Film opening

 The long awaited film opening, here is the link:

https://youtu.be/V83uf3wL1ZE

CCR

 Here is the link to my ccr: 

https://youtu.be/G8gDKzHRtAg

The End is nearing

 The next two post will be my last. What an experience this has all been. It was fun to create from scratch a film opening and the idea created by me. This process that took over nine weeks was full of ups and downs. Many setbacks and failures but I have managed to work through it all. It was also a really stressful experience however. Nonetheless the day has finally come where everything needs to be submitted. I'm honestly quite proud of myself for creating this from scratch. 

Now this blog post aims to answer the following questions for my CCR.

    1. How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or                  issues?

 2. How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?

3. How did your production skills develop throughout this project?

4. How did you integrate technologies – software, hardware, and online – in this project? 

1. As this is a crime drama, I didn't really challenge any typical drama conventions. I felt as if the typical crime drama convention fit as to what I was going for. Typically a murder occurs, Involves criminals, crime family and betrayal. The only convention I did challenge however was the main characters. I had 3 main characters and 2/3 were females. Which is a nice change as it's typically male main characters in crime drama films.

2. It would be posted on YouTube and be promoted on Social Media such as Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. As our targeted audience and the target audience of crime drama is mainly teens to adults. Nowadays many are on social media so I will capitalize on that and promote my film opening on there. I can also promote my film opening at school as it does also target teenagers. 

 

3. I took everything I have learned about shots and angles and editing and used it on this film opening. If there was anything I didn't understand I also went to YouTube to seek the answers I need. 

4. I integrated technology such as My phone and Laptop and editing software's. I filmed on my phone and editing on my laptop using CapCut an editing software I stumbled across on my YouTube ad recommendations. It seemed fairly simple to use so I gave it a go and edited my film opening on there. I didn't have any professional lighting equipment's so I just used my house lights.   

This is where I'm at cya for my CCR and my Film opening.

Production Process

 We filmed about almost 2 minutes of footage. I'll need to edit some excess footage out, The whole thing took like 2 hours. As I did change some things during production. I took out the smoking scene as I couldn't figure anything out to make the scene foggy. I also changed some different shots and angles on how I wanted the scene to look. The shot with the cup was also taken out and everything else I did incorporate into the opening. This is where I'm at as of now cya on the next one. 

Shooting Schedule

 We shot the film opening over the duration of Spring Break. We had to figure out our conflicting schedules as one of my friends had to go out of state on a certain date. We had to finish our opening before then. I will then have enough time to finish shooting and editing. We filmed at my house and the setting mostly took place in my living room and kitchen. The shooting went well with a few slip ups. It's nothing too big of a deal however. We were able to work through it. This is where were at for now. Cya on the next one! 

Storyboard

 

This is the storyboard, the first 3 panels are introducing the cast using a pan to introduce them all in one shot. They have cigarettes in their mouth but I will probably take that detail out. In the fourth panel is one of them is supposed to play music on their phone and then the music starts playing. They start playing Mahjong and then someone accuses one of cheating during the start of the game. They laugh it off and then (Phoenix) ends up finishing her drink and (dragon) asks the waiter (Juan) to refill the drink for her. Juan comes and goes back to the kitchen. Shortly after Juan hears a knock on the door and goes to open it. A messenger comes with shocking news!

Layout Drawing

The simple layout is within my living room and kitchen as you can see there are 2 tables one where Mahjong is being played and the other where a drink is placed. The 3 figures around the table are the cast. The waiter is posted by the kitchen washing dishes when he is called over to bring another drink to one of the crime family members. The dotted lines show you the path the waiter takes from the kitchen to the table and back to the kitchen. Then he hears a knock on the front door and the waiter goes and opens the front door to a surprise.

 

Group meeting today

Group meeting

 Today we did a group discussion, everyone listened to my idea and they thought it was interesting. We bounced around ideas and we all got advice. Everyone's movie ideas sound interesting and I want to see how it'll come out. I personally got advice on how to move the pictures so that they'll fit on my blog post and feedback about my project. They thought the foreign film aspect was really neat. Also got advice on where to find uncopyrighted music very nice. That's what I did today cya on the next one. 

