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Showing posts from March, 2023

Production Blog: Final Review of our Film

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     The filming process is the most significant aspect of any film production. It is where the vision of the director and the creative team comes to life on the screen. For our film production, we had to work with a limited budget and a tight schedule, which made it crucial for us to plan every detail meticulously. We spent most of our time scouting locations, casting actors, and creating storyboards to ensure that we could get everything we needed within the time.      Once we started filming, it was an intense and exhilarating experience. The cinematography was exceptional and fun to film. The actors gave good performances, and we used any people who were not in the shot as the crew. Despite some unforeseen challenges, we were able to shoot all the scenes we needed within the allotted time, which was a great accomplishment.      The editing process is where the film comes together. It is where the director and the editor work together to shape the story and bring the vision to life.

Editing Blog: The Last Edits

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     Upon viewing the final cut of our short film, I am filled with a sense of pride and accomplishment that comes from the completion of a long and challenging journey. We took the project from its initial conception all the way through to its completion and ended up with something that we can all be proud of.      The editing process proved difficult, but we created a film that truly captured our vision with careful attention to detail and strong collaboration with the team. Working with my friends in a group was fun and exciting, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this group.      Throughout the editing process, I learned a great deal about film editing, gaining a deeper understanding of the significance of lighting, framing, and pacing in creating a cohesive and engaging film. The power of experimentation also became apparent as we discovered that trying different techniques could lead to exciting and unexpected results.      Collaboration was a critical a

Sound Design Blog: Working on the Small Details

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     As I sat down to work on the sound design for our short film, I knew it would be challenging. The film demanded a soundscape that could evoke a sense of danger, unpredictability, and tension. To start, I watched the film's rough cut and took detailed notes on the different sound elements that needed to be created or improved.      Creating a soundscape that would immerse the audience in the film's world was essential, and I had to work on different sound effects for each room of the house. I carefully crafted sounds such as creaking floorboards, the hum of electrical appliances, and the sound of drawers opening and closing to make the audience feel like they were in the middle of the action.      After laying out the foundation of sound design, I shifted my focus to crafting personal sound effects. I paid attention to even the slightest details, such as the screech of a car braking and the rustling of fabric as the robbers searched through drawers to enhance the on-screen

Editing Blog: Continuing the pro

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     As I opened up Davinci Resolve, I felt a mixture of excitement and apprehension wash over me. I knew that we had a lot of work to do on our short film and that the editing process could be a challenging and time-consuming one. But as I located our project file and began sorting through the footage, I became increasingly immersed in the story we were trying to tell.      However, as I worked my way through the different shots and scenes, I quickly realized that some of them needed to be stronger. In particular, I noticed that some of the shots needed proper lighting, which made it challenging to capture the intended mood and atmosphere. This realization made me appreciate the importance of lighting in filmmaking, as it can truly make or break a scene.      Because of this, I had to spend a lot of extra time editing those particular shots to try and enhance the lighting and create a more compelling visual experience for the audience. I experimented with different color grading techn

Re-Filming Blog: Fixing up some Mistakes

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     Today was a highly productive day as my team, and I embarked on refilming certain scenes of our short film. Our collective efforts were focused on perfecting the sequence where two main characters, Django and Marty, sneak into the bedroom of the Jetson household. We all agreed that a refilming session was necessary since we didn't have enough takes during the initial filming to get it right.      We were all present and eager to get started, and with all our equipment and resources at the ready, we got down to business. We began by refilming the scene where Django and Marty searched for valuables to steal without waking Emily Jetson, played by Katie. This particular scene required several takes, but we persisted until we felt we captured the right emotion and intensity.      Next, we tackled the scene where Cop 1 and Cop 2 arrived in the neighborhood and chased after Django and Marty. We had to refilm the sequence where they were chased and eventually caught after reaching a d

Editing Blog: Continuing the Rigorous Process

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     Today is the day I would begin editing my short film. I had already organized all the scenes into folders based on the location and date of the shoot, so I was ready to get started.      The first thing I did was import all the scenes into the timeline, placing them in the order they were shot. I then watched the footage, taking note of which takes were the best and which needed to be trimmed down.      As I worked through the footage, I noticed that some of the shots could have been better or had better lighting. I used editing tools to stabilize the shots and adjust the brightness and contrast to improve the film's overall look.      It was a slow process, but I was making progress. As I worked, I began to see the story come to life on my computer screen. I was excited to see the final product, but I knew there was still a long way to go.      I took breaks in between to rest my eyes and clear my mind. It helped me to come back with fresh eyes and renewed energy to continue.

