Filming with Olga

 Tekla went to my house today to film. We had to film with Olga. Olga plays Bella’s mom in the short film and she’s my mom in real life. Tekla came over at 9 am. We set up all of our stuff and got into our filming clothes. We also told Olga what to wear. Once we got into costumes we fixed our hair and did our makeup. Tekla and I finished quickly. However, Olga took a bit longer because she said that she wanted to look good. My mom couldn’t remember her lines so it took a while to film. Tekla was recording and telling my mom her lines before she started recording. This was helpful and helped the filming process run more smoothly. However, it’s took like 2 hours to film these short scenes. In addition to this, we had to help her with her pronunciation. This is because her first language is Russian. As a result, she has a thick Russian accent. We tried to help her say her lines in a way that everyone could understand without difficulty. However, we persevered and finished filming. We all enjoyed the process even though it took a while. Lastly, we will import all of the videos so we can begin filming.

Filming Outside With Mats

 Today Tekla and I met up today to film outside. We met at Tekla's house and then made a quick overview of what we had to do. We knew that we would film the scenes with Tekla's dad Mats. These scenes include walking outside and talking to Tekla's dad. We drove over to a park that we filmed prior to these scenes. It was a bit of a struggle because of the wind. And we had to film at an angle in which you can see both Mats and I's faces. There is a significant height difference and this is why it was difficult. As a result, we had to change our original angle which wasn't much of a problem. Once we figured out a solution, there was a man blowing leaves which were really loud. We decided to walk to a different location. This is similar to when the group of people were filming outside. So we solved this problem and continued to film. We decided to film at noon so the sun would be at its peak. However, it was really hot. It didn't take too long to film. It took approximately 1 hour. We didn't have much dialogue, and Mats remembered his lines. However, in the scene in which I'm dragged into a bush, my arm got scratched. It was bleeding for a little, but we continued filming. The filming process went smoothly, and we are excited to begin editing when we finish filming. 

Re-filming

 My group and I recently realized that we had lost some footage. We lost the footage of the beginning of the film. These were the scenes in my bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. We were trying to put the footage into the editing software, but it was nowhere to be found. We looked through our camera rolls, computers, and recently deleted. Unfortunately, we couldn’t recover the footage. Therefore we had to refilm these scenes. We had to try to remember the angles that we used. Luckily, we just looked for the storyboard to find the angles. Once we found the storyboard, we began to film again. This process didn't take too long because we already knew what we had to film. In addition to this, we set up the camera in the sports that we wanted and used my ring light. This was extremely helpful because the footage wasn't as shaky. However, this was still inconvenient because we had to re-film these scenes. We also couldn't begin editing like we had initially planned. Dominic was video chatting with us because he is currently in Austria. This was also a setback. However, refilming went smoothly. It took approximately an hour. Then we all discussed our plan for our short film in terms of filming and editing. We decided that Tekla and I will edit, and Dominic will be on FaceTime with us to give us input. However, he cannot help as much as he would if he was with us.

Difficultly Filming During the Holidays

Most of the actors met at Tekla's house to film a couple of days ago. The process was a little uneasy because it is difficult to keep everyone focused. However, we persevered and managed to complete the filming process for those scenes. The cast and actors that were present were Tekla, Dominic, Blake, Julia, Jake, and myself. Everyone later went home. 

However, since it is winter break and the holiday season, it was difficult to film. This is because actors have families in different cities, states, or even countries. In addition to this, some actors traveled for leisure purposes with their families. Because of this, it was difficult to schedule a time to film. For instance, Julia went out of town, so we won't be able to re-film until she comes back. 

Once we completed the scenes with everyone else, Tekla, Dominic, and I started to plan when we would film the other scenes. Factors like weather and time had to be considered. In the script, the description of the location is a neighborhood on a sunny day. Therefore, we cannot film when it is about to rain. In addition to this, the script displays times in which actions are taking place. In order to obtain the correct daylight patterns, we have to film around the same time. It wouldn't make sense if one scene was supposed to be at noon and we filmed it at 4:00. The sun would be in a completely different spot, therefore lowering the quality of our film. However, Tekla, Dominic, and I have selected a date to film. We will be using Tekla's dad Mats as well.

