17.) Pre-game: Preparing to film

 Helloo! Welcome back or welcome to my blog!! In this post, I will be discussing my preparations for filming. I will be weighing out the easier tasks vs. the harder ones as well as go into a little more detail regarding mis en scene elements + my filming process.

Firstly, since I'm working by myself I do have a heavier work load to bear alone, but I actually tend to work really well alone, so this is an easier aspect rather than harder. I guess to preface, I'm not completely alone. I am utilizing my older sister Nola Antigua who took Media Studies a year prior as my only other actress besides myself. With that being said, she is very flexible to work with and takes direction very well, so when it comes to being in front of the camera, I anticipate that our characters dynamic will flow naturally reflecting our real life relationship.

On the flip side, I am more challenged by some other variables such as editing, camera quality, etc. When it comes to editing, I would say I am skilled at the basics. I plan to use IMovie as my editing platform --- IMovie is pretty easy to use and free, however I feel it lacks variety in things like transition options, special effects, and title options. For my movie, I worry that the plans I have in mind won't be fully fulfilled due to this. In addition, I am also using my Iphone as my camera for this project. I did plan to borrow some equipment from BECON TV, but due to extraneous hindering factors, I am not able to. With that being said, considering the video quality and stability, I do have to put forth extra effort into it looking professional and clear. 

16.) Brain to paper- Initial Storyboard of Final Project

Helloo! Welcome back or welcome to my blog!! In this post, I will be presenting my initial storyboard for my movie opener.

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For my film, I plan to fade into the first scene with a black screen. This is when I want the opening credits to start rolling as well ( Director, cast, editor, etc.) The beginning of the song, Time to Pretend by MGMT will also be playing. When the beat drops, there will be a smash cut to the next scene where the girls are shown driving in the night, listening to music and laughing. As the credits continue to roll rhythmically on screen corresponding to the music, a warm, vibrant color palette is used. I want to incorporate a vintage-looking film filter over each scene.

 

Next, the montage begins. During the montage the song picks up in beat and speed with quick fade ins and outs of black to the scenes. This montage showcases what the girls do during this particular night. This includes getting slushies, running on the beach, and driving around. Then, I want the music to slightly fade out and the camera to switch to a handheld shot by Juna-Rose. This will act as a video Juna is taking on her camera with her and Cleo on the beach- In the story line, Juna likes to document and record special moments while Cleo hates the camera. I want this scene to give the audience a glimpse into their character traits and how they differ. Then, there will be a dramatic smash cut to a black screen with an overlapping audio of Juna telling Cleo to say cheese while laughing. 

Next, there will be a close-up of Cleo in her car with a sharp breathe entering the audio. This will show the contrast from the past and present and marks the beginning of the present. There will be a pan in her POV of her surroundings - Her car is parked with the view of a road ahead and with grassy plains at each side. Again, this further marks the present tense with the noticeable contrast of night and day. The day will feel blinding and bright. 

Lastly , it will show Cleo getting out the car. With this scene, I was also thinking to get a ground shot of the camera tracking her feet as she walks onto the grass. At the last scene, a tombstone head is shown. Following, a smash cut to black and silence with the title of the film fading in. I really want this to sink in a dramatic  effect, leaving the audience concerned and infinitely curious.

15.) Feeling Moody- Final project mood board

 

Helloo!! Welcome back or welcome to my blog! In this post, I will be sharing with you all the mood board I created for my final project film idea. This mood board will reflect the vibe/feelings I want my film to convey, which I will be going more in depth on.

Mood board:

So, the general aesthetic I'm going for with my film is an indie, friendship-driven, emotional drama with contrasting moods between the past and the present. 

For the scenes that flashback to the past, I want to capture the nightlife in a positive way. The night will symbolize comfort, fun, freedom, and innocence/ ignorance. 

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As demonstrated in these pictures, theres is a spirit of adventure and fun. I aim to keep the lighting warm and vibrant in these night scenes. I am a big fan of dramatic color hues being used to really emphasize the feeling of the characters. Warm oranges, electric blues, and midnight purples are colors I plan to incorporate.

As for the characters, they will be dressed in comfortable, casual clothing. I don't want them to look so put together (slightly messy hair, imperfect makeup, baggy clothes) because for one- it's nighttime- people don't tend to look the same as they do in the morning vs. the end of the night. Additionally, I think a casual, almost messy look will be fitting for the girls given their activities and energies. 

More specifically, individuality between the characters is also something I plan to emphasize. I want their costuming to be a representation of their personalities. Juna-Rose will have straight hair and will wear lighter-toned clothes (pink, light blue, beige). This represents her bubbly, light-hearted personality. In contrast, Cleo (protagonist/ main character) will wear more dark-tone clothes (black, navy, dark green). This represents her more rigid personality. Although different, the characters compliment each other's personalities very well.

