CCR

https://youtu.be/jnzvAgyAgyQ

Movie Opener Final Cut

https://youtu.be/M2t9YNce1HI

Evaluation of My Peer Reviews

The main feedback that I received touched base on the audio and acting. In the beginning of the opener, the music cut out and left part of it mute. Also, the peers strongly believed that there should be more emotions in the actors. This would make it more believable.

I understand the suggestions and agree. I am not the best actor and it was difficult staying serious while acting. Kevin and Josh are both very goofy people who were joking during the film. I gave Josh a script and he could not follow it.

I may refilm the parts of the opener where there is acting. I may use a different actor who is more serious. Also, I will add music in the beginning and may shoot that part from different angles to make it more interesting. I could also add more camera angles and more information to the disease.

3 Days- First Draft

https://youtu.be/tBeNhTvX11k

Editing Week 2

 

I did not make any changed to the titles and fonts that I used in the first week. I did use a sound fade when transitioning into a conversation. 

I used an over the shoulder shot during the conversation with the doctor. This way you can see the girls face when she realizes that she only has 3 days to live. I also used a Point of View shot when the girls lover looks at the note.

I included a voice over when the boyfriend reads the note. This way, the audience knows that the girl wrote the note for him. I also added hospital sounds during the hospital scene.

Problems that I encountered was the time that it took me to edit sounds. It took me some time to find out how to trim the sound.

I took my time to navigate the app and properly learned how to edit and insert the sound.

This week, I took about 3 class periods to edit. It was very time consuming to insert and edit the sound. I also made sure that the sound and clips were at the correct duration.

I added the sounds of the hospital after realizing how difficult it was to portray the area as a hospital. This background noise will help match the ambiance of an emergency room, so I added it. 

Editing Week 1

 

I decided to add the movie opener title in the first shot. It is "3 Days" in dark pink font. I used pink because it is correlated with love and romance. I used another title "EMERGENCY" at the top of the doors to help the scene appear more like a hospital. It was in red just as in a hospital. Also, I added "The Next Day" when the girls boyfriend found the note. This helps give a sense of time. 

I used different camera angles when filming. The beginning shot is a boom as the camera is following the two people holding hands. The camera angle and level changes throughout the shot.

I used cut transitions for each shot.

I the audio effects I used in the beginning of film editing was music. It is nondiegetic music and was entered after filming. I used "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles since it is a happy love song.

The main problem that I encountered while filming was the app that I usually use. I am familiar with Premiere Pro but I no longer had access to it. I had to find a different editing app that I was comfortable using. I used InShot and it worked great. I took extra time learning the features and how to navigate this app.

This week, I spent about 20 minutes a day editing. The first day, I took time to properly upload the videos to the app. The following day I began considering the music that I wanted to use and different transitions. 

I was the only person that edited my video.

After adding all of the shots into the editing app, I decided to add more to the conversation with the doctor. 

Filming Week 2

 This week I gathered all of the props needed for this film. I was able to find a full doctors uniform including scrubs, a white coat, and a stethoscope. We went out to the field where we wanted to shoot the opening shot. We considered different shots and angles during this week so I could decide which ones were best for this film. 

Here is one shot that I was considering.

I also chose how I wanted the note to be displayed on the door for Isaiah to find. I also came up with the idea for me to do a voice over of me reading the note as he looks at it.

Overall, this week has been very productive and I am proud of the spontaneous brainstorming.

Beginning to Film

 I decided to establish the locations during my first week of filming. Since it is a romance theme, I decided that a very bright area would be ideal for the beginning of the film. This will show their vibrant love. More low key lighting would be better for the second half of the film due to the gloomy mood. 

I liked how this spot was bright and the grass is very vibrant. It is also good to be able to film from many different angles. This stairwell overlooking this plot of grass inspired me to possibly include a boom shot.

I also liked this spot to mimic a doctors office. The walls are neutral and the door is dark. These neutral colors will match the sad mood of the doctors office. I can also use a cameo shot in this scene. 

