Sydney James AICE MEDIA BLOG by Sydney James https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog en-us 2022-08-23 14:24:06 UTC 2023-04-04 14:05:01 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f3a5.png First Student Film/Reflection SydneyJames4495 https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2268863857 This was the first film that was made in the Media Studies class. In this assignment we had certain criteria and requirements that needed to be followed in order to complete the assignment. The film was made over the course of 3 days. I worked with Cameryn K. and Sebastian G. We decided to make a movie about "Birds in the Hood". Two birds that were in conflict. We filmed this assignment in the Gulf Coast courtyard. 
The film was overall successful and we managed to complete is well. The film had a plot and characters that the audience of our class enjoy. The critics that we had were the audio as it was kind of hard to hear when the characters are talking as well with background music it was loud. Additionally, with scene's that had titles on it we needed to allow a longer duration and not cut it as short. As the editor I will take more things like this into consideration. However as the first film we made I would say it was pretty successful.]]> 2022-08-23 14:47:15 UTC https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2268863857 Film Remake and Reflection SydneyJames4495 https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2307334464 My group was assigned to create a remake of the film "The Cheernaper." We were given the task to enhance and improve the original script and plot. Additionally, we had to ensure the inclusion of 10 different shot types. The original plot was two girls on their way to practice and one of them forgot their poms. She went to go and get them and was later kidnapped. Her friends went to search for her because she was missing from practice only to later find her dead. In our plot we changed/improved the story by using different filming techniques that make the presentation more eerie and in the end, the cheer captain who went to look with her with another member of the team was killed. The 10 different shot types that we chose to include in our story was: a long take, over the shoulder, pan and establishing, close up, voyeur shot, track in, extreme close up, medium shot, track right, high angle and more additional one's were blended in. The role that I played in this film was an actor and that differs from last time when I was a director/filmer/editor. My overall experience with playing this role was good it was different then being behind the camera but it all worked out in the end. 
The overall film and plot was very good and well done. We were capable of enhancing the original plot and creating more emotion in the story as well as some humor. However, we could have improved on some areas including, staying in character and attempting to enhance the audio issues. That was the main thing with filming in an outside location and echoing space, the audio won't be 100% without proper equipment. Three shot movements that worked the best was the dutch angle, the over the shoulder and depth shot. The dutch angle gave the plot a scary feel and the over the shoulder which gave the viewers an inside feel of the character. The depth within the shots established the setting of our plot and helped to give the audience a feel of where and when the murder occurred. The scenes in which the hand and gaze of the murder was enhanced by these shot types and when the two cheer leaders each had their scene of walking down the hallway the over the shoulder created suspense.]]> 2022-09-21 17:46:50 UTC https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2307334464 GENRE AND REPRESENTATION REFLECTION SydneyJames4495 https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2363422499      In our AICE Media class we studied 22 different movie genres. They included: Western, Shakespeare, biographies, sports, sci-fit, young adult, musicals, romance, history, war, comedy, drama, superhero, documentaries, family, animation, horror, thriller, crime, mystery, adventure and fantasy. We studied the different conventions found in these types of films and ways that they can be identified. Additionally, we learned the different codes and audience expectations for these various genres. To derive an understanding of the different codes, conventions and audience expectations we watched 3 different movie clips from 3 different time periods. Each genre was studied and even elaborated into how they can be hybrids. A hybrid film is a combination of the genre types. 
     Me and my group worked together to make two different films. "Birds in the Hood'' was a comedy, crime and adventure film. We used conventions that are within comedic films such as having a character lacking erudition, it trying to complete a task, and in the end a murder was done. We used various cinematography techniques such as tracking and panning which are also commonly viewed in these types of films. In addition, we used sound effects that add to a sense of comedy and bring out what the characters are doing. The second film we made, "A Cheerful Murder" which was a hybrid of crime, mystery and horror film. We used conventions like unsuspicious characters to convey a sense of mystery. We focused on the use of codes and cinematography to create a horror and crime film as a whole. Techniques such as tracking, panning, voyeur shots, low light, focus and depth were all used. Within both of these films, we did not break any of the traditional codes for these genre of films, we followed the basic outline.
     Furthermore, my favorite genres are young adult ( YA ) and romance. If I were to make a film on a hybrid of these two genres the plot would go as following. It would begin with various establishing shots of a small city that's simple but very modern and costal. You would get a glimpse of what life is like within this setting as the credits begin to roll out. Consequently, it would cut to a girl who is hanging out with her friends at a sporting event cheering on her schools team. It would continue until the game is done and then cut to the girl and a guy making eye contact as he runs of the field after winning his game. In a film like this I would use a lot of wide shots and panning so that the audience can capture everything that is going on and I would also make sure that the lighting and focus would be direct on the characters that are important within the shot. General expectations would be seen within the setting of a high school soccer game and also between the characters and their interactions. 

