Update on filming

 I'm back on here for another blog! I'm filming the younger kids flashback of Natalie and the boy working on the project TODAY! I got my sister and her friend to be my actors, and I will be filming the car flashback sometime later this week as well. 

This week has been BOOKED with school work, I've had to turn in quite a few assignments recently assigned before the quarter ended. I've also had a lot of my friends ask me to act in their film openings as well and I just couldn't say no to them. I loved helping my friend Mariana and working with her as an actress to help convey the message of her film :))

Here's a cute little BTS from her filming process (I'm the girl in red)

 This week however, I can finally set my energy towards finishing this project! I'm pretty passionate about this one so I'm getting ambitious with my choices in order to fully immerse the viewers. I'm so thankful for all of this time during the break that I have to really work on it!!!

Script Scene Change Update

I'm gonna need to fix this part of the storyline because we could not get it to be filmed in a classroom setting, however, I'm going to allude that these kids were working on it after school and so that is why it's going to take place outside of Natalie's house!

Mis-En-Scene elements will include several crafting tools such as acrylics and cardboard to further support the fact that she is working on the artistic aspect of the project!!!

Here's a close look at the outside of the house:

I really want to take advantage of this space because it's so beautiful and calming, I thought it'd be a nice spot for two little kids to be working on a fun project!!!

DAY 1 OF FILMING!!

The first day of filming honestly made me feel much more relieved, and I got to experiment with shots a lot without stressing over being on a time crunch.

I got to experiment with the light source I mentioned in the earlier blog, and I took my shot from this:

to this:


I used the piece of the piano as an object in the foreground, and lit it with the lamp on the side which gave me that subtle leak that added some dimension to the shot, and changed the tone and feel of it overall. I personally prefer it over the first one, it's much more elaborate.



I started to include polaroids as well that would serve as little childhood remnants, however I know that I'm missing a significant piece which is the pictures of Natalie in school setting and with her friends making the project... as that would be the ideal transition from these scenes to the flashbacks.

***note to self to include some extra mis-en-scene elements after filming the flashback!!!

I was super productive as well in making sure that I got some BTS photos for my CCR😉😉

I also got to experiment a lot with shot composition with these as well, which is awesome! I'm going to be at a rehearsal from 9am-3pm but I plan to continue working on this once I get back. I had implemented this tent shot into my opening because I thought it was a different way of expressing creativity and the light and ideas powered inside, hidden in almost like a little hub. 

I plan to add a shot of light creaking in, and having the door open with some small dialogue from Aunt Lucy and then cut to flashback!!! I think editing definitely helps to see where there could've been minor errors in the script or to change around something that might work better. I love having that creative liberty to make these choices and learn what works!!!

3/16 was a successful day of filming, but I realized I wanted to give myself more time to develop this scenes and truly pay close attention to what I put in front of the viewers eyes. I need more than just a weekend to get all of this knocked out, so I'm going to allocate some time during this week to get on with filming.

Lighting + set update

   Alright!! I had planned to look into some lighting equipment but it may not arrive on time so I'm going to have to save it for the next project. However,  I wanted to figure out some DIY's so I could get around some of my issues with equipment.

**** one thing to keep in mind for editing, I will most likely start off with the first shot being in the interior room and then cutting to "the tent" 

Both scenes mentioned will include the rolling credits and titles!!! No dialogue at this moment.

1. The Interior room shot

I wanted to attain some nice lighting in these particular shots, so I thought about making good use of practical lighting, and the natural light coming from the windows on the side. I had a lamp that I could add in to include a streak of golden lighting to imply positivity and virtue.

Here's a small little clip of BTS of me bringing in this huge lamp (its much heavier than it looks) 

I've done some research that showed just how having that source of lighting in the background and little accents can really boost the dimensions of a shot and elevate its quality.

2. The Tent

For this I want to utilize some nice fairy lights I've had for quite a bit, they're not exactly small bulbs but they're purple, which is refreshing because I do want to mix in that feeling of mental stability while the character is enjoying some alone time creating.

I'm going to use a microphone stand to serve as the base of the tent as well, that way it'll part in half, I'll be detailing the first day of filming in the next blog!! 

CCR reflection learning

    Soooo in class on Monday we had a lesson on the creative critical reflection where we learned how to structure it, and what information to include. The lesson came at perfect timing as there are several aspects of the reflection that coincide with the process. 

