May I present to you...

Hello!

May I present to you, the film opening you have been waiting for, Welcome Home!

Click this link to access my film opening:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=16UHs6KcA5PlcIXXVS6evt456xdDF4_Us

Thank you for following me through this journey! It was an eye-opening experience I will never forget.

Creative Critical Reflection (CCR)

Hello!

May I present to you, the conclusion to my AICE Media Studies AS Level portfolio project, my...

Creative Critical Reflection

Click this link to access my CCR:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ILyD_kmysaaokgWWu4jtwWimx5342bFI

Stay Tuned for my film opening coming soon! 

Reflecting On My Journey

Hello! Over the past eight weeks that I have been working on this portfolio project, I have heightened my skills and have become a better Media Studies student. Take a look at some of the ways my skills have developed throughout this project:

Research

In order to develop this project, I have had to do a lot of research on various topics. From genre conventions to serial killers, I have found the information that I needed for this project all on my own. I have documented my findings on this blog and provided proper citations for all sources I used. The research I did during this project not only made me better prepared to create a proper film opening, but it will also help me in my future media studies ventures, whichever project or video comes my way. 

Filming

I learned a lot about filming during this process. Before, I overlooked all the components that went into filming a production. The set design, the filming location, the actors, all vital components that go into creating a film. 

Set Design: Before I began filming my project, I had to make sure that the places I would be filming looked like they could be in my production. Take a look at the two pictures above. The first picture is what my wall normally looks like. It has four pictures that are brightly lit up by a window on the other side of the hallway. For this project, I needed to change the set design to ensure that the set gives off the tone that I want to be conveyed in the film opening. So, I took those four pictures off the wall and covered the window with a blanket to get the set that was used in the film opening (the second photo). The set that I created is much more effective in conveying loneliness (one solitary picture in the middle of the wall) and sadness (the dark hallway). Through this project, I learned that the way a set looks can have drastic effects on the overall outcome of the production.

Filming location: I learned that finding the proper location to fit your film concept is important in creating a production. For this project, I had to go around my community to scout out locations to shoot the playground scene of my film opening. I looked at six different parks and documented the three best ones, ultimately choosing Oakbrook park to film at. At the beginning of this project, I would have asked myself why it was necessary to go to six similar parks just to find one to film at. However, after going through this process, I have realized that each choice that is made while filming is a conscious decision that is aimed at creating the best atmosphere for your production, including finding the park that has the best lighting, background, and aesthetic to film at.

Working Through Problems

Throughout this process, I ran into a lot of problems that I was forced to overcome.

Coronavirus pandemic: March 13th was the first day that I acknowledged the coronavirus pandemic in my blog. Because this is such a hands-on project, this pandemic greatly affected every aspect of my film opening. Due to social distancing guidelines, I was unable to meet up with my cousin to film this project. So, I had to adapt and instead change my opening so the only actor I would need is my mother. Not only was finding actors a problem, but so was filming in public. As widespread closings impacted my community, the parks that I was planning to film at were shut down. I adapted to this by filming from the parking lot and even using footage from one of my past projects in order to get what I needed for my opening.

Fonts: Only when I was on the final edits of my production was when I realized that I overlooked an important part of the film opening, the fonts. Although I was pressed for time, I managed to do research on fonts and find a new font that was more effective for my film opening. Realizing that some of the most minute details can have the most drastic impact on the overall product was an eye-opening lesson for me, as I now understand what I need to look out for in future projects.

Tools

 

Software: This project would not have been possible without my use of two software programs: my editing software WeVideo and my blogging software Blogger. WeVideo is an online, free editing program that allows users to edit on multiple devices. It is a powerful tool that allowed me to create such an engaging film opening. One thing I learned when using WeVideo is that a project is only as powerful the software behind it. Also, Blogger is an excellent, free resource that allows users to create their own blogging platform. I used Blogger to document my whole journey through the medium of a blog. The reason this was so effective is that it helped me interact with others in a more personal manner, as I was able to bring my own voice into my writing and express my own thoughts. Additionally, Blogger allows users to incorporate videos, images, and hyperlinks into their publishings, which makes it more engaging to viewers.

Hardware: I would not have been able to do this project without this hardware. First, I used my iPhone 11's camera to film this project. The iPhone 11 has one of the most advanced smartphone cameras on the market. It has an upgraded dual-lens camera system that includes a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, perfect for tackling some of the toughest of shots. In addition, I used my Dell Inspiron 5570 laptop to interact with my editing and blogging software. It is a fast and reliable computer that made working on this project a breeze. Lastly, I used the Rollei Smartphone Tripod Traveler while filming my project in order to get the best quality shots. It is compact and lightweight and provided me the ability to get clean shots with my iPhone 11. I am extremely fortunate to own all this equipment. I thank my parents for providing me with the resources to succeed in anything that comes my way, including this portfolio project.

As I wrap up my portfolio project, I thank everyone who made this journey a success. To my instructor, my Media Studies classmates, and my parents, I thank you all for helping me create the film opening I dreamed of. It is coming soon, so...

STAY TUNED!

