My Creative Critical Reflection

Yeah, I decided to show the Creative Critical Reflection first. I spent a good amount of time on it, really wanted to include some research in there but also make it pretty engaging (maybe at times entertaining?). I hope the effort I put into this shows, some parts of this was fun to put together, other parts were more tedious, but overall I like the end result. I had to really think about the project as a whole, reflect on the process, and even put into words the moral of the actual movie (themes and conflicts). I also got to expand upon my character Maya a little bit, which was nice. 

And I did write out a script for this, which helped a lot in the long run, and meant that I could say more and faster because I could read off exactly what I want to say. It also helped me think of some other stuff to add. Reading some of my blog posts was also extremely helpful during the script-writing process. So, before I go off on a long tangent about this, without further adieu:

The link to my CCR for my film (opening) Train in Vain:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DnpmfwgJznKPXWJLwaEcRDSCS4gJlN-D/view?usp=sharing 

Just wanted to add that I hope you enjoy it and you gain some new insight into my project (there's some stuff there that I haven't mentioned in my blog postings). 

Putting Together All of My Shots and Post-Filming Reflection

 I'm happy to say that I have all the shots that I need for my film opening. Maybe a little too much - I got a little carried away, but it's fine. It won't help my partner during the editing process, as he has the fun and joyous task of cutting certain shots that go a little over time, or included things that I don't need in the project. And as expected, we have to cut out a lot of the introductory shots that we took. What we choose to include will be a really tough decision. They'll also be trimmed down a little bit. Again, time is a huge factor, and I have my two characters that I have to really focus on. 

I also really had fun bringing my characters to life. My dialogue did include some dry humor that I believe worked well out loud (I'm pretty proud of it, but it was kind of necessary as the genre of my film is the dramedy). The acting is, well, not professional to say the least, but I do think that my partner and I did pretty well for our acting abilities. And as expected, there was some trouble with wind during certain shots. But, my microphone did really help in getting the dialogue as well as the surrounding noise from the beach (the dialogue is still really clear and crisp). The wind would pick up at times, but overall, my mic limited its effect on the sound quality and I could stress less about getting my other shots (filming the shots with lots of dialogue was what I was most worried about). 

Because of all my shot planning (and my shot list with the dialogue matched up with the shot), the actual positioning and execution was much easier. I knew what I wanted to do and what I wanted each shot to be. I also really wanted it to be cohesive, with the transition out of the intro shots into the actual story with the close-up of the waves and then my partner's foot running through them. I might have to cut out some of my inserts, and I wasn't able to film one two-shot (don't think I really need it in any case). But overall, I got all of my shots and just need to put them all together. I have everything prepped for the post-production sounds that need to get put in, and I have my song ready to go (as well as the font of the title and credits). 

This is more to show the conditions and the space that we worked with. The beach was a little busier than I would have thought, but we chose a relatively more secluded area. This was taken a little later, when there was more wind, and this was without the mic. The wind would definitely have distorted the audio, so I'm glad I went the time that I did and filmed with my mic. I'll show another shot that I filmed (not an introductory shot):

I have already edited the saturation and color scheme of all the shots, I just haven't edited out the seconds I don't need. Just wanted to show the entire process for filming our shots, and this is a little sneak peak at my full and total project. This is one of the two-shots that I included. It serves to be more of a transition out of the beach setting and showcases the setting well. 

I've made some changes to what shots are included in the dialogue sequence, but they were more fillers and meant to showcase my setting. While it would've been nice to include them, they don't add much and take too much time. Same thing goes for the intro shots. Just want to focus on my characters for the opening.

 

I've also changed my mind on where I want the credits. I'm thinking of including them in the transition shots away from the beach and right before the title card, such as the one above. I feel like I have the space to include them, and not have to cram them all on one shot. And with the right color for the text, it will still be noticeable but not drawing any attention away from my subjects.

I'll have the finished product very soon. But, before that, I'll show my Creative Critical Reflection, which I've also been working hard on.