    For example, I'm going to make sure I have someone to take pictures as I'm in the filming process so I can include it in the reflection. 

(I realized this may take longer than a weekend, as I want to spend a long time making sure that the quality of each scene is profound and meaningful)

    Our media teacher also explained to us that we should express our personality through the reflection creatively, by doing the CCR in a location that's pertinent to ourselves, as part of creating a unique approach.

She threw in some suggestions for the two media products that we're required to produce, such as a talk show, director commentary, and presentation with VoiceOver. 

    

    There were several question stems, so it was emphasized to the class how important it is to stay on topic and make sure you're answering the questions appropriately.

    Now that I'm coming towards the end of my pre-production, I figured I'd include some highlights of the process!!

Pre-Production

   I definitely wanted my pieces to be almost like a testament to humanity, a film opening that highlights the beautiful parts of human creativity, and how it's okay to be different and that these skills deserve to be shared rather than restricted. 

   My initial thoughts were to make it almost like a realization for the character Natalie and going through that self-actualization to help the character feel empowered by her growth and proud of what she's accomplished by the end of the film. The beginning aids in establishing the insecurity that comes with her unique qualities, and all the adventures and lessons she will face along the way are flashed with subtle hints from the distinct character personalities that help her shift her perspective and change her reality.  The film opening was inspired by animated films like Soul, that tells a similar story of finding purpose and value in their life.

   

   The beginning strives to set up character and representation of people in society and it strives to condemn conventional beliefs and societal norms. I definitely feel that this project was a challenge at the beginning, to start off a film opening you think about addressing the larger points of the film when truly, you only have 2-3 minutes to highlight certain parts.

Logistics in pre!!!

I will continue to develop mis-en-scene elements, but I wanted to update on the filming schedule as well. I know that there were some clear cut deadlines in the previous schedule, but I couldn't adhere to them due to outer conflicts between school, and work. However, I made a vow to myself that I would be in the process of preparation for filming this week, so that I can get to filming.

Not much schoolwork has been assigned so this would be the perfect time for me to start on the process.

3/11-3/17

Polish pre-production and get filming 3/15

CAST LIST

Natalie: Martina R

Young Nat: TBD

Young friend: TBD

Andy: TBD

Aunt Lucy: Nubia 

Kid: Gabriel

EQUIPMENT

Sony Alpha 7 IV: Full Frame Mirrorless 

As far as audio, I feel like that aspect of production is forgotten although it is an integral part of storytelling. I wanted to invest in more audio gear for filmmaking, so I did a bit of research and I ended up a few options but I'm still looking. 

LOCATIONS

Scene 1: Office room/garage

This is the video I will be referencing for the first scene!! I love how clear and concise it is, and I will more than likely have enough space in my garage to do this.

Flashback 1: Interior of a large car (buick) 

Flashback 2: Outside of my house, on the sidewalk

Flashback 3: (Teacher) I will make the a room in my house look like a part of a school.

This video has some great options and ideas for how to transform a room into a lively classroom, since it's just a flashback with a piece of dialogue, I dont have to decorate the entire room... but I can still make that one corner of the house look believable.

this is a wall that I have available to make into a "classroom" I already have that cart full of colored pencils and utilities that might work, I will keep updating this as I prepare the locations for filming.

Scene 2: In my room

3/11-3/15 

These next few days I will be prepping for the filming stage as I dress these locations and make them into mini sets!! 

 

Storyboard

Storyboard time!!!

So I wanted to talk a bit about the visuals because I know the images look a bit disoriented, but I for starters want to clarify that the very first shot has an astrics ** on it because it is out of order, that shot will take place after the car drive flashback.  

The very first scene features the girl Natalie and another friend, inside the tent doing a series of creative activities and just having a good time. I may add a few b-roll shots in between the shot of the barbie doll and piano. 

NOTE: That sequence in the tent will feature younger girls

THEN, when it displays the shot of the piano Natalie will be older, and wearing the yellow top as she's in her zone

When she sings I wanted to include a match cut of her feeling like she is performing, and super enthralled in the art

Flashback

CONTINUING, the flashback to the little girl school project, she is going to be outside a house working on the project with her friend.

The doorbell ring SFX will serve as a sound bridge to connect the two segments.

Finally, I was thinking about cutting off the film opening at the start of scene 2, but I may continue it depending on how long the segment already is.

