Reviewing film

 Merry Christmas and a happy almost new year!

 I’m beyond excited with my group and I’s progress so far. In the month of December we have reviewed our storyboard and our script thoroughly. We have brainstormed and chosen the best actors for a film. We have created extra steps an extra precautions to take due to Covid. Lastly we have filmed. Filming is the biggest accomplishment we’ve done because now we can move on today best steps which includes editing and more. So while we filmed we made sure to take many different takes of the same scenes so that we could start to choose which ones we like the most. My group meeting I have reviewed the first three scenes so far. We have a lot of footage to sort through.

For the first three scenes we all decided on which clips would be in our film. We decided by clipping certain scenes together to see which ones would flow more naturally. After we clipped them together we made sure that the audio was clear in order to hear the dialogue. We had to make sure the audio was clear because while filming we had some difficulties with a neighbor doing construction. So my group mates and I have to use the clips that are the most clear. We also decided to keep scenes with tracking shots, and wide angel shots for the beginning mostly so that audiences can familiarize themselves with the setting. We still have a lot of footage to sort through. So we have tasked ourselves with certain scenes to sort through the footage. This would be best because we want as much time as possible for the editing process. Thank you and once again happy new year! 

Merry Christmas!

 Merry Christmas !! 

I wish everyone a happy and safe holiday. I know that the holidays are tough for many and I know that this year is even tougher. My heart goes out to everyone. Happy holidays. Today is a chill day to spend with our families. However the days before this I have reviewed and looked at the footage. We have a lot to sort through and this will not be an easy task. But my group-mates and I got this. We will all sort through them and select the best shots. 

We took many over the shoulder shots. Along with tracking shots. So now when we edit we must decide which shots we want more of. We also talked to one another and said that we want to make sure it’s even and consistent. We don’t want to have our film look all patched to gather and ugly because we are repeating the same shots. We also have to edit some sound because while filming, the group mates  neighbor  was using a digger and was doing construction so it might be hard to hear the actors. If this can’t be resolved while editing we might have to do a re-film day. I’m fine with a day like that however it would not be ideal. The most ideal thing is that we start the editing process right way so we have enough time to do our titles and close our music. That’s another fun part!

Filming day!

 Today was the day! It went so smooth and I’m so happy with the results. It was so refreshing to see my group-mates because we are also friends and I haven’t seen them in awhile. 

This is how the day went: 

My group-mates Brooke picked me up from my house because I had props and more. She had already picked up one of the actors. After we drove over to our other groupmates home Leo. Leo’s house is where we filmed for the whole day. We started filming in chronological order of scenes. Starting of with scene 1,2,3,4 etc. We made sure to have the actors change between each scene to make the illusion of it being different days. We did it this way because there’s no way we could have filmed on different days because then filming wouldn’t taken around 5 days. We took many shots of the same scenes to have options. We also took many different angles so that when editing we could choose the best ones. It’s also best to always have more than enough than too little. We filmed all the scenes in one day and were very productive. Brooke did most of the filming and is amazing at it. I helped tell the actors there lines. Leo helped us know which scenes we needed to film and which props needed to be in it. We have all the footage and will soon start the editing process. Today was a good day! 

Preparing for filming

Tomorrow we film! My group-mates and I are beyond excited. We have been planning and reviewing for so long. Now we can actually safely get together and film! I have sent the script to the people who will be in our film. This is because I want them to feel prepared for tomorrow, making it easier on everyone. I have spent the last few weeks with my group-mates finalizing the script so everything should be perfect. However , we are still open to changes to make anything more comfortable for the actors. Our scenes have been reviewed so us as “directors and creators” know what we are to film and what type of shits to film. We have all talked and are going to film multiple angles of the same scenes because lots of footage is way better than too little. 

We all still need to bring objects for tomorrow. I will bring props such as a drill and a toolbox. I will also bring security cameras. Brooke will bring boxes as props. Brooke will also bring boxing tape, markers, and her car is going to be used in the film. Leo will bring his home. (Haha) His house is where we are filming so it’s necessary for him to be there so that we can film in different areas of his home. Actor 1 will bring multiple changes of outfits for different scenes.Actor 2 will do the same and actor 1 however they will bring more feminine clothing. Actor 3 will bring only one outfit which is all black. We also all have new iPhones so filming can be fine on any of our phones.

