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Throughout our production process we tried to obtain quality shots for our film. We used an iPhone because it was the only resource available. Although the actual camera quality was very nice, trying to get the shots we wanted was difficult. When we tried to get shots of the trees moving quickly the phone was shaky and hard to keep still. As a result of this we had to gather slower shots of the trees. Through editing we used these shots in a very cinematic way which was not the original plan and intended idea, so we learned to come up with different ideas on the spot. Our rough cut consisted of just our clips put together in the order of the layout of the film. In our second cut we created transitions between shots, added filters, and added music.  We received feedback from our rough cut such as needing more action between our characters. We were unable to re-shoot our film in time for the rough cut, but we created a sense of action through editing with quick cuts and cutting between different perspectives of the same scene.

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'Halloween' may be a movie our target audience would watch.

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Independent Distribution and Marketing Plan - The Forest

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Independent Distribution and Marketing Plan - The Forest

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1.  If you were to distribute your film independently, how would you do it?

I believe that an aggregator would be the best approach for our film. Streaming may be less risky for our budget. An aggregator that we may approach could be bitmax because they are said to be the best one. They have also produced some very popular films that fall under the horror category. A smaller niche streaming service that I think we could reach out to is MUBI because they mostly stream independent films.

2. What is the title of your film? Do you think your title works?  Why or why not (short and sweet, pithy, reflective of genre, aimed at target audience, etc.)?  How could it be improved and why?  Do you have a new title now?

Our title is ‘The Forest’. This title works for our film because it leaves mystery and reflects a sense of creepiness. It could be improved by maybe giving more detail about the plot. An improved title could be ‘Missing Persons’.

3.  Create a tag line for your poster.  Aim for familiar but fresh.  Remember your genre, and your target audience.

“He’s in the forest. For you...” This could be a tag line because its eerie and gives information.

4.  Create a paragraph sketch of your target audience member.  Think about who would be interested in your film and why?  Specifically:

Who is the target audience this genre? What is the gender and age of your target audience in this genre?   What is their income and education level? What are their interests, likes, dislikes, hobbies?  What do they care about?  What is important to them? What organizations are they a part of?  Where are they hanging out online - which social media platforms?  Who are they following online? What online games are they playing?  Where are they hanging out in real life? What are they reading? Wearing? Watching on tv -- what VOD platforms?  Doing for entertainment? What are they buying or renting?  Where do they shop?  Where do they eat?

Our target audience is male teens. They would most likely be in high school with zero to little income. Their interest may range from sports to film and their dislike may be family films. They care about friends and their hobbies. They may be a part of clubs or sports through their schools. They might be on twitter, twitch, and others like snapchat. They might follow celebrities on social media and friends. They may play games like The Last of Us that are thrilling and have a good storyline. They may hang out in their neighborhood clubhouse of the park near their home. They may watch Netflix and HBO max. They may wear popular clothing like nike. They might read online articles. They might play sports, hang out with friends, and watch shows. They might rent a movie instead of buying it. They might shop at Nike and places like nike with athletic clothing. They might eat foods like pizza and junky foods.

5.  Using your notes from number four above, think about how your could reach that target audience if you were self distributing your film on Youtube or Vimeo or a similar platform.   How can you use that information to REACH them?  Where will you advertise?  INDICATE, FOR EACH GROUP, TEN PLACES WHERE YOU WOULD PLACE ADS TARGET ADS/TEASERS/TRAILERS (six virtual, four nonvirtual), and WHY, and mention that you would do this if you had to SELF DISTRIBUTE.

I think using social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok might be the best way to get ads towards our target audience by using trailers and teasers due to the short nature of these videos on social media to engage interest. We will place virtual ads on Instagram Snapchat TikTok Twitter discord Reddit. for non virtual ads we would place posters billboards magazine advertisements and possibly clothing. if we were to self distribute our movie we will have to provide our own funds to advertise and we would find free and cost efficient ways to reach audiences with advertisement.