Dissecting a Shot Sequence

 Before I filmed the final shot sequence of my film opening, I wanted to fully develop my sequence (I even made a full shot list for it with the specific depth-of-field that I wanted for each shot). This blog post will be more for me than anything, as I want to get prepared before I go out and film the last part of my project.  Collecting my thoughts beforehand might really help me. I also found inspiration from another film that uses that same sort of tone and has a scene that is sort-of similar, at least tonal and character-focus wise. 

These are my final, reworked shot lists for the last sequence of the film opening. I also matched up the dialogue with the certain shots so I wouldn't have to figure it out when filming, which is how it's usually done, but I almost forgot. I did have to change around some things, which is why they're not the neatest shot lists in the world, but they include a lot of information (even the specific depth of field that's needed in the shot). I start off with the close-up of the waves, and then the pan and tilt as Dallin runs through the waves, acting as a sort of transition from the introductory shots that show off the setting to the actual story with my main characters. The very next shot is going to be a low angle with the depth of field shallow until Dallin comes running into frame. Will be a focus on Maya as she comes running into frame. From there it will switch to a two-shot.There will be some shot/reverse shots as Dallin and Maya are talking. I've added some inserts, especially when there are pauses in the dialogue. I also have some close-ups of Maya's face to show her reactions to what Dallin says (sly comedy, I know). I will also add an eye-line match to show Maya's POV of her setting (the saturated colors another sign that this is from her POV, and shows how she sees this particular beach). 

This sequence will end with a tilt of the camera as Maya gets up. And will focus in on Dallin scrambling behind her. There will be a two-shot of them on the boardwalk, which will be another time to showcase my amazing setting. And then comes the ending shots, which I've already discussed (and partially filmed already). 

And now, a film I used for inspiration:

Minari (2020), directed by Isaac Lee Chung, is a movie that I got to watch fairly recently and I really loved it (highly recommend for anyone that loves dramedies). It has the dual-tone that is common among dramedies, and balances between the two tones really well. It really encapsulates the happy-sad movie.

This scene has no fast cutaways or editing. The shots remain static for a longer time, relying more on the movement and the dialogue of the characters. It really works well for this scene because it's the characters that are the focus (as well as the setting). There are a number of wide shots that capture the setting. However, they also serve to capture the characters, acting sometimes as sort of two-shots, to capture the similarities between the characters (the mom and the daughter; the dad and the son). It also serves as a contrast between the two pairs, as the dialogue suggests. It sets up the relationship between the characters (showing how close they are to each other) as well as setting up a potential conflict. I want to copy the longer shots, especially when my characters are speaking, the the humorous tone can be felt through the dialogue. I also included an eye-line match and some inserts so I can get some more two-shots (and show off more of my setting) as well as making the scene more captivating. I know how the movement of the objects within the shot can be captivating, as this scene shows, and I shouldn't be afraid of having shots that last a little longer so that my dialogue can be highlighted. It might add more of that sense of realism.

One Other Problem

While this blog will mostly focus on its namesake (the problem that I'm referring to), there are a few things that I'm going to talk about that will also be included later on. These are just a few things that don't necessarily make up their own blog posts, so I'm cramming them in here. Now, before I go too much into the other stuff, my problem:

How packed the beach is going to be is definitely going to be a factor into how good my footage will be. This photo is not taken at the beach that I'm going to for my setting. My beach is typically a lot more quiet and is not going to be anywhere near as packed as the one at the right. This was more of an embellishment, but I still don't want any potential problem when I'm filming. I've tracked out how I want the entire sequence to go already, so I know exactly whereI'm filming all my shots and even what character says what line at a place. I just really don't want any people to wander close in the frame, even if it's just for a moment. Farther off, I'm fine with some people wandering into the shot just because it won't look deserted then. But, n't want a lot of random background noise that would interrupt the dialogue or the background noise that I do want to get (the chattering of seagulls or the crashing of the waves). That type of diegetic sound is perfect and will only serve to make the setting more realistic. I guess, in a sense, some random noises from people will also make it realistic, but it would still distract too much from my film opening. Or it would make the humorous tone more evident. Or it would just look like a mistake. I'd rather not find out.

