More Short Film Analysis

 After watching those past films and analyzing them, I would like to continue my research and view more short films. The feelings created with the last pieces developed differently, and I want to achieve that. Creating a proper storyline will hopefully set me up for success for that. I could even decide to create my piece without my subjects knowing the entire storyline. A limited subject could create the proper atmosphere required in my piece. 

• Somnium | Psychological Thriller Short Film
  
• The psychological thriller short film really demonstrated different varieties of genre conventions. Of course, there was the suspense music and the dark subway-type scene with an ominous character in the distance - which was good additions to the piece. I disliked the beginning of the piece taking place in a school setting. The shots were too wide and the coloring just seemed almost amateur for the piece. However, progressively the switch of shots to different angles gradually made the piece better. There was a very cool transition at the school from entering a classroom to entering the next setting. I really enjoyed how the person who made the piece edited his shots together to create the piece he did. In the last sequence, where we see the character we have been following (like an out-of-body thing) see himself almost crash into a person, was a fast and cool transition. We saw both perspectives, and the transition to 'back-in-body' was not awkward. 
• GRIEF - A psychological Short-Film
  
• This piece seemed to start quite well. The audio effects started so well, but then when the piece began - it was quite disappointing. The dialogue was created quite badly because the doctor seemed so informal and seemed to lack quite what he was even supposed to say. The creator attempted to film without audio and input the dialogue in post-production and it didn't turn out well. The variety of shots lacked heavily and overall the piece was quite disappointing, especially with the topic attempted to be presented on the grief cycle. 
• DON'T LOOK AWAY | Horror Short Film
  
• I enjoyed this piece very much. The beginning was a little slow in the pick up of what was going on but once it began it developed so beautifully. I enjoyed the way the shots were taken, the light and composition, and the location immensely. The piece wasn't too in your face a little of the dialogue was a bit cringy but it all worked together to make the story and develop the piece in the way they did. There were shots with audio added that you can tell were made in post-production that sounds so great. Just a simple shot of the character putting their phone in and out of their pocket - the audio foley was sounded so natural. 

The variety that I am watching for research has been creating so many different experiences. The last piece I watched in the post I enjoyed immensely more than the other ones I watched. Even watching the grief cycle piece - I can take all the way that the piece was undeveloped and factor those concepts towards my production to achieve not making those mistakes. I want to search for more pieces to research and maybe if I can get the chance to watch a psychological film to gather more inspiration - I can do that. I crave more ideas to make my piece make a story that doesn't just follow a simple narrative.

stay tuned...

Short Film Analysis

 I wanted to review other short films to inspire ideas on what I would like to do with my short film. I am searching for videos under the psychological genre on youtube. I tried to do a postmodern search but the ideas are more the topic of what postmodern is and not short films

•    Annie's Lamp - [Short Film | Psychological Thriller]
• Watching the piece really wanted me to surround my piece with thriller background music. The piece itself was short and very well shot. Lighting, as well as the mise-en-scene, were well chosen to grab the eye. The green/blue tint that appears gives a thriller vibe that is good for the genre of the piece. I would like to manipulate tints as well as coloring to advocate for character voiceovers.
• Identity SHORT FILM (Award Winning Inspirational Short)
  
• This piece is really good about showing its message and working to develop the meaning throughout. I really enjoyed the almost chaotic audio in the beginning. If I could manipulate the voiceover of my characters to be surrounded by distorted audio - I feel like it could really come out cool. 
• Combining both audio aspects from the previous piece I watched for background music and the second piece for audio effects, the atmosphere of my piece can hopefully create the thrill I'd like to create.
• "Model Citizen" | Dystopian Animated Short Film (2020)
  
• This short film left a feeling at the end of it that wasn't quite pleasant. I wanted to find films like this animation that impact a feeling in the viewer because I wanted to reciprocate the same thing to my viewer. The emotions that this piece inspired left me in an unsatisfied but upset state. I enjoyed the work put into the piece and how the related ideas were late showed again and again but in different forms. Growing so quickly to care for the characters and the unfortunate ending was quite an emotion caused. 
• I have noticed this animation and the second piece I watched were both featuring face masks to create a societal similarity in their own narratives. I like the way each piece created this idea and manipulated it into its own fashion.

The feelings created by all of these pieces require time to really analyze and comprehend what was watched and the choices made. I was inspired by the audio effects and background music. The last piece created a reminiscent feeling with the music choice chosen and that perfectly manipulated the viewer to create the downward spiral of emotions desired to be created. 

I will be most likely continue with more short film analysis to see the technical choices made and see if this could help inspire production into my piece. 

stay tuned...

Start of a new week

 Late-night inspiration helped to direct the twist of my plotline more. If the character is surrounded in turmoil by all of these sinful voices in their head, what if it was controlled? 

Could I possibly foreshadow a character in the background and if the audience picks up on this background character, they could understand the possible foreshadowing occurring. This character could be disguised as a best friend at moments, then seen in the background at other moments. 

However, I would like to take a postmodern twist to create an idea that the reality being lived by the character in turmoil is one of a simulation. Question to the viewer again, what is real or what is not? I would to end my piece with an emotion in the viewer and create an unbounded interpretation. 

Why are there sins? Why is the character engulfed but only to themselves? Why were they chosen? Could these sins be a metaphor or allude to another issue possibly occurring? Who really is the character in control in this simulation?

These ideas are going to take a lot more time and concentration to draw out. However, before anything even gets close to being produced - I will need a storyboard, setting, character, dialogue, and time to film.