Filming Outside

 My group and I finished filming at Tekla’s around 2:30. After we finished filming the living room scenes we decided what we were going to do next. Our schedule was altered because of the actor situation, so we had to go with the flow. We decided that we would go to a little park near my house to film. It is in a neighborhood so it was a somewhat quiet area. We all got into two cars because there was six of us, and drove about a mile to the neighborhood park. We parked the car, and met up in the middle of a grassy area. I brought the storyboard and the script, and started to tell everyone where they should stand for the first scene. Tekla filmed because she wasn’t in any of these scenes, and Dominic helped her. I would read the lines to the actors before their take so they would know what to say. We also decided to take each shot twice. This can be helpful in case we lose some footage. However, when we were filming, there was a man blowing leaves. This sound was extremely loud and we couldn’t film there. Because of this, we decided to walk a few blocks south until we couldn’t hear the man anymore.The scenes were being shot effectively. With Tekla filming, and Dominic helping with the angles and movements, and my leadership skills, the scenes were filmed smoothly. The filming process took about an hour, and by that time we were all tired. When we finished, we drove back to Tekla’s to look over the footage. We liked the footage, and will refilm if we feel it is necessary.

Filming as a group

 Our group decided to meet at 10:30 at Tekla's house. However, we didn't start filming until after lunch because we had to replace an actor. Once the character Grayson was replaced and got to Tekla's house, we started filming. We started with the indoor scenes so we wouldn't be sweaty. Tekla was recording because she wasn't in any of the scenes. I was in a few scenes, but I was primarily reading the lines for everyone and telling everyone what to do. Dominic was looking at the storyboard to assist Tekla with camera angles and movements. Overall the process went smoothly but it was time-consuming. Some of the actors couldn't remember their lines which was inconvenient. To solve this problem, I just recited the line that the individual had to say. After that, Tekla would start recording, and the actors would say their line. In addition to this, we had to add some scenes to make the story flow more smoothly. We decided to film each clip at least twice to ensure that we have a decent take. Hopefully, we won't have to refilm many scenes because of this. We worked effectively as a group to film. We did get distracted from time to time. However, we expected this to happen because we are all friends. We had a strong willpower and decided to persevere and continue filming. These scenes took roughly 2 hours which isn't too much time. Luckily, we figured out the Grayson situation and continued filming. 

Rescheduling Filming

 My group and I tried to film on many various occasions. We tried to make plans and failed because people couldn’t show up, cars broke down, and family issues occurred. We initially tried to film the Monday that winter break started. Unfortunately, on Sunday night something came up and we wouldn’t be able to film. A family issue occurred with one of our group members, and another group member had to go to work in the afternoon. This left a very slim window to film, and we knew that we wouldn’t have enough time to do so. As a result, we decided to film the following day. We decided to meet up at Tekla’s house at 10:30 am. Some actors (including myself) carpooled to Tekla’s house because we live in the same area. However, one person didn’t carpool with us. Once we arrived to Tekla’s we decided to call the other group member. However, he didn’t pick up his phone. We waited until 11:30 to see if he would call us back, but he hadn’t. As a group, we decided to recast the role. We called our friends that live near us and asked if they could be in our film. Luckily our friend Jake volunteered to take the role of Grayson to replace the other person. This particular role had already been recasted from one person to another, and then to Jake. Luckily, we didn’t film anything before Jake became part of our group. If the other person played Grayson, we would have to refilm everything because he can’t be in the short film anymore. Rescheduling the times and people were somewhat stressful, but we got through it.

Filming Day 1

 Yesterday, my group and I began filming. Since it was a weekday, we decided to not film the entire movie. However, Tekla, Dominic, and I all met at my house. They came right after school. Once everyone was here, we adjusted the bathroom to our liking and started to set up the camera. We printed and annotated part of the script. This was helpful because we had notes as to what we have to do. We also decided to print the storyboard. This allows us to know what angles we have to film as well as the camera movements. This helped filming run smoothly. 

Once everything was set up and in place, Tekla and I put on the clothes that we wanted to film in. We quickly freshened up our hair and makeup and then started filming. We decided to start filming the scene where the character Bella wakes up. This scene took approximately 15 minutes. Next, we moved to the bathroom scenes. These were a bit more time consuming because there were more scenes. This took roughly 45 minutes, but the process was smooth. Lastly, we did the kitchen scenes when Bella was pouring cereal. This scene took about 5 minutes. We are happy that we printed the storyboard because it allowed us to film smoothly. In addition to this, we are excited to film the rest of the short film.

