Creative Critical Reflection

    It has been a long journey, but I am finally finished! I had such a fun time making the film opening and now these projects. This was a very eye-opening experience to the world of film making and media production that I couldn't have imagined. 

CCR Question 1 - Get Ready With Me Makeup Video

How does your product use or challenge conventions, and how does it represent social groups or issues?

 

    When deciding on ways to answer the CCR questions, I figured a Get Ready With Me makeup video would be a fun way for me to do it. I love watching makeup tutorials and GRWM videos, so the idea of me doing one of my own seemed like too interesting for me to pass up. Most GRWMs I've seen have people talking while doing their makeup, but I felt I wouldn't be able to focus on what I was doing or saying so I settled on doing a voiceover to answer the question.

CCR Question 2 - Magazine

How does your product engage with audiences, and how would it be distributed as a real media text?

              

    For this question, I was at a loss for what to do, but then I remembered that answering the question as a magazine was an option. I had my answers typed out already and I had to just tweak it a little bit to sound like an interview. I was a little lost on how to do the actual page of the magazine and not just the cover, like I did with a previous assignment. It was interesting making the cover because I had an idea of what I wanted the cover image to be, the only issue was the details and different stories to include that I struggled a bit with.

CCR Question 3 - Director's Commentary

How did your production skills develop throughout this project?

    For this question, I had to do a bit of research of what the conventions of a director's commentary was and look at some examples. I struggled a bit with balancing the commentary with answering the questions, but I think I managed a healthy medium. I did not struggle with what to comment on because I feel like I was just restating events and topics from my production diary entries.

CCR Question 4 - Powerpoint Presentation

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

    For this question, it was a bit of a last resort because I could not find any creative way to answer the last question. I ran out of creative ideas and remembered doing a PowerPoint presentation was an option. To do this I screen recorded going through the presentation and edited a voice over going through my answers and talking points. I have some regrets of not including images or making the presentation more colorful somehow. 

    It is so surreal that I am almost at the end of the year and I am finally finished with this project. At the beginning of this journey, I was so frightened by the thought of being on camera and embarrassed that my projects may be bad, but now at the end of this journey, I am so proud of myself and the hard work I put in and the dedication I had to this project. I've grown so much while working on this project and have stepped out of my comfort zone multiple times and I could not be prouder of myself! I hope you like my portfolio!

Final Film Brief!!

    The film opening is finally finished! I had so much fun working on this project and I am so proud of the finished product! Even though I faced a lot of challenges and frequently stepped out of my comfort zone on this journey, I had so much fun creating and working on this project and I am so proud of me and my groupmates (Sophia Espinosa and Gabriella Offredi) for the time, effort, and hard work we put in creating this film opening. 

    This was an eye-opening experience that made me realize the intricate process and the hardwork that goes into making a film. Knowing what goes on behind the scenes as a film maker and an actor, I will be moving forward appreciating films on a deeper level and further understanding the deliberate film techniques used by the creators.

I hope you enjoy Off Script!

Production - Production Diary Day 9

    Today is the second editing day and I finished working on my part with the opening credits. Sophia is not here  and is on a plane so she can't work in class with us. Once I finished editing my part, I exported it and imported it into the team project I made that I shared with Gaby and Sophia.

    I spent a while trying to figure out how the Team Project works on Premiere Pro and I could not figure it out. I suggested that we each finish our parts and send our parts to one person and they edit all the parts together to make the final brief. That person then send the final brief to the other group members so they can submit the final brief. 

    The person that will edit the final brief will also have to include the non-copyright music. I think it will have to be either Sophia or Gaby, but Sophia's on a trip so it will have to be Gaby because I can't download Premiere Pro on my laptop at home. I took it upon myself to include the title card and I think I made it a little too yellow, but I will have to see what Gaby and Sophia think. 

    Sophia said she would send me the establishing shot of her house to include in my part, but I haven't gotten it yet because she's on a plane. When I tried to export my part, Alejandra's bathroom scenes looked really bright so I looked through the filters to try and fix it and I went to the Effects section and found a filter that is called "Hue Preservation" that fixed the brightness and I think that might have been what changed the color of the title card.

Production - Production Diary Day 8

    Monday was the first day of editing and I would say I was successful enough for a first day. We are using Premiere Pro on Adobe Creative Cloud to edit. We tried sharing a team project so we can all work in the same workspace but for some reason I couldn't see any of the footage Sophia imported or any of the work she as doing. Sophia had the idea to section out the footage and we edit our respective sections in a different project and combine all the footage together in a team project. I got assigned the morning sequence with the alarm clock and Alejandra getting up and getting ready.

    I realized while I was editing that we have to include the opening credits so I had to include while editing my footage. We decided to change the name of our film opening from "Beautiful Life" to "Off Script", which I feel matches the plot better. I found that coming of age films use handwritten font for their opening credits, and I found one on Adobe called "Ink Free" that matches the handwritten look I was going for. We decided to use transitions for the opening sequence and some cuts during Alejandra's getting ready sequence. The film opening looks much better because of the transitions and the credits look less awkward and flow smoother. I took it upon myself to name the production studio, A.M. Studios (AICE Media Studios). 

