Post-Production of my CCRs!

 Hello everyone! In this post, I will be sharing the post-production of two of my CCRs and all of the behind the scenes!

During the post-production stage of my CCRs, I focused on editing the footage to create the product for my responses. For one of my CCRs, I created an interview-style video where my friend Meliyah acted as the interviewer and asked me the third and fourth CCR questions. After filming the interview at her house, I looked at the footage and selected the best clips to use in the final video. I focused on making the interview flow smoothly by trimming unnecessary pauses. I also made sure the clips were arranged in a  order so tthe audience wouldn't get lost and would understand what they're seeing. 

Where I trim some footage since you could hear us planning how we want to film a certain shot:

The script for the interview:

For my second CCR, I created a director’s commentary video where I answered the first and second CCR questions while my film opening played at the same time just with no sound coming from it.  During post-production, I focused on synchronizing my commentary with specific moments in the opening scene. For example, I discussed important details at the same time as when the audience sees Ashers organized character. I also edited the audio by adding background sounds and adjusting the volume so the commentary could be heard clearly. 

Editing for the director commentary (inserting the audios):

Final reflection on my project :)

 Hello everyone! This week is the final week to work on our portfolio projects, and time flew by. It’s been a long process, and I’ve never worked on a class project for this long before. In this blog post, I will be sharing my final reflection on the project.

Overall, I’m happy with the final product that we created, and I’m glad I had my group members to work with throughout the process. We all shared our ideas about how we wanted to present our portfolio project, and it helped that we had similar ideas during production. For example, we agreed on how we wanted the lighting to look and the type of emotions we wanted the scenes to express.

If I were to do this project again, I would focus more on organization and planning. During the filming process, there were many interruptions that slowed us down, and I think better preparation could have prevented some of those issues. I also wish we had more clarity about what exactly we were filming before doing anything. Despite that, we used our storyboard to keep us organized and stable in where we were. Even though there were challenges, I still put in as much effort as I could.

Another thing I would change is the environment we chose for filming. I would have preferred a more realistic and controlled setting. For example, filming at the park right next to the road and near the playground was not the best location for a project like this because there were many distractions and background noise. What we did to try and get rid of the sounds to the best of our ability was by using adobe premiere and selecting a clip and trying to get rid of the background noise as best as possible. 

Lastly, I wish I had revised our script more. The dialogue did not always feel as natural as I wanted it to. I also realized that I don’t have much experience writing scripts, so in the future I would look at more examples before writing one myself. This project helped me realize the importance of studying examples and planning ahead when working on creative projects.

Overall, this experience taught me a lot about collaboration, planning, and the filmmaking process. Even though there were some challenges along the way, I’m proud of my group and the fact that we completed this project together. :)

Research and my script for my 4th CCR question!

 Hello everyone! Today I will be discussing the fourth CCR question for our portfolio project. I will be explaining how we intgrated different technoloiges thorughout our portfolio project :D

4th CCR Question: How did you integrate technologies- software, hardware, and online- in this project?

My script:

Throughout the process of creating our opening , technology played a major role in helping us plan certain things, edit, and share our project. From the equipment we had to use while filming to the software used during editing, everything helped us improve the overall quality of our production.

One of the most important technologies we used during the project was the editing software Adobe Premiere Pro. This program allowed us to organize our footage, clips, and change different aspects such as brightness and color. During the process, my group noticed that some of our footage appeared too bright and did not match the darker tone we wanted for our opening. Using Premiere Pro, we used different tints and brightness levels until we achieved a darker color grading that matched the suspenseful atmosphere we were aiming for. 

Another technology that helped us during the editing process was Canva. We used Canva to design our production logo in the beginning of our opening. I remember during class, we were testing out different fonts, and we were trying to find a way to make it more engaging to the audience than a regular production compnay. We did all of that on the application Canva. 

Hardware also played an important role in our production process. We used a camera to record our footage, which allowed us to get the different shots needed for our opening. Being able to film digitally and having a memory card meant we could review clips immediately in that moment and refilm certain scenes if something didn't look right.

As for research, we analyzed scenes from thriller films in order to understand how suspense and tension are created. For example, the film Nightcrawler uses dark lighting to create a tense and unsettling atmosphere. The way the film uses shadows  helps emphasize the mysterious and serious tone of the story. Seeing the techniques they used gave me an understanding of what the audience would see form their percpective.