I've already had to adjust with some shots because of some passersby, but too many would just mean more work and time spent on shots on my end. To solve this issue, I figure I'll just have to go at a certain time when there's not as many people. I still want to go when it's generally more bright out, so I can try to keep the footage as close as possible, but I do need to think about what times people tend to go at and how I can have the best filming situation for myself. Because, again, I can't control my setting and I'll just have to work with what I've got. But, if I can find a way to film at a better time, I won't have to change the setting. With it being that time of year when people want a little vacation at the beach, I'll have to have to work little bit more to find that perfect time to film the final part of my opener.

Update on My Music:

I have not heard back from either Sony Music or Columbia Records as to whether or not I can use The Clash song that I wanted ("Train in Vain"). So, I'll just use the song that I found on Chosic. It sound like an '80s punk rock song, and it will still give my opening the same burst of energy and will make a good song to transition to the next scene in the film. Would I prefer The Clash song? Yes, but this one (called "Cherry Metal") is a fine replacement. It's meant to be more of a background song, and it works well that way. It's also a good song to introduce my title card to, especially with the font that I'm choosing. Well, that's a good a segue as I can make into my next topic, which is, as you can guess:

Title Card Font (and maybe the credits too)

I ended up choosing the SignPainter font for my film. While it might look a little more like a horror film now (might be because of white lettering on that pitch black background behind it), I'm planning on blending it onto my footage of the waves and the ball. I might also got for a warmer blue color, too, as long as it doesn't mesh too much with the water behind it. The font just has more of that hand-drawn look and not as synthetic as some other fonts that look more "digital" in a sense. The slight gradient will also make it appear to be moving with the waves, especially with the right blue for my title. I might also make the credits match the font, but I won't give them a gradient.  

Some More Thoughts On My Filming Experience

This post is going to expand upon some thoughts of prior blog posts, especially the challenges I faced filming, and just really add more depth to what I was discussing about my experience previously. I rushed my thoughts a little on my previous blog posts in regards to my experiences, and I want to kind of add to add more to my experience. And maybe some pictures of myself filming (which is definitely not the reason I chose this topic for my blog post). 

Like I said before, one of my biggest worries about filming separate parts of the opener on different days is the discrepancies in the setting (mostly the sky). Florida can be pretty indecisive when it comes to the weather, so I was really worried that too much clouds would make the footage that I would take unusable. And there was a noticeable difference. The clouds, as seen you can see right below here.

There's not that same bright blue hue in the sky, and that's mostly because of the clouds and how darker it was. But, I'm glad that I have a couple of shots to choose from, just in case when I film the last part of the opener, the sky can look either cloudy or sunny. I did make adjustments to the saturation of the sky a little, but there was not that bright, fully-saturated blue that I got from my previous shoot. I'll try to edit the shots a little more, adjusting the saturation, but I doubt it'll have much effect. It's a little disappointing, I really like the shots that I got, especially when it comes to the composition and the contrasts, especially between the beach and the water. 

But, I did have a fun time filming. This is the first time I really got to test just how much my microphone could pick up and how well it works, and I really like how it's able to pick up some of the softer sounds that are closer and differentiate between those father away (mostly the crashing of the waves), and the softer voices. My main concern was (and in many ways still is) how much dialogue the mic can pick up (and if it's clear). The wind can still be a factor, but there was few times where the wind was a factor in the sound at all. The mic even picked up the gurgling of the waves, so I got to have some foley sound. I'd rather get the authentic gurgling than have to record myself slurping on a drink (or have to somehow replicate that noise myself). And there were times where I got distracted and started filming from random angles. That wasn't as much of a time waster than my trying to film birds. I'm pretty sure I got some weird looks from people because I was spending half my time chasing after a random seagull and then having to retake shots of the little sandpipers because I wanted to get them doing their weird waddle. But, I think I got weird looks anyway because I was just filming water up close, so I'm not really concerned about that. I actually had a little bit of fun with it, because I really didn't look like I was prepared to go to the beach. And again, you can see the difference in lighting and how cloudy the sky is. I didn't edit this photo at all so you can see what a big difference editing makes and just how much I needed to do to get it as close as possible to my other footage. But I still had a good experience, and mapped out exactly how I want to film the rest of the shots. And I think I did get some footage that I can use to tie in with my previous footage. 