Costume Design!

   Okay soooo I'm back!! We did a visual analysis practice in class and I wanted to come on here and highlight some of the specifics of the mis-en-scene. I know I was going to rewrite the script and add a storyboard, but I'm gonna leave that to the other blogs after I include some important information to note about these characters.

COSTUMES

Natalie:

INT. Bright Room- Yellow/Orange- These colors are intended to evoke the emotion of innovation, and optimism, when the character is alone in a spotlight hard at work.

INT. School Carpool (inside car)-- Purple/Grey- Evoke emotions of creativity and innovation yet also displaying some restraint... she may have a hair clip. 

Natalie:

AUNT LUCY: Blue blouse (brown cardigan acceptable) Represents wisdom and peacefulness, yet she is still assertive. Aunt Lucy will only be present for that one flashback, but I want it to be noted 

INT. School- School clothes; (YOUNG NATALIE) attire, and classmates; the kid in the carpool scene will also be dressed in preppy clothing

SCENE 2

NATALIE: White once again, to revert to the characters purity in the school flashback, and how her passions for art are unchanged. She is working hard on making a good impression on others but forgets to be true to herself, she is trying to reinvent herself even though she has always known who she was. 

ANDY: Green sweater--growth; Andy will be an important character to the story, so it's important that he gives the audience a good impression. I think I'd be pretty flexible with the clothing for this character, but I don't want it to be very sporty or neon but more down to earth.

TEACHER: Red that represents aggression, makeup with eyeliner slightly under the eyes

The teacher is a figure in Natalie's life that chips her off her path, so there needs to be a contrast between the two besides the age gap.

The reason I wanted to focus on costumes to bring out each of the character's personalities, and I also wanted to ensure that they would really pop on camera and be distinguished. 

Location for filming

OKAYYYY so I unfortunately could not film as you may know but I didn't want to let that stop me from making some meaningful progress on the opening, and tackling a very fair question--where am I going to film??

So I started thinking about how I could possibly make a house into a school setting... and thinking about potential places I could film... so here are some tentative locations for different spots:

INT. Bright Room- I can take some things from my crafts room and make an artistic space. I love all the neutral colors that were incorporated into this scene to make the vibe feel calm and serene, the little trickle of light entering from the window is just absolutely gorgeous, I know that my space may be different to this one but I definitely want to try and encapsulate that calmness.

I'm going to try and give my studio room a makeover, I will be trying to achieve that hopefully sometime before this weekend and keep this blog posted! 

This is the room before makeover, the little room on the table was a previous craft I made for my sister that I could utilize in dressing the set, I definitely want to clear some of the books on the piano and maybe arrange the bookshelf with different colors? There's also a window on the right that will bring in a nice cinematic look.

INT. School Carpool (inside car)-I looked up some tutorials for this next one because I didn't want to resort to handheld when filming in such a tight space like a car, but I also didn't want to spend time looking for rigs that lead to an extensive building process. I found this video that shows how to film some nice effective shots in a car.

I think I will film in my mother's Buick, since it is almost like a van and has enough space to include a tripod to film, I would love to pair this with a telephoto lens, so that I can get a wider view of what's happening and have the choice to catch some real close up shots of the mirrors to get certain facial expressions of the characters, such as Aunt Lucy,

INT. Dark Room-- The room will be similar to the previous one, except in much more confined, private looking lighting... just like in the movie Soul where the pianist is in his element. 

Although this was an animated movie, it was actually a gorgeous representation of an artist in his element and I definitely want to take some inspiration from that and take into my own interpretation, with some tedious editing. But first, I want to take it one step at a time and look at some mis-en-scene!''

Further Research Mis-en-scene Elements

 Okay so... there has been an alteration of the schedule because unfortunately this week has been more busy than I'd imagined so I'm going to push for the filming of the opening to occur next week, March 9-11

As far as actors, so far I believe I am acting in the film... but I still haven't found actors available next week... I will come back on here as soon as I have an update on that!

