First Draft and Reflecting: Finishing up Our Movie!

We've completed our first draft of our short film! This process has been so much fun and working with these teammates has been amazing. Collaborating with them has been a breeze from agreeing on our screenplay to making storyboards together. I would definitely say that this was the most fun I've had creating media for this class. Now that we have finished our first draft, all we have to do is go back and fix details that we may have missed the first time. I believe we are also going to trade films with another group to critique one another. At the beginning of this project, there was so much uncertainty when it came to how much time we had to create this film. However,  being able to share ideas and work fluidly has been a huge advantage. Communication was everything when it came to creating this. As for our first draft, we still aren't quite sure about our music choices. We've been testing different scores out to see which best fit our theme, however none have been perfect yet. We will continue to work on this over the next week and hopefully we'll be able to figure it out. As of right now, our titles are white. We are not sure if they will stay this way because of some of the background colors. We have also been experimenting with different fonts and ways for the titles to appear. Overall, we still have a lot of work to do for our editing. We also need to post on our social medias. We weren't sure how much to post, so we recorded a few videos in between filming, editing, etc. I'm hoping that our audience will enjoy funny outtakes along with these behind the scenes clips. I can't wait till we are officially finished!

Editing Blog: Adding Music and Titles

We have continued to edit through the holiday break. It took a couple days to get the clips blended, but we finally got through it all. After watching the movie all the way through, we moved on to titles and music. Both of these details are crucial when trying to show the audience emotion. Since we hadn't done any research on titles for this movie, we decided to visit resources from last year. The two websites we used were watchthetitles.com and artofthetitle.com. We also used our knowledge of movies we've seen and/or analyzed in the past. The genre of our movie is drama, so we knew we wouldn't be using any crazy titles. For example, a red title with dripping blood wouldn't be considered for our movie. Since our movie is more of an emotional or sad movie, we thought about having a title that was appealing, but may be ominous. Examples of these types of movies include Seven Pounds and Terms of Endearment. Next, we moved onto the music. We previously decided that we wanted dramatic, instrumental music to play in the background of the movie. This would contribute to the building suspense of the film. We explained that there would be two pauses in music. One would be during an action match in the middle and at the end when two of the characters are trying to get the other on the floor. For right now, we found some royalty free music that fits our theme. One of the songs we found was "Pinhole" by Lance Conrad. This one was light and it built, however it may be too light-hearted for this melancholy film. We are still working on music, but are finished for now!

Editing Blog: Blending the Clips as One

My group decided that it was time to begin editing. In the previous blog, we imported our videos into iMovie. We then organized them in chronological order. Instead of keeping them in the small import section, we dragged them to where the clips are merged. At the end of this process, we had all of our uncut clips lined up next to one another. We watched through it once before continuing. When we were sure that the shots were in place, we each went through and cropped each video to make sure that the movie wouldn't be choppy. We took turns actually editing, but all pitched in. For example, while Savanna was editing, Sophia and I were making sure we followed what was written down in the storyboard. Our job was to communicate as a team to complete this together. After Savanna, I edited. My main goal for this year was to try and make the shots have smoother transitions. My teammates were really helpful with this and we were able to learn from one another. Instead of editing our own scenes, we decided it would be better to do others. This way we could give feedback and learn from our mistakes as the director behind the camera. For example, I edited some of Savanna's scenes and some of Sophia's scenes. Working as a team to edit was definitely a change. Last year, I did most of the editing which was really difficult. I didn't know how the software worked and had to constantly edit random things in my free time. However, due to the extra collaboration and awareness of the program, I feel more confident with the editing process. 

Editing Blog: Importing and Organizing

 After finishing up with the filming process, we moved on to editing. Since we recorded on one device, we decided to share the videos with one another. This is because we wanted to each be able to individually go through the videos, as well as together. We thought about sending the messages through text or email, however there were too many to do so. The easiest option would be to create an iCloud photo album or store it in Google Drive. We decided to use iCloud because we would be editing on iMovie. At first the album wasn't working because of the quantity of videos, however after adjusting settings on our devices, we managed to share the videos between the three of us. Each of us individually went through the videos to make sure we had all of the footage. We also made sure to go through them to avoid mistakes that wouldn't be seen until we began filming. We wanted to keep our filming days to a minimum to avoid too much contact during the current pandemic. Thankfully, we were able to get good shots of all of our scenes. Afterward, it was time to import the videos to iMovie. Before doing this, we had to create folders on each of our computers to move the videos out of the iCloud album. This way, the videos could be imported with the press of a button. When we went to iMovie and imported the videos, they downloaded in the order we filmed them. Since we filmed by character, we had to reorganize the videos. The outdoor videos also had to be fit at the beginning and end. The majority of the scenes were in order though because the camera is supposed to follow one girl at a time. We had to find where we wanted action matches and put those videos next to one another. This took some time but made editing so much easier!

