Film opening and CCR links

Hi Cambridge! Here are the links for my project: 

Link to film opening: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QKhb8Rab18kv26MsOZ3cSCgNvncsFd0m/view?usp=sharing

Link to CCR 1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wC-IA3vjdBJnC-0MZhgxTeGBrjJuQCcx/view?usp=sharing

Link to CCR 2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RBuqnT3DROEPUAkiaAmVEsmiA5WiKhVX/view?usp=sharing

Project final reflections!

Hii Cambridge, we finally came to the end of the project and in this blog post I'll be reflecting on my project as well as my prosses and progress. 

I would say that while working through this project I obviously encountered some challenges and I had to make some changes to try have the best outcome, but overall it was an interesting and different learning experience. Honestly, I loved organizing the setting, the props and the lightning because I felt like I was a real director and I had never done a project this big before. I encountered some drawbacks while recording, so for example, I missed some details related to the clothing in the first scenes where some of them required gloves and I had forgotten to shoot with gloves so I had to reshoot the entire thing. I had to pay attention to these small details which was kind of boring, but other than that it was nice. 

My favorite part was the shooting process, specially because I recorded with my parents, so it was fun to have them with me during that experience. Also, I really liked the editing process, even though it was a bit difficult at some points to align sound and the transitions correctly, but while doing this project, I discovered that I actually enjoy editing, even with the challenges that you definitely encounter throughout the process. The part that I didn't enjoy that much was to write some blog posts because some of them were kind of long, so it required more thinking into it and also I had to dedicate a portion of my time throughout the week, so sometimes I had to hurry, which made that blog part kind of rushed.

One thing that I would improve for a next project is my time management. While I was shooting, I wish I had planned a little better the shooting days between the opening and the CCRs. I finished recording the opening within 4 days, so I think it was ok, but I could have done it in less days like 2 or 3 to leave a good time frame to record my CCRs. Still talking about improvement, I think that I could definitely see how far I came since the beginning of the school year and that was really nice to see. Even though I think I could have done a few shots a little better, I also liked how most of my shots looked like, so that was rewarding to see. 

Overall, I think it was a very different experience that required a lot of work and dedication, but in the end it was nice to create something big like that by myself. Even though some moments during the process of production were hard, it was still a worthy learning experience. I hope you enjoy watching my project as much as I enjoyed creating it!

CCR editing!

Hi there! In this blog post I’ll talking about the editing process of my CCRs.

For my first CCR, I decided to include some media elements in my video. I added pictures from the research websites that I looked at to help me film this CCR, and this included pictures of graphs with statistics and concepts definitions that helped me explain some topics while I was recording. Here are some pictures of research pictures that I included: 

Also, I added some text elements with short bullet points as I was speaking, so that viewers could read and focus on the main information that I wanted to give during some clips. I also added transition movements while the words were fading in and out, and this helped me make my CCR a little bit more engaging. Here is an example of how I included the bullet points: 

Another thing that I did was to include short clips and pictures from my opening while I was talking about it, so that viewers could have a clearer idea and a better visual representation of what I was explaining while discussing elements from my opening. I added a video or picture layer on top of my CCR video layer, so that the images could appear on the screen at the same time that I was speaking. Here is how I did: 

Now moving on to my second CCR, I decided to do an online interview, so I added 2 different backgrounds to indicate that one character was the interviewer and the other was the interviewed, since I was playing both at the same time. I added my background pictures to another layer at the bottom of my CCR video clips and removed their original background so that the pictures that I added could turn into my new background. Here is how I did it: 

For this second CCR, I also included pictures with definitions of some topics that I researched, and I also added short clips and images from my original film opening, including photos from my shooting process, BTS scenes and screenshots of my editing process for the opening since this CCR talked about technology. 

And last but not least, I included all of my citations at the end of each CCR with a “victory” background audio that I got from Pixabay to illustrate that my CCR had ended. 

CCR Production!

Hello everyone! In this blog post I’ll be explaining a little bit more about the production process of my CCRs. 

So, in my first CCR, I answered questions number 1 and 2 and I changed a little bit of my previous script, so here is the finalized script: 

I presented this CCR as a type of detective investigation just like my opening, where I answered the questions as if I was being interrogated. I also put a small “detective investigation” board in my background that I created using some props from my opening, to make my CCR look a little bit more realistic and engaging. Here is the picture of the board used in the background: 

Finally, I chose to record my first CCR in my room’s desk because it has a gray wall and I wanted my background to look more serious with less information so that people can focus on me and pay attention to the detective board that is part of my setting. 

