Annabella Davi AICE MEDIA STUDIES 9688 by https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog en-us 2022-08-24 17:34:24 UTC 2023-03-31 17:22:37 UTC hello@padlet.com First Student Film/Reflection annabelladavi https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2270439709 For our first student film there were some good parts, but also lots of mistakes we made. I was one of the actresses in the film and I also helped with the ideas. The idea of our story was a man was being chased by the IRS for not paying his taxes. To begin with, our sound quality was not professional and in certain scenes we it was difficult to hear what we were saying. We also accidentally filmed in areas where we had people in our background. We did not execute our POV shot properly and we mostly made the same angle choices. Our camera man's hands were shaking for a lot of the scenes we probably should have redone. However the idea of the POV shot was good and the acting wasn't awful. The plot was entertaining and the foreground captured the viewers attention.]]> 2022-08-24 18:05:49 UTC https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2270439709 Film Remake and Reflection annabelladavi https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2307363501 Our assignment was to remake one of our classmates films We were supposed to rewrite the plot and script of the film to improve it. In addition to that we had a list of shots we had to include in our film. We included all of these shots and more. The shots we included were a zoom out, two shot, pan right, over the shoulder, high angle shot, track in, extreme close up, wide shot, long shot and a long take.  The original movie was "The Golden Adventure" we decided to put a twist to this plot. The plot was originally about a group of people hunting for gold on the school campus. Two groups were competing to find this treasure. There are numerous plot twists throughout this film and it is edited in an entertaining way. We updated the film name to "The Golden Hamster". Our film was about a few students who saw a poster advertising a hunt for a golden hamster. A teacher left the poster out because she could not find her hamster. Once the students begin to hunt there are two groups competing to find the hamster. By the end of the hunt one group wins while the other loses, but there is a plot twist. There was a mole in this team and he threatens to tell on his once, "friend" for cheating on the math test if he didn't let him take the hamster to the teacher on his own. His now enemy backs off and lets the mole return the hamster on his own earning the title of the teachers pet. I had the job of being the camerawoman for this project. I had a great time helping my group members come up with ideas and do my best to capture the moments. 

Lots of things were good about this film such as the plot, depth, camera movements and editing. However, there were a couple of flaws in the making of this film. Shot one was a zoom out on the hamster poster. When we took this shot it was relatively blurry and it should have been held longer so the viewer could fully understand what the poster was. The shot did work in some ways, but it definitely could have been better. Shot three was an over the shoulder shot, two shot that I definitely think worked well. It had a good amount of depth and allowed the viewer to get another glance of the poster incase the first shot did not do it justice. The only thing I would have changed is I would have angled the camera higher so the poster was the most defined part of the shot. The fourth shot was a wide shot that didn't work so well in my opinion. I think as the camerawoman I should have stepped in closer so the viewer could hear what was happening and get a better look at the newly introduced characters. I could have panned over as they were walking and then cut as they sit down. Then I should have gotten some over the shoulder shots or POV shots while the group was talking. This would have improved the sound quality and made it clear as to who was talking. The film was overall pretty good and it was definitely an improvement from The Golden Adventure, but we still could have made it better.]]> 2022-09-21 18:03:23 UTC https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2307363501 Genre and Representation Reflection annabelladavi https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2360938784 Over the course of this unit we learned about thrillers, war movies, animations, comedies, musicals, crime, adventure, superheros, mystery, horror, romance, sci-fi, sports. We learned about how in each genres there would be different kinds of characters, moods, settings and values specific to each genre. We also learned about the codes within post production specific to each genre. We also learned about the audience expectations. In order to learn from each other we had to create presentations not only teaching these topics but also with 3 video clips from 3 different movies that represent their given genre from different time periods. This allowed us to see the ways each genre evolved throughout time. 

Throughout the year so far we have made two films. Our first film was called "On the Run" and it was an action/crime film. We conveyed this through the fact the main character was on the run from the FBI. We used lots of tracking during the chase scenes and made sure to convey a theme of justice. The criminal in our story was sneaky and good at hiding things which are qualities of a good antagonist in a crime story. As for our editing we included sound of police sirens which also helped convey the crime factor. Our second film was called "The Golden Adventure" which was an adventure film and a comedy. We made sure to include lots of funny sound effects to convey the funny factor. We also used a lot of irony to further convey this. As for the adventure factor there was a hunt for a missing hamster. The entire film was made outdoors which is a popular factor of adventure films. 