In contrast, I aim for the daytime to represent harshness, bluntness, and the realization of reality/troubles coming to the light. In scenes during the day. I want the exposure to be bright, but the saturation and vibrance to be low to emphasize the stark difference of the past(night) and present(day).

A demonstrated in these photos, this high-key lighting/ brightness and harsh lights of the day feel serious, and almost blinding. I want to incorporate cool tones with a cold, lonely feeling to emphasize pain, loss, and somber. 

14.) Making it official- Final Project Idea

 Helloo!! Welcome back or welcome to my blog! In this blog, I will be sharing with you all my final project idea. After tons of brainstorming, rough drafts, and researching similar genres/ themes, I finally curated a story I am really excited to watch come to life. This is it!

 I aim for my film titled, Through Rose- Colored Lenses to embody a dreamy, coming-of-age teen drama that focuses on themes of youth, loss, and transformation. 

The story will follow the friendship of two teenage girls, Juna-Rose and Cleo ages 17. The girls share a love for late-night drives, blasting music, getting slushies, the beach, and most of all each other. One night, as they drive through the empty streets, blasting music and painting the town red, they are immersed in the euphoria and adventure of youth and ignorance. For this portion of the film, I plan to heavily incorporate the use of lights with purple, indigo, scarlet, and orange hues to emphasize the adventurous, carefree night vibe.

Moving on, there's a dramatic twist that causes disequilibrium. I wanted this disruption to be introduced in the opener to hypothetically set up the plot of the rest of the film. As time passes, Cleo finds herself surrounded by silence, a stark contrast to the noise and energy of her time with Juna-Rose. Two weeks after one of their most fun, special nights, she’s left trying to piece together the memories that now feel out of reach. The carefree moments they shared seem distant, and Cleo struggles to understand the changes in her life. With the world around her feeling quieter, she’s forced to face the weight of those changes and figure out how to move forward, all while holding onto the memories of what once was.

Again, I think my most valuable components to really achieve the vibe and message I want to convey will be the use of lighting as well as camera shots. I want to convey feelings of intimacy and light-hearted energy. Lighting wise, I plan to highlight the contrasts between night and day in a more unconventional way, portraying the day to feel more harsh, overwhelming, and blinding, while night will feel more free, thrilling, and joyous.

I am so excited to film!! I can't wait to see how my ideas translate onto the screen, and most of all, I can't wait to share it with you.❤

13.) Mom!!! Phineas and Ferb are making a title sequencee

Helloo!! Welcome back or welcome to my blog! In this post, I have chosen 3 movies that have sparked my interest and I will be analyzing them in terms of construction.

1. Juno

https://www.artofthetitle.com/title/juno/

Firstly, in the quirky coming-of-age movie Juno, can see a light-hearted, good-vibed opening scene. Interestingly, Juno's title sequence transforms from real-life film to a live- action animated version while still keeping the main character -Juno- in her natural state. This style choice says a lot about the movie. It shows the light-heartedness of the film, but by keeping the color scheme realistic and timid in the animation, it maintains the seriousness of the movie. For instance, if the animation color scheme were to be way more saturated and vibrant, it could appear child-like, happy, and innocent. While all good qualities, this is not fitting for Juno. Given the fact that the movie includes hardships and unconventional struggles, it is fitting that the animation (which can often be perceived as child-like) remains realistic, edgy, and striking.

2. THE FLORIDA PROJECT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qncn95FWpRM

Secondly, I chose to analyze the title sequence of The Florida Project. Right off the bat, we can see that this opening scene is very vibrant, highlighting pink, purple, and blue hues. This immediately strikes a sense of child-like wonder and energy. This is made very clear by the silliness of the three kids as well. Looking more specifically into the actual title card, the nostalgic-purple background reinforces the sense of childhood wonder and whimsicality. This is fitting because although the movie is focused on the realistic hardships of poverty, we see most of it through the eyes of a adventurous little girl. In addition, the cursive font also promotes that playful, whimsical vibe, reinforcing that naive enchantment explored throughout the entire film.

3.LadyBird

https://www.artofthetitle.com/title/lady-bird/
Lastly, let's look at the title sequence of Lady Bird.Lady Bird is a coming-of-age movie that follows the life of a high school senior as she goes through the challenges of growing up and relationships. The movie has themes of self-discovery, friendship, and the challenges of mother-daughter relationships. Throughout the scene, the setting is in school and it creates an understanding of who the main character is and her environment. The title sequence accurately portrays the angsty aesthetic of the film.While details about the movie are not specifically mentioned in the provided clip, the overall consensus is that the title sequence accurately sets the warm yet quirky tone of the movie. You can tell by the font used and the background that they both match aesthetics.