Outline

 I have figured out an idea that I will have to storyboard and see if I like it. So far I'm thinking of doing a Drama film, I'll find a date suitable for my friends. We start filming, adjust accordingly, location probably my house. As it has a mahjong table, the opening will be in Chinese. We'll finish filming and start editing the clip to my liking most likely using iMovie. This is where I'm at right now cya on the next one! :)

Technology/Technical aspects

Technology/Technical

For the technological part most of the filming will be filmed on my cell phone. Everything else will be done on my laptop. My iPhone camera has been reliable so far so ofc I'll continue using it. I don't have the budget for a decent camera so I'll work with what I got. Other aspect such as lighting, I'll probably have to use flashlights and natural lighting anything I can get my hands on really. As of now since I haven't decided on my genre yet. I'm not too sure what kind of shots I'll use. Just a collection of everything I have learned up till this point. I'll also have to improve my editing skills and practice that, using either iMovie or editing software DaVinci resolve.

                

                DaVinci Resolve                                                                             iMovie

Plot Aspect

 Plot

For plot, the genres I've thought about was doing an action, drama, or horror film opening. For the drama genre it would typically introduce a conflict and a good character and you get attached and see how the characters change for better or for worse and see if they conflict gets resolved or you have to wait for another movie. 

For a good action film and the one's I can think is Marvel. They do a great job at keeping viewers entertained as they follow a great storyline. Ofc given I don't have the resources for that, they also have good characters and they introduce interesting new characters and their stories to the ongoing timeline and ofc AMAZING FIGHT SCENES. This past Shang Chi movie they had amazing fighting scenes and it was really engaging and entertaining. 

For horror films it's follows a fairly simple plot. You engage the audience, keep them in suspense and play on their fears. Horror films you can do man vs nature, man vs man, and even man vs supernatural. These 3 choices are what I am looking probably going to choose out of. 

This:

 https://www.haikudeck.com/conflict-uncategorized-presentation-9NOmEPuT4z#slide4 

Helped me with all the different conflict types and what I can do with the film opening possibly. 

For now this is where I'm at see ya next blog! :)

Exploring music and genre

I have thought about what copyright-free music I can use and see which genre it would fit well in,

I have been using https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=m3YZ0l0l1Q8&list=RDQMTgh66LaGkb4 It has a ton of different copyright-free music and I have just been exploring copyright-free songs.

I will see if I can find something that’ll resonate with me and see which genre I'll choose.

These films have excelled at the genres they have chosen:

                                            

 “Fight Club” (1999)     “Jaws” (1975)                     “IT” (2017)

Thriller/Drama                               Action/Thriller film             Horror/Thriller

I want to either do Horror or an Action film.
Where I can implement characters and come up with a solid plot.
When I settle on a genre, then I'll establish characters and come up with a plot.
I have done previous research on the horror genre before so I have some back knowledge on it.
I’ll have to research more on action films. But for now, this is where I'm at, so I’ll catch y'all in my next blog post.  

                          

Blog Genre and Audience

 Genreeeee and Audienceeee

For the genre, I haven’t completely decided yet. I was inspired by the coming of age film opening that Ms. Stocklosa showed during class. I also thought about doing horror and considered a plethora of other genres. I have used the word random generator idea and it got me: 

These words got me nowhere lol. I also watched some videos and tried to get some ideas. But when I would watch a video and think of something new that video would be in the back of my head.  

Just currently been trying to draw inspiration and get ideas. I have also tried writing or drawing. But I have just been drawing up blanks. I believe I need to come into this with a clear mind. I know taking inspiration is good but I can’t let it influence me.

Audience: For the audience i've been thinking whatever genre, probably either teens such myself or a general public. So that teens can relate to me and so forth or anybody can relate. I want to make something that I'll be proud of. While having fun doing that with my friends who’ll be the cast and let everyone see. 

Again this is just where I’m at this moment, How I’ll tackle and am tackling these problems and getting inspiration. So I’ll know what I want to do with my film opening, I’ll probably discuss it over with my friends and see if they like any ideas I ask them as well.

My approach

PORTFOLIO PROJECT 

Eddie Wang 

P2

2/13/22

It has begun:

The Portfolio has been assigned. I have no clear where to begin to be completely honest. I don't know what I want the film opening to be about. For now I'll just probably like other previous students I'll use a random word generator. That way it gives me random words and ideas that I can possibly build around. 

My approach: I will first probably see what I want to do with my film opening given the words. So I'll play around with it and draw a story board seeing the direction I want to take this project in. 