The Perfect Font

Hello! After thinking about what the perfect film title shot would look like over the past couple of days, I have chosen the perfect font! Take a look:

Film Title Shot

For the film title shot during the credits in my opening, I have decided to use the Secret Typewriter font. I chose this font because it effectively sets the tone of my production. In just two minutes, it is hard to effectively convey tone to the viewer. So, the use of this font will help give the viewer visual cues that the film may not be as "happy" as it seems. In addition to using this font, I also put a darker filter over this clip. This way, the overt brightness that was in the shot previously will not confuse the viewer by having a conflicting, happier tone. Also, because the name of the film is the most important part of all the credits, I made the title bigger than all the other words that were shown before. This way, the title will pop in the viewer's face and will grab their interest even further.

With all these different components going into this one shot, I am confident that I have created the PERFECT film title shot. Stay tuned for more!

I just can't decide...

Hello! Today, I played around with all the fonts on WeVideo and I found my top three favorites. Take a look:

Merriwether

Merriwether was the original font I picked when I was editing my film opening. I liked it, but after researching fonts more, I thought I could take a better look at others. I found that this was still in my top three favorites, so this one is good for now.

Secret Typewriter

Secret Typewriter is one of my favorites. It has a grim look to it and sets the tone for the rest of the opening. It is unique and looks different from the other fonts I looked at, so that is why this one caught my eye. 

Sanchez

Sanchez is a very nice-looking font. This serif-style font fits well with the theme of the opening because when you think of "Welcoming Home," you think of comfort. This font looks very comfortable and can help reinforce the idea of the "double-sided" title that I came up with. It can trick the viewer into thinking that the film will be happy but then they will realize that the "Welcome Home" means something else as the film progresses.


I will need to take some more time to figure out which font I will use in my film opening. Until then, Stay Tuned!

Media While Quarantined

Hello! I wanted to take this time to discuss something that all people can relate to nowadays: quarantine. Ah yes, quarantine. The mind-rotting, soul-crushing boredom of being locked in your house with nothing to do and no one to see. Just kidding, quarantine isn't all that bad. Besides, it is a necessary step in stopping this coronavirus from spreading. One thing that has been helping me through this rough time is my interaction with media.

Media has been a very beneficial tool for me during this quarantine process. To start off, media has served to provide me with entertainment. I have had lots of extra time on my hands to watch productions that I have wanted to watch for a long time, such as the film Inception and the T.V. show All American. Binging these productions has given me something to do with all this free time. It is very cool to watch these excellent productions and be able to analyze them by using the skills and information I learned about production this year. Also, I have been able to share my thoughts on these productions with my classmates, as my teacher has held recommended viewings calls where we can discuss media we are watching and recommend it to others.

Additionally, media has served as a tool to keep me connected with the world while still remaining in my home. For example, I have spent a lot of time on social media platforms such as Facebook, Youtube, and Snapchat during my quarantine. I rely on these platforms for news about the pandemic. This is a slippery slope because I have now realized how rampant fake news is on social media. By fake news, I do not mean news that I don't agree with, I mean news that is incorrect and not backed up by reliable sources. Take a look at a few posts from my Facebook feed:

NOTE: In no way do I support or object any topics mentioned in these posts, I am simply using them as an example. I am not making any political statements or expressing my opinion.

NOTE: The channel the video was posted on was not an official news or government channel and was not verified by Youtube.

These posts came up in my feed the other day. The posts are more conspiracy theories than they are news. The websites that they were posted on are not reliable and they do not cite credible sources for the information that they used. During this tough time, it is dangerous to have posts like these circulating the internet. Take the second post as an example. Stating that China deliberately manufactured COVID-19 through its biowarfare program is a very severe claim. Without being properly backed up by credible sources (which it is not), posts like this can be a huge danger to society. It can stimulate xenophobic and racist actions against Asians and can cause major conflict between China and other nations. If this claim is to be made, it must be made carefully, backed up by other sources and completely true.

Fighting Fake News in a Time of Crisis

I was very intrigued when I saw this post a few days ago. I read it and saw that it was filled with very harsh, serious remarks that attack not only certain individuals but whole groups of people too. Once again, there is no reference to any credible source on this post, it was simply an image that was posted by a Facebook user. I checked back today to get this image and I was pleased to find that Facebook actually put a notice on the post warning users that it was deemed to be false by independent fact-checkers. It is important to warn users when a post is false because some people do not realize that it is untrue. This could lead to more people believing "facts" that that really aren't even facts after all.

My Newsfeed

After realizing the dangers of misinformation and fake news, I have started to pay close attention to the sources I get my news from. I watch a lot of Snapchat Discover stories that are under the coronavirus news page. Here, I can find credible, engaging news videos from official sources. I believe that this is the safest way to consume news during this time because misinformation can be very damaging. News sources like Snapchat discovered have allowed me to remain connected to the outside world while I am stuck in my home.

Stay tuned for the final draft of my film opening coming this week! 

FoNtS

HeLlO! I hAvE a QuEsTiOn...

What made you click on this blog post over all the rest? Did the title stand out against the rest? Keep this in mind as you read the rest of this post...

As I have already demonstrated, every part of my film opening is a conscious decision that is meant to set the tone or achieve the purpose of my production. One conscious decision I made during the development process of my opening is the use of a specific font.

