Scene Inspirations

This scene from the film " The Fault in Our Stars" shows a perfect example of something we trying to do in our film. In the 2nd half of the film, we want Elena to read the note that her mom left behind for her to read. 

Just like shown in this clip, Hazel discovers the email that Gus sent to one of her favorite authors, stating how he needs help writing her eulogy because he isn't a good write. There is a voiceover of him reading the letter. He talks about how much he loves, cares, and appreciated Hazel. He also brings up the time they use to spend together. And at these particular moments, there are flashbacks being shown of them spending time together. While Hazel reads the letter, the camera also cuts back to Hazel reading to capture her reactions and emotions. It emphasizes on the heaviness of sadness in the scene, it shows that what she is reading truly affects her and makes her feel some type of way. Also, while the scene is happening there is a emotional song playing. It's called "All I want" by Kodaline. The song portrays heavy and sentimental emotions because it has lyrics like "I wish I could hear you knocking at my door," "when you said your last goodbye, I died in a little inside," and etc. The song also has these very sad guitar chords that just add onto the heaviness of the scene. 

This is all relevant because, this is exactly how I want the 2nd half of the film to go. We want her to read the letter, with the voiceover of Valentina reading. We want to incorporate a song that portrays sad and sentimental emotions. This adds more emotions to the scene drawing audiences. We also want the flashbacks appearing while the note being read to show Elena and Valentina relationship. We don't really go back to the past to show how their relationship is, so this is the importance of having flashbacks, so it makes sense to the audiences. So, people to understand the kind of relationship they had and how special it was.  

Picking our Roles!!!

 So as far as me, I would be taking the role of director, Brendan will be cinematographer, Baliey sound designer, and Karina editor. There was really no dispute or argument when it came to picking roles because we each are doing what we preferably like to do. Well, Bailey did want to be director originally, but she let me take the role because I originated the film idea, which was sweet of her. But even though we all have our separate roles, I will be helping each of them. For example, for Brendan there are certain shots that we want to be able to capture. So, as cinematographer he can hopefully do it, and if not, we can work something out that will be as equally good. For Bailey, since she is sound designer, I will be helping her with not only the sound, but also the music we choose. I knew since the beginning that I wanted to include at least two songs to play during scenes to add more meaning to the story. I want these songs incorporate certain chords and instruments to add onto that semimetal theme. I think it's a nice touch that would really draw the audience attention. But I don't just want to throw them into the scene. I want them slowly to fade in and fade out. So that's something we can both work on. And as far as Karina, liked I previously mentioned, I wanted there to be some sort of flashback sequence. This isn't exactly something easy to do. We aren't trying to aim for perfection, but we are going to try to make it work.  And I know it's something that none of us have her done before so hopefully it's something we can do and make it look nice. Because not only does it play a very big part in our film, but we think it would look really nice! 

Working with a group

 When I first originally thought of the idea, I was thinking about working alone. I knew my other classmates have different taste when it comes to creating a film idea. And this is something I didn't want anyone to steal either. But incoming into the new school year, I realized working by myself or with one of my friends Brendan, but that would've put a lot of weight on our shoulders. Because not only would have been a lot of work for two people, but also dividing the roles up between us. And I'm not saying I don't like being cinematographer, editor, or sound designer, but I'm personally drawn to the role of director. I like being able to come up with the ideas and create it in my own vision. But realistically it would've have been a lot of work for us. So, I am now working in a group with three other people. Brendan, Baliey, and Karnia. Being in a group with them has generally made it easier to say the least. Because even though I had my film idea set and done, but together as a group we were able to change the story a bit and make it even better. There are a lot of things that happen throughout the film, that will make the story make sense and tie it all together nicely. We were able to come up with a solid, in depth, beautiful story which we all are really happy with. 

Film Research- Are You Still There?

 

Are You Still There: A girl has been through a lot, now her car battery's dead in a strip mall parking lot. 

