Aice Media Studies (Links)

 Time to submit.

• Film Opening: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nqoggdVdqiwF0MjkuHtguByk5cJlmSJs/view?usp=sharing

• CCR Video 1 (CCR 1 & 2)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rqbOm7Cm5SDQRttOJJQXgjxKWyd_TXnB/view?usp=sharing

• CCR Video 2 (CCR 3 & 4)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tt07Nb1fCcyknnkYEX8juuVy61PMJKLr/view?usp=sharing

Aice Media Studies (Reflections)

 It's really the end.

Hello viewers, sadly this will be one of my final four blog posts for this portfolio. I've really enjoyed working on this project and how I've been able to develop it, being proud of the final outcome of it.

• My overall reflection

The project has really helped me in areas like collaborating with people. I've learned how to responsibly manage my time when other people are involved, making sure I have time to always film. I've understood how important it is for everyone to do their part in the project. I felt really proud of myself for showing the final product of the project to my group members and hearing their confirmations on the appearance and quality of the project. 

Talking about the final product, I was very pleased with my development through tools like editing softwares, especially Adobe Premiere Pro. Being able to learn how to use this tool was a real life-changer it helped me so much in the end and honestly made it much easier for me to edit and get the project done. I feel like I really improved the quality of the project with this learned skill. I honestly enjoyed it a lot being able to add transitions between clips, add text, and change settings in volume output throughout each of the clips.

I've also learned a lot of things throughout the project, like upgrading my ideas and uses of visual techniques like low-key lighting. It was really fun experimenting with different light angles from light sources trying to make the project with as little light, but still keeping it viewable to the naked eye. I was able to improve my skills when it came to filming shots, angles, and camera movements throughout the film, keeping it horrific while still at a fast pace throughout the film. 

Most importantly, this project has helped me in a subject I know for a FACT I'll need for the future. This project really helped me on my documentation and research skills, being able to adequately find the research needed for my blog posts. It was able to help me with my time management between my other classes while still needing to have these blog posts completed.

Overall, I really benefited a lot from this project, enjoying the 8-week journey along the way as well. Maybe in the future, I could take up a career like this or do classes that'll give me a similar experience. Thank you so much for reading this blog post, have a great one!

Aice Media Studies (Post-Production of the CCRs)

 My last post-production post of the series. 

For this blog post I'm going to explain my editing process through my CCRs

• CCR 1:

For CCR one, it was quite simple, I'd edited multiple cuts between clips of me in the two-shot clips talking and answering the questions to the CCR in the context of me being an oscar winning director In a news pre-recorded broadcast. I'd used this feature called "enhance" for the audio in the clips to be able to enhance the power my voice in the clips. The only issue is that Adobe Premiere Pro does this using AI to generate your voice-over background sounds. It kinda made it hard to utilize it, but without it the audio was much lower. I was still able to get around it by tweaking and playing with the volume settings it included. 

• The Ad:

For the ad between CCRs 1 & 2, I'd done an ad about a type of coffee which helps instantly energize those who purchase and drink the product, "snapping" into action, get it? Cause it's "Snap Brew," It really only took about 30 seconds worth of filming. I'd edited together the clips, trying to seamlessly transition between what was going on in an easily understandable manner. I had specifically chosen this "digit funk" song I'd found on "Pixabay" since it provided this sort of upbringing and energetic pace to the ad. 

• CCR 2:

There really isn't much to talk about for CCR 2. In this CCR, I continued the news broadcast in the context that we'd just come back from an ad break. I did the same as in CCR 1, answering the questions while editing the clips and photos needed to give detail on what I was talking about. 

• CCR 3:

For CCR 3, I had followed up with the plans that I'd been documenting. I feel like I was successfully able to answer my question, including clips of the detailed responses I gave, while keeping it in a voice recording. As shown, I was seated on my couch, acting as if I were listening to a podcast. It was relatively easy to film and edit together. I had my group member, Nic, act as the announcer on the audio recording.

• The Ad:

For the ad between CCRs 3 & 4, what I did was I recorded my couch, which I'd previously been sitting on. I did this to make it seem like I'd left the couch to run an errand or so something while the ad of the podcast still played in the background. The idea was this ad about a key siren thing, the "KeyFindr," a revolutionary tool that helps you find your keys when you lose them. I edited a sound effect I was also able to find on Pixabay, which was a loud siren that lasted a second. This was to add some type of comedic shock to the viewers, while also showing off how effective and loud the siren is. I'd edited and chosen this song called "New day again," which I'd also found on pixabay. It had a cheerful and fast paced mood to it, which made me choose it.