My characters: would most likely be my friends that it'll fit them into the roles and possibly write scripts for each character after I decide on what I want to do with my film project.

 Step one: Would be finding out what I want to do for certainty with the film opening. Drawing a storyboard for the whole opening, making the story, make the characters and all that. I can also just pay attention to my surroundings and see what inspiration I can draw from it. I have to stick to what I can do, and is in my close vicinity.

Step two: I’ll also have to think and envision all the different settings of the opening and how to film it. My friends will also be my cast and can also help me brainstorm the ideas and the steps I want to take for the movie.

Step three: We’ll start filming and see how everything is, if it’s the way I want it and such. Editing and everything as well. If not that’s totally fine, I’ll improvise as I go along, for now this is how I envision the steps to be.

 It’ll probably be a lot more, but I’ll keep you guys posted on what’s to come. So for now, I’ll catch you all next time!!!  Watch out for many new exciting things to come!

 

Music Marketing Overview

MUSIC MARKETING

Well first we had to plan the direction we wanted to go with this project. Which we had a bit of difficulty with, that was until we decided upon my name Eddie and then technicians. After that we were on a roll. We decided the social media platforms and created one for each accordingly. We also decided a website with merchandise, tour dates and about me for each of the member was also crucial. We also did research for 2 major companies that our band was under and we created our band logo afterwards. We drew on a storyboard out how the music video was to go. We settled on a partying scene with the technicians and then Eddie the "cop" was going up to them as they were partying and he just wanted to join. However, they saw the cop and they all dropped everything and ran away from the cop thinking they were going to get arrested. The cop chases after a member catches up to the member and asks to party. They come back walking together and it ends with them all partying together with the cop. That's essentially the music video as well, we all agreed to meet up on a Saturday night, the scene opens up with the technicians all on the floor at 4 am and them getting up and asking where's Eddie? Then it cuts to them opening the trunk and there I am holding a spider man bear. Then it jumps back to when it 1am of all of them partying. Then the whole Eddie shows up and so forth. The video includes lots of edits and cuts and it gives off the partying vibe. That's what we were going for, our target audience would know how to party and our message is to tell them to let loose once a while. It's also literally night-time and there was times when we were running. The scenes were filmed around Tequesta and under a bridge. It was at night time and temperatures were rather cold. However we persevered and still got it all done. For the presentation it was split up on who does what and we went up and presented accordingly.

Overall I learned that it's a fun yet tedious process to make something from the ground up. Making something from scratch with love, time and effort and sometimes a group. Every aspect of this project will aid in my future projects that I do for my Cambridge portfolios. I learned how to work better with others and compromise and listen to their opinions and suggestions. This project was a real fun project to work on and the outcome of the music video, I couldn't have been more happy.

Our Instagram: 

Our TikTok: 

Our website: https://sjkaiser04.wixsite.com/eddie-technicians

Music Marketing Blog Post

                              Music Marketing Blog Post      Eddie Wang P2 1/28/2022

We first started off choosing our song, which we ended up choosing Night Running by Cage The Elephant. We did that the first day, and then I got sick, I caught covid and this was the challenge that we were faced with. I wasn't present in class, which in turn made it tougher to brainstorm ideas together. However, we made it work, we also initially had some issues coming up with the direction we wanted to take this music video in.

We brainstormed essentially by throwing out random ideas and we eventually came up with this idea. Santiago, Reid and Sachate would be partying in a parking lot in the middle of the night. Then I, as a cop will pull up and chase Santiago down which I succeeded and trapped Santiago into a dead end. But, instead of catching them and throwing them in jail, I end up partying with them. The name came about by everyone thinking it would be funny if I was the band leader and Reid came up with the technicians part. The logo was made by Santiago and website were created by Sasha. We also created a instagram @eddieandthetechnicians. Santiago also developed the storyboard of what we will be filming and what will happen in the music video and such.

The next steps we are going to take since now that I am back as well. Is to film the music video, make the powerpoint, edit and promote on our social media. We are planning on filming tomorrow, yes in the cold weather at night, at a parking lot. After filming it'll be edited and put onto our instagram. We'll have to prepare everything today and get ready for a day of filming tomorrow. 

Here is the storyboard: 

Research Horror Film

Horror

Friday, November 12, 2021

What is horror? 

