Reviewing Footage

       It is almost the New Year! The past few days I’ve been occupied with family. However today I was able to free up some time to meet up with my group. We all met at one location and got to work. We have a lot of footage so we knew this would be a hefty process. This is because when we filmed we made sure we shot our scenes multiple times and with multiple angles in mind. Having too much film is better then not having enough. We started off but looking at the footage for the first 3 scenes we filmed. When I say there was a lot of footage I mean there was A LOT. We did some slight editing and clipped them together in order to see how naturally they would flow with each other. This isn’t our main editing and is just a basis to decide what footage will be used. We also focused on how the audio sounded like. During filming my neighbor was working outside and there were some difficulties audio based. This means we have to keep in mind which clips have the least disturbance around them. During the reviewing of these scenes we also made sure they included the many movements, shots, and angles that could be used. With my uncle still being in town I was yet again in a time constraint. There was still a decent amount of footage to look through when I had to leave. We have decided to split the rest of the footage among each other to accelerate the process. We trust each other’s judgments so this is perfectly fine for us. Let’s go into 2021 by continuing on a roll!

Post Filming Update

         It’s now been about 5 days since we ended up filming. Since then we have looked at some footage but that is essentially it. That is because Christmas was yesterday. We wanted to give ourselves that day and the days prior so that we could prepare and enjoy time with our families. I personally spent some part of the 23rd looking over as much footage as possible. I didn’t get that far because I had to do some last minute Christmas shopping. Christmas shopping was essentially the basis of my week after filming. My family and I do most Christmas festivities on the 24th much like many hispanic families. So I spent that day with family and relaxed. The 25th was also full of bring with family and feeling cheerful that we were together. Unexpectedly, my uncle came down from Indiana to visit us. He plans on being here for the remainder of my break which puts a hole in my availability. The holiday season can be very hectic when it comes to scheduling. However, filming has been completed and as of now it does not look like we’ll need to re-film. If it is needed though, I will try my hardest to work around my uncles visitation and see if I can get a day to put focus on the short film. I think I’ll be able to and if not then I will try to make my resources available to the best of my abilities. Whether that’s through FaceTime or texting I will do the best to help my group. In the coming days we will finish reviewing the footage. Whether that’s together in person or through the phone we shall see. Afterwards editing will take full charge.

Second Half of Filming

        Once Jeffery went outside to continue the scene that involved Paige I got to work with preparing the following scene. The next scene involved the camera prop so i prepared it along with tools so it would be ready for when they were done. Once Paige, Jeffery, and Brooke finished filming their scene Jeffery and Paige changed into their next set out outfits. Once that happened we took a short break. We were on a time constraint but we didn’t want anyone to get burnt out. A rushed product isn’t always the best product. We then got back to work and our actors went to film. That scene involved Paige setting up security cameras and then Jeffery randomly intrudes and freaks her out. Since we film every scene more then once and from different angles that took around another 15 minutes. Once that was done, Paige got ready for her next scene which involved her on a phone call with a friend and then suddenly thinks she hears someone outside. Kelly and I stayed outside while that was filmed so that Paige could concentrate. Jeffery got dressed for his final scene and joined us while he waited. Once again we helped Jeffery read his likes for his final scene. Once Paige finished her scene it led right into her and Jeffery’s final scene in which she confronts him. This scene was delayed because my neighbor was making a lot of noise since he was working on something so I went and asked him if he could stop and continue in about 15 minutes. He agreed and so we finished that scene. I then went and put on a hoodie for the final scene in which I, the ex, got out from where I was hiding, plant a final letter, and walked away. Filming was then and thankfully we finished right on time. I’m really proud of how we all worked on completing this process. I’m also appreciative of Jeffery and Paige coming to film and doing so well. Next up is looking at the footage, editing, and finalizing the film!

First Half of Filming

        Yesterday we were able to film our short film. Thankfully we were able to get every scene done within the time frame we gave ourself. It was nonstop filming and working around the clock from 10 am to 3 pm. Because we filmed so much I’m explaining what we did in two blogs. Once everyone arrived at around 10 we started setting up the props for the first scene. Jeffery and Paige came prepared in their first outfit so we jumped into it straight away. In this scene Paige is moving into her new house and Jeffery startles her and helps her move in. While Brooke filmed this scene, Kelly and I prepared the props for when they would move to filming inside. This took Kelly and I about 10-15 minutes. That was fine because Brooke was still filming the outside film because we make sure to have more then just one recording. Once that was done filming moved inside for where Jeffery noticed Paige looking at a photo of her ex. This took us about another 10-15 minutes. The next scene after that involved Paige pulling up into the driveway and Jeffery staring at her creepily. Since he is the neighbor he had to be on part of my actual neighbors property but I asked him for permission and he said it was okay. Next involved a scene of Paige going on a run so it was time for her first outfit change. While her and Brooke filmed that, me and kelly helped Jeffery rehearse his likes for the next scene he’d be in. During that process I remembered that we forgot to show the actually photo of the ex in the scene prior and planned that we’d just do that at the end so we could work with our schedule. While we waited for Brooke to finish filming that scene Jeffery also changed into his next outfit. It was then time for Jeffery to go outside and seem like he was “stalking” Paige. This last part took about 15-25 minutes. 

