Film Opening

Here's my film opening, Blue Hour, hope you enjoy!

https://youtu.be/ddxkeEc9vCg?si=y3H_fJ-qOmY4-Jnl

Creative Critical Reflection

Here are both of my CCR's, I hope you enjoy! 

First CCR-

https://youtu.be/xfUkD_2-jK0?si=F6fYZGO7vsboxbfI

Second CCR- 

https://youtu.be/7qOpisZgYhQ?si=Ec8lrzTN-RZpYykj

Portfolio project reflection

Wow, I'm done with this project. I really really cannot fathom it. This felt like a long journey but it also went by so fast. I remember brainstorming for Blue Hour like it was yesterday. It's pretty surreal that this project is done. I made a few changes along the way of the project, like some of my storyboard and shot list isn't exactly the same as my opening, it's for sure very similar. This is because while I was filming, I realized some things wouldn't look as good as they did in my head. I like that some aspects changed though, I think it shows growth to be honest. I also remember I added a few accessories to Georgia's outfit but I changed them, because they just didn't look realistic on camera.

I think this may have been one of the most informational projects I have ever done in my 11 years of school. I learned so much about costuming, screen writing, planning, organizing my time, and so much more. I'm so happy I decided to take this class, it has been so fulfilling and fun. I am really proud of how I managed my time and took time to do research and plan things accordingly. I am so excited to take AICE Media Studies A level next year, YAY!

CCRs are done!

 Ah! I finished editing my CCRs. I can't believe how fast this project has gone by. It feels like I just started my journey yesterday. Editing my first CCR was a bit tricky. I wanted to add a lot to me getting ready because I didn't want it to be boring, so I added clips from my opening. I also added clips from other movies and also some articles (which I credited of course) I was referencing as I was speaking in my video. This sounds a bit confusing so let me show you how the editing screen looks like. 

Here's what it's looking like-

As you can see here, there's clips overlayed on top of each other

I think these clips make the video more engaging and entertaining. I'm glad I added this detail, I think the CCR might have been boring if I hadn't. To credit all the sources I used, I had the idea to use a credits screen at the end (kind of like how movies do it). 

This is what I'm referencing- 

It was very easy to add this at the end of my CCR since iMovie has a template for scrolling credits- 

I changed the font a bit on mine because I didn't like how they made it bold but besides that it looks super similar. I thought this was a super cute way to incorporate something that happens in film into my CCR. I didn't know how to cite my sources without it being too much on screen but as soon as I saw this template I knew I had to do it this way. 

Here's what mine looks like!

Most of my resources I used I had already found due to previous research I had done ( which is shown on my blog). However, I had to do some research for my first CCR (the getting ready one), which I totally forgot to mention in the last post! I did research on target audiences for dramas and found this awesome website that drew everything out for me, I'm so thankful I found it. 

Here's a picture of the website-

They also have a chart on there, isn't that amazing?! According to this website the target audience for dramas is mostly women that range from the ages 18-29. I think my film opening is perfect for this target audience since the main character is a woman and women are the target audience. The main character being the same gender as the target audience may grab their attention and create a sense of relatability. Also, being in your early adult life, i've heard, can be very emotional and difficult. So I think the fact that this piece is emotional and a bit sad is perfect for this audience. 

CCR filming!

 Hi! I have officially finished filming both of my CCR's, yay! I'm so so happy I can't believe I did it. I decided to do the getting ready one and I tried to do the dog one, but me and my friends schedule didn't match up. She just got back from a trip and so did I, so our schedules were both very hectic and it just didn't work out. I'm really sad about that, but there was nothing we could do. I also tried the 10 things that made Blue Hour idea. But, it was very messy and I didn't like it. So I did a powerpoint, which I tried to make pretty and decorate and of course add examples and a voice over to so it could at least be pleasing to the eye! 

I also of course did some planning-

(Don't mind the makeup smudge,

as you can tell, I filmed the get ready one)

Here's a sort of script I wrote for myself

(It's more like points I need to make, but you get it)

This script helped a lot, I was scared for mostly the first two questions, I felt like they were a bit challenging to answer. So, writing it all down helped me a lot, it helped me feel a lot better about the questions and more organized. I also used tips our teacher gave us to answer the questions, we sort of broke them down in class, this was so beneficial and I don't think I could've answered the questions appropriately without her help.

