Group meeting #2

 Sebastian:

-Talked about his obstacles; filming during day time did not match their thriller theme much so they switch. Film is about a group of people getting out the car and finding a glowing backpack. How they will do that is through led lights in the backpack. The last friend comes to the meet up late and see the the characters belongings and gets confused and that is where the film opening ends.

Murat:

- Protagonist are detectives who are working on a case where the antagonists is a major villain who is known for stealing. The film opening is the detective working on the case on trying to catch the thief. Their main obstacles was lack of props

Catalina:

-Genre- drama

-The genre is drama about a girl with depression who tried o run away from her abusive dad. Her main obstacle was her parents the actors being away for a business trip so she had limited time before her parents left to record. 

Ava: 

- Coming of age. About a teenage pregnant girl running away from home due to her metal struggles and not being able to handle being pregnant at such a young age and having to hide it from her parents. The film progresses through showing her packing her bags text messages from her boyfriends saying how he was sorry for over reacting. It will end with her driving.

Sofia: 

-The film title is "Cadence." The protagonist's is a guy and this film is about his mental and physical struggles of not being able to run long distance. The main character will have a mental break and smash stuff, which they have a baseball bat as a prop. 

Nicole:

-It is coming of age about kids sneaking out and taking drugs. The progressing is going to be show through audio, first heavy breathing to show anxiety and after the drugs there is going to be burst of  colors to show and happy expression to show how the drugs have effected them.

Audio

 Audio includes mostly diegetic sounds such as: clock ticking and notification sound.

Here are the sounds that I have chosen from this website; Epidemic sounds (https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/featured/):

Clock ticking:

Notification(Sound from Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/ :

This is the music in the background for when the inner-self appears. The music will start of slow but I will fasten it as the opening progresses to show growing stress and frustration(this is also from PixaBay)

Creation of background prop

  For my film opening the main character; Lucky, strives to be productive but end up not following through. To show that I will put up motivational posters with quotes that suggest the need to be productive. A 'to-do list" prop is also going to be utilized that the character will write herself at the beginning of the film, but not follow through. The background posters will completely contradict what Lucky is actually doing; procrastination.

    Other elements I want to include in this are reminders on sticky notes on her wall to show that the character tends to be forgetful. The notes will include "Do these assignments later: Math, chem, English" I am using listing to show how much she really procrastinates and listing is often used in writing with the purpose to overwhelm the audience. 

I have this bulletin board as the base for where I will put all of the selected posters.

These are the poster that I have picked:

This is the final product:

See you on the next one,
- Sonakshi

Company logo production

   Hello! Today I will be sharing my processes of creating the company logo. Main visual attraction for the logo is going to be a shooting star, with the company's name, which is Star Studio. I also want to incorporate animation into the company logo, to do that I came across this website: WigglyPaint( https://wigglypaint.com/). The website does not exactly animate it but it makes the piece wiggly which is cute. Here is a time laps of the company logo creation:

This is the final product:

See you on the next one,
- Sonakshi

Storyboard

 Hello. I have created a storyboard for my film opening. I am not an artist so it may be hard to understand, but I have written small bullet points describing the scene.

 

Research on editing on how to clone

Hello, I did some research on how to clone yourself in a video. I found multiple helpful videos but the one that stuck out to me, something that I think I could work around would be this one:

My main editing software is Clipchamp, but when I went to check if it had a mask option or anything similar, I did not find anything. Cap cut is basically a paid app that is why I do not want to use it, it have very limited options for the free version. But I did go on there through my computer to see if the masking option was free or not, and it was free! I plan to use cap cut specifically for the masking tool and export the masked clips into Clipchamp and do the rest of my editing there. If that is allowed, because my teacher near the beginning of the year did say to not use cap cut as it has limitations. 

That was my main concern besides that everything seems doable. 

See you on the next one,
- Sonakshi

New story productions

    Hi. So I had some obstacles come up, some personal problems and one of my actors unfortunately could not make it to filming. So, I have decided (with the advice from my teacher) to create a new opening idea.

    With this new story there are a couple to things that I want to include since it will be filmed indoors now and I want to make this process a bit easier for myself but still have a quality product. These things include, low-kye lighting and I was thinking no dialogue in this new story because one, I am no actor so it would be hard to deliver dialogues that seem naturel. Two, I want to be able to show not tell, meaning show emotions through other aspects rather than fully relaying on dialogue. 

    I have came up with a new story line. It will be about procrastination, to be specific, when one is unable to enjoy procrastinating because they feel anxious and stressed about procrastination but not stressed enough to actually get up and do their work. So, how I plan to portray that is through having 2 same person, for example, person 1 and person 1's inner self. Something similar to that. My biggest inspiration for this idea was myself and my friends; I realized a lot of people struggle with this problem.