6.  How would you ENGAGE your target audience online?  How will you turn passive audience members into ACTIVE, ENGAGED audience members? This is in reference to pull marketing (or interactive marketing).  How will you get them to click on your ads?  What would you offer them in the form of promotions?  How would you incentivize them to repost/retweet/share/forward your ad?  Please INCLUDE SOME OUT OF THE BOX THINKING!  Audience engagement must be addressed in your critical reflections.

Ways we could engage our audience online is to create natural filters that audiences could use which could also promote our film if they decide to post with this filter. We could even start a hashtag or trend and the video with the most views or likes could possibly get a reward which would engage multiple audiences.

7.  Do a Google search for the CLIO Key art awards online.  Think about what you could use/steal from selections there for your film's key artwork. Also take a look at Take a look at Colourlovers.com. Links to an external site.  Ask yourself:  Can people deduce the storyline from the art? What is reinforcing the genre, and how is it different?  Will it attract my target audience?  What are the repeating elements you notice in films in your same genre, especially use of color?   Now answer:

How would design your movie's poster?  How will you design it to be both familiar and fresh in regard to genre? What two or three main colors would you use? What is in the foreground and background? What iconography will be used? Type of fonts/typography?

If we were to design a movie poster I think a classical old timey horror movie film look towards the poster maybe really interesting. three colors that I would use would be green red and black I believe that the background would include trees that are in an eerie forest in the foreground could be the killer within the film. some iconography that could be used could be those like the knife used in the Halloween poster from the 1970s film. I types of fonts would be those of a classic slasher look.

8. BONUS/EXTRA CREDIT ONLY!   Identify any trends happening currently in the marketing of other recent films in your genre.  Explain how you might incorporate this into your own self marketing. Alternately, describe a film in your genre that had an amazing marketing campaign.  Explain why, and identify what elements of that campaign you might "steal" for your own marketing campaign.

Some current trends happening in marketing are short film teasers that include audios that can be used to film other videos by audiences. we could include this in our marketing. film in our genre that recently came out was the movie smile the marketing team for this movie created massive amounts of attention. the marketing included people wearing T-shirts that said smile on them and the marketing team had these people stand in front of cameras like at national baseball games. we could possibly steal this for our own marketing campaign by putting people in the killers mask and having them walk around populated areas.

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Preproduction Requirements - Writer and Producer

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Preproduction Requirements - Writer and Producer

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Writer:

Scripts -

Original Script -

Black screen appears with heavy breathing

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EXT. TREES ARE SPEEDING FAST AND LEAVES ARE CRUNCHING AS AVARUNS RECORDING ON HER PHONE

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Black screen appears again with heavy breathing

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EXT. TREES ARE SPEEDING FAST AND LEAVES ARE CRUNCHING AS AVARUNS RECORDING ON HER PHONE

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Ava drops her phone and it tumbles on the ground, finally stopping face up recording the trees and sky above

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AVA

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Oh god, please, please

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Noises of leaves slowly CRUNCHING with footsteps occur

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Ava screams bloody murder

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A loud THUD occurs and then SILENCE

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Quiet CRIES and painful MOANS come from Ava

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Two more THUDS ring out

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The sound of leaves occur as Ava's body is drug through them

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A cell phone DING rings out and something drops on to the leaves (ava's feet)

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Footsteps near the recording phone

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A masked person appears over the phone

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The masked person puts the phone into his pocket and the screen fades to black

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EXT. - DAYS LATER

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A boy staples a paper to a wooden post with Ava's face on it saying missing person

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THE BOY EXITS FRAME AS THE CAMERA ZOOMS INTO THE PAPER

Revised Script -

Black screen appears with heavy breathing

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EXT. TREES ARE SPEEDING FAST AND LEAVES ARE CRUNCHING AS AVARUNS RECORDING ON HER PHONE

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Black screen appears again with heavy breathing

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EXT. TREES ARE SPEEDING FAST AND LEAVES ARE CRUNCHING AS AVARUNS RECORDING ON HER PHONE

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Ava drops her phone and it tumbles on the ground, finally stopping face up recording the trees and sky above

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AVA

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Oh god, please, please

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Noises of leaves CRUNCHING with footsteps occur

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Sounds of a STRUGGLE between Ava and the MASKED MAN occur

