling the story. There is a wide range of types of dramatic movies which allows them to differ greatly when it comes to mis-en-scene. When it comes to costumes, characters are usually dressed in normal clothing whether it's streetwear, business attire, etc. In some cases, the drama could be a period piece or happen in a made up world. In this case, the costumes would be created based upon that (capes, ballgowns, etc.). The same idea goes for makeup (can be normal but if it's a drama about drag queens, the makeup will be extravagant), setting (can take place in modern day New York or medieval France) and for props (could be something as simple as a pen or as fun a a wand). The lighting can differ based upon the mood but usually makes the movie even more dramatic. The actors have to be able to have a range of emotion, not just be funny or energetic. Drama films can vary which also can lead to variations of editing. However, drama films use a lot of cutaways, jump cuts, shot reverse shots, and eye line matches. The cutaways and the jump cuts are often used to show that time has passed. The shot reverse shot and eye line matches are often used when the character visits a new place or meets someone new. When it comes to drama films, I love that there are so many different types and that you never know what twists and turns it will have. I dislike when the movies are bad but not not intended to be (sometimes it's too cheesy). Some drama films include Titanic, A Star is Born, Harriet, All the Bright Place and Juno. More example are included in the picture below.     

Genres I Would Like to Research

      

         The next step in this project is to research genres and find out which one our short film belongs under. My group and I have decided to research the genres thriller, comedy, and drama. We have decided to research the thriller genre because our short film is about the harsh obstacles three teenagers deal with in their personal lives. A thriller contains a lot of suspense throughout the film. Suspense could be useful in our film to show just how rocky their at home lives are. Comedy is the next genre we are looking into. Comedies are often more light-hearted and could help steer our movie in a more positive direction. A funny movie may also emphasize the innocence of the characters in the story since they are teenagers. There are also different types of comedy. There is dark humor, dry humor, comedy through action, romantic comedies, and so much more. A genre that has this much range is beneficial for a film in general. 
    Drama is the final genre we will be researching. Films that have teenagers as the main characters are often dramas. Dramas are often more realistic and take a dive into the emotions and events of the characters and their lives. Dramas contain themes that relate to real life problems. This is a good thing because it introduces a connection to form between the audience and the film. There are also different types of dramas. For example, a melodrama has many exciting events intended to bring our certain emotions. This could be really beneficial for our film because it deals with such a relatable topic that many people could have emotions about. Overall, researching different genres is very important when deciding which one your film belongs under.

  

          

                

Pitch for short film

           

              Three teenagers that each have family problems and deal with hardships at home, each put a superficial mask on for each other and social media.

Group Blog

              For this year I will be working with my two friends named Lauren and Savanna. When choosing these two to be in a group with I had to take many things into account. I have known both of my teammates for a while so thankfully I already knew what they would bring to the table. It was important for me to pick the right group. A group that would work together not against each other. It was also important to find a group with different elements. This is so we can have a variation of minds at work. For example, if we were thinking of an idea for something we would have many to choose from since we all thought differently. Having this variation and being able to get along are important and I'm glad we can do so. We all also bring different skills to the table.

          To begin, Savanna is an amazing editor. She loves to edit and does it on her free time. She knows all about the editing softwares and the different editing styles. Savanna also has a lot of creativity. She is able to think of ideas quickly and expand a general idea into an elaborate plot. Lauren also has skills of her own. Lauren is very organized and is good at planning. She can set a plan and stick to it, which is useful when it comes to the filming process. Lauren is also good at socializing and being in a social environment. This would come to use if we needed to ask for filming permission at a store or needing to ask someone assistance when filming. I posses skills as well that balance out the group and show that everything is brought to the table. I am good at filming and seeing a vision. I can manipulate a camera to get the exact shot a director would be looking for. I can also be very creative and full of ideas. These skills allow us to be a triple threat in AICE media.

I'm Back!

     

              After being away from AICE media for so long, I am finally back! This year I am taking A-level since I took AS last year. I am so excited to see what this year holds. I am ecstatic to see where my media skills go. I want this class to challenge me and help me broaden my knowledge on all things film. This class is much more in depth, which excites me. The final task this year is a short film. This fills me with joy but also rattles my nerves. I am joyous because I have always wanted to attempt a short film. The idea of presenting an entertaining, while properly structured film seems so fun. It also seems challenging because it is a short film. Time is going to play a huge factor in the decisions made and the films main plot.

