We have finally reached the end of the Portfolio Project and I can't say I'm not relieved. This 8 week process has been stressful, frustrating, and nerve-racking, but while I can go on about the stress that it caused me and the long time that it took, I have to mention the many things that I learned from it.
Yes, this project was a constant source of stress, as I wanted to get the results that I was imagining, while also completing the extra tasks that were required, and on time. But throughout this cloud of anxiety and worry, I learned not only about the technical aspects like shots, angles, and lighting, but also about #1 time management. As this project was very rigorous, I was forced to sit down and create a schedule that I had to stick through. Though, at times, I deviated from that, I still stuck to a structure that ultimately helped me get my work done on time.
#2 Communication. As this project involved more people than just myself, I learned about how to best communicate with my partner and actors who are doing my a favor by giving me their personal time. Scheduling was the main obstacle that I faced, as people live busy lives, so I ultimately learned how to communicate as a group and choose days that are best for everyone, ensuring that there is no confusion and the tasks at hand are clear and concise.
#3 Problem-solving. As my partner and I came across many issues in these 8 weeks, including time-management and scheduling issues, editing, and different visions, I learned about how to solve any issue, especially when working with other people. By the end, I could see what issue we were facing, and the correct way that I could solve it.
#4 Attention to detail. I have never been exactly a perfectionist, so this project was a bit tough for me. Especially as I was working with a partner, I learned to always put my best forward and to take time to look over what I have done. It is important to understand what you are doing wrong, and to know that your finished product should always be your best. Not necessarily for the final grade, but also for my mind. It is good to know that no matter how other people may view it, I put my best work forward and spent time on it, ensuring that it was the best work that I could do.
#5 Know when to quit. While, yes, I learned to look through your work and take time to perfect it, I spent a lot of time stressing over my work and looking back at it more times than I should. More than helping me spot mistakes, it made me nervous and confused as I was looking at the same frame for longer than I should. I eventually learned that trying to find perfection in everything will just make my process more stressful. It is always good to know your limit, and to stop when you feel proud in what you have completed.
Ultimately, while this project was stressful and long, it taught me many lessons that no other project has taught me. And, it was even fun at times, as by the end of it I could sit back and look at my creation. After weeks of work, there is nothing better than to watch your final product, knowing you put your all into it. So, yes, at times I hated this project, but that only made me love it even more.
I have finally made it to the end of the project where I am editing my two CCR's. This final process consisted of two full days, partly because my knowledge of editing, especially on a software like Adobe, is limited, but I also ran into many complications. Many times, about five, I accidentally deleted all of my footage from the document I was working on. Then finally, I somehow managed to deleted all of the footage off of my computer. Thankfully, I had all of it on my phone, It just took me a while to get it all back onto my computer as I had weak WiFi and limited storage. Ultimately, after these frustrating obstacles, I was able to finish editing.
For this idea I used my mini mics to act as if I am being interviewed as a famous director. For the set, I used one of my friend's black backdrop as the background and I placed one chair in front of it. Off-screen, I had my friend act as my interviewer, also using a mini mic. For the camera, I used a tripod to hold it up, placing it on the dining table that was before me. Under the camera, I had my computer with my script on a teleprompter so that I could read my lines without it appearing as if I was looking off-screen.
Similar to the Wired interviews of famous actors, on Youtube, I created a board with peel-off questions which I answered as the director of my film opening. Similar to the first CCR, I used the same black backdrop and mini mics, as well as the tripod holding my camera up.
I began by creating the actual board with the questions, printing the questions, the Google logo, and the search bar.
Interviewer: For our last question of the night, we will be diving into a little bit of the more technical side.
Manuela: Wow, exciting!
Interviewer: How Did you integrate technologies - software, hardware, and online in this project?
