Another Lesson Learned

In my last blog I talked about some major lessons I learned filming my senior thesis music video. Now I want to elaborate on some more important lessons about music video and film in general. We always hear the expression "a picture is worth a thousand words," that is especially true in framing. Sometimes we loose focus on how powerful we can make every shot just by aligning everything in the foreground and the background RIGHT. Take my music video for example, sometimes we had to rush the shot that the framing was not exactly what it should have been. Especially in the beginning of the video. In the script its supposed to be such a shitty day so that it would contrast his time in Miami. Most of the time, the framing looks really nice. Things are put together in the scene, but it wasnt supposed to be that way. Its amazing how a story can be told from just one shot. Check out this dope video talking about pictures that immediately tell a detailed story.

Interpreting Narrative

So, my film is not finished, but I've been showing a lot of people the stuff I have so far. And it's really interesting to hear what people say about it. Everybody has a different interpretation. Everybody has a different perspective -- telling me things that I never thought of while filming.

This got me thinking a lot about interpreting story and how different backgrounds and beliefs can cause different interpretations. 

Here's a little story.

A while ago, I dated this girl named Courtney. She wasn’t the nicest girl -- actually, she was downright cruel, but I can’t deny the love we shared for television and movies. After watching a show or a movie, we would both share our individual opinions and reasons for our opinions. Though we may not have always agreed, (which happened frequently thus resulting in our break up) we would both have educated and thought-out reasons for why we liked or didn’t like a show or movie. This was one of her few redeeming qualities.

            

Courtney and I both followed the show Breaking Bad very closely. It was perfect for television junkies like the two of us because it had strong character development, clever symbolism and great cinematography. We would watch season after season guessing what would happen next. The show follows the life of Walter White, who is an under appreciated chemistry teacher who turns to cooking methamphetamine to provide for his family after he is informed that he has lung cancer. As the show progresses, you see how the life of crime changes Walter White as he deviates from simple family man to becoming a megalomaniac drug kingpin.

          

 Breaking Bad shows the transformation from the good guy to the bad guy. And what usually happens to the bad guy at the end of a movie or television show? They die. When Breaking Bad was coming to its final season, Courtney and I made predictions on how the show would end. Opposed to popular belief, Courtney did not think that Walter was going to die at the end. She was certain that the writers were going to show how Walter pushed away everything that he valued in his life and then show him living with nothing left. I thought that was absurd. There was no way that the writers would let Walter White live after all of the villainous things that he had done throughout the series. Courtney and I had legitimate fights where we would yell and scream at each other because we couldn’t agree how it would end. More of her yelling at me because I didn't agree with her. Well, at least, that's how I remember it. 

She was convinced that Walter White would have to live with himself after ruining his life that he worked so hard to afford. She thought that this would be the punishment that Walter deserved giving the viewers a satisfying ending. I thought that Walter was going to die. I thought that the whole show revolved around how Walter tied to escape death, from when he first found out he had lung cancer to killing his drug competitor, and the conclusion would show how death finally caught up to him. Courtney did not like this. But when the finale premiered and Walter White died, I didn’t let Courtney forget it. It felt great being right. But more importantly, this showed how our different beliefs resulted in our different interpretations.

Frozen

I recently watched Frozen for the first time (I know I'm behind on the times I'm sorry). Although I found the songs catchy and the characters endearing something seemed to be lacking for me. There wasn't that in depth of a story. For some reason it felt to me like things happened too fast. Christoph complains that Anna is going to marry someone she just met and then shortly after is in love with her and wants to marry her. There wasn't enough time for me to accept that character development. I also was disappointed with the lack of involvement of the two main characters Elsa and Anna. I felt like these two were playing minor roles. The movie focused more around the background characters that were there for pure entertainment purposes and did not particularly move the story forward such as Ol. Don't get me wrong, I loved Olaf as a character but I felt like he took away from the story that Disney was trying to tell. I also think a lot more could have been done with this story. The ending felt rushed and cliche even though the world was saved by true love of a sister as opposed to a significant other. It still felt a little forced. Perhaps I was just expecting it to be so much more than it was because of all the hype I'm not sure. But I don't know that I would agree with people who say Frozen is the best Disney movie. I definitely think the movie was beautifully done with catchy songs and a few interesting subtle risks taken by Disney. However I found the story lacking a little bit. It's not one of the Disney movies that I could watch over and over again. Maybe once in a while with my baby cousins but not repeatedly on my own like I would with other movies.

