Group Meeting Summary notes

 Hello! So this week was my first actual group meeting as I was absent for the first one and it honestly went super well. I was able to connect with my peers and share our thoughts and feelings on this project as well as help each other out on our CCR's. This is what we mainly discussed during our meeting. We did this by going around and sharing each of our ideas with one another as well as giving each other notes on how to improve or make our CCR's more creative and personalized to ourselves.

 For example, one of the member's of my group, Isa C. , did not know what to do for her second CCR video so, we decided to collectively brain storm ideas on what she could do. We asked her questions about what she likes to do on her free trial and what hobbies or clubs she's in. From there, we found that she is mock trial (a club at our school) and we suggested that she could make her CCR in a court trial type of style where she, being the producer, is the witness and is asked questions while up on the stand. We obviously did not have time to work out all the little details considering we only had one class period and many people in our group but it definitely gave her a starting point and something to bounce off of and possibly create something really cool! 

One idea I thought was really cool was from another group member, Sophia H. , who said she was going to do a "breaking news" type of video for her CCR and that she chose this idea because it is incorporated in her film opening. I thought this was a really interesting way to tie in what she learned while working on her film opening to her CCR. This also showed how much time and effort she invested into this project as she told us about how she would  go about doing this. I could be wrong but I do believe a green screen was mentioned. I will definitely check out her project once it is done. 

Overall, I think this group meeting went really well! I was honestly nervous at first to have to talk about my project and to talk to people I had really never talked before but we honestly ended up having a great a time. We shared lots of laughs but in the end everyone was able to get the help they needed which is truly what the point of the group meetings are all about.

As you can see we are very professional.

CCR question #2

 Hi! So I've decided I'm definitely doing the "What's In My Bag" sort of video for one of  my CCR's when answering questions one and two, which I will try to film sometime this week! 

 

For the item that I will pull out of my purse to prompt question 2 I was thinking of designing a movie ticket. I feel as though this is a good way to represent the premise of question 2 which is all about audience engagement and distribution. 

Movie Ticket example

The script for answering this question would be the following: 

Mariana: [pull out movie ticket from purse] Aww! So this a movie ticket from the first public viewing of the film which I obviously wanted to go see and I kept the ticket as memorabilia. It was so exciting to see how many people showed up for to watch "18 before 18" in theatres. Luckily for us, we where never too worried about the audience engagement of our film because we crafted the film in a way which our audience (being mainly teens) could find something to relate to within the film. I think something that also really attracted a lot of audiences is the fact that the main character Jordyn, who I play, breaks the fourth wall pretty consistently throughout this film. I think that really brought up audience engagement as it is something that typically isn't done in films. I've really only seen this done a couple of times while I was researching the in's and out's of breaking the fourth wall for this part. I think this also helped draw in a lot of audiences because of the fact that it gives the viewer another look at the the characters thoughts and feelings in a way that can't be seen in regular films. Many audiences even said that these parts of the film, when Jordyn breaks the fourth wall, felt like talking to a best friend on the phone which warmed my heart so much because truly that was the goal in doing this! When my team and I discussed distribution we agreed it should first be released locally as a tribute to well... us! Growing up in south Florida we thought it would just feel right to release the film initially to local film festivals such as the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) and the Miami Film Festival and then later on release to other platforms such as small-independent movie theatres such as O Cinema, located in south Florida, which strives to support independent films and diversifying their film screenings and events.

Research on CCR Question #1

 Hello! I honestly can't believe we are nearing the end of this project. It feels like just yesterday I was creating a schedule for my group and I and now here we are, almost at week 7. We've reached the point where we are beginning to work on our Creative Critical Reflection (CCR) and it feels unreal. 

As I brainstormed ideas for my CCR, immediately I was interested in using a "celebrity interview" sort of concept. I thought it would be a great way to allow myself to authentically speak on the highs and lows of this project. Initially I thought of doing a "73 Questions With Vogue" kind of thing. Then, I realized it may be a little difficult to film myself walking around my house while I answer questions about the project. I also feel like it would just look boring and not really show any creativity. 

