Casting

 To pick my casting it was also super difficult and another challenge like everything in this production, but as I was going through my idea of how I wanted to make this with two guy friends I just decided use my two closest friends at the time from work, since they fit the role perfectly as one of them (Michael) who is suppose to be the dumb, funny friend that usually gets no girls and the other Zach who is the other guy, is suppose to be the cool guy or the popular guy in High school, the just both fit the role perfectly looks wise. 

However I did have some issues that I believe are common specially when you are recording with friends. They were both. ot taking it seriously I don't know if this is because they were boys but it was extremly hard to make them focus and take this production as serious as it was, and this is one of the cons of working by urself. No one understands how it why you're there and what you're suppose to be doing besides you, that's why I believe it is a benefit having other people who are trying to achieve the same thing as you, because they will enforce the seriousness of it. 

Editing Rough Cut

As I started editing I decided to through the files and separate them by clips I could use, clips that I knew for sure were going to be in the film, and deleting extra footage. I started by doing this because I was having a lot of issues uploading the files to the app so I thought this was the best way to get through this issue. 

A screenshot of how I started this process, creating a new file to separate the extra footage I had the ones I was for sure about using. 

Although my first intentions for this was to be based of in a tropical place and having footage of the beach It ended up being the complete opposite. Since I work at an Ice rink and the cast I used were my friends from work, I ended recording it there and there was snow in the back of the parking lot where we recorded so I though why not use it in my favor. I ended up using one of the clips for the introduction of the trailer and since I was just making the rough draft I didn't focus too much on the editing I was just trying to put it all together at first and getting it done so I could go back later and dive more into the editing skills and sound. 

Adobe Primiere Rush

 Editing time is here, and I have been pushing this off for so long, part of it because im lazy, or because I just didn't want to do it, but the truth is, i had no idea what I was doing. I did research tried to learn, watched endless youtube videos on how to edit, planned it out, but it when was time to actually edit, I had no idea what to do. Regardless I pushed through it opened Adobe Rush but that was when i realized i had no idea what I was doing. I have had no experience on editing or anything the maximum i had done was editing  on imovie, but regardless i had to push through and make it work. 

This is was my hardest challenge through this production because although I had done research it looked a lot easier when I was doing research and since i was doing this alone there was no one really that could've helped me so this was all on me to get it done, and that's what i did. 

Instead of trying to start learning how to use a whole new program I decided to go back to what I am familiar with, so I went back to Imovie and started uploading all the files, which I had a lot of trouble but I just pushed through and got the rough draft done. 

Rough Cut

 Here is the rough draft. 

Trailer Two Planning

As I planned everything for the first trailer I had no idea what I wanted to do for the second trailer, or how wanted to tell the story in a different way. After I finished shooting I ended up having a lot of random footage of me and my my friends just t being teenagers in sort of this documentary funny vibe, which was exactly what I wanted to accomplish in the beginning. 

For this trailer I don't want to put much thought into it, I want to be creative during editing since that is the most important thing to make a good trailer, it's not about the footage but how you use editing and sound to make it express what you want. I want to challenge myself here and just let it up to research and learning how to edit, use sounds and letting creativity take control for this task. 

Trailer One Plan- (Official)

After getting the inspiration from the Netflix documentary 'American Nightmare', I knew I wanted to inspire my film based on the this real story, however I still wanted to use the original genres I picked, which are comedy/ drama. I knew I wanted to use the murder idea for something in the story but I didn't want to make it a horror film, i wanted to stick with the comedy idea and with more of a first person shooting like the actors are making a documentary like "Project X", focusing on being a teenager and having these unexpected adventures that have a crazy plot twist, and it turns into this big issue. 

It ended up having many conversations about how I wanted to do this till I came up with the idea of having these two guy best friends who get black mailed and the only way they can get out of it is by kidnaping someone for this person(who is not shown in the trailer), but then they realize they kidnapped the wrong person, and they are both blaming each other for it.  

I want the first trailer to focus more on the drama side of it, while the comedy would be shown more throughout the movie. It will focus on the main two characters barely showing any other of the characters that would be in the production. 

In case I couldn't transmit my vision here are some of examples of the aesthetic I want my film to express. 
 

This is an example of the rebellious teenager and recording their own video, and having less of a big emphasis on  cinematography. 

Shooting Day 1

 After many bumps on the road, it is finally day to stat shooting!