Makeup: Another Essential Part of the Story

So we all know that in order to make an awesome video (film/show/etc.) you need a camera, a tripod, an audio person, lights, a script, costumes, actors, and so much more. One aspect that I personally forget about is makeup. Makeup can really help set the mood of the video and can actually make or break it too. For example, think of "The Walking Dead" series; imagine if they used no makeup. They would look horrible and the show would be nonexistent. Luckily for "The Walking Dead" they have amazing makeup artists who create amazing works of zombies, or should I say art. I have watched a couple behind the scenes videos of the makeup artist creating these zombies. It is crazy what they use and how they use it to create these creatures. Here is a tutorial that "The Walking Dead" crew put up as tips for Halloween.

They used oatmeal, gelatin, latex, and a lot of makeup to create this realistic look. There have been a number of scenes within the series that have characters who have missing jaws, lips, arms, etc. How the heck do they do that? Well here is bicycle girl, who is the first walker to be seen in the show. This is how they got her ready.

So imagine this production of bicycle girl takes about three hours. There are scenes within the series that have twenty to fifty walkers walking the streets. Imagine how much time that has to take making everyone look like a legitimate zombie. While it probably only takes them a half hour or so for the smaller characters having to do twenty to fifty of them is insane. Really appreciate the work that is done by makeup artists because they are extremely talented and creative. Also I totally recommend watching "The Walking Dead"! It is an amazing show!!!!

End-of-semester Reflection

As the semester comes to a close, I have a lot to think about and a lot to reflect upon; mainly, the new-found appreciation I have for the field of film production. Before this class, I can confidently say that I already knew much more about the industry than the vast majority of my friends. I've always had an appreciation for the film industry and for those who work in it, but not to this level.

Last year, I took an intro to field production course, and I certainly learned a lot from it, but my overall opinion of film production was not at all affected through the experience. Fiction Field Production 1--through the semester-long project we had to complete--taught me a whole lot more about the industry than I ever would have thought possible.

What was so different about this class was the fact that, for the first time since I've gotten to this school, we were assigned a legitimate project that really put everyone's skills to the test. The project was simple (or so I thought): make a film that's based off a news story. The story can cover any topic and can be from any time period. Everyone in the class brought in a story, we voted on the two we liked best, and then we split ourselves into two groups.

With two groups of seven students, everyone was able to have their own crew position, instead of having everyone split the work evenly like in the intro class. The most exciting part was that we, for the most part, chose the group and position we would stick with for the entirety of the semester. As one who has never been particularly fond of preproduction work, I was ecstatic to be able to step aside and let someone else take care of it.

Now, while this was an especially exciting part of the project for me, it was also one of the more nerve-wracking aspects of the process. While it was no longer my responsibility to write, schedule, direct, or shoot the film (I was given the position of editor), it also meant that a whole lot of things were out of my control. Sure, I could give my input on whatever I wanted--and it was often well-regarded--but for the most part, the final decision on most things was not mine.

My point is that while it's nice to not have to bother myself with certain aspects of the project, it also meant that I had to have faith in my fellow group members. As one who tends to take control in a group setting, this was something I had to quickly learn to get over. From the very start, I had to constantly remind myself not to intervene in others' work and to trust them more than I usually would have in the past.

With everyone working on their own portion of the film, a whole lot more effort could be put into each aspect of the project, as opposed to when everyone had to split their efforts amongst everything. With every student putting forth a whole new level of effort into their work than I've ever seen before, I was able to really watch and admire everyone's talent while also taking the time to appreciate the amount of work they were each completing.

Yes, my job as editor had a lot of work that came with it as well, but to truly be able to see the amount of work that goes into the entire process of a film's production and the high level of skill that's required to make a quality product is unbelievable. I used to think we simply weren't using the proper equipment to make a good film, but it turns out that what it really takes is a group of talented students who are willing to put forth the effort. Duh.

