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 Hello! For todays class, we all worked together to find the strengths and weaknesses of the following clips, and we were also asked to write down our key takeaways from them!

Movie 1: Dare To Thrill 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=nYpjHCwRO6Q

Strengths: The strengths of Dare to Thrill are the excellent tracking shots that follow the movements of the characters and the car. Additionally, their are many handheld shots to make the audience feel like they are apart of the journey, which is slightly chaotic but also can resemble life and youth. 

Weaknesses: The weakness starts when the characters first get into the car and begin blasting music. When this scene happens, we are unable to hear the other sound effects. 

Takeaway: The end of this clip leaves the audience on a cliff hanger, in which I could use this tension for my project to make it more interesting and mysterious. 

Movie 2: The Blue Boar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvMH-1XdR9c

Strengths: This clip takes place outside in nature, and the clip includes this natural lightning rather than adding filters to change the tone of the outdoor scenery. There were also multiple different shots such as the close up shot of the mother as she is speaking to her daughter, and the cutaways while she is singing. 

Weaknesses: The title "The Blue Boar" doesn't make sense with the clip because there is no meaning or metaphor to compare the girl to the boar. 

Takeaway: I could use these cutaways in my own movie opening.

Movie 3: White Coat

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=dvAsmo32uo0

Strengths: This clip starts off with dark and eerie music that immediately tells the audience what vibe this clip is aimed to give. This mysterious tone is also strengthened by the lighting, and suspense. We can obviously assume that the character is a doctor by the title "White coat" and the props that are equipment used by doctors.

Weaknesses: This clip lacks dialogue and may appear to sudden in the beginning for some people.

Takeaway: I can use this lighting for my movie opener because my group also aims to create this dark and suspenseful tone.

Movie 4: Stalker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxIZJKdc-Sw&feature=youtu.be

Strengths: Though there are not many strengths, her facial expressions are clear and the audience is able to know what she is feeling. The camera is shaky and it may help us feel the reality of the clip. Additionally, some camera shots were good such as the over the shoulder shot when she is looking through her folder.

Weaknesses: This video lacks sound, and even when there was, it was very sudden or quiet. Although the title transitions from her being home, to sitting at school, showing up in the middle of the clip is unnecessary. 

Takeaway: I can use a transition from one place to another by using a fade out or fade in. 

Movie: Rise

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9AKdUT8nyg&feature=youtu.be

Strengths: The music keeps the audience entertained and the cuts were also on beat with the music. The use of action match when he kicks the ball in the goal, perfectly transitions the camera positioning. Overall this clip keeps the audience entertained and focused on what is happening because the music stops or slows down when introducing the second character or when he is taking off his headphones.

Weaknesses: The close up shots at the very end don't contribute to the meaning of the clip because no expression is really shown on either of their faces. We are left wondering what the two characters have to do with each other and why this second character is present.

Takeaway: I liked how the music didn't stop when the second character was introduced. Instead, it was faint but still audible and it continued to play when the scene was back at the main character. I can use this by editing some parts of my sound effects louder than other parts.

Movie: Dear Lover

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9AKdUT8nyg&feature=youtu.be

Strengths: The strengths were how the title ties in with the storyline and the use of flashbacks and fade outs to give the audience context to why she is sitting there. 

Weaknesses: The lighting should have been natural because most of the scenes take place outside. Instead, they use a tint, which ruins the vibe the audience is supposed to feel while watching it.

Takeaway: I can use flashbacks, and transitions to show the audience events that may have happened before the present. 

Preliminary Exercise

 Hello! Today in class we were asked to capture 4 images (two of them that include posed actors) and write commentary on these photos, and how we can improve our skills on them. We are also expected to include media languages such as framing, camera angles, location, etc. 

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1. Establishing Shot

This image is as an establishing shot because it shows the location and sets the overall mood of the scene. The wide frame captures the water in front of a hotel, along with the the open sky, and the reflection it has on the water. The shot was taken from a moving boat, which shows the distance it has traveled and displays the size of the buildings along the shoreline. The sunset lighting adds a warm, calm tone to the image. The pink and orange sky reflected on the water creates a peaceful and calm mood, hinting that this was taken towards the end of a day. The lighting is natural and draws the viewer’s attention toward the center where the sky is brightest. The ripples in the water add meaning, showing movement, which supports the idea that the photo was taken somewhere in the middle of the water.

Things I could have improved on: One thing I could improve is showing the boat more in the image, or show its edges in the frame. By including the boat in the image, it would reveal where the picture is being taken, and give this shot a deeper meaning. The viewers would then be able to conclude that the motion from the water is because of the moving boat, that is sailing away from the hotel. 