Fonts are an incredibly important yet widely overlooked portion of a film. Most films that are streamed will lose their viewers within the first 15 seconds of its playing (Film Shortage, 2010, p.1). This demonstrates how crucial the opening of a film is to the overall production. An effective font can serve to grab the attention of the viewer, which is an important part of a film opening.

Not only should the font grab the attention of the viewer, but it also should set the tone of the production. Take a look at these film titles. Pay close attention to the font that is used.

In some film titles, the font serves to establish the setting of the film. In the case of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the font mimics the font of the world-famous Hollywood Sign in California. Pretend the title was written in this font. How would the viewer know which Hollywood the film is taking place in? Hollywood, Florida? Hollywood, Georgia? This specific font tells the viewer that the film will be set in Hollywood, California.

In other film titles, the font serves to establish the tone of the film. For example, if the film title "SE7EN" was written in this font, it would tell the viewer nothing about the production. However, because it is written in a faded, bold, two-toned font, it is effective in setting the tone of the film as ominous, dark, and scary.

However, according to Film Shortage, there are some fonts you should never use for your production. Not only does this include common fonts like Times New Roman and Arial, but it also includes fonts that are iconic of other productions or brands. For example, Disney is a brand that uses a very iconic font for all aspects of its corporation. When a consumer sees the Disney font, they immediately think of Disney. Take a look at this photo:

Even though those words don't say "Disney" chances are that you associated them with Disney due to them being in Disney's signature font. For these reasons, it is important I stay away from fonts that are iconic of other brands, businesses, or productions.

With these concepts in mind, I will search for a new font that will better fit my production. Stay tuned to see what I find!

References:

Film Shortage. Typography And Titles in Film. Retrieved from https://filmshortage.com/typography-and-titles-in-film/

May, J. (4 Oct, 2010). Smashing Magazine. The Art Of Film Title Design Throughout Cinema History. Retrieved from https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/10/the-art-of-the-film-title-throughout-cinema-history/#top

Second Edit

Hello! Today, I continued to edit my film opening. May I say, it has come together into an incredible opening. I still have some work to do, but it is in pretty good shape right now. Take a look!

Film Opening Second Edit

https://www.wevideo.com/view/1624030828

Music

Before today, I felt that my film opening was too silent. Due to the fact that there is no dialogue in the opening, I had to be careful to make sure that sound elements were used effectively. I used clips from two free, uncopyrighted songs: 100 Seconds and Sorrow in Raindrops. I picked these songs because their dramatic, ominous, and suspenseful tone is effective in setting the tone of the opening and grabbing the user's attention.

I had to get very creative with pairing the music with the visuals. I only wanted some parts of the songs and not others and I wanted certain sounds to be paired with certain moments in the opening. For example, the song 100 seconds is one minute and 40 seconds long (100 seconds... lol) but I only used the first three seconds of it in my opening. The tone of the rest of the song did not match the tone I was going for, but I really liked the first few seconds of it. So, I copied the first three seconds three times, and for each copy I had the volume level decrease. This created a loop where the three repeated audio segments flowed smoothly. I haven't had much experience in sound editing, so I was very impressed by how good it sounded.

Below are the full references for the songs

100 Seconds by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US\

Sorrow in Raindrops by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Within the next few days, I will finalize the film opening. Stay tuned to see how it looks!

Filming Day 2 & Editing

Hello! Today, I left my house for the first time in days to film the second part of my film opening. Take a look!

Here is the full rough draft:

https://www.wevideo.com/view/1619372781

Take-Two

While editing the material from my first day of filming, I found that the shot of the female character walking past the photo of her family was not effective in conveying her sense of distress. Today, I decided to re-shoot that shot. It came out much better the second time around; it effectively hints to the viewer that her family has passed and that she is saddened by their loss. Take a look at the difference between the two clips!

DAY ONE
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1G-2oaYK9HzyG__4MqcAr5nZRMRFyggq1

DAY TWO
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1OXDgZLl00QglDpLcbBXpYnLBZUmKKj-m
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1LA4WzytwzbetiNecwgACEkRuB003W59u

Improvise, adapt, overcome

When my mother and I arrived at the park, we ran into a small issue, the park was closed! In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, all parks in my community have been shut down until further notice. My feelings of anxiety did not last for long, as I spotted a maintenance worker who unlocked the gate for me so I could get a few shots of the park. I am very grateful that the maintenance worker helped me solve this problem. At times like these, it is important to be kind to one another and help those in need, just like the maintenance worker did for me.

Within the next few days, I will be cutting my video down to two minutes and adding sound elements. Stay tuned!

Progress Update

Hello! As things are changing fast, I wanted to do a progress update on what is going on with my portfolio project.

As of Tuesday, March 17th, the state of Florida has mandated that schools be canceled until the earliest of April 15th. With this project being due on April 5th, I will not be in school again before this is due. This challenge will make it hard for me to continue brainstorming with my peers and regularly discussing the project with my instructor.