Filming Blog: Salem's Scenes

The last scenes we needed to film were for Salem. Salem is played by my group mate Sophia. The character struggles with an unplanned teen pregnancy in the short film. This time, it would be Savanna and I collaborating on the directing and filming. I believe Salem had the least amount of individual scenes in comparison to me or Savanna. As a result, we shot these scenes fairly quick. We started with filming Sophia walk into the house. Just like when we filmed the scenes for the character Grace, we made sure to film at another angle so that it didn't look like we were entering the same house. A series of tracking shots and wide shots were used to show Salem (Sophia) enter her home. We began filming her scenes in the bedroom after getting inside. After filming, we realized that we were missing a prop for her scenes. We ended up having to go out to a local store to buy a pregnancy test for her scenes. However, this took longer than expected. When we arrived at the store, there was only one cashier and a long line. We decided it would be best to find another store instead of waiting 20 minutes. We didn't waste time and quickly arrived at the next store and bought the pregnancy test. As soon as we arrived back at the house, we began filming in the bedroom again. We used a series of wide shots, over the shoulder, and POV shots to film in the room before changing locations. We also made sure to film the bird's eye shot like the other two characters. In the bathroom, we used over the shoulder shots and close-ups to convey her emotions when learning the results of the pregnancy.

Filming Blog: Grace's Scenes

 After filming Chloe's scenes, we proceeded to film Grace's scenes. Grace is played by my teammate Savanna, so Sophia and I had to collaborate on the directing and videography. Savanna focused on her part in the screenplay and made sure to take direction, as well as chime in. We all had a hand in directing and acting and will collaborate on editing as well. Grace struggles with arguing parents so we didn't film too many scenes outside of her bedroom. Before we got there, we filmed her walking into the house. We made sure to film this at a separate angle than the ones for me so that it would seem like we were in different houses. Savanna entered through a side door instead of the garage door like me. We then filmed the quick seconds that she's in the hallways of her house. The objective was to make it look like she was sneaking around her parents to avoid their bickering. We used tracking shots and medium close-ups to show her sneaking through the living room before going to her room. We then see a long shot of Grace in her room, closing the door, and sitting on the floor. While in the bedroom, we continued to follow Grace though her journey trying to tune out her parents. We used close-ups and medium close-ups to show the expression on her face as she goes through the motions. In the scene, she closes the door and falls to the ground crying, the shot is filmed from somewhat of a high angle. Another scene shows her in a similar position, but on her bed (close-up). Then, we used the bird's eye shot to mimic the one Chloe did. Along with this, we showed her grabbing the headphones and placing them in her ears. Instead of having bathroom scenes like Chloe, Grace turns to another way of coping. We filmed a wide shot of her getting into bed and falling asleep.

Filming Blog: Chloe's Scenes

Our next step in filming was to film the scenes for each individual girl. Since the film follows the girls home after their outing at the park, we continued to film outdoors, but this time we were outside of my teammate's house. We decided to start with my scenes first (I play the role of Chloe). We started by filming me walking into the house. This portion was filled with tracking shots and medium close-ups to show my facial expressions and body language. It was also to show the atmosphere around me so that the audience knew where I was in the house. Savanna and Sophia (my group) collaborated on directing and setting the scene while I prepared props and went over the screenplay. Our movie is mostly silent, so I don't have any lines once I get to the house. However, I had to remember where I was going and what I was doing in each scene. After walking inside, we filmed scenes of me in the kitchen. My character struggles with body image issues and goes to eat in the kitchen. We filmed my close-ups of me taking food out of the fridge and placing it in the microwave. The last scene is a medium close-up of me looking at the food before getting up and walking away. The next scenes were filmed in a bedroom. We used tracking shots, medium close-ups, and a bird's eye view angle to give the audience an idea of the setting as the story continues. We also used a long shot to show Chloe looking into the mirror, examining her body.  Included in the bedroom scenes, were scenes in the bathroom. Here, extreme close-ups, low angles, point of view shots, and close-ups were used. The bathroom is the most intense setting in Chloe's scenes. The addition of extreme close-ups was for the audience to realize what was going on in Chloe's head. 

