Final Cut- Major Task

                                                                            Trailer One 

                                                                          Trailer Two

Minor Tasks

 

Final Poster

Social Media- Instagram Page

 Barrons_Official_Film

*profile picture of poster*

BarronFilm

*insert link to movie tickets*

*possible statistics about movie*

     Trailer Two of BARRONS-MAY 22ND

                    April 7th, 2024

Trailer One of BARRONS- MAY 22ND  

April 7th,2024                         

BARRONS-COMING SOON
April 2nd, 2024

                                                                        How our actors describe their characters! -BARRONS

                                                                                                                 March 6th, 2024

Working hard behind the scenes to bring 
you- BARRONS(2024)
February 4th, 2024

COMING SOON
January 1st, 2024

Thriller!

For our comedy trailer, I decided to use the song 'Thriller' by Michael Jackson. This song being about a monstrous enemy is met with silly visuals that contrast deeply with it. The intention behind this was to defy audience expectations of this song indicating a haunting vibe as a way to showcase the irony typical comedies employ in their films. The takes appear randomized and very informal, as the friendships between the group unravel with extreme comfortability between another enough to dumb-foundingly trust going into the woods by themselves while cracking jokes all throughout. Especially in trailers, this ironic and humorous effect is necessary to represent so that people watching it will be intrigued enough to watch a full version of the film. Thriller as the main audio in the trailer did just that!

Disagreements Within Group

The due date for final cuts was supposed to be before break started, but it has been extended which means  a reshoot right after break may be possible since theater is done. My partner and I have had some complicated relationships and I need to reflect on how its possible we can move forward. 

Reflecting on a poor partnership in the realm of filmmaking is always a challenging exercise. It brings to light not only the shortcomings of the collaboration but also forces introspection on personal decisions and dynamics within the team. In my experience, I once found myself in such a situation, and it was undoubtedly a learning curve.

The partnership started with promising enthusiasm and shared creative vision. We both possessed distinct skills and perspectives that, in theory, should have complemented each other perfectly. However, as the project progressed, it became evident that our communication was lacking, leading to misunderstandings and conflicts.

One of the primary issues was a disparity in commitment levels. While I was fully dedicated to the project, my partner seemed to lose interest over time, leading to missed deadlines and incomplete tasks. This misalignment not only slowed down the progress but also strained our relationship, as I felt burdened by carrying the weight of the project alone.

Moreover, there was a significant difference in our artistic visions. We failed to establish a clear direction for the film, resulting in conflicting ideas and creative clashes. Instead of fostering a collaborative environment where ideas could flourish, we found ourselves in constant disagreement, hindering the creative process and leading to a compromised final product.

In hindsight, there were several lessons to be learned from this experience. Firstly, effective communication is paramount in any partnership. Clear expectations, regular check-ins, and open dialogue could have mitigated many of the issues we faced. Additionally, setting realistic goals and timelines from the outset would have helped manage expectations and prevent disappointment.

Editing Trailer One (Part Two)

Choosing the final takes of the film was determined on their compatibility with the genre chosen; comedy. The takes needed to produce a humorous effect. So, actor impressions was heavily considered, ranging from the expressions conveyed to the tone of their voices and what emotions these could invoke in the audience. But more so the reliance on handheld shots needed to be differentiated – a balance between the shots being casual but not extremely unprofessional and appear misplaced in a trailer. Video between friends would not be professionally stabilized, therefore, takes that were goofy in their set-up were chosen.

Still from one of the final takes in the film.

This shot was chosen because of the close depth of field the girl has to the camera. You can see the discomfort on her face and the playful expression of her friend behind her as they mock her for complaining about sitting shotgun with a sound stick extremely close to her face.

Sequence I edited with emphasis on sound bridging.

To create continuity and reflect trailer's fast-paced typical styles, the song 'Thriller' by Michael Jackson aided me in developing this. I started the song using a J-cut to sound bridge the scenes together and lessen the harshness of them side by side. Furthermore, the title and credits applied sync to the rhythm of the song, a technique many trailers do that I learned in pre-production to heighten the fun atmosphere inhibited from a comedy trailer. 

