Editing

I have spent the last two days filming and although I am still missing content I thought i could get started with editing. I realized several problems with my initial long shot. The main one being timing. I was taking either too long or I passing through the objects and room too quickly. I have made couple edits that, in my opinion (along with several opinions from my friends), are effortless. However, I do recognize one that is really rough to the eye and I have tried everything to try fixing the edit. I have tried using a Ken Burn crop, speeding up the video, slowing it down, and even blurring and playing with the color. So once again I'll have to shoot it all over and take all these challenges into account and make one good final master shot. I haven't inserted sound into any of it yet, but I'l' continue shooting and editing. I am hoping to be completely done shooting and editing by Sunday latest. Below are some images on my edited work. Enjoy and see you soon!

Suited Up

Like I told you guys, the storyboard to my new idea is just below this message. The image was made large in order to be seen cleaI made some detailed notes on there regarding my timing and what I want my camera movement to be like. I also included some expressions and a couple movements that I am not entirely sure of.
I will also be shooting today with my actors. Hopefully I will finish filming entirely today and just in case I have another shooting day scheduled for tomorrow.
If you have any questions please feel free to comment below.

Additionally, I came up with the script for the dialogue between Salvador and his mother (yet to be named). It is quick and brief but gives you an insight on both of them. It goes like this:

Mother: Salvador, that's enough. The school called again and you can't be skipping class and lunch just to look for this Holy Crayon of yours. I get your urges and I love your need for adventure but its affecting your grades. Just wait a couple more years and I promise I'll take you on one of my expeditions.

Salvador: Ok, yea, yea but you gotta see what I found out about the Holy Crayon today.

Mother: Can it wait til tomorrow morning? I have a call coming in soon that I have ---- (phone rings)

Salvador: Alright, I love you.

Mother: (While answering the phone) Yea goodnight Salva. Hello, yes Dr. ToBeDetermined, give me a sec. Goodnight and go to bed now.

"Dialogue."Elements of Cinema. Oct. 2009, http://www.elementsofcinema.com/screenwriting/dialogue.html. Accessed27 March 2017.

Plan B and Solutions

So after reviewing carefully the recorded material and understanding some of my challenges, I realized I really need to kick into second gear if I want this project done, well, on time. So I realized that 2 minutes is too short for the content and technique I wanted to shoot with but I really want to stick with my storyline. So I am making a small edit to the story line it will allow me to cram the information I thought of including at first. The change would come at the beginning and how the character is introduced. A long shot would be taken to capture the room in a quick sweep and then the character would walk in through the door. Hi face would be cut off to create curiosity. However, before entering the room a discussion would be held outside between the mom and the boy explaining that he can't be running of on adventures to find the Holy Crayon during his recess in school. She also explains that he need to go to bed immediately and he can't stay up reading books any longer. He agree and thats when the character joins us. As he walks in the camera catches everything except his face. He slightly shuts the door, lays down, and shuts the lights off. The camera then drifts off out into the hall and picks up on the mother activities in the office. We hear and see her looking at maps and journals and explaining that she'll be on the "Cambodia Trip". The door then closes and the screen blacks out. We cut back into the room where we still hear a slight murmur coming from the office. The boy then turns over and we can only see his silhouette. The boy makes sure the mom isn't walking about and turns his television on. The characteristic Indiana Jones theme songs comes on from the television and the camera pans around the boy, finally revealing his face with a somewhat adventurous smirk. As you can see many of the same elements are kept while be more dynamic than the previous clip add. I also believe more information is given or displayed by following this storyline. I will be shooting tomorrow and Wednesday in hopes of capturing everything and putting it together before Friday. Additionally, I will be filming in the early afternoon 2-4 PM in order to be able to capture the silhouettes I am looking for. I will be posting production process images and some reflections on my challenges overcome and the some new ones that might emerge (hopefully none will). See you guys tomorrow.
A finished storyboard for my new idea will be added in tomorrow's post.

Shooting For The First Time

What's up guys? Yesterday was the first day of shooting and it went super well. But as usual, I faced some challenges. The first one being the lighting. Thanks to daylight saving the sundown goes down later which is something so basic that I forgot to think about. So with some handy tape and paper I was able to block out the light and create the idea that it was night (and yes I had permission from my parents to get up on the roof). By doing so I've allowed myself to be able to film at any time of the day. I also played with the lighting within the room in order to be able to catch some movements and the silhouettes. It worked out nicely as you can see in the images/clips below. 

