🔖WHAT INSPIRED ME?🔖

 Hey bloggers,

    When first brainstorming our project, may different thoughts came across our groups mind. Topics such as sports, school stress, and video games crossed our mind. However, this topic specifically, of a kid who is suffering in silence, felt the most fitting for many reasons. Mental health is a huge topic in todays world, and encouraging people to get the help they need has been at an all time high. Messages like these are spread over all forms of social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok etc. On the dark side, we see people who would rather suffer silently...

    As boys growing up, we all agreed (our group) that we have been taught that crying shows moments of weakness of vulnerability. However, now that we have gotten older, we have learned that it's okay to sometimes show emotion. Humans are meant show emotion, as it is a natural part of human life, whether someone is a female or male. Venting how you feel about your feelings about someone or a certain situation is extremely beneficial. You get the opportunity to get things off your chest, and who doesn't like to do that? Me personally, when I feel something isn't right or my gut feeling is telling me something isn't right, I always address the situation.

    However, sadly, most men would rather keep it to themselves. They would rather cut deeper scars within themselves without addressing a particular problem until it gets too much to handle. That's why you see in our scene at the pool that our main character tells our background character that he has been doing well. While deep down inside he is suffering. It's okay to cry. It's okay to let out your emotions when you feel it's needed. Talk to someone when you are going through a tough period in time. Never suffer in silence.

🎩EDITING TRICKS🎩

Hey bloggers,

    Editing our project has been quite time consuming to say the least. Before we started our process of editing, we knew that it was going to be a challenge. We thankfully had Antwan edit who has already had prior experience in editing, but Gallarde and I still had our fingerprints involved. We wanted our project to come out a specific way, in which our editing had to be top tier. While discussing how to edit it, we discovered some tricks...

    A valuable trick we learned during this process was to start with a plan. Going into editing without having a foundation is like a headless chicken looking for food. It's important to develop a rough draft or outline when doing things like this. That's why a storyboard is so important in the editing process. You can organize your clips on paper or computer so when the editing comes around, all you have to do is look at your storyboard and organize it as such. You can also put the transitions and shots on the storyboard.

    Another trick I gained an understanding of was to focus on the continuity of your film. It's crucial to pay attention to it so your film runs smoothly. It includes maintaining consistent eyelines, ensuring the passage of time is crystal clear to the audience, and matching action continuity between shots. This step is CRITICAL to the development of your story.

💻SOCIAL MEDIA💻

 Hey bloggers,

    When searching for ideas on how to go about this project, I was quite dumbfounded. Obviously I knew the foundation of how I wanted the the project to look, but I struggled looking for how to create meaning within our scenes. That's when I took my concerns to social media. Platforms such as TikTok and Instagram provided me with an abundant amount of ideas and how to make our scenes the best they could be. Social media is an excellent place to find inspiration, and I am glad I did because I was able to find so many things that benefitted my project.

    I searched up on TikTok, "how to make a sad film", with the hopes of finding something similar to what I'm doing. Luckily, I was able to find some things that helped me. They suggested using dark clothing, but specifically casual attire. This casual attire, this specific TikToker said, would suit what we were trying to get at, which is a depressed teenager, and as we know, teenagers love to wear comfy outfits. Another piece of inspiration that I got from Instagram was to show our main character in a secluded place. Obviously that suggestion is quite broad, but it lead me thinking about the pier at Riviera Isles. In this case, we ended up recording a scene at the pier and we never looked back.

🤲WISHLIST🤲

Hey bloggers,

    While recording our project, we wondered "what if we had a bigger budget?" Obviously these are just curious thoughts, but having a significantly larger budget would definitely make things look better. As the director, seeing how the camera effects the outcome of a film was truly fascinating. At first, we started recording with an iPhone 15. However, when Antwan offered us the chance to use his Canon camera, it changed the whole landscape of our project. Going from a pretty good camera, to an an actual camera that is used for things like this helped us in ways that we could have never imagined.

    Having Gallarde as our actor was amazing, but the truth is that he is not an actor. If we had the chance to have a competent actor, who actually knows how to get the best out of every scene, would be absolutely  incredible. Costuming, although a huge component, does not necessarily require a huge budget. If we wanted to record a lavish film with fancy scenery, restaurants, cars etc then of course we would want the costuming to match the occasion. However, our film could have clothes from the dollar store and we would still be content with it. 

    In terms of our location, we were extremely happy with where we were able to record. However, it would be nice to be in a secluded area as it would have fit our idea for the project, which was isolation. If we had an unlimited budget we probably would rent out a small part of Miami for a night just to shoot a couple of scenes. Having a professional editing team with the best of the best editing software would be a BLESSING. Our project would be immaculate as the edits would be smooth, exquisite, and seamless. Sound plays a huge component, so maybe paying a prominent artist/band would work wonders for us. Our lighting was actually perfect for our project, so I probably wouldn't change anything about it.