My personal favorite genre has to be horror. I love a horror films ability to highlight unconscious fear. A short idea I had for a film would be about a group of friends who decide to an abandoned asylum on Halloween. The beginning of the film would have the title and credits. The beginning would show the Asylum and show about 6 kids. These kids would be arguing over who would go inside. Once they finish fighting they would all decide to go in. Once they are all inside they would hear a strange down the hall and then they would go further in to investigate. They would see a person running down the hall around a corner. Something like this is the beginning to a simple horror film. They would likely get lured in further and further by strange sounds/figures. This is a popular way writers of horror films keep the plot progressing. I would be interested in exploring creating suspense for this sort of film because there is lots of it.]]> 2022-10-28 17:28:26 UTC https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2360938784 The Alternates annabelladavi https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2440913559 https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=S0U3uGDaPU8&feature=youtu.be


Through out the second quarter we covered editing, sound, and screenwriting and screenplay format. We also repeatedly studied film editing concepts and created documents featuring 20 different elaborate kinds of editing techniques.  We additionally watched a documentary on film editing called "The Cutting Edge" and a video on use of color.  We studied the basics sound and watched a documentary on cinema sound called "Making Waves".  We read the screenplay for "The Incredibles," which helped us learn screenplay format. We also 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.


  Our film requirements were that the film had to be one to two minutes, horror or horror hybrid, an "opening" rather than a finished film product, minimal dialogue no wall-to-wall music, no long takes, credits before straight cut or dissolve to first image, minimum of three crosscuts between actor and nightmare, edited/shot/uploaded by student and an accompanying blog post.   


 We adhered to the horror conventions through creepy music, dim lighting and building suspense. Some of our music had a more action/climatic feel to it which helped build suspense while our creepy music help pull the audience back in for that scary horror feel. We minimized the amount of light in the room during specific scenes to show a contrast between the two realities. While my film was horror it was additionally an comedy.

We broke horror conventions through funny slow motion scenes and humorous cuts onto peoples faces. I wanted my film to have a dramatic touch, but by the end it was more humorous then it was dramatic. Though it did not have my intended effect I was still satisfied with the outcome.

Though our film appears both creepy and funny it is the deeper meaning that really counts. This is a metaphorical interpretation of abusive relationships. This was mainly shown through our chase scene and the representation through the masks. You see the shorter girl wore the mask of Dwayne Johnson to represent though she is smaller and weaker than her male opponent she is mentally stronger like the muscular wrestler/actor Dwayne Johnson. Now the guy Mark wore a Kevin Hart mask because while he might be physically 6 foot 3 mentally he is still 5 foot 2.


Our film was successful through high quality camera work and premium editing. There was minimal dialogue and it was clear that the girl was dreaming. The sound quality was not bad and neither was the lighting. There were lots of things that went right in the sequence but also some things that went wrong.

Certain transitions and techniques we used made our film less successful. The transitions cut off parts of the video. Also the masks made it more confusing however it was supposed to be a little confusing so that it was a film opening and was supposed to leave the viewer having questions. It was also more funny than it was scary which took away from the horror aspect of the film.

For this film we used arc studio, youtube and iMovie. We used arc studio to build a script, youtube for music/sounds and iMovie for editing.













]]> 2023-01-11 14:40:31 UTC https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2440913559 Film Opening Questions annabelladavi https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2467552562
1. A one or two sentence description of the first two minutes. What happens?

The title sequence starts off our film. We then transition into a scene where a little boy is playing a video game. His grandfather comes over and he doesn't want to see him. His grandfather decides to read him the tale of the princess bride.





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

This movie is a family drama and a fantasy. I feel like the target audience for this movie  was teenagers. More specifically teenage girls.




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?

They appear at the very beginning when the film starts. They use old writing style fonts with bright colors. Once that finishes they cut straight to a TV screen with the video game.






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

The beginning of this film had a lot of straight cuts mostly. There was fade from the title sequence to the first scene.






4. Describe the sound -- a "sound by sound" analysis of the entire first two minutes. 
There is the sound of the controller buttons clicking, the door opening, the kiss on the forehead, the windows opening, the door slamming open as the happy grandfather enters and the sound of wrapping paper opening. All of this was done to create a comforting feel to the scene and keep the ties related to family. Wrapping paper usually reminds us of presents. A kiss on the forehead reminds us of childhood. The grandfather excitedly opening the door both startles and comforts the viewer.







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?

I felt curious as what the story of the princess bride is.





6. How would you describe the editing style in this clip? Any particular editing techniques you noticed, or length of shots? 
 I think they edited it to seem simple and comforting. There were no long takes, close ups or pauses used to create an emotional impact. It was very simple and basic.







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

Simple comforting movies are exactly what the family genre is all about. This entire scenery fit very well under the genre.





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

The princess bride is also considered a drama. There were not a lot of elements of a drama introduced yet.





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

It represented to introduction of technology into society. The grandfather who was still stuck in the past with his books actually ends up providing a new experience for the grandson.