]]> 2022-10-31 14:38:04 UTC https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2363422499 Editing and Sound - Midterm Final SydneyJames4495 https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2440892533     From November to December of 2022, we focused on the following in Media Studies: editing, sound, and screenwriting/screenplay format.  We focused studying film editing concepts and created documents featuring 20 plus kinds of editing techniques! To help develop more knowledge on these concepts we watched a documentary on film editing ("The Cutting Edge") and a video on use of color.  Additionally we studied  sound basics and watched a documentary on cinema sound ("Making Waves") which helped give a better understanding on the importance of sound. Furthermore, we read the screenplay for "The Incredibles," and learned how to format screenplays using special software, and wrote a two minute horror film opening about someone having a nightmare as the basis for your midterm film project.
     For this midterm we had a list of requirements which included: one to two minutes; horror or horror hybrid; an "opening" rather than a finished film product; minimal dialogue (mostly music, sound effects/ambience); no wall-to-wall music; no long takes; start in black with company ident and/or logo and title and (optional) credits before straight cut or dissolve to first image; minimum of three crosscuts between actor and nightmare; edited/shot/uploaded by student; accompanying blog post. 
     Additionally the film must include: one  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 an extra credit opportunity if we were to include: quick cuts; montage; wide establishing shot; split screen; POV shot; reflection shot; intentional break of the fourth wall; intentional break of the rule of thirds; rack focus or pull focus shot; intentional use of handheld camera work; use of color filters to create a dream like quality; fisheye lens or fisheye effect; company logo with high quality graphic. 
     Consequently, to receiving all the requirements we took the time to film our midterms. In my film, I adhere to the horror conventions of using multiple different angles and lighting to give the audience an unsettling and eerie feeling as they watch the segment. Other traditional horror codes that I included was quick cuts, fast transitions, high pitch sound, and overall using a dark color pallet. I  believe that you would see the audience expectation of suspense and shock in my film closer to the end. In general, I stuck close to the general conventions\,codes and audience expectations in horror films. I used the general outline of what you would see and expect in horror films to create and film my movie. With using the general codes and conventions I intended to illustrate an idea in my film. With the main character being Georgia, an overworked volleyball player, it is reflected on how sports can interfere with wellbeing in oneself. Often times, dreams are a reflection of our daily lives and things that we are exposed to that put a sense of fear in us and/or overwhelms oneself. I had the intention of showing the impact of the conditions that athletes face. They are often very tired, and struggle with getting rest in such a busy and active schedule.
Overall, I had a lot of success with my film. I was able to convey and adhere to every requirement and more in my film! My film reflects a general understanding of what we have learned in class! The most successful component in the film was definitely the slow motions effects, lighting, and transitions. A key moment was the use of slow motion when Georgia ( Cameryn ) was setting her volleyball! I was really pleased with how it looked! The less successful part in my piece was probably making a match cut with the sound aspect. I had to think outside of the box as to how I could use an indoor sound affect to match to an outdoor activity, but in the end I made it work. In order to compose of all of these successful and less-successful clips I used the following tools: CapCut, Iphone12 and Arc Studio Pro. These resources helped me to be successful with this project and produced my final project. I didn't originally know how to use CapCut so that was a slight learning curve, but I adapted to the technology really quickly. In closing, my project was an overall achievement in the development of my Media Studies understanding.


 






 

]]> 2023-01-11 14:26:58 UTC https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2440892533 Two Minute Film Opening Analysis SydneyJames4495 https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2464951412
P U R P L E  H E A R T S  A N A L Y S I S -


 


 


1.  A one or two sentence description of the first two minutes.  What happens? In the first two minutes of the film we are introduced to two perspectives of the main characters Cassie and Nate. There are various cuts between the two different lives of these two.


2.  What is the genre and who is the target audience for this film? The genre for this film is YA and romance. The target audience is 14+ and more lenient on the female side than 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 credits/title sequence of this film was mainly in the beginning but further down the line as well. Netflix had its introductory sequence and then another company was mentioned. The credits are spread out between the first two minutes and they used a font that looks very handwritten and chic that was white. It aligns with he opening of the film because we see the leading actress writing and composing a song in her journal. 


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


-Establishing credits


-Cut to black


-Fade to first scene of actress


- Subliminal cuts back a forth between the two characters and each shot includes pans, raises and the camera is tracking the characters movement. The video almost seemed hand held and unsteady creating an intimate connection between the audience and the character.