Changes to Filming Schedule

 This past week, my group and I didn't have school. This was because Thanksgiving was this past Thursday. Initially, my group and I intended to film over the course of the week. However, we didn't consider the fact that our groupmates could be going out of town. Our group consists of 9 people, so it is difficult to agree on a date with somewhat short notice. Because of this, my group and I decided to film on separate days. There are certain scenes where we don't need everyone. As a result, we can film over the course of a few days, so it is more convenient for everybody. For example, in the first third of the short film, the only actors that need to be present are me (Stephanie), Tekla, Olga (Stephanie's mom), and Mats (Tekla's Dad). Therefore, we are planning to film different sections of the film on different days.

 Over the break, various group members did travel for the holiday to visit their families. Because of this, we are cautious about COVID. My group and I are insisting that everyone (including the people who didn't travel) to get tested to ensure our safety. We understand that being in a group is a high risk, and we are taking precautions for everyone's safety.

 In addition to this, different people were out of town at different times. This made filming impossible. We couldn't film the majority of the film, so we just planned the new schedule. We decided to divide filming into 3 separate days. This allows the actors to focus on fewer scenes, and we will have to film for less time each day. In addition to this, Tekla, Olga, Dominic, and I will most likely film the beginning of the short film within the next week. 

Music Choice

 My group and I have yet to decide what music we want to include. However, we researched different music choices. To use music that is copyrighted, we would have to go through a complex process. First, we would have to select the soundtrack. Then, we would have to contact the producers and people who could legally allow us to use the songs. After this, we would have to wait for the producers to respond. At this point, the producers could either give us copyright rights or they could deny us rights. If they deny us the rights, then we would have to find additional music. This leads to doing the process all over again. As a group, we decided that we didn't want to take the risk of getting denied. Because of this, my group and I will use uncopyrighted music. However, we will have to ensure that the music is uncopyrighted. We will most likely find our music on YouTube. We then have to go through the descriptions to make sure it isn't copyrighted. Once we ensure that it isn't copyrighted and downloadable, we will download it and put it in our movie. We have yet started the process of selected our music. However, we know that we also want some sound effects. These include diegetic and nondiegetic sounds. Overall, we are excited to select our music as well as the sound effects. We have a broad idea of the music style, but we still have to discuss it in further detail.

Marketing Campaign

 My group and I recently made various social media websites to promote our short film. These social medias include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, and Tiktok. TikTok was not required but we decided to go above and beyond our teacher's expectations. The TikTok username is @theslicermovie. We decided that we will be actively posting on all of our social media accounts. This is so we can promote our short film. Everyone in our group has all the usernames and passwords for the social medias. We all wrote them down just in case we forget them. We agreed to not assign a particular social media to an individual person. Instead, we will collectively work together on all social media. We know that we work well as a group. Because of this, we will be collaborating to ensure that the social medias are up to date. In addition to this, we will be asking our friends and families to follow our accounts. This will help our social medias get a larger following. Hopefully, more people will be able to see the accounts because of this. We will also be using hashtags on our Instagram, and TikTok to try to get the movie trending. We know that this is unlikely to happen, but I have gone viral before so I know it is possible. My group and I are optimistic about the marketing process. We will promote it to the best of our abilities. Overall, we are really excited to begin filming for "The Slicer".

Storyboard for Short Film

 My group and I worked on our storyboard. Stephanie and Tekla met at Tekla's house, and Dominic was on FaceTime because he couldn't join. The entire process took approximately 4 1/2 hours. Stephanie worked on writing the descriptions. This includes the camera angle or movement, location, and description of what is happening during the 6 second period. Tekla worked on drawing the pictures for each of the storyboard boxes. She then colored them in so everyone can distinguish the characters from each other. Dominic was on FaceTime to help us decide what to write and draw. Since Stephanie finished her part of the storyboard before Tekla, she helped Tekla color the storyboard. Stephanie had to go home before the storyboard was finished, so Dominic left the call. At home, Stephanie finished up the drawings. The next day, we all were on FaceTime to write this blog. This process went smoothly and didn’t take a long time. Our team worked efficiently to finish the storyboard. We now know how our film will look like. This will be really helpful when it comes to the filming process. It will allow us to save time because we know where we need to be, and what the angles have to be. The storyboard will keep everyone involved in the film organized and on track. The storyboard is an essential part of filmmaking for this reason. The storyboard process went smoothly. Overall, our group works very well together and we are optimistic to begin filming.