Overall, technology was integrated into every stage of our project. From filming and editing to researching and usinf different digital tools helped us develop our production. Without these technologies, it would have been much more difficult to have the perfect footage. Technology eventually allowed us to transform our idea into a finished media product that reflects the skills we developed throughout this project.

Citations:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2872718/

https://www.plotexplained.com/movie/nightcrawler/info

Discussing my CCR production ideas!!

 Hello everyone! For this blog post I will be discussing my CCR production ideas based off of my portfolio project :D So I have to create two products that would answer 4 questions for the CCR just to give you an idea. 

For our CCR videos, we need to come up with a style or format on how we want to answer these questions. Since I was the director for the opening, I was thinking of doing a director commentary video :0 In this video, I wanted to  play pieces of our opening while pausing at important moments to explain the decisions behind certain shots. This would work because it allows the audience to see the exact scene that I am referring to while I explain it. During the commentary, I would talk about how our opening uses conventions of the thriller genre, such as darker lighting and specific camera angles that help create tension. 

For examples, I searched up on youtube and looked to see how other directors commented on the way they made decisions. One video I saw was Guillermo del Toro commenting on the movie "The shape of the water", and he explained how he wanted to show certain details to the audience, and explained why it was the best choice. That sort of commenting style is what I would want to go for. 

The commentary video I saw:

For my second CCR video, I plan to do a voiceover-style reflection. This video would be where my voice explains the ideas while visuals from our project appear on screen. I would include pieces from our opening, as well as screenshots from the editing process. This would allow me to explain how my production skills developed throughout the project and how different technologies were used during filming and editing. While my voice is explaining these ideas, the images in particular would help show examples of the work that was done.

Overall, these two different videos will allow me to answer the CCR questions in different but effectivly. The director commentary focuses more on explaining the creative decisions within the film itself, while the voiceover reflection focuses more on the process and what was learned during the project. I believe that these two different styles of a video will clearly demonstrate the important aspects of our portfolio project .

Research and script for the 3rd question of the CCR!

 Hello everyone, today I will be researching and providing the script for the 3rd question of the CCR!

The 3rd question for the CCR: How did your production skills develop throughout this project?

Throughout the production process, my skills developed in several ways. Our project came with some problems that we had to learn how to solve in the moment. For example, as the director of the opening, there were times when things we planned couldn't be done because of environmental reasons. Sounds like cars passing by, kids playing by the park, or airplanes flying above us; these were things we couldn't control. Because of this, I had to learn how to think quickly and come up with alternative solutions so that we could continue filming. For example, we had to take breaks in order for this sounds to just pass on by, and we did it as much as we could. This experience helped me understand that plans do not always go exactly the way we want them to, but there is always a solution :D

Another skill that was developed during this process was learning how to create the right atmosphere for our genre. Since our opening is meant to have a disturbing and suspenseful tone, I focused a lot on the setting and the small details that could help achieve this exact feeling. When we were filming inside Asher’s home, we specifically tried to make the environment feel unsettling. I saw that the lighting was too dark to see Brennan, but I wanted to add some sort of lighting that would highlight the creepiness of Asher's room.  This involved paying attention to things such as lighting and camera angles so that the audience could feel the tension we wanted to create.

In addition, my teamwork and collaboration skills improved throughout the project. Film production requires constant communication between group members. For example, Brennan did most of the editing for our opening. However, he would regularly ask the rest of us for feedback on what changes should be made. We would discuss ideas and suggest certain changes, and then those suggestions could be added to the project. This showed how important communication and cooperation are when working as a team, because everyone’s input helped improve the final result :D

My script:

For the third CCR question, which asks how my production skills developed throughout this project, I would say that my skills mainly improved in problem-solving, creating atmosphere, and teamwork. At the beginning of the filming process, I understood what needed to be done through research and more research ;) However, during the production of our opening, I had to apply those skills in a real filming environment.

One way my skills developed was through problem-solving during production. As the director of the opening, there were times when things we planned could not be done because of environmental factors or unexpected issues during filming. These were things that were outside of our control. Because of this, I had to think quickly and come up with alternative solutions so that we could continue filming and stay productive. This experience helped me learn that filmmaking requires flexibility.

