Creative Critical Reflection

To end this long awaited journey off, I present my CCR and my last blog for this project. Enjoy :)

Alternative link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1r7PVel5XPEU6ReN2oSwjpXnrAlAE-LKe/view?usp=sharing

Affliction film opening

Hi bloggers!

Today is the day, without further ado, I present to you all Affliction. Enjoy!

Alternative links:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=11J8A6OJK2iG96wAXCkYY__wb2phNVHWr

https://youtu.be/sbiVI58E_5w

Project reflection

Over the course of the last couple weeks planning, organizing, filming, and editing I can say that my skills have developed and our final result came out well. Our vision went according to plan and we let some things happen on their own so felt more natural. We had an outline of each memory but let the actors, as they were a family, do their own thing so it felt more natural and like it was a home-recorded video. My group and I accomplished our goal in producing a coming-of-age drama about a sensitive topic that brings emotion alive to our audience. There were no complications because our group all knew how to talk to each other and our ideas just clicked. Collaboration was high and this was an important factor into how our end product came out. I am happy to say the next time I upload it will be the release of Affliction, our film opening, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did making it and want to know what happens next. Till next time :)

Outlines

Hello guys :)

I wanted to show and document the outline for my creative critical reflection so here we go!

I have my script set but as I talk I want some visuals so the video can be engaging and it's easier to understand something when there is a picture attached. I downloaded a screen recording software called ScreenCast-O-Matic and it perfectly recorded my screen with audio so you can my visuals and listen at the same time.

The visuals I'm showing are going to change as I speak and answer the questions. Some of the pictures I included are:

1. The title card

2.Scenes from the film opening

3.Youtube and Florida Film festival statistics 

4.Storyboards and lists of shots

5. The camera and editing software we used

6. Blogger

Here's my test run of the recording software to make sure everything works 

I answered all the questions regarding my project and I think it was a reflection well done. I've learned so many new techniques from this project and can't wait to use them in my next project.

Progress!

Hi bloggers!

Today is an exciting day as the star have aligned and... what am I saying? Today is a good day because my script for my ccr is complete and all there is left to do is record myself talking. I have my exact plan on what I will be showing while I talk to make the video a little less boring and add some visuals to it. This week is the final week to this entire process and I'm sad but also happy that we are nearing the end to be able to show the end result. Have a good week and I will be posting real soon :)

Updates!

As time moves by closer to the due date, things are getting done and one of them is our official film opening. We are just checking on a couple of final details but we can finally say that this journey is coming to a close. This project was such an experience to get hands on and see from a producer,director, writer, and actor's point of view what it takes to film an opening to a future movie.

Before we end this journey though, there needs to be a reflection to see what went well, what could have gone better, and if we were to redo this, what changes would we make. I am still in the brainstorming process for my creative critical refelction because I want it to be creative and engaging. This way viewers can learn without getting bored and so I don't get bored myself. Either way I know I'll come up with something during this quarantine and get passed this block in thinking.

As far as life beyonf the film opening, I have been keeping busy between running, working out, trying new food creations, netflixm and talking to my friends who I miss so much. It's crazy to think how dependent I can get on social interaction and being with people. I'm driving my family crazy and need to get out which is looking like won't happen for a while but when it does, it's going to be the best feeling ever. Going back to normal will be a blessing and I've learned to not take things for granted and appreciate life everyday.

For now, I hope everyone is staying stafe with their loved ones and I'll update very soon in the next weeks for the end of this journey!

Best regards,

Jessica

Editing time

After all the planning, brainstorming, filming, and communicating, it's time to sit down and edit what we have created for our project to complete it's vision. Our group parnter, Gaby, has a great editing software and enjoys editing so she really wanted to take the lead on this part of the project. The rest of the group members and I helped her with anything she needed like the order of the shots, the font of the credits, the credits placement, and the music and when there was sound or not. We all pieced in our creative input and it all came out into a great film opening.

Adobe After Effects is the editing program Gaby used to put our project together. I do know a bit about editing and how to put clips together with different effects but not as much to be able to use this program so I'm glad we have Gaby in our group. I still want to talk about what Adobe After Effects has to offer and it's advantages.