Extra precautions

 Since we have decided to film on the 21st of December, we have to make sure everyone is safe. Due to COVID life is not normal. Nor will filming be. Since I live in Florida the COVID cases have been alarmingly increasing. Which is even more nerve bending around the holidays. This is because Florida is one of the most visited states during the holidays. Same with our county everything is just getting worse. We will have to take extra precautions. Wear masks and social distance while filming. Everyone will have to do so. 

We have received news that someone who was going to be on our film can no longer be in it. There mother has been exposed to COVID. He does not want to put us at risk. Nor do we want to be exposed to COVID so near the holidays.   We have recommended them to go get tested and they are doing it at once. However the results from after being tested can take anywhere from 2-7 days. This means he will not be in our film at all. This is ok because when choosing who was going to be in our film we reached out to multiple people. Thankfully we have a backup and someone who is equally excited to be in our film! So excited to be closer and closer to film. Everyone stay safe. 

Adjusting script

 Hello again! 

So my groupmates and I have been super busy trying to get everything finalized. The script is what I’ve been reviewing.  I’ve noticed that some of our sentences are too descriptive and too long. This makes it seem like the conversation is unnatural. I also wanted to make it very easy to memorize because, the longer the sentences are, the harder it is for the actors. I changed certain lines from some scenes. I also added some dialogue in places I felt was lacking. Our main goal is to create a dialogue that flows smoothly for both our actors and audiences. 

Some of the specific adjustments I made were, I added a note for us to include the names of our characters. At first we weren’t going to use or say any names but we decided that we should. we thought it would create more of a thriller feeling if we didn’t mention names.However now we think that in the introduction scene each character should obviously say their names because they are “introducing” themselves. We had to make slight changes in order to add names.Another specific adjustment I made was in the security camera scene. The dialogue was too vague in parts. Then the dialogue would become too descriptive. My goal for this scene was to create a nice even dialogue.I took out some of the more descriptive sentences.When I did that I replaced it with more a naturally flowing sentence. 

Plan for December

 So my plan for this month is to be very productive. In two weeks we go on “winter break” which is when my group-mates and I plan to film now. I want to do and review many things before then. I will review the storyboard, and script. My group mates and I will make the selection for who will be certain characters in our film. Once we have made the selection we will have them review their lines, however that is in the future. As of now, what my part will consist of is making sure very thing is going to perfect for filming. After reviewing The script I made very slight changes to it. I changed certain words so sentences flow more easy. Also my groupmates and I have been on a call trying to see who could be actors in our films. 

It’s very important for me to get as much done as possible before break. My groupmates and I all decided that we want to enjoy our break as much as possible. This means that we want to get as much done so that we can enjoy it more. Filming will be our main priority in December. Filming will most likely and will happen during winter break. Winter break is the best time to film because we will all be free. As of now finals for our classes are the priority. So is the storyboard and script finalization‘s.thank you!

See you next time blog!! 

Kicking into high gear

 Hello! It’s December, meaning it’s Christmas season and time to kick filming, editing, and more into high gear! My group mates and I are trying our hardest to make everything organized. We also want to try our hardest for our film to have actual viewers, so we came up with a theory. The more publicized our film is the more views will come in return. Our mentors came up with the brilliant idea of creating a website. This websites soul purpose will be for our film. On the website we will add information about the movie. More information about the release date. Along with the information, we have decided to create some social media pages to attract more audiences. 

On the website you will find these socials; Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. We chose these socials to use because these are the most popular and active. We hope to gain more audiences and gain more attraction. On Instagram we hope to attract other film makers. Audiences mostly around the age group between 16-30. On Twitter we hope to gain attraction from ranging ages as Twitter is primarily used across all ages. On Facebook we hope to gain attraction from the millennial age group and up. Older generations tend to use Facebook more than Twitter or Instagram based off a study I read. We attached YouTube to our website because this is where we will post our film. YouTube is free and anyone can access it which is an added bonus. 

Our website:

https://mediastudiesbkl.wixsite.com/website

First day back

 Today was our first day back from break. It was very hard to wake up this morning and keep my eyes open. Thanksgiving was very good and it was really nice to be able to see family. I ate lots of turkey and pie! We were all safe and following the CDC guidelines. This break was very nice and very needed for everyone. I’m sad to go back. However media is one of my favorite classes so I’m not sad to continue this class. I also love my groupmates and what we are creating right now. Back to reality!