Thank you, Arturo Sinclair, for a brand-new experience and for passing your knowledge onto all of us.

Here's the Facebook event for the screening this upcoming Saturday!

THE 4 RULES OF STUDENT FILMMAKING

As our projects come to end, I thought it would be a good time to reflect upon my experience as a student filmmaker. These rules are essential for anyone starting their career as a filmmaker, but I hope they can also be helpful for those who have already established themselves in the industry. These rules, if followed perfectly, can result in a very high quality film. 

1. Know your job

        It's one of the basics but it's also one of the most important. There are many different positions on a film set and it's essential that everyone knows what their responsibility is. Filmmaking is not the combination of one or two elements but the cumulation of several people's knowledge and skill. Dialogue, performance, lighting, audio, continuity– these are just a few of the many components controlled by one or more people on a film set. If even one of these components is lacking, it can ruin a film. The given number of people on a set can range anywhere from 4 to 400, but it's essential that everyone knows how to do their job perfectly as well as where they lie in the hierarchy of decision making.

2. Prepare for everything to go wrong

        It's a natural law of filmmaking– what can go wrong will go wrong. Seriously. Some of my first times shooting in the field were a complete disaster. Camera batteries were MIA, the talent wouldn't show up, SD card's couldn't format correctly, we had no AA batteries for the Zoom mic... the number of things that can go wrong on a film set are infinite, a fact that is reinforced every time I go on to a film set. There's no way to completely cover yourself, but there are ways to prepare yourself for the future when things go array.

Double check everything. Make sure you have the most important things you need to bring to the set and then bring everything else you might not need. These things can vary depending on what your job is, but even having the most basic household items like tape, markers, and jar openers can save a film. 

Bring extras. If you're in the audio department for example, you should have extra batteries, XLR cords, headphones, and extension cords. If something goes wrong in your department it's on you and it's up to you to cover yourself. This rule can only be learned though experience so grab every opportunity you have to work on a film. 

3. Focus on the story

       Making a film look and sound awesome will not make an awesome film. When you're looking to direct a quality film you are not making it for yourself or your close filmmaking friends, but an expansive audience. An audience that doesn't care how hard it was to work with the actors or light a tiny bookstore. The audience only requires that what they're watching will compel them with a certain emotion and that they can walk away amazed by what they saw. Before creating a film, plan all of the technical things as perfectly as you can, and then step away from it all and make sure the story you are telling makes sense. Not only makes sense, but draws your audience in and keeps them there until the credits finish rolling. 

4. Have Fun

      Come on guys... we have one of the coolest jobs. We're storytellers. To create a powerful film can be thrilling, empowering, and hopefully rewarding. Things can get very stressful on set though, and it's important to remember why you're there. When you know that all your bases are covered and you're skillfully prepared, making films can be an extremely fun and engaging job. It's not an easy process by any means, but if you have good people to work with you're guaranteed to have a fun time doing it. 

A quality film is like a gourmet sandwich... Crafted by several high-quality ingredients.

The Last of Us

Despite the series finale of Breaking Bad airing two nights ago (it was perfect, no more needs to be said), I thought that I'd shake things up a little bit and talk about something slightly different for once: video games. Watching my roommate drive, shoot, and otherwise rampage his way through the new Grand Theft Auto V has got me thinking of the last video game I played, and I feel like this blog is as good a place as any to talk about how great it was.

By no means am I a huge video game nerd; they've just never been "my thing." I'll buy 2-3 games per year, get bored with them, and then come back to them a while later, always wanting to get my money's worth. (with a new game costing $60, can you blame me?) Like most other forms of media, I appreciate games for the stories they tell, which is awesome since games seem to getting more and more cinematic as we move into the newest generation of video games consoles.

All of this brings me to the last - and arguably best - video game that I played: The Last of Us. Made by developer Naughty Dog - the same team that made all three of the wonderful, Indiana Jones-esque "Uncharted" games - The Last of Us was a PS3 exclusive and basically ended up being the console's swan song. I bought the game when it first came out in mid June, played it for two or three weeks until I was done, and haven't played a single game since. I'm not sure why, entirely; other friends who played the game enjoyed it so much that they immediately started back at the beginning. It's like part of me knows that I'll never find a game that will be able to top this one, and I don't want to disappoint myself by even trying.

