Portfolio Project - Week Four Part Two

 3/4/2021

I think I figured out what my first scene is going to be. Black background - I need to get a backdrop - foley walking sounds (like on stage), quick shots building the character and guitar, and then begins an electric guitar strum. Cutaway editing would be the best way to describe the visuals for the scene I want to film. Slowly the shots will increase the number of visual content in the scene - built-up anticipation. The scene I previously described is one I drew in an earlier posting but edited a bit. The filming technique with these shoots can present the branding made by the deal with the devil. If there is a way for me to - develop a connection to the guitar and branding - through makeup - I will for a perceivable connection. Introduce the character - branding before- then introduce guitar, together with the branding - a sign will be evident. A tilt-up shot of Onyx playing the guitar - with foley audio added, then zoomed-in to not see the hands playing (for accuracy sake of my no skill). A flash will occur - inferred camera flash - transition to a flashback scene. Will be the deal with devil handshake and acquiring the branding. I used makeup on the images I created in the last posting, and it came out very well for the raw look. Confidence to shaken demeanor will be the facial plan transition. 

Following this scene will be a transition, maybe the title presented, to another point in time. Introducing - the Devil monologue voiceover but a simpler version of the script from the first draft. I want to keep the same comedic but businesslike manner to the voiceover, though. 

Devil Monologue (Second Version)

"What is sin - in this modern century - well, why I would, know wouldn't I?" 

“Evil is weakness and power is downfall - the same script I know quite well - logically”

"My sigil is one with a price."

"But alas -sinful temptations - greedy human girl - you get my fun"

"Her guitar strings are losing their tuning - and with every beat goes a borrowed breath”

“The lullaby of death is quite sweet”

My friend agreed to help voice act for this script, and of course, there will be creative adjustments to fit the character desired. The scene following - as the first installment of the second branding starts forming - I have previously described. I practiced makeup to make a communicative look of exhaustion combined with frustration. Use of simple eyeshadow under the eyes combined with pinks to look like tear lines. This makeup look can be a bathroom scene of an emotional reaction to events unfolding - I would like the second installment to have occurred within or before this scene. The film opening should end at the last installment - which I have not fully panned out. I will decide how I want to play out the ending and then decide whether the branding will be three or four different installments.

Until next time!

Portfolio Project - Week Four Part One

 3/3/2021

Welcome Back! New week - new developments. I thought more about my location of the shooting and the scenes I want to film.  There is a specific scene I want to produce to show development in the story. As I previously mentioned, there are two brandings - one with the deal and another that forms throughout the opening. To emphasize while also providing visual content, I plan for my character's skill to inherently worsen as the second branding forms. The branding - can be broken up into four sections - the time allotted during scenes will determine if I keep it four or change it into three. I saw a video in the past on how to give yourself temporary tattoos with printed paper images. The process I began to practice for consistency and quality. At the current moment - I am two for three on attempts, but not all of the image is transferring. The solution is either - to attempt more routes (more time soaking the picture or more time pressing the picture) or add makeup in the gaps. 

The evolutions of the branding I want to act as painful and Onyx becoming more stressed by each line. The first scene I have envisioned will play out that Onyx is attempting to write music. Surrounding this will be shots accompanied by a diegetic sound that I will edit in. Shooting will be - plugging into the amp, connecting the guitar, and will add sound for paper - used to write sheet music. The foley for these diegetic sounds should not be hard to create. I may need to do multiple takes for the writing on paper during the scene. I am going to learn some basic chords on the guitar to act this scene better. Onyx will be having difficulty creating music, which will already make her appear annoyed, then forms a painful sensation will occur on her forearm. Act that out. Then skill will slowly seep away. By the second branding, I will have the dialogue of her annoyance with the guitar; this will establish the characteristics - of the guitar in a better sense. A remark on that it should still provide her with its intended skill. 

Planning and acquiring the sounds will be very important for the acting and editing process. I will work with recording guitar music - so these sounds will sync up with the acting it's following. I am also developing Onyx as one who just not gained fame but is heavily influenced by other artists. There is a lot of memorabilia in my house, which deduces a rock fan lives here - but can also be used to advance her background. This can be a pan shot around the room before introducing the sketching notes scene. But either way, to continue my development process - I need to either plan very effectively for my sound placement or record sounds before filming then - act accordingly. 