Filming Blog: At the Park

 Yesterday, my teammates and I met up for our first day of filming. Before seeing each other, we made sure to bring masks and go over CDC guidelines in regards to the pandemic. We met at Sophia's home and then decided to a nearby park to film the first half of out outdoor scenes. Before arriving at the park, we made sure to pack towels to sit on and went to a nearby restaurant to get food so it looked like we were there for a picnic. While filming, there was a children's baseball game going on, which made the parking lot fairly crowded. However, when arriving to our location in the park, there wasn't as many people as it seemed. We did have to pause a few times to allow people to walk by or cheer for the kids, but it wasn't a problem. We started by filming scenes of us having fun for extra footage and to start the movie off at a high note. Then we filmed the characters saying goodbye to each other, followed by their tracking shots going in different directions. We then cleaned up and headed to our next location. Our movie begins and ends outdoors. Our next location was a smaller park in Sophia's neighborhood. My teammates had to change clothes for this shot because some time would have passed in the movie. Then, I filmed them individually walking towards each other (medium close-up). We tried filming a conversation between the two characters, but there was some noise going on in the back from animals outside. We ended up having to film these scenes a few times and even took a break to film a video for our film social media. Finally, we were able to get the scenes done before heading back to the house. Then, we went through the footage to make sure we were done for the day. Today in class, we created a photo album to share the videos between on another. In doing this, we all have the videos available to edit together.

A Small Setback in Filming

 Over the past week, my group and I had planned to begin filming our short film. However, we had a small delay if plans. As American students, we had November 23rd to 27th to take a break from school and celebrate Thanksgiving with family. This break was also an opportunity to have some free time away from schoolwork. A few days prior to the break, I was told that I needed to make a trip to Colorado to visit my grandmother and deal with a family loss. I left before break and continued my virtual learning from Colorado. Although it was nice to visit my family, there was still the matter of filming. We needed to decide how filming would work with me being in another state. It wouldn't be a good idea for me to film by myself at my grandmother's house because if we needed to do re-shoots, I wouldn't be in the same setting. As a group, we decided it would be best to hold off on filming and do it after the break. This way we would be able to have consistent settings. Not only would the setting be different, but we wouldn't be able to collaboratively film together. This element was extremely important to us because all of our ideas went into making this film and it would only make sense if we all helped with directing, videography, etc. Branching off of one another's ideas is exactly how we created our story and completed our process up to this point. With that being said, my team and I are preparing to begin filming as soon as possible. Tomorrow is already the start of December and we planned on completing this  project around January. We have gathered materials and hope to start in the coming week. We have followed CDC guidelines and have tested negative and/or quarantined for 2 weeks. We plan on checking temperature before coming in contact with each other and are keeping masks, sanitizer, and wipes with us. All three of us have been so excited about this movie and it's finally time to begin!

Music Choice for our Short Film

Music is extremely important when it comes to conveying the mood and tone of a specific scene or entire film. The score of a film can be a symbol for many years to come. Audiences still hum the tune of the work of John Williams in Star Wars, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, etc. Scores help to establish a movie or even a movie franchise because of how recognizable they are. John Williams' scores have shaped generations by allowing a way for the audience to connect and engage in the movie and with others.  Often times, directors use music to make the audience feel something during a scene that may not be emotional enough with words. For example, in a horror film, intense music may be used to identify that there is a threat. In an action film, the score would have a quick tempo and likely be loud.

In the case of our film, we wanted to find music that would be dramatic. We don't have much dialogue so we needed a way to portray emotion besides our expressions. In the beginning of our film, after the girls part ways, the music would be emotional but would be slower and quieter. As the film progresses, the music will build until the moment when the girls put their headphones in. As each girl listens to their music, the movie will be silent. When they remove their headphones, the music will return to the tempo it was before and start to build again. Through each scene, the music will become more intense until Grace and Salem meet up at the end. The music will then be softer, allowing the audience to hear the dialogue. When Chloe's phone is ringing at the end, the music will no longer be playing. 

As a team, we decided to use non-copyright music in the score of our film. This is because we didn't feel that we needed an exact piece by a specific artist for the film. Instead of researching and emailing artists about copyright, we thought it would give us more options if we explored non-copyright music.

Creating our Media Platforms

The next step in preparing for our short film was to create media for marketing. In doing this, we will be able to share extra details that may not be included in the movie. My group and I needed to create a Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. We also set up a website to add the links to all of these platforms. We decided it would be best if one person created the website, and the other two people each made two social medias. I was in charge of creating the YouTube and Facebook accounts for the film. Before we could create our accounts, we decided to come up with a title that would be the usernames for everything. Currently, the title of our movie is Perception. We decided on this because perception means the state of being aware or becoming aware of something. The entire movie the audience is aware of the character's problems but they don't become aware till the end of the film (see storyboard). It's seems ironic that the title is more about the audience than the character's.

