CCR

The following is the link to my CCR:

Click here.

Final Draft

https://youtu.be/iA5gmKCN0Fk

Above is the link to my final draft. As requested on my peer reviews, I brightened the first scene and added music to create a suspenseful atmosphere. In choosing my music, I was inspired by the villain of Nintendo cult classic EarthBound, Giygas - an otherworldly monster that is the root of all evil. I likened the discordant tune of its leitmotif to my opener's discordant plot and filming style. I decided not to refilm the first scene because I felt that it was a suitable predecessor to the later scenes.

Peer Reviews

The above images are of all of my peer reviews. Many of my viewers praised the documentary or "found footage" style of the movie, as well as the way it was acted. However, a common criticism of the opener was that the plot was confusing, or that I wasn't revealing enough of it for the viewers to work off of. Many of them also say I need to add background music, with which I completely agree. That is going to be my first priority when editing my film opener; adding background music that is not only royalty-free, but fits the opener well. I'll add a segment where the main character explains briefly why he thinks the plot is happening (possibly some ancient deity got angered? I'll figure it out).

Week 7 + 8 - Editing

The above images are of me editing my film opening. The software I used was Wondershare Filmora; the editing process was streamlined thanks to its intuitive GUI. I took a strong glitch effect and applied it to the last few shots, so as to make it look as if the haunted Sun is interrupting the footage (this is based on a real life solar phenomenon, wherein X-rays emitted by the sun may interrupt electronic communication). I considered adding a color effect in place of this, but felt that the glitch effect fit the horror genre more. Filming the beginning and ending shots was fun, and editing it was even more so. The credits consisted solely of my brothers and myself.

1st Draft Link

https://youtu.be/ujtqK-D_auw

Week 4 + 5 - Filming

The above videos are small clips that I plan to place in between credits and titles. They were shot behind the Boys and Girls Club of Collier County. I had to shoot them later than I'd hoped due to time and weather constraints. As for filmic techniques, I made use of low angle shots and used the lighting of the sun to my advantage. The shots are meant to detail the pliggt of a main protagonist as he is afflicted with the paranormal power of the sun. I hope that my technical skill is enough to make up for my general lack of high-quality recording equipment.

Week 3 - Storyboard

My storyboard for the movie opening centers around the sun being supernaturally evil in some way. I want the whole opening to be a single continuous shot seemingly with an old camera. The camera will run out of battery extremely fast to showcase one of the effects of the haunted sun. I have even set the mock 'release date' to June 21 - Midsummer, the longest day.

Week 4 - Filming Ideas

Since I am filming my movie opening on my own, the number of actors, costumes, and other such variables will be limited. It will likely be only me in the opening, as my two brothers understandably object to the idea of being filmed. I will be wearing plain clothing, with no real 'costume' in mind. The idea of my opening is a horror movie that centers around a supernatural effect of exposure to the Sun on human behavior and physiology. As such, it will be done on a Sunday in the middle of the day (around 3 o' clock or so) and ideally on a clear day where the Sun can be clearly seen. I want to film it as a 'found footage' type opening, with a major character speaking and acting while holding the camera to himself. There will also be shots of the Sun itself (occluded by clouds, of course) and I will use video-editing software to create an effect of the sky becoming more and more red as the opening continues. There is place outside my apartment complex with a great view of the Sun during the day, which is where I will be filming it. I have not yet written my script, but it will be somewhat short.

Week 2 - Film Notes

RISE - Lots of close up shots in this opening. - There is no dialogue throughout the opening - Music is somewhat upbeat, suitable for a training montage such as that in this video (David Dallas - Runnin’) - Music stops at the staredown scene in the end, which creates a darker, more serious air OFFLINE - The studio title and director names are ‘typed’ onto the screen as an implication of the premise of the movie - Lowkey lighting is used to provide an eerie, dreadful atmosphere - The rest of the opening cycles between well-lit shots of a girl on her phone to dimly-lit shots of another girl tied up in a cage. DEAR LOVER - Peaceful music (Wayne Jones - A Quiet Thought) - Close up shots of the main girl writing the letter - Also has close ups of the two girls conversing - Generally quiet and introspective feel DARE TO THRILL - Dim lighting, nighttime atmosphere - The camera is off of the mysterious object in the trunk that causes the students to recoil, creating mystery - Shaky camera for a realistic, genuine feel to the opening ALWAYS WATCHING - The camera alternates between shots of two people conversing and shots of the main boy in various locales - The scenes get progressively darker as the opening continues - The directors describe it as ‘a relationship between two best friends that has taken a deadly turn’ - The talking scenes have high-key lighting, while the others have low-key lighting THE BLUE BOAR - The music is originally composed by the director herself - The main girl wears an old-fashioned dress and bonnet - maybe it takes place in the historic past? - She makes a boar glyph in the grass using picked shrubs, presumably the focal point of the film WHITE COAT - From the very beginning and the title one can immediately discern the medical theme - The lighting is very low-key to create eerie atmosphere - In close shots the main doctor performs an experiment on a tied up young man - the nature of this experiment is left vague STALKER - The video has a slightly lower quality than others - intentional? - The stalker’s presence is made clear but you can never see them on screen - Has a vintage horror movie feel to its camera work and quality - reminds me of Hitchcock’s Psycho NOSTALGIA - The movie centers on an old woman and her assorted memorabilia - It begins with a pan shot of a picture of an Italian(?) countryside - At the end, the woman seems to change back into a little girl in the same clothes LOST & FOUND - The opening begins with a flipbook animation of two people dancing - The rest of it I see that the common denominator here is camerawork. Each opening’s camera angles and filming style sets it apart from the rest, and through those things one can really get a sense of who the director is. I plan to use ‘found footage’ style shots in my opening, so as to differentiate from these openings (not to say that those openings are not good!). Stalker’s opening especially caught my eye, as it appeals to my penchant for the classic horror movies. The horror genre seems to be prevalent in this project, and the bar is set high; I hope that with my own film opening I can make a positive mark.