            This is where my nerves kick in. A short film is a lot of work and is harder than what I did last year. So, when I start to think about this I become nervous. I just want to turn in a good piece of work. I also want the short film to be easily conveyable and enjoyable. I want people that are watching it to say "wow, that took me through a whole story". When I get nervous about these things I have to remind myself of how well I did in AS last year. I also remind myself that I just have to work hard. Overall, I can't wait to start the planning process and get to work!

                                            

     

Audience and Institution Practice Essay

 Question #5: In Relation to the Media Area You Have Studied, Discuss the Ways Audience Consumption Has Changed Over Time.



      Audience consumption for film has changed in many ways over the years. Because technology is evolving every day the way an audience watches a film change along with it. Audience consumption has shifted over time and has brought us the films we know and love today.
     The way we watch movies has changed because of the change in technology. When films were first being made, they were consumed using movie theaters. If you wanted to catch your favorite movie you would have to go to your local movie theater. Even though people still go to movie theaters, over time those theaters have changed. The theaters have increased in size allowing more audiences to watch the film. Another major way theater has changed is the quality of the picture. Older theaters were small, and the screen wasn’t huge. Because of technology we now have I-MAX theaters. These theaters have screens that are six times larger than normal movie screens. This 70mm as opposed to 35 mm viewing screen emerges the audience into the film and makes it seem so much more real. This way of watching movies is extremely popular now and takes on a different approach than a plain old movie theatre. Another way movie theater has changed over time are 3D movies. 3D movies have changed the film industry completely. From the first time this concept came out the public was hooked. 3D movies are movies that have been produced so that when the audience puts on 3D glasses the whole film is in 3D. The audience can see the actions popping out of the film and the excitement level reaches a high. This is popular among action movies because there is so much extra action you could view by doing this.  For example, the movie, Black Panther was premiered and became very popular in 3D. This is because of the movies high packed action; audiences prefer the chance to experience the action almost firsthand. Even though movie theaters were the original way films were distributed to the public, they are still being used because they have evolved and kept this way of distribution interesting and popular.
    Audience consumption has shifted from things like movie theaters to TV. Even though television is mostly for shows, movies overtime has been known to run on certain channels. For example, the original Jurassic Park aired both on NBC and USA and the Sci-Fi Channel, they would hold specials for people to watch to promote the movie which were hosted by actors of the film. Doing this allows them to target more audiences. Because television is used by many people of all ages, doing this could hit many households of many ages. After a movie comes out in the theaters a movie would then come to television and would air on many channels. Another way television has become a way of audience consumption is on demand. Movies that are in theaters become available to members of certain television providers. This is called on demand where they can select any movie to watch any time. Newer movies are priced but older movies are sometimes free. This allows people that watch TV to watch movies whenever they would like and to watch them in the comfort of their own home. Television has changed overtime by allowing movies to be played on certain channels and allowing movies to be watched on On Demand, so that they can be watched anytime, paused and have no commercials. Having no commercials is a big deal because audiences can watch the film fully with no interruption. Watching movies on On Demand gives viewers functions they would not have in a movie theater. Viewers can pause the movie, rewind the movie or fast forward the movie. Having these functions and being in control is much more appealing to viewers, so this way of film distribution became popular fast. That is until streaming services.
      After TV, streaming services became popular and the key to audience consumption. Streaming services are services that send films over the internet, which allows people to watch it immediately with no download or time schedule. Some of the most popular among these services include Netflix or Disney Plus. Audiences pay a monthly fee and are able to watch as many free movies as they want. When this came about audiences were immediately on board because of the unlimited access. All types of movies were on these services. This includes the popular franchise Guardians of the Galaxy and the Spiderman movies. Who wouldn’t want to have tons of movies at their fingertips being able to watch them wherever and whenever they want to? These streaming services are available in apps to download onto your TV and in apps that you could download on any smart device. This includes phones, laptops and tablets. This service now made movies portable. You didn’t need to go to the movie theaters or watch the movie on your family TV. These streaming services now made it possible to watch these movies anywhere you wanted and on any device. Streaming Services have changed the way films are distributed to the public and have made watching movies much more personalized.
     Because these streaming services became so popular, people started to take advantage of these free movies. Pirating movies started to become popular. This is when individuals would take movies illegally by filming them in the movie theaters or taking them from a streaming service and publishing them to the public for free. Even though this is illegal it is very popular. This is mainly because people don’t want to pay for the streaming services or a ticket to see the movie at theaters. These people publish the movies on a website and then people watch them. I have watched some illegal movies and its fairly easy to do and the quality is acceptable. This new way of watching movies has become popular overtime. Websites like 123movies.com or putlockers.com take part in this. These websites have tons of movies from old ones to movies that are still in the theaters. This way of watching movies definitely wasn’t available in the past and even though its illegal, it is worth mentioning because it is a major way of audience consumption.
      In conclusion audience consumption has completely evolved over time. From movie theaters to television, streaming services and illegal websites. The way we now watch movies has changed because of technology. Technology is so important to the film industry and controls the way of audience consumption. Who knows, maybe in the future more and more ways of consumption will come about and make watching films much easier and enjoyable.

