Blog 31: Inspiration

 

Inspiration

   Hey guys! Welcome back. In the past, I've only announce our genre "Coming of Age" but I had never talk about the inspiration. If you reviewed one of my previous blog, you would realize how obsessed I am with "To All The Boy I've love Before". My inspiration came through this movie. As it's my favorite movie of all time. I saw her youth and growing self through each volume. Each volume present different plots but the only thing doesn't change here is her relationships with her family. It all began in sophomore year, where I discovered the first volume of  "To All The Boy I've Love Before". Then, led on to the second and the third. I have been rewatched this movie for countless times. 

    One by one, I was caught up with the flow of the story. In this movie, Lara Jean represents herself as a typical teenage, who's trying to explore and find herself. The best fit remains coincidently in the most unexpected way. When it came to this project, I had a huge inspiration by this movie. Something teenage. Something sentimental. Something at our age, we will be able to sense it. Therefore, the "Coming of Age" genre came up as a perfect candidate and we took it as advantage. Conversely, the family topic remains the same but the plots are completely different. Instead of a happy, lovely family, we kept it the opposite. A little twist will make you twisting. 

Blog 30: Updated Storyboard

STORYBOARD 

UPDATE!!!!

Hey guys!! Welcome back to my blog. 

    Let's do a comparison here. As you might notice, our first storyboard is totally different from the updated version. From the drawing, format, to the description and details. Our artist, the Real Life Barbie definitely aced the updated version as she goes more in details of each scene. Every details was captured and closest to the real version of our footage. This update storyboarding not only giving us a sneak peak into the real footage but also explain each plot in a greater detail. 

    In this version, the blue arrows mark the movement of the characters. The red arrows represent the camera movement and the light source is mark by yellow arrow. Some of the major scene was alter from the old storyboarding was the first object in the scene. Originally, we were imagined the calendar will be on the table with a close up and zoom out on Gigi. However, we decided to start the scene off with a close up on Gigi's white board with a drew calendar. Therefore, the camera movement also shift to pan as well. I found this changing more convenient and capture Gigi's movement at a better angle. Additionally, some intended angle portrait in the first Storyboarding also change due to the switched in filming location. Moreover, scene 13 was added as we wanted some deeper emotions from Gigi on the second day of filming. To get a closer look and understanding of the film, you can take at our final version of Storyboard!

Blog 29: Group Dynamics

Group Dynamics

       Hello!!! Welcome, welcome back. I am happy to have you as my audience. As this project approaching its end, I would like to thanks you for showing your support on our way. 

  Our group has been attaching a long way together and I'm happy to celebrate it as we are seemingly to approaching more than half way through our project. Just a little touch on and we are wrapping it up for delivery. Upon division of role, we each was responsible for our part and pull it off right on time. While filming, there were 4 of us together: me, spider-woman, mimeo, and real life barbie. Real Life Barbie got her self into the main character—our only physical actor.

     On the other hand,  I got myself a tripod to stabilize my friendly camera—Iphone—transform into camera man role. Throughout my high-school filming journey, I have always been the camera man where I have filled myself up with plenty of experiences . Besides, the spider-woman and mimeo was the director whose direct us off storyboarding and brainstorm our way as if unwanted things get in our way. Afterwards, Me and mimeo took over the editing part as we had more than enough experience with capcut and editing. Although, we found it difficult to function the app sometimes but Youtube's instructions video always work out. Personally, working as a group requires consent!!! I would prefer to work as a group rather than individual due to our ability of generating the maximum idea and solutions. If I was to work alone, I might not be able to keep up with the pacing and filming. 

  

Blog 28: Self Reflection

 

Self Reflection 

    Hey guys! It's Self- Reflection time. This blog is going to be way different than the other blogs. I am going to dedicate this blog and talk about my journey so far. I have already making my way into month 7th of Aice Media Studies. I can't believe that. It's really giving a sense of timing, now that I'm thinking about it. 

    Throughout this class, I have learned a lot. Especially, how to write a blog!!!! If we were to go back to my first blog, you would realize how unaesthetic it is comparing to the current. However, I loved how they turned out. I chose the sea aesthetic for my first blog because aquatic is full of me. I found myself floating in this world. As I move on to the second blog, I'm trying out different format. They look okay...for beginner. Blogs with no title?? I wish I can come back in time and shook myself. 

    However, I wont go back to fix as it's part of my progress. By going through each blogs, I felt like i went back in time. As I review each of my blogs, I found a new me in there. The new font, the new images, new structure, new set up. There comes my first official project, utilizing my knowledge and skills from this class. Although, there was some complications with our partner and colliding ideas throughout this project, we were able to pull it through the filming. Shining my way through until the day I wrap this nicely up in my hand. I'm grateful to get my self a chance, experiencing with different projects in the Aice program. They gave me a better insight and aspect of life. Through this project, I realize how further I can go without setting up a limit in life. 

Blog 27: Lighting

 

Lighting 

    Hey guys!!! Welcome back to another blogs. I have hinted to you many many times about lighting. Lighting is the most important component that we're trying to achieve and filter through editing. Lightning can be achieved through different angles and times period of the day. 

