Creative Critical Reflection

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3vfLydUyud5ZlRPMU4zcldiYjA/view?usp=sharing

Final Project

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3vfLydUyud5Rnp0N2Mzd0VhZ0k/view?usp=sharing

Filming Complete!

        After the many weeks planning and organizing this project, production has come to a close. The final scenes were shot at Pembroke Gardens in Pines. I had a good friend Josh do some of the camera work as I played the role of Ben Fields. I have already begun post-production and am already close to finishing the opening. The one thing that really helps is looking through all of the clips and titling them correctly with what they display. I am excited to watch the final outcome and can't wait to share it!

Photo Credit:

http://www.thecrazytourist.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Pembroke-Gardens.jpg

Animation

        At the beginning of most films, there is usually an intro displaying the production companies and distributor involved in making the film. 'Nightfall' will be no different, showing two companies who helped produce the piece. For the distributor I chose to create a company entitled, 'Scenic Route Inc.' I think that the name has many meanings behind it involved with movie making and it is not already a name taken by a professional studio. The Studio I decided to name 'Moonlit Studios.' As I was looking through some photos I saw an image of a blue moon and thought that it made a cool studio name.
        After coming up with the names, the hard part begins, animating the intros. I have already completed a sort of "rough draft" intro for Moonlit Studios yet it definitely needs some work done to it. I think that it is a good start and can lead to a prosperous and visually creative animation. For Scenic Route Inc, I had some ideas for using a road made out of 2-d shapes, yet the animation is hard to do. It takes a bright mind and someone great with computers to animate anything, from 3-d models to 2-d text.

The World of Editing

        With production soon to be finished, it's time to begin the post-production phase. The programs I will be using consist of Adobe After Effects as well as Adobe Premiere Pro. I also may be diving into Adobe SpeedGrade a little bit as it is a new program from Adobe good for color correction and color grading. Color grading is a tool used to get the "cinematic look" or "film effect." A great source to learn how to color grade is from a Youtube channel "UglyMcGregor." Most of his videos explain film making for low budget film makers. There are also various websites that explain color grading and color correcting, yet seeing the process done in a video is much more useful in my opinion.
        Editing can make or break a film. Even with the best acting and camera movements, the editor has the final say on what enters the film and what doesn't. The editor is pretty much the closest thing to being the director as far as what the final outcome will look like. They get a massive say in what angles will portray a scene the best and how the pacing of a scene will play out. While editing can be very stressful, especially if the editor has to work with poorly shot footage, it is my favorite part of film making. Editing my film opening will be a particularly hard challenge due to the fact that I plan to sync every shot perfectly with the music I have chosen. That said, I am excited to begin this phase of the journey and can't wait to explore more about the post-production world!

UglyMcGregor Film Look:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnL4Z0ebcBc

Production Has Begun!

        Production on the 'Nightfall' opening has finally begun. After much planning and waiting, I took a little trip down to A1A near Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale. The filming took about 1 1/2 - 2 hours and is nearly complete. Now all I need are the final shots requiring an actor. To finish off the shoot, I will be filming in Pembroke Gardens as it is closer and gives off a similar vibe. With about a week till the opening is due, I now have to begin post-production while still in production. I am deciding on my production studios name and intro as those go before every film.
       Some things that I learned while out filming in public is that you have to be outgoing and not care what people think. It can sometimes be awkward while filming when people are staring at you. To get certain shots different body movements are required and to the average person this may be a little strange. I had numerous people ask me what I was filming and one lady even asked if I was alright. It takes a lot of mental blockage to break out of one's shell to film in public. I now have much more respect for people who do "vlogs" everyday as they are not only filming their surroundings but themselves with many people watching them. I am excited to begin the editing process for this opening and can't wait to share it when it is complete!

Storyboarding

        Storyboarding is a major part of pre-production for any film. A storyboard consists of "a panel or panels on which a sequence of sketches depict the significant changes of action and scene in a planned film, as for a movie, television show, or advertisement," as stated by dictionary.com. While a storyboard is essential, it can sometimes be a struggle for low budget film makers. With a higher budget, directors and producers can create the exact scene that the story requires. In the case of a student film maker like myself, it is hard to create the exact setting that the story requires.
        My storyboard (currently in the works) is hard to sketch due to the background being very inconsistent. While I plan to film on A1A in Fort Lauderdale, I cannot control what the scene looks like. If the city decides to plant more tree's while I am filming, then they can do that. Also, due to my film using many cinematic shots, it is hard to tell exactly the subjects I will be filming. I do know for certain how the film opening will end and that is easily storyboarded, yet the cinematic sequences can be a bit tricky to plan before hand. 