So, I started searching on You tube for different ideas by simply searching up "celebrity interviews." I knew I didn't want it to just be me having a sit down conversation with a camera about my project so tried to steer clear of any of those types of interviews. Then, I came across a "What's in My Bag?" video well not exactly, it was specifically called "Inside Florence Pugh’s Valentino Tote | In The Bag" and I knew this is what I wanted to do.

I could do this by instead of showing the camera what is in my purse I could put things in my purse related to the project such as a prop we used or a picture representing an issue we faced along the way. As I talk about whatever the object may be/represent more images could pop up on screen to give further insight on the topic. I thought this be especially smart because this way each item would be sort of like a prompt so that I know exactly what to talk about next. 

For example, when answering the first question of the CCR it could go something like this: 

Mariana: Hello! My name is Mariana Aldana and today we will be looking into what is in my purse! I could not be more excited to be here so let's get started! 

[ I reach in my purse and I pull out a picture of Isabel and I in costume for our characters, Jordyn and Amelia] 

So our film opening genre is coming-of-age. Often times with these types of films come with a lot of conventions that we had to choose whether to play into or not. As you can see [the picture I am holding pops up on the screen] I'm dressed very "grungy." wearing baggy pants, a band t shirt, lots of jewelry, and eyeliner, fitting that typical "teenage dirt bag look" while my scene partner Isabel is dressed pretty much completely opposite as me, wearing much lighter, natural makeup, and wearing lighter colors; here you can see she's wearing pink and white meanwhile I'm in grey/black and red. I feel as though typically in a film like this, these two characters would be portrayed as enemies or opposites but my group and I thought it would a cool idea to actually have them be best friends. This film is heavily centered around the importance friendship and I feel as so though the characters difference in both style and personality while still being best friends is a testament to that message. Jordyn's struggles in realizing this towards the depths of the movie I think are very relatable to many teens as often times, teenager tend to get lost in the all the superficial things and all the things they think are important in high school and loose track of what is most important to them. This is why we created this story; we knew it was something many of our peers and maybe even ourselves could relate so it felt right that we were the ones to be able to tell this story. I think what also makes this picture really sweet is that it's actually featured in the opening of the film, hung up on Jordyn's wall. 

Note: this is only a rough draft and edits will likely be made later on.

Post Production (sound and editng)

 Hello! So after getting all the filming done my group and I began editing all the clips together as well as layng on sound. We began by simply putting together all the clips on Adobe, from there was the most tedious process of cutting little pieces here and there. There were a few shots we had to cut all together as we had too much footage and still had to add in photo "montage" at the beginning and the clips of the school. Below is one of our very first drafts of the film. 

 

As you can see was still a lot to be fixed within this draft especially when it comes to clipping certain shots so that everything looks so more seamless. Below is another draft of the opening. As you can see the 2 shots of Jordyn and Amelia on the bed have been cut and some soundscape elements have been added. There are definitely still some changes that need to be made. 

 

This draft is almost about 10 seconds shorter so that we have more time for all the clips we still need to add. Our goal is to be finished with the entirety of editing by this week in order to work on our CCR's.

Unfortunately, we were not able to get the rights for the song we originally had in mind as the band never responded but luckily my group and I were able to find some royalty free music we thought would go really well with the film opening. We wanted to the music to have an upbeat-pop vibe/sound to it and so below are a few options we especially liked.

Right now

Level

Dr. Doorbell

 

Post Production (creating a logo)

 Hi! So before we start the post-production/editing part of the film my group and I needed to come up with a production company name. While brainstorming we decided to combine all our names together (Isa, Mariana, and Elke) to create: ELMAI productions. Honestly, after we came up with the name my group and I really didn't touch on the subject until very recently.

Examples

We had to pick out everything from font to color which is actually a lot harder than it seems when it has to be done via group chat and not in person. We started off with plain white background and black lettering before realizing that most production companies typically have a fun theme/design to them. So we began looking for different fonts and more interesting color schemes as well as coming up with a theme. 

Eventually we decided on the color blue for the background and lettering (it took so long finding the shade we wanted.) and began brain storming ideas for a theme. Two we came up with were having a sky/star theme and a fish/ocean theme. Although, we all really liked the sky/star theme but we realized it may look too similar to Disney so we decided on the fish theme. 