Week 1 - Genre

As mentioned in previous post, horror is among my absolute favorite genres, and the one that I selected for my movie opening project. In particular I envision my work being at least somewhat similar to the opening of Wes Craven's legendary production Nightmare on Elm Street. Its masterful use of indoor space to create a claustrophobic effect and lights and sounds to add tension are both things that I believe epitomize the genre. Horror is just as much about fast-faced action as slow-paced scenes, and the movie does both excellently. I prefer classic horror movies such as Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, William Friedkin's The Exorcist, and the works of Stephen King, but exceptions do exist, mainly Ari Aster's Midsommar. This film follows a young couple who become embroiled in increasingly disturbing events when their friend takes them to their hometown in Sweden, which happens to be home to a deranged sun cult. I was considering something similar as a plot device that I can use in my opening, as my infrequent horror writings often feature celestial bodies such as the sun and moon as the main villains.

My Film Opening Project - Genre & Group Members

Genre: Horror
Group members: Unknown - will likely be done alone

Film Opening Research No. 2 - It Happened One Christmas

How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
Six (6) titles are displayed within the relatively short opening.

What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
The film opens with a image of a shifting cosmic starscape, accompanied by prayerful wishes by a host of unnamed individuals. This is immediately followed by an establishing shot of the town the movie takes place in, with snow whirling and falling from the sky.

What connotations do the images carry?
The images in the opening connote that Christmas time is here, and generate feelings of warmth, security, and hope to emphasize this. This is especially true regarding the scene at the beginning with the image of the stars and the sounds of people making Christmas wishes.

How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The imagery of snow is highly prominent and serves as a symbolic code of the Christmas setting in general. Stars are also a symbolic code for the season as they are often put atop Christmas trees during it.

How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
The film does not really establish an enigma, as that is not representative of the genre; however, the identities of the people making the wishes can be considered a mystery.

What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
The film's all-around wholesome connotations imply that the film as suitable for all ages and audiences.

How has technology been used effectively? You might want to consider camera angles, transitions and editing techniques.
The slowly panning shots of the camera create a feeling of slow pace and relaxation, and the non-diegetic sounds such as Christmas bells and joyful music add to this connotation of happiness.

Film Opening Research No. 1 - A Nightmare on Elm Street

How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
Twenty (20) titles are displayed throughout the opening.

What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
There are many close-ups of Freddy Kreuger, the notorious dream murderer of the film, putting on his signature clawed gloves. Many shots also depict a young woman dressed in white (possibly to signify innocence) who is running through some kind of underground passageway, presumably in a dream world given the nature of Freddy's killing. There are also intermittent lamb sounds (possibly a hint that she is in the dream world, hence the phrase 'counting sheep')

What connotations do the images carry?
The images work in tandem to create strong connotations of fear and vulnerability; it seems that no matter how far the woman tries to run, Freddy is always catching up to her. The music and camera work add to these feelings of anxiety and trappedness.

How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The genre is strongly reinforced through a masterful combination of erratic camera movements and the frequent usage of the color red, mainly in the studio name, the transitions, and Freddy's red-striped attire. This red color may symbolize blood, murder, or wrath.

How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
At first, we as viewers don't know for sure that Freddy is the one putting on the claw gloves in the beginning. We also don't know where the woman is or what she is doing there, why there are intermittent lamb sounds and live lambs, and/or by whom she is being chased.

What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
A generally uncomfortable and frightening tone is set by the music and imagery, one that would likely deter younger children from watching the film.