According to Storyblock, the advantages of this editing software is the ability to "layer multiple audio and visual clips on top of each other and use the software’s many tools to blend them all together, adding visual effects, and the ability to make title and 2D animations." These benefits match our needs well because we want to layer several clips to have the visuals but also the music, we need to add credits since this is an opening, and everything on the software is organized and easily accessible to make the process go smooth since editing can be stressful and time consuming.

Music

Hi everyone!!

Though COVID-19 is keeping us in quarentine, our group is advancing with our projects so then we can complete our CCR's. Our first choice in the song that we want to include was Sparks by Coldplay since it complements the tone of our video. To be able to use the song in the video Gaby filled a liscense request and submitted it. We waited a while but we needed to begin editing and Corona was making it harder for an email back. I decided to just look for other songs that could still match the tone and give off the same effect. I went to Youtube and did some searching and here were the top selections.

1. Woods- Acoustic Folk/Background Music

Gaby found this song and I thought it was a possible option because it was a soft song and I could see it fit into the happy moments. However, I thought it was more on the country-ish side and was a little too upbeat for the video because our story revolves around a lost parent and their grieving teenager.

2. Tranquility- Chill Lofi Hip Hop Beat

With this soundtrack, we immediately discarded it as soon as the best dropped. We had some hope in the beginning with the slow progression, the subtle beats, and the piano but then 20 seconds in the vibe of the song and the video don't match and we had to keep looking.

3. The simple things- Free Billie Eilish Type Beat

As I was searching, this beat came up on the side bar for recommended videos. It was appealing to me so I clicked it on and instantly felt a connection. With every song, I would put the clips and theme into my head and visualize what it would look and feel like. As soon as I heard the first beat, I was hooked and kept listening more and more until I was half way into the song and knew this was a highly likeable suggestion. I shared with the rest of the group members and we were on board with using this song for the video.

3..2..1..Smile!!

None of the scenes and shots taken would of been possible without one special and important tool. The camera. Nowadays, it's so much easier and accessible to record something with the use of our phones. One red button allows us to catch endless memories that we can look backward on at anytime. I want to take time to talk about the camera my group used and how it allowed us to capture nicely colored and crisp shots.

Though I'm not an expert on specifications and features of cameras, I did do a bit of research and found out all about the Canon EOS Rebel T6i. I went to the direct source of the camera first, the Canon website. I found the camera and scrolled down to see why the camera is worth purchasing. According to the source, "its high-resolution 24.2 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor, updated light-metering system, advanced AF,  and EOS Scene Analysis system" all contribute into natural and perfectly detailed shots with approporate lighting and exposure. "The built-in Wi-Fi® and NFC" allow for easy access to all the photos and videos taken. With the features provided by Canon, this camera adequate for what we are filming but I wanted to see from one more source that may be less biased. 

CanonT6i.com says that compared to the T6, the T6i is the better option. The camera has a complete touch screen with higher resolution that eases the process of ,"manipulating the camera settings from any shooting angle without having to fiddle with tiny buttons you can’t see." Additional features include a "built-in microphone, UHS memory card support, and the ability to be controlled remotely by your smartphone" which all cater to the convenience of the user.

Both sources confirm that this camera is useful in providing a clean shot with proper coloring and lighting that will give us the effects we are looking for throughout our opening.

update and what has been going on :/

Hello bloggers!

I wanted to update everyone on what has been happening in our filming process and why there hasn't been consisent uploads.

As you all know, or if you somehow don't, the COVID-19 or Corona Virus pandemic has affected everyday life including regular school and work routine. Due to this, self- quarentine is being recommended for everyone to prevent the spreading of the virus. Schools and various public places have closed restricting the amount of human contact. So there is good news and bad news, the good news is that our group filmed all the shots needed to complete our vision. The bad news is that because we are all stuck in our houses, we can't meet up to commence the editing process, our license request to use the song for our video hasn't been answered meaning that our editing process is also on a roadblock, and all the shots are on our partner Gaby's computer so we have no access to anything. We need to start looking for alternative songs and begin editing to make sure everything is ready for the due date.