Character Analysis

Natalie: High schooler; a creative who is observant and feels like she needs to be socially accepted--doesn't really understand herself and sometimes feels ashamed. Often times finds herself living two lives to fit in

Aunt Lucy: In her 50s; very religious and holds true to her traditional values. Doesn't quite understand Natalie's gifts

Andy: Childhood friend of Natalie's who is also in high school, similar to her except he's not afraid to be himself. He is successful and a hustler 

Nico(kid): 7-8 years old; Natalie's cousin  

Teacher: In her 20s-30s, viewed as the "cool" teacher

Another suggestion I got from the group meetings was to add some tension between the two characters (Natalie and Andy), as that can be used as another incentive to keep people watching. However, I don't want the focus of this story to be a romance, it's more based as a coming of age but I definitely could see how that may help and I'm still considering it...

Mis-En-Scene

I found this video of a guy that makes Adventure short films... and he really explains how to get that cinematic look through lighting and props. He explains how he was able to quickly transform an office room and make it cinematic. He took a lot of practicals and found various solutions to the problems he encountered such as a TV he was unable to remove. The video also makes a huge emphasis on contrast in lighting, and how important it is to create mood and visual interest in a shot.

This video gives some good tips on lighting, talks about working with the light and using the simplest tools like white fabric, silver or aluminum foil. I would probably want to use some of this knowledge to incorporate into the shot list, and apply lighting. I'm going to do a quick search for lighting tools that I can use and do some DIY's.

I definitely want to come up with some pictures like this one to map out the lighting and make it a priority, to achieve a more cinematic and potent look. I also really want to focus on using more controllable lighting, and restrain myself from using a grid so that the lighting is more flexible and hits more areas of the face. I would probably use this technique at a point in the beginning where Natalie is enthralled in her creative discipline. 

Next time I come on here, I would like to address some changes in the script so that I can then add my storyboard!

Group meeting input/research on building character!

    

Today, our teacher set us up in groups to discuss the process of our film opening;

We got to communicate our ideas and share with the group to speak on anything that may need work or improvement. The main thing that was assessed by my peers was that my script should include names for the Kid and the neighbor, just to establish a better sense of self in these characters. Here's some research I gathered after our discussion to go into a deeper analysis of character and production, as I might want to make some minor changes to my script. 

I understand that the characters take some time to develop throughout the film, but I want to utilize the film opening to establish a strong sense of character.






The video helps to explain writing in a character and the drive of theme and plot. It explains the disparities between a want and a need; it categorizes a want as external and a need as internal. There are several parallels drawn between the two, but one of them was about defining a want as a unique drive while the need is universal and tied to theme. I find this important to keep in mind when establishing the main components of the film opening, there has to be an external motive that drives the plot, but also an internal realization that is implicit but acts as the conclusion/resolution in the end, and leaves people satisfied. The internal can also be characterized as the lesson learned in from the want. I will reference the research in this blog so that tI can continue to build character!




This is a ted talk I found, about how culture drives behavior, some food for thought! In summary, this video explains how the lens in which you see the world shapes the reality. Everyone has a view of the world and may see it through cultural glasses. He talks about how we can benefit from diversity and open our minds to different cultures. This is a very important factor to keep in mind when I shape my characters as well, I remember we had a previous lesson in our AICE media class about representation. For character's like the aunt, who is older and pertains to an older generation, she may view the world through a different lens since she has been through different experiences. I think this is key in understanding how to write better characters, and I believe this will help me in strengthening the personalities of each one.



In my next blog, I'm going to apply this knowledge in a deep character analysis.

Draft of the script for the Opening WOOOOO!!!

This is the script for the film opening of a story that reflects some of the challenges of adolescence when one faces self doubt. The character, Natalie, is full of creative ambitions from youth and searching for approval. As an artist, she second guesses the value of her art and attaches it to her self worth, she is hesitant about sharing her creations with the world... afraid of what the consequences may be. 

As shown through her past interactions (this unfolds throughout the script), she doesn't have many companions and often finds solace in solitude.  Her isolation offers her some protection from the prejudice she may face from society for her individuality. Natalie faces the struggle between reaching proximity with her peers or choosing to see the light in her gifts and journey to see the potential and beauty in her art. 

 

Project/Blogging Schedule

 Alright! So today I'm cranking down on the days that I have available to devise a decisive schedule so I can hold myself accountable and meet deadlines. From here on out I'm going full steam ahead!  

I want to give myself enough time to perfect and review all aspects of the film opening, and organize the components before time runs out. These are not clear cut deadlines, but it's between this week that I want to really solidify the base of my project, my time to hustle! So here's the tentative schedule I'm working with:

2/25

I want to ensure that the Outline as well as the script for the opening are released; incorporate how the genre research has inspired this opening and address the reasoning behind my choices. I want to have this out early on in order to effectively proceed with the project and make true progress. 

