Last production post

Identifying mistakes:

Hey blog! I can't believe I made all these silly mistakes, I thought I was done filming for a second. So, due to this inconvenience, I had to text all my actors to see if they were available this weekend. Unfortunately no, but we all agreed on shooting the last final scene next weekend. Its a good thing I'm able to fix everything else since Evan is available this weekend.

Currently I'm reprinting that poster so that there's no rips. I'm hoping that I'm able to get the same angle as before since it looked really well all together in the piece. What do you guys think? Take a look! I made sure both clips were equal in length so that when I added it into the opening it didn't alter any of the other audio clips. Everything is on sync and ready to go!

Now I must go pick Evan up. We are on a little bit of a time crunch since he gets home from dance at 6:15 and the sun starts setting around 6:30. It needs to be filmed with daytime lighting so if its dark by the time we both get to my house, then we have to save it for next weekend as well.

Final montage:  

Yayyy! luckily we were able to make it to my house on time and film the clip. I had set up my desk before I left the house to go get him so that everything would be ready and waiting for us. I really think this extra clip tied the montage to the opening scene together really well. Ill give you a side by side comparison of what it looked like before the clip and after.

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Editing post #2

Audio is a big element of my film opening. The whole theme is music bases; still its important to consider every other audio element of the piece. I brainstormed the sounds you would hear in a room and thought of a list of things.

-air-conditioning

-keyboard typing

-paper ripping

-space bar press

-chair sound when Evan moves

Air conditioning sounds can be found on YouTube so i went on the app and downloaded an audio clip. But searching for all these other sounds made me realize they didn't fit the clips. I wanted it to look as natural as possible, so I decided to make some foley sounds. I am including all the ones from the list and adding them to the piece. Take a listen to some of the ones I made!

https://youtu.be/OE9bF80KQGk?si=f3s35AIpOcDLs5xJ

  

I decided not to include any sounds other than the music whenever he plays the final version. Also, I decided to present the title of the film right when the beat builds up during the song. With no specific reason, I wanted the title to be orange. The color seems to correlate with the happy, beachy energy of the car. For the rest of the credits, it will be yellow. I wanted something bold and fitting for the theme of my room. Also, regarding this whole color scheme, I decided to put a slight filter over the clips to enhance the colors to feed into the beachy mood. 

As I was proof checking what I had so far for the film, I realized I need some new shots and a few clips refilmed. For instance, the looking up at the paper before it was ripped. In this case, the paper was already ripped, which was a mistake on my end. So, I have to refilm the scene with a fully intact paper. Also, the car scene is too dark and you cant even see our main character which is a crucial part to that scene. Hopefully I can refilm that this weekend but I don't think I can get everyone to come on such short notice. See you at the final production post where I fix those flaws!

 

Editing post #1

Though not recommended, Capcut is my favorite editing platform. Ive already made previous music videos and short films using that app and im familiar with all its tools. To help picture my film opening, during filming I would put together the clips just after they were filmed to see if they were fitting. This allowed me to see if the shots synthesized together and looked like all one scene. Take a look at what I have so far.

I had to keep in mind that whatever happened at the end of one clip had to be consistent with the beginning of the other. Through the app, I'm able to zoom in on the clips to get a more precise cut. I realized after filming the first scene, I was a little under time. But this sparked a new Idea to bring forth some more mise-en-scene. I filmed clips of my room like the posters, soundboard, and the back of our main character, which confirmed Evan is a teenager. Take a look!

For the car scene, the song was about to end. This was an issue since the 360 camera rotator didn't speed up fast enough to turn all the way before the song ended. So, we filmed the clip anyway and I ended up speeding the clip 2x. Unfortunately, to make the clip loop around twice, I need to speed it up more than 2x and Cap cut isn't capable of doing that. So, I've decided to take the clips that are finalized right now and switching over to Clipchamp

Group meeting #2

 Hey blog, today we had our second group meeting. I got to meet some new people and hear their unique ideas. We were able to discuss our CCR's which was really helpful. I was stuck on how I can incorporate my film to my CCR to make it more engaging. We thought about doing a drive thru scene where the person at the drive through would ask me questions and I would answer. Its evident that the idea has flaws and realistically wouldn't be able to actually happen. People are constantly moving through so this just wouldn't work. So, we scratched incorporating the car and we decided to utilize the DJ set. My computer could play the questions similar to the audio files of a song. I could press the sound board to make laughing sound effects or even boos. I could even cut a question off in a humorous way with the flick of a joystick on the board. 

