My CCR

Below is my CCR for our project Love Ablaze:

Love Ablaze! Final Project! It's Here!

Finally finished, here is our two minute film opening, Love Ablaze.

(music used:
Berlin, Irving. Cheek to cheek. Dorothy Collins. N.d. Web. <https://archive.org/details/Dorothy_Collins_390/CheektoCheek.mp3>  )

Edit: Here is the link on google drive in case the Youtube embedding isn't working

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9yy1BbykjwhTDJra1JSOTF2OW8/view?usp=sharing

Our Song

The song we will be using is.....

Cheek to Cheek, written by Irving Berlin and performed by Dorothy Collins.

You can find the song here: https://archive.org/details/Dorothy_Collins_390/CheektoCheek.mp3

This song is in the public domain, and it fit very well with our project. The light happy tone fits the first half, and contradicts the second. In the second half it's muffled, representing how the world is going on normally outside the room that our main character is torturing the male character.

Why Won't My Text Work Well?

It's almost done. Almost. Done. All that's left now is some last minute cleanup on the editing and placement of text. The issue is, film conventions require us to put credits in the opening; We can't seem to find a place that the bulk of the credits fit. We found decent enough places to overlay the text of our actors' names, however the Directing/Producing credits are bulky and annoying.

We did decide on a text, after struggling to find one that was thick enough to read while still being elegant.

The Lightbulb

Yesterday was our final day of filming. We realized that there were a couple more shots that we needed to get in order to wrap up the opening. It was 5:30, Ash pulled up to my house with Kristen and Berni in the car, and we started unpacking and resetting some of the set from before. Kristen pulled a blanket out of the car, which we were using to block out sunlight in my garage, and something fell out of it. It turns out Kristen's blue lightbulb got caught in the blanket and crashed to the ground, shattering.

This was, while somewhat comical, another setback. So the four of us climbed into Ash's car, and we set out on our way to the hardware store. Unfortunately, we made a mistake navigating there, so a ride that should have taken us 5 minutes took us 15. Oops.

Kristen and her new friend- a weird hardware store mannequin.

We finally got to the store, picked up a lightbulb (plus some sodas), and headed back out. This time we knew where we were going.

Other than that the filming was pretty successful, we just ended later than we thought we would. Not too big of a deal.

-and look at that fresh, new blue LED lightbulb!

Production Company Logo?

Since part of this project is showing that we can follow film conventions, we want to put a production company logo in the beginning of our piece. I wanted to make something delicate, that would go with the beginning of our piece. I was struggling to find an idea that really sat with me, until Thursday in class when Ash saw this owl in her school planner, and drew a sad face on it.

This owl really resonated with me, I thought it was a cute thing that could represent our group as a whole, while not being too specific. Then in school on Friday, I spent all day doodling up a logo that wasn't too busy or detailed. I wanted to keep it delicate. I had an idea on friday to maybe make an animation to make it more interesting. I sketched out the basic frames, and yesterday I got to putting it in an art program on my computer.

The program I used is free, it's called FireAlpaca.

From my basic sketch I got to drawing, and in about half an hour I had drawn all the frames I wanted.

All the frames in separate png files.

I put all the frames into Final Cut Pro X and retimed them all to 1/60 of a second (0:00:01). When I got to a speed I liked, I played around with putting it over the beginning of the piece, or putting it over a black screen beforehand. After discussing with my group, we decided that it looked best over a black screen. I then added some sound effects, because personally I didn't like how it felt with no sound.

We still haven't come up with a name, but when we do I'll add it to right underneath, or right above the animation.

Here it is:

Sources:
The art program I used: http://firealpaca.com/

Editing and Editing Struggles

My favorite part of the whole process is post production. While being on set and filming is fun, I find that editing is the place where I can really do my part. Editing can take a bunch of random footage and make it into a fluid piece, using cuts, and sound elements. The most exciting part for me on this project is color grading. I'm going to try my best to make the beginning look like it's from the late 50's, while still keeping color, and making it have warmer tones. But, I think I'll discuss color correction more on a later post.