Let me back up a little bit. The majority of The Last of Us takes place about 20 years in the future, when America is overrun by a deadly virus that transforms people into horrifically mutated, mindless zombie/plant hybrids. If George A Romero and Al Gore had written a horror movie together, this would be the outcome. After the most emotional, devastating 15 minute opening scene in videogame history, you play as Joel, a survivor of the virus. Joel is eventually given the daunting task of escorting Ellie, a 14 year old girl with a pretty huge secret, across the ravaged country and into Colorado. Lots of shooting, puzzle solving, and throwing bricks at zombie heads follows.

While the gameplay is phenomenal and obviously such a huge aspect of the medium (not to mention shockingly violent), the story is what made me fall in love with this game. I've seen action movies before, and I've probably seen every apocalyptic, end of the world film that there is to see, but never has one effected me as much as the The Last of Us. The whole plot revolves around the relationship between Ellie and Joel; she's the spunky, mature-for-her-age upstart, and he's the grumpy, "I'm too old for this shit" father figure who, coincidentally, lost a daughter when the virus first broke out. As the game goes on, the two begin to warm up to each other, and this is shown through the smallest, subtlest of actions ("subtle" is a word that more video game developers should really learn).

Through the entire game, I remember trying to figure out how it would end; surely the two travelers would find a cure to the virus and live happily ever after as "father" and "daughter." Roll credits, eject game, move on. But here's where Naughty Dog threw us a curveball. (Spoilers to follow. Don't say I didn't warn you) Towards the end, you find out that Ellie holds the cure to the entire virus. Awesome, right? Wrong. To get this cure, the doctors in Colorado have no choice but to shut down her brain, which will, of course, kill her. "Ok, it's sad, but I guess I can deal with Ellie dying if it means saving the whole country," I thought.

Unfortunately, Joel and I were thinking two different things.

Unable to deal with the death of Ellie, who is perhaps the only person he has really become attached to since his daughter died almost 20 years ago, Joel goes on a rampage, mowing down guards and doctors (all good people) in order to reach his young friend. The worst part is, you - the player - are forced to go through with all of this, unable to do anything but watch as your fingers control Joel doing these terrible deeds. At the end, Ellie has no memory of what happened, and Joel lies straight to her face, not telling her of the things he did to save her. She says "promise me that everything you've said has been true." He promises. She looks at him, knowing that he's lying, and says "ok." AND THE GAME ENDS.

It's ambiguous, it's bold, and it's a damn near perfect ending for a game that has been so bleak and sad throughout. There's no "boss battle," no zombie drama, just a boldfaced lie and the acceptance of it by another. It's about the line between doing something for love and doing something for yourself. You sympathize with Joel, and yet you end the game with a knot in your stomach. It's the reason why I haven't bought a video game since, and it's absolutely one of the biggest arguments that can be made for video games as an art form (not only because of the story, but also because of it's gorgeous graphics that focus on nature reclaiming man made objects and cities, something that I didn't even touch upon). It may not have any strippers or hallucinogenic alien-fighting sequences like this year's other huge video game, but I think it deserves even more praise and should be lauded as one of the best video games not only of 2013, but of all time.

My sheer excitement for our final project!

After we get past this scene recreation project, we're moving immediately on to our final project. What? Are you kidding? That's ridiculous! Yeah, it is. It's ridiculously awesome! I could not be more excited to start working on the project as soon as possible.

To begin, I'll be working with the group focusing on the poem about a man's struggle with OCD. I personally think it's a very interesting story with which countless artistic, creative things can be done in the film medium. I'm not exactly sure which direction our group will head in with portraying the story, but being able to take a person's personal story and shape it in our own way will be an experience which I haven't experienced before. At least I think I haven't. The groundwork is laid down for us, but now we have pretty much as much freedom as we need to do whatever we want with the story.

Here's the poem...