• CCR 4:

For the final CCR, I'd edited a bunch of different cuts consisting of me in different spots around my backyard. This was primarily meant to add a more interesting twist to the CCR and not just have it be me answering a question as an answering floating head. I also tried to be more interactive during this CCR, having pictures of the details on display, by showing them hovering around me. Since I filmed this outside, and I wanted to have this as a purely educational little film, I didn't really add any songs or background music to not disrupt viewers from trying to hear what I was saying. 

Welp, that's really everything I have for my editing processes on my CCR posts. 

Aice Media Studies (Production CCR post)

 Production of my CCRs!

For my CCRs, I took time trying to set everything together for my filming sequence, trying to get everything done.

• CCR 3 (I'll start with this one) 

         An obstacle I overcame - For CCR 3, I originally was going to edit a podcast, showing clips of me talking as if I were in a studio while responding to questions in an interview-type way. The only problem was trying to figure out how I'd format this trying to make it seem fluid like if it were a pre-recorded podcast. I was struggling to do this until I'd read the instructions and asked a friend and learned we were allowed to have a slideshow, showing photos and such while having a pre-record audio over it. I was thinking of doing this, but I wanted to make it somewhat different.

Instead what I did was I changed it to the story of a dude (me) being tired and drained while editing and working on a project. This story would show him closing everything he's working on, grabbing his phones and Airpods, and walking to his couch. I'd add sound effects like button clicking as of the phone wasn't on silence. I'd show him putting on his airpods which would transition to the beginning of the podcast. He'd sit there busy listening to the podcast, enjoying it while being relaxed from background music I'd found on the "Pixabay" website. 

I chose this for it to be like a relaxing quick session where you'd get the vibes of the actor chilling, enjoying the podcast, while also learning about my overall enjoyment and development on the project itself. By the end of it I'd transition to CCR 4 after an ad break from finishing the podcast.

• CCR 4 

        Set design - For CCR 4, after transitioning through the ad break, I was gonna instantly cut into frame and talk about how the ad was boring, immediately wanting to cut to the chase with the video. I'd be shown posted up and walking through different parts of my house in a sort of jump-cut way, for example, my living room, transitioning to my background, and maybe the sidewalk outside my house. 

I'd incorporate pictures correlating with the research and different tools I'd used throughout the project, giving details on these facts. For the filming process, I'd have the camera following me while I talk, not trying to just stand still or sit still in a specific area. 

For CCR 4 I'll be wearing the same clothes to develop the story like if the person listening to the podcast got bored of the ad and just decided to continue the podcast himself. (I know it sounds weird, but just think of it as myself listening to my own podcast to find comfort in the project I'm doing) 

• CCR 1 & 2

        Shooting process - For CCR 1 & 2 I won't be doing separate ideas like with CCR 3 and 4, but I'll be making a new broadcast-type video. I'll have a newscaster just finishing with her latest scoop, and after this would state how they managed to get award-winning director Luis Vasquez on their broadcast. I would set this up with a shooting process of a camera facing both me and my actor ina  two-shot formation, including the photos and clips of information. 

Aice Media Studies (CCR 4# Preparation)

 Stand Ready for my Arrival, CCR 4

Now with all the other CCR's preparations completed, I'm able to finally finish with the last one and begin my filming.

How did you integrate technologies - software, hardware and online - in this project?

• Overall Idea:

Since this takes part in the same video, I plan to just transition from CCR question 3 to CCR question 4 throughout the video. Since I mentioned the idea of just filming my responses in different areas, I probably incorporate this change or transition into the next question.

• How to answer the question:

                    - Software:

For the software being used, I'm going to mention editing tools like Adobe Premiere Pro. With this software, I'm able to do several things. I'm able to add films, sounds, and transitions between clips or photos. We've also used other tools Voice Memos, Soundboard Tuna, and Pixabay. For Voice Memos, I've used this software in their project to film Foley sounds, I haven't filmed much, but plan to add it in the future. I also instructed Nic to use these when he provides for the group. Soundboard Tuna, as I've mentioned before is a sound software website that I plan to use in order to incorporate different sound effects and and music in a free copyright way. I'm also going to be using one of the tools provided by the teacher called Pixabay, a website that I've also previously mentioned which offers thousands of free copyrighted songs and music audios usable for free and to the public. 

                    - Hardware: 

For hardware, there aren't really a lot of choices and tools that I'm using except my trusty iPhone 16 Pro Max! My phone is going to be the main tool used for filming the entirety of the project since it offers way more cinematic settings than the phones of my other group members. We're also using the phones of my group members as a light source. Throughout the filming process, we'd angled the light sources to look like they were part of the real natural world of the narrative world so that the filming would look more authentic and real and would help affect the overall story with the low-key lighting techniques. 