Quote:

1. "Storyboard." Dictionary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <http://www.dictionary.com/browse/storyboard>.

Planning is Key

        Making any type of media, whether it be film, art, or even radio broadcasting takes much planning and hard work. As these past weeks have gone by, I have been planning a film opening that I believed would outshine any of my other pieces of film. Yet, with a little bit too much confidence, I continuously need to make more adjustments to my plans. I have thought of various locations without factoring in the time it takes to reach these spots as well as the potential for having to return to the locations in following days. This is making me believe that filming in a more local location would be a better choice as it gives me more freedom to return and not be rushed into filming all in one day. I can also use multiple locations for shooting and through the magic of editing, make them all appear as one seamless continuous setting and place. Film making continues to have its ups and downs as new challenges constantly abrupt the flow of things. I am learning that it takes much more energy to plan times and locations a lot more thoroughly than expected. I could only imagine a major shoot that takes months to film, let alone the probably years of planning and organizing.

Low Light Filming

        Camera work and filming is not my forte. I much prefer to be sitting down in an editing room organizing clips and putting together the final product. I have already found many troubles with shooting, especially using a DSLR. Filming with this type of camera requires a lot of light to be present otherwise there will be a lot of film grain or "noise." Film grain looks like particles floating along the screen and depending on how severe it is, it can be very distracting to the viewer. DSLR's require a lot of light to avoid this unwanted grain yet with a tight budget, it can be rather difficult to avoid. Due to the fact that I'm filming at night, I have done some research on how to get rid of this the most efficiently. A youtube channel called "Fenchel & Janisch" explains a few tips on the subject in the simplest way possible. Noise is just another struggle of the average film maker, yet with good technique, there are ways around it.

Low Light Shooting by Fenchel and Janisch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ9aIB57-Nw

Gear

        Professional films require not only the right mindset and dedication, but a whole slew of expensive and technologically advanced equipment. The gear that I will be using for this film opening will include a Canon T5i, a Rode microphone, as well as a shoulder rig. The software's that I will be using are Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects. While this gear is by no means the best of the best, it is as professional as it gets without braking the bank. I will also be shooting and editing the entire piece alone with little help. It is a large task yet I believe that I can get the job done. Many of the techniques I am using are not easy to master and I have been practicing already for a little bit. Major productions use some of the top gear and techniques which is where much of the budget comes out of. For example, a film such as The Hobbit used over 40 Red cameras, all costing over 50 grand separately. Attempting to produce your own piece of film really gets a person understanding all of the dedication needed for massive productions.

Image Credit:

1. http://shop.usa.canon.com/wcsstore/ExtendedSitesCatalogAssetStore/32251_1_l.jpg
2. http://cdn2.rode.com/images/products/videomicpro/gallery/1.jpg
3. http://img.dxcdn.com/productimages/sku_416025_1.jpg

Crew

        Creating even something as simple as a film opening is very challenging. Even through planning and timing everything to an exact measurement, it is still very hard to get everybody on the same track. Due to 'Nightfall' having a very specific setting, the opening needs to be filmed on location. As I have explained before, the two places that seem to work the best are Las Olas in downtown Fort Lauderdale, or South Beach itself. For this shoot, I plan to have a camera operator, actor, and sound person. I already have people in mind to come along, yet plans continuously get changed. This project is helping me realize the struggles with creating a film opening, let alone an entire film. Relying on others is not a good choice because you never know what will happen.

Cinematic Technique

        Ben Fields is an interesting character. His mindset may be a bit off with others yet he loves to create and use his brain for sharing. Ben makes money writing for the local paper as well as doing independent work for clients. I wanted to use Ben's mindset as part of the film itself. For the opening I plan to have a very cinematic feel. I want the film to be beautiful artistically and very appealing to the eye. As I was doing research I came across a short cinematic film by Christian Lanza. Christian is a young film maker from Chicago, Illinois and his work is very inspiring in how it is all his own work yet it looks very professional. Christian's work also gave me the inspiration to use a song by Josh Pan. This style of filming is much more challenging than many think and I plan to practice a lot before the actual day of filming.