Until next time!

Portfolio Project - Week Three Part Four

 2/28/2021

I took the weekend to progress my story for storyboarding shots and filming areas I want to cover. I first started with drawing out scenes I want to shoot and have had already thought. The beginning shots for Onyx - are planned for in these story pannels. I still have to configure where the devil monologue will happen with visuals. Of course, these visuals are not him, but he's introducing the story, and I want the shots synchronized to help develop the story for the audience. 

I have planned ideas for my character's progression throughout the film opening combined with some shot ideas. I will include a photo of what I have written as ideas. I ask the question - if I should cover a flashback scene to deepen Onyx's character backstory - but that may be too intricate for this opening. I want to show her possessiveness of the guitar with an interaction with another person - she will immediately cling with it to her body. The ticking that the devil begins will be a vital indication of her character progression. I am struggling to configure how I can make the guitar better known as originally the devils. I need to find a way to create a mystical shot showing it has the power or entrances Onyx, but I have not thought of one yet.

I need to put together my tripod this week and start practicing with the lighting. I will be filming myself and need to become better acquainted with my canvas. I want the LED light that it comes with to be the determining light for this piece. If I take an outside shot - it might not mend well with - the majority of my shots I plan to take place internally. 

This forthcoming week will be more planning and storyboarding, so I'm ready to film. Planning of wardrobe and shooting locations need to -become finalized with this planning. I do have another obstacle with this project - I cannot play the guitar. So I need to either - pick some skills up by practicing/learning or find another medium to produce quality music.

Until next time!

Portfolio Project - Week Three Part Three

 2/26/2021

Group Discussion Reflection

Today in class, we broke out into channel meetings to do group discussions. Talking about my idea - and hearing feedback on my thought process for the film opening - was a helpful interaction. The change of pace in hearing others respond and reflect on my idea was very encouraging. To also reciprocate reflections and see how similar processes are going for other students made me feel good about my pace. The one thing I asked for help on - was more the situation of filming and where I could shoot shots. A location offered was a trail at Markham Park. This location - was described to create a creepy feeling if I were to shoot at night and with the right lighting. Two suggestions for my house filming were to film in my garage and possibly a bathroom/mirror scene. 

The ability to talk about my process/development of planning - my filming and my story development after working independently - was unknowingly needed. I have only heard my thoughts individually while creating this story. Communicating my process through blogging is a way to center what step I am taking and what will follow. But, human interaction of pure discussion on a project we are all doing is leveling. I do not feel as alone as I previously did and feel even more confident in my idea. I worry about the other groups - to effectively make their ideas work - but for me, I find myself on the right track. 

The process to effectively communicate what I am planning put pieces together in my head. These people have not seen what I have been working on for weeks - they only catch a glimpse. My last posting is most likely the majority of what they saw. They asked valuable questions like - how are you going to represent your devil/how is he going to look? Or are you going to develop him further? While also communicating, we all surmised that this is a two-minute project and not a fully-fledged story told in that time allotted. My path on ending - at the point - that the marking on Onyx's arm is fully developed, and time, as run out, makes for a great stopping. 

Leaving my ending as a questionable one seems most precise for a film opening. I want to grab my audience. What's next? A backstory of her life? Does she go to Hell? Or even life as the devil decides? The ending should allow for; the open-ended ability for the audience to think about - what's following her circumstances. Is the humor in the devil's monologue an accurate depiction of his character, or is this another business deal? Could her - circumstances - develop a drama that grasps the devil differently? So many questions if I film this story opening right. I feel more confident after today. My next process is storyboarding, but I want to do it in a more unconventional standard. I want to make a shot list but more descriptive of it as a scene. This scene has specifics to flow chronologically but how to place them is a difficult course of choice. I have broad ideas of what I want to shoot, but the story - with it may require shots rather than a specific sequence of them on a storyboard. Closeups are going to be - used as the majority of the shots I shoot. I may use my father as the faceless devil character. He has - a wide - wardrobe of suits as well as one-of-kind skull rings. I will follow more planning this weekend.

