Editing Blog: Dumping & Checklist

In AICE Media Studies, I was ready to begin edit the footage because my partner and I was able to film a good quantity of takes on our first filming day. During the first day of editing, I did not immediatly start editing because of minor technical difficulties. One minor technical difficulty is the computer battery. Almost every time I arrived in AICE Media Studies, the computer I've been always using has low. This delayed the editing process because it takes forever for the computer to adjust to a new login. Another minor difficulty was dumping. I tried to dump the footage onto the computer from the SD card but, it didn't show the footage. After Hannah attempted to dumped, our teacher helped us figure the technical difficulty and I dumped the footage while Hannah created the folder for Pinnacle Studios.


 During the first day of the editing process, I was very productive. Although I didn't get to actually physical edit, I was able to review all the takes from the first filming process. My major role during this editing day was to record the most liked take and record which takes need to be re-filmed. In my notebook, I organized it each scenes and listed the decent takes in chronological order of the storyboard. As Hannah and I watched each take, I offered my input and opinions about each take. Together, we would collaborated on which takes would be selected or how to incorporated part of the take without re-filming the entire take. For instance, during one the takes I noticed the actresses were not in their character or they were expressing the wrong emotions. I also noticed the jerkyness or the shakiness of some of the takes and the quietness of the actresses. An example of a take that needs to be re-filmed was a close-up of Kat setting down the phone. This take was not filmed and I think it would  make the film become more appealing.

During the first day of editing, I noticed the "movie mistakes" within the  firs two minutes of the final task. For instance, in Scene 6, there is a pan of the Target walking from a wide-shot. This is a mistake because Cori should be "behind" a tree since the next shot is commenting on the Target's relative position.


(This picture shows me writing the number of each take after Hannah dumped the footage onto the computer.)

Filming Blog: George English Park

On the second day of production, Hannah and our actresses went to my house. A minor job I was tasked with was transportation. Since my house is closer to George English Park, I offered to transport the production crew and cast. The first job I did after we have arrived at the park was given instructions to Kat. Since the setting of Kat's scenes is in a tree, I suggested to Hannah to film all of Kat's scenes because it would cause less confusion going to different locations and back. Once Kat was settled in the tree, I describe the scenes and the emotions she should be expressing. For instance, I would describe the scene and disappointment Kat's character should be expressing after Cori has fallen on the trap. Also, another tasked I fulfilled was give the dialogue to the actresses. Since the actresses were not aware of our sound script, I referred to the sound script to give the actresses their lines before filming. An example that demonstrates this job was Kat's scenes in the tree. Before filming, I would yell her lines since I was lower than Kat. During filming, I would say the Monitor's dialogue to give cues to Kat when she should say her lines.

One of the major jobs I performed was supervisor. Before new takes were being filmed, I checked off the camera shots, angles, movements and actions Hannah capture. Then, I would make decisions on which scenes will be filmed. While the actresses where filming their scenes, I  would follow the storyboard to check if  the actresses and and Hannah were following the shooting script, sound script, and storyboards.

A minor job I performed was lighting. Since the weather was bright and clear, I did not have a major lighting design role. I changed the brightness and color settings on the camera to reduced the glare and add more shadows. Another minor I performed was filming. Since the main camerawoman is an actor, I took over as the camerawoman. As camerawoman, I filmed Hannah's scenes of her walking and tracking shots of Cori following Hannah. That take was difficult because of my short statue. Since I am the smallest of our actresses, I had to walk on my tip toes and hold the camera about 5 inches above my head to include Cori and Hannah. The last minor role I was assigned to was set design. Even though most of the setting is at a park, I had to tie the rope around two trees to make the trap.Since the actresses do not know how to properly a knot, I was in charge in tying the rope on the tree.


Over the next week, I have to come back to George English Park to film the rest of the park scenes since the camera died.

(This is me looking at the sound script off my phone to give dialogue to Kat , who is in a tree. )

Filming Blog: Leila's House

On the first day of the production, Hannah and our actresses went to my house to film scenes 1 to 4. The first day of the filming process was very efficient and organized. Before the director and the cast have arrived, I cleared different locations in my house to create a wider space to film two people and contain two production crew members. After I cleared my bedroom and the kitchen, I gathered the following props: makeup, rope, and earpieces. I made sure these essential props were ready before we began production. Once the cast arrived, I consulted Hannah on our respective jobs and devised a gameplan for the filming production. During this filming day, I acted as a supervisor to ensure Hannah and the actresses were following the storyboards and the sound script. An example is I would refer to the storyboards and sound script during and before the shooting to ensure the actresses were following directions and saying their dialogue. 

 Another primary tasked I performed during this filming shoot was informed the actresses of their lines and to give a break down/ summary of each scene. Using the shooting script, and sound script as a reference, I describe what actions they will be performing and how the dialogue should be spoken. I also explained to them where the camera will be located and what emotions they should be expressing. For instance, at the ending of Scene 2, the actresses realized they are late for their mission. Between each takes, I explained to them they should be expressing fear because the actresses are timid of the Monitor. To achieve these frightening emotions, I advise them to use past situations where they were frightened/scared to be disappointed in. With this advice, the actresses were able to film a perfect take that captures their fear of the Monitor. 