Horror is defined as an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust. Typically a horror film can make the viewers experience those emotions throughout the film. Through this blog entry, one will understand, what techniques are used to accomplish these goals. Horror films are a really popular genre of film despite being so intense, as they cost so little to make and are so entertaining.  

Content

In making horror films suspense, foreshadowing, and music are three key factors. Any horror film one watches is guaranteed to have these three key factors. When these factors work together it helps coherently make the audience feel intense fear, shock or disgust. Every horror films also tend to have the same plot, it plays on fear of objects or things, lots of deaths, rebel teens, alone, dark, couples. suspense, foreshadowing, build up music, and aftermaths. 

In the film "IT" this scene where Bill draws a picture of Beverly, and after water drips from his leaking ceiling and lands on the drawing. Making it seem as if it is blood, it's foreshadowing, as further into the movie. Beverly wakes up in the lair of pennywise to blood dripping on her face like this drawing.

Suspense another key factor in horror films that makes the viewers fearful. Suspense is defined as a state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen. In horror films, creating suspense is key as it engages the viewers into wanting to know what is about to happen next. Suspense builds up the scene and makes it more fearful. Suspense and foreshadowing keeps the viewers on their feet. 

In the film "Psycho" During this shower scene, the shadowy figure stands outside the shower curtain. It builds suspense as the viewers are unsure who the figure is and what they are doing there. Immediately afterwards, the viewers see what the shadowy figure intentions are.

What makes a horror movie so scary/ production techniques. 

Horror film utilizes quite a few production techniques to drive the intense feeling of fear throughout a film. For instance, music, lighting, and camera techniques. Throughout the film, dim lighting can make a scene more suspenseful. Build-up music can make a scene more intense and jump scares, scare the viewers as they don't see it coming. These factors all work together to make the horror aspect of horror films. 

Leitmotif is how sound for instance can play a huge part in a film. Leitmotif is basically a reoccurring sound in media studies that has become iconic. For instance in the film "Jaws" every time the shark is nearing someone the leitmotif is then played. The music is very suspenseful and build suspense to keep the viewers engaged.  

https://youtu.be/IzydhsMZXn8

 

Target Audience/ Marketing

The typical target audience of horror films is typically males ages 15-25. As they are more attracted to these thrilling adrenaline inducing films. They like the fearful feeling that makes their heart pound as they are young adults and seek thrilling, exciting things. Now how these movies are marketed are through trailers and movie posters. The center of the movie poster tends to be what the movie is about and a background to possibly illustrate where it everything is taking place. Dark colors are typically used as backgrounds due to the fact that the color black represents, villains, evil, and power. While red represents, danger, blood, fire and energy. Males are typically more geared towards these type of movies.

 

Samples

Get Out 

                                                                The film Get Out (2017) is about an African American             male meeting his white girlfriend's family for the very first time. Her family is very friendly,                     overly friendly in fact. Throughout the movie, Chris (the male) hangs out with the family                                 uncovering stuff and feeling more and more uncomfortable. A drastic turn, is when Chris finds out that he is being hypnotized with a tea cup. Chris finds out his girlfriend would date and bring African American males so her family can sell them. Sounds and camera angles play a huge part in this movie and how weird acting the family members are all red flags to the audience. The movie also utilizes foreshadowing during the drive to the house, they hit a deer, and when Chris is trying to run away towards the end, he uses a deers head to attack the attacker. The movie poster is like Chris expectation and standards were shattered hence the broken glass, the shards are also scenes throughout the film.  

 

The ring

 

The ring utilizes sound and underexposure and suspense to hone the horror aspect of this movie. It's already very suspenseful if one dies 7 days after watching a cursed video. The movie is about a cursed video that if you watch it you get a phone call afterwards. Saying you have 7 days left to live, a reporter Rachel Keller is curious after this video claimed the lives of 4 teens. She proceeds to watch the video and tries to get to the backstory of this cursed video in seven days. The poster uses a light blue hue meaning sadness, depression, negativity and bad omen. Which exactly describes this movie.

Other horror films to consider watching.

(US 2019)

(Don't Breath 2016)

(Clown 2014)

(A Quite Place 2018)

(Train to Busan 2016)

(The Purge 2013)

Sources:

https://lewisprintmediablog.wordpress.com/2016/02/10/target-audience-unfinished/

https://nofilmschool.com/why-you-should-make-horror-movies

https://vocal.media/horror/techniques-horror-movies-use-to-scare-you