Morning of Filming

        It is currently the morning of December 21st. In just a couple of hours my group and I will begin filming our short film. The goal is to complete all of filming today and that is why we will be filming from 10 am to 3 pm. However, if we do not finish, we have all of break remaining which gives us the flexibility to film more. I woke up at 6 am today in order for filming to flow smoothly. Filming is taking place at my house so I’m making sure my house is firmly prepared for it. Since filming is taking priority I woke up early to make sure everything is ready here and I can get any things done before everyone gets here. I have told the people who live at my house to move their cars because we need the driveway set free. The only other car that will stay is my car because it will be needed for our final scene. I have a big mirror in my living room so i’ve arrange the furniture in a way that allows us to film without the hassle of the mirror. I have prepared my room and the bathroom as locations so that Paige and Jeffery can get ready. They will have multiple outfit changes so I want to make sure they feel comfortable and can change as quickly as possible between scenes. Speed is vital but so is making sure the product comes out the way we want it to. I’ve also made sure that the people who live here won’t be present during our filming period to try and prevent and possible disturbances. Everyone will be arriving here around 10 am and we will kickstart filming. Jeffery is ubering here and Brooke will be picking up Paige and Kelly. Brooke and Kelly have the props so we will she them up once they arrive. My house is now fully prepared so filming can start as soon as possible. Filming will be time consuming but fun. I can’t believe the day is finally here!

Final Preparations

         My group and I are just a couple days away from filming our short movie. Final precautions and adjustments are being made right now. Filming will now be on December 21. It is only 2 days after our original day and break gives us more flexibility. This slight delay is because something came up so Kelly can’t go Saturday and Paige is filming her music video Sunday. Kelly is bringing half of our props including the letters which is vital to our project so she needs to be present. Paige is the main actress and the most vital piece. This means Monday is our next available date and is our set in stone date. In a previous blog I mention things can change because of how spontaneous 2020 is and of course, the worst happened. Someone in Aaron’s family has possibly been exposed to Covid. Aaron is our main actor so this was a huge blow. He is going to get tested but we still don’t want to risk anything so our backup Jeffery will be taking his place. He gets tested once every week and has come back negative so he is good to go. The script has already been given out to Paige and I sent it to Jeffery just incase so we are prepared for the 21st. Brooke is bring out second half of the props. I will be preparing my house and make sure it’s filming ready. Our actors have been told to bring multiple outfits for the different scenes. Filming will take place from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Everything is set in stone now with filming approaching. In my eyes everything will work out in the end.

Update and Agreements

         Filming is just one week away. Since the last blog slights tweaks have been made to the script and may continue to be made prior to filming. Only minor things such as dialogue. Of course are actors are allowed to improvise especially seeing that improvising leads to some of the best moments in films. My group and I have decided that once we film we will film with Brooke’s phone. She will be getting a new phone prior to filming and the camera quality is really good. This will make our film look so much better. Other then that we are making sure to take Covid precautions. We have agreed that none of us will travel anywhere that is not needed. We do not want the possible risk of Covid postponing our filming. I’m taking this extra serious seeing that we’ll be filming at my house so I can’t risk exposure or else are filming location is gone. Typically I go to my moms house during the week but will be staying at my dads this week in order to limit contact I have with people. Our main actors Paige and Aaron have been asked to be careful as well because they are just as vital to our filming. I’ve also asked our backup Jeffery to be careful incase anything happens with Aaron. I’m also trying to figure out how we can prevent as much contact as possible during filming. I’ll come up with something before and most of our scenes don’t involve much contact so we should be fine. Once my neighbor is available I plan on asking him permission on if we can be on his property for a couple of scenes. We have a good relationship so I expect him to say yes. Other then that we now wait for the fast approaching filming day. Let’s hope everything goes as planned.

Full steam ahead

         Now that we’re in December it’s time to get kick start this filming. We originally were set to film over the weekends before our winter break. It’s now been decided that we will film once winter break begins. This is because right now we have to juggle school, possibly work, and family. Midterms are also coming up so our attention has to be put towards multiple classes. Once break starts we’ll all be free for the beginning period. Hopefully filming will begin on the first day of break which is Saturday, December 19. However, you never know what can happen, especially in 2020. Right now final confirmations are being made with our actors to make sure they’ll be able to be in our film. A change had been made in the script in which I won’t be playing the neighbor anymore. I believe that my friend Aaron’s acting ability is better than mine so if everything goes our way he will be taking that role. I personally will be staying home as much as I can to diminish the risk of catching Covid. At this point in our process one of us catching Covid can pushback filming tremendously. Because of that we have backups incase our friend Aaron and Paige can’t star in our film. I reached out to my friend Jeffery and he said he is fine with stepping in for Aaron if he has to. With this time left final adjustments will be made to the script to make sure it’s to the caliber we want it to be at. A couple days ago I got permission from my dad allowing us to film at our house so the location is now fully secured. In the coming days the script will be sent out to the actors so they can memorize the the lines. At this point everything is set in stone and we are right on track. I can’t wait for when we officially film!