Another challenge is the fact that I finally realized how short 2 minutes actually is. So later tonight or tomorrow I will be revising my plan for the two minutes and coordinating with Daniel again to work things out. I have been thinking bout possibly dropping the master shot idea and pick up a quicker edit type of film. By doing that I will be able to capture all the artifacts and the props that imply adventure without taking too much time. But for now enjoy the clips and images. I will get back to you guys tomorrow latest with what my new plan might be.

Let The Challenges Begin

Hey guys, so bad news. I was suppose to begin filming today with my actor, Daniel, and my mom, Luisa. However, a forgotten family event led my actor to the first day of shooting. It's a bummer and puts me behind a full day unfortunately. On the bright side, I was able to confirm (and I made him pinky promise) that tomorrow he will be at my shooting location an hour before sunset. I sent him some of his lines and actions he has do but I'm not to worried about him learning the,. An hour, prior to shooting will get him shape.

Additionally and given the circumstances, I went ahead and started walking her through some of her lines and the thoughts I had on the camera movement and so on. She provided several tips on a couple of subject that I thought were interesting but we'll have to see how they unfold tomorrow. We had our fun and laughs, some  For now enjoy the pictures!!

 Also, I picked up a new prop (as if I didn't have enough). All jokes aside though, I think the map is perfect as its big enough to be seen and give off the adventurous vibe, without standing out too much and dragging attention away from our beloved character.

 In regards to the character's name, I came down to the decision that I want his name to be Salvador. The name is unique and will be become somewhat of a trademark for our little fellow. However, his last name is still in the works.

Also, I want to play with the lighting tomorrow as I do not want Salvador's face revealed until the very end of his "adventure" downstairs. Some lowkey lighting and planned camera movements can easily make that dream come true.

Tomorrow I will be posting a couples of videos/articles relating to lighting techniques and camera movements to create the shots I want. So stay tuned and be ready for the first official SHOOTING DAY!!!!See you guys.

Setting and Actor Set

Good news guys!! My actor, Daniel Gaviria, confirmed late last night and said he is available all week and the following. I am asking him to come over tomorrow and rehearse all his movements so we can have a good shoot Friday night. I chose him as the actor because he fits the the actors characteristics and he is the brother of a close friend, which allows me certain flexibility.

While waiting for Daniel to confirm, I took time throughout the past 3 days to set up his room and create the overwhelming sense of adventure. Although it isn't the final set up, all that is missing is a painting of a world map and possibly another painting or poster. As you can see I am posting the images in an almost chronological order in order for you to get a feel for the artifacts and hints spread throughout our actor's journey. I have had some challenges placing the objects in a manner so that the camera can capture them without losing the main character's movements and gestures.

Moreover, I have been thinking about different and interesting camera techniques and movemetns in order to keep up with Daniel's quick and sneaky movements on his adventure. Later today I will be adding some more of my storyboard. Please feel free to comment on the images and on the challenges I am facing. 

See you guys soon and sorry to leave you guys on a cliff hanger, more storyboard coming soon! Keep refreshing and enjoy the pictures.

                  

                  

                      

Storyboarding

So I am still waiting on conformation for my actor but he would fit the role perfectly considering he fits the age range and he has certain charisma that I think would add another side to my character. The character's name is yet to be decided so bear with me for now and let's call him "Indi" just for the fun of it. Also, my mom agreed to help out as the Indi's mom. Due to the fact that she is mom, it'll make it easier for me to film her as she is always willing to help and we live under the same roof. She also says she's a fantastic actor, but we'll have to see how that goes because you know how moms are.

I looked into storyboard making online and across a website Storyboard That. Although I found the website pretty helpful with designs and organization, I found myself being very inefficient as I spent too much time looking for the perfect image of the room I'm using. Rather than spending time looking for the perfect image I resorted to a classic, pen and paper. I turned out to be a lot easier and quicker. Definitely check out Storyboard That and try it out. I prefer my pen and my hand as it allows me certain freedoms that the app doesn't. Below you will find the first 6 shots of my storyboard. The image has a smal caption below them giving you an idea of the camera movement and the actions happening. Additionally, I was able to get good drawing and dimensions in according to the room I am working with (an image can be found on my previous post just in case you missed it). I will be adding to storyboard today and hopefully have it done by tomorrow. In the mean time I will be posting other shots of storyboard to keep you guys informed as always. Hopefully I will be able to post a picture of my awesome actor by the end of the day and reveal the much anticipated Indi. Additionally, I hope to start filming!!!!See you guys soon!!