During this first week of filming I felt very productive as I came up with some great ideas for the film that I did not previously consider.

Filming Preparation

 Actors: Jennifer Bachmann will play the girl who has 3 days to live, Isaiah Walton will play the boyfriend and find the note on the door, Josh Listrom will play as the doctor.

Costumes: Jennifer will wear a dress, Isaiah will wear a flannel, The doctor in all white with a stethoscope

Props: Flowers, stethoscope, clipboard, paper note, blanket, and a car.

Locations: Garden, house, and a doctor's office

Dates and Times: Afternoon/sunset, nighttime, and the morning after. This is summer time in the 20th        century.

Scripts: Jennifer and Isaiah will talk about their future goals and the doctor will tell Jennifer she has 3 days to live. 

Film Equipment: Iphone 

Initial Storyboard

 

I created this storyboard based on a fear I have always had, which is being given a certain amount of time to live. I wanted it to have a very happy and joyful beginning so the audience feels as if these two people are really in love. Therefore, they will also feel hurt when they learn that the girl only has 3 days to live.

The opening shot will consist of a close up on a flower followed by a dolly shot of the couple walking. This is assisted by diegetic sound of them talking and laughing. They spend time together exploring the outdoors while nondiegetic music plays. The music stops and they sit on a blanket to speak about their life goals. This is diegetic sound and a series of over-the-shoulder shots of them having this conversation. Then, there is a cut to him saying goodbye to her at her door. There is then a scene of her rubbing her arms in confusion. She is seen struggling to dial 911 and then the shot goes black. Suspenseful music with play during this time. She is then seen talking to a doctor where he reveals that she has 3 days left to live. There is then a pan shot of her quickly leaving the hospital. It then continues to an establishing shot of the boy going up to her door. There, he finds the note and a close up is taken of this note. 

Movie Opener Brainstorming & Research

 Rise:

The camera angles during this clip was very well thought out. I love how it makes the audience feel as if they were there in real life. It also gives an outlook into this characters life. The music transitions were significant as they varied from quiet to louder. The plot is also interesting as it leaves us with a cliff hanger as there is a stare off between the two guys. 

Dear Lover:

The setting and the music in the beginning matches the romance theme very well. The camera angles are great but the lighting could have been better. I wish there was more diegetic sound instead of a voice over. 

Dare to Thrill:

This film does give very thrilling energy and it seems as if the characters are living in a party. The plot twist when they open the trunk was very unexpected, but I like it. I think it was very well put together and the camera angles/transitions were smooth.

Always Watching:

The guy was talking too quickly in the beginning. In the beginning, I did not like how the lighting was high key and did not match the suspense. A more low ley form of lighting would have matched the theme better. The music did match the suspense and drama. The quick flashes between some shots worked very well.

The Blue Boar

I like how the costumes and music established a time era. The lips do not really match the song so it does not look emotional or real. The setting is nice and peaceful.

White Coat

I do not like how it is almost too dark to see what is going on in the beginning. It was slightly confusing as there was no talking and all you could see were a few liquids being mixed together. I can infer that something bad will happen to the patient but I would have liked to know a little more information. 

Stalker

I do not like how there is no noise in the beginning. Any other sound is difficult to hear. I do not like the camera angles or the reactions. The acting seemed fake and created no emotion for the audience. More suspenseful music or allowing us to see the note or the setting may have helped create emotion and suspense. It just did not make sense.

Nostalgia 

I like the transitions between real life and the paintings. There is not much of a story being told so most of the shots seem random with no significance. At the very last second everything ties together and you understand that the little girl is looking into the future. But it is also confusing because it could be the elder woman looking into the past. Maybe a voice over or narration would clear this confusion. 

Summary

I think that thought out and well executed camera angles are very important in creating emotion in the film. I prefer films with natural lighting that takes place in nature or a garden. Including music and sound that matches the theme can make a very big difference. I will also focus on lighting as it can also make a difference when matching a theme. Overall, ensuring that everyone involved speaks at the right speed and the filming is smooth. 