Manuela: All of those things were definitely invaluable to the project. So, For the filming portion of the opening, we used my iPhone to film all of the clips, including behind-the-scenes content for our blogs. On my iPhone we used cinematic mode to film all of the footage. This made it feel more professional, focusing the camera only on the actors, instead of any noise in the background that wasn't needed in the shot. One of the actors was kind enough to lend his tripod which we used to stabilize the camera, instead of relying on our shaky hands. This allowed us to have a clean and professional shot for each scene, while giving us flexibility to move the camera around in different angles and heights. To add to this more professional and high-quality look, we used mini mics and low-key lighting, ultimately enhancing the mood and auditory aspect. We clipped with mini mics to each actor, hiding it into their shirts, and connecting the sound to my phone. This process helped to amplify the actors' voices, while eliminating any background noise. For the lighting, we used three different sources to create a blend of dim-lighting, with more orange hues to add to the visual aesthetic of the film. We used a large lamp across the room to add enough lighting where the scene could be visible on screen, adding a small orange light to add subtle color, and lighting the colors on the dinner table adding a nice effect to the props in the scene and the soft lighting.
Interviewer: Incredible. I can see a lot of technology went into this project. Tell us some more about the editing.
Manuela: For the editing portion of the project, my partner and I chose to use Adobe Premiere Pro for our film opening. It is one of the best softwares for long-form videos and has allowed us to experiment with different editing tools. It has made the entire process much easier, as we have limited experience with editing. We began by adding all of our clips to the software, changing the audio and cutting certain scenes. The software allowed us to easily rearrange our clips, while playing with different tools such as filters, and adding our titles and other fonts onto the screen.
Interviewer: I'm guessing that all of this helped you gain a little more experience. Am I correct?
Manuela: Oh for sure! These technologies made filming much easier, while also making it look professional, high-quality, and exactly as we had imagined it. Technologies such as tripods and mini mics were essential to making our opening as we relied on them heavily to get the results we wanted. While we could have filmed without them, the opening would have never looked the same. I learned how to use certain technologies like Adobe Premiere Pro that I have never used before. Now, I can use this software for future projects which is very exciting for me!
Interviewer: Very interesting. Thank you for sharing, and thank you for joining us for today's episode.
Manuela: Thank you for having me!
Interviewer: Thank you so much for joining today and sharing a little bit of your journey with us. For everybody watching, stream The Seventh Lie today, you won't be sorry. Tune in for another episode, next week. Good night.
For the filming portion of the opening, we used my iPhone to film all of the clips, including behind-the-scenes content for our blogs. On my iPhone we used cinematic mode to film all of the footage. This made it feel more professional, focusing the camera only on the actors, instead of any noise in the background that wasn't needed in the shot. One of the actors was kind enough to lend his tripod which we used to stabilize the camera, instead of relying on our shaky hands. This allowed us to have a clean and professional shot for each scene, while giving us flexibility to move the camera around in different angles and heights. To add to this more professional and high-quality look, we used mini mics and low-key lighting, ultimately enhancing the mood and auditory aspect. We clipped with mini mics to each actor, hiding it into their shirts, and connecting the sound to my phone. This process helped to amplify the actors' voices, while eliminating any background noise. For the lighting, we used three different sources to create a blend of dim-lighting, with more orange hues to add to the visual aesthetic of the film. We used a large lamp across the room to add enough lighting where the scene could be visible on screen, adding a small orange light to add subtle color, and lighting the colors on the dinner table adding a nice effect to the props in the scene and the soft lighting.
For the editing portion of the project, my partner and I chose to use Adobe Premiere Pro for our film opening. It is one of the best softwares for long-form videos and has allowed us to experiment with different editing tools. It has made the entire process much easier, as we have limited experience with editing. We began by adding all of our clips to the software, changing the audio and cutting certain scenes. The software allowed us to easily rearrange our clips, while playing with different tools such as filters, and adding our titles and other fonts onto the screen.
Overall, these different technologies have made filming The Seventh Lie much easier, while also making it look professional, high-quality, and exactly as we had imagined it. Technologies such as tripods and mini mics were essential to making our opening as we relied on them heavily to get the results we wanted. While we could have filmed without them, the opening would have never looked the same.