Now for my second CCR, I answered questions number 3 and 4. I did a type of online interview where I played both the interviewer and the interviewed. To differentiate both of them, I filmed using two different outfits so that people could clearly see who was who. Also, I recorded this CCR in my room against a grey wall once again. However, this won’t be the background that will appear in the video. 

Also, to help me film both of my CCRs I used my mom’s tripod. Here is a picture of how the setting (my room) looked like while I was recording: 

CCR ideas

Hello everyone! In this blog post I’ll be discussing my ideas for how I plan to do my CCR videos.

For my CCR responses, I decided to divide the questions into two different videos. In the first CCR video, I’ll answer question 1 and question 2, which talks about how my product uses or challenges genre conventions, how it represents social groups, how it engages audiences and how it could be distributed as a real media product. In the second CCR video, I’ll answer Question 3 and Question 4, which focus more on the production process, including how my production skills developed and how I integrated different technologies while creating the project. Since my film opening is about an investigation connected to an FBI case, I wanted my CCR videos to connect with the theme of my project.

For the first CCR video, I plan to present it as if  I’m in an investigation and I’m explaining the case while answering the questions about my analysis of the case (which is my film opening), and explaining the mystery behind it. I will set up a type of small detective board behind me with some prop elements from my opening, including the FBI folder, crime report and DNA analysis document. With this, my CCR video will be more engaging and it will align with the theme of my project. During the “interrogation”, I will explain how my film uses suspense conventions, how Dr. Werner is represented, how the opening engages the audience through mystery and how the film could be distributed through platforms like streaming services.

For the second CCR video, I will create a video with a type of online interview style, where I’ll play both the interviewer and the interviewed. To differentiate the characters, I’ll use 2 different costumes, as well as appearing in 2 different background settings. For this CCR, the focus will be on the production process. The interviewer will ask questions about how my production skills developed during the project and what technologies I used to create my film opening. This will allow me to explain things like how I improved my filming skills, how I used editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro, how I created props using Canva and how I wrote my script using Celtx.

I chose the interview format because it makes the CCR more engaging and interesting and also because it fits well with the investigative theme of my film, since it feels similar to someone being questioned about a case.

During the CCR videos, I also plan to include visual examples from my project while I speak. For example, I can show clips from my film opening, screenshots of my editing timeline in Adobe Premiere, the Canva template I used to create the FBI crime report prop and parts of my script from Celtx. I can also add research pictures like graphs with statistics about a topic and media terms definitions. These visuals will help show the process behind creating my film and make my explanations clearer for the audience!

CCR research - Question #4

Hey there! In this blog post I’ll be talking about my research and planning for CCR Question 3, which is:“How did you integrate technologies - software, hardwire and online - in this project?”

So, I used some online and software resources to help me make this project and I’ll go through each of them. 

Technologies:

I used the Adobe Premiere Pro app to edit my project and it was honestly super helpful. I didn’t have much experience with editing and had used some other simple apps to edit simpler videos that I did before, but nothing I’ve done before comes close to this big project in terms of editing. Adobe had a lot of resources that I could use and integrate in my opening such as the title text and audio elements as well, so it was really easy to go through the app and edit the way that I wanted. 

To create one of my prop elements (The FBI crime report file), I used a template on Canva. I love using Canva because I’m pretty familiar with it and I have the Canva Premium plan, so I could incorporate even more elements into my prop element to make it look even more realistic like a real crime report that you would see in real life. 

Also, to help me write the script for my project, I used the Celtx software. This resource was so good and so much helpful that it made me feel like what I have just written was like a real film script that you usually see for real productions. The website is super easy to use and it allowed me to add specific information like setting, time of the day and character name and dialogue. Also, while I was writing it, I discovered and learned some new terms that you need to know while writing a script and it was very nice.

My CCR Idea

For this second CCR video, I’m planning to answer the questions with an interview by a journalist / investigator about the production of the case film. While answering, I can show clips from my film, my props or my editing timeline.

Also, this second CCR will include the third and fourth question, so here is the script answering these 2 questions:

SCRIPT:

INTERVIEWER

So you’re the creator behind the investigation film The Hidden Match. Tell me something first, how did your production skills develop while working on this project?

ME
At the beginning of the project I honestly didn’t have much experience with filming or producing something this big. Earlier in the year we did smaller media projects, but this film opening was my first time creating something more complex with a real story.