How has technology been used effectively? You might want to consider camera angles, transitions and editing techniques.
The camera angles are shaky and erratic to create a feeling of confusion, and the transitions are frequent and abrupt to create tension and a sense that the events are happening at a fast pace.

My Favorite Genre - Slides

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1GLzz5bWGvWC1s-UMi7OB7EVwFHJzkpylTIVtvWC20GM/edit?usp=sharing

Week 3 - Agent Carter

Agent Carter (Marvel One-Shots, 2013, dir. Louis D’Esposito)
Clip duration: 5:09
Start point: 00:00
End Point: 05:09

The following is an analysis of a clip from Agent Carter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It chronicles Strategic Scientific Reserve agent Peggy Carter as she fights off atomic-level threats that have emerged after or as a consequence of World War II.
The shot opens with a close shot of Captain America in the cockpit of an aircraft of some sort, flying downward at a high velocity. There is an intense sound of the engine that adds more tension to the scene as the Captain continues to plummet. It is revealed that the landing will not be safe and that he is forced to crash-land. It cuts to a similar close shot of Carter in some kind of control room, listening to the Captain's final words of "Peggy...this is my choice," before he crashes into what can be assumed to be the ocean and presumably dies.
Time flashes forward to a year after that scene, and there is an establishing shot of New York City bathed in sunset light, with the caption "One Year Later." The camera transitions to another establishing shot, this time of an office bustling with suit-clad men. One of them receives a call and subsequently discloses the whereabouts of an enemy known as Zodiac who is apparently armed and extremely dangerous. The mise-en-scene is done exceptionally, with the office desks and their contents appearing cluttered to add to the mood of the office setting. The lighting is largely natural (i.e. through sunlight), and the camera work remains close through the scene. In the next scene, Carter is shown addressing her boss about why she hasn't been sent on her first mission even after three months. The boss, and a few other men, merely tell her to relax and then depart for drinks at Nelson's. Immediately after, she receives a call containing enemy coordinates and rushes to the scene in spite of her boss' orders.
The next scene is in an urban setting at night, where Carter meets two men that attempt to ward her from their building, presumably affiliated with the enemy. Carter proceeds to dispatch the men in unarmed combat, sending one of them through the window. The lighting here is very low-key and the mise-en-scene is done to create a feeling of 'the bad part of town.'

Favorite Genre Video

https://youtu.be/pyc3-q-_86o

Favorite Genre PowerPoint

Q2 Week 1 - Mise-en-scene

I have decided to analyse the mise-en-scene of Japanese film Kakegurui, directed by Hayato Kawai. It follows high school student Yumeko Jabami after she transfers to the prestigious Hyakkao Private Academy, where student success depends not on their grades or athletic prowess, but their skill at gambling. The school is ruled by a corrupt student council that controls all of the gambling, and a strict social hierarchy is in place.

The movie opens up with a brief narration by introverted student Ryota Suzui describing the school, accompanied by shots moving slowly down one of its corridors. The shallow space setting helps create a sense that the school and its students are cloistered and isolated from the normal outside world. It then cuts to Ryota playing a high-stakes game of poker with second-year Mary Saotome in a dimly-lit classroom. After he plays an inferior hand to his opponent and loses, he is shown shocked and afraid as an onlooker outfits him with a dog tag that reads 'Bottom Feeder Rank 0100' - something that, in this school, makes him the equivalent of a house pet. The low-key lighting of the room helps to add to the feeling of despair and debt that the scene creates. Everyone involved was wearing the same school uniform, making the setting more clear.

In a later scene, Yumeko is playing a memory game with student council member Itsuki Sumeragi, where two decks of playing cards are used and she must match a card with its equivalent. In a disturbing twist, Sumeragi reveals prior to a match that she has a collection of actual painted fingernails from people she has defeated, and that she wishes to collect Yumeko's fingernails. The lighting in this scene sporadically changes like a lightning flash to indicate the insane nature of Sumeragi's 'hobby' and the irregular placement of the cards on the table help raise questions as to why they are like that. When I watched it, I initially though she was using the directions of the cards to cheat.

Graphic Organizer

Week 9+10 - Five Edits w/ Sound

This is an edit of my 5 Master Edits, this time with music and sound effects.

I wanted to make a somewhat upbeat feel while preserving the original idea, and so when I found the stock music I would end up using, I saw it as a perfect fit. It felt like something you'd hear in a old edutainment game from the 90s. The sound effects were to add a slightly quirky feeling to the video as a whole, as well as to tie in with what the viewer physically was seeing in the video (i.e. the pixellated whoosh to match the fire transition). I kept most, if not all, of the non-diegetic sound in there - if you listen closely, especially in the part with the pouring water, you should be able to hear it. The sound effect in between the two fan shots was to bridge them together, with the effect implying acceleration. The sounds in between the numbers on the Leitmotif part was to create a feeling that they were changing abruptly.