Editing My CCRs!

Hello Blog Readers! 

In the next couple of days I will be finishing up my editing for my CCRs on Premiere Pro! I have already finished editing my opening, and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out! 

Here's some BTS of me adding a green screen clip for my first CCR. This CCR in particular is taking longer than I expected to edit as I have to make it seem like it is a YouTube tutorial, which means I had to create an intro and little overlay clips (both of which I did on Canva). 

Here's what I have so far:

Not gonna lie I don't really know what to write today because I feel like editing is self-explanatory but here's that BTS I mentioned! Finished project will be uploaded soon so stay tuned! 

BTS Editing CCR1

Final Week!

Hello Blog Readers! 

This week is my final week of posting on this page. Are you going to miss me? If not, I hope you at least stay long enough to watch my CCRs and final film opening. Actually, I only need to add some finishing touches to it before I start editing my CCRs, which I filmed yesterday. 

In today's post, I'll be sharing some fun BTS and raw footage from my filming session yesterday. 

Because yesterday was the start of daylight saving, clocks sprang forward one hour, so I lost an hour of daylight and totally messed up my whole day and sleep schedule (besides the point but whatever). Anyways, I started filming at precisely 6:38:53 (according to my camera app) and ended at 9:11:30 (yes it took that long). 

Throughout the filming process, I discovered that I am definitely not cut out for being an actor because I cannot remember lines to save my life. Don't believe me? These are just three out of countless takes where I just ✨ Blank ✨

BLOOPERS

(P.S. there were many other bloopers not shown where I have some really... awkward reactions)

Here's the setup I used for my "how-to pack" CCR. Basically, I used my brother's pouf to sit on and set up my mini tripod on the chair you can see in the mirror. For my second CCR, I sat at my desk and will be using the new instagram edits app to add in a cohesive background because I didn't have a green screen. 

I had originally planned to use a bunch of green papers and tape them to my wall in hopes that the Premiere Pro chromakey would work on them, but I ultimately decided that it was too risky and found the edits app to be a good free alternative. 

Here's the aftermath of some filming (my room still looks like this by the way, I was too lazy to clean this up)

Before I leave you guys, I wanted to include some of the raw footage that I took yesterday and will be editing tomorrow into my CCRs. I'm starting to get exhausted with so much editing, but this is the final stretch! 

RAW FOOTAGE

Making it Make Sense

Hello blog readers! 

Up until now you've probably been reading the scripts for my CCRs and been like "What the heck is she talking about?" Well today I hope to clear up any of these questions! 

Let's roll! 

Video 1 - Responds to Questions 1 & 2 (Theme: How to pack for your next trip, ft. project discussion) 

For the first two CCR questions, I will be filming a "how-to" video where I essentially give tips on how to pack for warm climates versus cold climates. The first half of the video, where I pack for warm climates, discusses CCR Question 2 (How does your project engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text. The second half of the video, I am packing for cold climates and discuss CCR Question 1. 

You're probably wondering: "Amelia how are you going to incorporate talk about a film opening in a packing how-to video?" Well, that's were the beautiful art of figurative language comes into play. Because my project is about a young girl who is dying to travel and see the world but feels held back by her parent's pressure, I thought it would be cute to have travel play a part into both of my videos. 

As I'm showing the "essentials" to pack for each climate, I will be comparing each item to a technique I used to engage my audience and distribute my media text. For example, I compare sunglasses to transitions by saying "any good traveler knows that you can't forget your sunglasses if you want to have a good time in the sun! Just look at how much of a difference they can make when you put them on! Now that I'm thinking about it, it's kind of like the transitions I added to my film opening as well. Elements like the match cut and sky transition in my opening make a huge difference in keeping viewers engaged." 

To keep the video entertaining and away from the idea of a "talking head" I will be adding cutaways to whatever point I'm talking about throughout my video. For example, when I talk about the sky transition in my opening, I would show the actual part of my project on screen. Also, to make it seem like a legitimate how-to video like the ones you find on YouTube, I will make sure to add a cute intro at the beginning with a jingle. 

