Another Group Meeting?

 Another One?

Yes, another one! I am very glad we had another group meeting, as it was really helpful in fleshing out all of our ideas and making us feel more confident in what we have created thus far. In this group meeting, we discussed what we had completed for our film opening, how we planned on finalizing it, and our plans for our CCR. Do you want paragraphs explaining every group member's project? I hope you said yes, because you're going to get it!

(Michael is in the front bottom, Matias is behind towards the left, in the far left corner is Camila, Peyton is in the top right corner, and finally there's me on the right below Peyton)

 

As we gathered together, we went to find each other's blogs and look through them quickly to spot any issues with accessing each other's blogs and/or discussing the aesthetics of the blogs. Luckily, everyone was able to get onto everyone's blog, and there truly wasn't any major blog aesthetic issues either. In fact, I loved both Peyton's and Cami's blogs. Peyton had such an adorable background to her blog, and Cami had the best layout I have seen on anyone's blog. Unfortunately, Cami was unsure of how she got her blog the way it is, so I will have to figure out her mysterious ways on my own.

Technically, we discussed the CCRs next, but I want to discuss our openings first, so that is exactly what I will do!

Peyton, like everyone, has finished filming! Yay! Her issue was figuring out what to use to edit and how to edit. Michael, Matias, and I all encouraged her to use Premiere Pro and taught her to access it and use it, since Premiere Pro is the best editing software to use and free thanks to our school. She talked about the problems she ran into while filming and how she overcame them. For example, she and her partner were supposed to film in school, but a substitute didn't allow them to go out and film in class, so instead they had to film the scenes at home and change the story to fit the set change. 

Cami didn't have much to say. She was just happy with how her project was going, and I am very happy for her. Matias still needed to film one more scene, and Michael is also very happy with how his project is going.

Okay, I was expecting to talk longer about that... but that's okay! Onto the more important topic of discussion which was the CCR. Unfortunately for Peyton and Camila they were not present on the day that the directions for the CCR were fully explained. So Matias, Michael, and I did our best to explain all the details of the CCR and what they needed to do. We answered all the questions they had to the best of our ability and I sent my notes to them as well as my first CCR blog post in which I explained all the questions in great detail. With this help they were able to come up with an idea.

Peyton is thinking about doing a podcast for two of her CCRs and an interview type video for her other two. Michael is doing a "What do you do for a living?" influencer video. Matias is doing a director's input video. And I'm planning on doing an Oscar acceptance speech and a late night talk show. Hoping the best for all of us!

What I got most out of this group meeting was making a schedule for the last week and a half we have left to complete this project and enjoy our Spring Break. Both Peyton and I wanted to complete this project by Friday, March 21st, or if we must push it, March 22nd. So we looked at what the aspects of this project needed and decided on a great schedule to follow to reach that goal. 

Saturday, March 15th- Finish editing opening.

Sunday, March 16th- Be Done with CCR script

Tuesday, March 18th- Finish Filming 1st CCR Video

Thursday, March 20th- Finish Filming 2nd CCR Video

Friday, March 21st- Try to Finish Editing Both and Post Opening and CCRs

Saturday, March 22nd- Definitely be done by now.

I'm going to do my best to fully commit to this schedule and get everything done nicely and not have to stress during Spring Break with the looming deadline of March 25th. 

This group meeting made me feel like I am on track with good timing. I am more confident in my team and the film we've created. And with explaining the CCR in detail with my group I'm definitely more confident in what I'm creating for it.

First Steps into Creative Critical Reflection

Please Lee, Explain What a CCR Is!

Well if you insist! A Creative Critical Reflection, or CCR, is an overview done by yours truly of the entire process of my video product. I do this through two different media types, most likely a video that reflects on the production, responds to the questions, and expresses my personality! So, it needs to be reflective, responsive, and creative. 

The Power of Sound

 Foley!

Foley is the creation of sound effects for films/shows, videos, and other kinds of media. It's used to make the video feel more whole since the cameras don't capture the sounds as well as adding those sounds in! For our film opening, we intend on creating some specific sounds, and of course I'll show you that process, as well as add in sounds from helpful sites like Pixabay and Bulletproof Bear. 

As you may or may not remember, we are behind in filming, so the sound effects I can fully edit in will be for two short clips. You'll of course see a better, more extensive use of sound effects in future blog posts, but I am currently doing as much as I can now. 

What I Did!

There will be music over this, but there still needs to be background noise to make this opening feel whole, so even if the noise is so quiet you can barely hear it, I want it there. I watched my 16-second video over and over again and placed sound that I thought should be there or envisioned to be there until the scene felt complete! I used Pixabay for all sound effects within this scene. I didn't feel the need to create foley for this scene since I was able to easily find everything. But not to worry, because I still want to create foley!