StoryBoard That. Digital image. Storyboardthat.com. Clever Prototypes, LLC, n.d. Web. <https://www.storyboardthat.com/storyboards/luciepottecher/film>. 

Location, Props, Props, and Some More Props

Hey there guys! I decided to shoot my film at my house as it has the modern and present day feel I am looking for with some good props already placed in. Additionally, it doesn't have any tight areas making shooting and my master shot easier to do. Also, a picture below will give you an idea of what the room is like and how my shooting can be done. I will also be posting some storyboard images and I will be unveiling my kid actor so take a look tomorrow.

So after proposing my plot to you guys I decided to go on a little journey of my own. I started looking for props all over to give the house and my actor's room the most adventure-like feel possible. I found books and a globe that could help establish this idea and further advance the character's personality. I also found some artifacts at home that could be captured in the frame to really add the touch of history and treasurer hunting that the mom is involved in. I also went to a couple of my friends house and picked up a few neat pieces. I will be looking for posters and images that I can print and frame quickly and cheaply in order to establish the rich history of traveling and treasure hunting that the family has part taken in.

These are some South American artifacts that are at my house (the location of my film). They serve as awesome props as they are already in place for the filming going on downstairs.

The bottom right are many artifacts i plan to place in the actor's room and throughout his "adventure" for his late night snack. There are several and it'll be interesting to find out where to place them.

As the filming process progresses I hope to continue adding artifacts and props to my collection. I will be checking out some cool thrift shops in Fort Lauderdale in the hopes of finding other objects. If you have any recommendations, feel free to comment.

We Have a Storyline and a Plan!!!

So I have spent the week brainstorming. All sorts of ideas that I could follow to open my adventure film have been looked at. So the first step of brainstorming (and probably the funnest) was looking into movie openings and the endless objectives one can accomplish in simply the opening. After sifting through about 2000000 objectives I came down to the decision that I want to use my 2 minutes of film opening building my character. Considering my genre is adventure and since the characteristics associated with character development were already researched in my previous post, I thought this was the best way to commence my film. I watched a couple videos, the best being below, that gave me insight and tricks to really develop a character in the mere opening of a film. The video addressed aspects such as camera movement, shots, challenges, dialogue, and other various techniques that have clarified what I have to do to build a strong character.

As I watched the videos having to do with introductions in film and what not, I drifted. Yes I did, and its only reasonable because, well you know, YouTube can possess its viewers into losing track of time and staring into a screen. However, it turned out oddly beneficial. I ran into the same YouTuber from the video above but it was about the best long taste ever filmed. As I watch the video I was attracted to the feel, texture, and content that a long shot is able to provide. So thanks to this video I got the idea of approaching my film opening through a long take to really provide the short amount of time with the most information possible. Take a look at some of this extraordinary master shots and enjoy CineFix's awesome and extremely up-to-date YouTube channel. Similar to the previous video, CineFix provide in depth information on how these takes were done and how they provide the scene with tons of elements such as movement, mise-en-scene, establishing setting and situation, and the list goes. 

So now for the fun part, the STORYLINE. So the scene will start off with a mother reading an adventure novel to a young boy (between the ages of 10-12) that seems to have fallen asleep. Little importance is given to the woman but as the camera inches backwards and pans we understand the love for adventure evident through the posters and props. The boy looks over his shoulder and to check if lights are out and then grabs the controller to press play on the DVD player. A movie begins to play and we can see it is Indian Jones. The boy then gets up, without his face being revealed yet, and walks out of the room slowly inching through a series of "challenges" to get to the kitchen for his midnight snack. As he's on his own journey he passes by his mothers room and overhears a conversation between his mom and someone on the phone. The dialogue reveals that she is a treasure hunter but the boy doesn't pay to much attention to it. He continues through the series of "challenges" and finally makes it to the kitchen. As he reaches into the fridge, the lights turn on and his mother is there. She tells him he's got a lot to learn and its time. The boys face is finally revealed and seems eager to learn. 

I'm looking to have an environment that is clearly present day (by the appliances and home arrangement) but there is a clear love for history and its treasures. As the young boy faces his "challenges" on his journey to the kitchen there will be props spread out that hint at treasure hunting and adventures, such as pictures and journals. Keep in mind I am looking to film the majority in one master shot so there will be challenges but that is part of the learning curve.

