part 8

part 8 of many...

sound!

For this project I decided that in order to build more tension for the audience, I would refrain from using song in the background. Instead I want to use diegetic sound such as running sounds and heavy breathing so that the audience can be completely immersed in the situation without the distraction of music. The sound design for my project will revolve around the characters movement. I will have to create foley for some of the sounds such as the breathing and running so that I can manipulate and layer them in order to create an impact. I also thought to add a voice over of the character repeating phrases such as "I'm okay" or "he won't shoot" so that the audience can grasp the level of madness and anxiety that the character feels. I feel that without sound, The intensity of the situation will be elevated. A movie that successfully creates tension with no music and minimal sound is The Quiet Place (2018). They use silence to their advantage, and the sound that they do use is diegetic sound that helps build tension, which is what I want to achieve with my opening.  Once I begin filming I will record the sounds and see how well the incorporate with the video aspect of the video. Depending on the shot and and what is going on, I will choose the sound that is most appropriate with the moment.

part 7

part 7 of many...

Now to start on the storyline! I have about two minutes to hook an audience and make my opening as visually appealing as possible

I will have to structure my climax in a way that will hook the audience for the rest of the movie and be invested in the characters feelings. my general idea at the moment is to create a type of dream sequence of someone going through the motions of saving themselves from a shooting such as running and hiding. I would incorporate many filming techniques such as insert and jump shots in order to enhance the feeling of panic that the character could be feeling. As for lighting, I want to stick to low key lightning so that it adds a feeling of darkness to the overall product. My idea is to show the character going through a nightmare and at the end of the opening, she is awakened and she is out of breath after the triggering dream.

below is a idea/storyboard page of my notebook where I just wrote down some shot or ideas types that I would like to incorporate in my opening. I want the audience to pick up on the fact that she is in  a dream so I will have to add some shot types that will help create a fantasy feel.

part 6

part 6 of many...

Since my film opening will be talking about such heavy topics like school shootings, anxiety, and PTSD, I want to do accurate research so that whatever I portray stays true and doesn't misconstrue the reality of these topics are. I've decided that the storyline of my film is going to follow the life of a student who survived a school shooting, and how that has affected her life, and her relationship with the world.
In the US, an estimated 3 million children are exposed to shootings every year, and about 3,000 children are actually shot and killed. On average that means that 43 young Americans are directly affected by gun violence every day. Being involved with any form of gun violence can lead to a detriment in mental health and can affect the way the victim lives the rest of their life. A mental health disorder that can be developed due to school shootings, or gun violence in general is post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. This disorder is characterized by a difficulty in recovering after a traumatic event. Depending on the traumatic event that the victim has experienced, different triggers could set off reactions or memories, making it difficult to live daily life without being affected. About 28% of shooting victims develop PTSD and 12% reported that they experienced persistent PTSD, to the point where it affected their every day life.
I want my opening to focus on the lasting effects that gun violence can have on a person, more specifically a high school student. As a high school student, school shootings are unfortunately a real fear and possibility, and we are trained to know how to react if one ever happens, which speaks volumes in terms of the world we live in today. I want to address the fact that once a student has an experience with gun violence, they are never the same. That experience will stay with them forever, and I feel like portraying that aspect of gun violence could be powerful.



29, May. “The Impact of Gun Violence on Children and Teens.” EverytownResearch.org, 30 Jan. 2020, everytownresearch.org/impact-gun-violence-american-children-teens/.

Monitor on Psychology, American Psychological Association, www.apa.org/monitor/2018/09/survivors.

part 5

part 5 of many...

The moment in the creative process where it clicks..

Ok so just like I said before, my mind is messy and can sometimes be a little disorganized until I have a set plan. I had been trying to think of what story I could tell with my opening and was struggling to find something that I would really feel proud creating. I think that's a reason as to why my previous blog posts were kind of up in the air. I think I have settled on an idea that could be interesting and impactful. I'm thinking of doing a film opening that reflects a storyline of a school shooting from the perspective of a student that has anxiety. I feel that in today's world, especially in my generation, school shootings are something that is always in the back of your head, because of the world that we live in today.
I just started brainstorming and writing down whatever I felt in the moment and came up with the idea and a general schedule of what I feel would be good in terms of time management..

My schedule is displayed on the left of the picture, showing a general timeline from now until the due date. On the right of the picture is the general idea and brainstorming of my project, seeing what I could do and what I want to accomplish within this topic idea.

I feel that now that I have an idea of what I want to create, I can focus on every detail and make sure that I will be on top of every aspect. My film would still be a drama, using those genre characteristics like the importance of character development, or making your audience feel a personal connection with the topic that I am displaying to create a lasting impact with my opening. Now is where I start the specific research on school shootings and anxiety so that I can accurately depict these heavy and serious topics.

part 4

Part 4 of many...

I've been thinking of some of the shots that I want to do for my film opening, and I've been gathering some of my favorite scenes in recent movies that I've watched as inspiration. For example there is one shot in Moonlight (2016) that I thought was very interesting. It was a shot of the main character looking at himself in the mirror for about 30 seconds with the light flickering above him. The duration of the shot, intensity of the character and composition of the shot create a simple but impactful shot that particularly stood out to me.