I have also been practicing social distancing as of March 17th. Because of this, I have still not been able to meet up with my little cousin to film the rest of the opening. I have been in a state of limbo, waiting for my instructor to give us more information about changes to the assignment. An hour ago, I got off of a conference call with my class where we were told that the due date has been extended until April 12th. This gives us more time to change our original plans and come up with something that would work with limited resources.

Due to these circumstances, I will be forced to slightly change my film opening. Instead of having my cousin act as a young boy that gets approached by the female character, I will not have him participate in the opening at all. Instead, I will begin the film opening with the female character watching children play at the park. Then, the female will go home and prepare the house for her new "guest". Lastly, the opening will end with the female character walking out of the door joined by audio of footsteps and a car starting. This will allow the viewers to assume that the female character is going back out to do something that will start the conflict. The new beginning of the opening will introduce the female character's interest in children, which will foreshadow what she will do later in the film.

I am ecstatic to report that I am back on track and will continue to make this project a huge success! Stay tuned for more!

Editing Update

Hello! During my time at home yesterday and today, I have started editing the first portion of my film opening. Take a look at this rough draft:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1YPvxEnUyjp-ktg5Vv5ktesIrihOFDc7E

After putting this piece together, I have found some problems with my production:

First, it is longer than I expected. The opening is already 1 minute and 27 seconds long. This is a challenge because that only gives me thirty seconds for the rest of the opening. It is possible to include the second portion in thirty seconds, but it may be more complicated than I realize. 

Second, something I found during my editing was that it was hard to convey movement and setting changes without showing the full range of motion. For example, when the female character was making her cereal, I originally filmed the whole process (i.e. getting out the bowl, taking the cereal out of the pantry, getting a spoon) but only included one part of it (putting the cereal in the bowl). I am still on the fence about that portion of the video because I feel that it does not flow with the rest of the production, as it is put together with lots of quick cuts. In the next part of my filming, I will have to deal with this same problem when the female is driving to the park. I can't show the whole process of her leaving the house and driving away because it will take too much time. So, I plan to only include a shot of her pulling in to the park. This will make the viewers assume that she went from her house to the park without actually showing it.

Coronavirus Update:

I am still stuck at home, as my community has been asked to practice social distancing. Therefore, I waiting for guidance as to how I should continue with this project. I am going to try to meet with my cousin for a very short period of time this week to film his short portion of the opening. However, I am unsure about whether or not I will be permitted, as matters are only getting worse.

Stay tuned!

Filming Day One

Hello! Yesterday, I got together with my mom and filmed the first part of my film opening. Take a look!

While I was preparing my set, I found a picture of myself from when I was little. I decided to set up the picture on the bedroom dresser so I could include shots of the female character taking the photo away. This will further convey the idea of the female experiencing loss. Joined with the photo of the family on the wall (which I included in my storyboard), the photo that she removes from the bedroom dresser demonstrates the idea that she is filling the void that was created by the loss of her loved ones. Take a look at these two shots:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1G-2oaYK9HzyG__4MqcAr5nZRMRFyggq1

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1fr_1Tdbaj73CoyAUWp-gBZgJGGcfAtcB

Also, I filmed one of the most important shots in my opening, the "eating alone" shot. I worked with my camera and altered the lights in my dining room to produce a lowkey lighting effect. The use of this lighting is important to create a sense of loneliness that will serve to introduce the main character. I made sure that this shot was a long shot because I wanted there to be a lot of the background in the shot. The expansive, dark background looks bigger than the subject herself, so it helps further convey a sense of loneliness. Take a look:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=12E6jNwOiKe3SctE5mi1e2nx_5741E5_6 

Coronavirus Update: 
As of Friday, March 13th school has been canceled for all of next week. Because spring break is the week after, I will be out of school for two weeks, possibly more if matters get worse here. I will now have to be careful about following my schedule, as it will be easy to lose track of time while in this state of emergency.


I will be editing this first portion together throughout the next few days! Stay tuned to see how it goes!

Progress Update

Hello! I wanted to take this time to give an in-depth progress update of my portfolio project. I am 5 weeks in to this 8 week project, and although I have done a copious amount of work, I still have a way to go.

Filming:
I originally planned to film the first part of my opening on the 8th-9th of March. Unfortunately, my actors were unavailable to film on those days. Although it threw me off schedule, it isn't too serious, as I ensured that I would plan to complete filming in case it took longer than expected. I will be filming the first portion of my film opening tomorrow (3.13.20). I will then edit throughout next week, posting additional blogs to share my editing process. I will film the second part of my film opening on 3.27.20. I will then edit throughout the weekend to ensure I have a rough draft done by Monday, March 30th. This is a little more time crunched than I would have liked, but I will ensure everything is completed effectively.

Coronavirus Outbreak:
The global COVID-19 virus will have direct effects on my portfolio project. As of right now, school is not cancelled. However, as the disease continues to spread, school may be cancelled indefinitely. This will make it hard for me to collaborate with my peers and get advice from my teacher during this process. If I am forced to work from home, I will have to be extra careful about staying on track with my schedule.

My spring break is the week of March 23. During this break, I was supposed to go on a ski trip from March 19-25. Due to this virus, my family is considering cancelling the trip, as now it is not safe to travel and the situation is only getting worse. If the trip does not end up getting cancelled, I will continue with my normal schedule with no changes. However, if we decide not to go on the trip, I will be able to film the second part of my opening during the week so I will have more time to edit and perfect my project. I will continue to update this blog with what is going on.