Throughout this week I have been researching and coming up with different ideas that I could use for my CCR. I have formed a list of three ideas that I would like to use, answering the four questions that are being asked.
1. Google's "Most Asked Questions"
Similar to the Wired interviews of famous actors, on Youtube, I will be creating a board with peel off questions which I will be answering as the director. I will include pictures of behind-the-scenes and other aspects of the filming as I answer certain questions, adding sound effects like typing to make it engaging and creative.
2. Documentary-styled interview
For this idea I will use my mini mics to act as if I am being interviewed as a famous director. I will place one chair before the camera with someone off-screen asking me the questions. I will wear professional clothing and have a clean background with little props in the background to replicate press interviews of famous actors and directors online. I will also include behind-the-scenes content and creative titles placed on screen such as "Director Interview. Behind the Scenes of The Seventh Lie."
3. Detective/Investigation
As my opening is a thriller/mystery I thought it would be fun to continue those themes in my CCR. As I am answering questions, "solving a mystery," I will use a bulletin board with clues and behind-the-scenes photos, as I investigate the film.
Interviewer: Welcome to another episode of Behind the Lens, today we have Manuela Correa, director and producer of The Seventh lie. Welcome Manuela!
Manuela: Thank you so much for having me! This is such an honor!
Interviewer: Let's get straight into it. So your film opening has just come out, correct?
Manuela: Yes! It has just been released after around eight weeks of intense work.
Interviewer: Wow, it must have been a long process. Especially due to its intricate plot. Tell us a little more about it.
Manuela: It definitely was. But we have also see how all of that hard work really paid off. My partner and I couldn't have asked for a better outcome. Our film opening is a little chaotic, but to put it shortly, it is a representation of the seven stages of grief, primarily the denial stage. It takes place in a mundane home and tells the story of a young girl on the search for the truth when she realizes her brother is a complete stranger. She begins a journey of accepeting the truth and the loss of her real brother, while helping her parents surpass their blinding grief.
Interviewer: What a crazy storyline, thank you for sharing. So, today we just have some questions to ask you about this film. Shall we get started?
Manuela: Yes, I'm ready.
Interviewer: How did your production skills develop throughout this project?
Manuela: Well, When I was first introduced to this project I was immediately intimidated, and in fact, feared it. I had never had any real experience filming a good-quality film, aside from I-movie trailers when I was younger. Although I felt nervous about the project and the uncharted land I would have to cross, I had some faith in my capability of filming this opening as I have always had a very strong creative mind.
Interviewers: I can definitely see your creative side popping through.
Manuela: After our research, we began writing out the plot, and listing details that we wanted to include. Then we began forming a cast, location, scouting, creating costumes, etc. Throughout this process, I learned about the amount of work that actually goes into a project such as this one. I learned about the obstacles that must be faced when filming an opening such as this one. We worked through several issues with locations, as we wanted to film in a nicer, more 'cinematic' setting. But while looking online for rentals, we realized our ideas would be too expensive and tight on time, so we ended up settling with filming at my house, focusing on improving the decor and props to enhance the set. In addition, our main obstacles were with our cast. Finding and communicating with actors who would be willing to set aside their time for this opening was extremely difficult, and took us longer that what was expected. So we decided to ask different friends of ours, including members of the drama club, which led us to different variations of our cast. And while planning the days that would be used for filming, our schedules conflicted with the casts' so we ended up having to find actors, setting filming days around their schedule. This proved to be the best decision as we were getting nervous that we wouldn't have enough time to film. But eventually we realized that it worked, and we just had to sacrifice some other things in our personal time to get this project done, and a product that we were proud of.
Interviewer: I can definitely see how difficult of a process that was. But i'm sure you learned many things from this experience, correct?