I was also able to get some feedback from my peers, and teacher, on the car scene at the end of the film opening. I was already a little uneasy about it due to it being sped up and the lighting. The speed of the clip ended up being fine, my group members said it brought out the energy and happiness of the people in the car. But, the lighting was too dark, the people in the backseat could barely be seen in contradiction to the driver and the front passenger. Also, the low angle of the camera kind of thew the clip off as well so if I decide to refilm I must stack some book below it to raise the shot. Id also aim to shoot in the day to fix the issue with the lighting. Other than that, the first minute of the film was a success. The clips all put together effectively told the story. I'm glad I received all this feedback, take a look at us!

production post #2

 Friday was a success. I was able to film the rest of the scenes for the "composing the song" scene. We were able to record quickly and efficiently. I think putting the clips together as we filmed gave me some clarity of what I should shoot next. It also made me think about matching up the clips to make it seems like all one scene. I also was able to record some foley sounds since a lot of the clips had to be music. There was a consistent "white noise" that would separate the clips. 

Anyways, today is Sunday and al my actors and I just got back from the beach. It was intended to get to the beach before sunrise to catch the sun coming up while filming. Despite waking up at 4 AM, it was hard gathering all the actors and making sure they were awake too. Most of them took an extra 20 minutes to get in my car which just piled up the time. We did not catch the sunrise, the sun was up when we got there. But, I really wanted those pretty colors in the sky so I decided to shoot during sunset. 

Just as we were about to pack up our stuff and head to the car, we realized there was an event happening in ft Lauderdale. On the street I was supposed to drive through, multiple sports cars speeding through come rushing in large group. This went on for about 45 minutes and by the time It was safe to drive, nighttime had crept up to us. But, we had already drove all this way so we might as well film. The lighting was dim, and the camera angle was far too low. I forgot to consider the height of the filming device which ended up being an issue. You can only see half the drivers face and the whole back seat was blending in with the night. This weekend I'm going to reshoot, but who knows, maybe the original clip wasn't too bad. Take a look!

First trial: 

Potential clip:

Production post #1

 I ended up starting my filming project on wednesday to get a head start. As soon as I got home I set the stage, moved my desk, aranged my props. Look at the final set up! I filmed the first 30 seconds and I put all the clips together.

 I really wanted to make sure I was on the right track so the next day in class I asked my teacher for some feedback. I think my main issue was not diversifying the clips, I need to film from different angles. Also, one of my clips had darker lighting than the rest most likely due to the time of day so I had to reshoot that. Heres that clip before, and then after. 

 Before:

After:

I made a list of everything I needed to revise just for that 30 seconds and it started to look so much better. I tried to syce the clips by ending one with a motion and beginning one with the same motion. It really made it look like one co ntinuous scene. But for now, I will shoot the rest tommorow and the beach scene on sunday. Ill save the editing for when I have all the clips together. Cant wait!

Other than that, filming took a lot longer than expected. For 30 seconds of content, it took me about 2 hours. We kept having to reshoot scenes to adjust the lighting and the angles. Also, my actor evan, thought it was funny to goof around during some shots. It was aggravating because we both were tired of shooting and he still wouldn't stop. I think it helped me understand the perspective from a director and why they kind of come off as "bossy". I had this vision for this piece and I needed Evan to understand exactly what I wanted him to do but that was easier said than done. 

Ill still give him some credit; He was very helpful in setting up the props and remaining patient. We still have about a minute left to do for this scene so hopefully we can get it done a little faster now that we have everything set up. 

Production logo

 Hey blog! Its finally time to come up with a production compony logo. The name "Gemini Productions" stems from a variety of content our brand provides. This is obviously make believe but I wanted to give it some meaning rather than just choosing a random name. 

Canva is a great platform for design aid. There many templates to choose from and luckily after browsing though them all there was one that was perfect for our production company.

I really liked how the "G" was almost split in two. Its a reference to the two twins in the zodiac sign gemini. It ties together the idea that our company has variety when it comes to film. Now, its time to bring it to life. Canva has an option to animate letters and images so we really wanted to make it look most professional. Take a look!

Right before filming....

Hey blog! Today we were really wrapping up all the necessary props and locations were going to utilize for our film opening. Weve already decided to film the first composing scene on Friday after school and the beach/car scene on Sunday.

For the best quality videography, I wasn't able to find a camera but there are apps for your phone that can mimic one. Blockmagic cam has options to adjust the quality, the focus of the camera, and even filters to assist with lighting.

Our props for Friday include the DJ board, the flyer, and the computer. I've decided to redesign the flyer to give it a more professional approach. Take a look! The DJ board finally came in and is ready to use. To make it more realistic, I'm going to use my computer to showcase the production of the song. Garage bands give me the ability to show Evan moving around vocals and timing beats.

 

The next scene includes a 360 shot of the car. I had to brainstorm how we were going to manage this camera movement. We first thought of a rotating cake stand or just manually moving the camera. We ran into some issues since we didn't know who would move the cake stand while also acting and manually dong it was just not smooth like I wanted. Luckily amazon has a 360-camera rotator where we can adjust the speed.

Audio choices

Non- Diegetic Audio

Hey blog! My film opening is based around music so a key component I need is non diegetic audio. I had previously messages multiple EDM artists and even their record labels and still no response. This is a problem since I wanted to start filming next week and if i don't have a song for it yet then it will be difficult to sync up the sounds. So I went back to youtube and I found some uncopyrighted songs. I ran into some issues finding anything. Some were too slow and some just didnt fit the overall aesthetic of the film. Here was one of my first options I was looking into. 

https://youtu.be/cuMqbupxbyQ?si=QUR4yuG_ewTB3aHo

I didnt give up just yet; I looked through multiple playlist of uncopyrighted "House" songs and I finally came across the one. For my film, ill be using this 30 second clip found in the middle of the excerpt. This will cover the last 34 seconds of the film opening. For the remainder of the time, I was able to isolate the vocals and even the beats. For part of the film, evan will be shown pieces these two elements together and then finally reveal at the end what he composed. 

Diegetic Audio

So, I tested how sound picks up on my phone in regards to tearing pages and clicking buttons and I think it could be better. Also, the car/beach scene might not pick up sound very well due to the overbearing wind. Ive decided to film first and if needed, I will develop some foley sound to match up with the clips. 

Mise-en-scene pt. 2

Location-

Hello again! Today I need to discuss where my project is going to take place. Evan needs to resemble a teenager in all aspects, and a room is very important. It must reflect him as a character, and luckily, I kind of based him on someone I know really well, me. I did this purposely because I had to consider filming sites and I needed a room that matches his whole aesthetic. None of my others friends room have the characteristics im looking for so filming will begin right at home.

Now one of my issues might be my piano. Initially I wanted him to be playing on the wall with all my posters but unfortunately my piano is not a desk. So, I can either switch my piano with my desk in my room or I can test out to see if the DJ board and my computer will fit amongst the surface. 

The beach scene worked in our favor since florida is full of them. But, I had to think about the beaches set up, and how I can incorporate a car. Most beaches in Miami require you to walk from a parking lot onto the sand. Hollywood beach doesn't have anywhere you can drive while also having a view of the water. Then I realized Ft lauderdale beach has a view of the water and a view of all the building and resturaunts. It is exactly what I envisioned for this clip. 

Lighting-

When I envision the first scene, I want a golden sun to light up the room. This character is full of creativity and I want a yellow tint to reflect that on camera. Also, for the car scene I want a glistening sun to seem through the windows. It really adds to the beachy-feel and makes the scene look more alive. This kind of knocks out any need to create any lighting manually, I will be depending on natural ligh. 

Planning mise-en-scene

Developing Mise-en-scene

Prop- Flyer

Developing mis-en-scene is crucial for making context clearer for the audience. The first scene of my film opening welcomes the first prop, the flyer. Without this prop we wouldnt know our conflict for this film. But I need to find a way to bring this poster to life. So, I used an app to out together a flyer for the campaign. Take a look!

I tried making it as realistic as possible by adding phone number, dates, and details. I even incorporated the "18+" in the right corner to have Evan rip it off. I took some inspo from an edm concert poster to make the flyer accurate to real life. 

Prop- Dj set

My character needs a way to make his music so here's his instrument. I envisioned him playing with the buttons one the board. Then it would be connected to a computer where he's put vocals and beats together. Once, finished he would play on the board seamlessly. So, I bought a music board. It took me awhile since it was a bit pricey but eventually I found one that was used for a good price. Heres a picture of the board!

Actors

Unfortunately I am not a great actor and whenever a camera gets shoved in my face I feel so awkward. Luckily, my friend Evan who is a former actor and dancer will be playing Evan in my film opening. I also needed someone to play as evans friends so me, alix, cristina, and paulina have volunteered as tribute. Since were all teenagers our cosets should work perfectly for costumes. Just typical baggy pants, acid washed shirts, and hoodies to really verify their age.

 Evan                             alix

Paulina                                Zach      

       Cristina      

   

            

Character developement

Developing Character

Hey blog! As we know, my character is a teenager who is aiming towards a music career. I wanted him to come off as optimistic and also persistent. The first initial tear off of the flyer shows that an age limit won't stop him. Hes quick, and impulsive. Immediately after that, he begins composing his songs which reveals he's passionate with a little sense of urgency.

After working diligently, dancing around the rooms reveals he's carefree and true to himself. He does not feel ashamed to dance, even alone, and he’s able to truly experience his music like any other person. We can also assume he's very friend oriented since the first people to listen to his new song is his friends.

Our main character's name is Evan. But he needs his alternate name, Evicii. Typically, artists use a “stage name” for their fans to address them by. Wondering how I got this name? Avicii a former DJ who was very popular in the music industry felt fitting. I mergered the two name and now his “stage persona” has meaning.