If me, one of my actors, or another family member gets sick, I'm not exactly sure what I would do. Although this project is important, I am aware that my health and safety is a priority. However, I will be sure to film as fast as I can so in the event of a city shutdown, or someone I know getting sick, my project will not be in jeopardy. In the end, things are changing rapidly, so I will have to make decisions based on what is going on in my community.

Creative Critical Reflection:
I am beginning work on my Creative Critical Reflection this Sunday, March 15th. For this component of the project, I will create a video reflection of my project with a creative twist. One idea I have is to film a mock talk show interview, where I will pose as a profound new director who has been working tirelessly on a production for the past few months. This will be the perfect way to keep the audience engaged in the reflection while also ensuring all information is properly discussed. I will ensure this component is finished by April 3rd in order to give myself enough time to perfect my project as a whole.


Stay tuned to see how filming goes tomorrow!

Distribution Research

Hello! As I continue with this production process, I have started to research how I would distribute my film. As an amateur filmmaker, I do not have the ability to distribute my production on large platforms such as Netflix or Hulu and I do not have any way of getting a company to show my film in theaters. Because of this, I will have to take a different approach to distribution.

To start off, according to author Jeff Tyson (2000), the process of getting a film in a consumer's hand is very long. A film starts off as a concept that is presented to a studio that decides whether or not they will purchase the rights to the film. After this occurs, the film is created and sent to the studio. The studio company will make an agreement with a distribution company that will then make deals with buyers that are representing movie theaters. This process is summarized in the info-graph below:

Due to the fact that I am simply an amateur student, I would not be successful in distributing my production the same way larger companies do. Instead, I will focus on presenting my production at local film festivals and utilizing platforms such as Youtube and Vimeo for distribution.

To start off, I will distribute my films by presenting it at local film festivals. The most popular local film festivals near me are the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, the Miami International Film Festival, and the Popcorn Frights Film Festival (Valys, 2017, p.1-6). I will especially focus on the Popcorn frights film festival, as it is a festival that is devoted to only-in-Florida horror films. Presenting my film at this film festival would help me effectively reach my target audience.

Additionally, Youtube and Vimeo would be the most effective distribution platforms for me to use because they are free and are accessible by a large audience. Youtube is the #1 distribution platform in the world, so it is an incredible tool for distribution. Youtube will effectively reach my target audience. According to Aslam (2020), 78% of US men and 68% of US women use YouTube. In addition, 81% of 15–25 year-olds in the US use YouTube (p.3). This is a tool that is widely used by my target audience, so it is effective to focus the distribution of my film on it. Also, viewers who enjoy the film will be able to share the film with others by simply posting the link on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. This cross-media convergence will help effectively distribute my film to more people.


This weekend, I will be doing my first round of filming. Stay tuned to see how it goes!

References:

Aslam, S. (10 February, 2020). Omnicore. YouTube by the Numbers: Stats, Demographics & Fun Facts. Retrieved from https://www.omnicoreagency.com/youtube-statistics/

Tyson, J. (18 September, 2000) HowStuffWorks.com. How Movie Distribution Works.
Retrieved from https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/movie-distribution.htm

Valys, P. (8 October, 2017). SunSentinel. South Florida's top five film festivals. Retrieved from https://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/sf-arts-guide-film-critics-picks-20171008-story.html

Target Audience

Hello! Today, I was looking over my blog and I have discovered that I didn't go as in-depth about my target audience as I wanted to. So, I did some more research! This is what I found:

Thriller films typically target 15-25-year-olds because younger audiences are drawn towards thrilling themes than older ones. Additionally, they focus on males over females as thrills are statistically enjoyed by males more. 

Due to the fact that my film is challenging many thriller genre conventions, my target audience will vary from the norm. My film is going to feature a topic that is a common fear among parents: their child being kidnapped. For this reason, I will establish my target audience to be from 15 to 50-year-olds. Although this age range is expansive, it is highly effective. For older audiences, my film will evoke fear through the dramatization of kidnapping. This film will be effective in drawing in adults because they can relate to this fear where younger audiences otherwise would not have the same reaction. This film will be effective in drawing in younger audiences because it is a thriller film, which usually attracts younger audiences because they are more drawn towards thrilling themes.

I will also focus on a different gender than normal. For older audiences, I will focus on both males and females. I have made this choice because this fear is common for both mothers and fathers, so they will both be interested in this concept. However, for younger audiences, I will follow the traditional thriller target audience and focus on males. This is because males are more attracted to thrills than females. 

The reason I am challenging the typical thriller target audience is that my film challenges normal genre conventions. If my film did not feature this concept, it would not be effective to have a target audience this expansive. However, because of the relatability of this concept for parents, I have decided to establish my target audience as described.