I will try and upload anything that I can regarding our project and process but as of now, we are in an obstacle that we need to get to and there isn't much I can post with the circumstances. I wish you all to be safe, wash your hands, and keep distance to make this quarentine faster so we can normalize our lives again.

Until next time,
                        Jess :)

BTS Pt.2 :)

Hi friends!!! 

Here is a little montage of our second filming day where we wrapped up the rest of the shots. Sit back, relax, and enjoy.

Representation

Hola amigos y amigas! 

I hope you all have been doing good and enjoying each new post I publish. Today I want to talk about representation and how we are using this to diversify our film opening. This is a highly important topic that more consumers should know about and appreciate when they see it any piece of media they view.

The media industry is continually improving with new innovations and technology, software, actors, film ideas, distribution methods, and the list can go on and on. However one important topic that is doing better but isn't there yet is representation. Representation is crucial in a film opening because it,"means that America can finally see itself in all its multicultural, multiracial, beautiful self, there's more minorities than stereotypes, and it can make disadvantaged groups become real people". (www.stanforddaily.com) I've talked about this previously but, when you watch a movie or film a majority of the time the actors and actresses are white. There is minor culture and diversity in productions making media fail at representing and celebrating the vast amount of cultures and races in the world and America. The more inclusion of minorities and women, the higher rate in popularity and income the show or film will receive.

In our film opening, we are including representation of women and hispanics as our lead role in the movie is a female teenager and her family and background is hispanic. This especailly hits home because as I am the lead role, I am able to show the audience my culture and what my parents have taught me about my background. Our culture and rate in popularity increases awarness for the minority groups. 

The more diverse representation, the better the media industry will do increasing their income and future in media production.

BTS :)

Throughout filming day 1 we created a behind the scenes little montage to show our process, any funny moments, and whats happening as we film each shot. Hope you enjoy and we will continue doing this to capture the best moments about this whole project!

Mise en scene

The use of color is crticial is any piece because it helps set the tone of where the movie is going. The darker the colors the more serious, sad tone while bright, colorful outfits and lighting fulfill a happy tone. Here are some of the outfits that we used to film during week 1 of each memory or scene and how they help set the tone.

The blue shirt with the black hollister shorts gives a nice, comfy home vibe that the daughter is wearing while making pancakes with her father.

The gray sweater is worn when the daughter is confiding in the father while crying and the true bond they have is highlighted.

Setting

The main places for filming will be the family's house which is my house. Picuted below we have the dinning room table where the homework is taught, the kitchen where the pancakes are cooked, and the daughter's bedroom where she doesn't want to leave after her father has passed.

What's coming up?

Our first filming day is around the corner and Sunday will be a productive day for the group.

It's easier for our group to make a list of shots and what we envision and then film many different shots instead of drawing a storyboard.

Here we have the memory sequence with the credits rolling followed by the title card and the real life events after the dad has passed away. The emotions between the father and daughter vary between happy, sad, frusturated, and more. We want to transition between each moment with a fade in and out or possibly a graphic match. There will be a clear difference between the memories and the reality. Complete quietness, low lighting, and dark colors for outfits will clarify when the opening is in reality and out of the past.

There's no "I" in team!

Today in class we talked about our projects and what can be improved or added to make the film opening the best it can be. The people in my group liked the concept and message my group wants to portray. I got great geedback back that I want to share here and why it can improve the piece.

To avoid the montage and chessy effect while showing the memories that emphasize the relationship between the daughter and dad, we can have the girl walking or having a normal day and when she looks around she sees things that remind her. For example, having another father and daughter walking while she walks alone, a bike passing by and her being reminded of the bike rides she used to go on. We have thought about including this but are leaning more towards having the memory sequence with the credits rolling. Our main focus is highlighting the loneliness she feels inside and how her family is broken. I think our group can truly create something great that can represent our meesage and show how every teenager is different and has their own story.

The other members in the group also have great film openings that I think are interesting and unique.