Creating Foley

For the major scene we plan to film, I do have some sounds I can create now for future use! These sounds are the sound of drawing, the chair creaking, and Atticus falling. So, here's a short montage of me creating those sounds!

I'm excited to place these with the shots I'm seeing in my mind, as well as finding new sound effects to put in. It's kind of fun if you ask me! And as always, I'll keep y'all updated! 

First Steps of Editing

 Editing!!

I genuinely enjoy editing! It's one of my favorite parts of this whole production process! I enjoy acting too, but editing is where I feel my skills shine, and I hope to prove with the editing of this film opening. There isn't anything too crazy planned, most of it just being cuts to different angles and actions. That doesn't mean this role of editing should be taken lightly, since it is just as important as most of the factors of this production. So come with me, as I edit the few clips I have together to have a clear and consistent scene that fits into the time constraints.

(Screenshot was not working, I fear)

I'm currently editing Aurora's solo scenes, which isn't much, but I have to make sure to keep them short and sweet while including everything we want to. I will say, keeping things short is definitely my biggest struggle when I edit, so I am fearful of this, but as long as I make sure her scene is no more than 10 seconds we'll be fine! 

Well...

The video is 16 seconds instead of my hoped for 10 seconds (or less), but I did what felt right and natural, so I am not too upset. I will have to wait until I get all clips to see if it's much of an issue or not. For now, it's an alright time and it looks good so there is no huge outcry for this situation.

I know it isn't much, but it's all I can do right now! It's better to have this done than to add another "scene" on top of everything else I'd have to edit. The blog post for editing the big scenes is going to go insane!

The Rise and Fall of Production

 The Good News!

Sofia and Madison are back from STN! Our whole team is back, the equipment is here, and we are ready to get rocking on rolling to get back on track with our filming! 

 The Bad News!

Madison is sick, our lead actor can't film, and I can't film this weekend. Making us behind... AGAIN!

So What?

Sofia, Kenna, and I found a day and place we could film the scene with Aurora in her room after school. Sofia's house was perfect since her room had a window facing the street the same way my neighbor's house does. The plan for when we film at my house has Atticus looking longingly at his neighbor's house, which is Aurora! So filming in a different house in the perfect placement was, well, perfect! 

Sofia checked out a camera, we agreed at a time to meet up, gathered good props, and when the time came, met up and filmed! 

You don't want to read me yap about the process, you wanna see it! So here's our little vlog of creating the set of Aurora's room!

The story of this scene is simply Aurora getting ready to go out with her boyfriend Kai. Alongside that, we also filmed Auora's (my) reaction to Kai almost hitting Atticus with his car and leaving her room. 

We filmed multiple shots of me brushing my hair and putting my make-up on. Alongside that, we put some focus on the props we placed around to represent Aurora since she is a photographer who loves, and misses, her friends. We got a shot that would be Atticus's view of Aurora. Finally, we filmed Aurora seeing the commotion between Kai and Atticus, and running out to apologize and leave with Kai.

Here's some cool photos and videos of us filming!

This was a very successful session, but we still have a long way to go and not much time left. We plan on using the entirety of next week after school to film all that we need to! In the meantime, I'll start editing the clips we have as well as compile some foley. (subtle foreshadowing of the next blog posts)

The Comic!

 A Comic?

Yes, a comic! Our main character, Sam/Atticus, is seen drawing a comic through most of the opening. Why? Because it is his passion and a driving force for him throughout the movie, not just this simple opening. I was assigned to create this comic! A daunting task to be honest. It has to look good enough to appear like an artsy kid made it, but not too good it looks like a professional comic book artist drew it! I think I nailed it, however, I have yet to do line work on this comic. Why am I posting about unfinished work then? You'll see why (I'll explain in a few scrolls with pictures and videos!)

Shoutout to Kenna for making the comic booklet for me!

     

I don't know if you can tell, but I took full creative freedom with this comic. And I mean it was fully my idea on everything, besides the title (which truth be told I'm not a huge fan of and hope that we change). I want it to be changeable if my team doesn't like certain aspects or wants to take away or add to it. Does that increase the time of making the prop? Yes, and you know how worried I am about time, however, I know myself and my art! I know it'll be quick for me to do the line art of the pages and color the cover (the comic page remains colorless because it is the page Sam will be working on). It isn't perfect or even pretty, so I definitely want my team to see it in person and I can fix what they don't like in real time.