I started with creating a gmail for the movie because it would be needed to create a YouTube account. After that, it was simple to set up the account and make it live. The Facebook was a bit more difficult because of the username. Facebook does't allow its users to create an account with words that aren't a name. Even after trying to create an account and change the name, Facebook wouldn't budge. Instead of creating an account for the movie, I had to create a personal account for my group and then create a page for the movie. Then I had to add few details such as what the page is for. Lastly, I was able to activate the page and send the link to a teammate to add to our website. We can't wait to post some behind the scenes!

Storyboard Blog: Visualizing our Short Film

Storyboarding was the next part in getting our short film planned. Storyboarding is very important because of its visualization. My group mates and I made sure to talk about our vision as a whole for the film before making our storyboard. We split the drawings up for different scenes to make sure each one of us got the chance to be creative. Although drawing is very clearly not our strong suit, we tried our best to share our vision. Storyboarding will save us a lot of time in the long run because it helps plan out our entire film. Although this process can be long, carefully planning out each scene is very necessary. The storyboard is also a good way to see our film fully through before we start filming. The pictures help us see what each scene will hopefully look like. The sentences below each box are also very useful because they tell anyone reading what kind of shot and camera movements each scene will have. 

      This step is also useful because no time will be wasted on the actual day of filming. Storyboarding gives everyone in our group and out of our group a clear idea of what shots we want. An advantage of storyboarding is that we can find out what ideas we may have had that would work and what may not work. For example, we can try out multiple ideas or shots using the story boards and then see what we like best. Another advantage of this is that it can be easily changed depending on any new ideas we may have. Storyboards allow us to work out problems at an early stage before actual production takes place. This storyboard also helped give us an overview of the timing and rhythm of our short film. I think this part of planning is really tedious yet beneficial. Storyboarding has many advantages and will help our film in the long run! We are very excited to continue this project.

Planning Blog: Preparing for our Short Film

 1. Location- We will be filming at four different settings throughout the short film. The first setting is at a park. This is where the opening scene takes place, all the characters are introduced here. The next three settings are at each of the character's homes. There are three characters, Grace, Salem, and Chloe. These locations will be used to get an insight into each of the girls' personal lives. This location is actually huge for the plot of our story since each home is filled with the character's individual issues they face. 

2. Health and Safety- COVID-19 is still a problem so we will need to take extra safety precautions to ensure everyone is safe. We will do this by social distancing when we are at the park and wearing mask anytime we are not filming. As for the scenes that take place in homes, we will all quarantine on our own so there is no risk of us having the virus and transmitting it to each other. A parent will also be around incase of any sort of emergency.

3. Props: We will need a pregnancy test, a plate of food, dietician pills and headphones for each of the girls.

4. Costumes- When we are filming at the park, we will be dressed casually in jeans/shorts and a t-shirt. These costumes will remain the same for each of the characters throughout the short film.

5. Schedule:

November 9- November 13, 2020

Planning/Storyboarding

November 23rd, 2020

Filming

11:30 am- All of us will meet up at the park. We will shoot there from 11:30 am to around 12:30 pm.

12:30 pm- We will make our way to Sophia's home to film the scenes taking place in homes.

1:00 pm to 2:00 pm- We will go over all of the scenes for Salem's character and film them.

2:30 pm to 3:30 pm - We will go over all of the scenes for Chloe's character and film them.

3:45 pm to 4:45pm - Film all of Grace's scenes and go over them.

November 27th- December 4th, 2020

Edit short film

December 5th, 2020: Re-film

December 6th, 2020: Re-edit

Short Film vs. Feature Length Film

 Although Shane Acker worked on both the short film and the feature film, there are many things that had to be added or changed in order for the short film to be stretched into the almost 90 minute movie. The storyline needed to remain as similar as possible with extra details in the longer film. The two plots I came up with are as follows.

Short film: 9, the rag doll, figures out that a monster has been stealing the souls of others like him. He sees this when the souls appear out of the artifact he receives from 5. 9 knows he needs to confront the monster instead of run away.

Feature film:When 2 is taken by the post-apocalyptic "beast", 9 is determined to save him with the help of the other rag dolls he meets on his journey. On this adventure, he and his partners learn new secrets of what caused the ending of humanity and how they can save it.

Along with the storyline, there were a few other differences between the two films. Unlike the short film, the feature film used a narrator at the beginning and dialogue throughout the rest of the movie. In the short film, the audience depends on the expressions of the characters to tell the story, but the narrator sets the scene and the rag dolls continue within the story. The feature film also includes multiple characters. The short film follows 9, 5, and the beast while the feature film includes 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, the beasts created by the brain, the brain, and the scientist who narrates the story. While both films feature a backstory, the short film goes back to when 5 dies and 9 is left alone while the feature film backstory is about how humanity ended.

