Editing Week 2

In this image, our team is selecting a font to begin putting title words on our film. There was a long list of fonts, but we ultimately ended up choosing  the font "arial" due to its simplicity and easiness to see. We want the intention of our film to be clear, as well as the credits to be clear, thus this font worked the best to clearly represent our film.

In this film, our team is putting words on the film in a tracking manner. Our film is very dramatic and action oriented, thus our words will be moving across the screen to follow the action of the film. One team member began to write out the words and then paste them onto the screen, allowing the words to move across the screen.

In this image, Maddie and I are working on cutting down the length of some of our shots. In the filming process, we did not realize how monotonous some of our shots would feel, so we had to shorten some of the ongoing shots to maintain viewer interest in the film.

Editing Week One

In this image, I am transferring videos from my phone to the computer to begin editing. I plugged my phone in and created a folder on the computer from my iPhone video files.

In this image, Maddie is "scaling to frame size". Sometimes, in the process of transferring videos from the phone to the computer, the videos scale on a smaller level than they were filmed. Through pressing "scale to frame size" all of the videos turn into a size that is more accessible to work with and shows the entire shot.

In this image, Maddie is color correcting the shots in the film. Maddie added blue tones to the film to further the sad, dreary feeling that we are attempting to encompass in our murder mystery film.

Film Progress Week Two

This shot represents a potential "point of view" shot for our film. Part of our film will encompass the murderers chasing after Josh, the victim, in our film. Thus, thus specific shot can be used to show the chase from the murderers point of view which gives viewers a new perspective in the entire plot line. The only problem with this shot is that you can not film and drive at the same time, so the person filming has to try to position the camera so that it looks like the driver is filming.

This location represents our official establishing shot. I like how the length of the road gives a sense of depth to the film as viewers subconsciously recognize that this film will take them for a long road ahead. There are no real issues in this scene except for ensuring that, for the first few seconds of the film, there will be stillness on the road with no other movement so that viewers can fully engulf themselves into the setting.

This picture represents the car chasing shot in our film where the mysterious driver is following/chasing the main character as he runs. The only trouble we may run into with this shot is making sure that the camera is steady enough to clearly capture the shot which can simply be fixed with a camera stabilizer or tripod. 

Filming Week One

This image represents our establishing shot for our short film that falls under the first scene drawn into our storyboard. Ultimately, our main character will be running down a road before he begins to get chased down, thus this initial establishing shot will set the dark, mysterious scene. Ultimately, we realized that this shot would certainly be implemented into our film, however we need to re-film this scene on a more mysterious dark path at night. This film will not be too difficult to create as we merely need to introduce the setting through a brief panning shot.

This image represents one of the multiple scenes of our main character, Josh, running. The only problem with creating this shot is maintaining a stillness of the camera. In this image we did not have a camera stabilizer, thus the shot appears very blurry as the camera was bouncing. In the future, we will need to re-film this scene with a camera stabilizer to maintain the steadiness and clearness of the shot that will ultimately help portray the concept of the film better.

This image represents the final scene of our short film in which the main character has been hit over the head with a baseball bat. This shot can simply be filmed through standing above the character to show their unconscious state. Moving forward, we can take the image from a higher angle to encompass more of the ground and create a feeling of isolation that the character is going through as he lays on the ground alone.

Preparing Film Elements

   Aside from our storyboard, this week our team is officially beginning to plan our film. For example, we are now considering exactly what elements will be going into our film including who our actors will be, what film equipment we will need, and what props we may need among other elements. Ultimately, this week we finally have a complete list of what we will require to make this film successful and to convey the mood/theme.

• Actors: Our actors will all be from within our group, including Erin, Josh, and myself. Erin and myself will be playing the murderous criminals, while Josh will play the victim as the innocent runner.
• Costumes: To convey Erin and I's villainous nature, the two of us will simply be wearing dark clothes and masks to create confusion and fear of our identity. Meanwhile, to develop Josh's innocence, he will be wearing plain running clothes.
• Props: The only props we will require will be two cars (we will use Erin's car as well as mine). One car will be following Josh, while the other car will simply turn on its headlights to spook Josh in the beginning of the film and create suspense/foreshadowing. Also, we will require a baseball bat as, in one of the last scenes of the film opening, Erin will swing a bat at Josh to knock him out.
• Locations: Since we will be using a moving car and Josh will be on a run, we will be filming on a dimly lit street on Marco Island as it will likely be quiet and not too busy.
• Dates/times: The film has no specific time period so any weekend coming up will work, and we will be filming in the evening where there is just barely light left in the sky. This darkness with a hint of light will create suspense and fear as the darkness holds feelings of "unknown".
• Scripts: Our film will be not have speaking so as to create suspense, thus the only type of scripting we will need will be directions for the actors as to where they must move and what actions they will need to take. We will be playing music, however, which we will edit to change the intensity and volume to match the mood.
• Film equipment: We will use Maddie's camera, a tripod to stabilize the camera and make smooth scenes, and lighting to clearly show the scenes amid the darkness outside.