I reviewed both the script and the storyboard and like I said in the last blog, I see no need for any changes. The only thing we could do is, enhance the vocabulary used within two scenes. But it’s not needed at all. When discussing with my group mates we all agree that there’s no need for any changes within the story board and the script. We have not finalized our actors because we are waiting on one person to say whether they want to be a part of our film or not. We have chosen a location and who’s neighborhood we will be filming in. We have decided that we will be filming in my groupmates Leonardo‘s neighborhood because it’s open and aesthetically fits our film. My group mates and I are deciding that we will be filming within the next few weeks. This is because we want to get the filming part done so we can move onto the biggest part which is editing. We are extremely excited and happy to be taking this next step.

How break is going

 

So far my break is going great. I’ve been able to relax and take a step back from e-learning. I’m surrounded by my family Who has all been tested and safe safe. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I’m beyond excited for all the sweets and turkey to come. I have not talk to my groupmates A lot because we are all on our break and doing our own things. We all talked and still decided that we will not be filming on this break. The reasons for not filming are the same reasons that I mentioned in the last blog. Here’s a quick recap why we will not be filming, COVID-19, choosing location, and finalizing our actors. Since we will not be filming I’m going to continue to look over what we have done so far. Everything‘s going great so far.

I’ve reviewed our script so far. I really enjoy it. I believe that our film flows perfectly. So far I see nothing that we should change within it. The only thing we could change is we can include character names once we finalize who our actors will be. So on the aspect of our script I love it. Starting on Friday I will review our storyboard. I have no concern that our story board will need any changes because my group mates and I worked really hard on it. However it doesn’t hurt to double check. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Plans for Break

 This upcoming week my groupmates and I have no school the whole week. This means that we will not be in contact/see each other unless we are doing something media oriented over the break. We decided that we will not be filming over the break. One reason for not filming over the break is, we are still deciding on where we want to film exactly. We are choosing whose neighborhood to film in, and which one would be most appropriate to our film. Another reason is, we are finalizing who will be in our film. We will decide who will play each charter over the break. However, this does not mean that we will not do anything media oriented individually. Each of us individually will be reviewing the script and the storyboard. We will decide once break is over if we want to change anything to either.

Additionally I would say the main reason for us not filming over the break is, COVID-19 is on an increase in my city and state. It’s becoming extremely dangerous. The smartest thing for us to do was to not film since we would be seeing our families. We would be gathering with our older family members for Thanksgiving we did not want to put them at any risk. Also since Im meeting with my own family I wouldn’t want to put any of my groupmates at risk. We have all been extremely safe but there still a risk every single time we step out of our home. Also since people will be traveling from all parts of the country to come to Florida we thought that we should just film another day. If we did film however, we would take all the safety precautions that the CDC and our school recommends. We would all wear masks, practice social distancing, and just overall work in a very safe and comfortable setting. Just because we’re not filming doesn’t mean that the planning doesn’t stop. 

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 our 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. 

•costume: 

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

The qualities the short film had that the feature length did not were, The short film had no dialogue. I believe that no dialogue it’s such a strong aspect in a film because it makes audiences really focus on what the characters are doing or what their viewing. It also creates such an eerie feeling which I think it really complements this film. The feature length accomplished many more things then the short because obviously the feature length is longer so there’s more room for more. One thing it accomplished was audiences met many more characters, this was the key point because it helps the plot in the short. We also got to learn more about the creator Of the dolls and the backstory. The backstory is always fun to find out at the end because it makes the audience feel like everything is put together now. The feature-length also showed audiences more about character number nine. His character really develops throughout the whole film so it’s nice watching it none. Another thing the feature-length accomplished was audiences found out what happened and why there are no humans, this was something that the short film did not even mention or show at all.

I personally enjoyed both films however, I enjoyed the feature-length film the most because I feel like I got to learn way more about each character. I love how the feature film starts out with nine first waking up this is one of the Best parts of the film for me. Another reason I like the feature film is because, although the short film had no dialogue I really like films with dialogue especially this one because at parts it was confusing and the characters helped divert the confusion. This film showed the backstory of why all humans were gone. It also shows how the professor died and that he feels as if he is the sole reason for the apocalypse. I also enjoyed the feature film because I feel as if there are certain aspects in the film that are hidden. And example could be that the professors soul is actually within the dolls. Why did the directors and creators do this? These are all parts of the film I really enjoyed because i’m thinking further than just the surface layer of it’s just a film. One thing I did not like about the short film was, the ending of the short film gave away the ending for the feature film. This upset me because I didn’t want certain characters to die (lol). I really enjoyed this film and I recommend that everyone should watch it, thanks!