    Our filming project was recorded in a late noon with the best sunny weather. We intended to film at 1pm because we wanted the most energetic natural light source. The bright sun shining through those glamorous glass, leaving a soft filter coating on Gigi's decor and brighten her features. The film started off with Gigi's walking in from the corner of her bed, a darker side of the room. The camera pan left with Gigi's walking in, approaching her make up table with more natural light coming in. This gave out a sense of high key lighting with the intention to highlight her rightful mood. As the film progress, she stood out by doing make up and gorgeously smiling as the room also brighten up her mood. 
 

    For the first half plots, we wanted to absorb as much natural light scene as possible. We wanted to develop gradually to catch our audience off guard when the plot twist come. Through built up tension, the movie focused on facial expression and observation. The lighting shift gradually from high key lighting to low key lighting as Gigi's mood went dark, created color fade out effect. From the point where Gigi's expressing her disappointment on, the filming will coat it self with similar cool tone indicating uneasy mood and her own celebration. 

Blog 26: Editing Day 1

                Editing

    Welcome back my loves! Editing is an essential technique that polish one's filming product. As an editor, I am more happy to spill about my editing journey. 

    We used CapCut as our main editing software. Some other color filter app was considered but CapCut's filters are also applicable. Me and Mimeo decided to divides our most time consuming part, which is title sequencing editing. She does the first two title effect and I do the other twos. However, our imagination did not match our expectation. The title sequencing took up a lot of our times, considering from choosing the font to the appropriate color and shadow.  We chose to use the Pinyon font for the title and the birthstone font for each individual's name. However, each scene utilize different  it's own color and appearance techniques. We figured that the title looks a little weird and shaky as it doesn't move with the objects. Attaching the phrase on top of the products was a complicate idea for us. We tried different techniques and positions. 

    As result, CapCut's motion tracking feature work the best for us. After a couple hours with title sequence. We moved on to transitioning. Transitioning was only placed primarily on the most important part like shifting in scenes, lighting or mood. We chose to use the simplest transitioning as possible, such as fade to black, fade to white, dissolve, and blur. The only dramatic transition was employed in this film was pull in to create the overwhelming effect and place the audience on spot for Gigi's roller coaster emotional. 

To be continue...

 

Blog 25: Title sequence

Title Sequence

    HEY HEY HEY!!!! Capitalized Hey!! I'm so glad to welcome you back with another blog. Today, I am spilling a little more details of the film. To be blunt, this is the best part. Even way before StoryBoarding, I was making sure in every way to be creative about title sequencing. We came up with multiple ideas such as beginning/ending credit, or random title sequence. It's been tough. 

    Nevertheless, to pursue an modern Hollywood film quality, we need something more than just classic. Like an unique ingredient stirs up the flavor of a dish. Considering this a less than 2 minutes long video, we don't want the title sequence to occupy or over expand through out the movie. The key here is to meticulously throw the name in as

natural as possible. Since, this is an opening of a movie, we crossed out the option of ending title sequence. We initiated with the beginning title sequence idea. However, this option requires us to create a little "non-plot" scene so the audience would most likely pay their attention to the title sequence. 

     Due to time limit, we decided to move on to ending tittle sequence.  If we were to employ title sequence at the end of our footage, it requires some background with name scrolling through out. This is an interesting idea, but it wouldn't go with the theme. Our topic is creating a filming opening, it would make much sense if we decided to put the title sequence at the end of the film. In additionally, the idea of 'throwing' in names randomly at the corner border of some continuous scene in the beginning. Originally, we agreed to end up with this idea, but we found a better one that effortlessly blend in well with the theme. We recorded some close up scene with Gigi doing her make up and each close up action will show an individual name on it. For example, a close up shot with overhead angle on the eye shadow pallet and the name will appear right on it. Then, Gigi will open the eyes pallet and pick up some powder from the pallet. As we wipe away the product, the name will appear on the powder portion. 

Blog 24: Sound

 

Sound

    Hey guys! We've missed you. I've had some update for you. First off, when it comes to filming, we all expected a well going record without any additional go back or disruption. However, life doesn't always go as our way. We had to cut off the original sounds for some of our scenes due to unexpected noises and other uncontrollable factors. Deciding to record during our winter break was a good day but—what's that also mean? Everyone is on break! So yeah!!! Don't worry, as I said, I'm updating you with GOOD news. Upon using our knowledge from Media Studies, we have figured out ways to solve this. What do I mean by that? Let's dive in. 

    When it comes to sounds, there's various. I've had plenty experiences with editing and one of the most important job to always do is make sure all the sounds align and match. Most of the time we would enhance the volume of our products using editing app. For instance, my best bud—Capcut—it's a great app that allows you to layer sounds and extract music as well. We are planning to play some backtrack which flows from the beginning and gradually become softer as it's approaching the plotwist. The main idea here is create an emphasis on the rapid change of emotion. The intention was for the audience to put themselves at ease and doesn't know what to expect. This not only create a twist of mind but also increases the quality of the film overall. Additionally, some of the scenes original sounds will be cut off and substitute with sounds produced by Foley Stage. 

 

    We scheduled a different that only dedicate to Foley Stage and explores music options. For examples, we replicated the exact same actions to maximize the compatibility of sound to image. After several attempts, we were able to pull it off and celebrate. I would say, the toughest sounds to replicate was the sash being takes off. Why? The major factor contributed to this was because we did not keep the original sash. Hence, we were trying to recreate through rubbing the clothes together. It was close enough with a little touch in editing. Overall, making sure all sounds matches and relevant to the theme will stay on the top of my check list when it comes to re-evaluating the final products.