Editing Trailer One

Once filming was wrapped up, I began to import our filming into Adobe Premiere Rush. Here, I noticed the issues of our production immediately:

• The sound – certain takes, especially ones resembling this found footage look we attempted to create, were muffled and could not pass well even as intentionally bad found footage, as the dialogue is meant to be heard to add crucially to what the plot could possibly be. Although I did forget the the sound equipment I thought I would be able to work with the sound through the video clips.
• The scenes themselves - there isn't enough shot differentiation and that transferred to the trailer; there are some scenes for example the gas station scene that looks complicated due to the lack of exposition of where the characters are or came from. The 'expert' appears out of nowhere and would make all the more sense if there was simply a shot of her looking above the isle overhearing them.  

When put all together the production looked... messy in a way that looked like there was no planning involved. Despite our differences I did trust my partner to try but the footage doesn't make sense and with issues on my own end I was unable to record with my main technology- the sound equipment. 

When faced with the issue I did ask my partner if there would be a way to reshoot and the answer was probably no due to the busy schedules and approaching time limit.  She told me to try to edit and if genuinely needed we could figure something out so that is what I will be doing. 

Here is an example of one of the shots taken in the gas station scene. Our actor messed up so the title scene I had in mind would not be possible, and there are some missing lines/scenes to make the trailer seem coherent. 

For example as soon as this scene is done they are in the forest with no explanation of how they got there. I know trailers are not supposed to be exact, however I want the trailer to at least flow coherently. 

Production!

 How filming went? forgot sound equipment, shots got, time limit, disagreements when we got there. 

Today was filming day! It went horribly. My car broke down and due to my distractions I ended up forgetting my sound kit. As I got there the expert was not dressed accordingly and I was worried if she would be alright in the woods with flared leggings. Besides that however there were some disagreements between myself and my partner since she did not have any sort of stabilizer for her phone, just recording normally. 

This was how she was recording, which I didn't like but there was nothing I could do about it since this was her section of the project. I was worried in the editing the shots would be shaky or uncentered but we will figure that out tomorrow. 

Since we had a 'basic outline' for a story board we didn't have exact shots and durations for them, and from an editors point of view I hope the shots aren't too confusing. For example in the phot to the right she ended up doing a tracking shot instead of the actor walking out of frame like it was in the storyboard, and that's how I practiced editing it. 

More to come, with theses problem I will try to use stabilizers in adobe pro and cut shots using temporal dimensions for appropriate time length if need to. So even if the shots are incorrect to how they should be filmed I will be able to edit them.  

As for my minor tasks I planned to capture, because of my car issues I was unable to pick up the camera and will have to photoshop the poster instead of taking pictures and editing to enhance my skills. 

However I did get the videos/interviews I needed with all the cast members. So I will follow up with that first. 

Location Scouting

Living in South Florida, we wanted to find a forested area to shoot the film in. My film partner Kim suggested a wooded area by her house. It is not private property, so we gave it a shot!

The importance of this location is that it is suitable for both trailers I am creating. The associations with being lost in the woods and even the woods in general in most modern movies, are negative! This existing audience expectation would be heightened using intensified sounds and tense music for the horror trailer. On the other side, the irony of teenagers being lost in a creepy woods is what makes it funny in a different context. The same location can have so many meanings when utilized differently in film. 

Casting and Costumes

My partner Kim is in theater and did most of the casting to the five roles. 

The leader will be played by Sean

The camera guy will be played by her partner Tony

The Sound guy will be played by Andrew

The Leaders person will be played by Jackie(Sean's Twin Sister)

And The Expert will be played my Malaya 

With casting done we can work on a filming date which we agreed with march 5th since the majority of them are doing a school theater project and that's the next day they don't have rehearsal. This will completely shorten my time for editing but with a solid plan for the post-production process I think I can finish everything since after production I'm on my own. 

Moving on to costumes, we agreed this film would be taking place in the early to mid 2000s right when YouTube first came out. As I've stated before in my post titled "Our Pitch" they will have a vibrant color scheme that would be out of place for trailer one but will fit nicely for trailer two. 

I googled "Men's clothes from the mid 2000s high school" to see what a basis of clothes should be for the male actors. 