^^^^^ The entire first two minutes are various cuts back and forth with the same style.


-At around 1:50 there is an establishing shot of where Cassie the main character is, then it cuts to a close up of her getting ready to preform on stage.


4.  Describe the sound -- another "sound by sound" of the entire two minutes. The first two minutes are taken up with a background audio that’s very lively. This sound is heard in the background with small clips of dialogue over it as well. 


5. 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? By the end of the two minutes I was intrigued with the movie. Seeing two completely different lives intrigued me into finding out how they were going to clash. The way that the different cuts were done with uplifting music in the background made me feel very conscious of what I was about to watch. I didn’t really have any questions because I was intrigued enough to finish the rest of the movie and it would fulfill what I was seeking. 


6.  How would you describe the editing style in this clip?  Any particular editing techniques you noticed, or length of shots?  The editing style in this clip is very subliminal. Each cut is done quick however, the duration of the shots is just enough to give the audience information and provides enough time to acknowledge what is going on in the characters lives. 


7.  How did these first two minutes adhere to conventions? The first two minutes adhered to the typical conventions of getting an introduction to the characters. Additionally, with romance movies the beginning of a film kind of introduces the two characters and first acknowledgements of their two separate lives. 


8.  How did these first two minutes break with conventions? The first two minutes did not really break conventions. It had that standard introduction of a teenage romance movie. Based of the beginning the audience can almost expect an outcome of the future relationship possibilities. 


9.  How did these first two minutes represent social groups or people or issues?  The first two minutes represent young adults and adolescents and normal activities but also putting in the stress and anxiety of everyday life and decisions. 

10. Why do you think this film was distributed on this particular site?I think that this film was distributed on Netflix because it is a big-name brand. So many people use this resource to look at film especially teenagers. Distributing a film that has a connection to the hearts and lives of young teenagers (especially girls), and producing it on a name brand site would create success. 

]]> 2023-02-01 17:28:37 UTC https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2464951412 Preproduction Requirements- Writer/Producer/Cinematographer SydneyJames4495 https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2482130009 Writer -

     Original Script -
.
."SEE YOU LATER ( TEN YEARS )" BY JENNA RAINE PLAYING IN BACKGROUND
INT.-BEDROOM-AFTERNOON
JASMINE ( teenager, preppy, joyful) is getting ready to go out on a date with her boyfriend. She's texting her friends filled with excitement.
CUT TO:
TEXTS ON JASMINES PHONE 
CUT TO:
Jasmine gets a call from JAMES ( tall, athletic) that he is outside. Jasmine answers the phone.
.TITLE CARD
Rêvasser Studios Presents
!RESUME SCENE:
JASMINE Yeah, I'm ready... Alright coming!
CUT TO:
.TITLE CARD
See You Later...
EXT. JASMINE'S HOUSE- DAY
Jasmine get's into James' car and they start driving to the beach.
CUT TO:
INT. JAMES CAR- AFTERNOON
Jasmine is gazing out the window as they drive to the beach.
 FADE OUT. 
EXT. BEACH- SUNDOWN
Jasmine and James walk down the beach leaving their footprint traces in the sand. James leads Jasmine to sit down.
FADE TO:
EXT. BEACH- MOMENTS LATER
Jasmine and James watch the sun go down together.
CUT TO:
JAMES So this probably isn't what you wanted or expected to hear... But I can't do this anymore...
CUT TO:
JASMINE( WITH TEARS IN HER EYES ) Wha...What, why?
JAMES I just don't feel the way I used to.
JASMINE (SOBBING) What! Why would you bring me here just to tell me this, without a reasonable explanation at all. You were my everything please don't go.
JAMES(CONT'D) I'm sorry...
James get's up and leaves Jasmine behind on the cold beach.
CUT TO:
EXT. BEACH- SUNDOWN
Jasmine continues to sob. She is scrolling through her phone looking back at all the memories they once had and begins to delete them all.
MATCH CUT TO:
INT. JAMES CAR- SAME TIME
James is also looking back at old memories.
CUT TO:
EXT. BEACH- SUNDOWN
Jasmine get's up and begins to walk towards the water.
Gazing out at the horizon ahead, she is in awe and walks deeper and deeper into the water.
     Final Script -
.
."SEE YOU LATER ( TEN YEARS )" BY JENNA RAINE PLAYING IN BACKGROUND
INT.-BEDROOM-AFTERNOON
JASMINE ( teenager, preppy, joyful) is getting ready to go out on a date with her boyfriend. She's texting her friends filled with excitement.
CUT TO:
TEXTS ON JASMINES PHONE 
Jasmine is texting her best friend about how she thinks James is going to ask her the big question of marriage.
CUT TO:
Jasmine gets a call from JAMES ( tall, athletic) that he is outside. Jasmine answers the phone.
.TITLE CARD
Rêvasser Studios Presents
!RESUME SCENE:
JASMINE Yeah, I'm ready... Alright coming!
CUT TO:
.TITLE CARD
See You Later...
EXT. JASMINE'S HOUSE- DAY
Jasmine get's into James' car and they start driving to the beach.
CUT TO:
INT. JAMES CAR- AFTERNOON
Jasmine is gazing out the window as they drive to the beach.
 FADE OUT. 
EXT. BEACH- SUNDOWN
Jasmine and James walk down the beach leaving their footprint traces in the sand. James leads Jasmine to sit down.
FADE TO:
EXT. BEACH- MOMENTS LATER
Jasmine and James watch the sun go down together.
CUT TO:
JAMES So this probably isn't what you wanted or expected to hear... But I can't do this anymore...
CUT TO:
JASMINE( WITH TEARS IN HER EYES ) Wha...What, why?
JAMES I just don't feel the way I used to.
JASMINE (SOBBING) What! Why would you bring me here just to tell me this, without a reasonable explanation at all. You were my everything please don't go.
JAMES(CONT'D) I'm sorry...
James get's up and leaves Jasmine behind on the cold beach.
CUT TO:
EXT. BEACH- SUNDOWN
Jasmine continues to sob. She is scrolling through her phone looking back at all the memories they once had and begins to delete them all.
MATCH CUT TO:
INT. JAMES CAR- SAME TIME
James is also looking back at old memories.
CUT TO:
EXT. BEACH- SUNDOWN
Jasmine get's up and begins to walk towards the water.
Gazing out at the horizon ahead, she is in awe and walks deeper and deeper into the water.
Suddenly...
UNKNOWN VOICE Wait! Come back! I've always loved you.
 FADE TO BLACK. 
!
!