Whereas the two films differed in some areas, they had to have similarities for the audience to recognize that the feature film is adapted from the short film. The lighting remains the same in both. The dark, eerie mood sets the scene for the post-apocalyptic world (same setting in both movies). The shots are also very similar (close ups and pan movements) to show the expression on the rag dolls' faces and the movements they are making. Both films also use diegetic sound to build a moment. For example, when the beast is coming, the audience can hear the sound of metal crashing.

Research 9: The Feature Film

 After much success at film festivals, Shane Acker had the opportunity to turn his short film into a feature film with the help of producers (Tim Burton, Timur Bekmambetov, Dana Ginsberg, and Jim Lemley) and Focus Features. The story begins with a narrator talking while a human is creating 9. When 9 comes to life, he doesn't speak and the audience only hears diegetic sound (footsteps, metal crashing).The audience is also able to hear the beast before it shows up (metal scratching and growling). Closeups and extreme close ups are used to show the expression in his eyes before (and when) he's able to talk. Close ups were also used to show the detail the human put into creating 9. During the rest of the film, these close ups and diegetic sound remain, however there is dialogue. When 9 meets 2 (another rag doll) he finds a voice box from a doll and gives it to 9 so he can also speak. As well as close ups, the film features many establishing shots, point of view shots, and pans. The establishing shots are used to show the audience the setting which switches from the outside into different hidings inhabited by the rag dolls or the antagonist. The pov shots were used to see the world from the perspective of the rag dolls. This way, the audience feels just as small as them. The pan movements were used to raise the level of tension by moving the camera fast from character to character or setting. The music also contributed to the emotions in the moment. In the beginning, it was very ominous and somewhat slow, but when the characters are running it intensified. The music also lightened when the characters were content or when 9 met 3 and 4. The dark lighting also makes the post-apocalyptic setting recognizable.

The introduction of 2 starts the slow introduction of the ret of the rag dolls (1-8) and all of their personalities. Two common traits in them are curiosity or kindness. These traits are seen in 9 , 2, 3, 4, and 5. Others have bravery, intelligence or are even timid or controlling. The characters' traits develop and change as they face new challenges.

Plot: When 2 is taken by the post-apocalyptic "beast", 9 is determined to save him with the help of the other rag dolls he meets on his journey. On this adventure, he and his partners learn new secrets of what caused the ending of humanity and how they can save it.

Research 9: The Short

The short film 9 was created by a student at UCLA named Shane Acker in 2005. From watching the film, the story is focused around a rag doll named 9. The story starts in the present, with 9 scavenging and then studying an artifact in his hand. The audience is also introduced to some type of monster in search of something or someone. Then, the story shifts back to 9 and the artifact. The next few scenes are a flashback of when 9 was first given the artifact (when 5, another rag doll, risked his life to save 9). The audience, as well as 9, learns that the glowing of the artifact signals that the monster is close and that it steals the souls of the rag dolls. The overall plot of this short film is clear after the flashback ends and 9 has to face the monster for the first time on his own. 

Plot: 9, the rag doll, figures out that a monster has been stealing the souls of others like him. He sees this when the souls appear out of the artifact he receives from 5. 9 knows he needs to confront the monster instead of run away. 

The film created/director uses different camera angles and movements along with editing, sound, lighting, music, and setting to convey the tone of the film. Acker often uses close ups and extreme close ups to show the emotions in the eyes of the rag dolls. There is no dialogue so this is one of the ways the audience knows what the characters are feeling. To go along with this, the creator uses a lot of eye line matches and shot reverse shots to see the rag dolls' eyes and the artifact or their surroundings. The setting seems to be a post-apocalyptic world where only the rag dolls and the monster exist. The lighting is dark and the surroundings look like ruins of a possible city. The music also gives the audience feeling. In the beginning, it's slow and ominous but when the monster is around, it is more fast-paced. Acker also uses diegetic sounds to emphasize the silence when it comes to dialogue. Some of these sounds include shuffling of feet and metal crashing or squeaking. 