 Another sequence that I thoroughly enjoyed was the opening scene of Marriage Story (2019). The way the characters were able to establish themselves in a way that felt natural and authentic made a big difference in how you viewed them for the rest of the movie. The way the opening scene was filmed was also very interesting, with an array of shots that matched what the characters were saying in the voice over. 

Marriage story

I know that this is a type of film opening that I would do, one that establishes character and creates a connection with the audience from the very start. In this next week I want to establish my storyline and begin to think about what story I want to tell with my 2(ish) minutes.

Part 3

Part 3 of many...

So now that I have established the genre that I am doing I'm going to create a general schedule for the next couple weeks just so that I can keep myself accountable for the work.
 As I am looking at my calendar I am realizing that finding time to film is going to be very difficult because I start my tech week for my drama show next week, which means that I will be in rehearsals every single day until late. Then I have my show, and then 4 days after that I have my drama state competition. What this means for me is that I am going to have to strategically plan every single minute that I film and make sure that the people that I am going to be filming with are also available since I am probably going to be using my friends from my drama program.
So my general filming plan will be to film and edit throughout the month of march on days where I know I will have free time. It will be a challenge but I will do my best to use my time efficiently.

part 2

Part two of many...

Some of the main characteristics in the drama genre are that drama films tend to exhibit real life situations, featuring realistic characters and realistic problems. They do their best to mimic real life in order to form a connection and relatability factor with the audience. Drama films also have a heavy focus on character development throughout the film and structured climaxes in order to maximize audience engagement. Dramas usually have a happy ending, because those are the endings that generally do the best job at coming full circle and creating that effect of closure that the audience yearns for. The main goal of Drama films is to emotionally tie the audience to the story and characters, to make them feel something or to be moved emotionally. Statistically, dramas have been the most successful in award seasons, with an overall number of 46 drama film winning Best Film at the Oscars, far more than any other genre.

Some film openings that I really enjoy that fall under drama are:

Marriage Story (2019)

Stranger in Fiction (2006)

Eighth Grade (2018)

Room (2015)

I feel that these movies, specifically the openings do a good job at capturing the audience in a way that keeps them engaged throughout the entire duration of the movie. I realize that I like film openings that introduce the characters because it helps me grasp the choices that the characters make when I know information about them.
Special consideration!-- I watched Marriage Story this weekend for the first time and one of my favorite parts of the entire movie was the film opening. The way It was presented engaged me completely and allowed me to understand the characters on a deeper level which ended up helping me understand their choices throughout the movie. I liked the choices made by Noah Baumbach (director) and I might choose to do something similar or along the lines of establishing the character to such detail that the audience feels acquainted to them.


 https://www.slideshare.net/FarjanaTahmin/conventions-of-drama-films
https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/movie-genres-perform-best-oscars-2179/

part 1

Portfolio Project!

Part one of many... 

Hi! Welcome to my portfolio project! Get ready to embark on the crazy journey that is my mind. Throughout these blog posts I will be breaking down every single aspect of the film opening that I am tasked with creating. I still don't have a clear idea of what I want to create because there is so much possibility that lies within 2 minutes of film. I really could go in any direction, and sometimes that exact freedom can be overwhelming. I've been thinking of the type of film opening that I want to present, I know that I want to make it as engaging as possible for my audience. I keep on thinking about that one quote said by Andrew Stanton in his TED talk. "Make Me Care". I realize that when I watch film, I want to be moved by the content that I am consuming. I want to root for the character, I want to be so engaged in the story that I too feel every emotion that the character is feeling. 

Update: I just spent about an hour trying to think about what I want to create and wow its hard. I think that I have settled on creating an opening that falls within the general drama genre conventions. I feel that within those conventions I will still be able to create something that's unique and interesting.

Well I'm off to do some more research on this genre! I already like the idea of blogging my process. I feel that It will definitely keep me on task and will force me to have a full thought process behind every artistic choice I make which will end up making me a better artist. 

xoxo, dani. 

Music Blog Post!

Music Blog Post

This week I, along with my group, presented our music marketing project where we had to create a music video and a whole marketing campaign for a new artist that we were in charge of developing. It was an interesting concept and I learned a lot of things through this assignment. My group and I were given the song "The Man" by The Killers and we chose to go the alternative rock route with this project. Alternative rock is a sub-genre of rock that emerged and gained popularity in 1980s and early 90s.

Some of the main trends that I found in this genre were the heavy reliance on social media in order to spread the word about new music or tours. Most artists nowadays have multiple social media platforms, but alternative rock artists rely on this form of exposure heavily. Artists like The 1975 have been successful with their social media campaigns and have used it to bring attention to their band and brand. Marketing in general in this genre is focused on making it as accessible as possible for fans to reach the artist, with tools like websites, social media and small shows.
    For our brand we chose to incorporate themes of teenage rebellion in order to connect with our intended audience which is teenagers and young adults. With our music video we attempted to incorporate the idea of cutting class and developing a plan to be rebellious. We felt that it matched with the idea of the song, creating that idea of angst that is representative of the audience we were catering to. Some examples of marketing products that we used was our website. We used our website to put all of the important information of our band, whether it be upcoming shows, or our newsletter so that fans could easily keep in touch with the band. We felt it was essential to create an accessible website that delivered important information so that we as a band could stay relevant in this technological world.
https://blkhoneymoon.weebly.coml

 We also created a merchandise line as a marketing tool. By creating and distributing items with our band logo, our brand expands.