Video 2 - Responds to Questions 3 & 4 (Theme: Travel vlog ft. project discussion) 

Now when I wrote the scripts for this video, I didn't realize that my two projects had an awfully similar theme. So, I decided to change up my idea a little. Instead of doing a "pre-travel vlog" where I'm showing my packed bags and plans for each trip, I will be using a green screen and some fitting props to make it sort of seem like I am on a trip. 

Question 3 discusses on how my production skills developed during my project, so I will compare them to some common travel skills, similar to how I tied in my responses for video 1. 

Question 4 asks about the hardware, software, and online technology used throughout my opening. To answer in a cohesive manner, I will have my physical hardware as a prop in my video (for example I used a small handheld tripod so I could show it in my video as I'm "taking pictures" of my trip and talk about how I recently used it during my project. I would also discuss my software and online technology by having a clip of me scrolling on travel + leisure like Sylvie does in her film opening as well as a clip of me editing a picture where I would go on to talk about my editing software, Premiere Pro. 

P.S. This video would also include cutaways to BTS clips and specific scenes in my opening to be more engaging! 

Well, that's it for my ideas! See you next week (hopefully with some progress updates on editing and CCRs!) 

CCR Q4 Research

Hello Blog Readers! 

Responding the final CCR question today! Here it is: How did you integrate technologies - software, hardware, and online - in this project? 

Once again, I will be writing today's post as a script in accordance with my CCR media style, essentially I am packing to go to Hawaii for Q3 and Paris for Q4. 

Let's dig in! 

START PART 2 (Answers Question 4)

Okay here it is! Big difference between my Hawaii suitcase huh? 

Because I'm going during spring break, Paris still tends to be freezing at this time of year (well at least for a Floridian like me). This bag is pretty much packed as well, I have my puffer jacket, long socks, and mittens. Oh and don't mind the mess in the corner over there, I still haven't cleaned up from filming my film opening the other day. Matter of fact, I might just do that now. 

Here's some of the hardware I used. First, of course there's tripod I used for shots where I had to tilt the camera, like the ones in the beginning and end. I would set my mom's iPhone 15  on here and use it to film as a camera. I know what you're thinking "What about your audio recording?" Well would you believe me if I said I recorded my voiceover using the mic on my wireless headphones? It's true! Here's the proof that you don't need any fancy equipment to get started as a filmmaker, just an idea and good problem-solving skills. 

Also, here's my laptop, which I used to edit my ENTIRE project from start to finish on the popular software Premiere Pro. If you're looking for something to edit on, I highly recommend you try it out! With just a few quick tutorials you can learn all the basic skills you need. Actually, before I got started on my project, I knew less about editing that I know about flying a plane. Now, I know how to edit match cuts, add cool transitions, and change the color grading of clips! Talk about new skills! 

As I'm getting excited for my trips, I can't help but getting in the mood for a vacation by listening to music and creating itineraries using ideas I found online. I actually did something similar while developing my film opening. You see, my protagonist is obsessed with travel, and loves scrolling on websites like travel + leisure. With the online world being so prominent today, I also used online tech like Canva to create this cute flyer for a college that my protagonist is being suggested, and Pixabay to find royalty-free ambient music like this: 

Oh my goodness I just got a notification that my flight to Hawaii leaves in two hours! I must've gotten the dates mixed up! Gotta go! 

END PART 2 

I hope you liked my script! I wanted to keep it playful and genuine, like a vlogger who is talking to her viewers. In tomorrow's post I will be discussing each of my CCR ideas is greater detail so it will make more sense! Bye for now! 

Sources: 

CCR Q3 Research

Hello Blog Readers! 

Two more questions to answer? Today, we will be touching on the third CCR question for my portfolio project: How did your production skills develop throughout this project? 