Until next time!

Portfolio Project - Week Three Part Two

2/25/2021 

After researching definitions and symbolisms of the devil, I want to develop my character,  as well as his monologue voice-over. The visuals of the synchronized sound will introduce Onyx then to her guitar to create an explanation. I want to make his monologue almost humorous - that this situation is one of entertainment while my film opening will show the distress caused by it in her. To start - he will propose a question. I want to create dialogue in this posting, and then I will want a better format of a screenplay later after storyboarding. This plan - will help my storyboarding process center ideas of what the devil character discusses with visuals and story. 

Devil Dialogue for Monologue - First Draft

"What is sin and how is it explained today - in this modern century - well, why I would know wouldn't I?" 

“Evil is their weakness and power is their downfall - the same script I know quite well”

"Let’s see... a girl from the looks of it (insert action of her in the scene we see), but what’s that on her arm?"

"That beautiful handiwork is that of my choosing - wanted to go back to the old regular design - but mine comes with a price."

"Sinful temptations - greedy human girl - you get my fun"

"Her guitar strings are losing their tuning - and with every beat goes a borrowed breath”

“The lullaby of death is one that is quite sweet”

End

The process while forming this monologue was one of wanting to develop my depiction of my devil character.  I want a businessman mixed with one who is finding great humor in this situation. The process of indicating who is speaking without clearly stating it is one I want to stick with for his character.  I also attempted to incorporate my research on his universal meanings of what he stands for and what he brings out as responses. The photos I include in this posting and the previous are general moods of this film opening I am being inspired by. The next step in my process for this film opening will need to be storyboarding before I can create more dialogue. A shot list will most likely be included in my next posting as well as scouting for shooting locations. 

Until next time!

Portfolio Project - Week Three Part One

 2/24/2021

Let's start this planning process!! So we have our lovely character of sin - Onyx and the title reflecting her base Syn. To begin - the film opening will have a voice-over work of the devil character - introducing/indicating the current situation I am presenting. I want to dedicate this posting to devil research and target my audience with how I represent him. 

The Devil is best known as the personification of evil and the nemesis of good people everywhere. Jesus and many of his apostles warned people to stay alert for the Devils' cunning enticements that would lead them to ruin. In Judaism, Satan is a verb and generally refers to a difficulty or temptation to overcome instead of a literal being. For people of almost any religion or even those who do not follow a religion - the Devil is - almost - always synonymous with: fear, punishment, negativity, and immorality. Satanists do not worship the Devil but embrace him as a symbol of atheism, pride, and liberty, among other things.

 In films, Satan used as a personification of evil - provides many narrative opportunities. Struggles with Satan have been - used to symbolize human weaknesses and temptations. In horror and suspense films, Satan provides for a virtually all-powerful foe. My target audience is similar to the target audience of Lucifer, which I researched previously in my blog. The demographic for Lucifer spanned from 18-49 years of age. The depiction of the Devil in filming limits Christian viewership due to religious beliefs and younger audiences. My film opening is following the drama/fantasy genre. 

  Just over half of all films made anywhere in the world over the past twenty years are Dramas. The drama genre has the broadest definition of all genres – everything that happens anywhere ever is a drama.  Fantasy films often have an element of magic, myth, wonder, escapism, and the extraordinary. They may appeal to both children and adults, depending upon the particular film. My film opening includes fantasy elements combined with drama elements - which helps categorize the genre and open the target audience. I do not plan to go into genre depictions of the devil character in the horror genre - but - on focusing on Onyx's character development through stages of distress and worry. The causation of these emotions will stem through demonic involvement with human temptation as a weakness.

Until next time!

