post production #1

Today we worked finishing on filming the scene where the main character gets caught sneaking back into the house. We used my mom to act as the angry Hispanic mom and honestly she did really good and made the scene feel more realistic. We even had a little script for her to read off of so she knew what to say and how to react when she catches me. Her energy really helped bring the tension into the scene and made it more believable.

We actually finished filming the whole scene, but after watching it back I realized my acting was kind of rushed in that moment and it didn’t turn out how I wanted it to. The emotions didn’t feel natural and it just looked like I was trying to get the scene over with instead of really reacting to what was happening. Because of that, we decided we want to redo the scene with my mom so it can look better and feel more realistic.

This showed me how important it is to take time during filming and not rush, especially in emotional scenes. Even though we already filmed it, going back and improving it will make our project stronger in the end.

CCR Question 1

 CCR Question 1 – Genre Conventions and Representation

The first Creative Critical Reflection question asks: How does your product use or challenge genre conventions and represent social groups or issues?

To answer this question, I plan to start by discussing the genre of my film and the conventions that are normally associated with that genre. Genre conventions include things like typical camera angles, lighting, characters, story structures, and editing styles that audiences expect to see. I will explain where I learned these conventions by referencing research I did on other films within the same genre.

Next, I will talk about which genre conventions I decided to follow in my own film and why I chose to include them. I will also discuss any conventions that I challenged or changed in order to make the film more unique or creative.

Another important part of this reflection is representation. I will explain how my film represents individuals, social groups, or issues and how those representations are shown through characters, dialogue, or visuals. I will also reflect on how these choices might influence how audiences interpret the story.

To make this reflection more engaging, I will include visual examples from my film along with examples from other films in the same genre.

group meeting #2

 Today we had our second group meeting. My group had lots of interesting ideas and suggestions

 Andres- young hacker teen that gets recruited to hack this big company.  "primavera productions" his company (final cut camera)

gianna-  love story school meet up then flashback back to house party where they meet and then bf comes and ruins the moment.

fiona- Is doing teen girl that is acting older than she already is she gets kicked out of like a club and she is like falling apart lots of thought into costume and character development 

matias- wants to do swimmer sports films experiencing burn out but still wants to play the sport he loves. Focused alot on playing with sound. Production logo was "this has to be a joke" it was very nonch and i like it alot.

Ranveer- wanted to do like a dumb and dumber comedy inspiration from 21 jump street.

production #2

For this part of our production we took a picture of the lake because we want to film the sunrise there for our opening scene. The idea is to have the sun rising and then slowly fade our production logo into the sunrise. We thought this would look really cinematic and also set the mood for the beginning of the film. It gives a calm vibe before everything crazy starts happening in the story.

We are also planning to use different outside shots around the house, like the door and the area outside, to show the main character sneaking out. These shots will be filmed in quick succession with different angles so it feels fast paced and intense. It’s going to show him leaving the house quickly and trying not to get caught, which builds tension right from the start.

Taking the picture of the location really helped us visualize how the scene will look and how we want to frame everything. It helped us plan the lighting, camera angles, and timing of the sunrise so the transition with the logo looks smooth and realistic. Overall this planning helped us see how the setting and shots outside the house will help tell the story visually.

production #1

 For the bedroom starting scene we really focused on the details to help tell the story and show what kind of character he is without even saying anything. For the bed we used a bunch of stuffed animals to make it look like someone was sleeping. I literally have like 10 different Mickey Mouse stuffed animals so we made it look like a whole army under the covers. The blanket is pulled up but you can still clearly see the stuffed animals, so it makes it obvious that someone tried to fake being in bed and the mom already figured out the trick. This shows the sneaky rebellious teenager idea.

We also made sure everything on the desk looked like a messy teenager’s space. We placed random things like an ID, a cup, bracelets, and other objects to make it feel realistic and natural. Nothing was placed randomly, everything was there to help show personality and make the environment believable.

Another important detail was the alarm clock showing 7 a.m. even though it wasn’t actually that time. We originally wanted to film at sunrise to get the best lighting and make it look more realistic, but our schedule didn’t really allow that so we just changed the clock time. The lighting we got still looks good though, and honestly it worked better for our schedule so we’re happy with it.

Overall, planning and setting up the bedroom made me realize how small details and props can help tell the story, show character personality, and create meaning without needing dialogue.

prop

 For one of our props Vale made a party poster that we are going to use in the computer chat between me and my best friend before I sneak out. This prop is important because it helps give context to the story and shows why the main character even wants to go out in the first place. Instead of just saying there’s a party, the poster makes it feel more realistic and believable.

The poster is going to show up in the messages on the computer screen so the audience can see the details of the party and understand the motivation behind his decision. It helps build the narrative without using too much dialogue and adds to the realism of the film because it looks like something a real high school party would have.

I think this was a really smart idea because small props like this help tell the story visually. It also connects to our thriller vibe because the audience sees the setup before everything actually happens. Overall the party poster helps develop the plot, gives background information, and makes the whole sneaking out scene more meaningful.

company logo

 For our production company logo, we wanted to create something that had a strong Florida vibe, especially inspired by Miami’s aesthetic. We decided to use bright warm colors like orange, red, and blue because they remind people of sunsets, the beach, and tropical weather. We wanted the logo to immediately give that Florida energy and feel fun and eye catching.