A secondary task I was assigned was lighting. Before Hannah filmed the kitchen  scenes, I played with combinations of lights to see which lighting looked appealing. I also adjusted the lighting design on the camera to become "snow lighting". This caused the takes on camera to have a cool tones and reduced the amount of warm lighting. Another example where I managed the lighting was during Scene 3. As Hannah filmed the over-the-shoulder shots, I was holding a light on the respective actress to highlight the emotions of each actress.

A minor role I was assigned to do was makeup. According to the storyboard, there is going to be a split screen of Cori putting eyeliner on and with another scene of Kat. Even though I dabble in makeup for special occasions, I have experience putting makeup on. So, I painted Cori's faced with eyeliner and massacre for their spy alter ego.

(The picture is me putting eyeliner on Cori. I am wearing the maroon top. )

Planning Blog: Storybboard

Today in AICE Media Studies Hannah and I finalized and uploaded the storyboard. The Storyboarding process was a tedious process that required critical thinking. During last week, I went over to Hannah's house to draft a storyboard to understand which camera angles, shots, movements  ,, transitions and editing techniques that might be included in our final task. Also,Hannah began to sketch rough drawings of the storyboard. These first sketches were figure out the amount of details we wanted to include and confirm the storyboards are on the right track. During this week, Hannah mostly did the drawings while I finished Scenes 9 to 10 and typed out the sentences for our other blogs. Also, I drew the extra details to make the frames more realistic.

In the Google Slide attachment, we attached pictures of the storyboard to each slide. On each Google Slide, we attached pictures of the storyboard to the corresponding scene. In the storyboard, it will detail the camera angles, movements, camera shots, and Mis-en-scene involved in each scene. Also, the storyboards will  list the editing techniques and lighting that will be included in each frame.

Planning Blog: Location, Participants, Health/ Safety, & Schedule

Today in AICE Media Studies Hannah and I finalized our planning blog for locations, participants, health,/safety, and schedule. This is where we edited our schedule and decided whose name will be included in the titles. We also grammar checked our responses and added the images of our locations. During the weekend, Hannah and I met at her house to draft the locations, health/ safety, participants, and schedule. In the Google Slide Attachment, one some of the slides, it will  detail where we are going to film and the safety procedures we will be following. It also details our schedule for our production of our final task along with the list of the participants involved in the making of this film.

The most challenging part of the this blog was the schedule and the locations. Scheduling was difficult because we had to coordinate it to our actors' schedules school-calendar and our own schedules. Planning the locations was not difficult but, it involved critical thinking. For instance, when we can film on the middle school since parts of the middle school is public property. When we were planning the participants it was uncomfortable because we both wanted to give each other more credit. We were able to finish these blogs this evening and we can start on our storyboard blogs.

Planning Blog: Title Design

In AICE Media Studies Hannah and I planned our title design for our final task. This was a tedious and lengthy process because we reviewed different types of fonts, sizes, colors and spacing of  our titles. We didn't realized how much calculation was involved. We had to perfectly time the titles' entrance and format to fit the action conventions. We reviewed the different combinations of fonts and sizes of our Working Title and occupation titles.Then , we had to figure out how long the title should stay on the blog.  The Title Design Blog will detail how the titles will appear and disappear throughout the movie. In the Google Slide attachment, it it details how our Working Title and other titles will be formatted. Hannah and I will reference the Title Design Planning Blog, when Hannah and I are going to inserting Titles into the movie.

Planning Blog: Sound Script

The second assignment Hannah and I received during this week was the Sound Script. A Sound Script is a script of all the sound that will be included in the final task. This will range from the diegetic sounds in the characters' world and the nondigetic sounds of instrumental music playing throughout the title sequence. The Sound Script is another key element in Production. The Sound Script will be referenced to ensure the correct lines are being said and the audience can experience the characters' world. Our Sound Script will be presented onto the Google Slide attached to our blog. Similiar to the Shooting Script, we chose to present the Sound Script because it is simple, easy to read and accessible. The Sound Script will also be key in the Post-Production process. The Sound Script will act as guideline to when certain instrumentals should end and begin.

Planning Blog: Shooting Script

Today in AICE Media Studies Hannah and I finalized our Shooting Script for our final task. The Google Slide uploaded below will illustrate details of the Shooting Script. The main reason our Shooting Script is on a Google Slide because of its accessibility and its simple themes. The Shooting Script is one of the first guidelines for our final task. During the Production days, we will use the Shooting Script as a guide to ensure we included all the required camera angles, shots, and movements. It will also act as a guideline when we edit the takes during the Post-Production days. In the Shooting Script, it will detail how the camera angles, shots and movements will help create an enjoyable two-minute opening sequence. In some of our scenes, there were less elements while some of the scene contained multiple events occurring at the same time. Also, the Shooting Script details the lighting and color design. We only mentioned a conversation because the dialogue will be in our Sound Script in the next blog.