Ana Jurado and her partner Luis are depicting a coming of age drama where a teenage girl is trying to find her true identity- music or popularity? This a relatable piece that can be engaging and we helped her figure out an idea for the title. "My own way" was brought up by Camila because the teenager is learning how to do things her own and make her own decisions without getting pressured by social expectations.

Camila Criscola wants to illustrate an opening on the seriousness of bullying and suicide. She wants to show a teeange girl suffering each day from verbal bullying to the point where she can't take it anymore and ends up taking her own life. She needed a title as well and Robert came up with a great idea to incorpoarte the saying, "sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me." Its ironic though because words are what is hurting this teenage girl. The title is intriguing yet mysterious as to what is going to happen.

Sydney Surico and her group members, Irene and Valentina, are making a film opening about a 1970's teenage girl who knows she is lesbian; however, she cannot expose this because it wasn't socially acceptable back then. With the use of definite color and unique style on the teeange girl and shots that make it obvious to the audience that the teenager is attracted to the same sex can be interesting and engaging, even relatable to some.

Oliver Sulla and his group members are really taking a cool concept by filming a piece about how social media and being an influence can be all an act. How after time, these influencers get tired and only do it for the money, benefits, and possibly fame. The girl in the opening will reach the end of constantly faking her emotions and want to stop the whole internet act. Overtime the progression will improve to show the girl leaning towards stopping.

Robert Trela and his partner Sil are taking a cool twist with a Sci- Fi opening. They want to have a date like concept at night in Lucille's American Cafe which holds that old, 50's diner feel to it. During the editing process, they want to incorporate holograms that contribute to the sci fi genre. I like this new concept and I think it can do really well if they take time during the editing process and make sure everything looks good and get second opinions on what can be improved.

I ultimately thought the group meetings were a success and I came out with great input that I can apply to my opening :)

I have good news and more good news

Okay do you want the good news or the other good news?


Nice choice... so the good news is we have the complete family that will be in the opening. Jessica Briceno(me as the daughter), Susana Briceno (as the mother), and Jim Briceno(as the father).


The other, better good news is we still have a way to still depict our idea but it won't be cheesy or montagey!!!


We are going to begin the piece with a black screen and laughter coming into the background. Then the visuals will appear and the first moment will begin which we listed below. We want to vary the emotions that the daughter(me) and father(my actual father) experience together and include a couple with the mother(my real mother) to show that in the past, they were a complete family. All these moments are also real things that I have done with my family


Memories will include:
1.Happy (watching a movie and biking)

We want to include happy moments to show the close connection there was between father and daughter. The movie shows a heartwarming moment with the complete family. The biking scene will portray an activity that the daughter and father like to do together.


2. Frustrated (math hw and driving)

Life is never always happy and we want to show the moments where the daughter is angry and thinks her life sucks. The dad helping with math homework is a classic teenage moment that is relatable to our audience, 18-30 year olds. The driving scene also can be relatable with a parent teaching their child how to drive a car. This happened with my father and I and we can really show the frusturation in each point of view.


3.Sad(crying and he comes over)

We want to touch the hearts of our audience and emphasize that the dad cares for the daughter and has a close, strong connection with her. A moment where the daughter was crying and the dad comes to console her and make her feel better can clarify this.


4.Silly(pancake making include mom)

A silly, cute moment we thought of is when my dad and I used to make pancakes with each other on saturday mornings. We want to include the mother in this scene too to show there was a happy, complete family.


5.Nervous (you got this about to play in soccer game)

Last we want to show how the father is always there for the daughter in times of need and is her #1 supporter. I played soccer with my dad as my coach for the past 10 years, he was my guide and taught me how to play the sport I still love, though I play lacrosse now. The scene can show me being nervous to go in and my dad saying, you got this I believe in you.

Overthinking sucks :(

Our final idea is set.... or what we think is our idea. We want to make sure that the memories we are planning to show in the opening aren't cheesy and emphasize the pathos connection. We keep agreeing on a certain idea and then someone says but "what about this" or "what if..." and we come back to square 1. We are all stuck in a spot where we can definetely create an effective product that will clarify the drama genre and our idea but we don't know how to start it and steer away from that cheesy effect. Once we get into a clear path, I'll have a better update.