    The story line is basic, first they get home and put their phone on the table with the time on the home screen showing, that will be critical for the story line as it will help me show time passing. After putting the phone down the person will create a to-do list and while in the making of it they will get a notification on their phone, which than will draw their attention away from what is important, the to-do list, to the phone. 

    After that scene I was initially thinking of using only jump cuts to show time pass, but I decided to use jump cuts and slow down 1-2 seconds before the inner-self shows up. How I plan to do the inner self is through editing, I will do research and watch videos on how to have "clone yourself through editing." I will be posting a sperate blog on that as well. When the inner-self shows up I plan to use intense music to show the stress and the inner-self pacing back and fourth, looking at to-do list, etc. When the inner-self disappears, the music will be gone, it will be pure diegetic sounds. I plan to make the inner-self appear three times, the third time she will look at herself and lay down beside her as a way of accepting that they will not be getting any work done today so might as well try to relax. Couple of seconds after she lays down next to her physical self (this will be shot from the phone's point of view with the phone screen light shining on them. Because I want to show that the phone, an inanimate object, feels more 'in the moment' and alive than the actual living and breathing person. If that makes sense.) she will receive a assignment notification which will than snap her out of the procrastination rabbit hole. To wrap it up, the main character is going to open her computer and than it ends there. That is to show that this is just a film opening and nothing has actually been closed off.

    One of the next blog post will be a story board of the film opening. It will definitely help me and you visualize what I am thinking.

See you on the next one,
    - Sonakshi

Script

 SCENE ONE – OUTSIDE LIBRARY – DAY

The MAIN CHARACTER and her SISTER walk side by side toward the library. The mood is tense but controlled.

SISTER
You’ve been really quiet lately.
(...)
Have you actually thought about what you’re going to do after this year?

MAIN CHARACTER
I am thinking about it.

SISTER
Thinking isn’t the same as having a plan.

MAIN CHARACTER
Ya I know.

SISTER
You can’t just keep waiting for things to work themselves out.

(They keep walking. The sister’s tone sharpens slightly)

SISTER
I’m not trying to be mean, I’m just saying— life doesn’t slow down because you’re unsure.

MAIN CHARACTER
I didn’t ask for a lecture.

(The sister slows down for a moment, then continues, clearly frustrated.)

SISTER
I’m doing this because someone has to say it. You don’t listen anymore you can’t keep going like this

(angrier, more blunt)
Mom isn’t around to help you anymore!

The MAIN CHARACTER stops in front of the library entrance. Silence.

The sister realizes she went too far.

SISTER
Listen, I’m not—

MAIN CHARACTER
(cutting her off)
Okay, yeah. I got it.
(...)
Can I go now?

The MAIN CHARACTER turns toward the library doors.

CUT.

SCENE TWO – LIBRARY HALLWAY – DAY

The MAIN CHARACTER walks through the library.

The space is quiet, but not comforting.

• Books sliding back onto shelves

• Soft footsteps echoing

• A chair scraping somewhere far away

She enters the room with her friend

SCENE THREE – INT. LIBRARY STUDY ROOM – DAY

The MAIN CHARACTER sits across from her FRIEND. The friend is visibly awkward and nervous. The MAIN CHARACTER looks tired, distant.

FRIEND
So for math, I’m pretty sure the test is on Friday. Or Thursday.
(...)
Actually—yeah, Friday. I think.

The MAIN CHARACTER nods. Doesn’t speak.

FRIEND
And did you finish the English assignment?
(awkward smile)
Because I definitely didn’t.

(No response. The MAIN CHARACTER stares past her.)

FRIEND
…You good?

The FRIEND clicks her pen once. (Click(The pen clicking))

FRIEND
You’ve been kinda quiet lately.

Click. Click.

FRIEND
Like—really quiet.

(The FRIEND leans forward, lowering her voice.)

FRIEND
I mean, I get it. I do.
Your mom being gone and everything… that’s a lot.

(The MAIN CHARACTER blinks. The room feels louder.)

FRIEND
And I understand that it’s hard, but that’s not really a reason to just… disappear on me.

Pen clicking becomes more frequent.

(click. click. click.)

FRIEND
You don’t text back, you don’t talk—
I’m literally sitting right in front of you and it feels like you’re not even here.

(The FRIEND keeps talking, but her voice slowly starts to overlap with other sounds.)

FRIEND (OVERLAPPING, FADED)
—just saying I’m here for you and
you don’t have to shut everyone out—
it’s not fair—

The MAIN CHARACTER’s breathing becomes noticeable.

The pen clicks one last time.

