Creative Critical Reflection

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I hope you enjoy.

Film Opening

After long hours of hard work, the day has finally come. Here is the link to my final product for the film opening. I hope you enjoy watching it just as much as I enjoyed making it!

CLICH HERE TO WATCH 

Music courtesy of www.bensound.com

The end is near

As time winds down and I am adding some final elements to the film opening, I have been thinking about different ways on how I can incorporate my title at the end of the film opening. I am an Adobe Certified Associate for Adobe Premiere Pro CS5, so I know how to manipulate text in a pretty cool way, but I think that I could make it even cooler in After Effects.

I am not too familiar with After Effects, so I spent a majority of this class period looking up multiple different techniques on how to incorporate text into objects filmed on a camera. I ended up finding this great tutorial that shows a really cool example on how to do so.

I also found another website that offers another effect such as the one used in the Netflix original, House of Cards, specifically the scenes where the characters are texting, and the text messages appear on the screen and track the phone as the character walks.

I will be positing some information later today noting some of my progress within my After Effects experience.

Font Decision

After further research and a long thought process, I have officially decided to use the font entitled, Pyjama Party. (courtesy of dafont.com)

I chose this font over the others because it met up with most of the guidelines set by Videomaker. For instance. It is very clean and clear to read. There is not much going on within this font but it definitely includes a small element that flows well with the story. It is a somewhat thin font, just like how the story is. You are not going to see too much throughout the film opening, so it really marries well with the idea as a whole.

Font Options

A major element within a film opening that is sometimes overlooked is the style of the font that is being displayed within the opening credits and the movie title. Fonts add an artistic element to the opening and adds that final piece to the puzzle. I wanted to use a font that really flows with my plot line and setting.

These are some options that I have chosen (courtesy of dafont.com):

While trying to decide on a final font to use, I found an article from Videomaker magazine that gives great insight on things to think about when choosing a certain font. I will post sometime tomorrow letting you guys know which one I picked! If you have any suggestions, please put them in the comments section below this post.

Suspense and Dramatic Elements

As I am sitting in class today, I am researching a couple more tips on how to make a great suspenseful and dramatic scene. The first link I found broke it down to me in six simple steps. I would say that 5/6 of these steps apply directly to my vision, while one of them not so much. I am only making a film opening with a maximum time limit of two minutes, so my first scene is going to be about 30-40 seconds. An example I would like to bring up is step four from the website. It states, "Avoid showing the most dramatic scene first. It will make the tension rise dramatically, but only temporarily, so if you present it too early, you've lost your momentum. It is OK to show it just barely to get the audience's attention." This whole scene starts dramatically and ends dramatically. Remember, this scene takes place in the present, and the rest of the movie takes place one day earlier, so showing this scene to its most dramatic and action-packed potential is essential from both the beginning and end.

 Another link I found offers great tips to think about when making an action movie chase scene. Most of this information is not really new to me, but some of it definitely reinforces some of my thought process on how I am going to compose some of my shots. For example, in Method 2: Filming, a kety tip that stands out is trying to get a lot of different camera angles even if some of them won't even be used. Having a wide variety of shots and angles can really help out in the editing process because you have so many options to choose from.

Looking forward to getting home today to film the first scene of my film opening! Be on the lookout for some raw footage coming soon!

Production Schedule

Finally! The storyboard is complete and I am just about ready to enter the production phase. I cannot wait to take all of my visions that I have written out and express them through the lens of my camera. Here is when I am planning on shooting:

Since Friday (4/1) is the only day there are going to be clear skies, I am going to film that first scene that afternoon/evening.

On Saturday (4/2), I will begin going over those shots I filmed on Friday just to make sure everything is well lit, and I mastered all of the shot compositions that I wanted to. Also, I will also get some input from some of my classmates to see what they think so far.

On Sunday (4/3), I will be filming part two at my house. Since I am home, I have easy access to all of my lighting/technical equipment.