To enhance my original script I added different events/occurrences that would make the audience feel an impact and leave them wanting more. With the recommendation from my teacher, I added the component of surprise at the end of a script where an unknown character whom is not visible stops the main character Jasmine from making a detrimental decision. Additionally, after analyzing films I noticed the importance of leaving the audience with an urge for more and the two minutes should establish a foundation of the two main characters and their lives at the moment. Overall the subtle yet additional changes that I made helped to add plot to the movie and impact the audience.

There are no outstanding concerns or considerations with my script. When reviewing it, my group and I all concurred on what was presented and designed a route to successfully shooting this film!

Cinematographer -

In regards to my film, we are NOT going to make any extra/excessive use of lighting equipment. To fully capture the essence of where the characters are at different points of time, the present natural light will be utilized in every shot. I believe that by using it naturally the tone will be conveyed to the audience.

Since we are using the song, "See You Later'' by Jenna Raine to convey the plot, sound effects won't necessarily be needed and the one's that are will not need to be perfect. The sound effects will be from the ocean waves that we can use recording of through my phone. When it comes to the quality of character dialogue,  to capture it we will use ear pieces with attached microphones.

Shot List-
   So first we are going to film at my house. We are going to get close ups of objects ( makeup and text messages ) as the main character gets ready. Additionally, we need an over the shoulder of her applying her makeup. Then we are going to get outside of the house. We need a wide shot of the her getting into the car as well as medium close of her and her boyfriend as she enters the car. Furthermore, we need to get medium shots of the car ride to the beach. Lastly, when we are at the beach we need to get wide shots to capture the scenery and both medium and medium long shots of the characters walking and breaking up.

Producer -


Shoot schedule - We are going to film our movie on Tuesday February 22st from 5:00pm to sunset. 

Locations list - Int/Ext House, Car, Beach

Cast list with casting ideas -

Ella J - Jasmine
Cody - James
Daniel - Unknown Voice

 Prop list -

- Makeup
- Cell Phone

 Costume/makeup/hair list -

- Makeup ( foundation, concealer, etc...)
- Formal attire
-Natural Hair 

Music/sound effects list -

- See You Later ( Ten Years ) by Jenna Raine
- Ocean waves ( recorded and inserted )

List of any special technical or other considerations -

- Shot outside of car window

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

As producer I want this film to convey a sense of love and loss through the tone produced by the colors of the sunset and the excitement from the text messages. My hope is that the audience will feel connected to the characters in an intimate way.