Planning For Short Film

My group and I decided to film on one day. Everyone will meet at Stephanie's house at 11:00 or 1:30. This depends on which character the actor is portraying Then at 11:15, we will begin filming the opening scenes in which Bella is waking up and getting ready. Then at 12:00, we will film the kitchen scene and the news reporter scene in Stephanie's house. At approximately 12:30 we will have lunch until 1:15. Then we will set up the camera in Tekla's house. We should be filming by 1:30. From that point, the rest of the actors would already be there in costumes. We would film all of the scenes that are in Tekla's house. We should be done by 3:00. Then, we will set up the camera in the neighborhood that Stephanie lives in. Then we will film the scenes in which the character Bella is walking to the character Brandon's house. After that Stephanie will quickly do special effects makeup on herself (Bella). This should be done by 4:00. Then, we will film the last scene in which all of the characters are looking for Bella and eventually find her. This should be completed by 5:15

The locations include Stephanie's house, Tekla's house, and Stephanie's neighborhood.

Our participants include Stephanie as Bella, Tekla as Chloe, Dominic as the News Anchor, Olga (Stephanie's mom) as Bella's Mom, Mats (Tekla's dad) as The Slicer, Blake as Brandon, Julia as Sasha, and Luca as Grayson.

Since there is an ongoing pandemic, we have decided to keep our masks on at all times except when filming. If a person is currently being recorded, they will not have to wear their masks but everyone else will have to. In addition to this, everyone will be tested for COVID-19 a few days before filming. We will also be washing our hands whenever we feel necessary, and always have hand sanitizer with us. 

One prop that we have is the board game at the character Brandon's house. This is because they are playing the board game when Bella enters the house.  Another prop is a mobile phone. This is because Bella's mom calls Brandon in one of the scenes. Other props include beds, makeup, cereal, a bowl, tv,  a mask, and a tv remote.

Our costumes are normal clothes that a typical teenager would wear. This can include jean shorts, a tee-shirt, a cropped shirt, a skirt, etc. However, the Slicer will be wearing dark clothes, and possibly some type of face-covering/ mask.

Short Film vs. Feature Length Film

 Both films had many differences. To begin with, the short film was approximately 7 minutes in length while the feature film was about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Because of this, there was more that happened in the feature film. For instance, in the short film, the characters 9 and 5 had to defeat a machine. Once 9 killed the machine, the movie was nearing its end. On the contrary, once 9 defeated the monster in the feature film, another monster emerged. In addition to this, there were many more characters in the feature film because it had to take up more time. This led to more character development as well as dialogue. The short film didn't include any dialect, but the feature film did. I feel that this helped the plot move forward swiftly so the audience wouldn't be confused.

However, the two films had lots in common. For example, there were both diegetic and non-diegetic sounds. Both films included intense music. This helped to intensify the scene, which kept the audience intrigued. In addition to this, there were many sounds such as grunting and explosions. These are examples of diegetic sounds. In addition to this, the characters were similar. For instance, 9 and 5 were both in the short and the feature film. However, more characters were added into the feature film. Lastly, the characters had major plot developments in both movies. In the short film, 9 learned to fight for what is right, even if it means sacrificing yourself. In the feature film, the character 1 who was cold and mean ended up sacrificing himself for the greater good.

Research 9: The Feature Film

 Overall, the movie was extremely intense. I could infer what the plot would be because of the short film. I was impressed with how Shane Acker expanded the plot into an hour and fifteen-minute movie. There were multiple antagonists and more characters. To begin with, the characters were 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, and 9. All of the characters had major plot development. However, 1 stood out the most in this aspect. He started off as the cruel leader, who didn't allow the other robots to go out into the world and do anything. But as the film progressed, he started to open up, and ultimately sacrificed himself for 9. This shows that underneath his thick skin, he had true feelings on the inside. This feature film had both diegetic and non-diegetic sounds. The characters in this film used dialogue to explain their emotions. Most of the emotions in this film were fear. This is because the robots were constantly trying to fight off the antagonist robots. Some other sounds that were used a lot included grunting, and explosions. Overall, this film was extremely action-filled and intense. In addition to this, this film was animated. This allowed for more dramatic special effects to be added to the movie. This allowed the audience to be glued to the screen and anticipating what is going to happen next. As a whole, this movie was pieced together well.

