Filming Part 1 Blog #12

The day has arrived to finally begin filming the 2-minute project film opening! FINALLY! 

At 10:30 am, Camila, Sienna Morel (Actress), and I met at our designated gas station filming location. Unfortunately, we couldn't film for legal and corporate reasons and had to redirect and decide a new filming location. Instead of arriving in panic mode, which is a common occurrence, I proposed to film at 7-Eleven. Thank god, after asking the man at the cashier, we were given permission to shoot footage outside the 7-Eleven, amongst the store isles, and inside the isles. For precaution, my partner and I thought it best to over record, and collect a variety of videos to later select the best and reduce the chances of having to reshoot after editing.  Starting exterior, we captured a long shot of the gas station as a title slide for introduction, and then the character walks into the store with a variation of close-up door handle shots, medium, and long shots. Inside the gas station store, we recorded the character making her way up, down, and around the corner, in between the isles from behind and in front. 

Following, although there were visions that were unsuccessfully executed, my partner and I found solutions and different perspectives. For example, in the bathroom scene, we had previously planned to cut the character's hair and dye it, however, due to limited time and achieving clear performance, we were resolute on converting her transformation by utilizing a wig and making it a prop or physical feature in the film. Although we had brought scissors, shampoo, and flour to complete the hair dye mix, and a towel for drying, my partner and I were still unsure how to avoid a fake look and make it the most realistic as possible. We shot the makeup and outfit transformation scene with a divergence of closeups, mid shots, over-the-shoulder shots, etc. To make the scene more interpersonal and isolated, we shot the character from behind, looking at herself in the mirror. We aim to gather these clips and shorten then to make a faster pace rhythm in the film opening, and ensure there's sufficient time for the following scene. In case of poor or limited timing, we created two endings for the 2-minute film opening. We filmed the character leaving the gas station, throwing the heart necklace into the bushes. Then we shot getting into a car and driving away, throwing the necklace from the window. There was nothing more stressful than this moment. Every time we went to start recording and moving the car, it felt like every person who existed decided to race the car and drive down the road. A true struggle. When the necklace was thrown out of the window, we had to immediately stop the car and run to pick it up from the ground. A true anxious moment, but ultimately, a success!

The next step is to begin filming the funeral scene and the voice-over. Most likely, the filming and recording will take place over the weekend to begin editing next week and remain on track with our planned schedule. Everything seems to be in control and effectiveness is in execution. Here are some photos to laugh at!

Filming Schedule #11

Unfortunately, although my partner and I planned to begin filming during the weekend and avoid recording during the week due to school hours, our props aren't arriving on time. Luckily, tomorrow, Wednesday, March 6th, there is no school! It is the perfect opportunity for my partner and I to begin filming part of our 2 minute film opening. Its the real deal!

We will meet up tomorrow at our designated gas station recording location with our actress, Sienna Morel, to start filming the identity transformation process. I will bring the wig, a towel, sunglass, hat, the change of clothes (consists of baggy jeans, white tank top and sneakers), the heart necklace, hair pony tail extension, and makeup. Camila, my partner will bring scissors, a tote bag, conditioner and flour/starch to create the hair dye mix, and additional makeup. In order to create the illusion of the character cutting her hair, we will utilize and fake hair extension instead of cutting away the actresses real hair. Sienna will walk into the shooting with her mi-se-scene prepared. She will be wearing a sundress, light makeup, and pink heels. We will shot outside long shots of the gas station, tracking shots walking between the isles of the shop, and transformation scene inside the bathroom. My partner and I plan to over shoot just to make sure there is enough content in case some don't turn out the best. 

Today, I will take a photograph of the actress is her regular day to day life wearing the heart necklace. This picture will be captured in the photo frame during the funeral scene. I will send the photo to my partner where she will print it out and place it inside the frame and write out the characters name, date of birth, and date of passing.

Definitely this weekend, whether Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, the team will rejoin at someone's house to begin filming the funeral scene. We will shoot outside and inside to determine and finalize preferred lighting. For the funeral scene we will need a male actors hands to carry the bible and rosery, a table to place all the arrangements, fake flowers, the picture frame, and a vase in replacement of an urn, 

Mi-Se-Scene + Locations #10

Original Outfit: Brunet hair color, Wearing heels, Summer dress, light makeup, heart necklace, carrying a handbag

New outfit: Blonde wig, baggy jeans, white tank top, darken eyes and lips makeup, sunglasses, sneakers, heart necklace, handbag