My Film Opening Project - Genre & Group Members

 Genre: Romance 

Working on my own for this project. 

Film Opening Research #2 - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

 How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film? 

- 4 + The entire cast: The first is United Artists Presents. The next is the film producer, Alberto Grimaldi. Then Clint Eastwood. Next, the title is shown, "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly." After this, the entire cast was listed.

What images are prioritized in the opening sequence? 

- The images prioritized in the opening scene are black and white close ups of the main actors. They all have a disturbed or angry look on their face. Their is also an image of people at war and horse carriages. The outline of a person riding a horse is also portrayed throughout the opening sequence. The final image is the cannon during the title.

What connotations do the images carry? 

- The images create a very negative connotation. None of them look happy or joyful, and they all are in black and white. There is also guns and fighting shown, which leads us to think that the movie is violent and negative. 

How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset? 

- The genre is reinforced through the images in the west. There are horse carriages, guns, wooden buildings, horses, cacti, and arid land shown throughout the opening sequence. This establishes the western theme that takes place in the wild west, just like other western movies. The music is fast paced and contains desert animal noises, such as the owl. There are also gun shots all throughout the opening sequence. These are all sounds that reinforce the genre.

How does the film establish an enigma from the outset? 

- The film establishes enigma since the audience is wondering why there is so much conflict. They want to know where the gun shots are coming from and what started the war shown in the opening sequence. It also leads us to wonder why everyone looks so serious. This encourages people to keep watching to find the answers to each of these questions. 

What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience? 

- The film appeals to the target the audience by establishing the western theme in the introduction of the film. This suspension and symbols that establish the genre and enigma is how the film appeals to the audience. It all keeps the audience interested and ready for the wild plot of this dramatic western movie.

How has technology been used effectively? You might want to consider camera angles, transitions and editing techniques. 

- The close up shots of the faces show the anger and unforgiving looks on their faces. This effectively establishes the mood of the characters in a war scenario in western movies. The transitions are unique and are painted like a picture; this makes the audience excited to see what image will be painted next. The music also has non-diegetic sounds, such as gun shots and music, which makes the audience wonder where it is coming from.

Film Opening Research #1 - Cool Hand Luke

 How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film? 

- 3: The first title shown is the Warner Bros Pictures. Then Paul Newman is shown, which is the lead actor. The last is the title, "Cool Hand Luke."

What images are prioritized in the opening sequence? 

- The big red "Violation" symbol in the parking meters is the first image shown and is repeated. The tool cutting off the heads of the parking meters in the dark is also prioritized as it is shown multiple times.

What connotations do the images carry? 

- The images carry a very negative connotation. The big red "Violation" shot immediately tells the audience that somebody did something wrong. The color red is associated with negativity and anger. The "Violation" symbol that shows up each time the person cuts off the parking meters shows that he is not supposed to do it. It was also at night where no one would see him. This portrays him as a criminal and gives a negative connotation. 

How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset? 

- The genre is reinforced as the introduction follows a common western movie plot line: outlaw on the run. The outlaw, Luke, is being chased by law enforcement after illegally cutting the parking meter heads. Luke is also wearing jeans and a button up shirt as most people in the west do. 

How does the film establish an enigma from the outset? 

- The film establishes an enigma as the audience is left wondering why Luke is cutting off the parking meters. We also wonder how much trouble Luke will be in and how his life will turn out.

What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience? 

- Suspenseful music and the western theme appeals to its target audience. The thrill of the officer chasing the outlaw is what the audience is typically looking for in this type of film. It leaves the audience to want to keep watching.

How has technology been used effectively? You might want to consider camera angles, transitions and editing techniques. 

- The camera angles were used very effectively as the close up shots emphasize the crime associated with cutting the parking meters. They use a cut transition to switch between the tool cutting the parking meter and the violations. There is also very dramatic music when this cut happens. This all creates suspense as we wonder who the criminal doing this is. The establishing shot effectively shows how many parking meters have been cut. 