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2. POV Shot 

This photo is a point-of-view shot showing someone sharing a book with their friend in a library. The viewer is in the point of view of the person pointing at the page, which shows interaction and communication in the moment. The action of the friend holding the page down, and the person we're in the perspective of pointing at the page, it emphasizes the moment between the two people and suggests that they are discussing the book together. The setting of the library is clearly shown through the background as it has shelves and a librarians desk, reinforcing that they are reading, learning, or studying. 

The girl’s expression is visible, but it is somewhat neutral, not showing much emotions which makes it harder for the audience to read her true reaction. One improvement I could make is capturing a picture where her face shows more  engagement or interest in the book. If I do this, it would strengthen the situation of the image and be more effective in conveying the message this shot was meant to give. 

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3. Close-up shot

This photo is a close-up shot that focuses on a girl’s facial expression as she reads a book. Her hand is on her chin and her eyes are slightly narrowed down, to show her curiosity and concentration. This helps the audience understand her expression while reading the book. The angle also allows the viewer to see a page of the book and her face at the same time.

Although this shot does well highlighting emotion, the background is still somewhat distracting since the library shelves and lights take up a lot of space in the middle of the frame. One improvement I could make is zooming in closer on her face so that she becomes the main focus of the image. This would remove background distractions and make the close-up even more effective at showing her expression.

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4. Long Shot

This image is a long shot taken in the morning while I was arriving at school. This long frame captures the road and school buses in a line. The angle this shot was taken, shows a bus window  indicating that the photo was taken from inside the bus, placing the viewer in the point of view of the person who captured the photo as they arrive at school.

The atmosphere of the image feels gloomy and calm due to the cloudy sky and the wet ground, where water from previous rain is still visible. The street lamps being turned on indicate that it is still early in the morning, allowing the viewers to assume what time of day this picture takes place in. The line of school buses makes it clear that this location is a school, while the dull lighting and reflections on the pavement create a quiet mood that matches the feeling of a gloomy school morning.

One improvement I could make is getting rid of the glare from the bus window, which distracts the viewers from feeling the mood of the image. Taking the photo at a different angle or closer to the glass could help get rid of reflections and create a clearer and more effective long shot.

Brainstorm/Ideas

Hello! Today in class we began brainstorming ideas for our movie opener. Me and my group discussed our ideas for our clip including the genre, roles, and possible story lines.

Here are some of our ideas:

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Idea 1

Genre: Horror & Thriller 

Potential roles in the opener:

Nilliem as the husband

Veronica as Elena (The wife & Doctor)

Kamryn as the patient (Elena's target)

Potential roles BTS:

Suri is helping with editing, recording, sound, and providing props

Kamryn is helping with sound

Veronica is helping to record scenes and manage social media

Nilliem is helping with editing

Plot: 

Dr.​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Elena Marquez is one of the leading transplant doctors in her area. She has been instrumental in keeping alive patients who were about to run out of time. Until the tragedy, of course, comes to her own family. Daniel, her husband, suffers a sudden and severe organ failure. The doctors gave him only a few weeks.
Elena puts him on the national transplant list right away; nevertheless, his situation is not severe enough to get the priority ranking he needs. The odds of a transplant happening in time are next to nothing.
Elena, overwhelmed by terror and sorrow, sees helplessness as the only option. She exhausts all legal routes, clinical trials, remote donor programs, and luxury hospitals, but the pace remains unchanged. She sees her husband fading away while she, a doctor who has been saving lives, feels utterly powerless.
The tension escalates, and Elena starts to do things that she had never thought she was capable of. She begins to illegally look for possible matches in hospital records. At the beginning, she convinces herself that she is only looking, not doing anything. But as Daniel continues to deteriorate, her desperation becomes an obsession.
The moment Elena discovers someone who could be the perfect donor, a healthy, anonymous person with no family ties, she is at a crossroads. She is aware of what the law requires, and she understands her moral pledge. However, she also knows that this organ could be the one to save her husband.
Elena picks ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌Daniel.

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Primary Research

Skill	I am good at this	I can do this, but I need to improve	I need to acquire this skill
Using a camera (photography or video) including those built into a mobile phone	✔
Recording sound either on its own or as part of a video	✔
Using light for effect, either in still photography or moving image		✔
Using video or photo editing software		✔
Using desktop publishing software			✔
Writing for specific purposes and audiences		✔
Producing social media such as Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook	✔
Using online applications to enhance the meaning of texts, for example  Prezzi, Powtoon, Slideshare			✔

 

Members: Kamryn Phonesoukseum, Suri Nguyen, Veronica Madrid, Nilliem