Deciding how to animate it was just as hard as, again, this was all done through a group chat and not in person. It was difficult to be able to get our ideas across to one another and also figuring out what would be too hard to do as the animator/director of our group, Isa, had to guide Elke (cinematographer) on what it would take to animate the production logo. Eventually we decided on having the fish simply across in between the words "ELMAI" and "productions." (see below)

Overall, it was a long process and we ended with over 14 different drafts of the production company logo. Below is and example of our first draft and our final(ish) draft. 

First Draft

Final Draft (yet to be animated )

Production (final filming/pictures)

 Hello! My group and I met up at a library to begin working on editing and came across a few problems. Our initial plan was for Jordyn to cover the camera before the scene at school and use the black screen as an opportunity to place the title. But while beginning to put the clips together we realized a black screen was really limiting. 

We tried to come up with ideas such as animating the title so that it looks like it is being written out but we realized this would be very time consuming and we really don't have the time as we want to be finished with the opening as soon as possible. So we realized it may be best to find a new title card and use the black screen as a transition to the school. Ultimately we came up with the idea of getting more shots of the school and using that as a title card. 

Because of this we have to film again, the only problem is, of course, scheduling. None of us are available after school so we decided to find the shots of  the school that we wanted during class and actually film them individually either before school or during our lunches. Below are a few shots we thought may look good for the title card (once there is actual people and not just an empty school.) 

Another problem we came across was the "friendship" montage at the beginning of the film. Problem being: we had no idea what to do. One thing is for sure, we didn't want it to look like one those cookie cutter template edits. Initially, I was thinking it would be something like the opening from How I Met Your Mother. Then my group and I realized... we have no idea how to do that. So again, we brainstormed a few ideas from making a scrapbook and have Jordyn be flipping through the pages to creating an Instagram account for Jordyn have the opening be her scrolling on Instagram looking at all the pictures of Amelia and her as the voice over audio plays. But, we realized that these ideas would not be accurate to the narrative world as in our opening when you first meet Jordyn she is writing in her journal. Eventually we came up with the idea of printing photos of Isabel and I (Amelia and Jordyn) and but them on a wall/door and film those so that it appears as if the audience is getting a little glimpse of Jordyn's room before they meet her on screen. 

This means Isabel and I need a LOT more pictures together for us to print out. Below are a few pictures we've taken so far. 

Production (filming day 2: bedroom scene)

 Hello! Yesterday after filming at school we headed over to Elke's friend, Lauren's house to film the bedroom scene. Her room design/decor honestly worked perfectly for what were going for plus Isa got some extra posters for us to put up. It was like trying to put a puzzle together when trying to find the proper placement for each poster but it ended up looking great.

We had a few issues with finding the right angle to shoot at because of the fact that the actresses needed to be facing the window and we also needed to make sure you couldn't see the cinematographer in the mirror behind the bed. Because of this we ended up scraping the idea of Jordyn sitting at a desk and Amelia being behind her laying on a bad. Instead, we had both of us laying on the bed. This way you could still see the room decor and the mirror wouldn't be an issue. Getting rid of the idea of sitting at desk also helped make the look of the shot look less crowded as the chair we had was very bulky and took up a lot of the frame. 

Since this was our first time filming in this space we had to figure out every little detail one step at a time. Even little things like how Isabel and I should be laying down, how we get up, and even when she opens and closes the door had to be discussed and planned out. Honestly, I think this was the hardest part about filming, especially because we were under a very big time crunch as we had to get the scene filmed before the sun went down. After figuring out all the technicalities of filming this scene we ended up having a lot of fun. We were able to play around with the characters and their reactions and even change a few things within the script. For example, we decided that after Amelia exists Jordyn should check her phone and have an audible reaction to the time. 

While filming this scene in particular we ended with a lot of bloopers mainly due to us laughing. This was because we were in such a confined space that Isabel and I would often trip while trying to run out of frame which resulted in some pretty funny moments. Luckily this didn't prevent us from being able to film but did result in a lot of laughs. Overall, we had lots of fun filming and made sure to indulge in some pizza to celebrate wrapping up the filming process.