]]> 2023-02-14 15:35:55 UTC https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2482130009 Independent Distribution and Marketing Plan - See You Later SydneyJames4495 https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2507338535 1) If I were to distribute our film, I would go with the streaming route. I believe that this is the best route for our film based on similar trends with films in the same genre. To get our movie onto a Streaming platform we would have many options. The best option for our movie would be Hulu. Considering that Hulu is one of the largest streaming services with lots of exclusive titles that would allow us to bring in more people to Hulu to the services subscription and allow the Hulu subscribers to watch our movie. With over 40 million subscribers using Hulu there is bound to be an audience that will watch our movie.Our Aggregator for our film would be Bitmax. Bitmax has a reputation to get movies onto small and big streaming platforms including big services such as Hulu, Prime Video, and Google Play. To receive revenue from Bitmax we would have to send them a check to send it out to VOD services. The amount it would cost us depends on how much they value our movie, and we would be able to receive our payment through check or ACH.

2) The tile of our film is "See You Later". I believe that this title is a good reflection of my film, as the opening sequence consist of the song "See You Later (ten years)" by Jenna Raine in the background. The plot kind of revolves around the whole concept of the song, so I believe that the title reflects it astonishingly.

3) The tagline for my film is,  "For the Love You Don't Yet Know".

4) The target audience for my film is a young female audience from ages 13-25. The YA, romance genre consists of a general audience ranging from this age group and gender as well. The typical income and education of this level varies based off of location and availability. However, this age group has a tendency to enjoy feminine jobs such as at mall's and other shopping/beauty stores. Around this age, female's prioritize their looks and the way they are perceived. Furthermore,  the female audience is fond of various social media platforms such as Instagram, Tiktok and Snapchat. These big platforms have a plethora amount of content that peak many types of interest. Additionally, these social media platforms tend to create trends for various different lifestyles and products. The female audience is consistently exposed to "aesthetic" locations, objects, lifestyles and more. This audience tends to find forms of literature and creative resources. Colleen Hoover is a very popular author for young and mature females. Some stores that are well known to this audience include, Pascun, Brandy Melville, Forever21 and Zara. These popular stores fit under the typical trending locations, where you can find a plethora of good's that fit varying aesthetics.

5) Based on the information present above, there are various places as to where I could advertise as a self-distributor. Six virtual platforms that I could distribute on would include: Tiktok, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, banners and Google Ads. All of these are social media platforms where it is fairly simple to reach a target audience through the use of hashtags. In addition, these resources are free to post and distribute content on, which would be helpful to save. Four nonvirtual places of distribution that I could promote would be in Hollister, Target, Forever21 and American Eagle. These retails stores have promoted similar type collections with stars from YA films, encouraging an audience to make purchases with some of their favorite collaborations. This is the intention for my film as well.

6) To engage my audience online through the use of ads and other promotions, I would insert promotions for deals and exclusive codes. One way to create active, engaged audiences would be to promote colorful banners that audience members could click on to see sneak peaks of the movie and to be registered for a raffle. Once my film is out I could launch a campaign website with products that are themed along with the film.

7) My movie poster would consist of colors that associate with the beach and sunset. Using a pink, orange and yellow color pallet with a hints of white and gold in the foreground and background would convey the tone of my film. In regards to iconography miniature hearts and seashells could be present on this poster. In terms of font, I would use an elegant, cursive font which is very popular style in a romance drama. ]]> 2023-03-07 18:08:48 UTC https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2507338535 Production and Editing Reflection SydneyJames4495 https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2528916689 Through the process of creating, filming and editing our film I was able to derive a lot of new skills and retain a lot of new knowledge. I learned that there is a pretty tedious process when it comes to creating a film and there can be a plethora of obstacles along the way. Since I had to take on the role of writer, cinematographer and producer, there was a lot of work that needed to be done to ensure that our final product  was successful. In the beginning of the film making  process it took a lot of organizational skills to even start the process of when and where our film was going to be created and whom we were going to  cast. Additionally, after our first cut it was really important that we focused on enhancing our audio and the focus of the camera. Furthermore, over the course of the filmmaking process I learned the importance of deadlines and creating a set schedule. In closing, creating our film was an educational experience that I was able to learn a lot from!]]> 2023-03-23 14:09:10 UTC https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2528916689 Creative Critical Reflection SydneyJames4495 https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2539770415 2023-03-31 11:43:17 UTC https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2539770415 Final Film - See You Later SydneyJames4495 https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2540297763 2023-03-31 20:30:58 UTC https://padlet.com/SydneyJames4495/aicemediablog/wish/2540297763