Storyboard

   
      My group began the storyboard process through first thinking of a location and time period for the film. We decided that, to contribute to the mystery of the film, an eerie location in darkness would work the best, thus we decided upon a quiet road in the darkness before dawn. Naturally, we also decided that this shot would be an establishing shot to show the isolation of the location. We also decided that throughout the film, the main character would have music playing and that the music would muffle and vary depending on what was happening in the film to create suspense as more dramatic scenes occur. Furthermore, we had to choose how the course of events would go throughout the film. We eventually decided that the main character would start an early morning run and then go through a variety of encounters with a strange car that would ultimately create suspense and lead up to the final scene in which the character is struck with a bat. Ultimately, the storyboard flows through multiple confusing and nerve wracking scenes that lead up to the climax of the baseball bat that transitions into the title scene. After we decided the course of events, we then decided on the shot types each scene would require. For example, scene five would use an over the shoulder shot as the character looks to see what is following him, so viewers feel the same shock that the character feels as they see everything from his perspective.
      In terms of the physical storyboard creation, Maddie helped draw the scenes, Josh and Erin helped to think of the plot, and I helped to consider the different camera angles and sound effects we could implement into the film.

Brainstorming

• I would like to use non-diegetic music that gradually increases in volume, as that tends to provide a feeling of suspense
• I would like to use low key lighting as such lighting will provide a dark, mysterious touch to the mystery film
• I would like to use plenty of over the shoulder shots during action scenes as it will help viewers feel as though, they too, are right in the middle of the drama
• I would like to use close up shots of strange pieces of evidence such as blood drops or various prints
• I would like to implement a clear and relevant title scene that will appropriately introduce viewers to the mysterious elements of the film they are about to watch
• In regard to costume, I would like to implement the use of mysterious effects such as fake blood or fake wounds
• I would like to use flashback to create suspense as viewers try to piece together the relevance between the past and the present
• I would like to use an establishing shot as a means of clearly showing a relevant and thought provoking location that adds to the mystery of the film

      One of the first elements I would like to use in our mystery/detective film opening is non-diegetic music, specifically music that gradually increases in volume. This slow volume progression naturally provokes fear and nervousness in viewers that I believe could help further the mysterious feel of the film opening. Furthermore, I would like to use low key lighting that provides a shadowy effect to the film. Shadows can naturally provoke confusion and fear in viewers as they wonder what lays behind the darkness, thus this lighting would be very useful in provoking a sense of mystery in the film opening. Moreover, I plan to employ many over the shoulder shots during moments of action and drama. Over the shoulder shots naturally include viewers into the film as they see first hand what the characters see, thus during action scenes, viewers will be able to identify with the mystery first hand. Close up shots will also be very important, specifically in showing clues that will help piece together the mystery. For example, we can use close ups for elements of the film such as finger/footprints or blood that will force viewers to see the importance of the element in solving the mystery as though they were the detective themselves. This importance will come naturally, as close ups automatically force viewers to see the element with more attention. Also, through watching the film openings I noticed the importance of a title scene in which the title is shown. Through a good title and title scene that represents the film through elements such as font or background, the whole film can be set up properly through accurately showing viewers what to expect. I also anticipate using specific elements of costume including fake blood/wounds so as to authenticate the sometimes bloody reality of mystery in real life. Our team will likely also use flashback to create suspense as viewers may feel a sense of wonder or anxiety as they put together the past with the current and see the ties. Finally, we may use an establishing shot to help show viewers exactly where the film will take place. Through this shot, if we use a location that provokes mystery such as a dark alley or abandoned area, viewers will automatically understand that this film will be one of mysterious elements.