Film Opening

 Film Opening "Mirage": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR_e_TmTf9w

This is my film opening that I've been working for the past few weeks.

Creative Critical Reflection

Here are my CCR 1 and CCR 2 posted on YouTube.

CCR 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX6418qORzY

In this CCR I had a friend of mine come to my house and act as a reported from the University of Florida and interview me about my new film mirage.

CCR 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d6iQrS-4bI

In this CCR I acted as a youtuber and let fans send me videos about their questions relating to my film Mirage, I responded to their questions in a video.

Final Video Reflection

 The last step to finish the project is the reflection, the reflection is 4 questions that we are supposed to answer in a creative way. I started the first and second question of the reflection I just need to edit it. My idea behind the first video was to have one of my friends come to my house and play the role of a journalist from UF. My friend will interview me in different parts of the house like someone would in real life. During filming of the video, we encountered some problems such as wind, loud noises, and the script.

We were able to solve these problems by using our quick thinking skills in the spot. The wind during production was a problem because it would blow the script while also adding noise to the film. I decided to move the scenes where I was outside the backyard until later so the wind would pass. The loud noises weren't really unstoppable so we had to deal with planes and noisy neighbors. The way I was reading the script was in a way that was very  close to the camera, what ended up happening in one of my clips was that the paper was obstructing the view of the camera, and had to be filmed again. 

For my second reflection video I will be answering question 3 and 4. Question 3 and 4 were left for last because they were shorter than the first 2. Since the total video has to be from 7-10 minutes I planned that if I do a little over 5 minutes (5;20) in the first video I could do 3 to 4 minutes and that would be more than sufficient for the videos (8 to 9 mins).

 Since the second video is shorter, I decided I could make a fake podcast with one of my friends. Since the film "Mirage" will be seen by many an interviewer will probably invite me to his show. Since I know this idea is pretty basic I decided that the podcast will take place in the everglades that way the video can be more entraining. The video will start with me and the interviewer in a boat and will end when I finish asking the questions. 

Editing

 After we finished recording, we knew most of the editing involved with the video, but what impressed me the most was how easy it was to add the background music. We used Upbeat, a website that allows you to install 3 free background music choices from a vast selection. For the editing, we decided to use ClipChamp. Mariano and I have used ClipChamp in the past because of how simple the editing process is. 

After installing ClipChamp, you will receive a free tutorial on all the buttons and different actions you can add to the video being edited. A problem we ran into while editing was that since there were only 3 available downloads on Upbeat to use the sound, we couldn't download and add them to the video. A simple solution Mariano devised was to put the sound on the website while we played the video. As mentioned in past blogs, the main technique that I use during the process of editing and filming is to put myself in the audience's POV. 

I used the audience's POV while editing to see how the editing choices affected my feelings toward the film. For our opening, we used 3 different background music sounds that matched the film. The first sound we used was a calm, unsettling sound that helped the audience understand that the film would be horror and build tension. While this scene was going on, we thought it was a great idea to add the credits because there weren't any important events taking place, just the introduction of Frank.

For the second sound included, we used a calmer but still unsettling background music. During the scene, the undiscovered shapeshifter walks up to Frank and stares at him nonthreateningly. By adding this sound, the audience could tell that the dog wasn't normal and could be the monster that was previously stalking Frank. 

Lastly, the 3rd sound had to be heavy, scary, and jumpscare-type because during the scene, the shapeshifter reaches out to Frank to grab him, but Frank quickly runs away. Blending the sounds together was a difficult part of editing the background music. Without blending in the sounds, the film would look choppy and unappealing. To approach this problem, I had the idea to match the sounds with the scenes taking place by managing the fading of the sound and volume. 

UpBeat

ClipChamp

Recording

Last Tuesday, Mariano and I went out to record since we had all the shots and storyline organized. We decided to wait until nighttime for a scarier setting. Some issues we encountered while recording were camera quality, chasing scenes, and the number of helpers. I believe that if we had a third person while recording, the video could have been more successful. 

The first part of the recording was filmed at Mariano's house. His dad helped us record the first shot since Mariano and I were in the shot. Zach Simpson is a friend who has also helped us during part of the filming. I decided that Zach could be a good assistant because he has taken the class in the past and had a dog we could use for filming. In the opening Zach's dog was used to introduce the shapeshifter, his dog didn't give us many problems and we manipulated his movements with treats. 

