Creative Critical Reflection

 

                                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DVDBxLGeK0

Thanks for viewing my process and enjoy :)

Paranoid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4wXtD_esbw

Here is the final product and hope you enjoy. It was both stressful and fun doing this project and I had to get creative with a lot of my shot setups since I was the main actor in it. Overall it was a good learning experience and taught me valuable things to bring with me if I go on to create or edit my own short films, or even just organizing and shot framing in general.

Audio and Shortening the Length

 This is what the finished background music I had in mind looks like in the editor. It is extremely simple but it took me two hours to make learning all the techniques I can use. I think I did a decent job at obtaining what I wanted and thought it would be way more difficult than it was. This sfx lasts from until the credits to when Ricky makes it to his friend's house. 

When sequencing the film I was running into problems with time constraints since if I were to add the whole original plot it would exceed over 2 minutes and 40 seconds, so what I did was cut it short to when Ricky's friend opens the door and asks why he's there so late. I think fading to black her still adds the same effect as my original ending planned to as it shows the toll Ricky took throught that journey. Here's what the WeVideo editor looks right now:

Sequencing and Editing

 Now that I have all my shots and reshoots in place, I've been sequencing all my shots to fit and trimming out any extra takes / messups, making it all go smoothly. 

To make life easier, I've been numbering my video files by the order they're supposed to be in so I can just go to a specific clip that need work and then I can piece them together. You may have noticed I've switched to WeVideo and that's because I overestimated how much I knew about it so I just switched to WeVideo since it's easier and has all the things I want to do anyway.

Here's the openening credit sequence done and how I envisioned it, where Ricky walks off then then camera pans up into the sky and starts the sequence. At this point the music kicks in as well. I still have to touch of on the audio and make my transitions smooth as possible

Making Music

 For the second act to be effective, it needs music to heighten the tension and feel of paranoia the main character is feeling. Like a previously mentioned before, it's going to be a very sparse, fast-paced beat that almost sounds static-like because it will (most likely) be effective and it shouldn't be a big hassle to create. I've started getting into the basics of using FL Studio, a music DAW program that has a pretty intuitive interface compared to others which is why I chose it. This program is also going to be used for sound editing for post-sfx noises like leafs rumbling or the knocking on the door I do.

In the Editor

 I unfortunately couldn't film the other part of my film due to my parent's work related stuff, so I spent some time working with Adobe Premiere Pro and getting back into learning how to effectively use it. There is quite a lot of features to it so I definitely have to spend a while trying to relearn a lot of it as I haven't used this software in a while. Right here is all of the raw footage I have so far and am sifting through them:

Even some basic things like trying to find out how to rotate a video have been difficult due to the vast amount of features there are. Right now I'm cutting the raw footage down into their best takes and then sequencing them as best as possible with the footage I have:

Filming Update

 I will start this off with saying that my filming schedule was completely thrown off due to personal matters that happened and not being able to film at my friend's apartment the day I planned on it. Still, on the days I've recorded so far I've followed a similar formatting to it, with the shooting taking about fifty minutes in total for act 3 and the time of day being around 7-8pm. I filmed act three the day after I was originally planning to so timing wasn't so bad there, and majority of the scenes got done. After I get done with shooting all my scenes, I will edit them into sequence so I see how the whole opening will go down, then I'll do reshoots for things I believe could've been done better.

One of the biggest challenges that I've faced during the filming process is camera work and getting the shots I want. Since I have minimal to none equipment, it's truly a budget production so I had to resort to creative ways of getting the angles and framing. For the top picture where I'm knocking I stuck my phone to the wall behind us with duck tape so it had that fixed framing and it worked out pretty nicely. For the 2nd picture the camera was was adjusted on something hanging on the wall with my phone tilted to get both of us in the shot. It's not the most effective way of getting these shots obviously but it has worked good as it is so far and has been a fun process thinking of ways to get the shot.

I filmed some of my first act last night where Ricky leaves the house and walks off screen. This sequence I was pretty proud of and enjoyed how it turned out. The camera pans up and puts me off screen as I walk off and points to the sky. This is where the credits are going to go, and after that it will cut into the second act, which hopefully will be done tommorow.

Worries

    With shooting day coming up tommorow, it brought up a few worries that could could potentially hinder the shooting proccess. One of the biggest one is the issue of capturing audio; while my phone's microphone quality is pretty decent it definitely does not capture clean sound when people are distant or there's other noise going on the background. What I think I'll do is have the main camera be the audio for the main character on screen, and for the secondary characters we can equip them with a secret phone recording their audio seperately from ours. After I get the audios from both characters I can overdub them in post-editing and mess with the sounds properties to make them sound more natural. In terms of non-digetic sound I am not too worried as I'm confident I can find proper sound effects for their respective places.

