Final Submissions

CCRs:

    https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1thSsPNCJKiW6UxMmxlD8eamMYIYe_jRa?usp=sharing 

Film Opening:

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b7z6SikrQu2gnOhkEU_27bhI0yKTMORz/view?usp=sharing

 Film Opening Music by "Power Music Factory":

    https://youtube.com/powermusicfactory

Portfolio Reflection

We've reached the finish line.

    It's a bittersweet feeling. On one hand, I'm relieved to have all that workload finally lifted off of me, making a project that I really am proud of. On the other hand, I truly enjoyed the process, and am so glad I had the opportunity to learn and develop film for my own. 

    I couldn't have done it without my partner Nico. He helped keep me on schedule and motivated me to maintain a consistent pace. Not only that, but we developed a great chemistry, throwing ideas in the air and having it (miraculously) work out in the end. I had the opportunity to grow as a team member, learning to effectively balance the project's workload between the two of us. Even if we didn't see eye-to-eye on everything, we learned to compromise and still incorporate elements from both of our ideas.

    One of my greatest takeaways from this project is that editing stinks. I mean, it really stinks. The overall process is so incredibly tedious, with such little room for error (especially when you have a particular vision in mind). I can't imagine how difficult editing gets as it progresses in complexity; I have a newfound appreciation for editors.

    On the contrary, mise-en-scene. Writing a story and fully developing my protagonist was one of my favorite parts of the project before filming. Mise-en-scene elements allowed me to subtly tell the story through the set, lights, and colors. I understand that editing can be utilized to meet a similar goal, but I really don't care. Set design resonated with me the most - I felt like I could bring a fictional world to life, making it truly feel real.

Overall, this was an amazing project. I had a lot of fun throughout the whole process (apart from editing), learning about a field I was mostly unknowledgeable about. The next post will be my final submission for the project - I hope you enjoy.

CCR Post-production

 Here it is: the (not very) long awaited CCR post-production post!

Editing, as per usual, was the least favorite step in the whole film process, despite not being as egregious as the opening. Fortunately, I did manage to add some visual appeal to my 'storytime' CCR. Take a look:

I really like how this turned out. The drawings, intentionally simplistic, were done by me via Photoshop. I wanted the drawings to feel as if they were a figment of the imagination, a visualization of the story itself. To really drive this feeling home, I made use of a subtle 'pop' sound when the images appeared on screen.

I previously mentioned how I was somewhat limited in resources due to my time in Puerto Rico. That was a severe understatement. The editing process entirely took place on my mother's laptop, which lacked my usual Adobe Premiere Pro software. Additionally, the laptop lacked the processing power to smoothly carry out the editing process, often freezing and even crashing.

Luckily, I quickly fixed the problem. I downloaded an free & open source editing software called Shotcut, which (thankfully) didn't have a very steep learning curve.

The software actually closely resembled Premiere, meaning I could quickly transfer my skills over. As for the crashing & freezing,  "CTRL + S" was my best friend. I would constantly save before and after every demanding process, just to make sure I don't lose any progress. It was tedious, but definitely worth the effort.

My time editing really shows how I took the resources I had available for granted. While I did anticipate the poorer performance of the laptop, I was most definitely underprepared for the editing hassle. 

That's all for now! Make sure to check out the CCRs soon!

CCR Production

 CCRs were far from smooth sailing.

First off, I am currently on a trip in Puerto Rico, meaning the filming and editing (which I will cover in the post-production post) processes are much more complicated. I am writing this in the comfort of my grandparents' house, with hardly any functioning internet.

Inspired by my grandmother's profession (and the old reclining chair in the living room [see below]) as an author, I decided to improvise on filming and execute my CCR in the form of a bedtime story. I'll discuss the obstacles and development of Nico and I in the third person, as if the past few months were the events of an epic fantasy.

While this idea was shorter notice, it (thankfully) wasn't too complicated. A major concern I had was keeping the CCR visually appealing, since sitting in a chair and narrating a story wasn't exactly riveting. I decided that I would edit in sketches related to the narration, adding some visual flair on top of the inserts used. I'll make sure to include those in the post-production blog entry.