As the project progressed, I started understanding much more about camera shots and how they affect the audience. For example, I used close-up shots to show important details like the scientist’s eyes or the lab equipment, which helps create tension.

I also started paying more attention to lighting and angles. At first I only had a simple idea for the scenes, but once I started filming I realized that lighting and camera position could completely change how the scene felt.

INTERVIEWER
So your process changed while you were filming?

ME
Definitely! My original plan actually changed a lot during production. After filming some scenes, I decided to change the order of certain shots and even added some new scenes while removing others that didn’t help the story.

I noticed that my second day of filming was much better than my first one because by that time I understood the vision of the project and I felt more confident choosing the shots I wanted and directing the scenes.

INTERVIEWER
And how did you approach filming the scenes themselves?

ME
So, my goal was to make the shots look as professional as possible even though I was filming at home. I used the space in my house to build a small science lab set. I organized the props and adjusted the lighting to create a darker and more suspenseful tone.

I also paid close attention to where I placed the objects and how the camera moved. I think even small changes in the angle or lighting helped the scenes look more cinematic.

INTERVIEWER
Interesting. Now let’s talk about the technology behind the production. What tools did you use to create the film?

ME
Oh yes! So, I used many technologies to complete the project. For editing, I used Adobe Premiere Pro, which helped me organize my clips, add transitions, adjust the color tone and include sound effects.

Even though I didn’t have much experience with professional editing software before, Adobe allowed me to experiment with different tools and create the suspense that I wanted for my opening.

INTERVIEWER
And what about the props and visual elements we saw in the film?

ME
For one of my main props, the FBI crime report, I used Canva. I found a template and customized it to make it look like a realistic investigation file. Canva was very helpful because it allowed me to add details and design elements that made the prop look very real.

INTERVIEWER
What about writing the script for the film?

ME
For that I used a website called Celtx, which is a script-writing software used in film production. Celtx helped me organize the scenes properly and include important details like the setting, time of day and character dialogue.

It also introduced me to professional script language, which made the project feel much more like a real film production.

INTERVIEWER
So overall, what would you say you learned from this experience?

ME
I think the biggest thing I learned was how much planning and creativity you need to have while producing something like that. At the beginning of the project I didn’t know much about camera shots or production techniques, but by the end I felt much more confident using them.

I was even able to explain specific shot types while filming the scenes, which made me feel more like a director guiding the production.

INTERVIEWER
So the investigation wasn’t just in the film, it was also in the filmmaking process.

ME
Exactly! The project helped me develop my skills like filming and editing, but it also helped me think more creatively about how to tell a story using the visuals. 

 

CCR research - Question #3

Hi there, welcome back! In this blog post I’ll be talking about my research and planning for CCR Question 3, which is: “How did your production skills develop throughout this project?”

During our CCR lesson, my teacher told us some questions and ideas that we could discuss while answering this CCR question, so I wrote them down and decided to break down each one: 

1- Discuss how did you do the research. 

For research, I looked at real film openings from the suspense genre, so I could inspire myself and use proper lightning and also sound to help me build the tension. I looked at how they introduced their characters, if they used dialogue and also how they did their shots and how they combined them with lightning. I searched on YouTube the greatest suspense film openings, watched them and took inspiration from openings like Se7en and Good girls. The research was really helpful because it helped me to make better decisions. I’ll leave the YouTube videos that I watched below:

2- Reflect how your process evolved throughout the production. 

I think that my process in production evolved a lot, especially because I was inexperienced and it was my first time producing something big like that for a project. Also, I had an idea at first before filming, but after I started shooting, I changed the order of some scenes, I added new ones and removed others that wouldn’t add much to the story, so this is something that I realized while making my opening as I changed some of my ideas and it was nice to see that progress. Also, I think that I could film some pretty good shots and the ones I recorded during my second shooting day were the best ones because I was starting to understand more about the final big picture of my project and that was something really nice to see. 

3- Discuss your approach to production.

For production, I tried my best to do some shots that felt more professional. At the beginning, I was scared of how my shots would look like and I was worried that it would take me a series of reshoots to find the perfect shot, but it actually didn’t. Of course that I had to reshoot some scenes, but it was actually good because I could focus more on these production elements and pay closer attention to them, because before filming I only had a plain and simple idea. But, after starting the production, I started paying more attention to the shots, lightning and angles. I chose to use the elements at my house to help me in the production process, so for example, I adjusted the lightning of the lights at my house to help me create the tone that I wanted to create the suspenseful atmosphere. Also, I organized the props at a specific place and position by myself to help me create the type of shots that I wanted while filming and it was really nice to do that part of production. I basically chose to built a science home lab at my own house because that’s what I wanted to show in my opening and I think it was a good approach. 