Actors

Hello! Yesterday, I sat down with my family to discuss finding actors for this project. I do not have anyone in my direct family that could fit the description of the child character, so my mother came up with the idea of my little cousin, Jayson. She also volunteered to play the female character in the film. As I learned from my group meeting, it is important to have someone who the young actor is comfortable with to play the female role. Having my younger cousin and his aunt (my mother) playing these roles will ensure that no one is uncomfortable throughout this process. Here are the lead actors/actresses in Coming Home:

Female Antagonist:

Played by Lori

Age: 51

Lori is my mother. She usually tells me what to do, so it will be interesting to see the tables turned with me as director! She has a bubbly and fun personality, so she will need to act with a much darker persona than normal. Additionally, we will have to give her a small makeover to make her look less put together than how she usually looks.

Young Child:

Played by Jayson

Age:13

Jayson is my little cousin. He is a rambunctious ball of energy but sometimes can be a little shy. He is 13 years old, but he looks much younger so he will have no problem looking like a child for the film opening. Having my family member play this role eliminates the possibility of making the young child feel uncomfortable while filming, as he is comfortable around my mom and I.

How lucky am I to have such an amazing family that is willing to volunteer their time to help me with this project? Together, we will make this production incredible! Stay tuned to see how it comes out!

Location Scouting Day 2

Hello! Today, I scouted a location for the indoor portion of my film opening! I did not have to go very far, because I found that my own house would be the best and most practical place to film this portion. Here are some locations in my house I will be filming:

Dining Room

This dining room will be an excellent location for the most important shot in my opening, the shot of the woman eating dinner alone in a dark room. This shot is so important because it will help establish the character as a lonely individual who has a dark personal life. This location is one of the few areas in my house that can get dark enough for me to film this shot. Also, there is a lot of space behind the table, which will serve as a break from the tight shots of the character and will further demonstrate her character as lonely. 

My Room

My room is the best room in the house for me to film my "bedroom preparation" scene. In this scene, the woman will tidy up the room and put a stuffed animal on the bed in preparation for her new housemate. This scene will serve to create suspense, as it will forshadow that the woman is preparing for something odd. My room is the best place to use because I would not need to find any props to use and it can get very dark. This will allow me to film shots that will be effective in creating suspense and a dark mood.

I will be moving into the filming process within the next week! Stay tuned to see how this all comes together!

Location Scouting Day 1

Hello! Today, I drove around my city looking for a location to film the playground portion of my film opening! I went to three different parks, take a look!

Hunter's Pointe Park

This park is a beautiful location to film. Complete with a covered area, a two-story playground, and a lake, this is a  very strong choice. However, I have a problem with this location, as it is very bright and somewhat bland compared to the other parks. The playground does not have many elements and the park does not seem like it would match the story I am trying to tell. It looks too much like a vacation destination, not like an average park in an average town.

Jardin Park

This is Jardin park, another beautiful location in my community. This is a great location, but there is one thing that is stopping me from using it as my filming location. In the background of the second picture is a road, which is connected to a parking lot that is just out of frame on the left-hand side of the photo. Having this location so close to a road/parking lot will make it hard to control continuity error in my film because I will have no way to keep cars out of my shots. Continuity error can appear if a car moves when I am in the middle of my filming, as one second a car will be there and the next second it disappears. For this reason, I will not choose to film at Jardin Park. I must say, however, I have realized that my community looks more like a vacation spot than an actual town! These are some beautiful pictures!

Oakbrook Park

This is Oakbrook park, the location I have decided to film the playground portion of my film opening at. There are many reasons why Oakbrook park is the best location to film.

First, it is the only park that is not solely surrounded by palm trees. Although these palms are quite majestic, they do not fit the setting I am trying to develop for my film opening, as they stand out and take focus away from the characters. In addition, the trees at Oakbrook park give more shade than the trees at the other parks do. This will allow me to be able to have multiple different lightings that I can choose from based on how I want that shot to feel. For example, at the beginning of the opening during the credits, I want the shots to be bright and fun. During the scene where the female approaches the child, I want the shots to be a lot darker. This location will allow me to do just that.

Secondly, it is far enough away from any surrounding roads that no cars will get in any of my shots, so I will not have to worry about continuity error.

There we have it! I will be using Oakbrook park as my filming location for the playground portions of my film opening. I am excited to be filming at such a beautiful location.

Changes to the Outline

Hello! After reviewing my storyboards and outlines, I have decided to make some changes to my idea in order to create a better film opening.

First, instead of conveying the female character as mentally unstable from the start, I will make her seem like a normal woman throughout the film opening. Before, I was trying to show too much change in too little time. Instead, I will only show her as a normal woman throughout the duration of my film opening, as it is only serving to introduce the character, not show how she changes throughout the whole film.

Furthermore, I will not include the scene where the female character has a breakdown, crying and damaging stuff around her house. Instead, I will replace it with a scene of the subject preparing the room she will keep the child in by making the bed and placing a teddy bear on the pillow followed by her eating dinner alone in a dark house. The shot of her eating dinner alone will be especially important, as it will depict the extent of her loneliness, which further develops her character.

These changes will help to create a more effective film opening for my project. I can't wait to see how they look!

Group Meetings

Hello! Today in class, I participated in a group discussion with a few of my peers. During this discussion, we each presented our ideas and gave feedback to each other. This discussion made me feel confident in my project, as my peers loved the idea of challenging stereotypes by featuring a female criminal. Additionally, they were impressed by my research of serial killers, sexual abusers, and kidnappers that will help me create a character with the correct qualities for my film.