Production (filming day 2: school scene)

 Hey guys! So yesterday we re-filmed all the footage of the school (minus the establishing shot) and it honestly went great. We learned from our mistake of asking way too many people to help with filming last time and only got about 6 people to help out as background characters. Having a little amount of people was helpful as they were easy to control and keep quiet but also fill empty space. We gave them simple to just act natural and that our director, Isa, would que them to walk past or move, etc. Having such few people also helped with time management as we still had to film the bedroom scenes and needed to do so before the sun went down. I believe we started filming at around 4 and we were out of there at around 4:30 (give or take) so it definitely did not take long.

Funny enough many of the people that ended up being in the background of what we shot weren't people who we asked to be in it originally. Isabel and I found them in the drama room after school and asked if they wanted to be a part of it. Luckily they said yes and were super helpful. They probably also decided to help because I had brought cookies for anyone did.

Filming with Isabel was so much fun as we are already such close friends. This definitely helped with the acting part of it all as we were able to really play into that. We also both have experience in musical theatre/acting so we knew how to react and play off of each other. 

A little candid picture from filming (we are too cute!)

 Since it was not her first time doing these scenes as she had done them before with Hayley, Isabel, as well as Isa and our cinematographer, Elke, was able to guide me through the process of filming and give me my blocking/placement. One challenge I came across was that since I was switched back into the part so last minute (literally the night before) I had very little time to actually learn the lines. Because of this I had to learn my lines as we filmed which resulted in quite a few bloopers. Below is one of many. (you'll be able to see more later on.) 

Production (filming day1 and change of plans)

 Hello! My group and I started filming this week (yay) and although it went smoothly we did run into a few problems. Although my group got some really good shots there were some continuity errors between each shot. This is because as scenes were shot our background actors had to leave so when starting to edit scenes shot within the hallway together, we noticed that some scenes had no background characters and some did.  Below is an example of how the background characters sort of disappeared and re-appeared in between shots. 

However, my group was able to get some really good shots, especially for the establishing shots of the school. I especially like the clip below because it has lots of movement going on and truly looks like a school hallway and not just actors placed in specific spots. (Don't mind the shoes squeaking, that will definitely be masked by music during editing.) 

Below is a clip I really enjoyed because of the acting choices made by both actresses. Within this clip both characters say the same line but it is clear they have different motivations and perspectives when saying it which adds to the realism of the scene. 

Unfortunately, because of the continuity errors we are forced to refilm the scenes from the hallway. Because of this there are some scheduling conflicts with Hayley (who played Jordyn) so my group and I decided it would be best to refilm with me as Jordyn so we don't have to wait on anyone and can get filming done as quickly as possible.

Planning

 Hello! Filming week has finally arrived and my group and I could not be more excited. With that comes, tightening up any final screws before the actual production of it all. We met with our teacher to discuss our project with her an make any final revisions. 

School Scene

 Our teacher had a few concerns about filming a scene walking down the hallway because it might seem unrealistic as it'll likely be empty and the lighting isn't ideal as the upper head lighting can be quite visually displeasing.  

As a solution my group and I gathered together a few people to serve as background characters. That way we can film after school, having full control of volume and placement while still making the school hallway look realistic.

Additionally, we will be borrowing mic's from our teacher giving us more control of audio. With the mic's we will be able to isolate Jordyn and Amelia's dialogue while also still being able to hear the background chatter of a typical school hallway. As for the lighting she gave us a tip to make sure we keep the frame "tight" while filming in the hallway, essentially this means to make sure the upper head lights are not in the frame. This will help to counteract the effects of the upper-head lighting.

Difference in Characters 

Our teacher brought up a really good point which is that the two leading actresses look a lot a like. This is a problem visually because a key element in this film is the characters are so different both stylistic and personality wise yet are still best friends. 

To counteract this we have made sure that both girls are dressed very differently so that there is a clear difference of who is who and there is no confusion. Often times in media when two lead characters are acting along side each other they have some sort of physical attribute that distinguishes them a good example is Serena and Blair from Gossip Girl, one is blonde and the other is brunette this way even if they are dressed similarly, it is still clear to the audience which is which. 

