CCR #3

 Hi blog! I will be writing my script for question #3. 

Question #3

How did your production skills develop throughout this project?

Sub-questions:

How did your pre-production skills improve?

Before this project, typically I would never plan or organize my ideas. However, I decided to take a much different approach. I sat down with my group and we shared hundreds of ideas together, I think we brainstormed the idea alone for around a week. Before we began the project, we also wrote down a schedule that we planned to follow, and believe it or not, we stuck to it despite the scheduling conflicts. When we created our storyboard, at first it was just a rough draft. But after perfecting it, the opening came to life! I am glad I did not procrastinate, even though sometimes I did for the blogs.. but mainly I was dialed in! Was it difficult, yes, but I am thankful for this opportunity since it gave me experiences I typically would not have. 

What did you learn about cinematography and filming?

For this project, I did tons and tons of research as you can see in my blogs. Whether it was films in similar genres, color schemes, or fonts, the list is endless I learned a ton. Before this class, I took film in middle school so I already had a small idea of camera angles, camera movement, lighting, costumes, etc. However, actually combining all of these aspects made this process magical. Figuring out what angle to use to portray a specific scene and feeling, perhaps of Gianna getting ready to train, taking multiple shots to ensure success, and instructing the actor(s) of what to do, all while making decisions left and right was hectic but genuinely fun. I gained a deeper understanding of all of these techniques working together to develop a theme or purpose.

How did your editing and post-production skills develop?

I have always hated editing. It is just time-consuming busy work. Don't even get me started on that one time; my work was never saved. I always struggled with editing, I just had difficulty figuring out how to use the platforms. Throughout this project, I did indeed improve. I got better at cutting the clips more efficiently, integrating sounds into my project, and just simply becoming better rounded at using Adobe Premiere. I would freak out over technical issues and often just give up, but I did not have the chance to do that in this case... so I worked through it step by step and figured things out! This project has taught me that patience is key and essential while making a project.

What role did sound and music play in your project?

The background music in our film opening played a significant role in our film. It really set the entire mood to an uplifting energetic vibe. The music then mellowed down once Gianna arrived at her house, emphasizing that she felt best at the gym, not worrying about her problems. The use of non-diegetic sound (the music) really added a nice touch,  and I am so glad I found the perfect match ( I will never stop talking about it). Timing the music with the cuts made the opening very visually appealing, but it was a pain to do. We used diegetic sounds such as the knock on the door, text messages, papers scuffling, etc. It was difficult to pair the audio with what you were seeing on the screen, but in the end, everything turned out well. 

How did your storytelling techniques and audience engagement improve?

 Within our film opening, we integrated tons of visuals, sounds, and characters to connect with our audience. For instance, the clips with the medals and Gianna's skills are visually appealing to the eye. The music provides an upbeat tone to the film opening, and the diegetic sounds give a more realistic appeal and place the film opening on a higher level. Relatable character(s) also help us connect with our audience. Simply liking and rooting for a character makes an individual ten times more intrigued by the film, wanting to find out what happens. In addition, elements of surprise and suspense keep our audience engaged and not falling asleep during the production. Elements like whether Gianna will perform well in her competition and get the scholarship really help emphasize this.