Get to know Evan:

To get a better idea, Evans entire aesthetic can be explained through this character board. I incorporated the characters favorite color along with some objects you may find laying in his room. He's very music oriented which we can see with the music notes floating around.

 

Incorporating Media Theory

Identity Theory:

The Identity Theory is applicable to our film opening. Specifically, our main protagonist. His initial introduction to his character starts off by a competition to win an opportunity to open for a big DJ. The theory can be applied when the need to win is due to the “cool by association” effect. If he's able to land this competition, opening for that big DJ will make it look like he's affiliated with those kinds of DJ’s/people. It's good for his image as an uprising music composer.

Exclusive

 Final Idea:

A once in a lifetime opportunity to submit a edm song of your own to win the chance of opening for the all time famous DJ, Fisher.  Our main character has been composing songs for as long as he can remember and this flyer catches his eye. If he was able to submit a song and win, that would be the start of his career. One problem, you must be 18 years of age if you would like to participate. Despite being 16, our character immediately shuts that down and begins composing a new song to turn into the competition. We see snippets of him putting vocals and beats together until he finally pressing play. He dances as the credits roll until the title of the movie, exclusive, appears. Then its a cut to him driving all of his friends to the beach while playing the song he made for all of them to hear. Everyone seems to be enjoying since they are dancing and one of them even has their head out the window. A 360 of the car is able to capture everyone's reaction to his new creation. 

Storyboard

Hey blog! In order to really visualize my film opening, I made a storyboard. This really helped me think about the shots and angles I want to use along with considering how much time I need for each clip to reach the full 2 minutes. Here, take a look!

With this, I also came up with the title of the film, "exclusive". This roots from only being able to play at venues if your over the age of 18, making them exclusive. 

In regards to the script, most of the film is just the boy in his room. There's no need to talk allowed since the poster explains most of his conflict followed by his actions. But don't fret, there will be diegetic audio, just no spoken words. 

group meeting #1

 Group meeting #1

Hey blog! It was really nice meeting my group today. Take a look at us during our discussion:

It was nice to say my idea out loud and get feedback from someone other than my group partner. I first explained to them the content that I wanted to be involved in my film opening alone with the music i was trying to incorporate. Brandon than asked me what kind of conflict I was going to have for the film and I didnt have an answer. So, all of my group members took a second to think and then suddenly everyone was giving me different ideas. We came up with making the film a character vs. society, in this case, being a DJ at 16 is difficult since minimum age to play at venues is 18. We can show this by entering a prop of a poster-like flyer indicating that there is a music competition for DJ's. Whoever wins gets to open for a big DJ of their time. Then the camera shifts to the part of the flyer that says "18+". He crumbles up the paper which indicated his conflict with the age requirement. 

Overall, I was able to give feedback as well. It was cool seeing everyones ideas and how they planned to compose them. I recommended some setting location or even shots and angles they should utilize. Great meeting, cant wait for the next!

Song research

What songs do I choose?

         A big part of my film opening is the main song that plays from the music board. I need to find something under the electronic music genre, while also choosing something fit for the overall aesthetic of my project.  So, I decided to research three different artists. 

Its murph-

        I went through his top 10 tracks and his music really spoke to me. I would describe his songs as a major building, since he slowly adds more sounds as the song goes on. This is very fitting since in my film opening, the uprising DJ plays with some of the sounds until he finally composing an entire song. "Through my System" is the song I would most likely want to use. Its catchy, its fitting, and it suits my character. 

        Heres a screenshot of the message I sent him. Unfortunately, he's very popular in the music industry so I might not get a response from him. Stil, I sent him the message with hope and well see if he responds. I'll leave a link to the song below if you want to give it a listen!

https://youtu.be/kDYPr3RMVSg?si=FqgRMRHsdngUmi70

Disco lines-

        I actually am familiar with this artist, and I chose him because he's prone to responding. I ended up giving his music a listen and it definitely fits under the EDM genre. One of his most popular songs "No broke boys" has one of the more heartfelt tunes compared to his other stuff. So, I sent him a message, similar to the one I sent to its murph, asking to use that particular song. Hopefully my chances are higher with him even though hes becoming more popular by the day. 

https://youtu.be/nS-fOh1CfhQ?si=iO2bbyMpXocf2JYN

Fisher-

        My favorite electronic dance music artist is fisher. But, hes one of the most popular people in this industry. But you never know, so, I sent him the same paragraph asking to use his song "atmosphere". This particular song is similar to its murphs; it starts with the vocals and then moves on to the beat until the sounds slowly builds up. 

https://youtu.be/MlwBZ2MSNtE?si=KcYdxt8c7unWw3K8

         Now in the case that none of the artists respond, I need to find some non copyrighted tracks. So I went online and I found a few websites but I also realized that youtube has some too. Thankfully, I found some good would that are eligible for my film opening. Ill have to choose between them if any of these artists don't answer within a week.