In addition to the actually story we're presenting, the group of people I'm working with also attributes to my level of excitement for this project. Having worked with a few of my group members in the past, I know that they are very dedicated, creative people who certainly know what they're doing. For those in the group who I haven't worked with before, I have complete and utter faith in their work. While I may not have worked with most of the group before, I've seen some of their work, and as long as they match--or maybe even surpass--what I've seen of theirs in the past, I'm absolutely positive I'll be blown away with their work this year. During the few discussions I've had with some of my group members, I can already tell that they all have some great ideas for the production, as well. Also, it's simply a wonderful group of beautiful people.

Here's the best part. Some people would argue that a larger group project is too difficult a thing to do. They'd say that it's simply too complicated and annoying to work with so many people and to plan around so many different personal schedules. Forget them. They're wrong. Can working with a larger number of people be more complicated than working with fewer? Yes. I'm not saying it's not, but the extra complication certainly comes with its benefits. Think about it. Unlike last year where you'd have 3 people in a group where everyone helped with everything, each person can now be assigned a specific job in the production. Instead of having 3 people crowded around one table while writing the script, drawing out the storyboards, or editing, one person will do each of these things. It takes the complication out of everyone worrying about everything. Now each group member can focus their complete attention and effort towards their part of the project. That's not to say that every member won't help one another with each step of the production process, but each member will now be able to focus on the certain part of the production that they love to do and excel at. As long as everyone does their job, it'll work out much better than in the past. Just wait and see.

Let's not forget about the equipment. I mean, seriously. These new cameras we get to use are unbelievable compared to the ones in the past. They're quality pieces of equipment! They're able to do things that the JVC100 were never capable of doing. I couldn't have even dreamed of something so wonderful. They can shoot in slow-motion! How cool is that?! I could go on for hours about the FS100's features but I'd probably bore you. I really just wanted to bring it up and emphasis all of its awesomeness.

I cannot wait to get started on this project. I'm hoping--and planning--on finishing with a product that I'll want to show to everyone I know. Let's go Los Jalepeños! Or El Dorado? We haven't quite decided on a group name yet...

Group Update

Today my group and I filmed on location at my friend's house. It was really nice working off campus because it allowed us to bring a real life element to our story rather than being subjected to campus housing. It was really interesting seeing the characters in our script come to life and I give my group members a lot of credit for casting such good actors. If I could have changed one thing I wished we would have slated our video and audio now it looks like we'll have to deal with that issue in post-production. Today we completed about 70% of all shooting and we intend to finish the rest tomorrow. So far, so good.

Watch this too?

I saw this video a while ago. Maybe it will help groups with coming up with ideas for their films. It is definitely contains a wealth of knowledge.

This video basically walks you through Ken Burns's thought process when coming up with ideas.

Yes this is the same Ken Burns as the "Ken Burns Effect".

So hearing from such and influential person is always great, but at the same time it is humbling because he is human, not eccentric and his thought process seems normal when he explains it and most people can do the same.

One of the main things I got out of it is his math. Everyone is used to 1+1=2, but he is saying make 1+1=3, add that extra element that will make the audience feel. Manipulate them with things that they hold close to their hearts and you will come up with something truly great.

It's also cool hearing about how he can see stories so easily, like things that happen in history make such interesting stories. Like Jefferson writing that all men are created equal, but had slaves of his own and never freed them in his life.

So without further adieu here's the link to the video:

Ken Burns: on Story

Certain and uncertain endings

Alright. So early this week I watched Shutter Island starring a Mr. Leonardo DeCaprio.  Overall it was a very good film but that is not my concentration.  What I am concerned with is the ending.  I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone that has yet to see it, but I will say it is an ending that leaves the audience questioning what exactly happened.  It is one of those endings that you have to take an extra period of time and try to figure out what exactly just happened.