Since it was nighttime while we were recording, the camera quality was a little blurry. To counter this problem, we decided to add light from a phone flashlight. This problem gave us a good idea: lower the lighting so the dog "shapeshifter" could look more menacing. A technique that really helped me during the recording was to put myself in the audience's spot. This way, I can tell what feelings the audience is experiencing.

Lastly, we made so many changes to the original plot of the story due to the reality check. Our original idea for the introduction of the shapeshifter would of been to show a dog with poor lighting convert into a human but after 7 tries we decided it would be better if we introduced him a different way. One of the problems I didn't see coming was my imagination vs. reality. When I was planning for the opening, I had so many great ideas, such as introducing the shapeshifter, but they all came down once I started recording them in real life. This problem did critical damage to our original idea of the opening, but it we countered by walking around the neighborhood and thinking of new ideas. Walking around the neighborhood helped me come up with new ideas because I could put myself in the setting Frank is in and let my imagination run wild.
 

Schedule

For the recording process, my partner and I are going to start next Monday because since none of us are going anywhere for spring break we have the whole week to record. Before you look at me like a dummy for pushing the project more, I need to explain how I will tackle this part of the project.  For the recording process we will start Monday and end Wednesday, I don't think it will take us 3 days to record but just incase something comes up we have an extra day. Luckily my partner and I both have access to cars, this will help because we wont need to wait for our parents to take us or pick us up from filming locations. 

The editing of our project will be completed Thursday. For the editing process of the project I will go to my partner's house and collectively finish it. For the shape shifter's transformation to look realistic we will need to add effects that hide him but aren't too noticeable. This is a problem we have encountered but my partner is currently looking for a solution since he is better at editing than I am. 

 For sound, most of the opening will be quiet because it represents Frank's life until the shape shifter appears which will result in the music being louder to match the scene. I will also implement eerie sounds so the audience believes that the shapeshifter will appear. I will use the sound techniques i learned in the past to make the audience feel anxious while watching.

 

Preparation for ending reflections

 Today in class I learned that I really want my opening to be a thriller coming of age, this is because I can relate more to the main character “Frank” both of us being teens. The final reflections are hard because they need to be in someway creative. I would say I'm a creative person because I came up with an idea immediately. My idea would be to have someone  come up to me as a paparazzi asking me the questions I need to answer. 

Another idea I came up with would be to go to the everglades and act like a nature researcher. I will relate my movie about the shape shifter to the evolution and change in animals. I will also include part of the video on a boat while on the way to the Everglades. This idea is very creative since I haven’t heard any ideas like that from my peers. 

A problem I came across with is that me and my teammate pushed the recording process of the project too much. A good way of seeing this mistake would be that while we were pushing it back we were also planning how we are going to record and what shots to use, making it easier for us to complete the process faster. The places we plan to record in are behind the library, my partners house, and the street. We will use extreme close ups many times throughout the opening to really show the fear that Frank is experiencing. 

Planning

 Before my teammate and I start recording the opening I want to have a clear and specific pathway to finish the project. Having editing, recording, acting, and more elements is crucial to have planned for a production to turn out successful. 

For the main actors,  I will be Frank and my parents will be Mr. White and Mrs. White. My partner Mariano will be involved with recording the scenes. Before we start recording I will have to specifically explain the actors how they are supposed to talk and act including body movement. For the opening I want the Mr. and Mrs. White to be a Hispanic married couple that does not have time to pay attention to Frank due to work. Frank is a lonely teen that is trying to find a passion.

For the editing part of the process, my partner will do most of the work because he has more experience editing. Even though he will be doing it, I will be helping him and give him ideas to add. We will be forced to work together because he has the skills for the editing and I have the plan set up with the specific details I want to include.

For the recording my partner and I wanted to get our hands on more professional recording equipment like a camera but didn't succeed. For the recording process we will use an Iphone 15 and an Iphone 13, the camera quality is good on both on them but limits the potential of the scenery. The color grey will be a dominant color through out the opening because of the point of view of Frank being sad/ depressed.   

Sound

One of the most important elements in horror movie is sound, in horror movies sound is used to match the intensity of the film this can include jump scares, and quiet moments. For my film, my teammate and I are planning to use as many natural street sounds to match with real life.

As I was completing my research I found a website called ArtlistBlog that helped me decide which sounds to use and how to use them. Something I really liked from the website is how there are sounds you can test out. I came to a conclusion that I would like including many scenes that had Frank's POV, I will use this by adding breathing sound effects or just Frank talking to himself. 