Thanksgiving Break Update

        Thanksgiving break had now ended and it’s time to talk about the steps my group and I made filming wise. That being that we didn’t film! This wasn’t much of a surprise fo us seeing that we wanted to enjoy this break. This was a time for us to get a breather from school and to spend time with our family. I am so thankful for being able to do this short film but family is something i’m more thankful for. Even if we were willing to film during this break it just wouldn’t have been convenient. I was personally busy most of those days. I was helping my mom with my sister, relaxing with some friends, and preparing for Thanksgiving. Just because filming wasn’t an option doesn’t mean nothing was done to further our journey. The social media campaign was started and we talked about it more. Who would run the social media campaign was decided and we agreed that all of us would be incorporated with it. We don’t want one person to have all the stress of running all four pages. Music choice for the short film was also discussed. It was decided that we would use non-copyrighted music and I personally started looking at some possible choices. Those were two crucial steps that will be involved during our filming and editing process. We plan on filming as soon as this upcoming week. Precautions will be taken seeing that we’re in the midst of a pandemic. We have about a month to do our filming and editing and I believe that’s just enough time to make the product we want to make. Filming will be different this year seeing that we’ll be filming much more and we’ll have to work around time constraints. Some days will be a hassle but everything has led us to this moment.

Music Choice for Short Film

         The closer and closer we get to the filming and editing process means the more we have to start going through these crucial steps. One of those being the music choice for our film. This is going to be put in when we start editing but we should have a general idea of what music we’re going to use in advance. Which is why we’re starting the planning for music right now. When it comes to music we can’t just randomly use copyrighted music. In order to use copyrighted music we must seek permission from the creator. That involves a process of emailing them and their team and seeking approval. That may take weeks so for now we have decided to use free non-copyrighted music. However, if we change our mind we will go through the process of gaining approval for use of copyrighted music. Using non-copyrighted music is a much simpler process and there’s a lot of variety available for use. Last year we used non-copyrighted music for our intro to a film so we’re quite familiar with it. Seeing that our movie is a thriller we plan on using suspenseful music and noises in our film. We’ll search for these on YouTube and come up with what we think is the best choice for the film. Our first priority is figuring out what type of tone we want to set in the beginning of the film. The music choice will be key here seeing that will be the audiences first taste as to what they’re going to experience. The music choice is vital because it can enhance a scene to its full extent. It’ll be used during key scenes such as the climax and at the end. You don’t want to overdue it because it has to flow naturally. The editing process won’t be for a while so we have time but we now have a general idea of what we’ll be doing when it comes to music. I’m quite excited to start picking out the music!

Social Media for Short Film

         Right before Thanksgiving break our group was given the assignment of starting our social media campaign for the short film. I was and am personally very excited to go through this journey. First our teacher talked to us about opening up a website. We would do this by using the website builder known as Wix. The website builder gives us a template that allows our creativity to flourish. I found that great seeing that it truly make us feel like we’re in the process of a professional film. We then went over what we’d need to have apart of our marketing campaign. Our first real step towards this goal was starting up our social media pages. The four social media accounts we were tasked with making were Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Most of these sights we’re familiar with seeing that we’re teenagers and actively use them. This made the process of making the accounts quite smoothly. We as a group decided to make a separate email that would be used for these accounts. That email was made and then it was time to make the social media accounts. The Instagram and Twitter accounts were made quite quickly. The Youtube account was then made. Afterwards those 3 accounts were linked to the website we made for the short film. There were some issues with Facebook when it came to setting up the account. We figured it out and made a business page under a new account we created and then linked it to the website. Finally we made the bio and added a profile pic for each of these pages. We will be using these pages to post about our film and generate a following for the movie.

Storyboard for short film

 

        

        This week our group worked on our storyboard. Before we started we wanted to decide whether we should meet up in person or do it over FaceTime. Meeting up would’ve made the process easier since we’d all be together and could work on it in one session. However, meeting up would’ve been a hassle so we ultimately decided to talk about it through FaceTime. We all got on FaceTime and first planned how we would approach doing the storyboard. Our group didn’t want one person having to do all of the actual storyboarding so we decided against that. Our final decision was that we would split the storyboard 3 ways so that everyone could do equal work. This was also a efficient way in our eyes. Brooke would do the storyboard for the first two scenes, Kelly would do the third and fourth scenes, and Leo would do the last two scenes. We gave each other creative freedom but made sure it followed our screenplay and it had the necessary criteria. That criteria being the drawings of what’s going on and the description for each box with what type of angle/shot is being used. Once that was made clear we split off and worked at our own pace. We also made it clear that if anyone needed help just to call and we’d be there to help the most we could. Once we finished the storyboard we all sent them to each other and reviewed them. We reviewed them to make sure nothing was missed. This is essentially our guide for when we start filming so it was key that everything was right. Now that we have the storyboard finished we’re one step closer to filming. We now have a vision of how our film will look. The storyboard will help navigate through the process and make sure we’re on the right track. Overall, the storyboard process went pretty smoothly and we think we approached this the best way possible.

