Filming Postponed

Time to be honest: I'm a bit worried.

Originally I had planned to film about a week ago, and that never happened because I didn't feel fully prepared, not to mention the Corona virus. This has created several difficulties for me and i'm sure for others as well, but I was feeling a bit hopeless because I know that the virus isn't suddenly going to disappear, although I wish it would. But I was reminded to work around the issues by my mom. She's a problem solver and doesn't spend much time dwelling in everything that goes wrong, like me. So, I'm glad to have her with me and grateful for her advice.

The deadline for the project is clear APRIL 12TH, giving me roughly two weeks to get everything done. Although this sounds a bit difficult, I realized that I've spent the past few weeks conducting research, watching movies, and preparing for the creation of this opening, so I'm not falling behind. I have enough knowledge to begin filming, but I want to be very careful before I start. Currently there are curfews established in my state, but there are no lockdowns as of this time. However, we have been advised to self-isolate and try to keep our distance.

Just yesterday, I went to the grocery store to get some water and ran into my godmother! I was glad to know she was doing good and feeling healthy, but she told me a story about her best friend who's a nurse at UM hospital. She began telling me how she's been working really hard for the past week, as she has been in charge of the Corona virus unit, and has been exposed to several people that have the virus. And at this time, the hospital is running out of masks. As a mother of two, she was worried because she didn't want to contract the virus and take it home to her kids. This made me realize that more people than I thought are suffering from this virus, even the people who don't have it. Nurses and doctors, like her are working day and night to help those who have the virus and continuously receive more and more patients who are sick. This is why it's so important to try and do our part as citizens to help stop this spread. This encouraged me to come up with new ways to film. So, I decided to use the footage I already have of the empty grocery stores, and fill in the rest with other parts of the storyline. I have already spoke with my actress who lives just a couple minutes away from me to find a safe way to meet up in order for me to film the rest of the story.

I have dedicated the next week to completing the opening and then the following week will be for the CCR (reflection) and finalizing the details. I am extremely motivated to get this project done safely and to create an awesome film opening!

Also, I want to dedicate a little shoutout to all the moms because they tend to be the best support system out there! Oh and let's not forget the doctors and nurses who are working hard at this time to help the world!

Running into Trouble

I know, I know I've already made plenty of blog posts on the memory device the character will wear in my film opening, but it's yet to be created! I know exactly what I want it to look like, but I haven't found the tools I need to make it. At first I had the idea of just using a black bottle cap and cutting it to make it look like a small disc that can be put onto the actresses' temple, but I don't think this would look so good and I want to create something that truly matches what I had imagined.

As shown, I will be taking a trip to Michaels, which is an arts and craft store in my area, tomorrow to see what I can find there. Hopefully I can find something that I could use to create the device, but if I don't I hope to just leave with inspiration! If it comes to it, I can always use the bottle cap, and post a picture of the final product, but updates will come tomorrow!

Found the Actress

YES! I found the actress for my opening!
I'm so happy right now. I had her in mind because I thought she would perfectly fit the role of the female character in the sci-fi film, but I was worried she wouldn't be able to take part with everything that is occurring at the moment. However, I just got off of the phone with her and she was excited to play the role.

Now let me introduce her:

Silvana Marquez 

She is a family friend and mom of two. She doesn't have much acting experience but, in all the time I've known her, I can tell that she is very good at expressing herself both through words and expressions. Someone like her is exactly what I need. Since there isn't much dialogue in the opening, the actress needs to be able to convey all her emotions and thoughts through expressions. Another reason I believe she is perfect to fit the role is that I'm so comfortable with her,, making it easier for us to communicate clearly and I can ask her to do anything, whether it be retake a scene or change her actions. Not to mention, THE PURPLE HAIR! I think it's such a cool feature of hers that just makes her fit the description of a female sci-fi character perfectly!!

I've already briefed her on what she will have to do, and the plot of the film that way she can start getting used to the idea and practice the emotions she needs to portray that are essential to the story. Now, I have to think about costume design and more! I'll be back with updates within the next few days!!

Filming Equipment

Hello there!

As I prepare to film, I just wanted make a quick list of the equipment I will use. I've mentioned in previous posts that I plan to use a Canon DSLR camera to film the entire opening, and the sci-fi effects I want to create will be added during the editing process. At first, I'd though out using an old camera that will naturally create a grainy effect, however I realized that this might bring some complications with connecting it to my computer, and it wouldn't create the same effect I was looking for.