DP/Editor/Sound Designer: Sam Davis and Rayka Zehtabchi 

Cinematographers: Sam Davis  

Co-producers: Derek Tonks and Sarah Bazzi 

Associate Producers: Matthew Stanley and David Junker 

Genre(s): Drama, Melodrama 

Conventions: In this film, you sense the lingering of grief. You see that her dad passing away still affects and haunts her in her daily life. You see that she is trying her hardest to repress those feelings, but it leads her to cry and only makes things worse for her. The film takes place almost entirely inside Safa’s car. Her frustration builds when her car won’t start. Then a lady starts to yell at her and threatens to call the cops on her if she doesn’t get out of the parking space she is in, which makes her more annoyed. As time passes, she goes from feeling put out to being in despair. But then the same lady who was mean to her, comes to the realization that her car won’t start and is nice to her. And as the scenery changes so does the tone. And the chemistry that Safa and her mom have is wonderful. You can tell that they are close and have an unbreakable bond. These scenes are very warm and uplifting. And as happy as those moments are, you can see that Safa still griefs over her dad. You can tell she still misses him and that there are things that she is going to have to do without. For instance, she couldn’t call triple A because her name wasn’t registered underneath her dad’s. And then she had to jump start the car, which is her dad, with her mom. It’s the little things that pull everything together.  

 

 

Tropes: I like how they are the little reminders of the dad still lingering. For example, the car happens to be dad’s but is eventually passed down to Safa. And when she needed to call triple A, she couldn’t get help because she wasn’t registered under his name. It intensifies that feeling of sadness because even though he is gone, he still lingers in her life. And then there is the hat that she found in her mom’s truck. And yes, even though that is a sad moment it’s still a very sweet moment for the daughter.  

 

 

Clichés: The main plot revolves around the death of a relative.

 

Takeaways: This film touches on the idea of how even though someone in your life is gone, the memory of them isn’t. That is one of main concepts for my major task that I am trying to create. Because even though the mom is gone, the daughter has little things that still connect her and her mom. There are little reminders of her everywhere. Whether it’s a memory, a place, or something she left behind for her.  

Film Research- Nothing, Expect Everything

 

Nothing, Except Everything: A high school senior wrestling with chaos of college applications, fleeting relationships, and a growing sense of nihilism. Seeking to find some sense of order within the chaos, a fixation with the number seven develops. The story that follows is one that feels both universal yet also remarkably personal. 

Directors: Wesley Wang 

Producer: Scott Aharoni 

Editor: John Rafanelli 

Post Sound: Tristan Baylis and Jesse Peterson 

Genre(s): Short, Drama, Comedy, Romance  

Conventions: Even though this is a more of coming-of-age type of short film, it still expresses the idea of being a senior of high school and how you feel nothing but everything at once. This is playing a role in my film, because my main character happens to be a senior in high school. She experiences these things and changes that she is not used to. She has this diary that her mom gave to her, so she can write down all her milestones down. And I want to show clips of her being in high school and how she faced certain challenges. And in “nothing, expect everything,” they show how high school is through a teenage boy life. The story telling seems to be very similar to the way I want to make my film, because I want to touch on the fact that my main character is a senior and how that changes thing for my plot. It emphasizes the point of moving on but not forgetting.  

Tropes: Throughout the film, they add these scenes where you see Miles having freedom and it being chaos. I think it really pulls everything together, because for coming-of-age films, you want people to feel that sense of freedom. You want the teenagers to feel in control of their life without a care in the world. For example, the scene where they are driving through a tunnel, he stands up and yells while the car is driving. It’s a form of expressing himself. And when he and his girlfriend jump over this fence to get this football field. The shots are hand-held while they are just jumping around and being kids. It adds to the meaning of them being young, and it being chaotic. It expresses the idea of freedom. 

 

 

Clichés: Love story being one of the main points of the story

 

 

Takeaways: This film has helped me prepare my major task because it helps me know how to express the idea and show what it’s like being a senior in high school and facing challenges, but without making it corny or cheesy. Because for most high school types of films things are always done in the same way. You have the popular kids, jocks, nerds, weirdos, and so on. And it ends the same, with everyone coming together to be friends and everyone is happy. With this film it steers away from that. It shows that people experience things differently. Some people are scared to leave high school, others are happy, some don’t know how to feel. Not everything is rainbows and sunshine. Which is something that I am trying to convey for my film.