It's my birthday!

Well it did not go as expected, too much stuff went on today and I did not get to film. I didn't really think it through to be honest but I really should have. I was out all day for my birthday and didn't have time to even make the newspaper I wanted to make and script before filming. As I did not have these items obviously I wasn't completely ready to begin filming. I think that I should begin my filming process soon  and as it did not go as planned this week maybe next week I can complete this. 

I ended up filming basic shots but it was also my birthday so there was A LOT going on in the background. With both music and chatter in the back I clearly didn't think it through because I was confused when it got to that point. Though I did try to start it with no proper plan I think I definitely need more time to get everything together. Next week I will be doing the following things that will help set up my filming for the weekend. First I will be doing my storyboard because without that I do not think it's best to start off. Yes, I did have a storyboard made but I made it today right before I trying to film so I will be making major adjustments to it. Second, I will be creating the mise-en-scene element I wanted to make which was a newspaper about the plot of the story. Also, I will continue on with my research with both sound and angles so when I do begin to film the opening I have a complete understanding of everything I sill be completing. 

Though it is sad that it didn't go as planned I do think this can be a positive as I was likely not ready to begin the filming process yet. Hopefully we can have everything ready and get started for next week. See you all soon with more progress on my journey to create an opening film scene. 

To Be Continued...

                     Hi there, Juan Again

 Product and editing ideas for opening scene: 

So I was thinking with a couple of friends today about ideas on how to make the opening stand out in the film. So we came up with what I believe is a good idea on the opening shots. As in the opening the group of kids will be watching a UFC fight I was thinking about cutting from a move the fighter does to the killer doing the same move on the victim. So, like I said before there will be a group of friends, teenagers, that are watching a UFC fight. throughout the fight goes on the scene will be cutting back and court on the group and the killer upstairs. The killer is never actually seen but I will be using POV shots and the handle camera motion to show his presence in the house. When one of the characters go upstairs he encounters the killer and he ends up killing him. What I wanted to do was maybe show one of the fighters in a choke hold and then fade into a transition of the killer holding a choke hold on the victim to show the presence of it and try and be creative with a idea.

Also, I wanted there to be a weird kind of scary conversation that goes on between the group  of teens. This is because I wanted there to be a jump scare between 2 of the people just messing around with each other. This again is to create some type of suspense between them and the room. It shows the suspenseful outcome and ideas that can be happening. Maybe I can even do It as they are talking about the recent killings in the film. As I wanted to use my Mise-en-scene product of a newspaper or some type of paper that shows that the news has been keeping up with killings in the neighborhood. So as the group talks about the killings one of the kids jump scares another one. When this takes place I will add some sound element that also adds suspense and scare to the viewer. So after this jump scare one of the characters go upstairs leading to his death. I think I can work this out and tomorrow can show this in plan.

Week 4, Post 1 ( Planning )

It's Week four!

Filming Plan:

This week should be the week that I begin filming. I have my whole planning and research in order and together so it should be fine to begin this weekend. March 4th is my birthday and one of my favorite fighter Jon Jones if fighting on Saturday, my birthday. Since I will be having people over at my house I think it is the best time to be filming as friends will be over. I have asked my friends if they were comfortable with me filming them and they said its fine. So I will be continuing my plan to film during that day. If worked efficiently I think we should be able to finish the project and next week begin the editing. Though I will obviously be celebrating my birthday I think its the best place and time to begin filming parts of the film I need. I definitely wanted to take advantage of this and at least film some type of content that day.

for the costumes I guess it would have to be whatever is the clothing my friends bring. Since it is a model film and there is nothing too serious about the clothing aspect I do think it will be fine to let them wear whatever they wear and for with that for the costumes in mise-en-scene. I did want to do something in the background and a close up of it on the opening. Maybe like a newspaper or a article that is shown throughout the opening of killings in the neighborhood or something that signifies there has been killings in the area recently.  Also I will be adding boxing gloves on the couch, popcorn, and food around so it makes it seem more real and important.

Sound Research

                  Hi There, It's Juan 

Sounds Role in Films

Sound is real important especially in all types of films especially under the horror genre. In order to encourage deeper psychological connection and increase the fear of the horror film, it purposely affects the viewer's psychological view. In modern horror films, sound often takes the place of the screen and, in some cases, even take priority over it. Sound raises the viewers encouragement to watch the film and it increases the scare factor to the movie. Sound is used in multiple different ways through movies including music, dialogue, sound effects, ambient noise, background noise and soundtracks. The three primary categories of film sound are music, sound effects, and dialogue. For the viewer these three sorts of sound are important.

Video of Foley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BQvCCB-PiA&ab_channel=Insider

In these YouTube video they show how sound is used in horror films and how when it is used it creates suspense and scare in the audience. I came across these YouTube videos while i was doing my research under the sound for horror films. It is two  really great videos and in my opinion I do believe they both can actually show efficiently how to use sound to better a film and how it is used in films today.

YouTube Video on the sounds of horror: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nthl4yD2ubY&ab_channel=GammaRay

Throughout my film I will be using lots of Foley sounds and music. I believe the music in the background of a scene or something important helps much with suspense and helps bring together the scare for the viewer. At the moment i do not know what song it will be but it will most likely be some type of beat that has no type of talking but more a serious tone. As I progress on the blog you will se my journey on this topic and the whole project together, thanks for reading.

