The End

 Here is all my finished project, thank you for going along this crazy journey with me. Until next time!

Film Opening:

In Between

CCR #1:

CCR #1

CCR #2:

CCR #2

Final Reflection

     Wow! I can't believe this is the end of the project. These eight weeks have been the most stressful and the most productive I have been ever (I'm serious). It is amazing to see how your film opening and CCRS turn out. After all that hard work and dedication, I deserve a break, luckily spring break just started of I have a week of relaxing. Of course my stress isn't going to completely stop, I still am going to be anxious awaiting the grades. Moving on, this project made me want to learn more about the why in films. Someone could put a close up shot or a long shot but why? Why did they use those kinds of shots? That has been my favorite part of the whole experience.

    The project hasn't been an easy ride. From scheduling issues to lost footage, it has been a rollercoaster. I have learned the basics of editing and lowkey want to learn more. Adobe Premier Pro is a new interest for me. I thank this project for letting me realize this. Thank you for everyone and everything who has helped me produce this final product, I hope you enjoy.

CCR Post Production

     On to the final step of my project! It is incredible how far I have gone and learned from this. Eight weeks ago, the only thing I knew how to do in Adobe Premier Pro was add clips and audio. Now, I know how to reveal text with a moving objects and color grade (just a few things I have learned from tutorials, definitely not self-taught). This came with a lot of trial and error but we are just humans after all! Now on to the specifics of editing the CCRS.

    The CCRS can't just be a plain video. That was the first thing taught to me by the teacher. Images and sound are great ways to further engage your audiences. Of course, the creativity of the CCR comes first. For sounds, I was loyal to pixabay (https://pixabay.com/music/) It never fails to provide such a variety of background music. Not to mention it's copyright free and also free. For images, I just correlated them with whatever I was saying. For example,  I was talking about close up shots so I provided a close up shot in In Between. Next blog post should be a reflection, then comes the good part, my final project! Can't wait to share it with everyone!

CCR Production

     Almost done!! I can't wait to be finished. As much as I will miss this project and the grind I have put into it, it is wayyy too stressful for me. Filming the CCRS was a piece of cake. The only iffy part about it was that my sister kept delying the filming. At one point I told her the exact time and date that we would film firmly. That did not stop her from making plans that same schedule. Eventually when we did film, it was rushed and I had to film her parts quickly as she had to pack for camp (she is a counselor). That was my second CCR. My first CCR is a behind the scenes interview on the set of In Between. I even put on a suit to look more professional. It was so hot. I couldn't stand being in it for more than two minutes. In between shots I had to take off the suit jacket for air. But now on to editing which should be simple.

Literally me

CCR Question 4

 Here is my response to the fourth question:

I am truly grateful for every tool I used in the development of this project, as each one played such an important role in helping me bring my film opening to life. Throughout the entire process, I used Blogger to document my experiences. As I mentioned before, I don’t have any prior experience in filming, and because of that, I don’t own any professional cameras. The only cameras I have are small digital ones I use for personal memories. This meant that all of my filming was done using my phone camera, which actually turned out to be quite effective. I used a particular mode called Cinematic, which allowed me to focus on certain parts of the shots and make them appear clearer. It worked smoothly, and I was able to get the shots I needed with ease. 

In addition, I used a tripod to stabilize my shots, which was incredibly helpful. The tripod made such a difference because it ensured my footage didn’t appear shaky, and it allowed me to set up my camera without needing anyone else’s help. Since I’m working alone on this project, that was a big advantage, as I could manage all the filming on my own. 

When it came to editing, Adobe Premiere Pro was a total lifesaver. I did everything through that software, from cutting and piecing together the footage to adding transitions and effects. At times, I had to watch a few tutorials to make sure I was getting everything just right, but it was definitely worth it to ensure the editing was smooth and professional. 

For sound, I relied on Pixabay, which provided an amazing selection of free, copyright-free sounds that I could use without any issues. The sound quality was great, and it really helped set the mood for the video. 

https://pixabay.com/music/

In the end, all of these tools came together to create a project that reflects the hard work and dedication I put into it. Each tool played its part in making my vision a reality, and I couldn’t be more pleased with how everything turned out. 

CCR Ideas

     I have been thinking about ideas for my CCR ever since my teacher introduced them. I am so far maybe two days or a day left into finishing my film opening. This is super exciting as my goal is to finish the whole project by next Friday. This way I don't have to worry and stress about it over spring break. I also have a volleyball tournament the weekend before the due date so I really don't have time to work on it. Now on to some CCR ideas.

CCR #3 and #4

These CCRs are the lightest to work on so I want the media that is shown through to be fun and lighthearted. My first idea that popped into my head while learning about CCRs is the show Hot Ones. On this show, celebrities are invited to eat spicy wings as they answer questions promoting their films. I couldn't directly copy this idea so I had to twist it to make it my own. I decided to replace the hot wings with traditional Venezuelan food. This would match with my film opening and would allow for further discussion on the set design;

Hot Ones Host

CCR #1 and #2

An idea for this a behind the scenes style interview. So, in the set interviewing the director. I would be able to show the whole set design and able to talk more seriously. These CCRs are the most challenging as a lot of discussion is required for them. I would travel between my kitchen and my room as I am responding to the questions. I am thinking about displaying the questions on the screen in that typical font you see in interviews. 

Group Meeting #2

     Today, we had a group meeting. Just like the first, my classmates and I come from different groups and discuss our project. This time we were recommended to discuss our filming footage, editing process if started, and CCR ideas. To start off, we went around and told the general idea of our film and opening for everyone to understand.