Creating grave stone for the funeral scene: use a vase as an urn, fake flowers, picture frame + picture of actress "in previous look", grave stone (made of Styrofoam colored in grey with name writing over it) bible, cross necklace, rosery in hand, priest outfit (black button up, white collar made out of paper, black pants, possibly white table cloth to make robe)

Narrowing down to the smallest details, my partner and I began electing detailed mi-se-scene elements, including props, costume design, colors. Starting with the main costume

Group meeting #9

Assembled into groups, today’s class consisted of collaborative reflection, pausing, listening and providing constructive criticism and feedback. Joining into groups of 5, each student shared their progress thus far into the project. Although some more advanced than others, there remained a general competition of a storyboarding and thorough analysis and research on selected genre and additional film opening. Each member discussing their 2 minute film opening plot, our group maintained super engaged and attracted to the stories being shared. 

One of the group members decided to create their plot based on a serial killer stalking friends leaving a party. The rest of the group recommended to redirect and re-navigate the plot towards avoiding the act of stalking and murdering to only highlight elements and details of such a psychotic persona. Additionally, creating a party environment is challenging due to gathering an excessive quantity of people and precise scheduling, therefore we encouraged a minimal and simpler route where three friends are presented leaving a party shot exterior from the house. Another students requested ideas and topics to discuss on his updating blogs. The group advised blog post researching additional film openings, themes, colors, fonts for titles, and a deep analysis on proceeding through storyboarding and screenplay writing. We encouraged to write both the successes and failures encountered. 

Outlining the plot of my personal 2 minute film opening, the group collaboratively encouraged and recommended to shorten or eliminate certain scenes and details of the story. Possibly removing the escaping car scene and reducing the female character entering her car, or simply throwing away the heart necklace into the trash bin, such a complex plot would successfully be narrowed down. Arriving to an agreement that we had many ideas and directions for creating a plot, however, emphasising the importance organized our ambitions within structured and realistic boundaries. I shared my concerns about editing and the group agreed and approved I begin filming this weekend to established and set enough time and energy to carefully completing the editing. Sharing my screenplay writing, they enjoyed reading the voiceover dialogue. 

Screenplay #8

Putting our thoughts into words, we create the written screenplay with a quick description of the actions conceding with the verbal narration. The 2 minute film opening doesn’t involve any interaction between characters, therefore the signal screenplay writing involved is dialogue from a voice over narrated from the perspective of the main female character. 

This is a draft of the dialogue. The characters name must be written in all capital letters and the dialogue or monologue recited by the character remain in the middle aligned structure of the page. The actions presented are located and organised on the left margin of the page. I am aware the actions aren’t clearly presented throughout the plot of the dialogue, however my partner and I are unfamiliar and uncertain how the outline and timing with correlate between the speech and follow through of physical actions. 

My partner and I designed a dialogue that drive deep the characters mind and indulges its profound and appalling thoughts. The character rejects her own self visually meanwhile rejecting the bullying comments later realized shared by friends and family she once believe truely loved her. Sharing the true thoughts and verbal passive aggression of others, the character shines light on her possible honest self, for once! 

Storyboarding #7

My partner and I designed the main storyline of our narrative. Throughout the last few previous brainstorming classes, today we outlined a more precise course of action utilizing a storyboard. My partner and I divided our planning outline into various scenes with a visual and descriptive approach. (Although we created a direct sequence, my partner and I will most likely organize and change our path during the filming process. For example, this includes scenes from how to shoot the funeral, types of shots capturing the getting ready scene, etc. We are mapping these sequences to determine which shots would work best together and which would work best together and which would best advance the plot.

We are arranging out shots in a manner that is effective and visually appealing, and the planning is simply assisting us in thinking through the specifics that will go into creating a slightly more focused opening. My partner and I noticed the possibility of running into a slight problem durning the “changing identity scene”. We understood we couldn’t reasonably dye our actors hair, so we figure a practical solution. To provide the effect of a bleach dye, we will mix conditioner with either flour or starch to create a paint like consistency. Additionally, capturing a realistic setting of a funeral is not easy task. Therefore, we will arrange a collection of close up shots to enhance the elements of a funeral. For example, instead of utilizing a casket, we will positions an urn surrounded by flowers and a picture frame to signify and represent the occasion. 

In order to create the illusion of dyed hair, my partner and I will purchase a blonde wig and capture a transition from previous hair to results of bleaching. Durning the identity transformation, we are still considering whether to record a voice over accompanying the theme and content of the plot, triggering curiosity through a poetic monologue. 