Since I was in a rush to begin production and getting actors we recorded it in a parking lot. Which is not ideal for a production but that was the only way the actors would be willing to participate. 

I had explained everything that i wanted and the storyline, but it was still hard trying to vision  my idea with other people. I felt like they didn't exactly get what I was trying to do with this, making everything a lot more difficult. 

As we began recording the first scene, the actors weren't transmitting what I wanted them to, and they weren't taking it seriously either. This was when I had a reality shock that I was doing this by myself, and I truly missed being in a group, because when you're in a group you all know exactly what they are suppose to do and how to direct other people. It also helps actors take the production more seriously. I also had a lot of trouble with being the only person doing everything, shooting making sure im keeping track of the shot log, the shots are right, audio it was all very stressful although I had help with me, they aren't in the class which made a HUGE difference. Regardless of them having the best intentions to help they didnt know what they were doing. 

For the first 30 minutes those were all of my issues but then Angel b who is one of the guys that also works with me offered to help, since he went to college at UCF for film production, without his help I honestly I had no idea what I would've done. As he joined the actors started taking everything serious. He also made great suggestions on the positioning of the actors, script and helped me direct this production. 

Although the beginning was really hard I pushed through and I learned a lot from all the tips Angel gave me, during productions. It also showed a different side of working alone that I hadn't encountered before.

"21 Jump Street"

As I started doing more research in the look for inspiration and ideas for my film, in a talk with one of my friends from class I was describing what i had in mind for the production but I wasn't sure on how the story or how I would pull it together, the first thing they said was: so you're trying to make something like "21 Jump Street"? Although this is one of the most classic comedies I had never watched before. Right after I heard that comment I started doing research on the production and I decided to watch the movie to see what I could learn and implement it on the film.

Here are some of my notes on what I learned:

Cinematography:

1. Handheld Camera and Dynamic Movement:

   • The film utilizes a handheld camera and dynamic movements to create a sense of immediacy and energy. This style is particularly evident during action sequences and chase scenes, contributing to the film's comedic and fast-paced tone.

2. Visual Style for Comedy:

   • Cinematographer Barry Peterson employs a bright and lively visual style that complements the film's comedic elements. The use of vibrant colors and playful camera angles enhances the humor and adds a visually engaging quality to the narrative.

3. Satirical Visuals:

   • "21 Jump Street" often employs satirical visual elements, poking fun at stereotypical high school and police movie tropes. The cinematography embraces these conventions but also subverts them for comedic effect, providing a visually entertaining experience.

4. Integration of Practical Effects:

   • The film incorporates practical effects seamlessly into the cinematography, enhancing the comedic elements. Practical stunts and physical comedy are captured in a way that feels authentic, contributing to the overall humor of the film.

Editing:

1. Pacing and Rhythmic Editing:

   • The editing in "21 Jump Street" is characterized by a fast-paced and rhythmic style, aligning with the film's comedic tone. Quick cuts, especially during action and comedy sequences, contribute to the dynamic and energetic pacing of the movie.

2. Parallel Editing for Comedy:

   • The film employs parallel editing techniques during comedic situations, cutting between different characters or events to maximize humor. This technique is particularly effective in scenes that involve multiple characters navigating high school dynamics.

3. Montage Sequences:

   • Montage sequences are used to condense time and convey character development, such as the training sequences for the undercover cops. The editing during these sequences is tightly controlled to maintain comedic timing and narrative flow.

4. Sound and Visual Humor Synchronization:

   • The synchronization of sound and visual humor is a key aspect of the editing. Punchlines often coincide with specific visual cues, contributing to the film's comedic impact. The precise timing of comedic beats demonstrates the importance of audio-visual synergy.

5. Satirical Editing Choices:

   • The editing choices often play into the satirical nature of the film, with intentional and exaggerated cuts that subvert traditional action and high school movie conventions. These choices contribute to the film's self-aware and humorous storytelling.

In summary, "21 Jump Street" showcases a dynamic blend of cinematography and editing that aligns with its comedic and satirical objectives. Analyzing the use of handheld cameras, visual style, pacing, and editing techniques in this film can offer valuable insights for aspiring filmmakers, particularly those interested in the comedic genre.

Shotlist

 Writing the shot-list was not as a big of challenge as writing the script. To make the shot-list it also took me a couple tries however it was a lot easier for me to put my ideas to paper when I was doing the shot-list because I was just writing down everythting that would come to my brain, and then as I did the second draft I organized it how in the order I want them to be recorded. 