Research 9, the feature film

My my personal impressions of the film nine 9 are, this film is very odd in my personal opinion. It’s interesting to see how the creators of this movie decided to make all the main characters dolls that were made out of someone’s soul. It also looks like The dolls are made out of a potato bag material which is also a little odd. Even though the film is odd, the plot of it is actually really good. I really enjoy starting a movie and not knowing what to expect. I love how when number 9 woke up he didn’t even know what was going on, just like the audience of the film. I love how every detail was thought out. Like the fingers of the characters and the fact they have numbers on them. Plus the idea of robots overtaking the humans. I also loved how the creators of this movie thought of a post apocalyptic world only with these ragdoll‘s left. 

Character development was truly seen throughout the whole movie because characters like Number 1 truly develops throughout the film. In the beginning he is such a mean old man and towards the end he is still on old mean man but now there’s a story behind him and more known. Another example of character development is within each doll/character each one of them has different traits. This leads me to believe that this is why number nine becomes like the “hero” of the film because he was the last one made. The special effects of this movie are crazy. For a film that was made in 2009 I believe that it’s special effects look advanced for its time. The way that the characters/dolls “potato bag” (lol) Skin looks, is insanely realistic. One scene that really spooked me was when Number one placed the emblem inside of the machine and number twos Soul literally got ripped out of him. This spooked me out because number two literally shriveled up, and the special effects were really spot on within this scene. The directional style of this film is honestly spectacular because for someone to have created all of these Insane ideas but actually put them together for a film is amazing. Hats off to the directors and creators for making an amazing film.

Research 9, the short

My impressions of the short film are, I am for one super surprise that there is no dialogue within the film. However the use of diegetic and non-diegetic sounds are very much apparent. Also I personally believe that the short film as well is very odd. It’s all in the way of the concepts and ideas. The plot Starts off with A flashback of number nine and five looking for objects and then an animal takes number five away. Number nine gets away however the green objects they had together and found together was what caused the flashback. I love the plot of the short film however I find that it’s a little repetitive because 75% of it is number nine getting away from the monster. This is not a bad thing though because it really shows how difficult and how hard it is for nine to get away from him. There’s not a lot of character development you can get from the short film other than, the monster being a bad guy and number nine being fearful of him. However about five minutes into the film it’s shown that number nine isn’t as fearful as I thought because he jumps on the back of the monster to get the emblem back. 

The special effects that are shown within the short film are the use of amazing animations and how Amazing they made these concepts come together. Another scene that really brought the animation out was win the monster suck the soul out of number five as well. Another scene that also brought out the animation of the film was at the very end when the dolls we’re ghosts and we’re walking around and then disappeared. The use of very low colors to bring out eere feelings is also an amazing thing to do. The directional style of the short film is very good however I personally believe I would’ve done things differently. I love how they had the use of no dialogue it really made you focus on The animations of the film and what was going on. I also loved how they brought in two main characters right in the beginning this shows you the bond between them. However I did not like that it showed other characters that were not shown in the beginning dead in the end.I felt as if this could’ve been saved for if this movie actually had became a longer film. But all in all I really am so amazed by the director because he made so many crazy concepts like a post-apocalyptic world with dolls in it come completely together under seven minutes.

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

 My group and I’s pitch for our short film: 

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

Group blog

The decision has been made! I am working with 2 people this year, Leonardo H. and Brooke L. 

They will be my groupmates for A level media. This decision had to be examined really closely because working in a group setting can be either amazing or detrimental. Thankfully I'm very close to these two people so I'm already familiar on the ways they work. I am so excited to be working with them because we are all very creative.Creative people always work very well together. I know that we will come up with good ideas for our short film. I also know that we all have very good different skills in media which will benefit the group in the end. I trust my groupmates which makes the project and the class even better because I know we will get everything done!

Furthermore, I am not working with the same people I worked with in AS level because one of them is no longer in media. The other one is still in media but we are working with other people this time. 