    One of the other worries is that my camera will be able to visualize what's truly going on in the scene well since it will be dark out. However, there is illumination from some of the houses and things like traffic lights so I could use those to advantage if things do not work out. If it doesn't work out I'll have to come up with some artificial light source or move the movie's time setting back to when I can actually capture seeable footage.

Script Revision

 
Before I begin shooting my opening film, I wanted to revise my overall script and put it into better formating than the rough first draft. Previously for the script I used a default word template in order to draft it so it was pretty limiting in the choices I could do, and also before I wasn't super confident about how to actually have proper formatting for the script either so it was basic. The image above has served extremely useful in understanding how to outline the screenwriting. This time around I am using the website celtx.com in order to write my script, and it makes the whole process a lot easier, with all of the formatting being done depending on the different item you use like Transition, Extension, Scene Heading, etc. I've dropped the idea of beat sheets as well since it doesn't apply that well to a two minute opening in this case since it's not a full story,

Here is the revised script:

Lannom, SC, et al. “How to Write a Better Screenplay.” StudioBinder, 17 Mar. 2021, https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/how-to-write-a-screenplay/.

Shooting Schedule

 

A shot schedule will be super handy in being able to plan when and where my shots are going to happen. The reason I have 10 minute intervals on most of the time slots is because these shots are going to require multiple takes for the most part so allowing for that amount of alloted time will be needed. If we also finish early I will go back to shots I think could've been done better and work on them until the film time is over. I've also added some notes to a few of them to just keep as reminders when we film. One last thing is that we're shooting out of order, and this is due to it being easier for the people involved and our schedules, but I will still piece them together like a regular sequenced film obviously.

Wardrobe and Environments

     One of the most important aspects I haven't put a lot of thought into yet is the wardrobe of the characters and how I want to setup the environments to contribute to the movie's dark and authentic atmosphere. For the first scenes with the argument starting out I want to basically trash my room and make it feel lived in by the main character so it fits his rebellious atmosphere. Imagine this picture of my room but with a lot of stuff scattered and more cluttered, and perhaps some miscallaneous posters propped up onto the walls to fit his aesthetic. For Ricky's friends house it's going to be more clean to contrast the two characters opposite personalities, and for the outside scenes I can't really change a whole lot about the actual environment but can perhaps add subtle things (may be after effects) to invoke feelings of paranoia. 

    In terms of wardrobe I definitely want Ricky to wear casual and rugged clothing, things like band shirts / ripped jeans or something alongs the sorts. The 2nd picture kind of sums his personality up nicely in a weird way. For the other characters I don't have a set image for them yet but the mom will most likely just be casual indoor clothing you'd usually wear and the friend something like pajamas since it would be around 12-1am when Ricky gets there.

               

Updated Storyboard / Shot List

I wasn't too pleased with my original story board and felt like just having the pictures included with a shot list would be much easier to refer to and be better organized. I've added a couple of shots that will happen in the scene but no real big change to the overall story. In terms of the title sequence, I believe I want it somewhere between shots 3 and 4, with the new Title "Paranoia" appearing in the foreground in green letters in the center while the camera zooms out on him walking down the sidewalk, then it has the "by Green Man Productions" then "created by me."

The drawings aren't the best since I'm not that good at drawing but as long as it gives me picture on what''s generally going down it's fine.

Storyboard

 

This does not include every scene that's going to be in the film opening, but it does highlight some of the most key points which occur during the story.

Script - Rough Draft

 This is a pretty loose draft of how my film opening is going to go, and will probably resemble something very close to this in the final edit of the film as well.

Basic Plot

 This post serves to be as a foundation for the plot of my film opening. This is just a basic idea of what I want the idea to be about and a little bit of the characters personality traits, so it is subject to change but I don't want to deviate from it wildly. 

Synopsis

The film centers around a delinquent teenager who regulary bickers and rebels against his parents. After a massive argument between him and his mom which results him from him being kicked out, he storms out the house and walks in the dark and empty suburbs of Florida to stay at his friend's place for the night. Through that walk, he begins to heavily regret his actions and becomes filled with paranoia and existential dread, wondering what road he's heading in. He eventually reaches his friend's house and stays there for the night, although he thinks people

Achieving Desired Effect

To capture the effects of paranoia, I have been pondering some ideas that would be practical and possible to fulfill. One of the ideas I have is the use of unsettling background music from his walk to his friends house. There's a very fitting song called "Frankie Teardrop" by the band Suicide which achieves the same effects I want to achieve but in music form: a very fast paced beat (sort of like a racing heartbeat) and minimal synths to create a desolate tone. Of course I won't use this song, but if I find any copyright-free music which relates to it I might include it, or I might end up trying to make it myself if I can figure it out. I also feel like this being paired with whip pan camera angles on things in the environment like bushes, house doors, and a single car cruising by could make it feel as if he's being watched or stalked, and that anyone could pop out any any second. One last idea I have for now is the use of special effects in a very subtle way to mess with the watcher's perception, perhaps like impossible shadows walking towards the main character or making objects static-like.