As for the other CCR, I wanted to juxtapose the much more relaxed counterpart. The premise was simple: I'll be performing a task and using a variety of shots right in the action. For example, I'll be preparing a meal, and there will be shots in the microwave - imagine a lot of motion and cuts.

Filming this was a lot of fun; my parents helped me record shots using two phones, synchronizing the audio for each cut. One tricky part was continuity, since there were so many cuts maintaining the same dialogue. I didn't have any access to a wireless microphone, so I had to pay much attention to keeping the same rhythm and tone between cuts. I had to repeat sentences over, and over, and over...

That's all for now, make sure to tune into the post-production post to see how editing turned out! 

CCR Question #4 Research

Here we are, the last question of the last component of the portfolio project. Question #4:

How did you integrate technologies – software, hardware and online – in this project?

Similar to question #3 (check that out in the last post), this question doesn’t require much research. Having said that, I do want to break down all the technology I did use during the production of this process in advance.

Software

• Browsers (Safari, Google chrome) to research and access Blogger
• iMessage, Google Drive, & OneDrive to communicate and share files with group members
• Adobe Premiere Pro for editing 
• Camera app on the iPhone for filming

Hardware

• iPhone 15 for filming & communicating
• Laptop & PC for editing, researching, everything really
• Wireless microphones for recording audio in loud spaces
• Condenser microphone for recording voiceover throughout opening

Online 

• Blogger to document production process
• Art of the Title to look over openings & credit sequences

Pretty straightforward, just figured I should plan things out for recording. That’s all for today!

CCR Question #3 Script

 Alright, question #3!

"How did your production skills develop throughout this project?"

Luckily, this question is more personal than the last two, so less research needed. Rather than break down the question itself, I figured I could go straight into the script.

 ——————————————————————

    Working on this project from start to finish allowed me to dive into every aspect of production. I had the opportunity to research and develop techniques in set design, filming, lighting - the list goes on. Having said that, this project was far from 'smooth sailing.' 

One of the most prevalent issues throughout the entire process was planning and scheduling. We had to determine filming times, locations; we needed permission to film in public areas - there were so many roadblocks on the way. This project provided me with the chance to improve my production skills, not only in film but as a team. Our opening is the byproduct of lots - and I mean lots of trial and error. 

    Outside of planning, I really developed my skills in set design and lighting, which were my favorite elements of production. This project gave me a new perspective on the minute decisions you see in film; each color, light, prop - each poster on the wall is a thoughtful decision made by producers. Not only do I better understand the overarching effect of set design, but also the intricacies that work towards that certain goal. 

     Since Nico and I have been involved in every step of the project, editing became more of a creative tool than ever before. Simple elements like the pacing of cuts now had a huge effect on the overall tone of the film. As a result, my skills in editing grew more deliberate and precise; we had a vision, and editing was necessary to achieve it. Having said that, I still don’t like editing. I’m convinced no amount of practice can sway my opinion on editing.

 

CCR Question #2 Research

Alright, time for question 2 of the CCR:

"How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?"

    This question boils down to two parts: a discussion of target audiences and the steps I would take towards reaching that audience via distribution. My film caters to its target audience primarily through representation and relatability. I intend to engage with a younger audience, roughly the same age as the film's protagonist, a late teenager. Ryan (the protagonist), despite his rare condition, undergoes the same hardships as any other teen; he deals with feelings of isolation, and has to balance class alongside his extracurriculars. As a teenager myself, I think Ryan's character can be highly relatable with people my age. 

    As for distribution, I began researching ways to share my content without the budget and level of expertise as a major company. One viable distribution practice would be through independent theatres, which screen films from smaller filmmakers. While this would be effective for more dedicated movie buffs, it doesn't necessarily focus on my target audience. Uploading on YouTube, however, might appeal to young adults. While the age demographics on YouTube are somewhat equal, 25-34 year-olds are the most prevalent users (Dunn, 2024). YouTube would be an easy and cost-effective way to share my product. 

That's all for now, tune into the CCR posts in a week or so!

References

Dunn, N. (2024). 32 YouTube Statistics 2025: Key Insights & Trends You Need To Know. Top 32 YouTube Insights and Statistics of 2025 That You Should Know About. https://www.charleagency.com/articles/youtube-statistics/