I got some advice about a problem I was having regarding editing my opening. I do not own any advanced editing software, so I asked my peers what they recommend. One of my peers recommended using the free trial of Final Cut Pro to see how I like it, then purchasing it to use for future projects if necessary. Another peer argued against this, stating that I should not start with services like Final Cut Pro and Premiere because they are too advanced to just start learning how to use now. Based on my peers' advice, I will use a platform called WeVideo, as it is easy to use and is given to me by my school.

Another problem I got advice about was how I should go about finding actors for the opening. It was recommended to me that I should focus on finding a real mother-son duo to play the role. The purpose of doing this would be to make the young child comfortable with doing what is asked of him, as he may be uncomfortable with being directed by someone he doesn't know or isn't comfortable with. This would be important, as I would never want to make anyone feel uncomfortable when they volunteer to act in this project.

This discussion was a great way of answering some questions I had and getting some advice for my opening. Moving forward, I am now more confident that this project will be a huge success!

I picked the perfect name...

Hello! After consulting with my peers and doing more brainstorming, I have chosen a name for my production! Here is a description of the process that I went through to pick the name:

After eliminating a portion of my names after my name game, I had these names remaining:

• Stranger Danger
• A New Life
• A Mother's Love
• My Son
• Vacancy
• Black Street
• Columbus Hill
• Welcome Home
• Home Sweet Home

To narrow the list down, I talked to my parents and they said that these names were the most effective for my film idea:

• Stranger Danger
• A Mother's Love
• Vacancy
• Columbus Hill
• Welcome Home
• Home Sweet Home

From this list, I looked up those names and I found that "A Mother's Love", "Vacancy", "Welcome Home" and "Home Sweet Home"  were already taken by other productions. I was disappointed because, in my opinion, those were the most effective names for my film opening. After taking those names off the list, I was left with:

• Stranger Danger
• Columbus Hill

I truly did not think that either of these names were appropriate for my piece. They did not match the tone I was trying to establish and would have been ineffective. Instead of picking from these two names, I have decided on naming my film...

Welcome Home

Although this name is not the most unique of the bunch, I have decided that it would be the best fit my film. I want to convey the idea that the "mother" (a.k.a. the kidnapper) is blind to the fact that she is causing harm to an innocent child. Furthermore, I want to show that in her mind, there is nothing wrong keeping the child, as she is doing what she is doing out of love and not out of evil. 

"Welcome Home" is a good name for this idea because it can be seen from multiple perspectives. Think of it like this: from the "mother's" view, it can be taken as a genuine welcome home, as she has brought the child back to what she thinks is now his home. On the other hand, it can be looked at with a more ominous perspective. In this perspective, the home can be seen as a resting place, somewhere where someone will stay for the rest of their lives without leaving. For example, someone who is dying and will be buried or kept in one place for eternity is sometimes described as someone who is "going home."

"Welcome Home" is a perfect name to represent the characters' conflicting viewpoints of what occurs in the film. From the "mother's" perspective, she sees it as her doing a good deed by bringing a child to a safe environment that she sees as home. The "son" is oblivious to what is happening to him and sees nothing wrong, but the viewers understand what is truly occurring. The viewers, who are taking the perspective of the "son", see it as the boy being taken against his will and being a victim of a horrible crime.

I can't wait to see how "Welcome Home" comes to life! Stay Tuned!

Name Game

Hello! In class today, I played the name game that I described in my previous blog. Here is the conversation:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HAGgffQhgL36934LNHS3iZEvVXFwd527/view?usp=sharing

Based on their guesses of what the film would be about, I eliminated the following names:

Rosewood: In addition to this name sounding romantic, it also does not reveal anything about what the film will be about.

The Long Road Ahead: My classmates guessed that this movie would be based on overcoming something. In my film, I want to feature the problem occurring, not the recovery.

Held: One-word titles are not very effective, as they give no information to what the movie will be about. This title, in particular, does not hint to what the film will be about.

Held at Home: My classmates' guesses were somewhat accurate, however, I personally do not like this name.

Momma: My classmates' guess of the film being a musical was a polar opposite of what I actually wanted to go for in this horror/thriller film.

New: Again, one-word titles are not very effective. This title is not descriptive at all. They could not describe anything close to my film opening idea.

A Mother's Kiss: This name is too romantic sounding, which is shown from my classmates describing this movie as a happy, uplifting film.

Darkness: Although my classmate had a close guess by saying mental illness, the name is very cliche and is too broad. I can come up with a name better than that.

Guardian: This name is misleading. My classmates' guesses were way off.

Rebirth: My classmates' guess of a new beginning was correct, but I want the film to be the beginning of a negative occurrence. This is another name that is too positive.

There are now seven names that I am considering. In addition to these seven names, I have come up with two more while writing this blog. They are "WELCOME HOME" and "HOME SWEET HOME"

I am going to narrow down those names and choose the most effective one soon! Stay Tuned!

What's in a name?