I also developed my understanding of how to create atmosphere. Since our opening is meant to feel disturbing and suspenseful, we focused on details such as lighting, framing, and the setting inside Asher’s home to help create that unsettling mood for the audience which we aimed for :D

Finally, my teamwork skills improved throughout the project. Brennan worked on most of the editing using Adobe Premiere, but he regularly asked for feedback from the group. We discussed ideas together and communicated about changes that could improve the opening. Overall, this project helped me better understand the collaborative process behind film production.

Research & Script on the second question for the CCR

 Hello everyone! Today I will provide research for the second CCR question and elaborate more on how it connects with our portfolio project!

The 2nd CCR Question: How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text? 

My script:

Our product engages with audiences through psychological tension built from small actions than obvious ones. One of the main ways we do this is with character development. We introduce Asher as highly organized, academically serious, and disciplined. By presenting him as structured and controlled at the beginning, we create curiosity. Curiosity for finding out the deeper meaning, if that makes sense. This sense of uncertainty helps keeps viewers mentally engaged because they are actively watching his behavior while watching our opening. 

(this is part of the research not the script) Camera work also plays an important role in engagement. We used steady shots when Asher is outside with Austin to show the naturalness of the atmosphere. However, once Asher is alone at his house , the framing becomes more isolating, and is also filmed with handheld shots specifically. This visual builds psychological tension without directly stating it. This technique is similar to how isolation  can look in the movie "Se7en" , where characters are often framed in ways that emphasize psychological space. 

Continuation of my script:

Facial expressions and body language help further engage with the audience. Asher’s serious personality and limited emotional expression create a sense of mystery. Because he does not reveal what his intentions are, viewers are forced to interpret his behavior ,which keeps them mentally involved in the story.

Additionally, our title card design reinforces genre expectations. The clean but serious font and minimal design create a thriller-like tone from the very start. This shows the audience that they are entering a psychological thriller story rather than a casual drama.

In terms of distribution, our project would most realistically be distributed through digital platforms such as YouTube, where short thriller openings like ours are viewed . Because our target audience is primarily teenagers and young adults, social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram would be effective for releasing teaser clips, trailers, and behind-the-scenes content. Distributing it in teaser clips could also help build the anticipation beforehand. Not only this, but we could also submit it to movie festivals that help first time creators! Film festivals like Sundance is a big example. This can help show our credibility and help us gain more recognition as a production company.   :D

These are my citations: 

https://www.sundance.org/

https://stillslab.com/gallery/se7en

Research on the first question of the CCR!

 Hello everyone!! Not too long ago our class had just learned about the 4 questions for the CCR video. Today I will be providing you all with research and elaborate how our portfolio project corresponds with the first one! :D

Throughout the production of our portfolio project, we’ve made several choices while also putting a lot of research in our genre. By analyzing the suspense/thriller category, we were able to understand the  conventions that are used and how they’re relatable in films overall. When we analyzed different suspense and thriller films, we noticed that the common conventions they all use are things like lighting, music, camera angles, and even how characters are shown. 

The first question for the CCR is: How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?

Now, our project uses conventions from these thriller movies that I've mentioned before in my previous blog posts,  like "The Silence of the Lambs" and "American Psycho". In The Silence of the Lambs, the use of close-up shots during the dialogue makes the audience feel uncomfortable because it feels up close and  personal. We used a similar technique in our opening by incorporating close-ups of our main character to emphasize emotion and tension. It makes the audience really focus on that moment specifically, which help builds the psychological suspense.

In American Psycho, the lighting plays a huge role in creating uneasiness. The film doesn’t always rely on dim lighting or dark lighting, instead, the lighting is normal, but the mood feels off because of the character’s behavior. We were inspired by this idea when deciding how to present our character Asher. Instead of immediately showing something dramatic, we focused on subtle movements to make the audience question what’s really going on. :0

Both films also build suspense through pacing. They don’t rush into chaos like the usual thriller movies. Instead, they slowly develop tension. We tried to follow that same strategy in our project by keeping the beginning more calm and allowing the suspense to gradually increase. This challenges the stereotype that thrillers always need loud music or jump scares. Instead, like the films we researched in these movie examples above, we focused on the psychological tension .

By using these conventions intentionally, our project fits within the suspense/thriller genre. However, we also represent social issues like isolation and pressure in a way that feels relatable to modern audiences when it comes to academic studies or being taken advantage of. 

These are my citations :D

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Silence_of_the_Lambs_%28film%29

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102926/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0144084/