I do not want to have any of my shots to seem as if these feel rushed or the people taking on roles in my production be impatient or tired out by the possible rearranging of shots to get a perfect scene. There is a time limit and the scenes sketched out need to develop properly to create the feeling I would like to create. 

Upcoming materials I need to do : Research on short films with postmodern themes & research into psychological short films - possibly sketching out another idea/scene for my film.

    stay tuned...

Here We Go

Let's break it down...

 I have a lot of ideas sprouting now that I have an idea of a project I would like to produce. I would like to continue the idea of including sins into my piece and surrounding life with them. Through color/tint and voiceover work, I can differentiate my present sins. I have thought of a cover for a postcard advertisement or a poster. 

I could focus on a few sins (I have yet to choose) then make a prism with a color representation on top of the character of the piece. My short film would create that devil on your shoulder idea, which would be a struggle needed to overcome. If I went to focus on all of the sins it would be too complicated and require too many voices that would confuse the viewer. Understandably if I chose greed, I would make the screen tint green while the voice-over of that decided greed character talked. 

This piece may be a psychological drama but it would be character versus self. I would need to cast someone for this character because I do not think I could create the vulnerability I want so comfortably. This would be a dialogue-heavy idea and I have thought of a couple scenes to communicate the problem going on with the character.

A shot could include the voices in the head exploding and all talking at once and the host character cannot control the loudness. The closeup would switch to a third-person perspective and the dialogue of all of the screaming would go dead silent while we watch the character struggle. 

If there was a way I could make this piece change at the end with a twist that would cause the viewer to have a reality moment would be very cool. I thought I could possibly make the mom, the character/voices constantly screaming at the character, but that is too overused and I would like another original twist.

This piece will need research into psychological dramas so that is where I will begin my research and maybe I will be able to think of that twist. If I could also subliminally foreshadow - my piece would be phenomenal.

stay tuned...

Cambridge Portfolio

 Here we go with the Cambridge Portfolio again. This time A-level style!

I want to produce similar genre characteristics to my last year's project. To keep the same stylistic choices is most likely not going to happen. My production last year was quite limited and I would thoroughly like to change that. To expand upon the knowledge I have gained and learn from the past mistakes I have made is my goal. My decision as of right now is deciding between the documentary project or the short film project, however, the premise for both follows a similar idea. My idea is sprouting upon my AS-Level project of sins but actually expanding and producing a different product. It would follow a similar idea of daily routine but not grasp that same limited essence filmed prior.

As I stem upon my ideas and create progress, I am excited to share this journey right here on my blog.

Thank you once again and stay tuned...

The School Year So Far

While recently completing the film distribution project, another project that I worked on this year was a documentary project. Working with a group of my choice and quite skilled individuals, we produced a documentary called, 'Part-Time' which was a balance of student life. The idea sprouted from an idea of balancing academics with school and the variations of success and consequences it produces. 

Working at an Italian restaurant with one of our group members gave us the idea to utilize our work environment and manager for an interview in our documentary. We strived to have three people interviewed but there were unfortunate complications due to covid. The balance between a manager that hires high schoolers and college students to an actual working high school student became our story. Asking questions of success and why do students work surround our premise. Our b-roll got to see the two different types of employment services. 

I included our two subjects and a clip of a b-roll from a server at the restaurant I work at. 

• Learning from this project influenced me to choose a documentary option for my A-level project. However, the idea I am trying to produce could be better performed in a short film. 

• Moving forward with my experiences last year with the film opening Cambridge project, I want to not hesitate with the option I choose. So, currently deciding the form of my project is commencing and I will take this years' and last years' teachings to improve my output. 

I’m anxious but excited for this new project and what I will eventually produce in these upcoming weeks.

Stay Tuned...

Welcome Back!! -----> Film Distribution Project

Film Distribution Project

Media Studies A Level has been quite a year so far. We have done several projects that have explored new aspects and studies of media. The latest project we have done so far was the Film Distribution project. Media studies and creative writing teamed up to create a project together. Creative writing created stories for our class and we adapted those projects in a trailer/teaser distribution project. 

Of the four projects presented to all the groups, we had to choose one that we could best create. There was an option of dystopia (which is a genre I love deeply) but was very difficult to produce. I was glad another group chose the story and made a killer presentation. There was a mermaid fantasy on a magical island that limited us to a location that was a difficult obstacle. Then there were two romantic comedy pieces: one that was a period piece or a contemporary. With all of the great options, my group chose to make the contemporary romantic comedy in the two weeks we had. 

Our romantic comedy followed the plot that was a cliche of the jock and the nerd getting together. Opposites attract; enemies to lovers' ideas, which we strived to create. Luckily, my brother was a hockey player throughout high school, so I could utilize his clothing and gear. Finding our jock was thankfully easy and a willing helping hand to the project. 

Scheduling times for the whole group to be present outside of class was majorly impossible. Working on our grooves and doing what we could do independently occurred. I allotted time to work on the project to best support my group but assembling as a team was unsuccessful. To best help the group project, I worked around my school schedule to come into media studies to edit our teaser for the project and make up the other classwork outside of school. Unfortunately, my group cut the teaser I made and scrapped it together with a different one. I had a big difficulty with the project as I did not have a computer to edit the project on and I tried to do the most I could at school. It's quite sad my work was not put towards the collaboration of the project. However, the trailer came out not too bad and the presentation was themed quite nicely for our genre representation style choices. 

Learning from this project, I now know the necessity of a correct brand representation based on genre representation characteristics. Thankfully since the projects competition, I put together my own savings to purchase a laptop to work towards my Cambridge project.