Now this one's a hard one, remember when I basically decided to re-do my entire plot? Yeah, me too. I guess I have a lot to say today! 

Enjoy the ride!

For today's post, I will be writing in script form. This is what I will follow when I film my CCRs this weekend! I will discuss both of my official ideas in more detail in Thursday's post, but to give you an idea for today, I will be "packing" to travel to a different location for each question and will tie in my CCR questions as I'm packing. 

Also, I reviewed some of the common production skills that filmmakers need for any film on this website and discussed the ones most relevant to my experience: written and visual storytelling, time management, and problem solving. 

START PART 1 (Answers Question 3)

Hey there! Have you seen my sunscreen? I've been looking for it everywhere. All this packing is starting to get to me. I mean, I have back to back trips this month. First Hawaii and then Paris, so I'm trying to pack each suitcase today to get myself organized. 

Here's my Hawaii suitcase, I practically have everything ready: my swimsuits, towels, toiletries, plane ticket. Wow, I really need to get organized here. Speaking of getting organized, that's actually one of the production skills, besides full on learning how to edit on Premier Pro and get me I learned in my recent film opening. You should totally check it out. 

I originally had a whole other idea for my opening, where the protagonist, Sylvie, would interact with different characters, including her mom and friends, to reveal the internal conflict as she faces while debating wether to please her parents or follow her dreams. 

I practically had it all figured out, and then when I was going over the footage later that day, it hit me, kind of like when I missed my flight to New York last week. I hated it! 

Production-wise, I learned that when you're making a film, you need to think of everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. Having your script and storyboard isn't going to cut it. Logistical details like the time of day you're shooting, actor availability, and hardware malfunctions all come into play when determining how successful your piece is. 

After realizing this rather late, these elements are ultimately what led me to change my plot to focus solely on the protagonist, and I think it was a blessing in disguise because without the distractions from other characters, my opening is much more clear and resembling of a modern film opening that gives hints towards the path your film is heading for yet leaves your audience with enough questions to keep interested. 

Well, I guess I'll keep looking for that sunscreen. Let's move on to my Paris suitcase. 

END PART 1 

Before I go, I just wanted to make it clear that I WILL be adding visual and audio elements to make my CCRs engaging so they won't just be a "talking head". Stay tuned for Thursday's blog post where I will discuss these in more detail! 

Sources: 

CCR Q2 Research

Hello Blog Readers! 

Today I'm taking a break from discussing editing for my film opening (will be filming the voiceover this week and continuing to add audio) to discuss my second CCR question: How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?

Let's dive in!

It's important to note that the main target audience for my film, similar to most coming of age films, is teenagers and young adults (13-25), and that a more specific target audience exists for people who share the troubles and themes my film touches on. These include parental pressure, longing to grow up, and future indecisiveness. 

If you would like to learn more about common target audiences for each film genre, here's a helpful video that can help!

Ok, now that that's cleared, lets do the real work

How does my project engage with audiences? 

1. Symbolism and Themes

• Including scenes where the protagonist is scrolling and using technology is a common practice for Gen Z and Younger Millennials. Featuring these at the start of my film help immediately establish a connection with the audience by appealing to similar habits shared with what is shown on screen. 
• Most teenagers have an internal monologue that narrates their world. By including a voiceover, my film opening reflects this practice in a way. 
• Including the line "having so much attention all the time is exhausting" reflects a shared feeling amongst many only children. The exhaustion they experience can be characterized as a universal experience and deeply resonate with the viewer. 
• Having Sylvie appear to be playing the part of an obedient daughter makes it so her exact situation doesn't have to be relatable because the conflict she faces is broad and commonly faced by others as well. (Both the fear of letting her parents down and the fear of never leaving her boring home). 

2. Transitions

• Including a couple visual transitions such as the match cut from the doorknob to glass and the sky transition from Sylvie's house to the beach both serve as visuals that engage the audience and keep them entertained. In general, transitions across any kind of media are known to have this effect. Want to learn more? Click Here!