4- End with a reflection on where you started and where you ended. What did you learn?

I can definitely see that my skills improved after doing this project. At the beginning of the school year, I didn’t even know the difference between the different shots and camera angles and while recording my project, I could realize that I knew what I was doing and that I knew the exact type of shots that I wanted to use to transmit my idea to the audience. Also, since my mom helped me to film some scenes, I started telling her specific type of shots names that I wanted to use at my opening and I felt like a real director, so I could really see that my production skills evolved because I knew exactly how I wanted to shoot some scenes! Also looking back at the first projects that we did in our AICE media class, I compared my progress and I could truly see that I could record the different shots more clearly this time, so I definitely learned how to use the shots filmed to create emotions like tension, which I didn’t know how to do that well during my first media projects. 

Also, I’ll do questions 3 and 4 combined in one CCR video, so I will leave my script for this question #3 in my blog post about question #4!

CCR research - Question #2

Hello everyone! In this blog post I’ll be talking about my research and planning for CCR Question 2, which is: “How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?”

Before deciding how I wanted to answer this question, I did some research about target audiences, suspense films and film distribution:

Audience Engagement

My story is a suspense and crime genre, which usually attracts people who enjoy mystery, investigation and stories that reveal information and catch you unexpectedly. In most suspense films, they keep the audience curious by hiding important details and revealing them little by little.

In my opening, the audience sees a scientist secretly running a DNA test that is connected to a crime. However, the audience doesn’t know who the suspect is or why the scientist is doing this test. With that, I can create curiosity and tension in my audience since I hid information from them, which makes them want to know what will happen next.

Another way my film engages the audience is through the visuals and the sound. I used warmer tones, close-up shots and I only used dialogue in the last scene, which was only 3 words (“I found her”), so it makes it even more suspenseful. to make small moments feel more intense. I also used a suspenseful melody that appeared throughout the whole opening. Also, I added a “boom” kinda like sound for example, in one of the scenes when the scientist is dropping liquids in the beaker to make it even more intense.

Resource: https://tmff.net/how-suspense-movies-keep-us-hooked-exploring-the-science-behind-the-thrill/

Target Audience

The main audience for my film would likely be teenagers and young adults, especially people who enjoy suspense, crime and mystery films. Many popular movies and series in this genre attract people who like to guess what is happening in the story.

Resource: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/thriller-films-target-audience/75446250

Distribution

If my film were a real media product, it could be distributed through streaming platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime, since suspense and crime stories are very popular there. These services allow people to easily access films and series from their home.

Another possible way my film could be distributed is through film festivals, like the ones that showcase independent or student films. This would allow the film to reach people interested in new filmmakers and is also an affordable option and is also fun, so I think that’s also a good idea. 

Resource: https://www.ep.com/blog/beginners-guide-to-film-distribution-overview-for-independent-producers/

My CCR Idea

For my CCR video, I’m planning to answer the question in a way that connects to the theme of my project. Since my film involves an investigation and an FBI case, I plan to answer my explanation as if I’m analyzing the case and explaining the mystery behind it. I like this idea because it connects well with the story and it helps me to make a fun CCR response. 

Also, my first CCR will include the first and second question, so here is the script answering these 2 questions:

SCRIPT:

INTRO:
Hi everyone! In this video I'll be answering Questions 1 and 2 of my CCR for my film opening called The Hidden Match.
My film opening tells the story of a scientist named Dr. Werner, who secretly runs a DNA test connected to a murder investigation.
Since my story is about solving a crime, I decided to set up a small investigation board to help explain the evidence behind my film opening.

GENRE CONVENTIONS: 

So, let’s start with genre conventions! My film belongs mainly to the suspense and crime genres and suspense films usually create tension and mystery by slowly revealing information instead of explaining everything right away. They often include investigations, hidden clues and unanswered questions that make the audience curious.
In my opening, I follow these conventions by showing pieces of evidence that slowly reveal what happened.

For example, the audience sees this crime report, which introduces the suspect connected to the investigation. However, the film doesn’t immediately explain the full story, which creates mystery and tension.