Practice Extract Essay worksheets

Practice Extract Essay on 24 excerpt

                              24 Extract

       

      The directors main purpose of the 24 extract was to build suspense while emphasizing the tension between the two main characters. The director does this in each scene using different techniques. These include camera movements, shots, angles, costumes, lighting, actors, makeup, props and setting. And sound and editing.

    In the first scene the suspense and tension is introduced by the lack of dialogue. As soon as the man walks in there is a long period of time where they don’t speak to each other. This makes the audience wonder what’s going to happen and why these actors aren’t speaking to each other. Then the actors start speaking and once they do a lot of zoom takes place. The zoom adds emphasis on the subject of the zoom and in this case it adds to that tension and suspense. For example the woman starts to speak and the camera zooms onto the clock to show the time. Then the camera zooms into the man's face to see his reaction. This camera movement takes place a lot in this first scene. Doing so adds suspense with the clock because the audience wonders why it’s so important and the zoom on the facial expressions adds to the tension that the characters already have. As the story goes on the non diegetic soundtrack in the background gets louder. The tension between the man and woman have now started to develop more and are more visible. So because of this the director makes the suspenseful soundtrack in the background louder. For example, when the man and woman start to speak about the bomb the sound gets louder. This adds to the suspense of the bomb and the tension between the two of them. The first scene is building the suspense on the reason why the woman is where she is, the tension that the man and woman have and why it’s there. 

      In the second scene the tension between the man and woman builds and the suspense along with it. In this scene we see a lot of over the shoulder shots. This scene has a lot more dialogue between the man and woman so this shot is used to show their dialogue. The director used this rather than another technique because the actors are speaking but the conversation isn’t getting heated yet. The director uses this shot to build the tension between them, because their conversation is coming to a boil. While this is being used there is also a pan in place. When the man is speaking to the woman in this scene, the camera cuts from her face to an over the shoulder shot of him speaking to her. The camera pans back and forth as the man paces, when speaking to the woman. This camera movement adds suspense because when someone paces while having a conversation it usually means they are angry. By adding this pan of the camera it adds emphasis to the man's emotion and his anger that he has for the woman he is holding in. This adds suspense because the audience is not sure what he might do next. This adds to the tension because this is all taking place as the conversation between the two heat up. As the story goes on we see a cutaway shot of two other people in a viewing room. This shot shows that they are being monitored. This alludes that in this extract there’s not a lot of actors. There are only four and the other two aren’t even a main focus. This lack of actors was a specific move by the director to make the conversation between the two have more tension. The actors might not have said what they said or acted the way they did if more people were in the room. So by not using a lot of actors in this extract the director is adding emphasis to the tension. The second scene adds even more into the suspense and tension between the man and the woman and let’s the audience infer a big blowup at the end of the extract. 

    In the final scene the suspense and tension rise even more and then get to an all time high. In this scene the conversations get more serious and more intimate so eye-line match is used many times in this scene. For example, when the man and woman’s conversation develops into a conversation with more anger, they get closer. So the author switches from over the shoulder which shows the conversation is tense but more laid back to the eye-line match conversations which show the more tension that conversation holds. Using an eye-line match editing technique makes the conversations between the man and woman more tense and this gives the audience a feel of suspense. As the story continues more props are used in the scenes. In the last scene the table and chair present in the interrogation room the man and woman are in are used in a way the audience wouldn’t see coming. The man flips the table in anger at the woman because she won’t give him what she wants. After this happens you can feel the tension intensify between the two. Right after this the man then takes the chair the woman is sitting in and slams it into the wall and chokes her. This is the time where tensions reach and all high because the man has now resulted to violence. So by using these props in this scene in a violent way the author is adding loads of suspense and making the tension between the two so thick that you could cut it with a knife. After this happens the other two actors that were monitoring the man and woman in the room start running to the room where it is happening to save the woman. This makes the two shot that the man and woman were in into a wipe left and then a split screen. During this split screen you can see the man choking the woman and the people running. Using this split screen adds suspense because the audience wonders if the people will arrive in time to save the woman or if the man will kill . The director could’ve just done a cutaway and showed the people running but the split screen adds suspense and makes the scene more tense. This final scene is the cherry on top for the extract. The tension between the man and woman is now very intense and there is a lot of suspense amongst the audience.