Note: I will also be scouting out for potential actors available on this day, at the filming times listed later on.

2/26-2/28

These days I will hold myself responsible for creating the shot list for the opening as well as the storyboard, I'll plan the shot list in accordance with the intended filming locations. I want to make sure that I take these next few days to plan so that the project can come out as a success!

2/29-3/1

I will utilize this time as a review; revisiting this project schedule to ensure that there are no conflicts with the actors and with the crew... I would also like to take this time to check my equipment and mark off what I will be using, as well as what other equipment I could potentially include, since there are some specific technical distinctions that I definitely want to take into account since thankfully I have that option. (I will make a blog post to explain this further).  I want to research some more techniques, and dig into some previous research I've gathered on achieving certain looks when it comes to cinematography and mis-en-scene. I really want to develop my mis-en-scene elements during this time to prepare for filming.

3/1-3/3

Many of the actors I've considered will have conflicts past 3/3 due to the fact that march is show season... so that's a deadline I'm going to have to push for. If I really take this week to flesh out the storyline then I will alleviate some of the stress at the end and make sure that my choices are guided not by impulse but through careful consideration :)) 

Blog: Once the script and outline are out, there will be a blog post specifying the way the time will be managed throughout the course of this weekend.

3/4-3/10

These days I will start the editing process, and create a rough draft of the opening. I most definitely will take this time to research how I can integrate the film titles into my opening, and look back on some of my genre research for past examples. I will mainly focus on the distribution of time and how much time I will be allocating to different shots of the film (derived from my planning). I will definitely be keeping up to date on any changes throughout, assessing some of the choices that possibly changed the direction of the opening or maybe some alternative choices

3/11-3/17

During this time I look towards developing my CCR, and planning what are some of the ways that I can address the concept of the film and figuring out how I want to communicate these choices so that they are understood.

3/17-3/24

I think during these weeks I'll use the time to gather my research to implement into my CCR, and then look back and review some changes that I've made to see if they were necessary. These weeks will definitely 

3/25-3/31

During this time, I definitely want to look through my CCR to ensure that I incorporated everything and review what I might've missed so that I can make any final changes or add any final ideas to support my findings and my work. 

4/2

submission dayyyy woop woop!

GENRE RESEARCH!!!

The past few weeks I found myself conceptualizing a plethora of scenarios to truly convey the struggles of adolescence. For that reason, I knew this film opening would become categorized as a Coming of Age. However, while I brainstormed, I caught myself attaching it to its usual adjacent genre "Romance" and wanted to expand further...

As I dug through the nuances of my experiences and memoirs for ideas, the ideation led to countless possibilities. I realized most of the ideas I had considered in past concepts could be challenging to develop in the span of a 1-2 minute film opening... so I debunked the romance inclusion and dove into the "Drama" genre for more creative freedom and sublimation. 

I took notice of the lack of empirical data as an opportunity to build on it in this blog, so here's some of the research I gathered that will come of use in the process of creating my film opening:

 Forest Gump is one of the most iconic movies of its time. The scene establishes a lot of the environment, and brings in a significant subject that stays in focus at constant; the floating feather. The feather is a symbol of Forests' way of life; its trajectory is dependent on the direction in which the wind blows; regardless, it floats on(like the song!). The visual metaphors speak volumes on the potential themes of the film. They are also very telling of the philosophies that guide the character and the story, which is a very beautiful form of visual storytelling that I would love to incorporate. Although its film opening may be perceived as simplistic, it successfully establishes a lot about the story through the various minimalistic choices. 

Good Will Hunting is another great film and houses some extraordinary philosophies that explore ultimate themes of fear.  It emphasized how sometimes listening to our impulses, our ego, will hold us back from our true potential. The editing techniques applied in this opening establish character, and really help to harness a true understanding of what the protagonist is like. For example, the hexagonal frames while he's reading assess that the character is often alone, reading books and solving equations during his free time. The editing guides the storytelling and reveals certain aspects that make up the cognition of the character.

