Projects
Perfect Putty
The first project of the year gave us creative liberties. The project's only limitations were that it had to use all six shots in the 6-shot system and that it had to be between 2 and 3 minutes in length. We were given around 3 weeks total to complete this assignment. It was suggested that we spent 1 week on each aspect of production. Over the course of production one large issue we faced was location. Our project was a parody infomercial and so we felt we needed to have a studio location for the salesman to be in. It was difficult to come up with a solution but through collaboration we realized that hanging a white sheet in Juan's garage with studio lighting could achieve the effect we desired. This project helped me get a feel for what working with seniors would be like. Juan helped me get familiar with the equipment e-Comm offers us to rent, especially the 80D DSLR. I learned how to communicate with a group and effectively plan shooting days. During this project we split the work load and helped each other. The final product felt rushed, however. The biggest feedback for the assignment was that the second half dragged on way too long. This was due to the lack of communication and forethought. In the re-edit we changed the length of the end, and personally I think the project is strongest without it entirely. Overall, I am happy with this project, especially since it is a first effort. At the close of this project I was excited to use what I learned from my mistakes.
LaCroix
Our second project of the year was a commercial. We had three options which were 15 seconds, 30 seconds, and 60 seconds. In total, we spent around 4 weeks on the commercial. One challenge came early on, our original idea called for a location in the woods. But since it was late summer/early fall the location was infested with ticks and mosquitoes. We had a change of plan early enough to still complete the project on time. We decided to change to a LaCroix commercial with themes of loneliness and romance. Olathe is not very romantic so location scouting was highly important. We decided to film on a public bridge over a small creek. One big challenge was inherent to the location as it was public. Occasionally we had to pause filming to let people pass. This project really helped me learn a lot about lighting and the camera itself. Being the DP on this project taught me so much. The biggest piece of feedback given was that the accent at the end of the commercial is a bit harsh. I think this was my favorite project to work on because Aiden is a great leader and really takes his time to direct not only the actors but everyone on set. Working on set with the group I was in was a joy. The video itself I think is very high quality and I hope we enter it into eMagine.Film Reel
Our third project was taking clips from our previous two years and previous two projects to create a film reel. We were given around 2 weeks to do this project. One challenge I faced was I was unhappy with most of my work from sophomore year so I ended up with a very short reel. I chose what in my mind was quality over quantity. I learned not during but after that I am too hard on myself and my work. Along the way, I learned some basic editing techniques and a little bit about nat-sound. The biggest piece of feedback was from Mrs. Smith, saying that my reel felt more like a cinematographer reel rather than a film reel. This makes sense because as a student I tend to focus more on the look of a film. I haven't changed anything yet but I look forward to creating my next reel which will include some of my favorite shots I have captured from Have a Nice Day. My reel is super short but I think I picked the shots that best represent me as a filmmaker so I think it turned out fine.
Treatment
The next project was writing a treatment that could be turned into a short film. We had around 2 weeks to write it. My biggest challenge was coming up with an idea I would be passionate about making. It took me a lot of thinking and time to finally settle on the concept I was to go with. I learned a lot about what makes a story interesting and engaging. My biggest feedback was that the beginning was slightly dull, so I rewrote the beginning scene. I think my treatment as a concept could be interesting but I think it needs a lot more thought and effort poured into it.
Have a Nice Day
Our final video project this semester is by far the longest, the short film. We were given more than a month to create our film, Have a Nice Day. The biggest challenge faced was the size of our production crew. We had a three man crew all with conflicting schedules. Another big obstacle was location, the script called for filming in a grocery store; the obstacle was not finding it, but finding the times to film in it. We filmed until 11 o'clock one Friday night and met at 6:30 the next morning to finish filming. Along the way I learned a lot about motion in the camera. I felt I had the basics down so I was excited to continue building upon them by incorporating motion in the camera for some shots. The biggest piece of feedback I have heard before presenting the video was from Mrs. Smith who said that I did a good job as DP. If I could change anything, it would be adding more movement to the camera to create more interesting compositions. Another would be the costuming of the opening interview scene. I think this film turned out to be a huge success, putting together a 12 minute short film with three crew members is not an easy task.
Time
In class, I used the time provided to work on the assigned projects. When I finished early, I used the time to do other class's homework. Looking back, I should use that time to learn more about video production. Outside of class, I watch films and videos online to learn more about filmmaking.
Strengths & Weaknesses
In e-Communication, I would definitely say my strength is when I am behind the camera. I know what equipment, settings, and angles to use to get clear storytelling. I maximize this strength by asking to be DP every project. With every project I am improving my confidence and knowledge. My weakness is definitely storytelling. I tend to focus on the visuals of projects rather than the story itself, and I think I should definitely take time to learn about story and how to implement it into film.
Guest Speakers
Gordon Lamb taught me that it is possible to have job security in the field of entertainment. He also showed us some of the cool equipment that makes his life easier. Morgan Cooper showed the opposite of job security and how that is okay. His story is super inspiring and is an example of someone who just chased their dream and made it reality. From Darby I got an idea of how a set will work when production of Kingfisher rolls around. Leah Wellman helped me learn about what settings do what on our 80Ds. Ryan Burnett helped me realize that I enjoy editing. I look forward to applying this knowledge and inspiration to my work in the future.
Kingfisher
In our upcoming production, Kingfisher, I am assigned the roles of key grip and editor. I am excited to be on set and learn how a set is run. As key grip, I am excited to use my knowledge of the equipment to help the Director and DP bring their vision to fruition. As an editor, I am excited to apply what I have taught myself and what Ryan taught me through his presentation. I will make sure all the work assigned to me is completed efficiently and effectively.
Summary
I loved not only learning about filmmaking but learning about myself. This semester has helped me grow as a filmmaker and a person. My favorite part this year is finding something I am passionate and interested in which is being behind the camera. I would change how I spent my time in class and use that to improve the areas I lack in. My biggest take away is that I can't be perfect but I can continue working towards being close. Next semester I want to have a video I can show people and be proud to say I worked on it.
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