The One Word Film project was our second project done. The directions were clear, we worked in pairs to create a short film that visually represented a specific word, ours was 'surprise'. We were required to use the camera shots and angles we learned in class, this was very important because it helped tell the story without dialogue. The film had to be between 1 to 1 1/2 minutes long, and each person was responsible for editing their own project. 

The first thing we did in class was doing the brainstorming sheet to generate the ideas we had to come up with a film that would best represent our word. While we were breaking down the scenes, we thought about the techniques that would fit the best to convey the story. We did a combination of medium shots, close-ups, over- the-shoulder shots, POV shots, tracking shots and zoom ins. When we were done brainstorming, we proceeded to visualize it by creating a storyboard. The storyboard was required to have at least 15 slides. My partner and I drew 15 slides, however, throughout the film, we added extra shots to give more context to the story.

The story needed to be about something that could actually occur within 60-90 seconds. Therefore, we decided to make our film about a student who is struggling during a test and he strongly beliefs he is going to fail, from his past experiences. His nervousness is notable through the film, however, surprisingly, the student aces his test and is relieved. The camera shots and angles we used helped tell the story better, however, the editing techniques were crucial for this project.

When it was time to put all the material together and start editing, I used some several techniques. For example, i used a combination of fading techniques with a darker color to indicate a memory the character was having at the moment, of him failing a past test. I also used a zoom in and the style being Ken Burns which showed the student looking at the test he had surprisingly passed with an A+. I also added some sound effects when i thought could fit to create more emphasis. At the last shot, I applied an Iris shot, to indicate the ending of the story with a joyful sound effect. 

Overall, I feel that the shooting and editing for this project went well. However, something I would change is the end. When the student is amazed by his grade and celebrates with his friend, I think it might confuse the viewer, since the friend person also plays as the teacher previously, wearing the same clothes. I wanted to re do that part but my partner was not there for additional shooting. So what I would do different next time is to think carefully each scene so it is clear and avoid potential confusion. About editing, I think I did a good job, since it was my first time editing something and I really enjoyed the process.

link to my project:

https://youtu.be/1JFRkCnG3D0?si=DWhFengKoOypDRGj

 

This will be my first class-related blog post, and I will discuss my first assignment. It consisted of Shots and Angles, a topic covered the previous class. The assignment required us to tell a visual story using an animate object which was the main character, and human characters could also be involved to show more context.  In total we had to use 15 shots. 10 specific and mandatory shots, the remaining 5 were chosen by my partner and I. This assignment was our quiz to demonstrate our understanding of different shots and angles, the meaning of them when you want to tell a story and when it is right to use them to provide a better context.

As our animate object, we chose a pair of glasses. We decided to tell a story about a girl who loses her glasses while riding her bike, and the rest of the story follows the journey of the glasses as they find their way back to their owner, who is also their only friend. In this visual story, the viewer can sense how important the glasses are to their owner and how much the girl means to the glasses. We used different angles and shots that gave meaning to the story. For instance, in one of the shots we used a Dutch angle when the girl starts running after realizing that she had lost her glasses, showing her confusion, which is the purpose of the Dutch angle. Or when we incorporated the POVs of each character, we provided their perspective, which helps the viewer understand the story more deeply. 

We chose my partner's glasses as the main character because we thought they would be a unique and fitting choice. When we had the glasses, we started planning the story, making sure the glasses would not only fit into the scenes but also enhance the story’s meaning only by seeing it. We listed out each shot, making some changes as new ideas came up. We also used the notes we had taken in class to make sure we selected the most effective shot types for each scene of the story.

I think I made the right choices in the order of the shots and giving each the appropriate meaning, I think it gave the context that we wanted to communicate. However, I feel I could have done a better job in choosing a different type of angle in a particular scene. For instance, I should have used a high angle when the girl  runs to her mom, this would have communicated a sense of weakness by showing the girl from above, appearing confused and vulnerable, which is the purpose of this angle. Therefore, next time I will be more mindful in selecting the angles to better show the emotions I want to communicate.

                                               

My name is Sara

I am creating a blog to post content, post my projects and important information for people to read. I will use this blog to keep track of everything I will be doing this year.

 I find it helpful as well since I will learn more skills doing these blogs throughout the year.