                    - Online:

For online, I could use examples like utilizing Google drives as the main way of storing clips and sending them from my phone to my laptop in order to integrate them into my editing software. I'm also using online websites like YouTube in order to find tutorials on how to further my development with Adobe as well as Foley techniques. 

This one was harder to talk about since I felt like I barely used a lot of tools to create my project. 

Aice Media Studies (CCR 3# Preparation)

 Time for CCR 3!

This week I've been working on preparations and planning how to answer the CCRs, with 1 and 2 created now I'll talk about CCR 3.

How did your production skills develop throughout this project? 

• Overall Idea: 

My overall idea for the script and plan of demonstrating and showcasing my answers to this question is to make it some type of podcast. The thing is, as I talk through my podcast, answering questions and talking I'll add transitions, showing me walk around and inserting photos and little clips of my production and development of the project, explaining my growth throughout the project. With this plan set, I believe I'll be able to interact with the audience more, able to offer different perspectives on my setbacks and accomplishments. Settting-wise, I'd maybe want to film it like me walking through different areas, my house, backyard, other houses, school, etc...

• How to answer the question:

                    - Development: To start off, I've genuinely enjoyed making this project. Being able to research different filming techniques, and precise details on the genre selected, and watching movies to be inspired has been a blast. I've had a lot of fun being able to film with the friends I've made in class, share our ideas, goals for the project, etc... Since the very beginning of the year I have been an amateur filmmaker (still very much am) and throughout the year I'd learned more and more about planning and film making to better my productions. This final project has helped me finally see how everything played out. I've been able to see my progression in documenting and researching, as well as being able to find and take better overall shots of scenes. I've been able to learn more things about set creation and set choice, understanding where props should be placed and used. I'm proud of how we've managed to utilize props, being able to imbue fake blood to enhance the severity of the plot in the opening, as well as my explanations for the costume designs. I feel like this project has truly given me insight into what a real-world author or director goes through when trying to turn their films into real life. I was even able to up my visuals, including techniques like low-key lighting. I feel like with this project I've very much well improved in this category since the beginning of the year with my "One Word Film" project. I've learned much more about different editing techniques like inserting POV shots and understanding ways to make the films visually appealing to the audiences. I also think I've been able to learn a lot more about editing through software like Adobe Premiere Pro, being able to edit and integrate different sound effects as well has also helped me with developing newer skills in this field, something I could actually use in the future. 

I've learnt a lot from this project and I'm actually grateful I was able to partake in this final.

Aice Media Studies (CCR 2# preparation)

 Now the 2nd CCR Question!!

Last week we were assigned to prepare our CCR 1 questions and responses, planning how to do it. Now it's time to talk about CCR 2!!!

How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?

• Overall Idea:

For the overall idea, since this question takes place in the same video as question 1 the plan for the story stated in CCR 1 preparation will be the same story for CCR 2. I'll try my best to smoothly transition the video in an understandable way for CCR 2.

• How to answer the question:

                    - Target Audience: 

        I want my product to engage with audiences that truly love the horror aspects of films, I want the audiences to fully feel in-depth and immersed in the story, and I want the product to create a sense of terror that gets the thrill of your heart pounding. I want to engage audiences with darker, and low-lighting visuals which would drive audiences to be interested in the visuals. I want to use audio like sharp tones, mixed with muffled and terrifying screeches, followed by background sounds of the setting and environment to entertain and pull audiences to the story present in the opening. I want the audience to connect with the characters as well as understand their fears and struggles with the acting and events. I also want to engage those who love watching psychological thrillers as the intensity of the film increases while watching the father plunge into more and more darkness and terror until the very end when the son witnesses the traumatic event of watching his father's death.

                    -Distribution as a real media text:

        For distribution, me and my group would focus on trying multiple media platforms in order to get the name of the film out there. We'll create strong presences on social media, having accounts spanning all of their more popular social media like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, etc... We would share teasers, trailers, and behind-the-scenes and engage with fans on different occasions. We would try to host live events like screenings and live videos. We could try collaborations or partnerships with popular influencers, and horror-themed channels that could be found on platforms like YouTube. We could even attempt other forms of trying to get our product out there with uses like radio shows and even podcasts, interviews with the director and actors, trying to make some types of fun entertainment. In a realistic sense, over time, while our product gains more and more we could try licensing our products to official sponsors for our film, as well as trying to license it onto popular streaming software and platforms such as Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Apple TV+, etc...

This is how I'd want to engage target audiences, while also explaining how we could realistically distribute our film.