Now what am I trying to portray here? The comic is a projection of Sam's life. He is the main figure of the cover. He is also standing guard of a princess whom he based on Aurora. He guards here as he sends a magic spell that hits the dragon who is after the princess, which is supposed to represent Kai going after Aurora as Sam works to protect her. The page itself is representative of how Sam fell in love with Aurora through her beauty and also her kindness. He sees her kindly feeding a horse and immediately thinks she is the fairest of the land! Meanwhile, Sam sees Aurora striving to be a good person and falls in love with her because of it.

If I were to keep it how it is, Sam/Atticus would be colored in a dark blue and Aurora would be in light pinks. Kai, the dragon, would be green and black as well as huffing orange flames. The line art would be a little scribbly to show that Sam himself is a bit of a messy artist rather than a professional guide. Is this to make the drawing process a little easier for me? A little bit! But also because I genuinely think he would be a messy artist. I would add subtle foreshadowing in the background, like the dragon blowing his flames actually at Atticus on the cover to reference the fight they have. I'll show that the magic Atticus has on the cover does nothing while the dargaon's flames burn Atticus' robes, foreshadowing the physical fight that Kai easily wins against Sam, discussed by my group members a week or so ago! The comic would be colored very vividly, almost in a jarring way to show that Sam's fantasy is not a true reflection of his real world.

Time lapse of me making the cover

Time lapse of me making the comic page

Here you can see me looking through a few of my comics, and that is because I wanted a reference of good comic panels to replicate. Ones that fit the scene in my head that I imagined. So thank you IDW Sonic issue 1!

The page of inspiration 

Now, you may be thinking to yourself, "But Lee, why not show us after you make corrections to the comic?" And that is a valid question, but I wanted to show you guys my thought process, not just my group's. If I solely post after the corrections from my group, you only see the perspective of my group as a whole, and not my own perspective on the film and what the comic should convey. This comic is a big deal and really shows what I think of the story. I see Sam/Atticus as someone who wants to protect Aurora from her abuser, but is blinded by love to see she's stronger than he thinks. I tried to represent his blindness in the comic with her seeming to have a very passive role, hoping that contrast with how I'll play her within the scene.

Final Notes

I plan on showing the final product alongside a showing of all the props I collected or even made for the opening. The comic is important enough to have its own blog post, but to make another blog post for it seems a little much, don't you think? But don't you worry, I love talking so there will be a large paragraph or two or three underneath it discussing the final thoughts of the comic. This post was to show you my thought process behind making the comic since I was the one to make it, and to show that, although we are a great team, we are not a hive mind and have slightly different interpretations of our story. Yes, we are on the same page, but do have a few differing ideas and I wanted to focus on my ideas for this comic before tweaking it! Who knows, maybe my team will love it and not want to change a thing! Maybe they'll want to change everything. We'll see when the finally come back from STN!

Student Television and Me

 Question: What are we going to do?

That logo up there is the logo for Student Television Network, or STN. It is a place for high schoolers (and middle schoolers) to compete against one another with their TV production skills. Why is this important? Because Madison and Safia, two of my teammates, are away on a trip to this competition for a week! We are down half a team for a whole week, I fear. That's fine because Kenna and I can go film on our own together, right? Wrong! STN is huge for our school's television production club/class so most of its members go on this trip, and because of that, they take most of the equipment and don't allow the leftover students to check out any of the equipment after school. We need a T8 Cannon camera to film our scenes, but now have no way of getting it! Having our whole group allows for us to achieve our ambition, as well as the right equipment. This is rough, so the question is what are we going to do?

Answer: What are we going to do?

This STN trip is really testing my collaboration skills and resourcefulness. If we can't film, might as well continue preparing the stage for our opening. I've begun looking for costumes around my house for my character, Aurora.

I believe this outfit is perfect for Aurora, to fit that dulled grungy vibe we're searching for her. I don't care much about the shirt so I can follow this helpful guide to make it even duller if we want! Alongside that, I found good wizard costumes and hats we imagine Sam/Atticus on Amazon that I can try to buy by the time our teammates (and the actor, funny enough) come back from STN. Finally, a huge contribution to this project of mine, other than editing, is my art. I can make some background pieces that'll be claimed to be Sam's as well as use some of my past art and set it up in the office we will be filming in.

Concluding

There will always be a complication in a project. Some big, some small. Unfortunately, we did get the big complication of a week of stand-by. But there is always something I can do. There is something you can always do. There is something we all can do, even if small. So if all I can do is gather all of my old art and draw new art, that's what I'll do. If I work on costuming, I'll work on costuming. For now, I'll be scrolling through my old blog posts and writing ideas I have brought up and searching for a way to make them happen by the time we actually film.