Citations

Contributors to Wikimedia projects. (2005, December 4). Devil in the arts and popular culture - Wikipedia. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil_in_the_arts_and_popular_culture

Fantasy Films. (n.d.). Greatest Films - The Best Movies in Cinematic History. Retrieved February 24, 2021, from https://www.filmsite.org/fantasyfilms.html

Genre trends in global film production. (2018, February 12). Stephen Follows. https://stephenfollows.com/genre-trends-global-film-production/

History.com Editors. (2021, January 13). The Devil. HISTORY; A&E Television Networks. https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/history-of-the-devil?scrlybrkr=b91732c8

Lucifer TV Show on FOX: Ratings (Cancel or Season 4?). (2018, June 15). Canceled + Renewed TV Shows - TV Series Finale; https://www.facebook.com/tvseriesfinale. https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/lucifer-season-three-ratings/

Portfolio Project - Research Part Four

 2/21/2021

A day has passed, and more of my projects idea has developed. I watched a recommended movie, The Devil's Advocate (1997), to see if new ideas would surface. The film inspired me in the very well thought out character Keanu Reeves plays. The role of religion is - introduced very early, and that the city of New York was phrased as something evil as a foreshadowing by the mother. Plot elements - were placed so carefully in dialogue to communicate the story and that the character Kevin was treated with favoritism when he accepts the new job in New York. At first, I did not realize that the jealousy from the other colleagues in New York - was not his skill, but a more hidden meaning found out at the end of the film. From the title of the film and description, it is clear who the devil is, but that knowledge - is not introduced clearly until later in the movie.

Special Effects - Demon Face

Al Pacino played the devil in the film but was not the only depiction of the supernatural. The special effects - to depict characters as a demon, was shocking to see at first, but also a variety I have seen before. Of course, I do not have the budget this film had, but I hope to use demonic influence on my film opening. Al Pacino's character in, the Devil's Advocate could not interfere with free will but manipulated those craftily. Towards the end of the film, when Milton (the devil) trying to convince Kevin to help create an antichrist -Milton describes all that he can grant him with his power. Milton offered bliss, wealth, and anything else Kevin can imagine. Kevin, at this point - a character someone who never says no and always has to win - says no to creating the antichrist. The offering of giving Kevin what he should so desire is something I draw upon in my film opening idea. The core of the film is Milton's use of influencing the sin of vanity. The film ends with Kevin throwing a child molester case to do the right thing - but immediately is approached for a newspaper article to make him a star. Kevin agreeing gives in to the indulgence of vanity he did previously.

The deal in my piece will be skill graced upon my character through the uses of a guitar - in return, she owes the devil. I have a guitar from my father, which I plan to shoot. The letters written on the guitar feel very well suited for my film opening, "Syn." My course on this story - is all based on sin, and the rewriting of the word - "sin" and well as the original definition feels well suited. The one-letter change can be my guiding question for my character's guilt and regret of her greed. I want to choose her name as Onyx - the symbolism of the stone is replete with connections to bad luck. The uncommon - color would be black for the - stone symbolizes my character's dark deal. To root her name with subliminal darkness would add more background to her depths.  I am going to look for the font on the guitar or something close to it. I want to make sure to emphasize the power in this guitar. Character background for Onyx and her relation to the guitar to the deal will be the main points in the film opening.

                                                                                           Until next time!

                         (Here are some better photos of the guitar)

Citations

The Devil’s Advocate (1997) - Plot Summary - IMDb. (n.d.). IMDb. Retrieved February 21, 2021, from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118971/plotsummary

Spooky Season: Devil’s Advocate - The Phoenix. (2020, October 2). The Phoenix; https://www.facebook.com/The-Daily-Gazette-25143725092/. https://swarthmorephoenix.com/2020/10/02/spooky-season-devils-advocate/

Onyx Symbolism and Legends - International Gem Society. (n.d.). International Gem Society; https://www.facebook.com/gemsocietyorg. Retrieved February 21, 2021, from https://www.gemsociety.org/article/history-legend-onyx-gems-yore/

Contributors to Wikimedia projects. (2004, May 22). The Devil’s Advocate (1997 film) - Wikipedia. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil%27s_Advocate_(1997_film)?scrlybrkr=64b63ba8

The Devil’s Advocate (1997) : Movie Plot Ending Explained | This is Barry. (2016, November 23). This Is Barry. https://www.thisisbarry.com/film/the-devils-advocate-1997-movie-plot-ending-explained/