As I started making it I just thought about how I want the trailer to look like, so I the order was what I wanted the final product to look like, not how I was going to record it. Writing a shot-list for a trailer that has a beginning, a middle and an end was my biggest challenge for this task, so I approached it as recording it as a short film and then breaking the footage I had into a trailer, which should have  been my initial approach however I didn't want to get to focused on the short film aspect of it because that wasn't what the final product was going to look like. 

Having both shot lists of how I want the trailer to look like and the order I want it to be recorded as was helpful as it helped me not deviate from the final product but also having everything organized for production helped me a lot during production and I'm sure it will make a big difference during editing. 

Script

As the day to start production came closer and closer, I needed to start writing the script for shooting but I had no idea where to start. In my previous productions I was always the cinematographer or the sound designer, so i had no experience on how to write a script because I never had to deal with that so when it was time to start writing the script i was completely lost and had no idea what to do. 

After procrastinating on writing the script like any teenager I went to youtube to teach me on how to write a script. Those videos were extremely important and honestly don't know what I would've done without them. Before i did this research I thought script were only used to read the lines and that would be it, I never realized how important they are for production, for organization, time management and understanding of the actors. I had no idea they had the location, what type of cut will be made during the editing process but it definetely helped a lot to keep everything clarified and organized. 

As I started writing it I had so many moments where my mind would go blank and I wouldn't know what to write, I also had a lot of difficulty trying to organize how I wanted to organize shooting, since I'm not making a short film it was much harder to organize the scenes since in my head I had a different vision I had to break that down in my brain in order to make it organized.  

I ended up writing the script but I used the help of the actors to try to make it more natural, as I showed them my first draft I left it up to them to make changes so we could make it with less errors and still delivering the final product how I wanted it to be.

This is a screenshot of the script that was used during recording. 

Editing Planning

 As I research how to edit movie trailers I came across some essential elements that present in most trailers, and the meaning of all these elements. Trailer editing seems mostly as an easy task, because how hard can it be to edit a 2 minute clip? That's what I used to think before I did my research. As editing trailers are more of a skill set rather than something that is built overnight, with that said it will be real challenge  for me  since i have little to almost no experience in editing. But these are some of the things I learned and want to  implement while editing. 

1. Telling a story with style. 

Styling in fact it is arguably more important than the story itself, if you show someone a trailer with great editorial style regardless of the actual story of the movie, they will probably still think the movie is good, just by the way you styled the story. To achieve this I need to pace out story beats, and add accents and short style moments in between. 

What the style of the line/ moment should look like while editing. 

2. Purpose of style moments. 

-Keeps the viewers engaged and they break up the monotony of the exposition with interesting shots and sounds. 

-It gives the viewer time to comfortably process the story information and understand what is going on. 

- Use music rhythm as guide for exactly how to pacer these lines and moments. 

Mash up of the rhythm f the music, accents, line, and moments should look like. 

3. Consider cause & effect

- Think about how one shot might flow into another. Consider how i can mash up a head movement into a big action or like we always see, a gun shot leading to an explosion. Think about how I can creative while editing, 

- Consider focal point location in each shot, for example if something in one shot is moving from left to right you want the next shot to take place from the right. 

Example of how the shot moved from right to left and picked up on the left side on the next shot. 

- Consider shot grouping, most of the times multiple shots are going to be from one scene, that lead to another short combo of shots from another scene. It is all about how you group  them. The shot group should each tell micro stories in the montage. 

These are some of the main concepts in trailer editing that I want to focus on getting better at and utilize in my  production. 

Social Media Planning (TikTok)

 As I was planning for what I wanted to do for my TikTok idea, I looked at some of the production I had researched during pre production, and annotated some things that I have learned from those production to use in planning of how I want to use TikTok as one of the main forms of advertaisment for my production. These were my key points on what I plan to do: 

1. Understand the Audience:

   • Identify the target audience for the comedy movie. In the case of "Super Bad," the audience might include fans of comedy, action-comedy, and those who appreciate humor related to high school and undercover themes.

2. Create a TikTok Account:

   • Creating an official TikTok account for the movie. Using a username that reflects the film's title or a catchy and relevant tagline.

3. Leverage TikTok Trends:

   • Stay up-to-date with TikTok trends and challenges. Incorporate popular challenges or create content that aligns with trending themes on the platform. This helps the content stay relevant and increases visibility.