Whiplash is another great film that explores the driving passion of a young man to success. It contrasts Good Will Hunting in the sense that the protagonist is willing to go great lengths in order to become the best jazz drummer. There is a lot of symbolism in this piece that one can extract, particularly the use of color. Andrew, the protagonist, is dressed in white under a light illuminating him, implying his purity and naivety amidst the world of hungry musicians.  The abusive conductor Fletcher, the antagonist, is dressed in black symbolizing his strategies full of malice. From the start of the film, as shown in the opening,  Fletcher uses his unpredictability in order to gage control and reach successful results. Whiplash's take on its film opening contrasts from the first two listed above, as its heavily reliant on dialogue. 

Stories like these create connection through revealing human truths. It opens up society to conversations that we may struggle to place ourselves in. Everyone has struggles yet once we acknowledge our issues, once we understand the destruction and pain they cause, we can also understand why its important to break down those habits. This is part of what I love about films and what really inspires me to be a storyteller; that is the goal for this film opening and future projects at hand. 

Plotline

  I developed concept, background, character, and function of the story, but I was missing the structure. I have these storyteller cards my mom got me for my birthday that serve as an amazing guide for nearing stories in the right direction.

I toyed around with a few to see if I could get a good outcome out of the "structure" cards and here were the results:

I love this card in particular, because I feel that life does not get gradually get better or worse, it has it's ups and downs. As humans we are susceptible to encountering obstacles but the way we handle them is what leaves a lasting impact on our lives. This card is special because adding that nonlinear flow to the storyline humanizes the characters a lot more. 

I did note that the card starts off with a "problem," however I think in this film opening the problem (the perceived love interest) will be merely sugar coated as a convenience that is subconsciously an inconvenience to the protagonist for lack of better words. After some thought, I do feel that I might be dipping my toes in a shallow pool, I might want to explore the themes of self-discovery and self-actualization a lot more, we'll see if that gets anywhere!

Romance/Coming of Age (establishing tone)

I started to think about what sort of feeling I wanted to evoke and how I should even begin. Sometimes when I don't always have an exact idea, music helps to guide me in the right direction.



One of my favorite parts about movies like 500 days of Summer, Garden State, and Juno are their soundtracks, I remember what it was like growing up with those songs and looking back now to make this film opening I listen to it through a different lens, the lens of my experiences.

I put my earbuds in and took a tame bike ride in my neighborhood around golden hour and that's when the ideas started to flow.

I took inspiration from some of my go to artists like Kings of Convenience, Simon and Garfunkel, Daryl Hall and John Oates, I created a playlist of songs that I would incorporate if I were to make this a full fledged film, just to establish tone. I imagine the entire storyline mapped out and how much I am going to reveal to my audience about the characters during the film opening.

I also curated this playlist and labeled it the "Aftermath" in case I may need to consider any future plot points of the film for the film opening.

Although it's a romance, a marriage or relationship would not be the end result of this film. I don't necessarily want that to be a given from the beginning, but I do want to foreshadow as well as open the piece up to ambiguity during the film opening.



I'm working hard on the storyline because I believe that the story should serve as a strong framework and base for the opening, I want to find a way to incorporate several plot points that would occur later on in the film at the start. For the film opening, id like to emphasize that our protagonist will take a strong risk, and that risk will impact the sequence of events that follow throughout the movie.


The idea is a bit abstract, I haven't structured the beginning with the exact style but I'm thinking of the start being a montage that establishes the two characters, and having the music under be calm and serene, like two acoustic guitars playing harmoniously. I've thought a lot about the color psychology and I really want to incorporate yellow as this harness of optimism and green that resembles growth. I love the different meanings that come with these two colors, their versatility will serve as a strong force in this film, I want to make a huge emphasis on change and facades.


One aspect I appreciate about "500 Days of Summer" is its refusal to vilify either protagonist despite the relationship's failure. While acknowledging that not everyone behaves perfectly, I want this film to illustrate how individuals can enter our lives for meaningful reasons, sometimes contributing positivity without necessarily harboring purely benevolent intentions.

Portfolio Project

        The genre I'm leaning towards is romance but I definitely would love to pull from some other genres as well. I've been thinking about the storyline for the film opening, and after some time I thought I'd want to create something that showcases the challenges of adolescence with a primary focus on relationships. I'm so career-oriented and busy that I never truly gave priority to my social life in high school until this year. Although it's been really fun, it also came with some challenges...