Alejandro

    Alejandro's film opening is about a guy who is going through drug withdrawals. He said his film opening is very action packed. This idea seems interesting as they put a lot of effort into the set. They used an empty room from a house that one of his group members was going to sell. He went into a lot of detail describing the set. However, a problem with the set was the limited time they had with it. They could only film for one day and couldn't refilm after. So, every shot had to be perfect.

 Fer

    Fer had the most interesting idea out of the whole group, in my opinion. Her film opening follows a flamenco dancer and as she dances, she collapses. It is later found out that she has a heart problem, how will this affect her career? The plot isn't the only thing that made this opening interesting but the way Fer filmed it. She recorded in an empty studio, which is hard already since one wall is a whole mirror. She ran into that problem already but there was a bigger one at hand, sound. If she were to edit sound in later, it would be difficult to sync up the dancer's steps to the music. To fix this, she decided to play her own music, as in her own instrument.

Flamenco dancing

Cristian

    Cristian's film opening is about a teenage girl during her high school graduation who feels nostalgic. Her friends then tell her to make the most out of it and decide to throw  a big party to celebrate. This idea reminded us all of the movie Project X. Moving on, a small hurdle during their filming process was that the character needed to have her phone in the bathroom for her friend to call her but the dress she was wearing had no pockets. In order to overcome this, the group had to hide it under her dress.

Mine

    After I described my film opening, I shared that one of my main problems was the sun. I couldn't film until very late as the sun's position would change, affecting the lighting of my production. So I had to film in the span of two days. Everyone had a similar problem. We moved on to CCR ideas and some tossed around as inspiration were a Genus style interview, the One Chip Challenge, street interviews, and Hot Ones. I believe I am able to draw some inspiration from these types of interviews and morph it to match my film opening.

CCR Question 1 Continued..

 I forgot to mention representation on my last blog post (how could I, the question is literally part of the blog). But here it is!

My product represents the struggles of young immigrants navigating identity and belonging. Many immigrant teenagers face the challenge of balancing two cultures—the one they come from and the one they are trying to fit into. My film highlights this through the main character, Alba who has moved from Venezuela and now finds herself caught between two worlds. She has made friends in her new environment, but at a personal cost. In an effort to belong, she hides her Venezuelan heritage from them. 

There are over 20% of people ages 14 to 24 are immigrants living the U.S. Yet there is still either a lack of representation in media or an incorrect one.  

https://datacenter.aecf.org/data/tables/11173-youth-and-young-adults-ages-14-to-24-who-are-immigrants-or-live-in-immigrant-families?loc=1&loct=1#detailed/1/any/false/2543,2454,2026,1983,880/any/21538,21539 

The film serves as a lesson for many young immigrants who may feel pressured to erase parts of their identity to fit in. This doesn’t only go towards Latin people like Alba but many immigrants across the world have had a thought to change themselves just to fit in. The film conveys the message that they should not be ashamed of who they are. Instead of losing themselves in an attempt to conform, they can find strength in embracing their roots. Through this story, my film addresses the universal theme of self-acceptance, making it deeply relevant to audiences who have experienced similar struggles. 

Research on CCR 1

      Now this is oddly what I am excited for. Ever since my teacher introduced the CCRs, I have been brainstorming how I can present my knowledge and journey through this project. Although I am very interested in these questions, I still am aware that this is a big portion of my project and should be taken very cautiously. But for right now, it is just researching in response to the questions.

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

       Coming-of-age movies frequently feature themes of identity and personal development. Close-ups, for example, contribute the viewer to connect with the protagonist's personal issues by capturing meaningful moments. Wide shots, on the other hand, highlight the character's relationship to the outside world or their sense of isolation. POV shots put the viewer in the protagonist's shoes throughout major shifts in their lives. Low/high angles are sometimes used to convey weakness or power. While harsh lighting emphasizes emotional conflict, soft lighting is used to evoke nostalgia.

      My film opening conveys multiple of these conventions. Close-ups used to show Alba’s concern for choosing to miss out hanging out with her friends or family. The final shot is a wide shot to show how isolated she is from her heritage as she sits at the opposite side of the table from all the Venezuelan decorations. 

Kench, S. (2023, September 25). Video: 3 elements in the best coming of age movies. StudioBinder. https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-a-coming-of-age-movie-definition/ 

Small but proud editing

     Editing again... But at least there is something to show this time. This eyeline match might be basic editing, however, coming from someone who has zero (and I mean ZERO) experience in any form of editing, this is a small step. But in general editing has been going well and I am on the right track to be finished by the end of next week. I am a little nervous about the credits since I need to learn how to put text on clips. A sound element I have decided to possibly do is a voiceover. These are common in coming-of-age films and it would help the audience understand where the plot begins

Character looking at calendar off screen

Calendar shown directly after revealing issue

    The only clip I have had to refilm is the clip where Alba gets the notification from her friend asking if she is free that weekend. When I first filmed it, I didn't realize the time, 4:55. This is way too late to be arriving from school as it is almost evening. So I had to refilm that short clip at around 3. This way it is more realistic as in the U.S. we leave school at 3.

Editing my brain

     Started editing!! Sadly. This is the worst part of these types of projects. I typically enjoy editing when all clips are in order, placed nicely, and have the right momentum. That means all that is left is sound and adjusting the visual of the clip. That is fun, I want to watch some videos on how to make that work in Adobe Premier Pro as I am not as familiar with the program but know it can be very useful in this project.

    Right now, I am just organizing everything and getting familiar with Adobe Premier. I am weirdly excited about learning more about this tool. Although I might start editing this week, next it is going to be all I think of. This week is a little rocky with focus since the quarter is ending so every teacher is assigning projects or tests. I am relieved that next week my focus will be on this project. This blog post just served as a small update as I am just beginning to edit. Next post, I want to give an example of an edit I have done.