I have good relationships with previous group members from AS level, but I'm excited to work with new people from A level. I'm super excited to be taking this class. My Groupmates all have different specialties in media. Leonardo (who we call Leo) is good at editing. Brooke is good at acting. I believe I'm pretty good at ideas and script.  excited to see all of our specialties combine to make a good product.

Thanks!

Intro Blog

 Hello!  Long time no see!!

I am so happy to be in Aice media studies once again, for A Level! So as you know the globe has been affected by a virus called Covid-19. The media industry has been very impacted by Covid.  Everyone is somewhat struggling to sort this new way of life because its all something we are so unfamiliar with.  Masks are now a priority and they will always be a priority when filming unless safe to remove. In result of this virus the way we live and do our daily activities has completely changed.  We are not in school as of right now because the area I live in still has high numbers in this virus.  Even though we are not doing IN school learning we are still learning from the safety and comfort IN our own homes. 

But anyways... I'm extremely excited to be continuing this class. AS level media was so much fun and I'm hoping this year will be too. I know that we have to create a 5 min short film and I'm so excited to see what my group and I will create. I loved the way of learning and the group-oriented work for this class. When working in Aice media, it doesn't even feel like real work because it's so much fun to do. I also am excited to be finishing my Aice diploma this year and I'm happy that this class will help me achieve this diploma.When I received my results for the scoring of AS level I was shocked. I couldn't believe I scored an A! I'm super proud and I hope that this year I can continue to work and strive for another A. 

Thank you for reading and for coming along this journey! 

Audience and Institution Practice Essay.

Assess the importance of marketing in the media area you have studied.

  The importance of marketing in the film industry is, marketing is a necessity for a film to become successful and flourish. They accomplish this in several ways, one being through trailers on television, on social media platforms and using cross-media convergence. Film and movie marketing is happening around us all the time, and we just don’t take it into consideration or notice.           

 Marketing helps inform audiences on certain films that are being made or that have been made. If there were no marketing tactics, then audiences would have no clue that there's even a film. I personally only know a film is out or being made when I see the trailers of it on television or social media. The whole idea and goal for marketing is that it grabs audiences' attentions well enough for them to go purchase tickets to see the film. For Example, In the film Jurassic World the marketing team for that movie did many things to grab the attention of audiences. The film was distributed by universal studios, and Universal is a subsidiary company for Comcast. Since Comcast is the largest cable provider in the united states, they featured many of the Jurassic Park movies before Jurassic world came out. They also aired previews on NBC with the main actors talking about the film and gave a little sneak peek of it. The marketing team made sure to also market to younger children as well, they did this by using synergy to make video games, toys, and candies. My family and I personally went to see this film. Since my father had watched these movies throughout his childhood, he wanted to watch it, and since I was so intrigued about it, we went and saw it. Now I notice that this is also an amazing marketing tactic. They were marketing to different age groups to make everyone go see the film. Jurassic World became the third largest grossing movie of all time dominating the box office and it was nominated for many awards, due to all the marketing tactics.  On the contrary, many will say marketing is important to a film but that it costs too much to do. While marketing big-time movies is expensive, institution's like Disney use Cross-Media convergences to overcome this issue. They will market the release of a new movie on other channels or use subsidiary companies that they also own. Not only does Disney do this they also will use synergy to promote their movies on other products like children's toys. For example, the film Beauty and the Beast was distributed with Walt Disney pictures and Walt Disney is the world's largest media conglomerate. Since Disney owns the channel ABC, they decided to produce a special edition of the show the Bachelor. They had the actors that played in the film host that episode which millions of people watch. The marketing team for Beauty and the Beast were very smart because not only did they save lots of money, but they also aired on a show that is surrounded by a rose, which the movie is the same. The marketing team did not stop there, they released toys at their Disney store and teamed up with companies like Target, Hot topic, and Hallmark to also market their item's.  