       I mainly connected with the following films; 500 Days of Summer, Garden State, and Good Will Hunting. The storyline communicated in these pieces felt so pertinent to my junior year of high school, so much that I've even drawn parallels from some of the movie's clips to my own life experience. Like the movies listed, I plan to communicate a side of relationships seldom told, since it's not the most excitable part of the process. With that being said, I hope that what I create can truly resonate with others, and I would love for this project to become a cathartic experience and serve as a creative outlet of free expression. 

Music Marketing Blog #2

Marketing Presentation   

The start of the project we had to conduct some research on "Bluegrass," a musical genre that incorporates blues, folk, soul, jazz, country and some other unique sounds that are used interchangeably. 

Music Research 

It's a very niche specific genre so we knew that we had to dig for a lot of information that may not be provided on the surface. We were able to gather research that touched on several aspects of marketing artists including the history, merchandise, distributes, the social media market, target audience, and even color palette. 

We researched several articles using key words such as "origins of bluegrass" "bluegrass artists" and "record labels upholding the bluegrass genre." Then from reading those articles and ensuring whether we trust the sources or not, we continued to search for key points that we wanted more elaboration on for further research. 

  One of the factors that made the Marketing Project process so efficient was allotting certain chunks of the work to each of our group members and setting deadlines. We started off with a clean outline of the project, so that way we had the ability to distribute work amongst our group members and tackle down the project into bits and pieces.

Music Video

Pre-Production

As for the concept of the music video, the idea the song was trying to convey was difficult to grasp, as its true meaning was mitigated by several analogies and metaphors that masked the message of the song and made it less conspicuous. The storyboard underwent several processes until finally, we created a rough draft that would become our reference in the filming process.

                                               Final Draft of Storyboard

Some of these shots had to be altered a bit due to difficulties with editing softwares but it came around and was reimagined very similarly to what is on the storyboard above!

Storyline

The more we listened to the song, the more we wondered if we were interpreting it correctly. We had to break down each verse to understand the breadth of the message, what story the artist was trying to tell, and what that means to him as well as how he would want it communicated to the target audience visually. 

After evaluating the lyrics and looking for substantiated evidence to prove what it was really about, we came to the conclusion that the song was conveying the story of someone who wants to go out and chase their dreams no matter what other path people are taking, they're gonna take the risks to go out and get what they want. 

Production

The music video was filmed over the span of 2 days, and we were fortunate enough to work with an experienced actor who fit the description of the role and approached the task professionally. The first day we made sure to knock out all the shots that included him and then any scenic shots were filmed the next day.  The storyboard was a great reference and the pacing of the movie wasn't much different from what was drafted on paper, but some minor changes had to occur. 

This section of the music video displays the character doing some financial paperwork but then turns to his script and becomes engulfed in his artistry. This close up shot gives context and helps the viewer understand that he's keeping himself financially stable as he continues to chase after his dreams.

Many of the images consisted of our actor being in front of a green screen reciting lines for an audition, indicating that he is in search of greater opportunities. 

The match cut to this shot with the key light marking the side of his face, acts as a spotlight illuminating his right side to make the image appear more intimate, and give off the impression that he is truly enjoying his work and will reach great heights if he continues to pursue his dream with that passion.

The shot of him on the stage was from a prior production that I was fortunate enough to capture and repurpose for this music video. The shot is displayed while the lyric "but one of these days it's gonna be right soon you'll, find your legs and go, and stay gone..." 

The character was displayed with a suit, and this served in showing that he was gonna go out and get a gig, and he's gonna shine bright.

Post-Production

The last stage of the music video was editing the piece and stringing it all together. Once again, the storyboard was followed sequentially and therefore saved time in the line edit draft. 

We wanted to make sure the message was clear and comprehensible for the target audience to do little work in the analyzing. In the marketing sphere, much of the work comes from viewing an art piece through the lens of its target audience. Artistic techniques such as the flashes and transitions were placed in order to further the message of the song rather than misconstrue it. 

                                            

This video displays several editing techniques, including some jump cuts at the audition scene to demonstrate the passage of time. 

The difficulties came with the ambitious ideas adjacent to the line edit which we unfortunately could not 100% go through with due to time. As shown in this image, an editing technique had to be left out due to the software being slow at operating. 

Marketing Campaign

Outline

  This is an example of our outline from the beginning, we made sure to add some important details that serves as the backbone of our presentation so that way we could distribute the work evenly and dive into the Presentation with an idea in mind.