Another suspense convention I used is restricted information. The viewer sees the scientist working with evidence and running experiments, but they still don't know the full situation yet. Because of this, the audience has to slowly figure out the mystery along with the character. 

REPRESENTATION: 

Another important part of question 1 is representation. In my opening, representation is mainly shown through the character Dr. Werner. In many films, scientists are often shown as either the hero who saves everyone or the evil scientist who causes problems. In my project, I wanted to make Dr. Werner more complex and mysterious. 

He is clearly intelligent and professional, but he is also secretly running an unauthorized DNA test, which suggests that he might be breaking rules.
The crime report shown at the beginning shows that he is investigating the suspect connected to the crime.
Because of this, the audience doesn’t fully know if he is doing something good or something suspicious.
I purposely left his intentions unclear so viewers can question his actions.

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT: 

Now moving on to question 2, which focuses on how the film engages the audience. So, my opening keeps the audience interested by slowly revealing clues connected to the investigation. 

At first, the viewer only sees the scientist working with evidence and running experiments in the lab. But as the opening continues, the scientist makes an important discovery. The DNA analysis shows a positive match! Meaning that the suspect that appeared in the beginning is actually connected to the crime. 

This moment is an important reveal because it shows that the scientist has finally discovered the identity of the suspect.
Also, at the very end of the opening, the scientist receives a phone call and says:

“I found her”. 

This moment creates a cliffhanger and encourages the audience to continue watching the story. 

DISTRIBUTION: 

Another part of Question 2 is thinking about how the film could be distributed as a real media product.
Since my project belongs to the suspense and crime genres, it could work well on streaming platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, which often distribute mystery and thriller films.
These platforms are popular for stories that involve investigations and crime cases.

Because my film slowly reveals clues and builds suspense, it could appeal to audiences who enjoy films where the viewer tries to solve the mystery along with characters. This can include audiences that are mainly teenagers and young adults of both genders. 

CONCLUSION: 

Overall, my film opening uses many conventions from suspense and crime films, like mystery, dark lighting, restricted information and investigative clues.
By slowly revealing evidence like the crime report and the DNA match, the opening builds tension and encourages the audience to continue watching the story.

CCR research - Question #1

Hey there! In this blog post I’ll be answering Question 1 of my CCR, which is: “How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?”

Genre Conventions

My film opening is about a suspenseful and crime story, and suspense films usually create tension, mystery and they leave the audience with unanswered questions. They often include elements like investigations, hidden information, and darker lighting. Crime and investigation stories usually focus on hiding the truth so that they can reveal the explanations and answers throughout the movie.

In my opening, I follow these conventions, since my story focuses on a scientist running an unauthorized DNA test connected to evidence from a crime. I use dark lighting, close-up shots, restricted information and a very short dialogue of literally 3 words to create even more tension. When the FBI folder is shown with a crime report of a suspect, but still doesn’t reveal who she is, it helps my story to follow the suspense convention of withholding information from the audience.

I decided to follow the suspense genre conventions because I wanted my opening to clearly feel like a suspense film from the start. Instead of showing action or violence, I focused more on psychological suspense. The audience doesn’t know who the DNA belongs to or who the scientist is talking to, which makes them curious. I also used very little dialogue and quiet sound to make small moments feel more intense. 

To help me write and understand a bit more about genre conventions in suspense, I read this article: 

https://thewritepractice.com/genre-conventions/?

Representation

In my film opening, representation is shown through Dr. Werner. In a lot of movies, scientists are usually shown as either the good genius who saves everyone or the evil scientist who causes problems. I didn’t want to make him that simple, so I made him more complicated. He is really smart and professional, but at the same time he is breaking the rules by running an unauthorized DNA test. This makes the audience unsure about him. They don’t know if he is doing something right or something wrong, which makes him more interesting.

My film also shows themes of investigation, and Dr. Werner knows important information that the audience doesn’t, so it gives him power in the story. Because he controls the results of the DNA test, he controls what others know. I didn’t clearly show him as a hero or a villain on purpose because I wanted the audience to question his intentions and decide how they feel about him.

Overall, my opening uses suspense elements like mystery, dark lighting and hidden information while showing a character that is realistic and kinda mysterious! This makes the story more tense and keeps the audience curious about what will happen next.

To help me understand and write about representation, I read this article: 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z9fx39q/revision/1

Also, I used the opening title sequence of Se7en (1995) as a reference because the dark tones and the mysterious visuals help set up the tension of the film before any story details are shown.