Planning for short film

 

• Schedule: 

11/11- storyboard 

11/14- shopping for props and anything else we need for filming 

11/21- filming 

11/28- filming

12/5- editing 

12/12- editing 

12/19- re-shoot

12/27- re-edit

1/3- final touches 

• Location: The locations we are going to film at consists of only two places. The main location will be the main characters house which will be where the majority of the scenes are shot at. We will be filming both inside and outside of the house. The other location we are filming at is the neighbors house. There are a few scenes that we will need to shoot at this location. These scenes will only be on the outside of the house.
• Participants: As of right now we plan on Leo playing the “creepy” neighbor. One of Brooke’s friends will be playing our main character. If something comes up where she can’t anymore then Brooke or Kelly will play the main character. As for the stalker who only shows up in the photo and at the end we’ll have one of Brooke/Kelly play them. 
• Health and Safety: Seeing that we’re still in a pandemic that affects how we’ll make sure we’re safe. Everyone will have a mask on unless they’re acting in a scene. Hand sanitizer will be present incase it is needed. We will get tested for the virus before we begin filming. If someone becomes infected with Covid-19 during the filming process they will quarantine for 2 weeks and the others will get tested. 

• Props: For our short film we will have a variety of props. 

-For scenes 1 & 2 props consist of a car, moving boxes, picture(s), house key and a letter. 

-For scenes 3 & 4 props include a security camera, drill (?), and another letter. 

-5 & 6 props are a cell phone, and a stack of letters. 

• Costumes: 

-Scene 1: Protagonist is wearing causal clothing, suitable for a day of moving in. Possibly some jeans, a casual top and accessorize with some sunglasses. Neighbor is also wearing causal clothing and could consist of cargos. 

-Scene 2: Protagonist is wearing clothing for working out. Spandex, running shoes, and her hair will be up. Neighbor is wearing casual clothing.

-Scene 3: Protagonist is wearing casual clothing once again. Leggings and a simple top. Neighbor is wearing shorts and a top.

-Scene 4: For this scene the protagonist can wear anything. (Will be decided when filming) -Scene 5: Protagonist is wearing comfortable clothing. Could consist of pajamas or sleepwear. 

-Scene 6: Protagonist is wearing comfortable clothing and casual clothing. The neighbor is wearing athletic wear such as basketball shorts etc.

Short Film vs. Feature Length Film

         Now having watched both the short film and feature length film it’s time to compare them. One of the key differences that you instantly notice is that the short film had no dialogue while the full length did. However, this difference of dialogue allowed for both of their plots to flourish in their own ways. Now when it comes to plot they both have the same ideals but the full length was able to flesh it out more. The full length was able to add a backstory and expand the plot in deeper ways given the run time it had. The full length was also able to introduce us to all of the rag dolls while they short film only really gave us a glimpse at two of them. The full length had the luxury of fleshing out 9’s character while also being able to develop new characters into the world that was being created. The full length was given more opportunities story wise but the choices the director made for both films worked out for their separate strengths. Since the short film only had a 7 minute run tule it was able to get straight to the point and get their ideals across while the full length had to try and expand new ideas into an hour. In both films 9 was still the main character.

        Both films show that 9 is the main character from the start. They both also incorporate their own flashback seems which gives the audience more information as to what the plots about. The endings were also vastly similar seeing that they both involved the spirits of the dead rag dolls. It differed however cause with the short film all the other rag dolls are dead while in the full length 9,7,3 and 4 all survive. When it comes down to it I think I enjoyed the full length more. Now that doesn’t mean the short film was bad because it was quite enjoyable. However, the full length was just able to add so much scratcher development which I really enjoyed. I felt like I could connect with not just 9 but with the other supporting characters seeing how they were all detailed to a great extent. I also liked how we got more backstory as to how the rag dolls were formed and how the machines were formed. Overall, they were both enjoyable films and they got their stories across incredibly in their own ways.

Research 9, the feature film

         Having watched the short film I’ve now watched the full length feature film! The full length expanded deeper into the plot. It had the same ideals, trying to survive in a post apocalyptic world against the machines but now it went into greater detail. 9 was still the main character but now the audience was able to see his character really develop. At the beginning 9 was the shy newcomer not knowing what was ahead but by the end he’s the courage’s hero willing to do whatever he takes. The director was really able to expand his development now that he had much more time. He was also able to develop the other rag dolls who we hadn’t seen before. We found out more about 5 and were introduced to the other rag dolls but 7,5 and 1 were the main supporting cast. 1 got his own little development where when we first meet him he’s some stubborn old man but in the clímax he sacrifices himself for the greater good. There’s also much bigger world building and you  get to see new settings. 