Our logo shows a sunset over the ocean with birds and waves, which represents the Miami environment and gives a relaxed but vibrant feeling. We chose this design because it reflects where we live and what inspires our creativity. The bright colors and beach imagery make it stand out and create a strong visual identity for our production company.

The name VAMB also has meaning because it comes from our initials combined into one word, which are Valeria, Andrade, Mario, and Borde. This made the logo feel more personal to our group and represents our teamwork and collaboration on the project.

We also focused on making the design simple but memorable so it would look professional at the beginning of our film. For the creation of the logos we choose to use Canva.

We also made different designs without thinking about the colors or small important details that much :

Lighting

For this part of planning I was thinking a lot about lighting and how it changes everything in a scene. Lighting is super important because it makes people feel stuff without anyone even talking. For example we want darker or low-key lighting in some parts to make it feel tense or scary especially in the sneaking back in scene and brighter lighting in other parts to show normal everyday life. We are actually going to film this in my room and try to shoot at 7 a.m. so it feels as realistic as possible and I think the natural morning light will help make everything look real and not too fake.

I am also thinking about how shadows can make the scene feel more suspenseful. Like the main character’s footsteps casting shadows across the floor, the door moving slowly with a shadow behind it, or the blinds letting in just a little sliver of light across the messy room. All these tiny things can make the audience feel nervous without saying a word. I am also planning to use some practical lights like a small lamp or the light from a phone screen to make certain details pop like the stuffed animals on the bed or the opened window so the audience notices them and it adds to the tension.

Another thing I realized is that lighting can even guide the audience’s emotions. Bright or soft light makes a scene feel normal and safe but dim, low, or flickering light makes it feel tense, mysterious, or dangerous. For this scene lighting is going to be one of the biggest ways we make the sneaking back in feel realistic and suspenseful because everything else, the props, the foley sounds, the set, works with it. I did not really realize before how much lighting can completely change the mood of a scene but now I see it can make a moment feel intense, dramatic, funny, or even creepy just by how it is lit.

Planning lighting for this scene is actually kind of fun because you can play around with shadows, angles, and the natural morning light to make things feel real. It is like you can control how the audience feels without them even noticing. I am really excited to try different setups and see how the 7 a.m. light in my room works with all the props and sounds to make the sneaking scene as realistic and suspenseful as possible.

Props, costume, setting

For this part of planning I was thinking a lot about costumes, props, and the set and how all that stuff tells the story without anyone even talking. For costumes we’re going with the rebellious teen vibe so like hoodies, dark colors, messy stuff, just clothes that make it look like the character doesn’t care about rules or expectations. It’s small stuff but it really shows personality and attitude.

For the set and props we’re actually going to film in my room and try to shoot at 7 a.m. to make it as realistic as possible. We’re gonna make my room hella messy, throw stuff around, and mess up the bed. Then we’ll put stuffed animals on the bed to make it look like someone tried to trick my mom into thinking the main character was sleeping. We’re leaving it like that exposed so it’s obvious the mom already checked, which adds a little tension and makes the scene feel believable. Small props like phones, drinks, backpacks, and even tiny things like shoes on the floor or a notebook open on the desk will help make the environment feel lived-in. Props are super important because they show what’s going on without any dialogue, and they also help the audience understand the character’s personality and the

situation.

I never realized how much the set and props really tell the story until now. Even little things like a messy bed or the way the room is arranged can make the sneaking scene way more believable and add details the audience notices subconsciously. It’s kind of crazy how much you can communicate just by arranging a room and picking clothes and stuff.

Characters development

For this research post I looked into character development, specifically rebellious teenagers, because our main character sneaks out and does things behind his parents back. I wanted to understand why teenage characters act rebellious in movies and what actually makes them feel realistic instead of just random.

From my research I learned that rebellious teenagers in films are usually shown as wanting freedom, independence, or excitement. A lot of the time they break rules because they feel controlled by their parents or they just want to experience new things and have fun.

 I also noticed that in many movies teens are influenced by a girl they like, which makes them take risks or do things they normally wouldn’t do. Their emotions and relationships kind of push their decisions and move the story forward.

A good example of this is Project X, where the teenage characters throw a huge party to impress people and gain attention, especially from girls, which leads them to make reckless choices and break a lot of rules.

Another example is Superbad, where the main characters go to a party mainly to impress girls and fit in socially, which causes them to lie, sneak around, and make impulsive decisions. Both movies show how teenage rebellion is often connected to social pressure and wanting approval from others.

This connects to our project because our main character sneaks out to go to a party mainly because a girl he likes is going to be there. His rebellious behavior creates tension, especially when he gets caught by his mom. It makes the character feel more realistic because he is not perfect and makes impulsive decisions like real teenagers would.