Manuela: Yes, for sure. As these issues led us to change the script a few times, adapting to our location and who we had available, helped me learn the importance in sacrifice, but also taking time to organize and structure my schedule, ensuring that no procrastination is being done. We started this project with a chaotic and messy idea that needed a lot of work to make sense. After many trials and tribulations we have ended with a clean, edited project that we are proud of, especially considering out beginner level.
Interviewer: And did you have any sort of experience before?
Manuela: We were pretty much beginners but previous works such as the One Word Sound project helped us with some knowledge in editing videos, and managing the shots, angles, composition, and sound. This all helped us throughout the project to ensure that our vision of the film was being done perfectly and efficiently.
Interviewer: I can see that you gained a lot from this project. Do you think it has change your perception of the film world? Or maybe how you will interact with film in the future?
Manuela: I definitely feel that it has changed me, not only because of the obstacles that we overcame, but also the simple act of putting together two clips of footage. Ultimately, while this project was a challenge, I came out of it with some experience in filming, sound, and editing, and a very new perspective of filmmaking and those who put in extremely hard work to ensure that the film industry is what it is today. While this may seem like little, it is a small step to future projects, and how much respect I have for those working in the tough industry of film.
Interviewer: Wow, what a great perspective to have. We should all give some more attention to those who work so intensely and passionately to make cinema what it is today.
Manuela: I couldn't agree more. Movies are what those behind-the-scenes make it to be.
Research:
When I was first introduced to this project I was immediately intimidated, and in fact, feared it. I had never had any real experience filming a good-quality film, aside from I-movie trailers when I was younger. Although I felt nervous about the project and the uncharted land I would have to cross, I had some faith in my capability of filming this opening as I have always had a very strong creative mind.
We began the research portion of the project, almost too slow, focusing on minuscule details that stretched that part of the process. After choosing the genre, we listed and looked through our favorite thriller films, looking at different stylistic choices they made, and the different genre conventions that they used. Throughout the research, our blogs were what helped align us and structure the project, especially since the origins of the idea were slightly scattered and confusing in the beginning.
After researching what could go into our film, we began writing out the plot, and listing details that we wanted to include. Then we began forming a cast, location, scouting, creating costumes, etc. Throughout this process, I learned about the amount of work that actually goes into a project such as this one. Through firsthand experience, I learned about the obstacles that must be faced when filming an opening such as this one. We worked through several issues with locations, as we wanted to film in a nicer, more 'cinematic' setting. But while looking online for rentals, we realized our ideas would be too expensive and tight on time, so we ended up settling with filming at my house, focusing on improving the decor and props to enhance the set. In addition, our main obstacles were with our cast. Finding and communicating with actors who would be willing to set aside their time for this opening was extremely difficult, and took us longer that what was expected. Asking different friends of both mine and my partners, including members of the drama club, led us to different variations of our cast. And while planning the days that would be used for filming, our schedules conflicted with the casts' so we ended up having to find actors, setting filming days around their schedule. This proved to be the best decision as we were getting nervous that we wouldn't have enough time to film. But eventually we realized that it worked, and we just had to sacrifice some other things in our personal time to get this project done, and a product that we were proud of.
In addition, we had to change the script a few times, adapting to our location and who we had available. For example choosing to film voiceovers for my parents and only showing their hands and torso, as we weren't able to fit them into our schedule. This also helped me learn the importance in sacrifice, but also taking time to organize and structure my schedule, ensuring that no procrastination is being done.
We started this project with a chaotic and messy idea that needed a lot of work to make sense. After many trials and tribulations we have ended with a clean, edited project that we are proud of, especially considering out beginner level. Yet, while we had little experience entering this project, previous ones such as the One Word Sound project helped us with some knowledge in editing videos, and managing the shots, angles, composition, and sound. This all helped us throughout the project to ensure that our vision of the film was being done perfectly and efficiently.
Ultimately, while this project was a challenge, I came out of it with some experience in filming, sound, and editing, and a very new perspective of filmmaking and those who put in extremely hard work to ensure that the film industry is what it is today.