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Ava screams bloody murder

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A loud THUD occurs and then SILENCE

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Quiet CRIES and painful MOANS come from Ava

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Two more THUDS ring out

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The sound of leaves occur as Ava's body is drug through them

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A cell phone DING rings out and something drops on to theleaves (avas feet)

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Footsteps near the recording phone

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A masked person appears over the phone

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The masked person puts the phone into his pocket and the screen fades to black

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EXT. - DAYS LATER

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A boy staples a paper to a wooden post with Ava's face on it saying missing person

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THE BOY EXITS FRAME AS THE CAMERA ZOOMS OUT TO REVEALMULTIPLE MISSING PEOPLE FLYERS ALONG THE POST

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My script changed to improve the story line. I added a struggle between Ava and the Masked man so it would make more sense as to why she could not escape from the killer. I also added a new ending because my instructor suggested to create a more interesting and suspenseful ending to create a want to watch more after the opening two minutes.

--Any outstanding considerations or concerns.

We as a group do not have to many concerns about the script, but after some discussion we may want to film differently then was is stated in the script to meet our expectations of quality.

Producers:

--A shoot schedule

Feb 24th – first filming day

Feb 26th – second film day

Feb 27th – March 2nd - editing

March 3rd – rough cut due

March 10th – re film day 1

March 17th – re film day 2

March 18th – 20th – editing

March 21st – second cut due

March 22nd – 30th – revise and review

March 31st – Final film due

--A locations list

Dense area of trees (possible the area behind the dunkin dounuts)

Sidewalk with a wooden pole

This area should be quiet and not populated

--A cast list with casting ideas

Needed Cast-

Masked Man

Ava

Boy

Casting Ideas -

Larger Build for masked man

Younger child for boy

Innocence looks for Ava

--A prop list

Props we would need -

Mask

Missing persons paper

Stapler

Possible weapon for masked man

Handheld camera

--A costume/makeup/hair list

Costumes needed

Mask

Black Jacket or Hoodie

Makeup needed

Possible fake blood

Photo makeup for Ava’s missing person photo

Hair

Hair for Ava missing photo

--A music/sound effects list

Music

Public Domain Music

This will make it so we do not have to receive rights to music

Sound effects

Leaves

Thuds

Screams

Heavy Breathing

--A list of any special technical or other considerations

We do not seem to need other special technicalities

We as a group want to produce the best quality possible so high-quality equipment is something that we want to look into

--A one or two sentence vision statement based on research and discussions with director.

The director and I have a vision for a more rustic and “vintage” vibe and feel for our film.

--A related image at top of post

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1. A one or two sentence description of the first two minutes. What happens?

In this film opening we as viewers see a logo sequence and immediately get background on a story line, we also already get a sense of fear within the first two minutes because we flashback between past events. We received this through an interview between people who were involved in the story and those asking interview questions.

2. What is the genre and who is the target audience for this film?

The genre of The Conjuring is a horror film and the target audience is teens ages 13 to 19 and most likely male.

3. Describe the opening credits and title sequences, including any company logos or idents. When do they appear? What color/font are they using? How does it "align" with the opening of the film? Anything else you notice?

The opening logo credits we see that this film is made by Warner Brothers pictures and this logo is black grey and silver on a background of dark gloomy skies. We also see logos of new line cinema within the local credits as well. throughout the whole logo sequence we hear scary music that already sets the tone for the film.

4. Describe it visually -- a shot by shot breakdown that includes type of shot/movement, if any.

After the logo credit scene we come to a black screen which has dialogue within it and then we cut to it close up of a creepy doll and that shot continues to zoom out as dialogue continues. After that shot we cut to three people sitting on a couch continuing the dialogue from previous scenes and a label at the bottom of the screen reads Annabelle case year 1968 which gives the watcher information of the setting. The scene then zooms out to show the interviewers but only side profiles. We then cut back to the doll sitting in a chair and the camera zooms in. Then it cuts to a flashback that the interviewees are Speaking of throughout the opening. Sound cuts between dialogue and the flashback throughout the rest of this scene. At the ending of the two minutes we see shaky camera work and Dutch angles to give a sense of eeriness.