Research 9: The Short Film

 Overall this short film was interesting and kept my attention. However, the short film had a gloomy feeling. I was confused for the first minute or so until I realized that the main character "9" was having a flashback. The first flashback showed 9 and another character 5 sharing their belongings. Then a monster came, and 5 decided to protect 9. Unfortunately, this resulted in 5's death. It was a sad point in the short film. In a different flashback, 9 fought the monster, in which 9 was victorious. The monster was dead, so 9 continued to gather their belongings. 9 put together two green glowing objects, and many souls were released including 5. 5 looked back at 9 and then went to its grave. However, 5 was now at peace. This short film had a sad plot. However, I thought it was interesting how it was silent. I feel that the short film felt more solemn because of this. It showed friendship and trust without having to use dialogue. In addition to this, the short film was animated. The animations were very smooth, so it was difficult to tell. I think that the animations helped the storyline. Overall, this short film was interesting.

Genre Choice for Film

 My group and I finally chose a genre. We felt that thriller best fit our pitch. Our pitch is, "Bella is your average teenager. Nothing abnormal has ever happened in her life, not yet at least." This pitch is eerie and suspenseful and therefore fits the thriller genre. 

We decided not to choose horror because we feel that many other groups will be choosing it. In addition to this, horror films can be slow-moving until there is a jump scare. We feel like we cannot complete an entire short film about horror in 5 minutes. 

In addition to horror films, my group and I also researched mystery films. We felt that that mystery would be interesting. However, we didn't know how we would fit it into our plot. This genre is difficult to conduct because these films are typically intense. We didn't want to confuse our audience by squeezing in too much information into a 5-minute film. 

Ultimately, we decided to do a thriller movie. Our plot fits the genre of thriller the best. All of the aspects that we wanted to include were fit for a thriller film. In addition to this, thrillers are easier to film than mystery and horror. This is because our time limit is 5 minutes and we don't want to overload ourselves. We also liked all of the aspects of this genre. Overall, we thought that a thriller film would be the best fit for us. 

Genre Research - Thriller

 My group and I researched Thriller movies. 

Common angles found in thriller movies include close-ups and aerial views. These give the film more of a suspenseful and eerie feel. A popular moving is a tracking shot. The camera follows the character to give the audience a rush. The audience doesn't know what to expect, and therefore engages them to keep watching. Common sounds of thriller movies include car engines, police sirens, screams, as well as diegetic and nondiegetic sounds. These include music and monologues. 

The costumes are typically normal everyday clothing. The lighting can be dark or light depending on the location. In addition to this, the location can be anywhere: it depends on the storyline of the film. The makeup would normally be natural unless someone is injured or died. In this circumstance, the actor would have bloody and bruised makeup. The props can range from a chair to a car, to anything imaginable. The props solely depend on the plot of the film.

Common editing in thriller movies is zooming in. This allows the audience to be curious as to what is going to happen next. An example of a thriller film would be "Homecoming". Overall, my group likes the suspensefulness of thriller movies. We never know what to expect so we are always at the edge of our seats. We like everything about thriller movies.

Genre Research - Mystery

 My group and I researched the different aspects of mystery films.

In our research, we found that some common angles are close-ups. These are used to make the audience curious, and it is typically zoomed in a clue. Some popular movements include zooming in or out. This allows the audience to understand what is trying to be shown, so they can interpret the scene. Some sounds include screaming, creaking floorboards, and diegetic sounds such as music or a monologue. Sounds heavily impact the film, and can help the audience understand what is going on. Costumes typically include normal clothing. Lighting can be dark at times, and light at others. The makeup is typically normal unless there is a character that got injured or died. If this happens, then the makeup is bloodied and bruised on the actor. Props can range from weapons to furniture depending on the plot of the film. In addition to this, the location can be anywhere: it depends on the plot of the movie.

 Common editing includes jump cuts and flashbacks. At the end of mystery movies, sometimes there is a flashback to show what and how everything happened. There is normally a diegetic monologue over the flashback. Some mystery films include "Murder Mystery". My group and I like how the plot ties together at the end. In addition to this, we enjoy how the flashbacks give a recap so all of the audience's questions are answered. However, we don't like how the plot can be difficult to follow. Sometimes we are completely lost and want to stop watching the movie because of this. 

Genre Research - Horror

 My group and I have thoroughly researched the genre horror. 

In horror, common angles include close-ups. Close-ups are normally used to show the fear in the character's face which causes the audience to feel scared. This normally happens as soon as something bad is going to happen. Another commonly used angle is an over the shoulder shot. This is normally the antagonist looking down upon his victim. This belittles the protagonist and gives the audience a sense of fear for the main character. Panning and tracking shots are both popular aspects of horror films. Tracking shots are typically used to show an individual running away from something/ trying to escape. Panning shots are normally used to increase suspense.