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” -Spoken by Juliet, Romeo & Juliet, Act 2 Scene 2

What's in a name? Seriously. What goes into a name? I researched this topic because now is the time where I develop a name for my film. A poorly named film could throw the whole undertaking off balance. For example, if the name is too hard and does not roll off the tongue, people may not post or talk about it. The lack of promotion will greatly damper its success. In addition, an improperly named film can lead to bad reviews. For example, a film with a romantic sounding name will primarily attract audiences who enjoy romance films. Typically, those same people do not enjoy action films very much. If the film featured a lot of action and a small number of sobby love scenes, the audience would not be very happy, as what was shown is not what they are interested in. For these reasons, it is imperative for a film to be named appropriately and effectively.

Effective names are usually short and related to the material. Most of the time, they are based on a character, location, or situation that is featured in the film. This gives the viewers some sort of knowledge of what the film will be about. Using these guidelines, I have come up with the following names:

• Stranger Danger
• Rosewood
• A New Life
• The Long Road Ahead
• A Mother's Love
• Held
• Held at Home
• Momma
• My Son
• New
• Vacancy
• A Mother's Kiss
• Darkness
• Guardian
• Black Street
• Columbus Hill
• Rebirth

That is a lot of names. It looks like I'm going to have to narrow them down. I'm going to test them out by having my classmates read them. If they can't tell me a general idea of what they think the film will be about, I will cut it off the list. Then, I will choose from the remaining list. Stay Tuned!

References:
Script Reader Pro. (2018, 22 Nov). MOVIE TITLE IDEAS: 3 WAYS TO COME UP WITH COOLER TITLES. Retrieved from https://www.scriptreaderpro.com/movie-title-ideas/

Storyboards Part 2

Hello! After brainstorming how I should create an effective ending for my film opening, I have created a storyboard for it! I have now completed all the storyboards for my film opening, and I am ready to continue with this process to make it a reality!

I hope these storyboards give you an adequate view of what my film opening is going to look like!

NOTE: Excuse me, as I am not the most artistic student. At least I tried my best!

Storyboards Part 1

Hello! Yesterday, I developed the storyboards for the first two scenes of my film opening. Storyboarding is extremely useful when developing a story because it is a tool that clearly conveys how the story will flow and it gives you an accurate view of how your shots will work together. Additionally, it reveals potential problems that would need to be fixed, saving you time and money. Please note that this is a general outline of what my opening will look like; there may be some changes to it as I begin the production process. Take a look!

I will continue to develop storyboards and conduct more research throughout the week. Stay Tuned!

Project Schedule

Hello! I have begun to realize that this is a huge project. In order to stay organized and ensure that I complete all components on time, I have created a project schedule. Here it is:

By adhering to this schedule, I will be sure to stay on track and ensure that all components of my project are completed effectively.

Developing a character

Hello! As you already know, the primary purpose of my film opening is to introduce the main character. The main character in my film is a mentally-unstable female criminal. I wanted to do more research on female kidnappers, sexual abusers, and serial killers in order to effectively create an accurate representation of a woman of this character.

Here are my findings:

Kidnapping:
When there is a kidnapping, 49% of the time it is by a relative of the victim, 27% of the time it is by an acquaintance of the victim, and 24% of the time it is by a stranger to the victim. During a stranger kidnapping, victims are usually females and are teenagers and school-age children. These kidnappings are associated with sexual assaults in the case of girl victims and robberies in the case of boy victims (Bilich, p.2).
Sexual Abusers: There are a number of theories as to why women sexually abuse children. According to Mallett (2017), a significant number of females who sexually abuse are women in their 30s. On average, they abuse males who are 12 years of age. Women tend to abuse because they see the relationship as love; they fail to see it as inappropriate or abusive. Female abusers are primarily driven by a desire for intimacy and abuse as a way of trying to compensate for emotional needs not met elsewhere (p.2-3).

Serial Killers: Through my research on female serial killers, I found that 16% of serial killers are female. According to Bonn (2019), these female serial killers usually operate in a specific place that they know well, such as their home. Although they commonly target their lovers and males that are close to them, an important U.S. study found that their victims also included children and the elderly (p.1-2).




I plan to create a female character with the following characteristics:

• Average on the outside, troubled on the inside.
• Predatory Behavior
• Lonely
• Lives in a dark, bland home
• Has experienced loss
• Addictive tendencies

I also plan to create a victim character with the following characteristics:

• Male
• Stranger to the abductor
• Young

This blend of characters will produce a product that both squashes stereotypes and creates a suspenseful story. The event that will take place will be very out of the ordinary as males usually aren't kidnapped by females who are strangers. This combination of these factors will develop a story that has never been told before.


References:

Bilich, K. (Unknown). Parents. Child Abduction Statistics for Parents. Retrieved from https://www.parents.com/kids/safety/stranger-safety/child-abduction-facts/

Bonn, S. (2019, 24 June). Psychology Today. The Unique Motives of Female Serial Killers. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/wicked-deeds/201906/the-unique-motives-female-serial-killers

Mallett, X. (2017, 19 Feb). The Conversation. Women also sexually abuse children, but their reasons often differ from men’s. Retrieved from http://theconversation.com/women-also-sexually-abuse-children-but-their-reasons-often-differ-from-mens-72572