5. Describe the sound -- a "sound by sound" analysis of the entire first two minutes.

The sound within the first two minutes starts off with the credit scene which please sinister dark music to set a tone for the rest of the opening. there is consistent dialogue throughout the whole 2 minutes and towards the end of the two minutes we get more scary music.

6. Describe how you felt at the end of the two minutes. Did you want to know more? What was left hanging, if anything? What questions do you still have?

At the end of this 2 minutes I definitely want to watch more because it leaves on a cliffhanger. the first two minutes immediately get into action. questions that I would still have would be what happens next and what is the rest of the background.

7. How would you describe the editing style in this clip? Any particular editing techniques you noticed, or length of shots?

The clips within the first two minutes are the longer and very choppy there are no transitions between scenes it's just hard cuts.

8. How did these first two minutes adhere to conventions?

The first two minutes adhered to conventions within the horror genre because of the story and how a dead girl possesses a doll.

9. How did these first two minutes break with conventions?

Within the first two minutes they broke conventions of the horror genre by not creating a specific setting such as a a haunted house.

10. How did these first two minutes represent social groups or people or issues?

Within the first two minutes we realize that the two women being interviewed were nurses. this represents how they wanted to help a innocent little girl. there's also represents the fight between good and evil.

11. Why do you think this film was originally distributed in the way that it was?

I think the film was distributed in theaters because it was the most popular way to distribute films at the time.

12. EXTRA CREDIT: Any other thoughts or comments or realizations you had about film openings after viewing this clip?

This film opening made me realize that openings of movies don't always have to be the main story point or storyline of the entire film.

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Throughout November and December 2022 we have learned about copious amounts of information which include editing, sound, and screenwriting and screenplay format. We studied over 20 different kinds of editing techniques. As well as studying these technique we got to see how professionals would use them when we watched a documentary called "the Cutting Edge" which was all about film editing. We also studied sound basics and again watched a helpful documentary on cinema sound called "Making Waves." While learning about screenwriting we as a class read "The Incredible" screenplay to get a sense of how screenplays should be formatted. We then learned special software which helped us create out own scripts for a two minute horror film opening. In this script we had to create someone having a nightmare.
Our midterm films were based on someone having a nightmare. This was supposed to be a horror or horror hybrid. Our films were supposed to be opening of a film instead of a short film. We had requirements when it came to our different shots. The requirements are as followed; close up; one dutch angle; one high or low angle; one low key light set up or one silhouette; one pan or tilt or track/push or spinaround; one zoom or dolly zoom;  one subliminal cut or multitake or smash cut; one match cut; one  J cut or L cut; one use of slow or fast motion; one intentional use of color for story/emotion; one instance of intentional use of costume/hair/makeup; one instance of visual complexity in setting choice (color, texture, depth, lines, shapes, etc.); three sound effects; one piece of incidental music or one sound motif repeated three times. We also had options for extra credit. The extra credit I completed were intentional use of handheld camera work, POV shot, and a high quality company logo and graphic.
Ways that I adhered to horror conventions was by the setting because it was at night which is common in horror. I adhered to horror codes by the handheld camera work to create a sense of chaos and uncertainty. I adhered to audience expectations by trying to create fear and suspense by using scary audio. I broke conventions by using purposeful use of the color red for my characters shirt. I broke codes by using the POV of the dark figure which is not common in horror. I broke audience expectations by having a sense of relief towards the end and then taking it away with a jump scare.
I believe my audio was successful because it really helped add to the suspense and horror. The audio at then end especially added to a sense of fear. I believe that my lighting in the film was somewhat unsuccessful because it was not the best quality. The scene when we first see the dark figure was poorly light and took away from the sense of fear. I used arch studio pro for my script, my phone for filming, imovie for editing, youtube for music, music included music from the IT 2 soundtrack and a jump scare sound, and I used snapchat for my graphics. Throughout the editing process I learned a lot about audio. I learned that overlapping audio really adds to the over sound of an entire scene.