In this period of attempted epiphany, I instead came up with a general question.  Why do some directors or writers decide to end their films in a state of uncertainty.  At the same time, however, why do some choose to end in concrete or obvious endings.  Is it that one leaves a more powerful impact on the audience, or is it something more then that.  Could it be that they do not know a clear way to end it that will be memorable so they leave the ending up to interpretation.  Personally any ending that confuses me usually causes me to watch the movie for a second, third, or fourth time, or at least sit on the plot and try to figure it out.  However I do tip my cap to any movie that has a definite powerful ending.  When a movie has a straightforward, powerful ending (sorry I am drawing a blank on a specific piece) I tend to just sit there in a state of awe.  At the same time though, if the ending is awful or not what I was hoping for, I sometimes become enraged and don't want anything to do with the movie.  Very often people say things along the lines of "yea it was good, but the ending sucked".  And I feel this is a reaction many people leave with after movies.

 Sometimes many times an uncertain ending is the way to go, but I would say a powerful concrete ending is the way to go.  A good ending is what you leave the audience with and everything that happened for the last hour and a half or so goes out the window.  So what is the way to go.  Personally I feel like leaving the audience in a state of confusion is usually more powerful and leaves everyone wanting more, but if you are able to pull of the ending of the century that people don't hate, well then go all out for it.  Sometimes having some closure is the way to go.  I guess as the viewer, our opinion really doesn't matter and the ending is determined by the sinister writing and directing tactics by the people in charge of production.

The Siege (film)

Last night I watched the film The Siege starring Denzel Washington, Bruce Willis and Annette Bening and it was ok.  In a nutshell Denzel is on his A game (as usual), the supporting cast was alright, and the story was creative and fueled by action and conspiracy theories.  Unfortunately, The Siege's plot was let down by poor writers as the dialogue did not do the story justice. Also, after Wednesday's class I found a flash drive on the floor! So if you're freaking out don't worry, it's in good hands.
- Kofi  

Sci-fi and Fantasy Escapes

Movies. That is all I was interested in when I was younger. It wasn't until I reached about ninth grade that I suddenly became fascinated by TV shows. It all started with my father introducing me to a great show called Stargate SG1. This is a show about a military operation that has found a way to travel through the glaxay via wormhole. The wormholes are established through the use of a stargate. Each stargate on different planets have their own "addresses." SG1 is the first team sent through the wormhole to discover new worlds. So, this mix-matched team begins their adventures where they fight the Goa'uld (parasites that take over their host's mind and ruled over early human civilizations as gods, like the Egyptian gods), and many other enemies over the course of 10 seasons. This show was absolutely brilliant and was my obsession for a very long time.

After Stargate SG1 ended, I really didn't watch any other shows for two reasons. Number one, my knowledge of TV shows was limited and I didn't really want to spend the energy to find a new one. Number two, what could match up to my Goa'uld fighting heroes of the universe? It was only when I was a freshman in college and I discovered the wonderful Netflix, that the world of TV shows opened up to me again. I can't even begin to remember how many shows I have watched to date now, but I can list some of my favorites.

First of all, I should mention that my heart lies in the science fiction and fantasy realms. My theory behind this is that I personally love the feeling of being able to escape my own life for a time and delve into a completely new dimension and "experience" adventures with unforgettable characters. Anyway, I remember one of the new series that I fell in love with was a TV show called Robin Hood that was on BBC starting in 2006. There is not much to explain in the way of plot since almost everyone knows the story of Robin Hood, and it was a great show plot-wise, at least up until the very end. I won't give it away for those who decide to watch it, but it made me very upset. I guess it was a good thing that I was so upset because that is a sign of a good show. The acting was fabulous, and the presentation was altogether well edited.


I believe the next show I watched was Battlestar Galactica, which was on Syfy from 2004-2009. The concept behind this series was very interesting and the story was great... for about the first two or three seasons. Then something happened where nothing made sense. I don't know if that was because on Netflix the seasons were split up by half seasons (such as season 4 and season 4.5, why would someone do that???) and I missed a seasons worth of episodes or if the plot just went crazy. I never ended up finishing this series, but I did enjoy most of what I was able to see.