Common sounds in horror include suspenseful music that is added to the movie, doors creaking, and people screaming. All of these sounds (whether they are diegetic or non-diegetic) are used to increase suspense within the film. Common costumes can range from typical everyday clothes to an intense scary-looking costume. It depends on what the particular movie revolves around and what the antagonist looks like. Common lighting is typically dark and eerie to create an eerie feeling. The makeup can be natural-looking, or it could be intense with a lot of gory aspects. For example, if one of the characters died, there would most likely be bloodied and bruised: this is done by makeup. Some props include weapons, and stairs. The antagonist is probably using a weapon to kill their victim, and a stereotypical scene is the main character falling downstairs. Most of the time, the location is in a house in which the main character is trying to escape.

When editing a horror film, timing is key. The editor might do split screens, jumpcuts, or anything to add suspense. In addition to this, they might add diegetic and nondiegetic sounds to ensure suspense. An example of a horror film would be "Bye-bye Man". My group and I enjoy the suspensefulness of horror films as well as sound and editing. The aspects that we don't like include the angles. Some of the angles make it difficult to understand what is going on during the film. 

Genres I Would Like to Research

 My group and I have recently finalized our pitch. Our pitch is, "Bella is your average teenager. Nothing abnormal has ever happened in her life, not yet at least." The next step is to research multiple genres that our short film could be. A genre is a style of an artistic piece. There are many different genres that would fit our short film. 

As a group, we decided that our short film should gear towards the eerie side. We decided to research the genres thriller, horror, and mystery. We feel that our film may include aspects of all of these genres. However, we have to research and decide from there. These genres have similarities and differences. Because of this, it will take intense research to decide which genre our short film should be under. In addition to this, we are still brainstorming the plot. 

We will need to have a basic idea of the storyline. This is so we can ensure that the genre will fit the short film. We are excited to begin researching. This will allow us to be confident in the genre that we choose. We will all research each genre, and compare notes and talk about what we learned. From there, the three of us will all work on our blogs. Overall, we are excited to begin researching.

Below are films from the genres thriller, horror, and mystery.

Pitch Blog

Our pitch is, "Bella is your average teenager. Nothing abnormal has ever happened in her life, not yet at least." 

Group Blog

 Today, I finalized my group. My group consists of three people: Tekla, Dominic, and I. We decided to keep our group down to three people. It will be easier to schedule times and places to meet up since we live within 1 mile of each other. This is extremely beneficial to us. In addition to this, we met in 9th grade, and we automatically clicked. Over the course of our friendship, we've learned that we are compatible with each other, and we are all hard-working and driven. We don't get mad at each other when something doesn't work out. Instead, we find a solution to the problem that we encountered and continue moving forward. We have worked on various projects prior to this. Therefore, we know each other's work ethics. We are thrilled to be working together and can't wait. Luckily, we have also been hanging out during the pandemic. We are constantly at each other's houses, but not seeing many other people. We are all excited to begin this project. Because of this, we already started brainstorming ideas for our project. We are still unsure of the plot of our short film. We are collaborating and trying to figure out the short film plot. We are excited to continue working on our project. The three of us are all really close friends and are excited to start this project.  

Welcome Back Blog

 Good afternoon! I'm excited to be in this class again. Last year I learned a lot and enjoyed my time doing so. The class I took last year was AICE Media Studies AS Level. The final project is a short film that is approximately 5 minutes long. I am extremely excited to start this project. I have been brainstorming different plots and themes. The short film can range from horror to action to comedy. Because of the Coronavirus, it will be difficult to work together in a group. I have absolutely no idea what my group and I are planning to do. As well as filming the short film, I started to think about the website, postcard, and blogs. All of these are important aspects of the class and must be well thought out. The rates are still high where I live, therefore it is hard to find places to film. Luckily, my best friend is in the class with me, and we've been seeing each other throughout quarantine. We've decided to keep our group down to two people. We know that we work efficiently as a team. In addition to this, we don't want to see many other people because of the virus, so we are trying to limit our group numbers. Overall I am extremely excited to be taking AICE Media Studies A level. I've learned so much in AS level. Now I can further my education in media studies. I will continue blogging my journey throughout this process.

