BLOG 17: PRE-SHOOTING CHECKLIST

BLOG 17: PRE-SHOOTING CHECKLIST

Hey, angels😇🪽, welcome back to my blog! 

    Today's content will be my preparation process to begin filming in three weeks (time does FLY🪽, don't you think so?). I will have a DETAILED discussion on the difficult and easy things that I've encountered. 😉 Besides that, I will also elaborate on the members' responsibilities in each filming element. With that being said, let's START with today's content🏁.

    Among all the things to consider, the HARDEST thing my team and I encountered during the preparation process was deciding the filming date. Due to each member's busy schedule from the holidays, it was complicated for us to all decide on a day when all of us can be free. On top of that, not all members could drive themselves; hence we also have to consider when their parent could be free for the ride duty. Other than that, everything else was a piece of CAKE🍰; we all quickly decided on who's responsible for what. Let me break these down for my angels. 😇🪽

1. Actor 

    For this film project, we only need one actor, as Gigi, the main character, will be the only character that appears on camera. After a long discussion, we PROUDLY dedicate this important task to Little Miss Barbie, since she's the MOST natural on camera among us. Additionally, she has an EXCELLENT facial expression that is just perfect for the role. We are 100% sure that she will pull this role off flawlessly. 

2. Costumes 

    We didn't bother too much about costumes, as we can use any simple outfit for the shoot. As the film portrays a teenager who is about to celebrate her coming-of-age party with her dad, we don't want anything that is too extravagant, or else it will take away the casual element and the at-home (family-style party) vibe we try to convey. 

3. Props 

For the props, every member agreed to bring in whatever they could to contribute to the setting. For instance, I'm in charge of the birthday cake. While Little Miss Barbie is going to bring the birthday decoration that she has from her mom's recent birthday party. I feel like this is the BEST option, as we don't have to force people to buy things since most of the members don't work; instead we make things WORK with what we have. 

4. Locations 

    At first, we decided to choose Little Miss Barbie as our filming location. However, as we're developing the storyboard, we encountered a BIG issue. We wanted sunlight to be our main source of lighting in arc 1; hence the vanity that Gigi's going to do her makeup at has to be placed against some type of window to get the MOST sunlight. Fortunately, this problem was quickly solved as Little Miss Cleongy has the perfect setup for this arc. Finally, we all agreed to choose her house to be the filming location. 

5. Dates & Times 

    We wanted to have some family time during Christmas and New Year; hence, we all decided on the week after Christmas and ideally after New Year. After further discussion, we decided to film on Friday, January 3rd. Regarding filming time, I wanted to finish the filming process in one day; hence, the earlier is the better for me. This also makes it easier for a member who doesn't have a car, as they don't have to continue bothering their parents if the filming process extended. However, Little Miss Barbie wants to do it at 1:00 P.M. as she said she wanted to enjoy her lunch and time before doing the harsh labor. Well, I do understand her perspective, but I still find it a bit ridiculous, but since no member spoke about it, the time has all agreed to be 1:00 P.M.

6. Film Equipment

    We all decided to borrow filming equipment from a reliable source my teacher recommended (thank you, Mrs. Woz 🥰). We wanted to do so in order to OPTIMIZE the filming quality as well as the light and sound properties. Nonetheless, if we can't get the equipment on time (not to jinx this😔), we have to use our phone as a substitute for a professional camera and probably utilize any light sources around the house to enhance the atmosphere. 

BLOG 16: SCENE SEQUENCE DESIGN

BLOG 16: SCENE SEQUENCE DESIGN

Hey, lovies😚, welcome back to my blog! 

    Today's content will be about my final project's moodboard. I will fill you guys in on the behind-the-scenes process, including the production stage, the challenges we encounter, as well as all the FIRECE arguments I survived through (the tea is going to be HOT! 🍵). Besides that, I will explain the connection between each scene, how one flows into another, and let's not forget to discuss each member's role in this time-consuming task (they deserve this recognition💪🏻.) With that being said, let's SWIM🏊🏻‍♀️ into this hot tea, shall we? 😏.