The first thing I did when I got the clips on Tuesday, was figure out which to use and which to leave. I wasn't there the first day of filming, so I was really curious to see what shots Kristen and Ash got. It turns out they provided me with plenty of inserts and interesting angles; however, I ran into a little problem. When they shot, they didn't know how much time exactly they had to fill, so they got extra footage of things that work with the plot. I could tell while editing in hindsight, that they were unnecessary, but in fairness there was no way for Kristen and Ash to know that. Unfortunately, cutting these clips leaves me with continuity issues that I have to constantly correct for. For example, there's a shot where Bernie's character takes a bunch of groceries out of a bag, then she takes a knife out of a drawer. I need to cut the part where she takes the groceries out of the bag, which means I have to be really creative in the way that I hide the groceries that just appear on the counter. This issue makes this piece one of the most challenging things I've ever edited. Plus, I have a time limit, but I want to control the pacing of the piece. This makes it even harder, because I have a lot to fit into two minutes, and I still need moments where the audience can think and figure out what is going on.

This is my Final Cut Pro X timeline as of now. I've already added in the foley I recorded on set, (of Nate screaming, of Bernie's shoes on the garage floor, of Nate shuffling in his chair, etc.), and the song we are using (which I'll probably discuss more in a later post).

I had to cut out a lot of things that we loved, but didn't make the piece better as a whole. In my opinion that is one of the worst parts of editing. My favorite part of editing, however, is getting to see the piece evolve with every new draft. Let me just say, I can't wait to be done.

Finally Filming

It's been a busy week! Monday after school I cleared out my garage, and we started setting up to film. Kristen bought some new light bulbs, and Ash drove the crew over.

Our idea to film with both a red and blue light seemed to work, creating an eerie purple that represents our main character's power.

We also had to assemble our set, we used all the things we bought at the thrift store plus a few extra items from our houses. I have to say when we put it all together I was really proud.

shout out to Ash, who saw the sugar cane in my backyard and grabbed it! It looks so spooky.

Video credit to Kristen

Another thing that I think will bring our piece together is the acting. We recruited our friends Bernie and Nate (Nate is in AICE Media Studies too! He's doing an animation for his final!), who so graciously filmed with us for 5 hours on a Monday. I think they both did an amazing job, playing their parts well.

Nate looking cool as usual!

We left filming Monday night exhausted, but happy to be done with the majority of shooting. To be honest we all were going a little crazy because I had the song we're using on repeat in the background to set the tone for our actors. Now to editing!

Sources:
"Purple Color Meaning – The Color Purple." Color-Meanings.com. N.p., 26 Nov. 2013. Web. 01 Apr. 2017. <http://www.color-meanings.com/purple-color-meaning-the-color-purple/>

Science or Witchcraft?

I mentioned in an earlier post that we wanted to make our potion glow in the dark and still be safe to drink. I researched and found that tonic water should fit our demands perfectly, but it was time to put to the test.

The first thing I needed to do was to find a blacklight that was portable enough to move around and position to best fit each shot. Originally I looked at Home Depot, but found a much cheaper option in Party City.

The blacklight I got at Party City for about $15. It has a 6ft long cable and is fairly portable.

Next, I dug through my pantry and found some cans of tonic water that my mom had bought.

I put the tonic water in a clear bowl, plugged in my blacklight and hoped the internet wasn't lying.

and...

it worked!!

My next step was to do some testing to see it I could make the tonic water look green, which in our case represents youth and vigor, but also envy.

To keep it edible I used yellow food coloring thinking that yellow+blue=green.

I'm still so happy it works! I can't wait until we shoot tomorrow!

Prepping and Wish I Was There

I can't wait for when we finish filming, and I can finally start editing. Unfortunately, I am stuck in a place where there isn't much I can do to work on the project. On Wednesday, Ash and Kristen, as well as our actress, drove up to Miami to film the first half of the piece. I couldn't go because they all get out of school an hour and a half earlier than me, as seniors. While I trust that they got amazing footage, I still hate that I couldn't be there to help, and I can't wait to finally see the footage.

Kristen doing Bernie's hair!

Look at these cuties! Bernie and Ash!