Genre Choice for Film

 After researching three genres my group and I came to a decision. We chose the genre drama. We chose this because it relates the most to our film. The storyline of our short film is similar to other films in the genre drama, so we saw it fit. We were inspired to choose drama out of the other researched genres because of its accuracy. Comedy, doesn’t  apply at all to our film. Our film doesn’t use comedy in any dialogue and doesn’t use anything for a purpose of laughter. With thriller, while some aspects of our film are surprising, it isn’t a nail bitter. Nothing about our film will keep an audience at the edge of their seats, like thriller films do. And even though we do have an unexpected plot twist, it’s not enough to call this film a thriller. Our pitch doesn’t need to be tweaked. After the research, my group and I still stuck with our original plot and ideas. It was however very interesting to learn about the other genres and their common tactics.We still always felt compelled to the drama genre and knew that that would be our end result. Another reason why we picked drama is because of the similar CLAMPS. Drama tends to use dull lighting and the sounds tend to play cake the scenes. This is similar to what my group and I want to do for our film. We have many ideas on using sound to our advantage by adding intense music and sound affects. Since this is similar to what drama films do, we again found it fit to call our film a drama film. Overall, my group and I are ecstatic to start planning and filming our drama film.

Genre Research: Thriller, Comedy, and Drama

 For the Thriller Genre, the common camera movements are, Low angles which are used to display power in a character, high angles are used to show vulnerability, and eye level is used to show tension between two characters. The movements traditionally consist of, panning and zooming because this generates tension during the film. In thrillers close-up shots are mostly used to create more tension, while wide and long shots are avoided because it takes away from the tension of the movie. The common costumes in thriller films are extremely diverse, but many films choose to use deep, dark colors so it can set more of a mood. The lighting is usually darker in thriller films, so low-key lighting is used throughout. The audience for thriller films are usually 18+ because there is violence, blood, mental illnesses, etc. Makeup is usually a minimum but on certain characters like monsters or nuns etc. use a lot of make-up. Props are a big part in thrillers because they can help create more of an eerie mood. In thrillers settings remain the biggest part because, they help create the tension because they use places like forests, old houses, and very dark areas. The editing process in thrillers typically consists of these major edits; jump cuts, elliptical editing, graphic matches, and fast/slow paced editing. Using sound in thriller films help create and set the mood for the audience. sound really does change the way a film is perceived. For example, in a quiet place, the director decided to choose sounds that are mostly diegetic sounds for the purpose of making the film more thrilling.  The elements of thrillers that I like are, the feeling of uncertainty, suspense, and how it makes you always think what's going to happen next. The elements of thrillers that I do not like are the terror scenes, I usually do not like "pop-up scenes" which are parts of a film where an object goes into the frame very fast. 

 For the Comedy Genre, the common camera movements are push/in out clips, perspective shots, for camera movements, most are just the most basic ones. The main movements that are being used are zooms, tracking shots and tilts. Zooms help show emotion in actors faces, tracking shots (in comedies) are usually running or car scenes and tilts can sometimes show costumes/makeup. The most common costumes in comedies consist of bright, bold colors. For example, in the movie Zoolander, extremely bright and excessively bold colors are used to produce an emotion about the characters. Lighting in comedies helps move the plot along, so using high key lighting is the best option. The audience for comedies is very diverse; some comedies are meant for families, but most comedies are also 18+ due to language, substances and many more. Props are used in many comedies because a lot of directors will use a prob as something that helps move the storyline along. Editing comedies is tricky because you do not want to leave any humor out, multicam editing helps ensure that they get each scene correct. Sounds in comedies are usually non-diegetic sounds, or sounds added into the film so that the audience can thoroughly understand what’s going on. The elements of comedies that I enjoy are, how it makes me happy and the laughter that comes from watching them. The elements I do not enjoy in comedies are that sometimes the storyline is often slow, and most comedies are very similar, just with different actors.