During the summer between freshman and sophomore year in college, my parents and I became huge fans of another BBC series called Merlin. Merlin is a show depicting the story of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table all from the perspective of a young boy named Merlin. Of course, the events of this series do not necessarily follow what is depicted in the novel The Once and Future King written by T. H. White. In this show, Merlin is a young boy who is sent to Camelot by his mother to live with an old friend, Gaius. Except there is something special about Merlin that no one else can know about; Merlin can use magic, a offense punishable by death. It isn't until Merlin learns from a dragon trapped below the castle that it is his destiny to protect the cocky and rude Arthur that all the adventures for Camelot begin. This show is still playing, and I believe is on season 5. Some of the graphics and CG aren't the best, but the plot is so engrossing that you can get over it pretty easily.

Soon after that, came another one of my absolute favorite shows, Falling Skies. If you have not seen this show, I highly suggest you watch it. Yes, it is another end of the world show, but it is so much more than that. Once you think you have the story figured out, they throw another twist at you. The filming and CG is very good, and I can't wait for the next season to begin.

Some other series I have watched include, Downton Abbey, Lost, Terra Nova, part of Grey's Anatomy and Once Upon A Time. Downton Abbey is a show put out by Masterpiece Classics and has a great plot, and is filmed in such a way that you feel you are truly a part of the story. The characters are so unique that you end up falling in love with them. It is a story about a well-to-do English family living on the cusp of the twentieth century and their servants. The dynamics between these two groups flow together and apart at different parts in the story. I have only seen up to season 2, so if anyone knows whether or not this show is on again please let me know.


Terra Nova only has one or two seasons, I believe, because someone told me they it was cancelled. I don't know why. I absolutely loved the storyline. It is about a family living in a future where the Earth is on it's last leg thanks to pollution and lack of resources. People can't even breathe the air with out a device that filters it. In order to get a chance for a second life, the family accepts the offer to become a part of project Terra Nova. By going through a rip in the time continuum, they find themselves on Earth but millions of years in the past, with dinosaurs for neighbors. The family and the whole colony of Terra Nova must learn to survive or die in their new world.

What I think is the most amazing thing about all of these is that the CG doesn't have to be the best. The acting, the sound, the cinematography, and really great story lines all come together to make these shows successful in drawing in the audience to different times or even different worlds. I'm always up for suggestions for new shows to watch. Recently, someone suggested that I watch the new show Revolution, which is about a futuristic world where all electricity doesn't work. Cars don't work. iPods don't work. Nothing. The government falls and militia take over. Amidst all the chaos is one girl who is fighting to get her younger brother back from the militia men who took him. It looks like a very promising show indeed.

~Amber Capogrossi

Dear Photograph

     Right now I want to share a website with anyone who reads this post. The website is http://dearphotograph.com and what they do is creative and meaningful. What they do is have a picture in the foreground and take a picture of it. They take the picture in the same place and have the same orientation so they are lined up. One of the things this does is show how things change due to the passage of time. The way I stumbled across this is through this 9-11 picture a year ago.

     A lot of the pictures tend to be of family members, old houses, things along that line and as stated before it shows the passage of time. There is then a caption added to each picture, addressed like a letter often giving a back-story that you would not be able to tell just by looking at the picture. This project could be a cool concept if transposed to film. This is similar to the one shot project we are doing though. The point of the photographs is to tell a powerful story in a very brief amount of time and use generic or relatable moments, but with a slight twist.

     I find this project pretty amazing because it shows the meaning in objects or places where you wouldn’t see it at first by telling a story. While some people say that not everything needs a story, I am a firm believer that everything has a story. 

The Hidden Magic: Music

Over the last week, my health has gotten worse. I hate to say it, but I think I am one of the lucky ones who caught the viral infection that is sneaking its way across campus. The wonderful thing about being sick though, is that my time for watching movies and TV shows has almost doubled. Inevitably, during my many viewings I would start to dose off. I may have been half conscious, but I could always tell what was going on in the films and shows, not based on what I could see, but on what I could hear.

I don't only mean the dialogue or the recorded sound effects, although those are obviously very important. No, I'm talking about the power of music. Think about your favorite movie, or your favorite scene. Now try to imagine that scene without the background music. Isn't that a strange thought? It is something that is almost always overlooked, yet without it, the context of the movie doesn't seem quite complete. 

