CCR

Heres my CCR:

 https://youtu.be/sjt2mnJYQxc

The final movie!

After many hours of editing, I finally finished my movie! Here’s the link!

https://youtu.be/2y_RQxjbshA

The voice over

Unfortunately, my friend did not do the voice over yesterday. He needs to get it done as soon as possible. Here is the script:

"That was the last time we saw Jonny. Everyone has been wondering and searching for him, but no one found a clue.They looked everywhere but in this one... specific... place... a place we like to call Suburbia, it is the place where my friends and I know never to dare to go. We have heard stories about Suburbia, and we think Jonny is in there, lost, scared, and hopeless. As Jonny's best friend, I must go in and find him! If I don't make it out alive, just know I love you, love, Patrick."

I told him that he needs to say this very slow, dramatic, and with passion.

A peer told me that my computer would not be able to run the films because they were filmed in 4k 60fps. So I went on my mac, and I imported the clips to my computer. They were able to work! Ha!

Besides the voice over, I need to record many sunset shots of my Deasile and Patrick looking for Jonny. I'm trying to make it cinematic so that it could fit the movie and soundtrack.

I want to record on Thursday these cinematic shots around 5-7pm because that is around when the sun sets. I cant film today because I have a mandatory karate practice at that time today.

Getting there

Day 1 filming was a success! We got to film the main scenes of the movie (the plot) was all shot. All that is left is the voice over, which I will get done today and the cinematic shots of the friends looking for Jonny. I will want to film this either on Thursday or Wednesday.  I also took pictures of my actors which I will include at the end of the blog. I made sure their costume design was set for them to look like they were in the 1980's - 1970's! I am excited about the progress that is being made. I will now write a script for my friend to read from for the voice over. He has a professional microphone at home so it will sound excellent in the movie. Also, he has a dramatic voice, so it is perfect for the film.

I also encountered another problem, my main actor (who was to play Steve) couldn't make it to yesterday's shoot; soI had to call my other friends to film quickly! Luckily, they were able to, and I got to film with them. We created new names for them. Deasile (in the blue jacket) Patriqe (in the red jacket) and Jonny (in the striped shirt)

They cooperated well and were great actors! The following pictures I took were from my iPhone!

Day 1

I forgot to link the soundtrack in my last blog; I will connect it to the end of this blog. I also forgot to show a picture of the types of video qualities that are available for my phone.

Today is day 1 of film. Heres what I'm going to shoot precisely:

The scene of Steve. First, I will record an intense scene of Steve writing down a note in his room. I will have many close-up shots of his face, the letter, and his handwriting down the note.  The room will be dark, and the only source of light will come from his lamp. As he is writing down the letter, there will be a voice over, signaling that as his writing, the audience will be able to read/hear it from his voice (address to audience).

As he finishes the letter, Faustino taps Steve on the back and gives him the signal that it is time to go to find Jonny. They walk out, and as they are leaving the house, Steve slaps the letter on the refrigerator. I will then slowly zoom into the note, showing the full letter.

The boys get on the bike and start riding to suburbia. I will have many shots of them on the bike. I will get in the trunk of the car, my friend will drive, and I will record them riding their bikes as the boys are behind us.

We will arrive at a park, and go to a specific place jungle area where suburbia will take place. The next scene is the boys coming to the entrance of suburbia after they got off their bikes. I will shoot a cinematic shot of both looking straight ahead into the darkness of suburbia; they will then both look at each other and walk in. The film ends there.

If we have more time after the recording, I could film cinematic shots and record the voice over.

Link to the soundtrack:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zuw_O5MU5CE&index=1&list=LLY2M45yCf976md9pfbcfy0A&t=0s

Ready to go

So now that things are official, here's how I am going to shoot this film: 

 

Since I have received a lot of criticism about my previous films being too shaky, I have decided to change cameras and movie with my new iPhone 8 plus. I know I have already mentioned this earlier, but I just found out that this iPhone has a movement stabilizer, which will make it perfect for me to use. Also, the iPhone has a setting in which it allows the user to choose their preference video quality to shoot in. I am going to film in 4k 60fps. I am excited to shoot this movie! 