I will also need a tripod for stable shots that I do not own. The original plan was to borrow one from my teacher, however because of the virus we didn't go back to school this week, therefore I couldn't check out the tripod. Anyway, this isn't a big issue because I can purchase one through Amazon at a low price and have it shipped within the next two days. And I don't mind spending the money because this tripod can always be used at a later time for any other projects I have.

Another thing I've thought about purchasing is a microphone because the audio for my camera isn't the best. However, I realized that there isn't much dialogue in the opening, it's composed more of background sounds such as the wind. Because of this,  it may not be necessary to purchase a microphone. Nevertheless, I will film some test shots tomorrow to see if my camera is able to fully capture the sounds of nature. If not, I can always add them while I edit and film the sounds using a different device.

Lighting is another important thing to consider. For me, most of the shots will be filmed outdoors, therefore I'll be using natural light. However, this does create some complications because the lighting outside isn't always the same, so I have to make sure and film the shots within the same time that way I have the same lighting throughout. Then in the indoor scene, I will use the lighting of the grocery store to get the right feel, I don't want the shot to seem artificial.

For now, this is all the hardware I will use to film my opening, if anything else comes up I'll let you know!

Leading Lady

Hello, I've come with an important update!

So, I've made a major change to the opening which is making the main character a female rather than a male. There are a couple reasons why I chose to make this change, but the main one would be for female representation. In one of my first blog posts I addressed how the main character of sci-fi films is always a white male. However, times have changed and women continue their fight for equality. My teacher taught a lesson on representation earlier in the year, and females are not the only group that is under represented in films. Other groups consist of certain race/ethnicities, LGBT, and people with disabilities. However, the one I will focus on is female representation.

Within the past decade, there hasn't been any increase of representation of females in film. In fact, the recent 2018 USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative concluded that in 2017 "women had fewer speaking roles in movies than they did a decade ago" meaning there has actually been a decrease in representation. However, after this study was published, and others like it, many have focused on increasing not only female representation, but gender quality as well in Hollywood.

But what isn't seen as often is female leads in sci-fi films. Until recently, there have been some science fiction films and TV series that star a female role. For example:

Star Wars: Rise of the Skywalker (2019)

This film came out just last year that stars Daisy Ridley. The film focuses on her understanding her abilities, but maintains the same theme all Star Wars films have. The film made around $491 million in domestic theaters after just a month of being released. Although, it was different, in the sense of a female lead, from other films in the Star Wars franchise, it was quite successful. Forbes named it "One of 2019's biggest successes." They also compared it's success to other films that were just as successful, and that list included: Iron Man 3, Black Panther, and Beauty & The Beast, which also featured a female lead role.

This inspired me to create a female role in my opening, and making the lead, and main character a female. I hope that this change will inspires others to do the same, and eventually see more empowering females in film!

Adapt and Overcome

Throughout the course, my AICE Media teacher has taught our class several skills, but one that we get to put to use at this time is the skill to overcome and adapt. Recently, a pandemic broke out, known as the Corona virus. It has killed thousands already and continues to affect people all around the globe negatively. The main way it affects not only me, but the other students in my class as well is it delays the process of creating our film opening. With the virus, difficulties are created in filming because currently there are people who can't leave home. However, I aimed to overcome this problem and work with what I have.

That's when I came up with including clips of how the virus is affecting my city. As you know, an important part of the storyline is how this character came to be the last one to survive. For some time, I thought it should be a catastrophic event, like a nuclear war that wipes out the entire population.  Instead, I will go to the supermarket and film the empty racks that is quite rare. I will include these shots in my opening as the memories the character has. Here are some photos I took the other day as an example:

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In the end, I hope to use the skill we were taught in class of adapting to the situation and overcoming this problem in order to still create an awesome film opening.

Background on The Device

The Device

As previously mentioned, an important part of film's plot is this small disk shaped device that is connected to either the side of the character's head or his wrist (yet to be decided). In this way, the character will be able to trigger the device unknowingly. The tech device serves to prompt memories that gradually play throughout the film, showing how the human race came to an end, and how this one man managed to survive. It will help develop the storyline as well as inform the audience and the character simultaneously of the events of the past.