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EXAMPLE AND INSPIRATION FOR POTENTIAL STORY

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In class we reviewed movie genres such as romance, horror, drama, thriller, b-movies, animation, musicals, indie films, superhero, comedies, sports, family, film noir, mystery, historical, westerns, war, biopics, adventure, sci-fi, young adult, crime, fantasy, documentaries, and Shakespearean. When reviewing these genres we looked at there conventions, which would include the storylines, characters and their representation, setting, values, and iconography. We also reviewed the different codes for these genres which would include cinematic elements such as lighting, camera work, editing and special effects. We also talked about audience expectations such as emotions and reactions in these genres. As well as reviewing we saw three examples from three different time periods of each genre. Some of these examples where hybrid films which means that different genres are put together into on film, for example crime and mystery are genres commonly used together.

The first film my group created would be a young adult genre. This film has conventions and characters such as students and a bully. The storyline is that a student is bullied and overcomes his bully and gets justice. The setting of the film took place in a school. Our codes included camera work such as tracking shots, medium shots, and over the shoulder shots. The audience expectations for this film could include feeling sad for the bullied student and when the bully is expelled a sense of joy could be felt. Ways that we broke conventions, codes, and audience expectations was a plot twist that the bullying was caught on camera. Our second film would be a hybrid of young adult and action. The conventions of this film would include a student who gets back at a bully with a friends help. The setting of this film took place in a school. Some codes would include camera work such as spin around shots, over the shoulder shot, establishing shots and wide shots and editing such as slow motion. The audience should feel the need to support the student and want the bully to get what he deserves. Some conventions, codes, and audience expectations we broke was how the friend lost and had to train the student to defeat the bully in another fight.

A potential idea I have is a horror film for my final project. I would start the two minute clip with the credits, logos and such but I would include a voice over that would transition into the clip of the film itself. Within this two minute clip I would conventions like the basic storyline which would be a family moving into a home that is haunted but unknown by the family and as certain events occur their suspicion about the home grows. The setting would include the home and the outside of the home. The characters would include a mother, father, an older child, and a baby. Some codes I would include are tracking shots, wide shot, and quick cuts. In this two minute clip I would try to get the audience to feel scared, on the edge of their seat, and a possible jump scare.

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For this film we were assigned the task of rewriting and improving the script of an other film created by peers previously. We were required to include 10 different kinds of shots and camera movements and to change and improve the story. The role I played in my group was the director which is the previous role I played in our last film. I like to be the director because I can envision an outcome and I also did all of the framework (script and shots) for our film so I knew the most about the assignment. Some issues I encountered while being the director was that some in the group (Sebi and Andrew) believed that I was not capable of doing well on the film and they took over and the film and it didn't turn out to well towards the end, for example our camera work in the scene before the fight where they decided they wanted to cut it before the next shot and it made the transition impossible to look good and smooth.

Our group received positive feedback on our depth that we created in most of our shots. The thing that we got negative feedback on was that our transitions and camera work towards the end need work. For example, the scene right before the fight scene where we decided to cut it up for some reason, though I as the director did not want to do, but our cinematographer and editor thought would turn out well, though it did not.

Some shots that worked well for us where our over the shoulder shot in the first scene which created good depth behind our actors, and our spin around shot in the training scene which created a sense of heightened intensity. With our over the shoulder shot we were trying to create depth and definitely achieved it. With the spin around shot we were trying to create a fast pace shot and create intensity which was successfully achieved. One shot that didn't turn out as well as we wanted was our track out shot. We wanted to be able to get our requirements in and the shot just ended up being to long and not adding to the script.

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This was my first short film in my Aice Media class. I wrote for my group, and I was the director as well. My group was myself, Beckham Darwish, Andrew Fresnillo, Felopater Salama, and Sebastian Reis. We decided to create a film about a school bully and getting justice for his victims. We had four actors in total. Our film consisted of three scenes and is two minutes and fifty-six seconds long.

When we reviewed our film in class, we had positive feedback about the acting in our film as well as our tracking camera, camera work. We also got positive feedback about the overall camera work because our perspective. We then received critics about the sound quality throughout our film. The actor’s dialogue was overpowered by background noise. Another critic we received was that we could have had better transitions between scenes because they were somewhat abrupt.