I have also found a royalty and copyright soundtrack for the film. It is a suspenseful and retro song that fits in just right for the plot. This soundtrack starts off slow at the beginning and progresses intensely, similar to the sound of Nolan's film, making the audience in curiosity, anxious, and intrigued. The soundtrack is also emotional and dramatic, which is perfect for the story. 

I know that I am way behind schedule, I was not able to film today again, but starting tomorrow, I will begin shooting. I will divide the shots in three days. Monday, I will film the main scenes of Steve writing down the note, and the friends going to suburbia to look for their friend. On Tuesday, I will shoot the friend getting lost in suburbia. And on Wednesday the cinematic shots and the voice over. Hopefully, by Thursday I will have the whole video finished and edited so by Friday I can create my CCR. 

Another change of plans

So  this morning as I was getting ready for the boat,   I got a text message from my coach saying that we had a long mandatory practice today,and I had to cancel on going to the boat to film. Right off the bat, it was good and bad. It was good because it left me with the only option to for the film idea. The bad part was we did not go on the boat, did not get to film, and lost a day of fun and filming. So now that I have a definite plan and idea, I will create the official story board tomorrow for suberbia and film all this week. I may even film tomorrow right away.

Shooting tomorrow!

Tomorrow I will start filming my movie. Although, I have two ideas in mind; the one about suburbia and the other that I will explain later. I will be going on a beautiful boat tomorrow with a friend, and we will film many shots there with my iPhone 8 and my Canon. I want to use both to see which looks better. I will shoot many cinematic shots of the beautiful scenery and waters.

My other idea for the film is Quentin Tarantino style. The beginning starts off as the leading actress living lavishly in a yacht. Then it cuts to the black screen saying "two years earlier." The intro name of the movie will come up and so will the credits show. Then there will be a cut to the same actress living in poor conditions. There are many cuts of her suffering, and the audience can see she is not clean and fancy as she was in the boat shot. We can infer that she is poor at that time. The story will continue when she receives a letter to play some sport or do something for money. And the movie ends there.

This movie is a drama about a girl who was poor and found a creative and exciting way to be successful.

If that idea does not go through, I will use the cinematic shots in the Suburbia movie. They will be used for scenes of the friends trying to find their lost friend!

Las Vegas thinking

Hey guys. I am currently in Las Vegas for the U.S. Open. I have had a lot of fun and have thought a lot about my movie. From what it seems, I think I will choose movie idea number one because I have more opassion towards that idea and it’s a better idea overall.  I think that this movie will come out great. Once I  return home from Las Vegas, I will start filming right away.  Tomorrow I will create a storyboard of the movie idea how things will go in order. I also have my actors ready;  Steve Montano from coming home music video and a new character Fau.
 Also, before Las Vegas, I got a new iPhone 8 plus , I will be using this new phone for filming because the camera qualityIs asked good or almost better than the Canon I have. I will have to download a few filmmaking apps in order to get the best possible outcome for the video. I also have the set locations ready, meaning I know exactly where to go for the film. The good part about these locations is that I do not need any permissions to film because they are nature based.

Film Idea #2

My second idea is a comedy film called "the boys" it goes like this.

The boys are a bunch of weird cringy kids who dress funny and known to be weird in school (same characters from the last comedy movie) they are at school, checking out an ugly girl (she will have ugly clothing and makeup) she will be sitting by her self at lunch. They don't know she's ugly because he head is turned the other way boys are talking to each other.
"dude go talk to her shes totally checking you out."
"Nah bro, I'm too scared."
" Cmon man do it."
"She hasn't even look our way!"
The girl turns around and looks at them and waves. All the boys notice shes ugly, and all turn away in disgust.
"we attracted the devil."
"no one looks in her way."
"she looks like your mom."
Then she walks to them and says hey
"Oh, I'm sorry I have a girlfriend."
"Sorry I'm... ummm... gay!"
"I ughh-"
Then she gives the third boy her a card and walks away. The card says her phone number and "text me ;)"

As I was writing this, I honestly have no clue where the story leads; it looked better in my head. Let me think of it better and will get back to you. But so far, it seems like I'm sticking with the Suburbia idea!

Film Idea #1

As I thought for a long time, I came up with two ideas for the movie. The first one will be called Suburbia, it is a suspenseful movie mixed with mystery, and it goes like this.