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

It was distributed by 20th Century Fox because it is a popular distributing company. They produce loads of comedies and family films which are similar in genre to the Princess Bride.






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

I realized that the introductory scene of this film established a comforting tone because of the storytelling aspect. A lot of the time we were told stories we were young children and a family member read it to us. This will later in the story create a greater emotional impact than if they just told us the story of the Princess Bride. This will also help them adhere to the drama conventions.
]]> 2023-02-03 13:22:08 UTC https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2467552562 The Penny Cinematography annabelladavi https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2483389082 In our short films opening "The Penny" we are going to use a range of resources to make sure every shot keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat. For our lighting we are going to use simple sunlight to create the feeling of nostalgia and comfort. It is necessary that our opening scene is sentimental since our film is a family drama. To accomplish this effect we need to make sure we film on a day where the weather is good and the scenery is overcast. 

For our sound we will likely be using the new sound equipment provided by the school. Since we will be filming outdoors in public it is crucial we find a way to keep our audience focused on the story, and unnecessary background noise will make that difficult. In our film we are going to be involving 2 locations. One being a park with a fountain and the other being a house with a foyer. 
Basic shot breakdown:
 EXT FOUNTIAN - CONTINUOUS

CUT TO: MEDIUM CLOSE UP: OF GRANDFATHER

CUT TO:POV OF GRANDSON WATCHING GRANDFATHER ON PHONE. WE SEE HIM WAVE TO THE YOUNG BOY AND CONTINUE ON PHONE, THEN HIS FACE DULLING DOWN, NODDING AND HANGING UP.

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT OF CHILD

CUT TO: INT. FOYER OF, CHILD'S HOUSE

FADE OUT. 

We are utilizing lots of close ups to help create an emotional impact throughout the opening of our film. We are still working through finalizing what kind of shots we will use, but this is a very general short description of what we will likely do.

]]> 2023-02-15 12:37:49 UTC https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2483389082 annabelladavi https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2508557175
1.
I likely would choose approaching an aggregator over a film festival, studio or distributor because it easier to approach them. Now, out of all aggregators I would most likely approach Bitmax since compared to some other aggregators it has a larger amount of viewers and still is some what approachable.

2.
Our film is called "The Penny" and this is relevant because the entire intro sequence revolves around a girls grandpa taking her to a wishing fountain to make a wish with a penny.

3.
Our tag line for our film would be "Wish for good and good comes back." since wish for good is a quote from the movie and that is sort of the message of our film. Our film genre is family therefore our film requires a tag line that sends out a good message.

4. 

Our target audience would mostly be young women (8-16). They would likely be middle class. They like donating to charity, working with kids, reading books and traveling. They dislike being lazy. They enjoy going to different places. Their most used social media platform is twitter. They watch lots of unpopular films. They shop at target.
 
5.  .
We would want our film distributed on Vimeo. In order to draw eyes we would have to advertise in as many places as possible. We would advertise on target.com and in targets all around the nation, on twitter, on tiktok, in theaters, at malls, on youtube, on facebook, on instagram and leaving posters around Naples. To advertise in each of these places with an exception of just leaving posters around we would have to pay a sum of money to advertise on each of these platforms.
 
6.
 Our advertisements would consist of lots of teasers and BTS. We would give merchandise in theaters to anyone who came. We would additionally upload trailers to YouTube.

7.
Our movie poster would be of a penny being flipped in the air falling into a fountain with a young woman's hand extending towards it. In white bold font the words "The Penny" would me in the center of the poster. At the bottom of the poster in thinner white font would be our tag line. The colors of the poster will mostly be blue and white which gives a calming sensation.
 ]]> 2023-03-08 13:05:58 UTC https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2508557175 Production and Editing Reflection annabelladavi https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2528699578 In our first cut, we had a 50 year old man and 14 year old girl acting. Our first piece of feedback was that the acting was not great and that the man looked too young to be a grandfather which was his role. Our audio quality was also awful due to the fountain in the background. We needed to make changes before our second cut. In our second cut we switched out both of our actors for a 70 year old man and 13 year old girl. Both of our new actors suited their roles much better. We additionally, had to be sure that the microphone was further away from the fountain so that the sound was not more prominent then the dialogue. As the cinematographer I helped ensure the audio and camera quality was better then before. Our group overall learned that preparation is very important in film making.]]> 2023-03-23 11:51:00 UTC https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2528699578 Critical Reflection annabelladavi https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2538939303 2023-03-30 20:40:45 UTC https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2538939303 Final Film- The Penny annabelladavi https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2540150369 2023-03-31 17:22:37 UTC https://padlet.com/annabelladavi/aicemediablog/wish/2540150369