Editing Blog: Compiling and Organizing

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     Today is an exciting day for me as I am going to work on the editing process of my short film. I am nervous but also eager to see the final product come to life.      First, I compiled and organized all of the scenes I had downloaded onto my computer. Downloading the files onto my computer took a while in itself. It took a couple of hours because of my many technical difficulties while downloading them. My computer would spit out errors at me whenever I tried to download certain scenes, but eventually, I figured out a way to make it work, though I still don't know what I did.      After that, I spent an hour carefully organizing the footage into folders based on the location. I knew this would make finding the scenes I needed later on easier. I made sure to label each folder with a clear and concise name to make navigating through them more manageable.      Once all the scenes were downloaded and organized, I opened my video editing software, Davinci Resolve, and started compi

Filming Blog: The Last Act

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     Today, my team and I continued our filming project for a short film. We resumed from where we had stopped during our previous filming session. The team was present, and we were ready, to begin with, all our equipment and resources.      Our first scene was to film Django (Me) and Marty (Christian) sneaking into the Jetson household bedroom to search for valuables to steal. We had to capture this scene without waking Emily Jetson, played by Katie. However, they woke her up, and we had to film Katie screaming after waking up.      Next, we proceeded to the scene where Django and Marty attempted to escape the neighborhood. We had to film a challenging scene several times to get it right. After that, we filmed the scene of Cop 1 and Cop 2 arriving in the neighborhood and chasing after Django and Marty. We had to capture the chase until they reached a dead end and were tackled by the cops. It was a hilarious scene, and we had to film it multiple times to get the best outcome.      We t

Sound Design Blog: Finding and Creating Audio

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     Today marked the beginning of our sound design process for the film, which is an essential aspect of the filmmaking industry. A good sound design can enhance the viewer's experience by creating a more immersive and authentic environment. As a member of the team, my responsibility was to find and create sound effects that would be integrated into the film.      To start, I searched for a suitable cell phone ringing sound effect that would be used in the earlier scenes. I went through various sound effects collections until I found the perfect ringtone that fit the mood and tone of the scenes. Once I found the right ringtone, I moved on to the next crucial sound effect – the sound of footsteps.      The sound of footsteps plays a vital role in the scene where Django and Marty break into the Jetson's household, creating tension and suspense. I took my time and searched for the ideal sound effect that would add an extra layer of realism to the scene.      Next on my list was f

Filming Blog: Beginning Filming

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      Today I am starting the filming process. The day started with me confirming everyone could make it. I texted a group chat I had previously made to connect with everyone, saying "Can everyone make it today? Remember to get there at 8 am". To which everyone replied with a similar response to "yes."     I proceeded to get ready and made sure to be early as I was one of the main actors and needed to assist in setting up. First, I set up the starting scene which included a table where Django and Marty sit in a dark room. Unfortunately, we ended up having to film this later because there was sunlight beaming into the room not giving us the lighting we wanted. We decided to film it later that night so the lighting would better fit our expectations.     So we carried on chronologically filming our scenes to make it simple for us to keep track of where we were in the filming process. Filming the house scouting scenes was fun, especially when I (Django) had to pretend t

Costume and Props Blog: On the Search

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     Today my groupmates and I had to find costumes and props. I decided it would be best if I searched independently. As I strolled down the busy streets, I looked for stores that might have what we needed. The sun was high up in the sky, and there were lots of people rushing about their day. Time was running out, and I needed to find the perfect items for our upcoming film.      After a few minutes of wandering around, I stumbled upon a small vintage shop with a sign that said "Fly Boutique." I was excited and decided to check it out. The interior of the shop smelled of old fabrics and leather. The shopkeeper was an elderly woman with a warm smile, and she asked me what I was looking for.      I explained to her what we needed, and she showed me some of her suggestions. There were racks of costumes from different time periods, shelves filled with hats, gloves, and jewelry, and even a section dedicated to antique furniture. I was amazed at the variety and quality of the item

Re-Planning Blog: Fixing the Schedule

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     Today, my groupmates and I have a scheduled meeting to discuss re-planning our schedule for our film project. We realized that one of our filming dates clashed with Katie's family trip. Hence, we need to discuss and find a new suitable date for everyone to shoot.      To begin with, we decided to inquire from each group member about their availability to shoot. After a discussion, we agreed that March 3rd would be the best day to shoot, as we have no school the next day, and we could shoot till late if required for night scenes.      The ideal time to arrive would be early in the morning at Katie's house. We decided on a specific time of 8:30 am, keeping in mind that anyone who might run late could still join us before filming.      Next, I reached out to the other actors who were supposed to be a part of the shoot and ensured their availability. I also contacted my friend, Logan, asking him to lend us his drone camera to film a scene within our short film. Although he was