Google search of costume designs. 

Fashion trends for men in the mid-2000s were influenced by various cultural and subcultural movements, as well as technological advancements in fabrics and design. Here are some key styles from that era:

1. Baggy Jeans: Baggy jeans were popular among men in the mid-2000s, often worn low on the hips with a loose fit. This style was influenced by hip-hop and streetwear culture.

2. Graphic Tees: Graphic t-shirts featuring bold designs, logos, and slogans were a staple of men's casual wear during that time. Brands like Affliction, Ed Hardy, and Abercrombie & Fitch were particularly popular.

3. Hoodies and Sweatshirts: Hoodies and sweatshirts were essential items for casual wear, often worn with jeans or cargo pants. Hoodies with large logos or graphic prints were popular.

Women's clothes consisted of skirts and vibrant clothes during the 2000s, but for the trailers that would not be appropriate or safe so it would be best for them to wear the same as the conventional men's clothing from that time. 

Takeaways from this is baggy jeans and tee shirts, since they are supposed to be high school drop outs. Brighter colored shirts would be best for them due to the mise-en-scene of the film differentiation. 

Planning the poster

Moving onto the poster, my plan was always to have the camera on the floor of the woods. The two main elemental parts of the film are the found footage camera and the location-the woods of Pine Barrens. 

Kim wanted to do the footage on a cellphone camera and if we did do the footage on an actual camera then I would have to do it myself since she didn't know how to use those- so cellphone it is. Since we will not be filming with an actual camera it will have to be a prop I'll borrow from a friend. 

I drew some pictures and came up with this plan:

sketch of poster design

This is a quick sketch for the poster. I want the camera to look broken but since it will be a prop I will try to edit it the best I can with Adobe Photoshop. 

Using my preliminary research blogs titled "Preliminary Research: Minor Print Tasks (1, 2, 3)," my main takeaways were that the setting and atmosphere of the film was shown in the poster. The tone of the film was heavily emphasized in the main posters which is something I would like to transfer over to mine. 

The sketch shows the main two elements of the film while avoiding any cliches. 

More to come!

Planning Social Media Minor task

Now that the majority of pre-production is done I can start planning my minor tasks. 

Starting with identifying the target audience of my film, which will be the same as the actors in the film, young adult. 

After a quick google search for some extra information, I found these websites that I'll reference and draw points from. 

nofilmschool-youngadultsocialmedia

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/national-child-day/tips-for-adults-engaging-youth-social-media.html

beginnersocialmedia

Here are some tips I found for creating an effective social media account for a young adult film:

• • Understand your audience

  Consider your target audience's demographics, interests, and online behavior. You can use demographic analysis, audience interests, and similar films' successes and techniques to tailor your content and messaging. 

  • Choose the right platforms
  • Research where your buyer personas would go online, and emphasize those platforms in your strategy. For example, young adults often use Instagram and Twitter.
  • Create engaging content

  Write engaging posts about your film. You can share your thoughts on the film industry, discuss your inspirations, and provide information that's uniquely useful to your audience.

  • Use hashtags

  Hash tags can attract a targeted audience who may be looking for information related to a certain area.

  • Post regular updates

  Create an editorial schedule.

  • Use attractive visuals

  Use high-quality visuals. 

Taking what I can from this information I can plan six posts I will do for an Instagram page. The reason I'm choosing Instagram is because based on this demographic list: instagramdemographicslist, the main people who use Instagram are people within the ages of 18-24 (young adult) and it would be the most effective platform to use to reach the correct audience to get this film the most amount of views. 

As for the content itself, using preliminary research from other horror genre films in a blog post titled "Preliminary Research: Social Media," The main posts they had were behind the scenes and promotional trailers. 

I will be planning out six posts; three videos and three pictures. Two of the videos will be the two promotional trailers and the other one will be a video of the actors describing their characters. The three pictures will be behind the scenes pictures of the cast. 

The profile picture will probably be the picture of my poster I will do and the Instagram @ will be BarrensOfficialFilm. The forest will be called Pine Barrens as our camera guy actor will say in the first shot in the trailers, therefore we have officially renamed our film to Barrens.

More to come! This is a basic plan for what I have so far.