The episode "Striking Vipers" of the Black Mirror series features a small device that is placed on the user's temple. The device reminds me most of virtual reality because it places the user in a video game that is much like an augmented reality. The device used in my film will have a similar look, but an entirely different purpose.

"Experiencer Disk" from Black Mirror

After doing some research, it was made evident that I wouldn't be able to purchase a device like this online, especially for a low price, so I was left with only one option: make the device on my own. Hopefully by tomorrow I'll be able to come up with a look a like device, but to inspire me, I will go to an Arts and Crafts store to see what I can find!

The next blog post will feature the process of me creating the device that'll be used in the opening. 

Distribution Techniques

Guess who did more research?
This time I focused on methods I could use to distribute the film opening, and here is what I came up with:

There are several methods of distribution, but they vary by who is producing and directing the film. Clearly, a film directed by Tarantino, Spielberg, or Scorsese will end up in theaters and possibly in some of the biggest film festivals. However, it's important to consider that this is my first film opening, and I don't have the budget to distribute this opening to popular streaming services. So, I need to think realistically, which I made sure to do while conducting my research.

The first suggestion I found was showing the opening at a local film festival. At first, I thought this wouldn't be possible since I didn't think the area I live in had many film festivals, but after searching for local film festivals I was shocked by the results. There are very successful film festivals, especially in the Miami area where short films are constantly released and bought. By playing a viewing of my film opening to an audience who has a clear interest in film, the opening would rapidly gain attention. I believe this would be my main distribution technique because it's seems to have a lot of potential. Getting the opening to be shown at a local festival would be much simpler than trying to get it to a huge film festival like Sundance, and I would still be reaching a large audience.

Miami Film Festival

The second method would be by reaching out to streaming services, or VOD platforms. Most often, to distribute a film the filmmaker will hire a third party aggregator who already have experience in film distribution. Since they specialize in this, it's much easier for them to utilize their connections to get your film on a popular platform like Netflix. However, these third party aggregators charge quite a fee, and at times they may even ask for partial ownership of the film. In order to avoid this, it's better to complete the process on your own. One could start by selecting the VOD platforms this wish to release the film opening on. Then by keeping these in mind, find ways to contact them on get your film to them. For certain, these platforms are constantly looking for new material to showcase, therefore by reaching out to them, your are giving them the opportunity to have what they need.

VOD Platforms

Overall, these are two achievable techniques that can be used to distribute my film opening. 

Learning Something New

Hello all!

Last class we had a lesson about the importance of reflecting back on the process of creating the film opening, and it really made me think.  As shown on the last blog post, I dedicated about a week to just reflecting and creating the CCR but when I originally created the schedule I didn't have a large understanding of what the CCR was. However, after yesterday's lesson I now realize that I complete most of the CCR in each blog post, since I use this space to just talk about my progress. But, I also realized that there were certain parts that I was missing. So I've created a list of things I need to research more and make sure to include in my completed CCR:

Distribution
This is a MAJOR part of my project that I hadn't given much thought to, which is how will I distribute my film opening? I know it's important to consider that this film opening is created by me. I am not a well known director, and will therefore reach less of an audience. Therefore, I need to do more research on distribution techniques.


Integrating Technology 
This is not only how I used tech to produce my film, but also the tech used within the opening by the main character. Therefore, this lists consists of camera equipment and other hardware, as well as software like the editing program I use to edit the film. I already know most of the tech I will use to produce the film opening, however I'm still a bit unsure of what the character's implant will look like. My original idea was to create a small and circular device that can be attached to the character's arm or head. Here are some images to get the general idea:

Black Mirror, Striking Vipers (2019)

More on these topics will be covered within the next few blog posts, and will be discussed more extensively!

Revisions to the Schedule

Hello there,

Just wanted to check in to provide updates on how the project is going. To preface, with any project or task, you don't really know how much time each step will take you until you're actually at that step, and that was the situation for me during the planning process. I definitely underestimated how much time I'd need to sort everything our before even filming. So, I made changes to the schedule just to have a clear view at what's coming up and what deadlines I'll have to meet.