I also learned that good character development usually shows consequences or growth. Even if the character starts off rebellious, the story shows how their actions affect them. In our film, the fact that he doesn’t remember the night shows the consequences of his choices but also creates mystery for the audience.

Sonido...

 Hola blog como van, today we are going to talk about sound and how I am going to implement sound into our project. In my past projects I worked with creating soundscapes and making foley sounds, so for this project I want to use those skills again. One time I made a soundscape about a carnival and I actually really enjoyed doing it because it was fun creating all the different sounds and making everything feel realistic. That experience showed me how important sound is for setting the mood of a scene. For our film, we really want to focus on the sneaking back into the house scene, so we are going to use a lot of foley sounds like the door opening and closing, the window moving, and his footsteps to make the moment feel more tense and realistic. Since that scene is supposed to build suspense, the sounds are really important because they help create that nervous feeling for the audience. 

We might also add some background sounds for the party, but the main focus is using foley for the

sneaking scene to make it feel real.

media theory

 For my media theory research post I chose reception theory by Stuart Hall because I feel like it connects the most to our project idea. Reception theory is about how audiences are active and they dont all understand a movie the same way. Everyone watches media based on their own experiences and what they have been through so the message the creator wants might not always come across the same.

This theory fits our film because our story is confusing on purpose and the audience has to figure things out as they watch. The movie starts with it being 7 am and the main character is sneaking back into his house and he doesnt even remember what happened the night before. Some people might think its funny while others might think its stressful or serious depending on how they see it. Since we dont explain everything right away the audience has to think and make guesses which makes them more involved.

Using reception theory in our project helps because people will relate to the story in different ways. Some viewers might relate to sneaking out or getting caught by their parents while others might just enjoy the mystery of what happened that night. I think this makes our opening better because it lets the audience decide what they think instead of telling them everything.

Storyboard

 

Creating the storyboard actually helped me a lot with understanding how our story is going to work. Instead of just having the idea in my head, drawing everything out made it feel more real and organized. I liked planning the shots because it made me think more about pacing and camera angles and how the audience is supposed to understand what’s happening without us explaining everything with dialogue.

The storyboard starts with opening credits that show little details like text messages and small moments to give context on why the main character wants to go to the party. I like this because it explains the story without straight up telling the audience everything. After that it cuts to him sneaking back into his house which already adds tension. When his mom catches him and asks where he was and what happened, it crash cuts and I think that makes the scene way more suspenseful.

Then it flashes back to him arriving at the party which was inspired by movies like The Hangover where you slowly find out what happened earlier. I like this structure because it keeps the audience curious and makes them want to keep watching. Drawing out each shot also helped me think about lighting and framing especially since most of it takes place at night and we want that thriller vibe.

Overall making the storyboard made me realize how important planning actually is. It made me more confident in our idea and helped me see how all the parts of the story connect visually instead of just in my head.

Project idea

Bonjour blog we are going to be talking about the summary of my project idea and my major inspiration for this project.

Summary-Okay so the scene is going to start with like little details like a clock showing the time 7 am, a bed with like stuffed animals trying to pass as someone sleeping, and a computer showing text messages between our main character and his best friend. Who wants him to sneak out of his house and go to the party that's happening that night, basically he's sneaking back into his house after the party that's why its 7 am ( the texts were from before) and he gets caught by his mom and he doesn't remember anything. Then it crash cuts to him getting into his friends car and going to the party, the plot of the movie is a teenage guy having the craziest night of his life that he doesn't remember.

The Hangover inspired this idea because it uses a similar storytelling structure where the audience is first shown the aftermath before knowing what actually happened. In our film it starts with small details like the clock showing 7 a.m., the bed set up to look like someone is sleeping, and old text messages that explain why the main character went out in the first place. Just like in The Hangover, the main character doesn’t remember what happened during the night, which creates mystery and keeps the audience curious. When he gets caught by his mom and can’t explain himself, the crash cut to him getting into his friend’s car acts like a flashback, showing the start of the night instead of the end. This makes the audience want to keep watching to figure out what actually happened during the craziest night of his life, which is the same way The Hangover kept me excited and curious about what happened .

Group meeting 1

 In class today we worked in groups and did meeting with people in different groups. They helped me a lot with finalizing my plot for the movie and now my group knows for sure what do to and what direction we are going to go in for this project.

 My group meeting group had very interesting ideas:

Kylie talked about how her project is about a chef preparing a meal and then feeding it to a dead body so its like a scary and mystery film that conveys small details hinting that he is mentally ill and crazy.

Lorenzo was sure about the the main plot idea which is the audience has no idea who the killer is like it never shows the face but they drop details to hint at the killer so it would be like a thriller mystery. It sounded very interesting and he had lots of cool ideas like showing a news report about the murders and then it cuts to the murder watching the news. Very cool interesting idea.

Henry wanted to do a comedy he was very set on making the whole project about the credits he didn't know much about where he wanted to go with the plot of the characters but he was set on it being mostly about the credits his inspirations were zombie land and Napoleon dynamite.

Gabriel wanted to do like a drama thriller about a boy getting bullied and he wants to turn into a pro boxer.

that was about it and then class ended.