Since this isn't really possible for us as we both have dark curly hair and no access to wigs, we have to make sure that we are dressed very differently, in fact, one of us will likely have our hair up and the other down to create even more contrast between the two characters. 

[Edit from future me]: So... we ran into a problem! I was supposed to play Jordyn but I got sick and completely lost my voice so we had to get another friend, Hayley, to play the part. Which actually works out because now the actresses don't look so similar but we will still make sure that there is a clear difference between the two. 

Hayley(left), playing Jordyn

 

Isabel, playing Amelia

Storyboard

Hello! I won't say much in this post as it is just to show you our storyboard. My group members and I had to work on it separately, dividing the script up and assigning who will do which parts, which is why it took so long to complete. Note that this storyboard is not final and a lot will likely change during filming. 

 

Wow, you can really tell that three different people designed this based on the different drawing styles.

Mise-en-scene (props)

 Hello! As we near closer and closer to our filming date (likely to be sometime this week) we have to start thinking about props. Luckily for us, we won't need many, and those that we do need are very easily accessible. I would say the two main props in this opening will be Jordyn's journal and the poster for the amusement park (we decided to change it.) 

For the journal, we were thinking that looks very 'artistic' and looks as though she has had it for a very long time. For example, there could be paint marks or stickers on it as well as memorabilia peeking out from the sides of it. This prop is very important to the film as Jordyn will repeatedly refer to it as she completes/finds items on her bucket list. Below are a few examples of what we want the journal to look like. As you can see both examples look very "lived in" and personalized, fitting Jordyn's personality/style. 

 

 

The other important prop that will be included in our film opening is the amusement park poster. We changed it from a trampoline park to an amusement park since one of my group members found a poster (below) on Canva that works perfectly for what we want it to do. This poster is particularly important because it is the last thing the viewer sees before the rising actions of the film begins and what triggers other events withing the rest of the film. 

Audio

 Hello all! In film sound is used to compliment visuals within the media, it gives dimension to a scene or event and assists with the viewers perception of the piece. For our film opening, the audio aspect of it all will *hopefully* not be too complicated. We definitely want to include non-diegetic music, but besides that the audio/dialogue will be collected as we film. Any use of foley is still yet to be determined, one spot within the opening I feel we could include the use of foley is when Amelia opens the bed room door and slams it shut. 

The dialogue in the hallway/school scene may be a little difficult as we are not sure if how to make it look like it's actually a loud, crowded hallway while still being able to hear the dialogue between Jordyn and Amelia since it this scene would likely have to be filmed throughout the school day. Initially, we thought of having our actresses record voice overs of the dialogue to layer on top of the "school sounds" so it is more easily heard or have the actresses wear mics. Then, we figured... why not stage it? This plan is definitely still in the works but the idea is too gather a few of our friends to be background characters (we will likely have to bribe them with food haha), this way it looks likes an actual school but we can control both the volume and where everyone is placed. However, one challenge that comes with this is that it will have to happen afterschool when the hallways are empty and this may pose a problem with peoples schedules.

Within this film opening, we feel the use of music won't exactly be to move the story along in any way but to set a tone for the rest of the film. As previously mentioned in a blog a few weeks ago, my group and I found a song made by a relatively small artist that we feel would fit the vibe of the overall movie. 

The song is "It Won't Always Be Like This" by Inhaler (a small alternative rock band.) We really hope to be able to use the song as it fits the vibe we are going for perfectly and aligns with Jordyn's motivations at the beginning of the film which is of course having hope for the future and living in the moment as her school years are coming to an end. 

In order to be able to use this song in our film opening we, of course, have to ask for permission first. We did this by going on their website to see what would be the best way to get a hold of the band directly or a manager. One of my group members, Elke, was able to find an email address to contact their manager through. In this email, she introduced herself and our project and asked for permission to use the song within our opening. Although she still hasn't heard back we are still hopeful and may contact them through Instagram DM's to see if we get a response there. Below is the email she sent.