How would my opening be distributed as a media text? 

1. Short Film Platforms (YouTube)

With the development of the online/digital world, platforms such as YouTube are ones that receive a large number of users every day. To ensure that my film reaches the largest audience it can realistically as a student-made project, utilizing this free platform is a no-brainer. To make sure that it is primarily shown to my target audience, I would make sure to use hashtags such as #shortfilm, #comingofage, #onlychild, and #studentfilm as well as include a brief description of the piece. 

2. Film Festivals

Another popular distribution method for student films is submitting to festivals. For my project, I belive submitting to the "All American High School Film Festival" would be a great choice as it is one that looks for pieces that represent common struggles and authenticity. 

Here's their website if you would like to check out some past entries: AAHSFF

I hope you enjoyed reading today's post! Here's the script regarding this question for my CCR responses: click me! 

Hopefully you'll see my work out there soon! 

Sources: 

Editing Day 3 and CCR Q1 Research

Hello Blog Readers! 

Nearly done cutting my clips today (here's a picture of my timeline), but for today's post I would like to deviate from the portfolio project and discuss another topic, my research for CCR Q1: "How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?" 

Let's break it down: 

 

How does my project use conventions?

First of all, it's important to understand some of the basic conventions of coming-of-age films, so here are some resources if you aren't yet familiar: 

Codes/Conventions Slideshow

Ok, now that you've got a better idea, lets get started. 

1. Following the coming of age genre, I include scenes such as the dream sequence with an extreme close up of Sylvie's eyes transitioning to her staring at the departures board. I use this technique to represent escapism, conveying the feeling visually as well as through voiceover. 

Many coming-of-age films, such as "Call Me By Your Name" (2017) use similar themes to reflect the common teenage desire to escape an uncomfortable situation and be independent. 

2. My choice to use a non-diegetic voiceover as a sort of "internal monologue" for Sylvie is a common convention in the genre. It helps bring the character and audience together immediately, creating a bond. 

For example, Cher's fast-paced voiceover in "Clueless" reflects her racing excitement as a teenager throughout the movie. In my case, the slower-to-natural-paced voiceover shows Sylvie's pensive state. 

How does my project challenge conventions?

1. In my film opening, I chose to stay away from the common coming of age genre convention of melodrama towards parents. Instead of including a scene where Sylvie snapped at her parents, I chose to have her express her discontent towards her parents controlling behavior in a more relaxed, annoyed way through her voiceover. 

(Ex: Inside Out 2)

2. Although not exactly a genre convention, I challenged the "Florida lifestyle" stereotype. Usually, when people think of Florida they think high-energy or vacation, I chose to depict it as a more regular place, especially as it is very boring in Sylvie's eyes. 

How did I represent social groups in my opening? 

In my opening, I represent Generation Z in two different ways: 

1. In her voiceover, Sylvie talks about how her mom is always pressuring her about her future through her schoolwork. This "pressured student" stigma that revolves around being a high-achieving student having controlling parents is something lots of teenagers can relate to. 

2. My choice to have Sylvie use both her laptop and cell phone to browse online, text, and use alarms is an accurate representation of how most teenagers interact with and utilize the digital world daily. 

How did I represent social issues in my opening? 

1. The most significant social issue I chose to represent in my opening is the "Model Child" issue. As she is an only child, Sylvie represents the burden of having her parent's dreams focused on her, leaving her feeling guilty for not following them. By mentioning this in the voiceover, the opening shows how sometimes loving parents feel live surveillance. 

2. In my opening, another theme/social issue I decided to touch on was the internal battle many faces over economic stability vs. following your dreams. Her mother pushing her to pursue a safe job represents society while Sylvie's desire to explore represents human nature wanting and to be free.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my first CCR! I really loved explaining all the details about the conventions and representation I used! Until next week!

Sources: