Question 1: How does your film intro (product) use or challenge conventions (standards) and how does it represent social groups or issues? - PowerPoint Presentation
Question 2: How does your work engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text? - Prezi
Question 3: How did your production skills develop throughout this project? - Podcast
My film intro was recorded on my phone, with the help of Vincent Walters while me and Ghita Chriqi starred in the film itself. Unfortunately, due to our circumstances, we weren't able to follow the original storyboard we had planned. We decided to change the story- although last minute- it worked out in the end. The final film can be seen in my "Film Intro" blog.
New Story The new story follows Ghita, playing a character named Shane who receives a palm reading from an alien fortune teller. The Alien recognizes Shane's implied relationship issues which Shane refuses to open up about. The Alien offers a special drink that would supposedly "fix all her problems"- Shane blindly drinks it without thinking of the risks of danger. Suddenly, Shane must go due to personal matters. While Shane was walking away from The Alien, Shane all of a sudden got dizzy and fell to the floor. The Alien is seen walking behind the fallen Shane before it pans to a shot of them laughing and it cuts off as a cliffhanger- leaving the end up to an interpretation.
The Process Before we started filming, I did the alien makeup in the TY park bathroom (which can be seen in my "Film Intro Costume Designing" blog) before we walked around to find a spot to film. Vincent filmed all the cinematograph for the film.
Editing The editing behind the intro was relatively easy and simple. I was in charge of the editing, and I used Adobe Premiere Pro and Videostar Pro. Unfortunately, my computer could not run most of Adobe's features so I had to rely on Videostar Pro. All text and effects were done with Videostar while the sequencing of clips was done on Adobe. The trickiest part was the masking in the first clip, where the text transitioned into more text as the tree panned across the screen. Other than that, all effects and text were easy to implement into our film.
Due to our film being a fictional story, character design for our alien was a critical point I wanted to focus on. We had a few trials of our rendition of this alien character, these versions of the character consist of different hairstyles, colors of makeup, and different styles of makeup. Originally we wanted to keep the colors green and purple, however, we changed it to pink and purple instead to make it more coherent. The sketches and final results can be seen below.
I worked together with my classmate Ghita for this film intro. We struggled at first, trying to come up with a fictional idea for our intro. However if you recall, in the beginning of the year before "The Ginge" was made, the original idea was a hitchhiker murder. We decided to take this idea and create another version of it, giving it a sci-fi twist. Ghita and I decided to have a similar base to the original hitchhiker idea: Someone gets picked up on the side of the road, unsettling dialogue, and some thing is revealed by the end. We wanted to do something with an alien. Aliens are typically depicted as these intelligent life forms that can sometimes even shape-shift. That is what we were going for. The story is as follows:
As Ghita is driving through a wooded area- a shortcut to her current destination if you will- she spots Kennie(?) emerging from the trees. She stops and questions why she is there, in which Kennie replies in a disorientated and odd way. Although it's nothing too much to throw Ghita off. Ghita then invites Kennie into her car as she begins to ask questions such as: "where were you going?" Kennie kept her answers short and awkward, slowly gaining the suspicion of Ghita as when Ghita asks a question about Kennie's sister, Kennie doesn't know what she's talking about- or rather who. Ghita is unsettled but gave her attention to the road, before hearing some 'other worldly' sounds coming from Kennie. She turns her head, and an alien is staring back at her.
In class the other day, we had a discussion on what IS media exactly. Media is something that has a different definition for everyone, as it's purpose varies depending on the person.
Some view it as purely entertainment, or maybe as a source for information. Whatever the case is, everyone has a unique perspective. By definition, it is the mass communication that reach large numbers of people e.g. television, newspaper, and radio.
Media for me is terms of everything. I educate myself with media, but I also use media for entertainment. Media is an endless vacuum of different possibilities, and I use it as such.
This assignment was the first assignment I've done in this class alone. I really wanted to challenge myself in creating a film myself. I believed I could get the most out of it- since I feel like being in a group limits my creative liberty. This filming process helped me gain experience on what to do next time for future solo films, along with overall experience with a professional camera. I, unfortunately, have forgotten what model of camera I borrowed from ShortCutsTV, however, this was my first time handling a professional camera. I picked out a camera that would give me complete freedom of the end product of my cinematography. Unfortunately, I did forget how to properly work the camera- so I had to use the "auto" feature on the camera. This meant everything was done for me. Even though I was disappointed that I couldn't have full control over the shots and properly bring my idea to life, I worked with what I had and overall it's not the worst.
Reflection There's a lot to reflect on looking back on my psa after it was finished. Audio in film is arguably the most important thing in media. I feel like the sound effects and audio I used truly didn't sound the way I wished it to, which I believe it threw off the feeling I wished to make with my psa. I feel the ending was too abrupt and it made it feel like an unsatisfying ending- not that it was supposed to have one, but it felt off. Next time I use a professional camera, I want to be able to have full control of the cinematography of the film with a better understanding of the camera itself, and how to create the feelings I wish to create.
Going into this PSA, I had a very vivid idea of what the film would look like. I wanted to take this PSA as more of a experiment on cinematics and be more creative with the shots and angles, along with story. My storyboard was short and simple, but I know exactly what I want to do.
Before thanksgiving break, the class was assigned another film to be made. This time, we had complete creative freedom over the project.
Initial brainstorming When me and three other classmates were trying to come up with a story, originally we had planned out o create a POV thriller short. The plot originally was four girls getting ready to go out to a party. The first half was meant to be filled as a normal short film would be, no POV shots. The idea was to utilize close ups to build in the suspension for what could be coming next. After the girls were ready, it would switch to a POV shot of one of the girls in the back of the car, the shots being taken as if the girl was on her phone.
As the girls continued to drive and converse, one of the girls notice a hitchhiker on the side of the road, holding out their thumb asking for a ride. Although one of the girls in the back expressed their suspensions and worries, the girls ultimately allowed the hitchhiker in. As the girls drove, the hitchhiker kept striking up conversation- although it seemed friendly at first, it began to take a weird turn as the hitchhiker began to mention things only the girls knew about. It's important to note the hitchhiker was sitting in the back with one other girl, the one in which the POV shots were taking place at.
Suddenly yet quietly, the camera drops, showcasing the hitchhiker knocking out the girl in the back of the car. There is a cut out scream as the short comes to an end, leaving the end up to interpretation of the viewer.
Final outcome
We as a group decided it would be easier to do a fake interview mixed with comedy, a more lighthearted approach to this film. We decided to go to Hollywood beach, recording a interview about ocean conservation. The group decided to sprinkle in comedy, trying to liven up the 2 minute short.
The general story The story follows a group of teenagers within a school, hanging out and indulging themselves in scary story telling. The story of "The Ginge" was a well known story amongst their classmates, making it a perfect candidate to reiterate. That was when the group heard a loud thud, realizing the urban legend of "The Ginge" was after them. They ran away as much as they could, before ultimately being caught by The Ginge, he adding the four friends to his long list of victims who dare speak of his story.
The process I was in charge of filming each clip. I used the knowledge learned in class discussed in the previous blog to my advantage. We were able to create tension filled scenes to convey the intensity of our film and story. My favorite scene had to be the scene in which two people were talking to each other, before they start running past the camera. I used a waist shot, show casing the actors faces. I stood in between them, getting a focus on them talking before they ran past me. Then the scene cut to a shot of them running from behind. I felt this was a nice transition and simply looked smooth. Filming this gave me plenty of experience to use in following films. I can't wait to film once more!
While in class, we learned about camera angles, shots and techniques. We implemented that knowledge towards creating a storyboard for a 2 minute short film maybe by me and 4 others.
Camera angles Low angle shot- used to make someone look as if in a position of power High angle shot- shows area of vulnerability Overhead shot- showing complex movement and scenery, connection to the divine Dutch shot- creates a sense of unease, magnifies tension Eye level shot- creates a connection with the audience, shoulder level enhance romantic scenes Hip level shots- western tension scenes, showcases gun on holster Knee level shot- tracking movement through an environment, showcasing character detail Ground level shot- shows character movement and details on the floor, tension educing
Camera shots Wide shot- provides context and shows setting Full shot- shows character in their entirety Medium full shot- to show environment although focus is on character Medium shot- Similar to how we experience interactions in the real world, waist up Elbow shot- to display power Medium waist- to focus on the character Close up shot- full shot of the character's head Full close up- used to convey emotion, a shot to shift focus on character's features
We used this new found knowledge to create our storyboard, creating an interesting and visually pleasing horror short.