🖥SPECIFIC CAMERA SHOTS/ANGLES🖥

 Hey bloggers,

    As already stated many times, camera shots and angles can convey multiple messages without actually saying what they are. They are what, I would call, "subtle messages". As a group, we wanted to use multiple different angles and shots that would be able to show the main characters emotions. Recording some of these shots were tedious at times, but we felt these angles/shots would best convey what we were trying to aim for.

    Starting off, we see the opening with our main character, Gallarde, in bed with an alarm clock waking him up. In this scene, I used an overhead shot to really get insight on his facial expressions when waking up. His demeanor makes it seem like he is dreading waking up. Another shot that can also be seen within the same clip is a close shot. Close shots are great at capturing emotions, in fact, probably the best shot at catching those feelings that cannot be captured with any other shot.

    An additional scene that I wanted to touch on was near the end, wear we can see our main character sat down on a bench. During this scene, I wanted to show that our protagonist was at his lowest point, which is why we incorporated a high angle shot. High angle shots are brilliant at capturing vulnerability, in which our protagonist is probably in his most vulnerable state. Isolation is also something that can be seen within this high angle shot. We see that it's just our protagonist, with no one around. The time of day and his surroundings are able to be analyzed within this shot, which is why the high angle was the best for this situation.

📱EDITING POST 2📱

 Hey bloggers,

    As we finish up our project, we have started to put our final touch ups to ensure our project is how we want it to be. Editing has gone pretty smooth sailing, barring a few mistakes such as deleting a scene but you can always but it back. Also, it was annoying adjusting the scenes into their proper positions as when you'r scrolling them to get where they are supposed to go, it goes to fast. Just a minor problem though, no biggie. We spent around an hour and a half finishing up our editing process. 

We added a couple sounds, while also toning down the volume on a couple of the clips due to the loud background noises during filming. Our title sequence was added at the start of the film, as we were looking for the right clip to be inserted in there. During our editing process, we started to notice that our film may have been a little too long. As a result, we sadly had to exclude a couple of scenes that we recorded. Although it may suck, we still know our project is up to par with our standards. 

🌌DAY 2 OF SHOOTING🌌

Hey bloggers,

    Our second day of filming is finished! Like our first, it was filled with laughter, excitement, energy, but also frustration and anxiety. Filming can get quite frustrating, especially when you'r trying to record the perfect scene. Input from both me, the director, and Gallarde, the actor, were made in order to find what we thought was best and most fitting for a scene. 

    During this day of filming, we filmed at the Riviera Isles pier. This location was absolutely PERFECT for what we were trying to get at in this scene and the scenery was gorgeous. We thought of many places to shoot these scenes, but this was the best and most convenient for us. All the shots that you see at night were recorded during our second day of filming. This day, it was just Gallarde and I, as Antwan was not allowed to come out this late since these shots were recorded at around midnight.

    I wouldn't really say there were any challenges, but it was pretty annoying waiting for the Riviera lights to turn off. They normally turn off at 10 but due to the change in time, they now turn off at 11. Staying out this light definitely had my mom on edge as it was extremely late (I just had to reassure her that I'm only like 5 minutes away). Overall, our second day of filming was filled with a lot of reshoots, but it was extremely fun and we got what we needed to get done, done.

🕶REPRESENTATION🕶

Hey bloggers,

    Being a teenager is a critical part in the process of finding yourself, whether it's finding what job you like or what particular fashion style you would like to categorize yourself under. In this process, we, like adults and elders, go through rough and challenging periods. However, it is fair to say that the way girls deal with these problems, compared to boys, is like night and day. In today's society, we as men, are more likely to deal with our personal problems in silence, as we would rather not inflict our pain on others. 

    As a group, we decided to choose this topic, although many other ideas were discussed. As our group consists of only boys, we felt this topic would resonate with us more than any other idea we brainstormed. We feel this project is one that most people, whether male or female, could relate to because everyone has different ways of dealing with pain, whether it's heartbreak or losing a family member. The overwhelming pressure that comes with being a teen can truly make or break someone, which can be a determining factor in a teen growing into the successful adult, or living a tumultuous and chaotic life.

    Our stereotype is fairly simple; a depressed teen who masks him problems with his big smile and exuberant personality. It's often said that the happiest person in the room is always the one who is struggling the most, so that's why we included that scene at the pool with our protagonist noticeably happy. Our scene in the bedroom with clothes and bottles scattered on the floor is supposed to reflect his mental state; calamitous and struggling. Personally, this scene felt PERFECT for the situation and we were extremely happy with how it came out. 

    We felt costuming was going to be CRUCIAL, so we made our actor dress very specifically for the occasion. His all black attire, we felt, fits the tone for the films identity. However, for the scene at the pool and on the swings, we opted to go for a white shirt as it shows purity and innocence. But for the other scenes, you obviously can clearly see his internal struggles are impacting the way he dresses, as all black indicates anxiety. 