The movie starts off with a male character wandering around; he is out and about. The audience does not know why he is wondering around in peoples backyards. Then he ends up in this forest-type area and walks in. Then a voice over comes up and says "that was the last time we saw Jonny" and a Stranger Things type music starts playing. " he has been missing since last summer, everyone has been wondering where Jonny went, friends and family gathered all around town in search for him, but no one ever found a clue" . As the narrator is saying this, there are many scenes of people looking and searching for him in many places.

 "They looked everywhere but in this one... specific... place... a place we like to call suburbia, is the place where my friends and I know never dare to go. We have heard stories, and read notes, ' what goes in suburbia, never comes out.' We think Jonny is in there, lost, scared, and hopeless. As Jonny's best friend, I must go in and find him. The boys and I gathered our weapons and prepared to rescue him. If I don't make it out alive, just know I love you, love, Steve" as the narrator is saying this, there are many scenes of Suburbia, the boys getting prepared, and looking for him in many places. Then, it shows Steve (the main character) finishing up his letter. As he finishes up, Fau, (another character) walks in and says, "Steve, its time to go." Both get up and run to the garage. On their way, Steve slaps the note on the refrigerator. The get on their bikes and start going to suburbia. This scene will have a lot of long shots of them riding their bikes to Suburbia. This scene will also have the title and the credits on it. As they arrive at the entrance to suburbia, they get off their bikes and stare at it; then the film ends there.

Quickly summarized, the story is how this kid mysteriously got lost in this place called suburbia that only a few people know of. The boys think that their friends got lost there. So they prepare themselves and investigate.

Media Drama and another Change of Plans

Today, I received a text from my classroom peer, (the guy who created the comedy story for me) saying that he and his partner changed their story to his idea about the gas station comedy. He tells me that he and his partner already created a storyboard and are ready to launch the movie. Basically, he is saying that he wants to use the idea that he gave me for the film, leaving me no other choice but to change my story AGAIN because that was his idea for the comedy. 

Yes, I am frustrated and nervous now because I was already planning to film this weekend for the movie! But now I cannot because my undecisive peer decides last minute to use that idea that he lend me. And, I cannot go back to my other movie idea because it did not do well in my peer ratings and critics. So now I have to make a new plan from scratch, leaving me in a position behind everyone in this project.

I knew I was going to encounter some small dilemma in my filming or editing process, but I was not expecting to struggle so much with finding the idea for the film. I am now left back at step one; thinking of another freaking movie plan! I would want to use a suspenseful or comedy theme for the film because I already did my research on those topics. But I must hurry, I do not have a lot of time to sit around and wonder, I must ask quick and execute a great plan.

So, tomorrow, I WILL present to you my FINAL movie idea, and this time, the movie idea will NOT be changed again, I have no more room for error! To give me a small foundation for thinking, I've always loved the feel, vibe, and theme of the famous Netflix series "Stranger Things." I want to make a film similar to the feeling of Stranger Things, obviously not copying the plot of the series. I want to incorporate in my film a similar soundtrack that the producers used for the series and the intro title sequence; very retro, 80's-90's themed and suspenseful.

Stay tuned for the next blog!

How to make the Perfect Comedy

This is how to make the perfect comedy movie! The first thing is if you're going to make a comedy, it should be more about the story than the jokes. The jokes will naturally occur with a good story rather than a movie with a lot of quirky jokes with the whole purpose to try to make the audience die of laughter. There has to be a balance between a good enjoyable story and its jokes. If there's too much of one side, the movie will not be as funny!

Another factor to take into consideration is that you need to know how to write a funny story. Just because you are funny in person does not mean you are funny in writing. You need to think of a story that is funny and understandable for the audience, which ties to our next factor: a genre. To make a great comedy, you will need to find a specific genre to film about. From romantic to cringe high school comedies, you will need to find a genre in which you can write a lot of funny stories and jokes within your story.

Finally, the last step to success is writing the script with someone else. Everyone has a different sense of humor. Some find dark jokes hilarious; some find falls to be funny. So when two or more people are writing a comedy script, they can all give their opinion on what would be funny for the particular story, and all find a flat ground to agree on what would be hilarious for everyone. 

Gilles, D. B. (n.d.). The 4 Rules of Comedy Writing For Screenwriters. Retrieved March 19, 2018, from http://www.movieoutline.com/articles/the-4-rules-of-comedy-writing-for-screenwriters.html