My Favorite Genre - Video

 

My Favorite Genre - PowerPoint

 

Film Viewing Practice Essay "Agent Carter"

After watching Agent Carter, I found many different examples of sound, camera shots, mise-en-scene, and edits. The ones that will be presented are most important to the development of the film and the audience. The film seems as if everyone is doing something suspicious or working for a secret agency and creates excitement for what may happen next.

In the very first scene of the film, a “Marvel” symbol was portrayed, and we heard a voice over. It was a lady, named agent Carter, asking someone for their coordinates so he could land safely. She sounded very panicked and immediately made us feel as if someone was in danger. It was a voice over, so we did not see anyone yet and we were wondering who was in danger and where they were. It made the audience excited for the next scene. Agent Carter soon started crying so we assumed that the plane did not land successfully. In a scene later in the film, we heard another aspect of sound that was important. It was when agent Carter was looking at a photograph. The photograph was of the man that was in the plane and soft, sentimental music began to play. This confirmed to the audience that the man did not survive and that he meant a lot to her. The music helped leave a feeling of sorrow and emptiness for the audience knowing that she no longer had the man in her life.

Shorty after the scene where agent Carter was looking at the picture, she had asked to speak with her boss and an over-the-shoulder shot was used to portray this conversation. The audience saw her boss looking toward the camera with part of her shoulder included in the shot. This allowed us to see how careless and rude her boss was when telling her that she was not good enough for any tasks. This made the audience feel anger toward the boss after seeing how he portrayed no emotion when looking directly at agent Carter. Another great shot used in the film was an establishing shot of the city. The audience saw many tall buildings and a bridge. People going to large cities like this are known for chasing their dreams, such as New York City, where people say that dreams come true. This made the audience feel like agent Carter was living in this city to chase her dream of being an agent and receiving a task. Now they are left hoping to find out that she achieves her dreams.

Continuously, the mise-en-scene aspects used in the film was a large contribution to the development of the film. The low-key lighting used confirmed that agent Carter was working for a special agency. The scenes were dark and mysterious, making the audience feel as if there was something sneaky or illegal going on. The costume on agent Carter went hand in hand with this feeling as she wore a black dress and held a briefcase. This allowed the audience to see how formal her job was, and the briefcase had them wondering what was in it. This also created suspicion since briefcases are associated with secret or confidential items in most films. The special effects used in the film were also very interesting. In the first scene a man flying a large plane was seen and he was about to crash. Although it seemed as if he was flying the plane, rear projection was used, so the man and the plane were filmed as two separate shots. He did not really crash since he was not flying the plane, but the success of these special effects helped create emotion and sadness. It seemed real so the audience felt the emotions as if he really crashed and died.

The editing techniques were also very significant in the development of this film. During the office hours when all of the agents were working, a red flashing siren went off and the boss answered the phone and took a new task. This red siren symbolized that a new call was in, and a new task had to be covered. This showed the audience the importance and urgency of every call. After agent Carter took a call and assigned herself a mission, contrast was shown when she arrived on the scene. She began to beat up two guys outside of the building while there was a guy inside of the building listening to calm music. The film flipped back and forth between these contrasting scenes. It went from chaotic fighting to a man relaxing. This was comedic for the audience since the man inside had no idea what was going on, but it also created a feeling of suspense. The audience was wondering when the peace of the man indoors would be disturbed and was excited for what would happen next.

Overall, this was an exciting, suspenseful, and emotional film. The audience was able to stay involved as each scene showed different film making aspects, which were the sound, camera shots, mise-en-scene, and edits. The film was produced very well and pleasing for the audience to watch.