Through this project I learned how important it is to develop your brand according to your audience. Filming a video for a music video is harder than it seems because each choice that you make needs to be representative of your band and your brand, so it is important that you are conscious of each decision. For example, we decided to incorporate a pain streak as a symbol in our band, and we had to incorporate it in our video as well for continuity. Without a clear idea of who your artist or audience is it is difficult to be successful in the music industry so those two questions are definitely the most important. "Who am I as an artist/band?" and "Who is the audience that I am catering to?"

x

Representation Analysis

Representation Analysis

Representation in media is extremely important because it creates an accurate sense of reality to audiences. Without representation everything would look the same, and frankly a uniform world would be a boring world to live in.

    In the H&M ad, a wide variety of people were represented from different ages, races, ethnicities, body types and more. The casual representation of such a diverse group of people led to an inclusive effect to audiences, making every type of person feel represented in a positive way. This ad focuses on going against the stereotypes or constructs that are places on society and owning your own power and was successful in its representation because any person can look at the ad and feel as if they are represented in a positive and powerful way.

    In the tide ad, a mother and young daughter are shown and they contrast greatly. The mother, who is seen to have a very feminine and neat appearance, wearing bright pinks, is speaking about her young daughters style which consists of cargo shorts and very gender neutral colors. This type of representation relies heavily on the use of stereotypes in order to convey the message. The mother is representative of femininity and the general representation of women in media while the daughter strays away from the normal representation by presented more gender neutral. The effect that this has is that audiences can see social constructs manifested in a physical form.

Musicals!

     Musical films are so spectacularly unique because of the use of music in order to advance the storyline. This genre of film intertwines music and acting in order to create meaning and add depth to the overall narrative. The emergence of this genre occurred with the introduction of sound in films. The inclusion of synchronized sound allowed filmmakers the chance to explore the idea of showcasing music in another medium besides the stage. The realm of musical films is closely intertwined with stage theatre, and there have often been interchangeable adaptations such as West Side Story which has been both a long running broadway show and a classic film. 

Due to the theatricality that is such an important characteristic in musicals, technical categories such as costuming and set design are often a vital aspect in the overall achievement of a musical style film. In films like La La Land, the use of color in the costumes provides context and adds definition to the characters and also helps keep track of where the story is at, using brighter colors during the more vivid scenes and more neutral choices when the characters are in conflict. Set design can also add specific context to the storyline, such as the importance of set design in Moulin Rouge.

 

   

Musical films often focus on an escapist form of reality, using elaborate musical numbers to convey ideas or thoughts that cannot be expressed through spoken word. Themes that are generally prevalent are the search for love, fame or wealth. Many times musical films feature music from other artists that are used in the film, and would be part of the film’s soundtrack or films can also be original works which feature music written specifically for the film itself, which would be the film’s score.

Musical films have gained popularity over the years as filmmakers continue to explore the possibilities that music can add to a film. There are so many different musical films that can be made such as the classic love story, the biographical depiction of an artist’s life, or just a fun tale that is an enjoyable watch. The range of possibilities that this genre of film offers makes it a type of genre that any age group can enjoy.

 A star is born is a film that has had various remakes over the years, with the most recent version being released in 2018, staring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. Music in this film was written directly for the narrative, and was a very popular film, earning multiple nominations and 

Awards. The film centers around the love and struggles of two characters, Jackson Maine, an established musician who has many obstacles and demons that he struggles dealing with, and Ally, a struggling artist whose career begins to take off when she meets Jackson Maine and falls in love. Through the musical numbers in the film, the audience can see the progression of Ally’s professional career, Jackson’s ongoing struggle, and the unfailing love between two people. Musical numbers such as “ I’ll Never Love Again” and “Shallow” are instrumental to the development of the characters emotions and inner conflict.

The Last Five Years was originally a Broadway show in 2001, but was later adapted for the screen in 2014 featuring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan. This film movie exclusively through musical numbers and focuses on the failed marriage of a couple through their respective perspectives. The story also has a reverse crossover storyline, with the character of the wife, Cathy Hyatt, going in chronological order and the husband, Jamie Wellerstien, going in reverse chronological order. Each song acts as a timestamp in their own retelling of the progression of their failing marriage.

Other examples of Musical films! 

Mamma Mia (2008)

La La Land (2016)

Mary Poppins (1964)

An American In Paris (1951)

Cabaret (1972)

Sources:

http://www.cinemablography.org/blog/the-musical-film-genre-capturing-the-magic-of-the-stage-on-the-screen

https://www.filmsite.org/musicalfilms.html