By doing some more research about sound in horror movies, I also found out that the suspense of a scene relies heavily on sound. For example in horror movies when there is about to be  a jump scare there is low to no sound. This is because it creates tension, I will add this sound technique to my opening to create a greater suspense when the shapeshifter is near. 

In the past, my class has practiced making sounds and experimented with sound by making a whole story based in sound. This assignment we had in the past will help me complete the opening and have a higher realism.  

Creating characters

 MasterClass and Studiobinder are two websites that helped me create my characters for the opening. Studiobinder helped me understand the process of understanding what is a character analysis and MasterClass took me through the steps. 

 Frank is 5,10 feet (177cm) and weights around 165 lbs. (74kg), he comes from a Hispanic background. Frank spends most of his time playing videogames and doing graffiti around the town.  Frank is a 17 year old boy that doesn't  perform many activities and is lazy. Frank likes to play pranks on his parents and friends. Even though he doesn't have many friends, he knows everyone in the town.

Mrs.Gavidia and Mr.Gavidia are Frank's parents, they are also Hispanic and focus on their company to stay afloat. They know Frank as a playful teenager and give him a lot of freedom in his daily life. Frank's parents although attentive, don't spend as much time with Frank. This takes a toll on Frank and makes it hard for him to communicate with his parents. 

Not much will be given about the shapeshifter in the story because his main features are being mysterious and malicious. The shapeshifter will have a dark aura and will never stick to one shape exactly, this is  to catch his victims off-guard. The shapeshifter will come in different transformations, as a cat, parent, teacher, and friend. 

Some of the details in the characters are prone to change, I will start choosing my settings by going into apple maps and search parts of Hollywood and  Weston. I haven't tried it yet but my idea is to use their POV shots around town to find the ideal filming locations for my opening. I will also include different shots in school, Broward library, and my house.

  

Filming necessities

 Before we start the filming of our opening, my teammate and I are finding locations to film in that will properly represent Crestwood. Crestwood is a dark and quiet city that was known for its depressing environment. I thought the area of Hollywood murals in a cloudy day will be a good place to record because its dark like appearance between the buildings around the city.

Some of the equipment we need to prepare before filming is the clothing, camera, and a stabilizer. For the clothing, I want Frank to wear typical used teenage clothes to better fit his role in the movie. The stabilizer can help the recording be more stable and look more professional that is why I believe is a must for the recording process. For the camera we are planning to use an iPhone 13 camera, but if we get the opportunity to use a higher end camera we will.

Lastly, something the project is missing, is a character analysis for frank. Having a character analysis for the characters in the opening is important so the actors properly know how to portray the characters. For the opening, we will need a character analysis for Frank, his parents (Mr.Gavidia, Mrs.Gavidia), teachers, and the shapeshifter. 

Yet again, MasterClass saved my day again and provided me with a clear guide on how to create deep meaning to my characters. In the article it was stated that making your characters someone you relate to is important to the story line because you can have a better point of view with the character. Other elements such as inner conflicts and flaws are also important to humanize the characters.

Story board

 Today, my group partner came to my house to plan out the story board. During the creation of the story board, my teammate and I discussed how shadows are such an important aspect to our opening. The shadows in the opening will allow us to hide the shapeshifter and include symbolism of the shapeshifter. The shadow helps symbolize the shapeshifter because they can take any form and are sinister.

The story board we made is only a rough outline of what the opening will include. One problem my team will encounter is to find the specific places to record the opening in. I was thinking of places near us but none came to head. I talked to my teammate about this and we came to a conclusion that recording by Hollywood due to all the different settings we could use.  

My group and I still have a lot of planning left to do, this story board will be just an outline for our further research and creating of the outline.

What I want to leave my viewers with: My story line blends elements of supernatural horror, mystery, and psychological thriller. It explores themes of disbelief, determination, and the consequences of confronting the unknown. The unexpected ending, where Frank is erased from the memories of his entire town, leaves a lasting impact and raises questions about the nature of the shapeshifter and its motives. Overall, my story creates a sense of unease and leaves the reader with  thoughts about the consequences of facing the supernatural.

Group meeting

Last class in Aice Media our teacher thought it would be a good idea if we discussed our project and ideas about our opening. At first I was a little skeptical about the idea because I didn't know how I would be able to help other people with their project. Once in the groups we talked about what we were struggling in, and it became apparent that everyone had similar problems so talking about the problems resulted with everyone being helped. 