4. Create Engaging Teasers:

   • Highlight the funniest moments, action sequences, or any notable cameos. Use quick cuts and energetic music to grab attention, maybe recordings that weren't used in the trailer.

5. Utilize TikTok Effects and Filters:

   • Experiment with TikTok's creative effects and filters to add a comedic or thematic touch to your videos. Play with the effects to enhance the humor and overall vibe of the production.

6. Show Behind-the-Scenes Footage:

   • Share behind-the-scenes glimpses of the cast and crew having fun on set. This humanizes the movie and can attract viewers who enjoy the personalities involved in the film.

7. Engage with Challenges and Duets:

   • Create challenges related to the movie or encourage users to duet with scenes from the film. User-generated content can amplify the reach of your campaign and foster a sense of community around the movie.

8. Host Q&A Sessions:

   • Host live Q&A sessions with the cast and crew. This interactive format allows fans to ask questions and provides insights into the making of the movie while adding a touch of humor.

9. Use Hashtags Effectively:

   • Develop and promote a unique hashtag specifically for the movie. Encourage users to use the hashtag when creating content related to the film. This helps in tracking engagement and creating a unified campaign.

10. Engage with the Community:

• Respond to comments, engage with user-generated content, and foster a sense of community around the movie.

If I follow all of these steps, everything should run smoothly through post production and I should be successful and guided trough this phase of post- production.

The Great Gatsby- Cinematogrophy and Editing

The Great Gatsby has been a classic film for many years now, but it only crossed me not too long ago when it was first released on Netflix. I started watching this film as a form of entertainment, not looking to focus on learning anything for my production, but I ended up learning a lot more than expected. These are some of the main things that I  learned: 

1. Color Palette and Lighting:

   • The film employs a vibrant and dynamic color palette, characterized by rich golds, blues, and greens. The cinematographer Simon Duggan utilizes a combination of pract
   • ical lighting and stylized lighting setups to create a visually striking and immersive atmosphere.

2. Long Takes and Tracking Shots:

   • The film features impressive long takes and tracking shots, particularly during the extravagant party scenes. These shots not only showcase the scale of the production but also immerse the audience in the frenetic energy during those 20s.
   • 
     

3. Composition and Framing:

   • The compositions are carefully framed, utilizing symmetry and asymmetry to guide the viewer's attention. Wide shots capture the grandeur of Gatsby's mansion, while close-ups convey the characters' emotions. Understanding composition is crucial for creating visually compelling scenes.
   • 
     

4. Symbolic Imagery:

   • Symbolism is integrated into the cinematography. For example, the recurring image of the green light across the bay serves as a visual motif, symbolizing Gatsby's unattainable dreams. Learning to incorporate symbolic imagery adds layers of meaning to visual storytelling.

1. Montage and Cross-Cutting:

   • The film employs montage sequences during the party scenes, using rapid cuts to convey the chaos and excitement. Cross-cutting is utilized to show simultaneous events, adding tension and complexity to the narrative. Learning to use these techniques enhances the film's pacing and narrative complexity.
   • 
     

2. Rhythmic Editing:

   • The editing rhythm is carefully crafted to match the energy of the narrative. Quick cuts and dynamic transitions contribute to the film's fast-paced and exhilarating feel during key sequences.
   • Understanding how to control the rhythm of editing is crucial for creating impactful storytelling.

3. Sound and Visual Synchronization:

   • The synchronization of sound and visuals is a key aspect of editing in "The Great Gatsby." Music and sound effects are precisely timed with visual cues, enhancing the emotional impact of scenes. Learning to synchronize audio and visuals effectively is essential for creating a cohesive cinematic experience.
   • 
     

4. Temporal Manipulation:

   • The film uses temporal manipulation through editing to convey the passage of time and the characters' memories. Flashbacks and non-linear storytelling techniques contribute to the narrative complexity. Understanding how to manipulate time through editing adds depth to storytelling.
   • 
     

5. Continuity Editing:

   • Despite the film's stylized visuals, continuity editing is skillfully employed to maintain a smooth flow of the narrative. Understanding the principles of continuity editing, such as the 180-degree rule and match cuts, ensures coherence in storytelling.

In essence, studying "The Great Gatsby" from a cinematography and editing perspective involves dissecting its visual language, understanding the choices made by the cinematographer and editor. These are some of these things I want to incorporate in my own film, and think about during production and post-production.