Audiences and Institutions Practice Essay

Answer ONE question from this section. Refer to specific examples from ONE media area chosen from film 
4. Discuss the impact of funding on media products. [50] 
Different companies have various amounts of money that they choose to spend on a film. This can impact how the film is made and distributed, and what technologies are used.Films from larger companies like Disney or Universal can spend more money on special effects, but smaller film companies or student films may not be able to afford various technologies. 
My group and I didn’t have access to various technologies. We used a camera to film, a tripod to put the camera on, and an O ring light for lighting. We didn’t have funding for our project, so our opening sequence would fall under a C grade movie. We didn’t have money to put into our film, so we couldn’t use aerial or crane shots. However, we used a high angle instead. In addition to this, we mainly filmed at eye level because it was the most convenient for us. In the editing process, we used a software that was provided by our teachers. Our film didn’t have any special effects or animations. Because we didn't have funding, our film wasn’t as high-tech as it could’ve been. 
 Producing a film is extremely costly. To begin with, film cannot be reused. If a production company shoots a scene for an entire day, and they don’t like the takes, then all the resources consumed throughout the day were a waste. Films are also typically too expensive for a studio to authorize. This means that larger companies have the upper hand when it comes to creating and producing large films. The live-action Beauty and the Beast film cost upwards of 300 million dollars. This movie used lavish Mise-en-scene. The costumes, makeup, and locations had incredible detail, the lighting fit each scene, and the actors fit their characters. Disney had to create the costumes, pay the actors, edit, film, produce, and distribute this film. Most film studios or student films would not be able to do this because of their budget. 
Another costly movie was Jurassic World. This film was distributed by Universal Studios and produced by Frank Marshall. Universal Studios is a globally well-known company that distributes movies. In this movie, some of the dinosaurs were built. This is costly because each individual species of dinosaur used in the movie had to be created. In addition to this, special effects were used to make the dinosaurs look more realistic and move. There were many action scenes used in the movie, along with special effects. The special effects were crucial in the movie because it makes the movie more thrilling for the audience. Every take was complimented by a well thought out camera angle or movement. Jurassic World cost roughly $185 million to create and distribute. Smaller companies or studios would not be able to spend this money on one film. If the budget for this film was not that high, then the Dinosaurs and sets may have looked unrealistic.  
Lastly, Fantastic Beasts was also a cost heavy film. This film was distributed by Warner Bros Productions, and produced by J.K Rowling, David Heyman, Steve Kloves, and Lionel Wigram. Warner Bros is recognized around the world and is one of the most powerful film distributing companies. This film had lots of special effects. This movie is based off the Harry Potter series, so this movie features magic and numerous mythical creatures. Many of the animals used were puppets, and some were strictly edited into the film after filming. It takes a lot of money to create these animals and to use special effects. This movie was distributed in November 2016. Because of this, newer and more expensive technology was used to create this. The movie cost roughly $180 million. This is partially because of all the special effects, and technologies used to create this film. 

Overall, funding is crucial when it comes to the film industry. The budget can determine what grade a movie will be. Grade A movies are films such as Fantastic Beasts, Beauty and the Beast, and Jurassic World. Grade C movies don’t have a large budget and are typically made by a small studio or a student film. Funding allows films to use various types of technology, and special effects. However, if there isn’t any funding, then the film will not be as high quality. Therefore, funding is crucial to films and the film industry. 

Creative Critical Reflection and Final Project

Basis of what I said in the reflection:
1. My opening sequence followed a lot of the same conventions as other opening sequences.
For example, there were titles that gave credit to individuals who worked
on this project. This is shown in all opening sequences. My group and I watched
opening sequences from similar genres to get inspiration for our opening sequences.
Our opening sequence was a thriller, so we looked at opening sequences that were
thriller, action, and horror. We did this because our opening sequence includes all of
these things. Our opening sequence also includes diegetic and non-diegetic sounds.
Some diegetic sounds that were used were doors closing, and people talking. Some
non-diegetic sounds that were used were music and voice-overs. These properties are
crucial in opening sequences because it helps to develop the plot. On the contrary, we also challenged conventions. Most opening sequences don’t include action scenes. However, my group's opening sequence was action-filled and high impact. A lot happened throughout the two minutes, and there was a cliffhanger like ending to it. It makes the audience engaged, and want to continue watching. The opening sequence can represent people who like thrilling or action-filled movies. It can also represent people of all ages who watch movies. Other than that, it doesn’t represent many social groups. Thrilling movies normally don’t have any issues. However, my group’s opening sequence’s theme is things aren’t always as perfect as they seem. This is because the story takes place in a utopia, in which if you get a red dot on your wrist, you get sent away. The government was hiding this piece of information, so their society wasn’t as perfect as it appeared.
2. My product engages with audiences in many ways. To begin with, it appeals to many audiences. Thriller movies and opening sequences are suitable for the majority of ages. This allows people to watch and enjoy what is happening in the piece of film. These types of movies can bring people together since it is a common interest. This can allow people to gather and discuss topics such as thriller or action movies along with their opening sequences. This opening sequence would most likely be distributed in movie theatres. The opening sequence is attached to the movie itself, and movies are first played in movie theatres. It can also be distributed on platforms such as Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, and other apps that stream movies. Once again, this is because the opening sequence is attached to the movie itself.