While talking to the group, they asked me if I was going to make my movie on more of the shapeshifter physically attacking or more of phycological haunting. I have been thinking about this question and I don't have answer just yet. To find a conclusion to my question, I was planning to complete 2 different story boards and see which one my group member and others in the class like more. 

One of the things I was struggling with was naming my movie. I thought the title "SHAPESHIFTER" was a good idea but when the group heard it they immediately told me that it wasn't a good idea because it made it seem basic and it would also give up the monster in the movie. I asked what a good title would be and everyone struggled to think about one until one of the group members mentioned that "MIRAGE" would be a great movie tittle because of the relation it has to the movie. Mirage represents the monster because of the way he can change shapes and resembles and illusion.

Lastly, I want to include more symbolism in my movie because it will make my opening more interesting and as a result my audience will enjoy it more. Talking to my group I realized how important symbolism is, so I will add it to my movie. There are many types of symbolism I can add to my opening, but the only ones I can think of are the color red and grey. The color grey in my opening will symbolize the loneliness Frank experiences throughout the movie, this is because no one is willing to believe him about the shapeshifter. The color red in my movie will be introduced when the shapeshifter appears, the color red represents danger and violence in my movie.

Thanks to the group session we had, I will extend my research on phycological thriller and add more details in my opening to improve it. 

Analyzing research and conclusions

My story line blends elements of supernatural horror, mystery, and psychological thriller. It explores themes of disbelief, determination, and the consequences of confronting the unknown. The unexpected ending, where Frank is erased from the memories of his entire town, leaves a lasting impact and raises questions about the nature of the shapeshifter and its motives. Overall, my story creates a sense of unease and leaves the reader with lingering thoughts about the consequences of facing the supernatural.

Introduction of Supernatural Element :The shapeshifter introduces a supernatural element, creating an atmosphere of mystery and potential danger in Crestwood. This element sets the stage for the unfolding events and establishes a central conflict. Initial Encounter and 

Disbelief: Frank's initial shock and the disbelief from his parents add a layer of complexity to the plot. The skepticism towards Frank due to his playful history raises questions about the reliability of his perception, adding tension to the narrative.

 Quest for Answers: Frank's decision to seek answers in an old bookstore demonstrates his determination and a willingness to confront the unknown. The choice of the bookstore with a reputation for supernatural wisdom adds an intriguing element to the story. 

Ritual and Confrontation: The discovery of a ritual to expose the shapeshifter's true form and Frank's decision to confront it show his agency in the face of a supernatural threat. The confrontation in the dark alley builds suspense, and the shapeshifter's attack adds a physical and psychological dimension to the story. 

Unexpected Outcome: The twist where the shapeshifter wipes the memories of everyone in Crestwood, erasing Frank from their minds, is a powerful and unexpected turn of events. This outcome adds a tragic and lonely dimension to the story, leaving Frank isolated and raising questions about the shapeshifter's motives.

Over all, my story has all the horror elements I wanted to add. Researching the small details needed to make a good story line greatly helped me to complete the story with the twists I wanted to add.

Story line

1.)    In a town called Crestwood, there was a teenager named Frank. One day, he's walking home, minding his own business, and suddenly, he stumbles upon a dark alley. Frank sees this creepy shapeshifter changing transformations.

 2.)    Frank watches in shock, and the shapeshifter notices him. Frank runs home, eager to tell his parents. But his parents do not believe him because he has always been a playful prankster.

 3.)    The shapeshifter starts invading Frank's dreams, pretending to be his family and friends, while threating him. Desperate for answers, Frank goes to an old bookstore with a reputation for supernatural wisdom. He digs around and finds an old book named "death to the devil's sons"  in the book frank finds a ritual that supposedly exposes the shapeshifter's true form.

4.)     With the book in hand, Frank heads back to the creepy alley where he saw the shapeshifter. Frank starts performing the ritual, and the shapeshifter appears. The shapeshifter attacks, and Frank's doing his best to dodge its attacks in the dark. As the ritual is about to end, the shapeshifter freaks out and disappears into thin air. 

5.)    Frank runs home, ready to share the big news with his parents, only to find out the shapeshifter did a memory wipe on them. No one in Crestwood remembers Frank anymore.