STORYBOARDING:

Titles, Fonts, and Colors #6

Brains to work because today we brainstormed several title ideas for the film opening. Receiving the first impression, the movie title must pique interest, set the tone, and hint at the genre. A memorable title becomes a part of the film industry, standing out in a crowded market. For example, "Star Wars" and "Lord of the Rings" remain instantly recognizable and have immersed cultural weight. Additionally,  titles serve artistic expressions, whether witty, metaphorical, cryptic, etc., thus reflecting the themes and creative vision.  Nevertheless, quite the challenge. Taking details, symbols, and elements from the mi-se-scene, character identity, and context of the plot, my partner and I formulated several examples:

- heart-fled ("Heart" from the necklace the female character carries around the neck and "fled" due to plot description of parting from her home and town. Leaving her past, her heart flees in search of something new to fulfill the vacancy)

- Golden escape ("Golden" references the color of the necklace worn by the actress and thrown away at the end and "escape" correlates to the act of vanishing her home, breaking free to the world beyond.)

- cut and run (Cutting her past to run for a better place)

Poster Grind Article, "Top 7 Fonts Used in Drama Movie Posters" mentions how drama is a form of fiction that prioritizes and revolves a serious tone to portray difficult and controversial subjects. Dramatic stories rather than science fiction or action movies tend to be more unique and complex. Depending on the context of the film, whether a drama about seeking oneself an earning a happy ending or doom to sad conclusions, understanding the messages of the film is essential to selecting the perfect font. Fonts with bold and thick shapes is commonly utilized. Angles and structures, whether straight or curved mirror the context of the movie. For example, "Daisy Jones and the Six" is illustrated in bolded, curved, and spiraled font referring to the 70s aesthetic and hippy atmosphere presented in the series. In contrast, the film "Pulp Fiction" remains bolded however with straight lines, resembling to a comic or cartoon font style. Going on Canva, my partner and I began testing out several font options resonating with both the plot description and thorough research conducted. 

   

Colors:

No Film School published an article, “The Psychology of Color in Film”. - The deliberate use of color to elicit particular emotional and psychological reactions from viewers is known as “color psychology” in films and television shows. Color selection improves narrative, fleshes out the character, and creates engrossing environments. Every hue has unique meanings and associations that affect how the observer perceives and feels. Color evokes strong feelings and tales in the audiences by appealing to their subconscious. 

RED - anger, passion, rage, desire, excitement, energy, speed, strength, power, heat, love, aggression, danger, fire, blood, war, violence

PINK - love, innocence, healthy, happy, content, romantic, charming, playfulness, soft, delicate, feminine

YELLOW - wisdom, knowledge, relaxation, joy, happiness, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, dishonesty, cowardice, betrayal, jealousy, covetousness, deceit, illness, hazard

ORANGE - humor, energy, balance, warmth, enthusiasm, vibrant, expansive, flamboyant

GREEN - healing, soothing, perseverance, tenacity, self-awareness, proud, unchanging nature, environment, healthy, good luck, renewal, youth, vigor, spring, generosity, fertility, jealousy, inexperience, envy

BLUE - faith, spirituality, contentment, loyalty, fulfillment peace, tranquility, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, sky, water, cold, technology, depression

PURPLE/VIOLET - erotic, royalty, nobility, spirituality, ceremony, mysterious, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, cruelty, arrogance, mourning, power, sensitive, intimacy

BROWN - materialistic, sensation, earth, home, outdoors, reliability, comfort, endurance, stability, simplicity

BLACK - No, power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, fear, anonymity, unhappiness, depth, style, evil, sadness, remorse, anger

BROWN - materialistic, sensation, earth, home, outdoors, reliability, comfort, endurance, stability, simplicity

BLACK - No, power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, fear, anonymity, unhappiness, depth, style, evil, sadness, remorse, anger

WHITE - Yes, protection, love, reverence, purity, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, precision, innocence, youth, birth, winter, snow, good, sterility, marriage (Western cultures), death (Eastern cultures), cold, clinical, sterile

SILVER - riches, glamorous, distinguished, earthy, natural, sleek, elegant, high-tech

GOLD - precious, riches, extravagance warm, wealth, prosperity, grandeur

Examples:

- Great Gatsby: Vibrant and rich colors are used to convey the grandeur of the Roaring Twenties. Lively greens and golds accentuate the opulence of the time, while darker blues and grays reflect the overarching themes of excess and disillusionment.

- Shindlers List: The red coat worn by the young girl stands out dramatically, even though the majority of the film is in black and white. This draws attention to the suffering amid the gloom and acts as a potent visual device.