      The way institutions promote their films is remarkably flexible. Marketing films are convenient because you can market them in many ways. Marketing is happening all around us. Intuitions will use social media, television, radio/music and many other platforms to market movies. In the 2018 movie Black Panther(s), marketing team had many events for it. They developed a mobile game and along with the mobile game they created an event as a contest to promote the movie. Marvel Studios also had a New York Fashion week event and it showcased different forms of fashion that were in the movie. They launched a website where audiences could go to buy merchandise, look at the cast, and buy movie tickets online. One of the most significant ways they marketed the movie was using cross-promotion and debuting the trailer during an NBA Finals game. This was a very smart tactic because many people were viewing from home and in the stadium. On the Black Panther soundtrack Kendrick Lamar performed at a college playoff game. Not only is Kendrick Lamar very famous, but he also has many fans. Many people were also viewing in the stadium and at home. The advertising for this movie was very smart because, they did market a lot for the movie, but it was in such creative ways that it didn’t seem like it.  On the other side, audiences will say too much marketing is not always intellectually stimulating or impactful. This can be because of numerous reasons. Sometimes I do not want to see a film because I have seen so many ads for a movie, that it just feels like I've already watched it. This is the downside of marketing, if institutions don’t know how to market properly, they will make audiences not want to watch the film. However, there are many things institutions can do to prevent this. The film Furious 7 was distributed by Universal Pictures. Universal happens to also have a chain of theme parks, so a marketing tactic they utilized (which was not overbearing) was they created a new ride at Universal Orlando resort. They had a whole red-carpet event at the theme park. It allowed fans to be involved and ask the actors questions about the movie. The experience was hands on and allowed people to have fun while being interested with the movie. Marketing is very important because it must happen for the film to flourish.  

           With all is said and done, marketing is essential for a film to become successful. Intuitions must be creative in the ways they advertise to audiences so that they do not become overwhelmed. Marketing is also very flexible because you can do it in any way whether it's using, synergy, cross-promotion or more.  

extract

In this extract, it sets off a mid-evil, dark, old time feel with mystery. The director is trying to show that in these scenes, not everyone, is treated well (in the extract) because of where they come from. For example, these men journeyed all the way to a new land and got treated horribly because of where they come from and the rumors that surround the place they are from. The authors vision was executed because, he helped create the feel of mid-evil and darkness through his camera shots, editing, sound, and mise-en-scène.  

        
The extract goes with my opinion by, the camera shots, angles, and editing the director uses produces an enormous impact on the way the audience receives the extract. The first scene in the Game of Thrones extract is of an establishing shot that zooms out so that viewers can see where these characters are going to, these shots are perfect for this particular scene because the zoom out shows the whole city/town they are headed to. As they zoom out you can see certain props that were used. You see the very large wooden boat that was only used in early times, and you see this very large statue of a knight bearing a sword before you enter the city. The director included non-diegetic music halfway into this scene that becomes more intense because they wanted to generate suspense leading into the following scene. The lighting in the first scene uses low lighting but is still vibrant, this is because they are sailing into the darkness, which then becomes the second scene.       

  In the second scene, they use a wide shot of two men waiting in a very large practically unfurnished room. The walls possess a type of architecture that was used within the medieval times. One of the men is displayed walking back and forth in the room with diegetic sound of his feet hitting the marble floor, this shows how this character is anticipating something or waiting for someone. That particular shot helps increase suspense within this scene because at certain points there is no other sound other than his feet hitting the floor. The over-the-shoulder shot shows the two men talking while one of them still paces back and forth, this shows how one of them is calm and the other is angry. The only other sounds that are in this scene are dialogue and diegetic sounds so that the director could further his point with the theme of a “darkness.”      

      In the third scene, a tracking shot follows three men and shows them sitting down synchronized in very large chairs, this helps express the thought that those three men feel more empowered than the other two men in the room. The lighting in the room is very dark as well, the only light that comes in is through the windows. This shows that something is going to happen because of the shift in lighting. As the men start talking with each other, a shot/reverse shot is used the most because the men start talking with each other more aggressively. A shot/reverse shot grants the audience a feeling of continuous action and as if they are there themselves. This shot is additionally used to see the reaction of each character, so that when one asserts something you can witness their reaction. The men start criticizing the other men and deny his entry based on where his from.        

The Game of Thrones Extract gives off the feeling of a mid-evil, dark, old time feel with mystery because all the mise-en-scène that is used are props/costumes that portray medieval and dark times. The camera angles such as establishing shots show this very large city that is surrounded with mystery. The way the extract is edited creates a feeling of darkness and suspese because the shot/reverse shots show a dislike for the men. Lastly, the sounds they use are mainly diegetic sounds of dialogue.