BIG CHANGEEE

We originally had the idea of recreating Jenn finding out about her father's passing. Today was a major change because after watching the example film openings, we realized our idea would get boring quickly and not achieve the effect we were going for. The idea will still be the same of depicting the loss of loved one; however we are changing the way we convey this to become more engaging.

We want to show a variety of photos from happy memories in the girl's childhood. With each photo, there will a camera zoom into the real memory and how happy Jenn was with the loved one, possibly a parent or sibling. Then the coloring will change emphasizing the sadness of the memory since the loved one passed. Jenn becomes sad and frustrated so she decides to slam the photo book. The book closes and the title will appear on the cover completing the film opening.

Here is an example of the effect we want to try to recreate that what shot in the music video for "Story of my life" by One direction

(Begin at 0:52)

As you can see through the video, the picture was displayed of a distant memory and then there is a transition into the actual scene where the singer, Zayn, began to move. This happens multiple times throughout the music video and also emphazies how the people pictured have grown up. You see the child version of Zayn and then he changes into his adult self highlighting our reminiscent theme.

This is the style we are attempting to emulate through our film opening and storyline and I'll update with further information as the brainstorming process continues.

Scheduling!!

As the vision is setting in, we need to begin with planning what is going to be accomplished for the current week and weeks ahead. Here is a planner with the dates we are trying to go for. Some dates will probably change or we will procrastinate and miss what was scheduled but for now.... here it is!

This is the ideal vision for the rest of the month of February

Here is the calendar going into March, an important month with heavy productivity.

Schedule

We have agreed on the idea and started a storyboard rough sketch to envision what the shots would look like and the style of drama we were trying to emmulate.

 We wanted to start the scene establishing the setting so we have Jenn laying in her bedroom and she gets up to go to school for the day. We want to convey a very positive attitude and lifestyle for Jenn. Everything is going good in her life and it will be another successful school day for her. We wanted to incoporate a symbol in the beginning that would foreshadow a scene later in the opening. Since the ending is Jenn answering a phone call and discovering her father's passing, we will have a beautful healthy flower in the beginning when she leaves for school. Once she returns the flower is more dead and gray to show that something is about to happen engaging the audience more. There are several shots of her at school, talking to friends, enjoying the rest of the day. Towards the end of the day, we want to convey the message that despite Jenn being in a crowded room, she begins to feel alone. Her car ride back will be quiet and give a sense of sadness. The coloring, lighting, and mise en scene will also emphasize this effect.

  This page is a continuation of Jenn walking into her room and seeing that the flower looks dead even though she watered it that morning. The next set of shots are going to be edited faster and the pace of the film will pick up with Jenn's phone ringing and her mom calling her. Maybe a split screen can show the mom's emotions to how Jenn is going to react. Then as soon as Jenn hears the breaking news there will be a close up as her emotion changes completely. Her phone is going to fall with the camera following it and then the title will appear of the movie.

Brainstorming

Our group thought about what we knew and how to apply it to a successful film opening. A coming-of-age drama film was a theme that kept circling back and we decided to stick with it. Jenn mentioned that we could do a real life depiction of her life and how she dealt with her father passing away a few years ago. This can be an effective film opening that represents our genre and can be relatable to any one who has experienced the loss of a loved one.

We will see how this idea develops and what there is to come in the film making process.

Who doesn't like drama?

We have made it all this way and now it's time to take everything I have learned and apply it to the masterpiece I am about to create. I'm excited to take you guys along with me and hopefully learn more about the struggles, accomplishments, and fun moments in the film making process.


Let's talk about drama!

Drama film heavily relies on the emotional and relational develop. Most of the time, the dramatic themes, that are important too, are taken from intense, real life issues. Drama film aims to tell an honest story of human struggles. (thescriptlab) The main focus of a drama film is to build the characters with the audience as they engage further into the story.


The drama genre is the broader term for the smaller spectrum of subgenres that are out there. Here are some of the subgenres that coexist in the drama genre title.



1. Crime Drama

Most likely following a character involved in criminal activity, the justice system, or some business with law enforcement. 