Story line research

 Making a storyline to base our opening in is more complicated than I thought. My teammate and I don't want to go off another movie and change it up a bit, so we decided to do some research on how to create a horror story line. 

While researching I came across this website called "MasterClass". This website included many great tips to help me create an original  story line such as avoiding cliches and using my own fears in the story. In addition, "MasterClass" also gave me information on how to make a scary plot line, this is by adding proper pacing and unexpected twists. In my opening I would like to show off the monster at the beginning of the opening to catch the audience's attention due to the unexpectancy.

I kept researching because I felt like I needed more to create my story line. Reedsyblog helped me add that extra padding to my story by going in deeper on how I wanted my story to plan out. I had an idea in mind but I wanted my story to be different from the other horror stories, I wanted my audience to experience the feeling of unsafety no matter where Frank "main character" was at. This is why I thought a shapeshifter would be the best monster/villain to have in my story. A shapeshifter is a mythical creature that can transform into any living organism, my idea was that the shapeshifter would camouflage in Franks life as a teacher, friend, or his own family. This had a great result because it gave me a free range on when and where the shapeshifter would attack.  

 

Story plan

 In my opening, there will be a shape shifter that wants to kill Frank "teen" because he saw him transform from a human to a dog, Frank will need to avoid the creature and find out a way to defeat him. Frank will try and get help but no one believes him, resulting in a helpless situation for the teen.

    I had a shapeshifter as my villain/monster because it gives me free range of what can be considered a threat to Frank. The audience will need to be on their on guard because anything from a house cat to a teacher could be the monster.

    I haven't completed a solid story line for the opening yet, however I will continue my research on horror film elements to create a horror opening that will shock the audience. Watching horror movie openings such as "Get Out" and "Midssomar" give me inspiration to create a safe space for Frank when in reality its not. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vnghdsjmd0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzfpyUB60YY

Horror Characters

 I continued my research by investigating the type of characters horror movies introduce. The main types of characters horror movies introduce are the protagonist, his companions and the monster/villain. I found Dabble, this article talked about the importance of a character's backstory and the impact they have on the audience. 

Even thought it will be complicated including backstory in the introduction of the film, I will try working around it by adding quick flashes of the characters memories. Another element I want to add to the film that will cause me some problems with the time are strengths and weaknesses of the characters. I haven't really thought of a way I could work around this problem yet, but I will promptly. 

In my film the protagonist will come from an abusive household, where he is the eldest out of 3 siblings. His younger siblings are depending on him to survive, adding more tension to the opening. I decided that the monster shouldn't have a backstory included in the opening, this is because it makes him more mysterious and creepy. 

Elements 2/15

 I decided my genre being horror because I am simply more interested in using different types of lighting to create a sense of creepiness' and I had a better idea on what my steps were going to be in the film. Today I started my research and it was surprisingly difficult to find a horror movie that could influence my film. I ended up running into FAR OUT  that showed me successful movie introductions that could help my project seem more professional. 

Some elements I took from FAR OUT are the important use of lighting, sound, and character emotion. I will implement these elements into my film to portray a terrifying monster that will be able to shapeshift in the hunt of teenagers.

In my opening the shapeshifter will be able to transform into people and animals, the characters won't know where the monster is therefore creating unexpected attacks.  I will use the feeling of security on the audience to catch them off guard with the monster transforming into loved one's. 

Transition Blog Post

 Hello, my name is Antonio Navas and I attend Cypress Bay Highschool, and today I will be starting the portfolio project. For this project I will use my past experiences with other projects to make an introduction to a new film. Editing, composition, and sound are a few of the skills I have developed during the course of the year that will help me over come the portfolio project. 

As I decide the genres for my project, two options have captured my interest, horror and action. Factors such as lighting, camera angles, and shots play a vital role in creating the eerie and terrifying atmosphere characterized in horror films. Using these elements, I will craft a story centered around a group of teenagers striving to survive a monster capable of camouflaging itself within their daily lives, including teachers, friends, and parents. The teenagers will start a journey, researching old manuscripts to uncover the key to defeating the ancient creature.

In the other hand, I am considering an action film. Action films thrive on constant movement, including intense fights and chase scenes. This genre seems fitting due to the resources available to me, such as cars and diverse settings for filming. However, a potential challenge is maintaining a high level of excitement throughout the film without boring the audience. This project would revolve around two brothers fighting for the leadership position in their family's cartel like business, going in missions and encountering struggles along the way.