Group Meeting

                   Group Meeting Chat

Today in class we did what my teacher called a group meeting. This is when she makes a group of 5 and we al take out our blogs showing it to each member of the group. For this group meeting my group consists of 5 people including me all classmates of mine. 

My group gave me a couple of ideas including making the fighting low, using lots of close ups shots and maybe even over the shoulder shots. I was told by my group to use these three ideas for my opening to help create suspense and thriller into the film, which is helpful. I told them how I don't want to show the face of the antagonist or show him at all throughout the opening film. So they came up with ways to show the presence of the antagonists but now show him fully. I personally liked the group meeting as I shared my thought with everyone and they critiqued me with my ideas as well. Also, we looked at each others blogs and I got to see different types of blogs and ways people show their information in their blogs.

Group Picture: 

While looking at everyone's post I saw lots of creative ways and ideas that they portrayed their items and information. Furthermore, hearing everyone's thoughts and plots shows the variety of things you can do for this opening scene. All the different genres and scenes showed are helpful to see the differences in people thoughts and ideas. Someone in my group called Abraham was even doing a horror film opening but it had some type of supernatural aspect to it. He said that the killer ends up killing a person in the beginning of the opening and then at the end it shows that the killer was actually the victim that died. I was confused so I asked him more about It and he helped tell the group that he was looking for some type of supernatural idea in his opening. In the group we even had someone say their film was going to be on a mental health problem where the main character is the antagonist and she kills people in her dreams. This was such a creative way to show the horror into a opening scene. She also said that the people she kills in her dreams end up dying in real life and so it brings so much confusion and thriller into the opening that it seems like a great opening scene. I always liked the whole group meeting idea cause sharing your thoughts and ideas to other people especially people in your class that you know seems like a great way to improve and make key changes into the film's opening.

Technical Elements Research

                  Hi, It's Juan Again 

Technical elements are key parts to horror films throughout this post I will be showing my conclusions after my research on this topic. Shots and angles are key elements to this genre as the goal is the have the audience scared and create suspense throughout the film. A couple shots and angles can do exactly this and help with the goal on the film opening and fit in with the genre which here is horror.

 

Dutch Angle: The dutch angle, which may also be called the canted angle, is a technique often used in horror films to create confusions and panic to the film. Often this show is used as a long shot or a medium shot as it can not be too close to the character so it shows his surroundings and movements. The rotating background will be shown with the character this will create lots of confusion into the viewer and bring suspense into the film. 

Youtube Video on dutch angle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHYfsYQDr6M

 

Long Tracking Shots: In horror and suspense films, long tracking shots are an excellent way to give the audience the impression that the character is being followed or watched. The attacker's view could be from which the shot was taken. This type of shot can also be all about the surroundings, so it can be used to build a scary vibe. These extended takes are tiring as  they are so full of suspense and tension. These takes will not be too long in order to stop boring the viewers to the point where they stop watching.

Close Ups: Close ups are a key factor into bring suspense to the viewers. Showing the close features of items or a person helps create the scare into the audience by zooming in on the facial expressions of the character at hand. Also, by holding on the close up, jump scares are also used to create terror for a moment  In the audience. Even though this shot's not as wide as a establishing shot, there is large ways to be versatile with this shot. I will definitely be using lots of close ups in my opening scene and will do this because it will help improve and bring the idea of the whole opening together.

Youtube Video on Close Ups: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbO3BOsFacc

   I will be using all of these different types of shots and angles throughout my opening film this is research I was and have been doing on specific shots used lots of times in horror films. Throughout the post I show pictures and even the YouTube videos I had watched while completing my research on this topic. This research was done through the past couple days I believe I started doing this on Tuesday, its now Thursday. Hopefully you all enjoyed these posts and i'll see you in the next one. 

Project Schedule

                 Hi There, It's Juan 

So today in class I was reminded by my teacher to add a schedule to the blog. The schedule would show my days planned for every week. Though one week will be research and planning and others will be filming it is best to keep everything together and organized and follow a schedule to be precise with time.

Week 1: This week was all about planning and research. 

Week 2: By the second week I should have a overall idea of how I want the plot and the opening to go.

Week 3: By week 3 I will have the shooting schedule ready at the end of this week. Also, I will be completing a storyboard to show my ideas in the shots and angles I want throughout the film opening. As I want to bring lots of suspense into the opening I will be using lots of close ups and high angle. Also, in the week I will be developing the script and creating a shot list to use when filming.

Week 4: On the fourth week I will continue on with the research and planning for the project. Later throughout the week I will begin filming and creating some mise-en-scene elements. I wanted to add some mise-en-scene that I made into the opening. I was thinking about making my own newspaper and it showing the killings that have been happening in the story or some type of events in the story that have been going on.

Week 5: This week is a important week. By this week I should have finished my production maybe in the middle of the week and started editing at least on the weekend. If all goes to plan I should be editing my film opening by Friday and adding transitions, effects and more to the opening. Again, sound elements are really important for a horror film so throughout the week I will research more of sound and how to effectively use it in editing to scare the audience. 

Week 6: On this week will be ding research and watching samples of the creative critical reflections others have done. Also, if all goes right I shall have my editing to the opening completed and everything will be finished with the opening scene.

Week 7: On week 7 I will continue on with the research and post that process on my blog, and then hopefully by the end of the week being my creative critical reflection. 

Week 8: Finally,  I will create final, overall project reflection and also post my project all together including both the CCR and the Opening to the film.