Kristen's record player, which is perfect.

Some vinyl records Kristen had that they used as props.

This long weekend would have been helpful for filming the rest of our project; however, obstacles come up, and our biggest obstacle is scheduling. It's no one's fault in particular, it's just hard to find days where everyone in the group, actors included, are free. We were planning on filming on Sunday (tomorrow), even though Ash is away, but our lead actress is also traveling. Our solution is that we'll film on Monday after school, which is irritating, but doable.

While I've been waiting for footage to edit, I decided to get a head start and edit down the music we were planning on using. I am 98 percent certain this music is in the public domain, as it says it is, but I still want to double check with my teacher before using it (I have a plan B just in case). Anyways, in class on Thursday, I made a new project in Final Cut Pro, edited down the 2:30 song to 1:30, and dragged it in. The song I'm using I'll discuss more in a later post, but it is a cheerful song that will fit the tone of the piece, then eventually contrast it. It builds at the end, hopefully making the audience more uncomfortable as it does.

Potions and More Spooky Stuff

In preparations for filming later this week (and next week), I've been researching ways to make safe practical effects.

One thing we want to recreate is a potion like the one below, that glows and bubbles/fogs, but is safe to drink.

My idea is to use dry ice, tonic water, and a black light.

A bit of dry ice in water.

Tonic water in normal light (left), and in blacklight (right)

While dry ice needs to be handled carefully, and not put directly in a drink, it can provide a fog effect that will hopefully remind our audience of the usual representation of witches. Unlike dry ice, tonic water is perfectly safe to handle and drink, although most people think it tastes kind of nasty. Tonic water contains quinine, a chemical originally used to help fight malaria. Now the quinine is added mostly for its distinct bitter flavor, and helpfully makes the drink glow in blacklight.


We also want to use candles, to provide a spooky atmosphere, which plays to the generic representation of witches. We have to be careful not to burn my house down, but I know we can make it look pretty cool. It will also add a natural light source that's part of the mise-en-scene.

Sources:
"Dry Ice Party Ideas." Tiger Ice. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2017. <http://www.tigericeco.com/dry-ice/dry-ice-party-ideas/>
"Tonic Water." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 22 Mar. 2017. Web. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonic_water>

Thrift Shopping

On Friday, the three of us, plus a couple friends who wanted to help, went thrift shopping for costumes and set pieces! After a couple hours of searching through racks of clothes and shelves of strange items, we found what we were looking for.

A candid I took of Kristen while we were shopping. 

Ash and her new mannequin pal.

Kristen posing with the $8 pot/cauldron we ended up buying.

Kristen with our cart of potential costumes and props.

We didn't end up buying all of this, but these were the items we initially picked out.

We had a lot of fun looking for costume pieces and props that fit the time period and plot, plus our total was less than $35, which we split between the three of us.

This is the costume we ended up creating, for a total of around $13. (Including the dress, apron, and shoes)

We went to the thrift store with a vague idea of what we wanted her dress to look like. We knew we wanted warm colors, because they seem inviting and friendly, and settled on this red polka-dot collared dress. Attempting to emulate the style of the stereotypical housewife of the 50's and 60's, we found a bright, floral, orange and red scarf, which we fashioned into an apron. The shoes were picked out by our actor, Bernie, they are meant to fit with the character, without being too distracting.

P.S. Correction on my last post, the character's past lover is not from the Salem Witch Trials, she's actually from the early/mid-1800s, oops.

Scheduling Stress, and Style Choices

We all knew that this final project would take a lot of time that we would need to manage wisely, which is why we started by making a schedule. However, coordinating three people's schedules is more difficult in practice. It turns out that Ash will be out of the state next weekend, and both Kristen and Ash will be away at their college orientation the weekend after. This means we have to rearrange our filming schedule a bit; we are planning on meeting after school on Wednesday to film the second half of the piece. This adds another layer of stress, but I believe in us, and I know we'll get it done.