Now, I danced for about nine years and I played piano for about five years. I love music. I think everyone does, but what I loved about music was how, when I was dancing or even playing piano, I was able to feel the music inside me and move me in a way that let me express the heart of the song. Something about music hits us in our core and allows us to feel emotions. Who would have thought that combining sounds, raising or lowering the levels, and tempo would allow us to feel so much? With music, we are giving almost a sixth sense, or a 4D quality to our visual or movie experience. I believe it is because we can relate to what is happening through the notes. We all have some kind of device that we use to listen to music. When do you listen to music? In the car? In the morning as you are getting ready? Walking to class? When you are doing homework? Music has become such a part of our lives that it is easily overlooked. Sometimes we even hear soundtracks to our own lives. So, if music is such a huge part of our everyday life, it only makes sense that it should also be present in the movies and shows we watch. 

Last week I wrote about Lord of the Rings, and I will use it as an example again. The music in that film is astounding. It was written in such a way that it literally brings you into Middle Earth and traps you there with its interweaving melodies and harmonies. Other movies like Avatar, Narnia, Harry Potter, and The Hunger Games have similar qualities. Movies and shows that take place in our world and our times have more modern music performed by modern artists that fits the film genre. This extends even to books. I have read several commentaries from modern authors about the music that inspired their stories. When I sit down to write my own story I'm always playing some kind of celtic or other instrumental music that helps me to see or create the story that I am writing. 

Music is a part of the world, from the birds in the trees to the notes playing through your headphones. The next time you watch a movie or show, listen for the underlying music or film score. Sometimes that music can tell a story all on its own. 

~ Amber Capogrossi

A New Year

So as we all enter another year of our academic lives many of us set goals for ourselves, mountain tops to reach and pitfalls to avoid. For me, I would like to avoid what I did last year for my production class. I "half assed" a lot of the projects I did and that left me feeling unsatisfied. Since I had five years experience already with production in part of middle and all of high school I figured I could breeze through projects and I'd be fine. I made some decent films, but had the worst growth as a student,  which can make you feel pretty bad. I regrettably allowed my passion for producing stories to fall by the wayside for unimportant reasons. So one of my goals for this class is would be push myself even further than I have in the past, and not just keep going with the flow. This is going to be one busy semester! So to everyone else reading this I wish you the best and go after what's important to you!
-James Majeau

WELCOME!

Welcome everyone!. The following project structure is intended to provide you with a methodology to be both specific and help you track the progress and meet your milestones. Since individual projects vary widely some points might not apply. However, you can use it as a roadmap to define/clarify your goals and go back to it frequently and methodically.

It has four distinct phases:

DISCOVERY

This phase helps you understand the big picture and the opportunity to achieve the main goals of your project; to take an idea from conception to completion in the most effective manner.

Brainstorming, sketch scenarios, analysis and feasibility assessments.

Define the requirements, scope, timeline, budget (your time and resources) and benchmarks for the project.

Synthesis:

• Produce a final script with the discovery result.
• Develop a production plan and a storyboard.
• Present a timeline and a budget estimate.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes! invent associations, structures, forms, silences, sounds.

DESIGN

During this phase, create the look and feel of the story. Develop the story requirements, the creative components, the technical design and the infrastructure that supports the project.

Creative Design:

• Storyline and character creation
• Script
• Storyboard
• Art Direction
• Audio Design
• Production Design

Technical Design:

• Equipment requirements
• Set/backgrounds/location/plates
• Lighting diagrams
• Special efx design
• Models, costumes and makeup

PRE-PRODUCTION

Develop and integrate all the creative, technical and information components.

• Research, research, research!
• Location Scouting
• Set design
• Casting
• Graphics, 3D video/audio production needs
• Technical integration

PRODUCTION

• Lighting
• Rehearsals
• Systems testing
• Problem resolution 
• Cinematography
• Sound

POST-PRODUCTION

• Media Management
• Editing
• Sound Mixing
• Color Correction
• VFX
• Title Design

DEPLOYMENT

Live environment:

• Projection
• Audience Test performance and feedback

• Implement promotion/communication strategies

Showtime!

That's all folks!

1-Quality: the true nature of things, the peculiar and essential character

All Illustrations custom made by Rich Powell