Target Audience 

The marketing portion of the presentation determines meticulous choices made in the music video

I can only speak for myself when I say I felt that this song truly resonated with me.  However, I knew it would be unprofessional to view a music video through my own lens, since I am not the conventional target audience, and the true audience has disparate values from mine. Good marketing practice is ensuring that a piece is created with close consideration of the target audience, which has its own distinct taste when discovering music and envisioning the visuals that correspond with it (music video).

Although not every individual may go through these stages unanimously, there may be a younger audience that resonates with the message as well, so we adjusted the age range to include 18 to as old as 30. The genre may not appeal to younger audiences but the content of the lyrics may, and emerging artists may look to the song and become inspired with the message.

The primary target audience in terms of gender is male. To this day, we are still living in a male-dominated society. There are several factors that may support this statement but the most relevant distinction would be their dominance in the workplace. Traditional values picture men as the independent figure, providing for their families by contributing financial stability. Although this stereotype has been attenuated in the modern day, the Bluegrass genre's target audience encompasses individuals with conservative views, so the artist may approach with caution when it comes to rebelling against that notion.

It's true that the artists authenticity should not be undermined, but the community of fans with pre-established taste must be considered in order to be successful and profitable. Both can be achieved if one is open enough to compromise.  

 

Music Marketing Blog

Our group was quick to assume that this project would be extra challenging for us since we were unfamiliar with the realm of country/bluegrass. However, once we got the hang of it and did some research, we realized that the genre successfully encapsulates unique elements and touches on important, yet unconventional topics through songwriting, music production, and marketing. 

"Beg Steal or Borrow" by Ray LaMontage, has complex syntax embedded in the lyrics that must be deliberately processed in order to fully grasp the concept of the song; that is why at first we struggled to create a story that was relating to the lyrics, because we were passively listening to the lyrics. Once we further analyzed the lyrics and broke down every verse, the subject was not only comprehensible, but it even spoke to us. Most country/bluegrass artists such as Tyler Childer liked to express political opinions through music, however, artists that connect the principles of music back to evoking an emotional and human response are the most successful songs. 

  After doing some tedious research, our group decided to create an outline to serve as the foundation of the project to finish the task at hand more efficiently. The template design consists of very light yet powerful colors such as orange and brown to resemble stability and strength. Furthermore, a tree is a symbol of growth and strength, as well as the interconnectedness of all things. These are more than just musicians, they are viewed as artists who are passionate about their craft and want to send out meaningful messages through their art. It's important that we as the marketers, emulate their brand and their mission to lead their career into a plethora of triumphs and successes. 

Moving forward, our group plans to complete most of the bulk of filming and production this weekend, in order to space ourselves out when editing to give enough time for meticulous revisions of the content being marketed to the masses. The idea is ambitious, but if it is successful then we will have communicated the message of the song to audiences through symbolic components that may provoke a positive response. 

Semester 1 Reflection

    During the first semester of Media studies, I gained insight on the techniques utilized by creators to develop a storyline. I learned how to identify different techniques such as shot composition, editing, sound, and mis-en-scene, and to further contemplate how those techniques have shaped the consumers reaction to film media.  I could definitely work on diving deeper into mis-en-scene and lighting.

   The film pitch project was a collaborative effort, where not one member of the group had difficulty with compromising. Each member gave their input, and there was enough incentive from everyone in the group to set the project in motion. One of the things that may have needed some improvement was the layout of the project. We chose to go with a broche book that may have worked well in print but did not succeed as a digital copy. As for the storyline itself, the idea was quite arbitrary and in order to make the production quality up to standard, we would need a strong budget to fulfill the mis-en-scene elements. Overall, the project helped me understand how to sell a story, and how to organize ideas. 

   I'd say this class has definitely motivated me to become a better consumer, which in turn I believe has helped me in becoming a better artist. The class became a reliable source for finding media and curating a watchlist and/or reading list at the start of each week, which helped expand my mind to different styles and genres of storytelling. The more I consume media and explore different mediums, the more I consider different perspectives and materialize better ideas. The more I learn about the techniques that bring value to those pieces of media, the more I understand how to communicate my own ideas to the world. 

  I love that I've become more familiar with the content in this course.  It's prompted me to dig deeper in researching certain topics like media conglomerates. Not only has it helped me view media from an artists perspective but also through a marketers perspective. Acquiring the skill to connect with media on a deeper level fuels my desire to create and promote even more.