Character Notes:

Delinquent: ~Age 16/17, good person at heart but led astray the wrong path, doesn't have much hopes and aspirations

Mother: Pains her to see her son like this, but fed up with his nonsense

Friend: Sort of like our main character but is kind of like a pushover for him and is more of a follower than leader. Puts up with main characters antics as he also has not a lot of people to turn to.

Script Writing - Save the Cat

  

After doing a bit of research regarding scriptwriting and things that make a good film opening, I've come across quite a few helpful resources that will help aid me in my scriptwriting progress and planning of the storyline. One of the things I've discovered is the book (or summary of the book, because frankly I don't think it's as efficient and needed right now to read an entire book) "Save the Cat," which goes into a very vital subject of things called "beat sheets," basically checkpoints throughout a story that will complete the overall structure. I will definitely be incorporating beat sheets into my scriptwriting process as it seems to make everything more efficient and easier, and in the book it says you only need 15 beat sheets to make any good story. One of the other great things about Save the Cat is that is explains that each beat should happen on the same page even with different films.

    Right now, the plan is to commit to a doable and realistic storyline and write a rough draft to it, then turn it into a script format. I will keep in mind the importance of the very beginning and very end shots too.

Detisch, AJ. “How 'Save the Cat' Works [Free Beat Sheet Template].” StudioBinder, 20 July 2020, https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/save-the-cat-beat-sheet/.

Adobe Premiere Pro

There are many options for video softwares, like ones with a more simple UI but less features and ones with very complex UI's but more customabillity with your videos. I've chosen to use Adobe Premiere Pro as I believe it will let me fully do what I want with the video clips I gather rather than something like WeVideo which although is simple to use would have a low skill ceiliing allowing for less creative freedom. I've had some short-term experiences with this software so I'm not completely oblivious to it's tools, but it will definitely be a challenge learning it so I'm going to start experimenting with it right away. I also believe that using this will help on future projects unrelated to this opening.

Filming Locations

 

There is a lot you can do with just using the local environment around you to film instead of traveling far out for your scenes. I want the opening to have an authentic type of feeling, like this could be a place the viewer could live at or live near by. My neigbhorhood has a lot of potential filming locations I'm interested in but only when it's nighttime because it creates a dark atmosphere. The most I really need to travel really would be around 10 minutes, as everything I would want in my opening could be done there. 

    There is also a park close by to my house with a lake which will very likely be used. In terms of script writing I'm sort of brainstorming it in terms of the locations I'm surrounded by to help me create a story, which will make this process a lot easier and fun. Here is an example of some scenery I could imagine being in the opening, with two people walking in the middle of the road

The park in question

Broward College South Campus Lake Loop - Florida | Alltrails. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/florida/broward-college-south-campus-loop.

Weird but Cool Horror Ideas

 Being knowledable about all the types of artistic choices there is too make will aid in my pre-production process a lot more, so I'm looking to different horrors for inspiration.

Deliberate Monochrome

    The intentional use of monochrome is not seen very often in horror movies or any kinda of movie passed the late 1960s for that matter, so using it it in modern films is a very daring approach. In the psychological horror "The Lighthouse," they intentionally used a century-old camera lense to capture the feeling like this was taking place in the 1800s and was as old as it was. Depending on the direction my film goes, it most likely won't be monochrome but it's an idea

Drawn Backgrounds

    Looking back at now a century ago, an underrated artistic choice has to be drawn backdrops for movie sets. At the end of WW1, Germany experienced mass hyperinflation after the loss in war, so when it came to movies they had to create the cheapest sets possible in order to produce a lot of films. This in result created a lot of dreamy environments that phases you into the movie itself with it's bizzare angles and sharp shadows. I would definitely like to incorporate some of this type of artistic choice into my opening if doable

Off the Walls

    In some instances, horror movies can cross the line between scary and ridiculous depending on the type of special effects you use. In the movie House (1977), they basically use every special effect known at the time creating a hilariously surreal and dream-like atmosphere. While this is not what I'm shooting for, there is something inspiring about the bizzare use of effects which could be transposed onto other types of areas in horror.

 

House 1977 (Hausu) "Piano Scene" - Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHnk8Sbu26Q.

Jacob DavisDeputy Editor | Author | Producer at The Film MagazineFilm and Media Studies major at Arizona State University. Bad movie connoisseur. “100 Years of 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' - Is It Still Significant?” The Film Magazine, 30 Oct. 2021, https://www.thefilmagazine.com/100-years-cabinet-of-drcaligari-in-retrospect/.