Final Project Storyboard

  

 Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you... Eighteenth's Storyboard. This is the FIRST TIME I disclose our film project title to you guys (so be grateful😁). This is a product of hours of discussion and planning (this stage took more time than we anticipated). Due to a conflict of interest, my team has gone through some unnecessary arguments that we tried our best to avoid. A particular argument that I remember was between 2 members (that I will not reveal their name🤫); it was just a silly fight that resulted from their differences in working styles. One was more laid back while the other was more structured, with the second person preferring to have a concrete plan rather than just wait till it's time. However, it doesn't sound as bad as it does (trust me😉); the problem is all resolved now, and we are all on GOOD TERMS. 😆 Matter of fact, from these small arguments we were able to learn so many beneficial lessons along the way. The most valuable lesson I learned is the way to incorporate everyone's ideas so none of them feel left out, which can avoid any unnecessary fights from personal dissatisfaction.

    Furthermore, after a few days of open communication, we decided it is BEST to create a script together, then assign each member a responsibility according to their interest and ability to fully optimize the time. We ended up with Little Miss Cleongy being the artist, who is in charge of the drawing portion of storyboarding; next we have Little Miss Barbie as our creative director, who works SIMULTANEOUSLY along with Little Miss Cleongy to guide her on her drawing process. Last but not least, we have a dynamic duo, me and Little Miss #2, working on the description and the assembling of the storyboarding. Our chemistry was ON POINT; everything was done within a designated deadline (YAYY 🥳!!). Personally, I feel like this storyboard PERFECTLY reflects what we all imagined; the scenes flow smoothly from one to another. This will be a FLAWLESS GUIDE for our future filming task; please stay tuned for the next updates. 🥰💗.

BLOG 15: FINAL AESTHETIC LAYOUT

BLOG 15: FINAL AESTHETIC LAYOUT

Hey, gorgeous🎀, welcome back to my blog! 

    Today I will talk about my movie trailer’s mood board. We will ANALYZE the common mise-en-scene elements, the mood being conveyed, as well as the intention behind all of the picture. With that being said, let’s RUN to today’s content🏃🏻‍♀️💨.

Mood Board

    For our coming-of-age film opening, the mood board is designed to capture a blend of celebration and personal reflection. The general aesthetics feature a mix of warm, intimate tones and subtle, melancholy hues. This combination helps to portray the protagonist's emotional journey as she navigates her first birthday without her mom. The warm tones represent the birthday celebration, while the melancholy hues reflect her feelings of loss and introspection.

Main Characters

- The protagonist is a young girl in her early teens who is going to celebrate her coming-of-age party ALONE (for the first time) due to the death of her mom and her dad's sudden call-off from a conflict with his work schedule😭. This mood board captures her journey of determination and the beginning of her transformation.

- The protagonist's dad is the second character that will be showcased in this trailer. We use a photo of her dad, shown in a work setting, to highlight his absence and the reason for her spending the birthday alone🤵🏻.

Settings

- The setting will mainly take place in 2 rooms. The first is the living room; we purposely choose a cozy living room decorated with birthday banners and balloons to symbolize the birthday celebration🎈.

- The second setting is the protagonist’s bedroom, where the first scene is going to take place. My team chose a quiet, dimly lit bedroom where she sits alone, reflecting on the roller coaster of emotion🎢 she’s going through while putting an emphasis on her grief over her mom’s death.

Costumes & Lighting

- The costumes include casual, everyday wear for the protagonist while she prepares for her birthday. As she gets ready, she wears a simple yet elegant party dress, symbolizing her attempt to make the day special despite the circumstances🥹. Additionally, we included her dad's work attire, emphasizing his busy schedule.

- The lighting is crucial in setting the mood. Warm, soft lighting is used in the living room to create a cozy and inviting atmosphere for the birthday celebration. In contrast, the bedroom scene features dim, natural light that enhances the sense of solitude and reflection🪞.

Props

- Birthday Cake: a small cake with a single candle, symbolizing her attempt to pull through this hardship by herself.

- Phone: showing a missed call from her dad, highlighting his absence where the trailer takes a dramatic turn.

- Makeup Kit: representing her effort to make the day special for herself.

- Family Photos: scattered around, evoking memories and emphasizing her sense of loss.

    Overall, this mood board captures the dual themes of celebration and personal reflection, PERFECTLY setting the tone for our film's emotional and relatable story.