I am very excited to begin filming and cant wait to show you all some of the raw footage later on!

Lightning Techniques

As I begin to prepare for filming, I am beginning to plot out all important elements of my film in order to make it a great one. The production process is no easy one, and for me personally, every little detail incorporated can make such a huge difference. A main element that I am having trouble making decisions on is how I am going to light my opening scene.

Yes, it occurs outdoors, so the sun will be my main source of light, but I wanted to look more into how I could incorporate other light sources in the filming process other than just sunlight. After doing some research, I found a website that offers some great tips on filming outdoors. After reading this article and visiting the filming location, working with the sun is going to be a bit tricky. The forest is covered with trees, but at the same time, there are certain parts that aren't covered, allowing the sun to poor through those specific shots. If the sun works with me on the day I film, I know that I could definitely work with it and have my actor stop running at certain pints in the forest when the camera focuses on him to get that great well-lit shot. Like mentioned in the article, I will be bringing my friend's reflector with me in case I need to use it.

Filming Location 1 Preview

Today I went to check out my first filming location site, and I must say, it is pretty cool! Right when I got there, there was such a lonely and suspenseful vibe that I got, and I immediately thought it would be perfect for the shoot.

Although it is a great location for my opening scene, a few issues did run through my mind while I was out there. First of all, the weather plays a huge roll in when I am going to film, my priority is to film during the evening/sunset time.  I was just reading up on the Weather Channel's website, and it looks like we are going to be experiencing multiple showers throughout the rest of the week, which means the my daylight priority might not even be an available option. Quite honestly, I would still like to try shooting this scene in the rain to add that extra element of suspense. So either way, I will be satisfied either way.

Here are a few pictures that I took at the filming location:

One of the entrances to the main forest area.

Inside the forest: A small trail that leads throughout. 

Selfie of me at the entrance to one of the trails!

This is an area right across from the forest.
It has a bunch of trees and I think at the
right time of day, a few quick
shots here could look really nice. 

This is an area right across from the forest. 
It has a bunch of trees and I think at the 
right time of day, a few quick 
shots here could look really nice. 

My Idea Recovery

I just got back from visiting my new filming location. It is right next to my backyard so I will always have easy access to get there once I begin filming. Before I get more into that, I would like to release the new title to my new idea. It is called... Finders, Keepers, the genre being action and adventure. According tho some statistics I have found on the web, "Adventure" is the second most popular movie drama since 1995.

Not only did I choose this genre just because it is one of both myself and the country's favorites, but there is so much that can be done within this genre to "wow" the viewers.

I chose the title Finders Keepers essentially because it is what the film is basically about; a young man who finds a hidden treasure right in his backyard, but little does he know, it is something that others have been searching for, for many years. 

Filming Location Issues

After talking to my connections at the hospital, it seems it is going to be very difficult to film there. This is not good because it changes the whole vibe of the story. There really is no other place that I could film one of my scenes from the hospital anywhere else because it would not look as professional and it will not give off the same feeling to the viewers. This really causes a major issue with the story, and now I am unable to execute what I had in mind.

Because of this, I have decided that the best bet and an idea that intrigues me the most is to start over from scratch. You might be wondering, how is starting over intriguing to you? Well, to be honest, I have not conducted enough research on my project to have the idea fully executed. I feel that my mistake here was actually much needed, because now I have already though of a story that is more interesting to me, and I know I have full access to all filming locations, actors, and equipment.

This new film will begin with a drone shot over the woods establishing the setting of the scene we are in. With intense music playing in the background, the main character is running away from someone chasing him through the woods with something very valuable in his hands. I will not show shots of of who chasing him, but I will just show shots of the main character running, and maybe a few that hint that he is grasping onto something very valuable. Suddenly, the music will abruptly stop and the clip will cut to black. From here a graphic will fade in saying "2 Days Earlier" and my first shot of this character sleeping in his comfortable modern bed in a middle class home waking up to his alarm clock. At this point the viewers should be wondering, "What must have went on in those 2 days?" A normal teenager sleeping comfortably in his bed to running for his life through the woods?"