I will be posting some story board drawings soon and addressing shooting schedules and all those other procedures. Stay tuned!!!!

Planning and Scheduling

Hi and bye guys! 

I'm rushing to finish all my homework today to see if I can finally publish my storyline for my film opening. For now, I'll be posting a schedule for the project. This was I will be able to stay on task and also keep you guys up-to-date with what is happening and when it's happening. 

Film Opening Schedule

Week 1 (3/6 - 3/12)

• 3 Postings
• Research on: Genres, character elements, and audience perception

Week 2 (3/13 - 3/19)

• 3 Postings
• Storyline (In the works and need some more research)
• Storyboard and planning
• Shooting schedule and preparations such as location, actor or actors (depending on storyline), equipment, etc.

Week 3 (3/20 - 3/26)

• 3 Postings
• Finalize film preparations and start filming
• Production updates such as challenges and successes 
• Updates in regard to changes in ideas and explanations for those changes

Week 4 (3/27 - 4/2)

• 3 Postings
• Further research 
• Finalize filming
• Reflections on filming process and key moments
• Begin visual and sound editing

Week 5 (4/3 - 4/7)

• 3 Postings
• Continue working on editing and sound aspects/elements
• Final touches
• Begin Creative Critical Research 

Week 6 (4/9)

• Finish Creative Critical Research 
• Final project on blog: link and publication

Research on Genre, Audiences Perception, and Characters

Hey guys! As suggested in my previous post, I would be looking into how the genre in perceived by audiences and how that would relate to other aspects of the film, mainly the character for this post. So I started my search to compare female viewership of adventure films compared to male vierwership. The task turned out to be more complicated and difficult then thought of, but thankfully I found that on AMC Filmsite, the article "Adventure Films Part 1" states that the genre has similar aspects in both the filming and writing process to action films. Based on this statement I looked into how each gender (male and female) receive different genres and found it exciting to see that both males and females enjoy action films. Actually, at least 60% of the women and men surveyed said that action was their favorite genre. This further pushed my adventure genre idea to be the genre to follow. So based on the characteristics of adventure films and how it is received by audiences I feel comfortable coming down to the decision the adventure will be the genre I follow.

With this in mind I have been thinking a lot about the main character that adventure films rely on so heavily. As I told you before I watched the Indian Jones Trilogy and really studied the main character and what elements allowed Harrison Ford to really drive the story and plot of the movie. I looked into the characteristic outfits, the use of background story to build the character, and the shots and how it emphasized his importance. I also wandered off into the video game world to study a plot with very well known adventure theme and even better known protagonist, Uncharted. Although I understand that video games and films are very different in several aspects, I wanted to look at another great example of a strong male character in an adventure genre form of media.


However, I also wanted to watch an adventure film that had a strong heroic self-driven character that was a female. So I watched and studied Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie playing Lara Croft. The movie is a video game adaption and it destroyed the box office. Wikipedia explained the following. "Tomb Raider was a box office success. The movie debuted at number one with $48.2 million, giving Paramount its second-best debut and the fifth-highest debut of 2001. It beat the opening record for a film featuring a female protagonist...as well as the opening record for a video game adaptation...and is the fifth most successful video game adaptation to date, behind Warcraft, The Angry Birds Movie, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Resident Evil: Afterlife although it is still #1 based on the number of the tickets sales, attendance and adjustment based on today's ticket price gross. Adjusted by inflation, when compared to new releases, the movie has grossed $188,872,700 in America alone is ticket-wise has sold more than 20 million. The movie has grossed a total of $274,703,340 worldwide. An updated adjusted box office would bring the movie's box office around $350 million." In other words, the female protagonist killed it. Viewers and the audience thought that the protagonist propelled the story line forward and also allowed a larger female viewership to see the film. 

The next time you hear from me I will be getting back to you on my main character and how he or she will influence the film, outlines and layout drawings for my storyline, and additional plot aspects. Also, a shooting schedule will be posted you can follow along with my work. Stay tuned!!


Wikipedia contributors. "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2 Mar. 2017. Web. 13 Mar. 2017.

"What is your favorite movie/television genre? (by gender)." Statista. 2017, https://www.statista.com/statistics/254115/favorite-movie-genres-in-the-us/. Accessed 11 March 2017.