Here's a shot from my first CCR, unedited

Here's a screenshot from my second CCR

I used this template from Canva for my second CCR

I looked through a few templates from Canva and decided this one was fitting because of all the blue of course. I'm currently editing my first CCR, I'm really liking how it's turning out so far, I was really nervous about my CCRs, but I think I did pretty good. My CCRs took a few hours to film, I started at 1pm and finished around 6:30 pm. I wanted to make sure everything was good and I was actually happy and proud of the result, and I am, yay!

Editing and credits

Hi! So as I get closer and closer to the end of this project, I have begun finalizing most things, for one, my editing is almost complete. There is one thing that I need to add though, and that's credits. I did some research on dramas and the order of their credits in the film openings. One opening I looked at was Pricilla directed by Sofia Coppola. In that opening specifically, they introduce the production companies first and then begin listing the actors and finally the director and co-producers. Another opening I viewed was from The Florida Project by Sean Baker, in this opening the production company and who the film was by was credited first and then the actors and other roles such as editors. To me this made a bit more sense, I think it makes sense to credit who the film was by and then the actors and editors, etc. So this is the format I chose for my opening! However, I did credit the actors before the producers just because there was a shot with both actors and I felt that the names were meant to be placed there.

Here's a screenshot from me editing, you can also see one of the credits i included

Here's another screenshot of my editing process where you can

also see a credit 

I also did some foley for one of the sound effects i included. We learned about foley in the classroom when we were doing a sound project. According to this article, foley makes sound feel more realistic.

I thought foley making the film feel more realistic would be helpful since my film is meant to feel real. So I decided to put my phone down and have it record while I went outside and rang my own doorbell, which is a sound effect I needed for the end of my opening. My home has a realistic and average sounding doorbell, so I thought this was the best way to get the effect. I rang it twice to be safe but I really didn't have to.

CCR ideas

The CCR is an important aspect of this project, and as I've mentioned before I want my two products to be creative. So of course, I've been brainstorming throughout the week and here are my favorite ideas I've had this far. 

My first idea is similar to this concept of an interview- 

The concept of that video is for the celebrities to show 10 things they can't live without. But I would take a twist on it and show 10 things my opening Blue Hour couldn't have succeeded without. In this interview specifically Gosling shows 10 things that are related to the Barbie movie. I think it's a really entertaining way to do an interview! I think this would be far more interesting then just hearing me speak. I would of course include pictures in videos of my project and other sources (that will be cited).

I could answer these two questions with this format-

3. How did your production skills develop throughout this project?

4. How did you integrate technologies – software, hardware and online – in this project?

Since I would show hardware and speak about software when mentioning 10 things that made Blue Hour successful. It would also make sense to speak about how my production skills developed with all the items I would show and speak about.

My second idea is similar to this concept-

I had an idea to do an interview with my friend's dogs Sally and Frida, they are adorable and energetic so I think this could be fun. She would help me film and I could help her film in return since she also takes AICE media studies. I would play with the dogs while answering questions, which could be fun and entertaining, I might have to bribe them with treats though. I could also bring my cutie dog, Brownie, but I think she would just run around with Sally and Frida the whole time, she's super energetic and social. I would again integrate media to make the interview even more interesting. 

  Here's Sally and Frida, they're so adorable

However keeping these dogs still may be a little hard so if anything, here's my next idea-

This concept involves me getting ready for the day using skin care and cosmetics, usually people talk about the products they are using, but I wouldn't. I would mention what I'm doing in the beginning, which is getting ready while answering questions, and then speak about Blue Hour while I get ready. Again integrating media is something I would do while I speak to make the video more interesting and engaging, I would do this for all concepts I included in this post.

Here's my last idea- 

I had the idea to do something similar to this concept, here Edebiri is mostly speaking about the food being cooked, but I would speak about Blue Hour while baking. I would cook but honestly I'm not amazing at it, so I would rather bake! I love baking cookies for friends and family, specifically chocolate chip ones, so that's probably what I would do.