More Shots and Sound Design

I'll start off with some new shots that I got from my most recent trip to my location. There was some change in the setting. Today was cloudier, but it was also less crowded. It being less crowded was a positive, while the clouds were more of a hindrance (there was still enough sunlight where the difference isn't that noticeable, especially with some editing).

I added the extra saturation to these shots, using warmer blues and yellows. I wanted to get the shots next to the water, especially with seabirds. These have more movement and are generally more captivating. The same goes for this next shot:

I could choose either shot to add to the final product. Again, I just wanted to get as much as possible so I have more to choose from. I also wanted to get some shots under different setting conditions; these shots show a more cloudy sky, which might be the case when my partner and I film the actual storyline for the opener with my two characters. I had some more fun this time around, just looking for potential shots in a setting that has plenty. I also used this opportunity to test my mic and see which spots are the best for picking up dialogue. I also used it to pick up some background sound as well. Which is how I'm going to lead into my next topic: sound design.

Like I mentioned before, I was able to get a couple of recordings of the waves and the background noises of the beach on the sand (further away from the water). But, I have also used SoundBible (https://soundbible.com) to find some good diegetic sounds for the opening. Since I'm most likely recording the conversation between the characters live, I might not need to include as much diegetic sound from the website, but it's still a good tool to have. There's even more websites that offer up free sound recordings, but I've already found some typical beach sounds on the SoundBible website (including sound of waves, seabirds, etc.). Of course, for the music I'll be using Chosic (still an awesome website). I might even add a smooth piano during the intro shots, just to further that peaceful tone (it would stop once Dallin's feet hit the waves). It just depends on how many sounds I want to layer onto the beginning. I might not even need to add the smooth notes from the piano.

Filming My Intro Shots (Part 2)

 As I promised last blog post, I will show some more of my intro shots and discuss my overall experience filming. And again, these intro shots are more to establish the setting (and a little bit of the tone) than anything else. I also wanted to immediately showcase my artistic vision, which is another way to say that these shots show my filming ability from the get-go and might decide my fate as a filmmaker. So yeah, I would say these shots are moderately important. In any case, before I go off on any tangent, here's some of the shots:

This shot also has really saturated blues, with the greens toned and muted into a more beige color. I would say this features a pretty good color contrast and has a lot of warmth that I think viewers will pick up on. I would also like to add that some of these shots I purposefully made longer than what I'll include in the final opening. I'll definitely trim some down for time purposes. 

I figured the lifeguard "hut" would make for a pretty good shot. There is also some more contrast, with the light sand and the shadows. Some more symbolism? Maybe. I just think it works for a nice shot.

I also wanted to add some shots of the buildings close to the beach. Some of them do look old (or at least older) and adds a more rustic and somewhat warm feel too. 

This is another one that I thought would show some older buildings along the boardwalk that shows more of the background and adds some depth to the setting. I also like the movement in the shot that makes it more intriguing to look at.

I do have other shots that turned out looking pretty good, but those will most likely be cut because of the time constraint. Even some of these might be cut just because I want to move along with the introduction and establishing my actual main characters. Even though I could add a lot more, I want my opening to be dependent upon the characters and their relationship because it's what drives the story. Even then, I can still add some more pretty background shots with inserts and eyeliner matches.

Now, I wanted to talk about the actual filming experience. When I arrived at my location (which took some time, as it's farther out), it was a little more crowded than I was expecting. I had to rework some shots so they wouldn't have too many people in frame (which also took some time). I did, however, feel that the (distant) people in the frame add that authenticity and add more movement to the shots. It was a little bit of a challenge (to add to the challenge portion of the last post), but it ended up suiting some of my shots. I didn't end up staying long, as I've mentioned before, but I did get more of a feel for the setting and planned out a little more of my shots. I know the general area of where I want to film and the place I want my characters to sit down (might have found the specific sand dune). Next blog post, I might discuss some of the foley sounds I'm including and the sites I'm using to get diegetic sounds.