        The machine from the first film is still an antagonist here but it’s now a much smaller enemy that leads to an even bigger threat. There’s now dialogue which is used to carry the plot forward and actually builds upon it. Having an hour runtime compared to 7 minutes allowed there to be more of a backstory as to why things are the way they are. Now the audience knows how the world became post apocalyptic and that the rag dolls are actually the spirit of the main scientist. The runtime allowed for deeper story building. In terms of animation and special effects it all works much better here. The character designs look much more crisp. The effects such as the green lights are also carried out much cleaner here. Each rag doll gets their own design which differentiates them while the machines still look terrifying. Overall, the feature film was well worth the watch.

Research 9, the short

         I've now watched the short film 9 and have a couple of thoughts about it. From what I could interpret I would say the plot was about the main character, 9, trying to survive in a post-apocalyptical world against a monster who's killed his race. The director executes this idea in just 7 minutes brilliantly. I though the director's choice of using no dialogue was excellent. It allows the audience to focus more on what was going with the characters and what they were trying to express. The film starts off with 9 setting up his trap to kill the monster and while he’s waiting it dives into a flashback scene. This flashback scene allows to some background towards what’s going on. In this scene it appears that 9 and 5 are the only ones left and all of a sudden the light that shows the monster is near lights up. 5 tells 9 to go hide and essentially sacrifices himself for 9, leaving 9 to be the last one alive. That scene gives you the context as to why 9 is doing what he’s doing, not only for survival, but to honor his friends. Seeing that it’s a short film that’s the only real character development that was achieved but it was strong enough for the reader to gain a connection to the characters.

        9 ends up killing the monster with his scheme and lives to see another day. Seeing 9 make and execute his plan allowed the audience to see that he was quite intelligent. What really popped out to me was the animation and how it was used to differentiate 9’s species and the monster. 9 and his species had enlarged eyes that were the central part to their emotional aspect. The director would focus in on them when emotion needed to be felt and brought in incense to their character. The monster was perceived as big and scary with huge teeth and with subtle details as the other numbers cloth on it showing the monster was ruthless. The ending shows the spirits of the other numbers coming out and 5 giving 9 a simple head nod, letting him know to go on and that he’s brought them justice. Small gimmicks like that are laid throughout which is what really makes this short film interesting to me. Overall, I thought the directed captured his vision fantastically through the animation and the way he drove the plot and gave it a satisfying ending. Now it’s time to see how these ideas progress more in the movie!

Genre Choice for Film

         After doing research on a couple of genres my group and I have finally made a decision. The genre we have chosen is thriller! We feel that out of thriller, horror, and action that thriller best suits our pitch. Our pitch is “A person receives threats in the mail and must figure out who is leaving them.” Once we researched the three genres we decided that action didn’t really suit it. Action movies involve a lot of fight scenes and loud sounds which we don’t think fits our plot. It also seems like it wouldn’t be properly developed in 5 minutes. Now my group and I thought very hard on deciding between horror and thriller. Both genres can be applied to our films and our vastly similar. The key difference with horror and thriller are that horror’s are meant to be scary and invoke fear in you. They’re both suspenseful but thrillers put you more on the edge of wonder what’ll happen next. 

        With our ultimate realization that horrors have too much of a focus on fear and can dwell for a little while it left us with thriller. Thriller is perfect for the genre seeing that it builds up a lot of suspense. Thriller allows us to build up our plot and finish it in a satisfying way all in 5 minutes. The CAMS and editing are relatively easy processes for us and they’ll be easy to capture and execute. Using thriller allows us to keep our pitch and not have to really tweak it. Our pitch fits the outline of a thriller. Thrillers create a sense of urgency and that, in our minds, can be implemented well with our plot. We have many ideas on how we can implement the sounds of a thriller and the props into our short film. Before going into this we assumed thriller would be the choice but it’s nice to have confirmation after doing research. Overall thriller seems like a match made in heaven and we can’t wait for the next step in this journey!

Genre Research: Action

• Common CAMS: zoom, pan, POV, tilt, tracking shots, reverse shots, high angles, tilted shots, 

• Common Sound:  ominous music, gun sounds, running sounds, high-pitched music, punching sounds, and objects breaking sounds. 

• Common Mis-En-Scene (CLAMPS): 

Costume- common costumes vary; it could be suits/dresses, superhero costumes, alien costumes and many more.

Lighting- Natural lighting, dim lighting, key lighting, backlight, and soft lights. 

Actors- They can be anyone. Usually have stunt doubles as well. 

Makeup- common makeup in action movies depends, it can be natural, or a fully masked and painted face. 

Props- common props include guns, knives, chairs/tables, blood, bullets, glass, cars, sunglasses, and many more. 

Setting- The settings are usually in busy cities that end up becoming where houses or private homes. However each film is different. 

• Common Editing: Jump cuts, cutting on movement and "action", slo-mo's, action matches, flashbacks, and graphic matches. 

• Example Films: Some action films are, Extraction, 007, Baby driver, Bad boys, Angel has fallen, and avengers.

• Elements I like: The elements I enjoy are, I  really enjoy the plots of the films. Usually the actors are fighting for someone or something. I also enjoy the element of wondering who will when a fight or what's going to happen next. 

• Elements not appealing: Sometimes I feel like action movies can get repetitive and that the plot can sometimes be a bit boring in the middle. 

Genre Research: Horror

 

• Common CAMS: reverse-shots, close-ups, tracking shots, pans, zoom, wide shot, low angle, hand-held, over the shoulder, cantered, and birds-eye 
• Common Sound: no sound, silence, abrupt noises, echos, footsteps, sound of breath, can all be diegetic or non-diegetic 
• Common Mis-En-Scene (CLAMPS):  
• Costume - casual clothing for protagonista typically, antagonists usually wear masks or dark clothing                                        
• Lighting - low lighting, usually at night in the dark, shadows and shapes to create fear                                        
• Actors - normally required to act fearful or eerie                                                        
• Makeup - bruises, cuts, made to look as if the victim is tortured or in pain, makeup applied to look grimmer                                          
• Props - props are normally weapons such as knives, axes, guns. Other props maybe rocking chairs and creaking doors                                      
• Setting - Typically somewhere isolated, perhaps an abandoned house, the environment is normally abandoned and dark
• Common Editing: cutaways, jump cuts and fade outs
• Example Films: Us, Insidious, The Conjuring, Annabelle, The Nun
• Elements I like: I like the fear and suspense it creates. I enjoy the anticipation it builds up for eerie moments
• Elements not appealing: I feel like they may drag on for too long and are all really similar. The silence and eerie sounds can be disturbing at times 
  
  
  

Genre Research: Thriller

 My group and I had to choose three genres to research that we thought our short film would fit into. Some things that we had to research for our genres are common CAMS, common Mis-En-Scene, and common editing. The first research is on the thriller genre. 

• Common CAMS: tracking shots, pans, reverse shots, high angles, over the shoulder shots, point of view shots, tilted shots, and zoom. 

• Common Sound: eerie sounds, sometimes complete silence, footsteps, animal sounds, and even sometimes extraterrestrial sounds. 

• Common Mis-En-Scene (CLAMPS): 

Costume- common costumes in thrillers include masks, ripped clothing, hoodies and jackets, casual clothing that can sometimes be dark or black, and creature-like clothing.

Lighting- common lighting in thrillers are usually dark/low. The lighting is very important because it displays shadows that create tension and suspense in thrillers.

Actors- the actors in thrillers can be anyone. 

Makeup- common makeup in thrillers is usually dark, sometimes scary, and can consist of cuts, bruises, dirt smudges, and can even be smeared as if the actor was crying. 

Props- common props include fake blood, notes/ letters, brief cases, money, phones, and even broken things like glass. Weapons are also common props such as guns, chainsaws, and knives, which add tension to the film.

Setting- the setting in thrillers are usually in spooky places, allies, abounded and haunted locations, and isolated places. Thrillers are also sometimes taken place at night which add onto the suspense. 

• Common Editing: these include jump cuts, flashbacks, action matches, graphic matches, and sometimes slo-mo’s.

• Example Films: A Quiet Place, The Silencing, Ma, Escape Room, and The Invisible Man

• Elements I like: I really enjoy the rush of adrenaline that I get when watching thrillers. As well as being on the edge of my seat waiting to see what will happen next. 

• Elements not appealing: I don’t really like the anxiety and terror that some thrillers make me feel. 

Genres I Would Like To Research

 Since our pitch is "A person receives threats in the mail and must figure out who is leaving them" I thought these 3 genres are most appropriate; Thriller, horror, and action. 

The first genre we will research is thriller. Thriller could be our genre because since our short film is 5 minutes, creating a thriller is a very efficient way of composing a great movie in a short period of time. My groupmates and I can further execute making a thriller by, while in the editing process we can use non-diegetic sounds to emit suspenseful music. The suspenseful music could play in the background of the main scenes to make audiences truly feel the thriller aspect of the film. We could also film low angles of the mailbox and vertical pans showing empty dark streets. We could further push the thriller genre by never showing the antagonist of the film. The film could end without ever showing the antagonist (That is just an idea though). 

We will research horror more because, horror could also fit our genre. This is because my groupmates and I can implement very little lighting to give the audience a feeling of nervousness and "what's going to happen". Horror could be our genre because we can have whoever is putting notes into the mailbox actually come for the protagonist of the story. Their are many ways we can write our short film to make it into a horror genre. Another reason I want to further research the horror genre is to find out what angles I can use to make the film feel more like a horror. I believe if I used tilts it would make the film feel more like it. 

The last genre we will research is, action. Action could be an option for our short film because, we can make the antagonist and the protagonist try to find each other. That could result in the film becoming an action if there's lots of running away and fighting scenes. We need to research what type of lighting goes with an action movie. We also need to research which angles and sound go with an action. We are looking forward to choosing our genre very soon!

Pitch Blog

 A person receives threats in the mail and must figure out who is leaving them.

Group Blog

      It’s now time to begin the process for my final task. Just like last year, we were given the option to work solo or in a group of up to 4 people. This year we were given the option of working with people that were in any of the other AICE Media A level  periods. I took this into heavy consideration when it came to deciding if I would work in a group and if I did then with who I would work with. For a good while I was planning to work solo because I wasn’t really sure of who I would work with. A couple of nights ago my friend Kelly asked me if I wanted to be in a group with her and our friend Brooke. I thought about it for a while and ultimately decided it would be best if I worked in a group with them. Last year in AS level I was in a group with Brooke so that’ll be a familiar experience. However, working with kelly will be a new experience. 

         When it comes to this group I know we’ll get things done. Last year me and Brooke worked diligently and I know that’ll continue this year. This may be my first time working with Kelly but I know she’ll put in maximum effort. When it comes to me, I work hard and put my all into things so I truly believe that this group will work efficiently. One slight con is that kelly lives a little far from Brooke and I but we’ll figure out where we’ll meet up as we go. Obviously, due to the pandemic we’re in that factors into some of the decisions. Our parents are fine with us hanging out together and whenever we’re out we’ll use the proper guidelines. When it comes to where we’ll film it’s gonna be trickier deciding where to film seeing that public places aren’t really ideal right now. I’m very excited to go through this new creative process and to be able to work with someone I’ve worked with before and work with someone brand new. This should spice up our creativity and it’s always great to have a new experience. Our strengths will make us a a remarkable group in AICE media.

Welcome Back!

        Welcome back to my AICE media studies blog!!! It’s been quite a long time since I’ve last blogged on here. Incase you need a quick refresher. My name is Leonardo but I prefer being called Leo and i’m now a junior! Around March when I was making my schedule for the next school year my teacher recommended that I go into A level for my junior year. Once my teacher explained to me what we’d be doing in A level it was an easy choice to continue doing media studies. Now here we are, 6 months later, ready to come back on this journey. Obviously, a lot has changed since the last time I blogged on here. In May when I last blogged we were around the peak of the pandemic and most places were closed off. Now the pandemic has eased down a little and places have reopened. There’s still regulations we have to follow but filming will be able to commence again so that’ll make the process easier. Having doing AS level last year i’m prepared more than ever to ace this class. 

       Today during online class I found out what our task for the year was going to be. We’ll be making a 5 minute short film and making a whole marketing campaign to go along with it. This excites me since the 5 minute window allows me to expand more in filming and editing than I was able to with the shorter projects from last year. The best part is that I can use my knowledge from last year to help decide how I’ll go along with everything that we’ll be doing this year. Last year I worked with the same two group members the whole year and we worked great together. Due to the pandemic who knows if I’ll work with them again or even work in a group this year, but I’m suited to work by myself now if I have to. I know my strengths when it comes to this class and I know I’ll be able to implement them well whether I’m in a group or solo. I’m super thrilled to be able to explore a marketing side with made a website, social media pages, and a postcard. It’ll be a new process and I can’t wait for this to further and expand my current skills when it comes to media studies. Most importantly, I’m excited to be blogging again and bring you guys back on this journey!

Audiences and Institutions Practice Essay

        Marketing plays a fairly important role when it comes to the film industry. A good marketing campaign can lead to major increases in box office revenue and excitement for films. Marketing also allows for a variety of promotion whether that be synergy or cross-promotion. 

        The marketing process is designed to try and get people to go see the movie. The film studios main goal with a film is to gain a profit from this idea that they produced. Marketing is used to target certain audiences to bump that revenue. For example, when it comes to Black Panther, Marvel Studios tried a unique approach to attract different audiences. They hosted an event at New York Fashion Week where they showcased outfits inspired by the costumes from the movie. Black Panther is a superhero movie but with this approach they tried marketing towards people who are interested in fashion. People who are interested in fashion and people who are interested in superhero movies are two very different demographics but Marvel used this marketing technique to try and attract a group of people who may typically not be interested in their films. Spiderman Homecoming used toys to market towards children. A huge age group studios tend to target are children. Marketing towards a younger audience through the use of toys is a smart move seeing that’s what children are mostly interested in at their age. All these methods or appealing to other audiences is used to build up hype for the film. The more hype there is for something the more people want it. The box office for these 2 films back up that their marketing campaigns sparked a good amount of interest from a bunch of people. Black Panther went on to make approximately 1.3 billion dollars while Spiderman Homecoming ended up making around 880 million dollars. Both massive wins for Marvel Studios. 