    We decided that instead of a time lapse of the sun rising we would just use an establishing shot of Sophia's house to be Alejandra's house. Sophia will have to get it tomorrow morning and send it to me so I can include it in the beginning of my clip. I am concerned that we will have to scrap some of the footage and the scenes because the morning scenes and opening credits are already a minute and 2 seconds. Once Gaby and Sophia finish editing their parts we will have to see if it goes above 2 minutes and if it does we will have to decide which scenes to cut to make the time.

Production - Production Diary Day 7

    Sunday was the second filming day and it was successful but not as much as I hoped. We finished filming all the scenes we needed, but were unable to edit that day so we had to wait for Monday at school. We filmed Alejandra's getting ready scene in the bathroom and waking up scene. While filming, Sophia was having trouble getting the camera to focus so we decided to film on her iPhone instead and the quality got a lot better.

    We decided to add a scene of Alejandra getting into her car and throwing in her bag into the backseat. I brought my backpack to be Alejandra's back and I left a heart Victoria Secret keychain and a Beenie Baby keychain because I felt matched with Alejandra as a character. After finishing filming and trying to pick out non-copyright music, we realized that in the shot of the alarm clock and the panning movement to Alejandra the time is different so we had to reshoot the scene of the alarm clock going off with the correct time. 

    We already used copyright music in our film opening so the next music we had to is non copyright. We wanted to include music during the sequence of Alejandra getting ready and I looked for some while Sophia and Gaby were filming Alejandra getting ready. I found one that I think matches with the scenes and time the film opening is set in and I think it is the best we are going to get. The song I found is called "Coming Home" on freeplaymusic.com. I also had to record a voice memo of me saying my lines so we can edit it to make it sound like Arianna is on the other side of the phone call with Alejandra. 

             

Production - Production Diary Day 6

    Yesterday was Film Day, and it went very well. We might have to meet up again though, because we did not get to film all the scenes just most of them. When we were all at Gaby's house we focused on the mise-en-scene of the film an fixed our costumes and makeup. We decided that we would have to film the scenes where Arianna and Alejandra are seen outside first because we started filming at 4 or 5 o'clock and it was starting to get to sundown and we knew that we had film those scenes quickly. 

    We filmed the scenes where Arianna is standing outside and all the scenes when Alejandra and Arianna are in the car. We did each scene a couple times just so we have different takes to look at while editing. During filming, Sophia encouraged us to add onto our lines and improvise and this allowed me to add a bit of what I imagine Arianna would say and add more into her friendship and interactions with Alejandra.

     Instead of going to Starbucks we went to Cali Coffee as the place the girls would go to before going to school. Getting the establishing shot of Cali Coffee was a little difficult because of getting the right angle so we can see the sign above the place and there was people sitting infront of the  building. It was very awkward because they could very obviously see us and were posing for the camera, which was not very helpful.

    The next time we meet up to film it will be to film the scenes of Alejandra getting ready. I told Sophia about me not being able to get onto Premiere Pro on my laptop and Sophia told me you can get into it through Clever and I tried it and it still did not work. I will have to use the desktops in class and Sophia suggested the three of us can FaceTime while they are editing.

                           
                                            

Production - Production Diary Day 5

    It is the day before Film Day and the alarm clock prop got delivered yesterday. Me and my group discussed Alejandra's costume more with Sophia sending a video of options of shirts for Gaby to wear. We chose some as options, but none of them are solid decisions until Gaby tries them on tomorrow. I send them a photo of two lowrise pants Gaby could wear that can be apart of Alejandra's costume. Sophia and Gaby told me to bring both so Gaby can try them on and see which one fits her best. 

    In class today, me, Sophia, and Gaby did another storyboard activity with the post-it-notes for the scenes of Alejandra and Arianna in the car heading to school. We decided Alejandra and Arianna would be arguing for most of the car ride and Arianna would be frustrated with Alejandra being late all the time. We decided that from the behind the seat two shot of the girls it would cut to a close up of Arianna and a cut to a close up of Alejandra to a straight cut to a front view of both the girls from the POV of the windshield.

    The song "What The Hell" by Avril Lavigne will be played at a low volume in the background and turned up in a close up shot when Alejandra turns up the radio  and start singing loudly to drown out Arianna's complaining. We decided that after that scene we would have the song "Dirty Little Secret" by The All American Rejects would be playing from the car radio as the girls pull up to Cali Coffee before going to school.

    I tried to download Adobe Creative Cloud on my laptop for the Premiere Pro app so I can help edit the film opening, but it wouldn't work. I will just have to use the desktops in class and maybe come in during study hall to work on it. Me and my group also decided that we would film the later scenes where we will be filming outside first of Friday to have appropriate lighting for the scene. We will film the opening scene of Alejandra getting ready after. I am going to have to bring a bag of the props, so I will have them when Gaby picks me up tomorrow.

       my storyboard                                Gaby's storyboard                     Sophia's storyboard

Production - Production Diary Day 4

    In class today, Me, Gaby, and Sophia were trying to figure out the shots and dialogue for the rest of our film opening, besides the scenes we storyboarded and the dialogue we already typed up. Sophia has the idea to do a storyboard activity where we each get a sticky note and storyboard what we imagine the next scenes would go and we would collaborate and compromise on our ideas. For my post-it-note, I included a little bit of dialogue and what I felt our characters would say. 