   In conclusion the directors purpose of this extract was to build suspense while emphasizing the tension between the two main characters. The director did this by using several techniques. All of these techniques add to the storyline and allude to the theme. Using specific camera movements, shots, angles, costumes, lighting, actors, makeup, props and setting. Is what makes the theme of this extract so obvious and so important.

CCR for Final Task

   

       This is the CCR for my final task. Because the global pandemic got in the way of my original plans to film the video I had to improvise. I was supposed to have several friends help me out with the video. They were going to act in it alongside me while I answered my questions. But, like previously stated this was impossible to do considering the conditions. So I came to a talk show like video. I am very proud of the results, knowing the circumstances.

Final task: Movie

 
         This is our movie. This was the last project my group and I worked on and this was done around early March. Our challenge was to create the first two minutes of a movie. This was a challenge because this meant title scenes and using actual dialogue. This was very fun to make and really allowed us to see the extent of our skills. In the final task, I directed and produced the film , acted in and assisted in the editing process.

2nd Project: Music Video

     
       This is our music video. My group and I worked on this Music video in the middle of the year. We did have a little more experience and knew more about film, so this project went more smoothly. This was the first project that we were able to film outside of school so we of course  took that to our advantage. This project was very fun to work on and was a little more challenging which my group and I liked. I directed, acted in and helped with the editing process.

1st project: Commercial

    This is our commercial that my group and I worked on in the beginning of the year. This was the first project my group and I received so we had very little experience. Despite our lack of experience, I think our commercial came out good. My group and I were very happy with the final product and we feel that we learned a lot from doing this commercial. My group and I chose to do this commercial on the drink Gatorade, and I directed, acted and assisted with the editing process.

Affects that COVID-19 has on our editing process

     
       Like stated in the last blog, COVID-19 has been a real struggle worldwide. This virus has affected everything from schools to big movie productions. And while these aren't the only things affected, these things heavily impact our final task. From filming to editing all aspects of our film have been affected. Filming has been affected because we can't get together to film. This is because of social distancing, which has been put in place to reduce the spread of the virus. But now editing is harder and not as ideal. The ideal form of editing is that my group and I would meet up and discuss editing and do so together. My group and I would do this for every project we had and it seemed to be the best approach. But now with COVID-19 extra measures have to be taken.
        My group and I must now take a different approach to editing. This is a very difficult and different situation. And because of this we had to find another approach. We would now only be able to edit off of someones laptop and nobody else would be able to see it or make changes. And because of the editing software we use we aren't able to share the movie or allow other people to make changes to it. So we had to have only one person mainly edit the movie. Then we could collaborate on video call. But the other group mates couldn't see what the person editing is doing and they would have to describe it. The hardest part of this new way of editing due to COVID-19 is not being able to come together and edit together. It is much harder and doesn't allow for the whole group to give their input.



   

Affects that COVID-19 has on our filming schedule

        COVID-19 is a world wide pandemic. This virus has spread from China to every continent except Antartica. This virus is now in all 50 states in the U.S. This of course comes with its troubles. All schools have closed until April 15th and some have even closed until the end of the year. This means that every student in America will be doing online school until they re-open Schools. This virus has shut down beaches and malls and many restaurants. The virus has also wiped almost every essential off of the shelves of supermarkets. Huge movie productions have had to stop filming at first, and now they can't even relocate because the virus has reached every possible filming area. My group and I can relate because this virus has of course brought and will continue to bring problems to our filming. But we have to find a way to solve these problems and make the best of our situation.
       Thankfully, we have a finished final project. We felt that it would be better to film and edit the whole movie and have it for the peer review so we can receive more feedback. However, we were hoping to re-film a scene or two of our movie. But, because of COVID-19 we aren't able to do so. One reason is social distancing. This virus is heavily contagious and is airborne , meaning it can travel through the air. Because of this the government said that everyone should be practicing social distancing. This means no hanging out in groups and staying 3-6 feet away from people. We of course cannot re-film because we are suppose to be keeping our distance and even though nobody in my group has the virus, we can still be carriers of it and not know. It wouldn't be safe or morally right of my group and I to get together to re-film. This is because we could give it to each other and even though we might not know it we could give it to other people or elderly family members.