       Marketing is also vital when it comes to companies working together.  At the end of the day Studios want money. Many studios will promote with their in-house companies to promote a film while others will cross-promote with other companies to gain more interest for their film. Universe Studios through the help of Comcast, the conglomerate their housed under, used synergy with NBC where they allowed them to run the previous Jurassic movies and run sneak previous with the cast of the film. This form of promotion helps both subsidiaries seeing that it brings more attention towards Jurassic World seeing that it attracts the viewers who watch NBC and brings more viewers towards NBC seeing that it attracts their fans, ultimately benefiting Comcast their parent company. The promotion on both sides is an effort to get more people interested in Jurassic World and boost the amount of money made. With Beauty and the Beast, Disney used Cross Media Convergence by releasing a soundtrack for the film and used cross promotion with Kohl’s to sell exclusive merchandise from the film. Black Panther also released a soundtrack and allowed Kendrick Lamar, a famous rapper, to handle the soundtrack. With the means of advertising through different media such as from film to music, and advertising with merchandise it ultimately adds more interest towards these films. People will listen to these soundtracks and want to go see how it relates to the film or will go and buy merchandise due to the hype they have for the film. This marketing benefits both sides but ends up racking up more and more interest for the film. I know personally after I heard “All The Stars” from the Black Panther soundtrack it had me hooked and I couldn’t wait to watch the movie afterwards. Marketing is a major process in the post-production of a film which allows for multiple companies to come together to benefit their needs and benefit the film being released. 

       At the end of the day Marketing holds an importance when it comes to film. The main goal from it all is to spark up more interest for the film. This allows for more money at the box office and involves many companies working behind the scenes to come together and promote the film. 

24 Extract

 The director of this extract is trying to show that hostility isn’t always the best measure when it comes to cooperation. The director tries conveying this by making the audience feel some sort of suspense and intensifies these scenes through the use of camera moments, angles, editing and a variety of props. It appears that the author uses this message and the feeling is suspense to appeal to the thriller genre.  

       The first minute of the extract starts off with a zoom into Nina’s face. The zoom showcases the seriousness of Nina’s attitude and that what’s going to occur is a verse tense matter between her and Jack. This then leads to an eye-line match with Jack staring at a camera that’s in the corner of the room. This leads us to assume that he’s being watched so he has to be careful with what he does. This adds some suspense to the scene since it gives the sense that we don’t know what Jack may be thinking of doing. We then see a shot reverse shot of Jack and Nina looking back at each other until Jack places a piece of paper for Nina to look at. There is diegetic sound of Jack breathing and non-diegetic sound that gives off a chilly feeling. This leads towards the feeling that what Jack and Nina are working towards is a very serious manner and the addition of no dialogue makes the leader focus on the breathing which intensifies the tense mood. There is then a use of cross-cutting of people in another room watching Tv’s that show Jack about to interrogate Nina. The information of knowing that Jack is being watched by others adds to the suspense by showcasing that we’re not the only ones that don’t know what may happen. This first minute is there to build up suspense with the audience and to create the atmosphere for the situation that’s about to take place.  

        The second minute starts with another eye-line match of Nina glancing at a clock with diegetic sound of the clock ticking. This creates the feeling that time is ticking by and whatever they’re working towards must get done quickly leading the audience to feel suspense since now they’re wondering of things will go how they’re expected to. Now we get dialogue between Jack and Nina and with the continued use of the shot reverse shot we find out they’re working towards finding a bomb. The use of dialogue after a minute of having none showcases that they’re now ready to try and cooperate towards figuring out this issue. A tracking shot of Jack walking around while interrogating Nina is then used which gives off a low angle. This gives Jack and the audience the idea that he has Power over Nina and believes things will happen in his terms. They then continue arguing about how they want things to go until Jack flips a table over. The table flipping and diegetic sound of it slamming on the floor shows the start of the situation turning hostile since Nina isn’t cooperating in the way that Jack wants her to. This lets the audience know the true severity of the situation and intensifies the need of Jack getting what he wants. This second minute starts showcasing the theme of hostility and cooperation through its introduction of dialogue and incorporation of props since it shows the motives of both sides which leads to the movie appealing towards a thriller.  

        The final minute continues the use of the shot reverse shot and shows a close-up of Jack starting at Nina in silence until he sits down. This showcases anger building up inside of him but him trying to control it all before things get out of hand. Suspense is built through this since it gives the audience a sense that something major will happen soon seeing that cooperating with Nina isn’t going how Jack thought it would. This scene then continues with Nina teasing Jack while he remains silent while incidental music is slowly intensifying. This is there to portray that something is about to happen. This is felt seeing that Jack is completely silent now trying to calm himself, but the music is increasing while this is occurring which shows that Jacks emotions are actually building up. A sense of suspension is added with the music seeing that it contradicts what Jack is showing off. Jack then unleashes his anger and he attacks Nina and we get a two shot of him attacking her. Along with this we get a split screen of the people in the other room rushing to stop Jack. The ability to simultaneously see Jack turning hostile and them rushing to stop them shows the fear the others are feeling while showing Jack unleashing his anger upon not getting what he wanted. The two shot of Jack being hostile while attacking Nina intensifies the suspense and worrisome of what was occurring. This final minute increase the suspense to the tipping point and completed the theme of hostility not being the best resort seeing that it cost the team from possibly getting more information.  

       Overall, the director's vision was to showcase suspense and thrill in a scene. This was achieved through the uses of many different shots, angles, sounds, editing, props, and so on. An underlying message of hostility and cooperation was also used to intensify the goal of suspense.