The drama genre often focuses on real-life events. Drama film is a genre that relies on the emotional and relational development of realistic characters. Common camera angles, movements, and shots found in a drama include close-ups,  long shots, over the shoulder, medium shots, extreme close-ups, bird's eye, point of view, pan, tracking shot, and wide shots. Close- ups are used to emphasize the expression on the face of an actor. Long shots and wide shots can be used to show the character and their surroundings. Usually the actor or object focused on will be in the center while anything else is in the background. Over the shoulder shots can be used for dialogue or to see the emotions of a character as they Arte told something by someone else. Medium shots show the characters facial expressions as well last body language. Extreme close-ups can add a sense of intensity or focus to a scene. Bird's eye can be used to gain perspective and show that one is of lesser meaning than another. Point of view can be used to let the audience experience how the character feels as they do something. Pan shots are commonly used for transition or to show off a setting in drama films. Tracking shots are used to follow the actor as they go through something (whether it's an activity or just walking). Common sound in drama films include, diegetic sound, dialogue, and voiceovers. Diegetic sound is used to keep the film as real as possible. Dialogues between characters are common whether they are positive or negative (they can allow ones feelings to be presented). Voiceovers are common when there is a narrator telling the story. There is a wide range of types of dramatic movies which allows them to differ greatly when it comes to mis-en-scene. When it comes to costumes, characters are usually dressed in normal clothing whether it's streetwear, business attire, etc. In some cases, the drama could be a period piece or happen in a made up world. In this case, the costumes would be created based upon that (capes, ballgowns, etc.). The same idea goes for makeup (can be normal but if it's a drama about drag queens, the makeup will be extravagant), setting (can take place in modern day New York or medieval France) and for props (could be something as simple as a pen or as fun a a wand). The lighting can differ based upon the mood but usually makes the movie even more dramatic. The actors have to be able to have a range of emotion, not just be funny or energetic. Drama films can vary which also can lead to variations of editing. However, drama films use a lot of cutaways, jump cuts, shot reverse shots, and eye line matches. The cutaways and the jump cuts are often used to show that time has passed. The shot reverse shot and eye line matches are often used when the character visits a new place or meets someone new. When it comes to drama films, I love that there are so many different types and that you never know what twists and turns it will have. I dislike when the movies are bad but not not intended to be (sometimes it's too cheesy). Some drama films include Titanic, A Star is Born, Harriet, All the Bright Place and Juno. More example are included in the picture below.

Genres I Would Like to Research

 The next step in this project is to research genres and find out which one our short film belongs under. My group and I have decided to research the genres thriller, comedy, and drama. We have decided to research the thriller genre because our short film is about the harsh obstacles three teenagers deal with in their personal lives. A thriller contains a lot of suspense throughout the film. Suspense could be useful in our film to show just how rocky their at home lives are. Comedy is the next genre we are looking into. Comedies are often more light-hearted and could help steer our movie in a more positive direction. A funny movie may also emphasize the innocence of the characters in the story since they are teenagers. There are also different types of comedy. There is dark humor, dry humor, comedy through action, romantic comedies, and so much more. A genre that has this much range is beneficial for a film in general. 

    Drama is the final genre we will be researching. Films that have teenagers as the main characters are often dramas. Dramas are often more realistic and take a dive into the emotions and events of the characters and their lives. Dramas contain themes that relate to real life problems. This is a good thing because it introduces a connection to form between the audience and the film. There are also different types of dramas. For example, a melodrama has many exciting events intended to bring our certain emotions. This could be really beneficial for our film because it deals with such a relatable topic that many people could have emotions about. Overall, researching different genres is very important when deciding which one your film belongs under.

Pitch Blog: Our Idea

 Three teenagers that each have family problems and deal with hardships at home, each put a superficial mask on for each other and social media.

Group Blog: Meet my Group-mates

This week, my class was instructed to decide whether or not we wanted to work individually or with others. I decided that since it went so well in AS Level, I would want to work with others again. Being able to interact with others to create media feels like the most fun and productive approach. A big thing for me was being able to trust that my group would be able to collaborate in person if we had to and online. Since I have known them for a couple of years now, we are very comfortable with one another and have all been quarantining. Now... It's time to reveal my group members for A Level Media. Drumroll please! I will be working with two other juniors who also happen to be in my class period. I've decided to collaborate with Sophia D'Ambra and Savanna Nemmers! Sophia, Savanna, and I have worked together before on projects and we know that we can all pull our weight while still having fun and being creative. I am very excited to work with them! In AS Level, we weren't all in the same class so being in the same group wasn't a great option, however now we are ready to finally be working together. All three of us have been working towards receiving our AICE Diploma. With this, we have been enrolled in multiple AICE courses. This year, all three of us share two AICE classes that correspond with creativity and the arts. These courses are AICE Media Studies A Level and AICE Drama AS Level. We believe that having both of these classes can give us somewhat of an advantage creatively. It's an easy way to bounce ideas off of each other and not letting them go to waste. We've already began talking about ideas and hope to make even better media than last year. Bring it on A Level! It's a bit hard to see but I'm third from the right, Savanna is third from the left, and Sophia is far left in the picture below.

It's A Level Time!!!

I'm finally back to creating new blogs! It's been a long few months in quarantine, but now I'm finally in A Level AICE Media Studies. It wasn't a hard decision to come back at all. I enjoyed making the beginning of a movie in AS Level so much that I knew I wanted to take this course again. Being able to learn new skills in order to prepare me for this course has been amazing and I'm so excited to see what happens this year. Immediately after finishing AS Level, I missed filming everyday, coming up with ideas, and being creative in my videos. I was extremely excited when I saw that there would be an A Level AICE Media Studies class at my school. At first, I was a little nervous because the end of AS was all online and I didn't know what to expect for this year. However, I feel that this situation has had a positive effect on this course as well. It has taught students how to adapt to any situation thrown at them. 