After conduction a poll with some students around school, I have found they a majority of them enjoy when films begin at the end of the film, because it adds an element of suspense and curiosity right from the start.

I will be posting more later with attachments of my story board as well as some pictures of the locations I will be filming at, as well as some character details.

Storyboarding

I have decided to storyboard this film opening so I have a much better idea of what I need to do hen filming. It is such a useful to to have as it truly guides me step by step on what I need to do in order to take what I have written down and create it to look the same on the screen. Storyboarding is the process of putting our ides into illustrations in a graphic organizer. Each illustration is representative of a shot. Below the illustration is a short description of what type of shot or camera movement is taking place and what is happening in the shot. This process is key for organizational purposes but also allows us to think about our decisions and how we truly want to tell this story.

Plot Line

After a lot of cuts and decisions, I finally established a clear plot outline for the opening of my film. Before doing anything, I needed to develop the main character. This character has stage 4 cancer and her life will soon be coming to an end. She is a teenager in high school and lives in a very modern area and has a group of friends that she has hung out with her entire life. I wanted to begin the film in a much more interesting way; It will start at the end of the movie. My main purpose of this idea of jumping right into the conflict at the beginning is to have the viewers wondering what had happened to this girl, and what her friends are going to do about it. 

It's Almost Filming Time!

It's almost that time! As I am in the process of concluding some of my plans, I wanted to jump ahead a little further just to get a head start in making sure I have the right equipment for when I begin filming. Some equipment that I already have should do the trick. I will be using a Canon T3i with a 24-105mm lens for a majority of my shots. This is a very standard universal lens for both filming and taking photos. Attached to my camera will be a RODE shotgun microphone that will be used for some natural sounds. Anther camera I will be using is a DJI Osmo. This piece of technology is a very unique one in many ways. The camera shoots in both 1080p and even 4k, and it's just slightly bigger than the size of a golf ball! It is attached to a handle that is equipped with a 3-axis gimbal that will give me some of the smoothest and steadiest shots. This will come in handy if I decide to incorporate any long shots in my opening.

What makes a film unique?
Throughout the years of creating video content, one major element that is key when creating a piece is having it stand out from the rest. Before working on any product, the first questions I ask myself are, “What is going to make your video stand out?” And “What elements are you going to use within this production that will help you do so?” It is very important to add your signature to your piece. What I mean by this is using elements and certain techniques that will put your thumbprint on it. I want people to look at my work and within just a few minutes or seconds of watching, they already know that what they are watching was made by me. Another question that I ask myself once I have answered the two questions above is, “What will make people care and what to keep watching what you are creating?” This part always stumps me, because this is what the whole purpose of creating a great film is. Overall, i have learned to make it relatable, clear, and use specific techniques that grab the viewer’s attention.

Why We Could Be Heroes?

While you may think so, We Could Be Heroes is not your average superhero movie, where the superhero fights of the villain prevailing in the end. The main characters in this film are a different kind of superheroes. The are ones without capes, masks, and super tight costumes. Their biggest superpower, is their friendship. Jessica, the main character, has been diagnosed with cancer and has only a few more weeks to live. All of her friends and family are devastated by this tragic diagnosis, but they want to make these next few weeks for her the best they have ever been. Stay tuned for more!

Welcome!

Hello!
My name is Drew, and I would like to welcome you to the official blog for the film, We Could Be Heroes. Throughout this blog, you will be able to follow me throughout my journey in the creation of this film, as well as even view some exclusive behind the scenes footage and the creation of all of the little elements that will make this film one to remember. I am excited to step outside my experience within broadcast and jump into the world of film, and most importantly, I can't wait to share my experiences with YOU!