(click

Silence.

The MAIN CHARACTER finally looks up.

Cut before she speaks)

CUT TO BLACK.

Media Theory

    One media theory that I want to integrate into my project is the Genre theory (Steve Neale). Genre theory is about patterns seen within the same genre and/or categories, this is established through similarities within the genre and the media itself. For example similar theme, vibes, narrative structure, and more helps set the base for the genre. Steve Neale defines genre as "repetition and difference" meaning even though genre have a lot of repetitions, media can still stylize that piece of media to fit their own story. Some ways that can be done through is dialogue, costume design, props, backgrounds, etc.

I would like to integrate Genre theory into my project because it will help me emphasis on both the creative and analytical aspects. It will also help me make sure it fits into the slice of life genre while still being able to be creative and unique. 

See you on the next one,
- Sonakshi

Citation:
https://media-studies.com/steve-neale-genre/

Group meeting #1

Today we had a group meeting with our classmates. 
 
Trisha -  Doing paranoia thriller.  Character evolving through text messages. Main antagonist is technology/ AI, she will evolve that through malfunction of technology such as ring camera, Alexa, tv, etc.

Christin- Film is about another dimension, kind off. The group gets out of the car and see a bag and seems to be in a trans. He is doing a thriller.

Selina - Doing horror/thriller, inspiration from Friday the 13th. Girl running in the woods. Adding music into the headphones making it muffled while the girl runs

Ethen- Si-fi space and using stop motion. Lighting is main problem because it is contently moving. Using stick bots for the character. #2 problem in space character goes out to space to fix it. #1 astronaut gets stranded in space. 

Meliyah - Doing horror about sisters. One of the sister has lost the other one. She is making it about grief and trying to portray that one of the sister has not gotten over the lose of her sister.

We talked about embedding credits into the opening with the scenes and what type of fonts. For example Meliyah suggested for me to use fonts similar to "Courier," small and simple to give off the more serious vibes. people in the group also suggested to embed the credit as the scene progresses so no time is wasted only on the credits.

    Editing is an obstacle for everyone as well for me. We all did agree that editing style really depends on what you are trying to show the reader, for example psychological thriller would utilize low-key lighting with a switch between quick to slow cuts and vise verse. On the other hand, comedy would use more natural lighting with a normal pace. 

    I am planning to do some research on editing and how to make it flow and natural. I will need to explore editing with sound as well, since my film opening most relies on sounds.

    My overall idea right now is to portray anxiety. I will post a blog post taking about my whole project idea and inspirations.

See you on the next one,
- Sonakshi

Formatting / Order of credits

 Credits order:

• Company logo
• Title of the film
• Produced by
• Editor + director + makeup artist 
• Cast names appear as the actors' face appears on screen 

See you on the next one,
- Sonakshi

Analysis on three film opening

Lake Mungo:

The opening for "Lake Mungo" uses low-kye and cool toned lighting and close up of pictures as well as a person speaking in the background to portray that those people are somehow related. The dull lighting creates somber mood to show sadness or if something bad is going to happen. The camera movements are quite slow, creating an uneasy feeling for the audience.

From this film I would like to replicate the same vibes that the film created through their use of low-kye lighting.

Black Sawn:

In Black Swan's opening the use of mise-en-scene and lighting play a huge role. We already see the main character in white which in film usually significs purity and innocence. She is surrounded by darkness, low-kye lighting, someone later on in the opening emerges form the darkness and goes after the main character this suggest this certain person is the one who is going to ruin the main character's purity. 

The opening utilizes close-up shots of the main characters face to show her emotions and anxiety. I would like to use that on my own film opening as well as the use of mise-en-scene as used here.

Your Name Engraved Herein:

The opening begins with dialogue first with the credit than the scene appears. The opening scene uses warn lighting which usually suggest something happy but the mise-en-scene contradicts that. For example, the close-ups and mid shots show the young boy's face is bleeding and his unhappy expression.

If I can, I would like to utilize this type of juxtaposition in my own film opening.

See you on the next one,
- Sonakshi

Analysis on film opening credits

 Hi welcome back. I will be talking about credit openings.

Lake Mungo:

The credits show as the scene processes in a slow pace with no flashy transition or anything. This keeps and helps create the seriousness of the film.

                                            Black swan:

The credit opening is minimal with clean white text centered with a black background. The credits appear before the actual scene begins.

                                            Your name engraved herein:

 

The credits for this opening is a bit different. The credits are being show with dialogue in the background as it fades into the scene, then the scene cuts and shows the other half of the opening credit and the film name.  

I would like to as well show the credits while the dialogue plays in the background as it fades into the scene.

See you on the next one,
- Sonakshi