Feedback On My Short Film

 

The first film in Aice Media was a great experience I was able to learn how important camera angles are for storytelling, and especially that audio is key!  The biggest problem we had in my groups film was the loss of audio. When filming in public locations it is important to understand that if the background sound outside does not seem so loud when filming, when you watch it will be the main audio in the clip.

 Finding the perfect location that fits the exact image I had in my brain was a very fulfilling experience while filming. Seeing how I could manipulate the camera to create the perfect scene that matches again what I have in mind. While the filming angles and connections of the scenes were well developed but without audio, they seem a bit lack luster. When it was time for the editing that was definitely the hardest part. A combination of the Adobe Premiere Pro tutorials as well as Google searches aided my group in the creation of our film. 

There were much troubleshooting issues that went on with the editing of our project, from how to upload our clips, how to create the credits section and the most important the audio issue. 

The Curse Of Shenandoah

 The first film in Aice Media was a great experience I was able to learn how important camera angles are for storytelling, and especially that audio is key! The biggest problem we had in my groups film was the loss of audio. While the filming angles and connections of the scenes were well developed but without audio, they seem a bit lack luster. What I enjoyed the most in this filming process was the scouting locations and filming around the school. Finding the perfect location that fits the exact image I had in my brain was a very fulfilling experience while filming. When it was time for the editing that was definitely the hardest part. A combination of the Adobe Premiere Pro tutorials as well as Google searches aided my group in the creation of our film. There was much troubleshooting issues that went on with the editing of our project, from how to upload our clips, how to create the credits section and most important the audio issue. 

My film group consisted of 4 other students in which we all had different tasks. These tasks were 

-Director

-Cameraperson

-Actor

-Editor

-Writer/Storyboards

-Audio

-Lighting

-Location Scout

-Props/Costumes

-Marketing

Out of these tasks I participated as an Actor, Editor, Lighting, and Location Scout. As an actor with one other member of my group we had to practice our dialogue and our movements for once we started filming. Being an editor consisted of working on Adobe Premiere Pro, placing the clips on Premiere Pro, adding them together and transitioning. Lighting also had to do with our editing process as we filmed in school, we could not control the lighting this actually aided us in creating a creative mindset, so we were able to adapt. Instead, we used the exposure on our I-Phone turning it down to make the scene darker as well as fixing the lighting of some scenes through Adobe's color system. As a location scout again by filming in school we chose different buildings and different hallways that we found to match the ambience we were looking for.

Storyboarding

 In class we learned about storyboarding, its use, and importance. Storyboarding in the filming process is the creation of the first visual script to your film. Sketched drawings of the shots you plan on using in your film including, the setting, characters, and props. Another huge part is the notes on how you plan to use the camera angles, lighting, framing and dialogue.

- A Storyboard should always include -

• Scene/Shot number
• Camera directions
• Dialogue
• Framing

- Techniques -

When it comes to camera movement symbols like arrows for example are used to demonstrate this movement. Whether it be, just moving across the frame, zooming in or tilting arrows are a great tool used by filmmakers to create their storyboard.

Use of color is another tool used in creating a storyboard, primarily red and blue. To separate the types of movements in the scene they can be differentiated with the use of blue ink used to show camera movement and red ink used to show character/object movement.

                                           

-Why use a Storyboard-

These storyboards serve as a crucial, physical visual of how your film is going to turn out before you actually take a camera and go film! If a filmmaker is not sure how a certain framing, movement, etc. will work then the storyboard is where they will find out. Giving time to figure out the perfect shots as well as saving time avoiding reshooting.

                                                                          

Camera Framing!

Continuing through the learning on the basics of filming and the filming process today we looked into camera framing. This framing in film is used as the eyes of film directing the viewer through the camera. Creating relationships between subjects, adding depth, and highlighting actions or details.

What are these types of camera framing?

Singles 

A single is when one subjects is in the frame alone. They are the primary focus, so their emotions and actions are the entirety of the shot. The sense of isolation and loneliness are primary emotions in this camera frame.

2 Shot

A 2 shot happens when two subjects are in the frame together. An extremely useful frame for showing a close relationship whether as partners, friends or enemies

3 Shot and So On-

Continuing with the same concept these shots are self-describing. A 3 shot would be one containing 3 subjects in frame, a 4 shot would be containing 4 subjects in frame. These shots provide details on a group dynamic, their actions as well as emotions between them.

                      

                               

Crowd Shot-

In this feature of framing it contains multiple subjects in the same frame. In these frames a scene of chaos, collective emotion and just pure scale can be depicted.

 

Over The Sholder Shot-

Being a hybrid of a single shot and a 2 shot it demonstrates a both sided perspectives. The camera is placed behind "over the shoulder" of one subject showing how they see and interact with the other subject who is in front of them.

Point Of View Shot-

In this shot the camera is placed to act like a subject's "eyes" immersing the viewers into the film. The audience is directly experiencing the subject's emotions while directly looking at the other subjects. 

 

Insert Shot-

This shot is a close up in some cases an extreme close up shot of a specific detail or object. The film needs this detail to be focused, understood and remembered by the audience so this clear, tight shot is inserted.

Camera Angles!

 In class we discovered the 9 Camera Shots that are used in film, their roles, importance and why/when these specific shots are used to be effective in a scene. The different camera shots represent emotions, enhance storytelling, create aesthetics and help guide the viewers through the different scenes. 

Shot 1- Establishing Shot

This shot introduces the setting of a scene; it is usually wide or an extreme wide type of shot. It is used to introduce and inform the audience to a location like a city view for example.

Shot 2- Master Shot

This shot can confirm location and show relation between characters while capturing a whole scene. The camera angles used is able to keep all the characters in view.

Shot 3-Wide Shot

This shot positions subjects far from each other being able to demonstrate spatial relationship as well as a character to environment relationship. Lost and lonely emotions can be found here.

Shot 4- Full Shot

This shot captures the full body from head to toe. This allows for there to be focus on the character while still showing surrounding scenery.

Shot 5- Medium Full Shot

Also considered a "Cowboy Shot" as it is from the knees/hips up showing a shot that represents those in western films of cowboys when they draw their weapons in a fight. These shots tend to display a confident and powerful visual in the scene.

Shot 6- Medium Shot

This shot is known as the "most popular" as well as the most "neutral". From the waist up it catches the subject in a way how we interact while still showing details.

Shot 7- Medium Close Up

This shot goes from the mid-chest to just above the head with the priority being the main subject. It is a combination of the medium and close up shot containing emotions/facial expressions as well as background context. 

Shot 8- Close Up 

This shot can be explained as the most "powerful" shot full of dramatic intensity. Being at eye level and excluding all of the background the characters thoughts and feelings can be demonstrated and focused on.

Shot 9- Extreme Close Up

This shot frames the subject to observe one specific feature may it be the eyes, mouth, nose or a small detail like the words on a page, a button on a shirt and more. These shots draw one into focus on a specific detail as well as clearly demonstrate the feeling in a subject.

My First Day!

 On our first day, I created a personal GMail account so that I could set up this blog as my Foundation Portfolio. Here I will layout my research, planning, activities, as well as the intro to my film, the information used to have it created and the creative critical reflection questions. This day we learned what the FOUR ESSENTIALS in film making are-

• Camera 

• Audio

• Mise-en-scene

• Editing