BLOG 14: FINAL PROJECT BLUEPRINT

BLOG 14: FINAL PROJECT BLUEPRINT

Hey, lovies, welcome back to my blog! 

    Today's blog will be about my final decision on film opening (YES!! Finally it's my turn). I will shortly elaborate on the film opening's ideas. So you can see the vision I see😎. With that being said, let's dive into today's blog🌊.

    For our final project, we finally all decided on a coming-of-age theme. I personally think this genre is perfect because it focuses on both the EMOTIONAL and RELATABLE experiences of growing up. The story basically centers around a girl who celebrates her birthday alone for the first time after her mom's passing. This concept highlights the journey of self-discovery and the emotional growth that comes with it. We chose this genre because it's doable with our available resources, such as the setting, props, and costumes that Little Miss Barbie graciously😆 provided from her recent birthday celebration at her house.

    Despite being one of the harder options, we still decided to go with the coming-of-age genre (in for a penny, in for a pound, am I right? 🫡). This genre gives us a perfect chance to explore deeper into the emotional theme, which I think will help your project stand out from other candidates. To fully fit into the coming-of-age conventions, I planned to focus more on the protagonist’s emotional struggles and personal growth. By doing so, it will make my story more unique than other typical coming-of-age stories, as it puts MORE emphasis on a significant personal milestone rather than broader themes of adolescence. Through these intentions, we aim to create a CAPTIVATING narrative that resonates with the audience while making the most of our limited time and resources.

 I’m SO EXCITED about this project! Please stay tuned for our final version! 🥳🎈

BLOG 13: INTRO SEQUENCE STUDY

BLOG 13: INTRO SEQUENCE STUDY

Hey, sunshines🌞, welcome back to my blog! 

    Today's blog will mainly be about title sequences. I will personally choose 3 movies that INTEREST me the most, then study the titles as well as their production process to provide a deep analysis of each movie title (it's going to be a LONG day 🥹). With that being said, let's start with today's content🚦.

1. Se7en (1995)

    The first movie I chose is Se7en, a famous thriller by David Fincher. This movie is a dark and intense thriller that follows two detectives, who are on a TERRIFYING hunt for a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his motivation. To further enhance the frightfulness, Mr. Cooper makes sure to use a series of disturbing and disjointed images. Not stopping right there, he added eerie music in the background, this immediately immersed the viewers into the Se7en’s fictional world. Furthermore, his clever use of different fonts as well as visual effect helps boost the sense of unease and anticipation, which helps prepare the audience for the incoming unsettling narrative😱.

P/S: I definitely RECOMMEND you check this movie out; this is definitely worth your 2 hours and 7 minutes 😁.

2. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

    Next, I want to mention another work of art. Ladies and gentlemen… The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, as a matter of fact, is my FAVORITE movie in The Lord of the Rings’ realm😆. This fantasy masterpiece revolves around Frodo Baggins, who is on his DANGEROUS mission to destroy a powerful ring. Weta Workshop, the brains behind this IMPRESSIVE title sequence, unquestionably spent a good amount of their time creating the beautiful maps with unbelievable details🗺️. The maps strongly contributed to the enchanting atmosphere of Middle-earth; these visual elements are THOUGHTFULLY designed to capture the rich history and geography of The Lord of the Rings’ realm. However, let’s not forget the powerful score composed by Howard Shore; the intense melody further enhanced the epic atmosphere and overall set a perfect mood for the adventure that’s about to unfold.

3. Mad Men

    To freshen things up, I decided to choose a series for this selection. I want to make an honorable mention to my favorite director, who’s none other than the genius Matthew Weiner, the manipulator of Mad Men. Mad Men is a captivating TV series that explores the lives of advertising executives on Madison Avenue during the 1960s. The title sequence, designed by Imaginary Forces, is a DEFINITION of a “visual feast”; it PERFECTLY captures the stylish yet chaotic world of this era. By featuring ICONIC images (such as falling man or a rotating carousel), it vividly brings the 1960s vibe to life. In addition, the jazzy music accompanying the title sequence adds an energetic mood to the atmosphere that makes everybody want to move their body🎺🎶.