Robinson, Tasha. “'It Was a Learning Curve for Everyone': Robert Eggers on the Lighthouse's Tech Experiments.” The Verge, The Verge, 18 Oct. 2019, https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/18/20921056/the-lighthouse-robert-eggers-director-interview-behind-the-scenes-robert-pattinson-willem-dafoe.

“Why Filmmakers Can't Resist the Lure of Lighthouses.” Little White Lies, 25 Jan. 2020, https://lwlies.com/articles/lighthouse-symbolism-in-film-shutter-island-the-lighthouse/.

Idea: Liminal Spaces

 

One of the most recent and popular "aesthetics" to come out of the psychological horror genre is the idea of "liminal spaces." What they basically are are places that act as sort of transitions from one main destination to another destination, but within those two transitions creates an eerie sort of feeling, like you are not supposed to be there. I feel like there are two reasons you could approach these liminal spaces in psychological horror. One is to capsulate the feeling of being trapped there with no escape, being stuck endlessly searching, with corridors leading you to places you've already seen, and that rare door which leads you to an even more confusing place. A second could imply there is also something else in that liminal space with you, you trying to escape but to no avail the place is still an endless maze. I probably will not make this the full focus of my opening but the use of desolate places that ooze dread will probably take place in my horror film

Administrator. “Architecture: The Cult Following of Liminal Space.” Musée Magazine, Musée Magazine, 5 Nov. 2020, https://museemagazine.com/features/2020/11/1/the-cult-following-of-liminal-space.

Miche-Miche(Miche-Miche), and bartv(Bart Veldhuizen). “Liminal Spaces.” Blender Artists Community, 10 Oct. 2021, https://blenderartists.org/t/liminal-spaces/1332628.

Types of Horror

With every horror movie comes a specific subgenre or category it falls into. This fact came to mind when devising a storyline for my opening as with each genre comes different a whole bunch of different obstacles in relation to things like props, editing, and costume design. Taking a look at some of the more interesting ones on this diagram, I've decided to make my opening a psychological horror.

Psychological Horror

One of the things that I like about the most about this subgenre is that is messes with the audience's head way more than an actual villain could. For example, in the cult classic, "The Shining," Kubrick really delves deep onto how isolation can drive someone crazy, with Jack and his family being left in a massive hotel for months. The movie also subconciously messes with the viewer's perception, with some set design being realistically impossible and suspensful long takes of hallways, not knowing what might be in around the corner. This aspect of psychological horrors, with trying to make the viewer as uncomfortable and scared as possible without the use of jumpscares is very appealing combined with the idea of making the premise stick with them after viewing. The Shining also makes you doubt whether or not what we are seeing through Jack's eyes is real or not, like in the bar scene where he's seemingly talking to a ghost. This could be something I implement into my opening as insparation, and relating this to my two minute opening again, there would be most likely less use of props and moreso  actor / dialogue driven, which could be hard to execute. This subgenre I chose however will hopefully be a very fun experience with many fun challenges to get by.

Eddy, Max, and By. “Spatially Impossible Sets in the Shining Make It Creepier.” The Mary Sue, 26 July 2011, https://www.themarysue.com/impossible-shining/.

Hellerman, Jason. “Defining the Horror Genre in Movies and TV.” No Film School, No Film School, 4 Nov. 2020, https://nofilmschool.com/the-horror-genre-in-movies-and-tv. 

“The Shining Bar Scene.” YouTube, YouTube, 1 July 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmY4k85_XEE.

“Psychological Horror.” TV Tropes, https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PsychologicalHorror.

Genre and Inspirations

Picking a Genre

Choosing a genre is and has been a stressful decision because once I have my eyes set on one particular one ideas spur into my head about potential story lines and characters that would only really work in a different genre. The main ones I've layed focus on is Horror, Comedy, Thriller, and Action, but after some thinking horror is the one I will choose to pursue, as it's the genre I'm most familiar with and the one I believe will let my creative talent shine more. There is also the fact that horror 

Movie Inspirations

Thinking about stories for my two minute opening, I began to reflect on my influences regarding cinema and how I'd incorporate these into my 2 minute opening. In terms of the the horror genre, I really enjoy watching horrors from way back, around the 1920's and 1930s, as there is just a certain feeling about them that captivates me. These movies also layed the groundwork for what modern horror pictures produce today when it comes to atmosphere and camerawork. In the silent era you had to rely a lot more on acting as well instead of dialogue which will likely influence my opening to a degree

“References.” Earthspot, https://earthspot.org/geo/?search=File%3ANosferatuShadow.jpg.