Christian's Work:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOtcKmT5ajQ

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

        The film 'Nightfall' explores the various challenges posed by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Ben Fields has had PTSD since age 15 and still hasn't managed to cope well with it. "Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event," as stated by the Mayo Clinic. PTSD has no cure, yet it can be controlled and managed through various medications and therapy. 

        "Individuals with PTSD are not dangerous," as stated by Sonya Norman, PhD, Eric B. Elbogen, PhD and Paula P. Schnurr, PhD under the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Although Ben may frighten people around him at times, he has never actually hurt anyone. All of his thoughts are in his mind and no one can understand him, which is why it is such a struggle. I believe that film is a great way to send a message to a vast amount of people all across the globe. I hope that this film and all the ideas it portrays will inform individuals about the effects that PTSD has on a person and that it will make them want to help in any way possible. 

Quotes:

1.     "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)." Mayo Clinic. N.p., 15 Apr. 2014. Web. 16 Mar. 2016. <http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/basics/definition/con-20022540>.

2.    Norman, Sonya, Eric B. Elbogen, and Paula P. Schnurr. "Research Findings on PTSD and Violence." U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/co-occurring/research_on_ptsd_and_violence.asp>.

Location

     The title 'Nightfall' didn't appear overnight. The film takes place in a city environment. The city and culture the film is based upon is Miami, Florida, however location shooting can be done in many regions from Las Olas in downtown Fort. Lauderdale, to South Beach itself. Filming on location has been a struggle, mainly due to the fact that it will take a lot of work to match schedules with everyone who needs to come on the shoot. Also, shooting would best be done in one day as going to either one of these locations is a ways away. Planning and storyboarding the shots is a major key to being successful with this film opening. The title has many meanings behind it. First of all, the character Ben Fields is in a tough place in life. Nightfall resembles darkness and how things can come out of no where, such as when Ben's life drastically changed when his parents died at 15 y/o. Many events such as car crashes happen at night due to the cover of darkness. Also, the film very much so revolves around the night time, as Ben plans his schemes and achieves them only at night.

Image Credit:

1. JR Investigations. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://jrsinvestigations.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/south-beach-Private-Investigations.jpg>.
2. Mangos On Las Olas. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.mangosonlasolas.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/mangos1-500x206.jpg>.

Backstory

        The film 'Nightfall' follows the life of Ben Fields as he takes on the challenges of an average 21 year old living in South Florida. Although Ben has always dreamt of being "average," he has had somewhat of a rough childhood. Ben grew up in the prosperous New York, more specifically, Brooklyn. His parents died in a car crash when Ben was just 15 years old, leaving him a bad case of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as well as leaving him and his 7 year old sister to their relatives. Their aunt and uncle who took on the challenge were not of the most kind however, leaving Ben the desire to constantly move out and find his own place. He felt as though his childhood had been taken from him as he took care of his sister for the most part all while balancing school and even a job.
        Once Ben turned 21 years old, he made the decision to leave New York and his relatives. Ben's sister had to stay to finish school but Ben wanted to be like everyone else his age, partying and experiencing life to the fullest. He moved down to Miami, Florida with some of the money left by his parents and found an apartment for one. Ben wasn't as outgoing but soon became accustomed to this new lifestyle. He had found a job writing for the local paper, as writing was most definitely one of his strong points. Ben loved to dream and be creative as that was all he had while in New York to escape his mind everyday.
        One night a few months after settling in, Ben was out clubbing alone, as per usual because he had few friends outside of work. His PTSD started acting up and gave him major anxiety. Ben loved people yet desired friendship and a family, unlike what he retrieved in his late teen years. When he witnesses others out with loved one's, he sometimes cannot control his actions. As a young 20 year old nearly Ben's age was out alone walking, he had the desire to take the person and make them suffer such as he has, taking everything they've ever loved and known and forcing them to live a life they never desired. The film continues to follow Ben and his problems as they worsen, without any guidance on how to solve them. Ben is not a violent person, yet overcoming his obstacles can be much more challenging than it would be for others.

Welcome

Hello,

I'm Jacob and welcome to my blog. This blog will follow my journey to creating a film opening and all that goes into making as close to a professional production as possible. I will share my experiences with everyone who visits and talk about the process. I am excited to explore the world of film making and can't wait to see what discoveries are made.