Here it is:

The final week has remained the same. The majority of the revisions I made were from last week and this week. I was supposed to be filming by this time, but I've encountered some difficulties in the pre-filming process that have made it impossible for me to start. Like finding an actor, which I still haven't done. I think the biggest problem is that I have a clear vision of what I want the character to look like, but I don't know anyone personally who could properly envision my character. However, within the next few days I will find my actor to begin filming next week. 

Wish me luck!

Incredible Tech Found in Sci-Fi Films

As you know, an important part of my opening is the inclusion of a tech device. This implant on the character develops the plot of the film as the character learns from each memory, triggered from the implant, that he is the last man alive, and the reasons as to why he was the only one to survive.

So, I did some research on unique tech gadgets seen in films to learn how they are implemented in the film. I already know the purpose of the implant, but I do need to find a way for the character to discover it accidentally, and I thought by looking up examples, I could come up with something.
Here's a list of the coolest gadgets I found:

Neuralyzer 

Men in Black (1997)

These neuralyzers were given to the alien assassins if they ever say something they aren't supposed to. The purpose of this pen-looking device is to wipe the memories of whoever the device is pointed to. Then once the memory is cleared, a new memory can be given and everything is back to normal. The first time a character pulls out the device, it is introduced to the audience by the man explaining what it can do to a group of people.

Lightsabers 

Star Wars Franchise

The lightsaber is first introduced in the Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977). This weapon is used by both the by opposing teams, but gained much popularity throughout time. Although it is just a simple weapon that comes in different colors, it became a staple to the Star Wars Franchise. Now whenever someone sees a lightsaber, their mind immediately goes to Star Wars because there is a connection between the two.

The Iron Man Suit + Jarvis

This suit is a weapon on it's own, but having the AI system built within it just improves it abilities. Tony Stark designed both the suit and the system to help him combat his enemies, and instantly this suit was the most significant part of the films. With time, the design of the suit changed, but gradually it gained more features that made it cooler. Jarvis, the artificial intelligence program plays a huge role in the films as well because it becomes a character on its own. Jarvis is a system Tony Stark can talk to while in the suit which allows the audience to see and know more.

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Overall, each of these gadgets serve a purpose for the film they're in which can be to develop the character, like the Iron Man suit, or to serve as a representation for the film like the lightsabers. Then there are simple small tech gadgets that are featured in sci-fi films that play an important role, like the neutralizer which helps the agents keep their identities protected. No matter the purpose, each device works to develop the storyline of each film.

Starting the Script

Hey there!

I recently began the process of creating my screenplay, and it's been a bit difficult. Everything I need to start filming has pretty much been done, except the completed script and finding my actor, which I'm currently still working on.

Something unique about my film is that there is only one character therefore, there isn't much dialogue, if any at all, in the opening. Most of his thoughts are conveyed through his movements. However, I've been having trouble properly formatting the screenplay, and writing each of his movements.

This is just the beginning of the screenplay. Currently, the name of my main character is yet to be decided, so for now I left the character as "MAN." I wanted to choose a name that best represents this character, and at this moment I haven't thought of, or found anything good. I also made sure to write out the sound effects that I need to add in during editing. However, I'm not sure if there is anything else I'm missing, or if it's correct to include sounds in a screenplay.

I've viewed several different examples of screenplays, but much of what I find includes dialogue, meaning I can't use the same format. Therefore, I will conduct more research in order to properly write the screenplay. Most of what is included in the screenplay is simply the actions of the character, however I want to make them clear and concise, without seeming repetitive or boring. I may need the assistance of someone with more experience is screenwriting, if I am unable to find anything online. 

Facing Survival

Here it is!! The long awaited title of my film.

Facing Survival

To start, coming up with this name took some time, but mostly because I wanted to use a title that really captured the essence of the story. The original idea for the name of the film was "Last Man Standing", however this name sounded like it belonged to a different genre. So, I chose to look it up and it turns out that the title is actually the name of a comedy show that features the lives of an average American family. After learning this, I began to connect this name to the comedy genre, and it no longer felt like an appropriate title for my film. 

I thought about what the name could be for some time until I finally decided to look up effective methods that help in coming up with creative titles. The first, and most helpful technique was to have the theme of the story set. With just this information, it's possible to create a title that reflects on this.  However, if this doesn't feel like enough, there are other methods in generating a film title. For example, by taking a deeper look at characters and what they represent, or the situations and feelings that are repeated.