In class, we analyzed shorts from the YouTube channel ShortCutsTV, which harbors short films made my students across the U.S. Prior to learning the proper names and effects of camera angels and camera shots, we were put to analyze a hand full of short films. Before knowing all that I do now from class, my analysis were vague and brief, showcasing a lack of understanding of camera angles and their effects on a film. I had minimal knowledge on film before getting into the analyzation process. I focused on the color within each short, trying to create an understanding of what they meant, why it was placed there, and it's effect. I linked back many camera angles with suspense, not knowing the other feelings different shots could evoke. I also focused more on the actor's acting, trying to link that with emotions brought up in the films. Along with visual effects that did not necessarily pertain to camera angles, but rather pertained to the feeling or originality within the shorts.
If I were to go back and re-watched the films, I feel I would have a larger understanding and would be able to make connections to many more things.
As a class, we've been working on creating our own YouTube video in Adobe Express. The YouTube video was meant to be about us, what represents us as individuals, and what we're into. I shared what I was into, my favorite music, and facts about myself such as my hobbies and heritage.
The steps I took to make my video are:
Changed one of the given templates on Adobe Express to match my video
Wrote down facts and information I was comfortable sharing
Based on what the slide was about, I inserted the corresponding pictures and text
Added transitions along with idle animations
Edited my video to make sure nothing seemed out of place, too long, or out of place
Added background music
Created my YouTube channel and uploaded my finished product
Here is the end result:
This project allowed me to share things about myself I don't usually get to talk about. I hope anyone who views it enjoys it.
Starting off the class for today, Ms.P put on a 15 minute video on digital citizenship. A few things I already knew about such as what is copyright and what digital footprint is. However, I learned about new terms relating to digital citizenship, such as what is digital citizenship in the first place, the pillars of digital citizenship, and so much more.
The pillars of digital citizenship are respect and protection. These are the most important thing sin citizenship in the digital world. I've learned how to be protected on the internet in ways like having long un-guessable passwords, using incognito, and learning the security of the internet. The video also covered the nine elements of digital citizenship, that being:
Literacy: understanding the right way to utilize specific technology.
Commerce: understanding the use of money through online methods.
Communication: The ability to use of different online tools to communicate.
Access: The element relates to the digital code which describes how some students have access, while others do not.
Etiquette: The general idea of online behavior.
Law: The responsible to follow legal guidelines, policy, and rules.
Rights: rights and freedoms are also extended to the online world
↳ This includes freedom of speech, although not to be mixed with hate speech. Hate speech is something regulated against.
Health: Improper use of technology may be detrimental to one's health.
↳ The overuse of technology could cause a multitude of problems. These include: headaches/migraines, damaged eyesight ( especially when using technology in the dark ), upon other effects.
Security: Taking the proper steps to protect yourself from dangers.
Overall, my second day in media studies was an interesting and knowledge nurturing class, learning about digital citizenship. I'm glad to have learned something new.
It's my first day in media studies, along with my first day of school. I've met 3/4 teachers today including my media studies teacher. She seems like a lovely lady, super friendly too. Her name is Ms. P and as an icebreaker she made us: stand up, state our name, grade, and what we were excited to learn about during the course. As soon as she stated the instructions, I got super nervous. I'm not one to speak loudly and I hate seeing everyone's eyes on me. I changed my answer a good five times before it got to my turn to stand and speak, ultimately deciding to stick with how I was excited to see how emotions are portrayed in different ways in different medias. Emotions can be expressed in multiple ways, wither that be audio, visuals, actions, whatever it may be I think it's an interesting thing to look into. Human emotion is a complex field. In turn, I feel many people can get super creative in how they portray emotion for people to understand upon watching or reading through media. We created our blogs today and created our first post for the blog. I'm not sure what to write regarding this blog, but I'm sure I'll learn how to document my day more properly throughout this course.
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