As we worry about filming, I want to make sure we don't fall behind in preparations for post-production and other smaller details. Ash, Kristen, and I spent some time brainstorming our title and discussing other elements of editing that we're going to want so I can prepare the things that will take more time. I believe Kristen came up with the title, Love Ablaze. We like it because it has a lot of different meanings in the context of our piece. For one, it seems both sweet and intense, which means it fits our piece from beginning to end. Also, it's almost a play on words there are ties with our main character to the Salem Witch Trials. Our main character is a witch, who once lived during the time of the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. They're important to her because the girl she loves was burned at the stake, accused of being a witch. 

The three of us discussed what font and style the title and credits should be in, and we decided on a very cheerful cursive, inspired by Wes Anderson.

A screencap from Wes Anderson's film Moonrise Kingdom

A sketch of each word/name I need to make a title of

I started coloring my sketches (I put over a photo to show how it might look, of course, it'll look different in the actual piece)

Also, we debated whether to put the title in the beginning of the piece or the end, we decided to put it at the end. We hope it will make the audience remember their feelings in the beginning, and feel somewhat unsettled having those feelings at the end. Our plan is to make the beginning fit the lightness and happiness of the font, and the end contrast it.

Planning and Preparing

We finally finished the first draft of our script! I was eager to get that finished because I didn't want to start storyboarding without it.

Our first draft, editing it now!

I really enjoy working with Kristen and Ash because we all bring different perspectives. When brainstorming ideas it's nice to have people that will tell me their honest opinions without tearing me down. They also both come up with amazing ideas! I think one of the most important reasons we make a great team is that we all are dedicated to making the best final product possible, and we all stay truthful with constructive criticism. Also, we remember that it's important to have fun while working, as we all are great friends.

After a bit of drawing and redrawing, I finished a rough storyboard. I'm not the best at drawing, but I like storyboarding because it helps to make sure everyone in the group has the same vision. It also will come in handy later to make sure we film everything we need to film. Obviously, things are subject to change, but this is the basic sketch of all the shots in our piece.

Our Schedule

Weeks	Tasks
Week of March 13	Kristen - Get actors Bernie and Nate? Take old pic Get Nate’s costume Ash - Get Location Zoe - Script Makeup Storyboard Foley All - Go thrift shopping Plot Pick day to film
Week of March 20	Kristen - Directing Lights Ash - Makeup Zoe - Sound All - Film at location 1: Miami
Week of March 27	Kristen - Directing Lights Ash - Makeup Zoe - Sound All - Film at location 2: Weston
Week of April 3	Kristen - Critiquing and improving editing Ash - Critiquing and improving editing Zoe - Editing
April 9	Turning it in!

Figuring Out Genre and Setting

Genre and setting are two of the most important backbones to a piece, especially for something as short as a two-minute film opening. Our genre is a bit more fluid than usual, but it is centered around Dark-Fantasy. Dark-Fantasy is a genre which, as Author Charles L. Grant once said, is "a type of horror story in which humanity is threatened by forces beyond human understanding". Our main character threatens others with otherworldly power but is also dealing with internal conflicts that should eventually endear the audience. We hope to present a more sympathetic view of the supernatural character, instead of focusing heavily on the victims of her acts. This film will be heavily focused on one main character, documenting her inner conflicts using the elements of this genre. Our goal is to tell a human story, using fantasy elements. We hope to target young adults, who are interested in seeing a serious short film based in fantasy

Our piece will be set in late 1950’s to mid-1960’s suburban America. This should help to show a contrast between our main character’s outward appearance towards society, and the darkness of her private self.

Edward Scissorhands is a movie with a somewhat similar setting and genre, it provides an example of some elements we are trying to emulate. It plays with the fish-out-of-water trope, that we are taking components from; However, Edward Scissorhands is a bit more lighthearted and ridiculous than we hope to be.

Sources:

- "Fantasy Films." An Award-winning, Unique Resource of Film Reference Material for Film Buffs and Others, with Reviews of Classic American-Hollywood Films, Academy Awards History, Film Posters. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2017. <http://www.filmsite.org/fantasyfilms.html>

- "Dark Fantasy." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Mar. 2017. Web. 12 Mar. 2017. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_fantasy#Horror-based>

- <https://marciokenobi.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/edward-scissorhands-5.jpg>