    We decided on Alejandra would be indecisive about her outfit while on the phone with Arianna and we would have a scene where Alejandra changed out of her outfit after hanging up on Arianna. The dialogue we agreed on for Alejandra, I think, really captures her sass and carefree attitude. We also decided on have a shot for Alejandra getting in her car to go pick up Arianna and it would cut to a POV shot of Arianna fixing her clothes and then a pan to Alejandra waiting in her car in Arianna's driveway. A straight cut would be used to show a two shot from the backseat of Alejandra's car showing Arianna getting into Alejandra's car.

    For the film meet up of Friday this week, we needed only the alarm clock so I asked my mom to order it from Amazon. She ordered it and it will be coming tomorrow, just in time for our filming day. Sophia said that we don't have to order the phone cases because the old phone she has has a phone case. Gaby said she has an old phone too that we can use, but she has to find it first. I asked about the use of copyright music, and my teacher said it is allowed if we played a song on the radio in Alejandra's car. I wanted to find a song that, I felt, matches Alejandra, so I decided on "What The Hell" by Avril Lavigne.

    In class today, my group also talked about what outfits we would wear for Friday. I said that I can find some low-rise jeans for Gaby to wear as Alejnadra and Sophia said that her other friend, also named Gaby, would probably have a shirt for Gaby to wear as Alejandra. I was thinking for my outfit has Arianna, I could wear a pair of dark wash jeans and a grey Henley over top a blue lace cami. I'm not really happy with my idea for what I will wear as Arianna, so I will have to think more about it. 

Gaby's storyboard/post-it-note

My storyboard/post-it-note

Sophia's storyboard/post-it-note

Production - Production Diary Day 3

    Today in class, Sophia wasn't here so it was just me and Gaby discussing our meet up on Friday. Gaby told me that her coach moved their game to Friday so we can not meet up and film on Friday. After school, we texted Sophia that we can not meet up on Friday and work on the film opening. We have decided to move the meeting to the next week on Friday (3/06) to film. I thought that we would only be filming the beginning scene where Alejandra throws the alarm clock but Sophia said that we would be filming her getting ready too and maybe even being on the phone with Arianna. 

    Sophia said that she will have to figure out what outfits we will have to wear on Friday and I will also have to look through my clothes to see if I have anything me or Gaby can wear that matches the aesthetic of our characters. Sophia also told us that she has an old iPhone 7 that we can use to be Alejandra and Arianna's phones. So if we follow through with using the old iPhone 7 Sophia has, when I order the phone cases off Amazon I will have to order them for the iPhone 7 instead of the type of phones me and Gaby actually have. I have to tell my parents that we moved the film meeting because of Gaby's game and everything we planned will have to happen next Friday. 

Production - Production Diary Day 2

     When my mom came home on Monday, we had a talk with my dad and he agreed to let me go and we gave him the details about what would happen on Friday. He seemed a little apprehensive about me being filmed, but I told him that only Cambridge people would see it, which I now remember may be incorrect, and I needed to film for the project and he seemed okay with it. We told him about how Gaby will pick me up from the library and my mom will pick me up from her house so he can go straight home after work. My mom encouraged me to order or get some food when I am at Gaby's house since by the time she picks me up and we get home, it will be very late for dinner. 

    I will have to ask Gaby if I can order something or if we can pick up some food while I am there. We also need to figure out who will pay for the props we need to buy. The alarm clock is an immediate need if we will film the opening scene. Me and my group decided that we would buy the alarm clock and any other props we need for the film opening and return them back to Amazon after we finish filming. Sophia said that her mom has a camera we can film on, the Nikon D5000, for our film opening. I will have to ask my group when they want me to order the props so we can have them for when we meet up to film. 

Production - Production Diary Day 1

     On Monday, during class, me and my groupmates made plans to meet up at Gaby's house on Friday to film the opening scene of the film opening. The opening scene is when Alejandra wakes up and throws her alarm clock across the room. I take a private van to go to the library where my parent picks me up and takes me home, since I live far away. My parents can not drive me to Gaby's house, given the time we planned for this meet up to happen. So, we arranged for me to let the van drop me off at the library and Gaby to come in her car to pick me up and take me to her house herself and Sophia would just meet us there. 

    That day, I texted my mother about the plan and she agreed to it but said we would have to talk to my dad about it. She suggested that I could stay at Gaby's house after we finish filming/working while I wait for her to come pick me up after she leaves work and Gaby agreed and said that would be fine. My mom also suggested that after we finish we could have a little hangout and maybe order some food while we wait for her and Gaby agreed so I am forward to that! 

    That same day, I also showed Gaby and Sophia the prop list post I made and they said it looked good but they think that for Alejandra's blush we could just use one Gaby already has so I will have to exclude that from the prop list. I hope my father agrees to letting me go on Friday. I'm sure he will since it is for a project that I have to do, but we will have to see what he says.