                                                               

2. Historical drama

Focus is on dramatic events in history such as war films

3. Comedy Drama

genre that balances serious event with humorous content 

                                                                 

4. Melodrama

uses plots that appeal to the heightened emotions of the audience,

can be also known as "chick flicks" when targeted toward the female audience

and "guy cry" films with the male audience

                                                                 

5. Romantic Drama

focuses on the elements of a romantic love

                                                                     

6. Period Piece 

concentrates on a specific time era, often based on a novel 

Music

Music is a very powerful art form that can inspire and motivate many or get them through a tough time. Music videos go along with the song to illustrate an image or bring representation to a group of people. I had the opportunity to delve deep in the music industry and create a music video of my own. I highly enjoyed this assigment and want to share what I took away from it.

Alternative rock describes music that comes from the genre 'rock' and emerged from the independent music of the 1970's. With the research my group and I investigated, there were several common trends. Alternative rock artists know their target audience leading us to conclude that 16-24 year olds, both genders in middle class were our main group. Engagement is crucial and social media truly helps with exposure and getting your name out there. Instagram, Twitter, and newly Tik Tok were the main platforms we saw being used to interact with the target audience. For example, the band 'The Neighborhood' effectively uses Instagram by "going dark" with every album release. The goal is to delete every post and then as time gets closer to the official release, post a sneak peek video or picture that will give more information as the day goes closer. This makes fans curious and willing to check their account more for any new photos. Foster the People has a partnership with Spotify for fans to participate in. They have art contests where fans can sumbit a piece of artwork that could be featured on an album cover or a merch design. Engagement is included here as fans want to see their stuff on a band they look up to. We also noted that distribution on Spotify and Youtube greatly spread the avaiblabilty of the band's music beacuse of the easy access and cleanliness of the platforms.

NY Revival was the name of the band we created that included Ryder Bennett (the vocalist), Dylan Dwane (electric guitartist), and Ayshe Gokk (bass guitarist). Our intended theme was a 90's theme alternative rock band entertaining 16-24 year old rebellious teens and young adults. To incorporate our theme, our powerpoint included several colors and the mise-en-scene reprsented the 90's from the costuming and props. Since NY Revival is an up and coming band, marketing was crucial to expose our name. We started with a website (https://camicriscola.wixsite.com/nyrevival) that would be a clean, accessible site to read the background of the band, click on any social medias, see our music video, and most importantly purchase the merchandise.

For social media, Tik Tok is a new, grossing platform where many songs have grown fame such as Electric Feel by MGMT surpassing 1 million views beacuse it went trending on Tik Tok. This is a beneficial platform because the app is free and once we get an acheivable amount of likes, money begins to pour in. Moreover, dances are extremely popular and if a dance is choreographed to our song, there is more exposure highlighting our band.

As mentioned before, our website provides access to the merchandise that effectively brings us revenue. We thought about how our target audience is the next generation in charge of the planet and protecting it from being harmed. For this, our products are environmentally friendly with biodegrable phone cases and reusable clothing.

                                      
This will spread awareness of the protection of our planet while giving exposure to our band. To go with the theme of preserving the planet, we hope to collaborate with OneTree.org where one dollar from every purchase is donated to planting a tree in Australia among the ones that were lost in the recent fires.

Shooting the Music Video

I definetely learned some valubale lessons through my own, my group, and the other groups mistakes. Personally, time managment is a crucial thing that needs to be taken seriosuly. Even though our group began filming certain shots a week before the due date giving us time to decide if we needed to film again or keep the edit, I could notice the quality of the video was rushed as groups scrambled to get all the clips together. Work ethic and quality can be improved so much with the proper managment because you are thinking correctly and at your own pace without feeling pressured. Also, we researched many bands and marketing trends in general for musical artists. We felt that social media, the website, and merchandise were great ways but we didn't provide our why. My teacher pointed this out because its one thing to be able to understand what goes well on paper but to understand why it makes sense to type or the benefit is a new skill set. Overall, there are a variety of elements that come into play to create a video from the costuming to the actors to the film location. Planning is for sure required and this project prepared me for the greatness that is coming in the next one.