 3. Overall, my production skills have significantly improved. This project helped me with time management. My group only had one day to film our entire opening sequence. Because of this, we had planned our entire schedule with breaks, time to film, and other crucial details. If my group and I had not planned out our day, the filming process would be stressful, and we most likely wouldn’t be able to finish. My group and I also learned a lot about lighting. In our opening sequence, the lighting fluctuates depending on the location of the scene. For example, all of the “flash forward” scenes had lighting from lamps while the present tense scenes required white light from my O ring light. This was important because lighting can change the mood of the piece of film. In addition to time management and lighting, my editing has significantly improved. This was the first project where I had to change the lighting. I looked through all the filters and found one that best fit my description. This filter dimmed the colors and added a yellow undertone. This made the scenes seem unreal. This was important for our flashforward scenes because then the audience can easily distinguish what was the present tense and what was the future tense. Throughout the editing process, I learned how to insert titles, and adjust their lengths. This was a cool feature because there were many different text options. My group and I decided to use red and green fonts because the name of our movie is Red Dot. However, the green also corresponds with the plot. The text was outlined in black, so it would be easier to read. The titles were also placed in different spots depending on what scene was currently playing. All of our titles lasted 3-4 seconds. This allowed the audience to read and take in the information that was being displayed.
4.  My group and I Incorporated many different types of technology, software, and hardware into our final project. To begin with, we used a camera. For this project, my group and I did not use a school camera because Kaitlyn had her own. Because we didn't check out a school camera, we didn’t get a tripod or a memory card. Kaitlyn’s camera was newer and easier to use. With previous projects, the school cameras would always die, or there would be some sort of problem that we encountered. We didn’t want to risk more problems so we used Kaitlyn’s camera. For editing, we did not use pinnacle studios. I wasn’t at school the week we had to edit, so I edited it from my laptop at home. I used an editing software called iMovie. I edited the entire opening sequence on this program. I imported all of the shots, and then chose the takes that I wanted to use. I then added the filters on the flash-forward scenes and inserted the titles. In addition to this, we also used upbeat music. We searched for uncopyrighted music on YouTube and ensured that the music was free for the public to use. We then inserted the music into the opening sequence at the correct time. We also used an O ring light. This mechanism is a stand with an attachable light in the shape of an O +SHOW O RING LIGHT+ ELABORATE! Overall, we used many types of technologies, software, and hardware in this project.

This is the link to the music that my group and I used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gBTKiVqprE

Reflection of the Opening Sequence

Overall, I learned many things throughout this project. One of the major things this project has helped me with is my time management skills. My group and I had to film our entire opening sequence in one day. Therefore, we had to make a detailed plan to ensure that we would stay on schedule. This made the filming process less stressful. Luckily, Kaitlyn and I stayed focused, and we filmed sooner than we anticipated. This project also helped me learn how to deal with high amounts of stress and pressure. The most stressful parts of this project were the storyboard and filming. My group and I took a long time discussing, and drawing out each box. We were on a time crunch to do this, and there were only two of us. But we managed our stress and drew. We also decided to put the lighting, angles, and location of each of the shots. This was extremely helpful when it came to the filming process. This is because we already knew everything that we needed to know before filming. Therefore, it made the filming process less rigorous. In addition to this, my editing skills have significantly improved. In this project, I had to insert numerous titles as well as their lengths. This was the first project where I had to do this, but it was a crucial piece. I also had to adjust the lighting for certain scenes. Lighting can change the mood of the film, so it was important that we did it. Overall, I learned many things in this project and I'm grateful that I had the chance to do it.