Film Elements Graphic Organizer

 

Mise-en-Scene

Mise-en-Scene in Marvel Studios' The Avengers

I chose to watch Marvel Studios’ The Avengers because I recently watched Black Widow and did not know many of the characters. I wanted to get in the loop since everyone has a favorite Avenger and I cannot even identify two of them. It is also a very exciting action film with a lot of movement and fun aspects of mise-en-scene.

The first scene of the movie has very low-key lighting. You can see a black figure and a blue light from a crystal that the figure is holding. This portrays the figure as the bad guy who is doing something bad or sneaky. They also use shallow space to show the blue crystal in detail, this signifies that it is special and of an unknown importance. The same man was seen using the blue crystal as a weapon. A few scenes later, we can see another shallow space of this blue glow, but this time it is not a solid ball. There is three-point lighting used during the scene where they show the circular set up that is holding the blue glow. This shifts most of the focus to this set up while everything in the background is darker.

There is a man at an airport where a helicopter lands. There are two people who are wearing all black that get out of the helicopter and greet the man. This wardrobe choice is important as the man is seemingly doing something suspicious since he is also wearing all black with black sunglasses in the dark. People wear sunglasses so they cannot be recognized. They then enter a lab where people are wearing white lab coats, signifying that they are doing something scientific. Which is accurate as they were experimenting with the blue crystal.

A few special effects are used during the film as well. One scene used rear projection when showing someone flying a helicopter. The man and the helicopter were shot separately, and he never flew the helicopter. This same mise-en-scene aspect was used when the building was about to blow up. Everyone was running to their vehicles and driving at a high speed to escape. They were also shooting at each other, but they were not really driving the cars or shooting at each other.

There was then a scene using offscreen space when a woman shown who appeared to be in a car garage and everything was shaking. You could also hear rumbling as if the ground was moving. You cannot see the source causing the area to shake, but you know there is something causing it.

The man using the blue crystal as a weapon holds it up against a man’s chest. The film producers use frontality to show the man with the crystal against his chest. This is done so the audience can clearly see how the crystal turns his eyes completely black and then to a blue glow like the crystal.

5 Master Edits- with Sound

 

1) Direct Sound: For the first half of my contrast clip I used direct sound, which was the music playing in the moment that goes along with the dance. It tells how the boy in the video is my best friend and portrays him as a sweet person. Direct sound is also diegetic. 

2) Voice Over: I used a voice over during the second half of my contrast clip to add excitement and explain how the boy was harsh to the other players during the football game. This helps emphasize the contrast in his personality from the first clip to the second clip. A voice over is non-diegetic. 

3) Direct Sound: I used direct sound for each of my simultaneity films to show each of the different sounds going on at the same time. All of the clips were taken at the same time, but you heard a different sound in each film, showing how many different things were going on at once. This is a form of diegetic sound.

4) Music: I decided to use music during the symbolism portion. The music I used is usually correlated with a soldier or a person preparing for a challenge. This helps symbolizes how our mascot, the trojan, is a tough person ready to overcome any challenge, which is placed everywhere on our school. The students call themselves "the trojans", so this shows how we can overcome any challenge as our mascot would. Music is non-diegetic.

5) Sound Bridge: I also incorporated a sound bridge into the symbolism clips. The same music keeps playing through each of the different clips of the trojan mascot. It shows how all trojans, even if they look different, are tough and have the same will power.

6) Offscreen Sound: I used an offscreen sound throughout my leit motif films. You can see the football players on the field in the film but you can also hear people chanting "I believe that we can win" during the film. You cannot see the people chanting but this offscreen sound suggests that they are present during the clips.

7) Sound Bridge: I used another sound bridge on the last two clips of my leit motif section. This sound bridge shows how people continuously use this chant throughout the football game, especially when it is a close game and they need motivation. This is what football players hear and boosts their motivation during the entire game.

8) Voice Over: I decided to use voice overs during the different clips in the parallelism section. This portrays how each parallelism clip paired together has a similar action going on since they also have similar voice overs. These voice overs further increase the emphasis on the parallelism between the clips as it explains what happened in each clip. This is a non-diegetic sound.