    Honestly, we felt we did not need to improve anything with our character. Our actor put in 100 percent effort, which is all that matters. Obviously there are things I wish came out better (or maybe sounded better in my head), but nothing is supposed to come out perfect. 

    

💭WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A MOVIE DIRECTOR?💭

 Hey bloggers,

As already stated before in previous blogs, I have been assigned the role of being the movie director for our film opening. At first, I thought being the director would be quite a dull role, as being the actor and recorder seemed more intriguing. However, my mind was quickly changed when I was creating the storyboards and our first day of filming. ITS SO FUN! Being able to really express yourself and control what is happening in a movie definitely brings huge doses of dopamine. Lets really get into what it takes to be a movie director...

Most importantly, HAVE FUN/BE CREATIVE! Don't think that just because what you think may seem corny is going to also be felt by the audience. Sometimes we are too harsh on ourselves, which ends up limiting our creativity. Be free. Don't let the expectations and stereotypes effect what YOU want to do with your movie because at the end of the day, you are the movie director. Creativity is a huge component when it comes to being a director. You have to be able to make your movie unique. Think outside the box and don't be like everyone else. Adding that extra bit of OOMPH to your movie could be the reason why your movie does excellent at the box office.

Another excellent skill to have under your belt is to be a great problem solver. Many problems may arise on set, which could lead to unrest throughout the whole crew. This could end up leading to the collapse of your movie and all the money you have spent, gone. When any problems come up during filming, make sure to communicate CLEARLY with your crew, analyze the situation, be flexible, and be able to think creatively and critically. You don't want your whole movie to go to waste over a small dispute or disagreement.

📖UPDATED STORYBOARD📖

 Hey bloggers,

    As we start to update and add new ideas to our project, it is time to make a new storyboard. We initially were happy with our original idea, as it was all planned out and seemed to be good. However, as we started to record, we noticed that some of these initial thoughts were not going to pan out well. For example, that scene at the beginning where we wanted to foreshadow our main characters death with a tombstone seemed a littttlleee too harsh so we decided to scratch that idea.

    In the first box, we wanted to incorporate an overhead shot to be able to get a clear view of his facial expression during this rough period of his life. This scene includes him waking up, while wiping his face in frustration as he hears the irritating sound of his alarm going off. This was the perfect start to our film. In the second box, we use a low angle as the camera looks up to him getting out of his bed, kicking all the clutter on the ground out of his way. We wanted to show that he is the main character in this situation and the one with the most power, as this frustrated state causes him to act in ways that are not needed. All the clutter on the ground is supposed to reflect his rough mental state. Moving on to the third box, we included  a shot where our main character is in the mirror. He looks frustrated and dejected, as his life at the moment is not going his way at all. Mirrors are a time where self reflection takes place, at least for me. He is looking at himself, unhappy with his physical appearance, wishing that he looked better. In the fourth box, it's a simple under the waist shot as we show our main character walking to his car.

    In our fifth box, we have our main character in the car by himself. He starts the car, looking frustrated and is not looking forward to his day. He places his head on the steering wheel, in clear distress as you hear him put the key in his car and the car starting. Our camera is in the car with our main character. In the sixth box, we implemented an over the shoulder shot with our background actor being the one whose shoulder we are recording after. We use the over the shoulder shot to show conversation, while our main and background character are talking about how they have been recently. Clearly lying, we have our main character saying he has been happy, when he hasn't. In the seventh box, we have our main and background character having fun on on the swings, clearly enjoying their time. We incorporate a low angle during this scene. You can also hear jovial music, just to show this is a fun part in our main characters rough life. Lastly, in our eighth box, we used a fade transition to go from the fun and sunny part of our main characters day, to the lonely, dark moment of his life. We felt this was a perfect scene just to show his devastating life.

    

🏃‍♂️GROUP DYNAMICS🏃‍♂️

Hey bloggers,

Our film has been a huge focus of ours throughout these past weeks, with many hours being put into making it the best possible film opening it can be. Filming and editing has been quite tedious, however through communication and teamwork, we have been able to fight this adversity and keep moving forward. On weekends, it has been hard to find a day where all of us are available, as some of us have work, already have plans, or simply cannot go. So normally, we will work on weekdays on a little bit of a time constraint, but it hasn't been THAT serious.

As a group, all of us have been able to pull our our own weight, as we all CLEARLY know our roles and what it takes to make our film the best it can be. Gallarde has done a fantastic job at acting, as his exuberant personality makes him the most fit for our role. Antwan's experience with editing has allowed us to put our ideas to fruition, through the use of multiple transitions, angles, and exaggerated camera movements. My role as director has gone pretty smoothly, barring a couple setbacks with disagreements. Making the scenes has been quite stressful, but through the help of my supportive teammates, I have been able to be creative.