Another thing I learned is what makes for bad titles:

If the title is too close to another film title can lead to confusion between films, and is often seen as a negative because one film sounds like it copied the title of another.

- Kill Bill vs. Kill Phil
- While you were sleeping vs. While you were napping

If the title is too simple it doesn't provide enough information to capture anyone's attention.

Conflict (1945)

Honey (2003)

PHFFT (1954)

If the title is too complicated, someone may choose to stay away from the film because it's not understandable to them, making it seem like the film would be as well.

Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx (1970)

Quantum of Solace (2008)

V.I Warshawski (1991)

By knowing this, I knew what I had to avoid when coming up with the title for my film. I went back and read previous blog posts and brainstormed for some time before this title popped into my head. What I like the most about it is that it's intriguing, but it doesn't give too much about the film away.

An Inspiring Meeting

Yesterday in class, our teacher put us in groups of six to discuss our film opening and any problems we’ve encountered so far. And let me just say, this was the most helpful discussion I’ve ever had. Walking into this, I was a bit doubtful about my idea and didn’t want to share, thinking I wouldn’t have much to say, but after the first person shared her opening, I was excited to talk about mine. The immediate reaction from my group was surprised. I told the story in a way that left the shocking part to the end and I can tell in that moment everyone was truly interested. This inspired me to tackle my opening in this same way, meaning at the end of the opening, it'd be revealed to the audience that the character is the last man on Earth.

After explaining my idea, I received a couple questions that I was glad to hear because some of the things I hadn’t considered before. Ana, a girl in my group, asked where I would film. I told her about the open park location and she said it would work really well with my film, but i’d have to make sure that I use a far shot in order to clearly convey that the man is alone. Then another member in my group, Dean, suggested using as the spot Wynwood instead. At first, I declined this idea because it wasn’t that same nature feeling I had originally wanted. But after he showed me a clip of the film “28 Days Later” I realized that using an empty town may be easier to show the sense of isolation the character feels.

28 Days Later (2002)

Then I began telling them about some issues I had run into. For example, I still haven’t found an actor and I’m about ready to start filming. That’s when Sofia suggested that I go to the theater kids. She said they are always looking for an opportunity to act and they’d be up to it if I shared my idea with them. So, that solved one of my biggest concerns. There was also the problem of fitting the whole story into the two minutes i'm given, but Ana made me realize that I don’t have to tell the whole story in order to capture the audience’s attention. I can just include the most important part and still end the opening with suspense.

Knowing this, I could already envision my film opening. It would begin with an long shot, captured from an up angle. That way the audience would be looking down on the character laying on the ground. In order to create this shot, Dean, one of my classmates is going to show me how to use his drone to film that first part with it. He also offered to let me use any of his camera gear if I needed it, which was kind of him. This made me realize that all the resources I've needed have been right in front of me, I just had to ask around because there are many people willing to help.

Not only would I incorporate specific shots in this first part of the opening, but I'd also use sound to start off with an eerie feeling. This year, we've worked on different projects in which we edit sounds together and use foley to create sounds. So, using this knowledge, I will find or create sound effects that are important to the opening. However, it's also vital to remember that there shouldn't be much noise because there aren't any humans to make this noise. Therefore, I will focus more on the absence of sound, and when I do choose to include sound effects, they have to be geared towards the moment in which they're playing.

Storyboard Part 1

Greetings!
Just finished creating the story board and I have a couple things I want to mention before showing the images. First, I am not good at drawing AT ALL. I tried and I think it's good enough to understand what's occurring in the shot, but do not judge my stick figures please. Second, as I drew out the storyboard I felt that I needed a moment of surprise, almost like a plot twist to really capture the viewer's attention, but I'm debating if it's too much for an opening. Also, it may defeat the purpose of the film, but it could also make it way better with the introduction of. anew character. Lastly, I think I created a rough draft because there's shots that I didn't know how to draw out but they occur in between the major plots I drew out, and that's why I made this part one. I'm going to create a second part that will fill in the blanks of the story. But for now, here is the general idea of the film opening.

Oh! Also, there are two shots in which a memory plays, but I left them as "memory plays" for the element of surprise! I looked back at my calendar and realized that my filming time begins tomorrow, which means I'm behind because there are still some pre-filming tasks I need to complete. I will finish those within the next couple of days so I don't lose much time to film!