One thing I'm excited for would be working with a new group. All of my group mates from last year have decided no to continue the course. I'm more of a collaborative worker which meant I needed to find a new group or partner. Luckily, there are many people I know who are taking A Level an I believe I know who I will be working with. The next thing I'm excited for is the short film. I'm excited to create a full length film instead of the first two minutes of a film.With only being able to make the first two minutes, I needed to create scenes with a genre that would pull the audience in immediately. This gives the opportunity for me to explore other genres such as coming-of-age or comedy. Although I am excited, I am a little bit nervous about filming and editing a five minute film in comparison to the two minute film in AS Level. The process will definitely take more planning, but I'm ready to try my best at it!

Audience and Institution Practice Essay

6. To what extent is digital distribution vital to the media area you have studied? 

Streaming services play a huge role in digital distribution nowadays. “Since 2008, DVD sales have declined more than 86%,” according to Sara Whitten of CNBC. Buying on-demand digital copies of films and streaming services have caused the downfall of DVDs. Digital distribution is vital to film because it allows audiences to view films internationally and allows audiences to watch their favorite films from the comfort of their homes.  

When a movie is released, depending on its popularity, it could either be released in specific areas or everywhere. For example, a movie done by a small company could only be playing in certain theatres. I have chosen to focus on movies that are internationally enjoyed. Digital distribution helps these movies to grow in popularity during and after they are in theatres. One of the movie franchises that has been enjoyed for years internationally is Star Wars. Since the release of “A New Hope” in 1977, the Star Wars fandom has grown drastically. With the development of toys, attractions and the trilogies being released in different decades, Star Wars has earned a lot of profit. The first six episodes of Star Wars were distributed by 20th Century Fox and four out of the six were directed by George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars. The sequel trilogy was distributed by Lucasfilm, a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, after it was bought by The Walt Disney Company. Star Wars holds a Guinness World Records title for the "Most successful film merchandising franchise". In 2020, the total value of the Star Wars franchise was estimated at $70 billion which is the fifth highest media grossing of all time. All the Star Wars movies and series are available to stream on Disney+ except for “Solo” and “The Rise of Skywalker” (“Solo” is available on Netflix and “The Rise of Skywalker will be available on Disney+ on May 4, 2020). Another internationally popular series of movies are the Marvel Universe films. The Marvel Universe started as comic books in the 1930s and has created and distributed 43 films with thousands of characters. The Marvel movies have been distributed by Marvel Studios, a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios. It is the highest-grossing film franchise of all time, having grossed over $22.5 billion at the global box office. Similar to Star Wars, you can stream a majority of the movies between Disney+ and Netflix. Audiences are able to re-watch these series as many times as they please and could even introduce it to others and make it even more popular. As these series become more popular, more people want to buy their merchandise or subscribe to a streaming series that streams these movies. 

For the past few months, people around the world have been quarantined due to the outbreak of COVID-19. This pandemic has led to the closing of many public places such as malls, parks, and movie theatres. With the closing of theatres, movie companies with films scheduled to be released around this time have had to either postpone the release or be creative. An example of this is the animated movie “Onward”. “Onward” was produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. “Onward” had been advertised for months by Disney. Most theatres closed right after the release of the movie, leaving it without profit for weeks. This left families upset because of how much their children wanted to watch it. After about a month of just being in theatres while no one could see it, Walt Disney Studios and Pixar Animation decided to release the movie onto Disney+. It earned $103 million worldwide between theatres and Disney+. Another movie that faced a similar problem was the sequel to the animated picture “Trolls” titled “Trolls: World Tour”.  “Trolls: World Tour” was scheduled to be released on March 11, 2020. However, due to COVID-19, the producers and distributers of “Trolls: World Tour”, DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures, decided it would be better to hold off on the release. They held off for a month and decided to release the film to homes through on-demand on Apri 8, 2020. Without being in theaters, “Trolls: World Tour” has made about $100 million. Without the digital distribution of these two movies, they would have made terrible profits and cost their companies a large amount of money. Through digital distribution, these movies along with movies such as Frozen 2, Birds of Prey, and The Hunt are now able to make as much as they would if theatres were open by charging around $20 on-demand or subscribing to a streaming service. 

When films are digitally distributed, it allows audiences to enjoy the movies they love and share them with others. Not only do audiences benefit, but institutions do too. Both the institutions who create the movie and stream the movie receive profit every time someone watches it. Through digital distribution, audiences and institutions coexist to benefit the film world in creating and distributing more movies as they earn profit from other movies.