Cambridge Portfolio Project Final Submission

The project is finally completed! Enjoy!

Film Opening:

https://1drv.ms/v/c/bdd593fedb3aef16/IQC1MK0gLf45TI-pfBY0A1ZwAbjY11ImcW6fLCycuX4Ihm8?e=NMkGQ3

Creative Critical Reflection #1:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nrN0EdLg3NPOju8a2BZnYFB-1XVa52r-/view?usp=

Creative Critical Reflection #2:

 https://1drv.ms/v/c/bdd593fedb3aef16/IQByniNZwhgvS6gCkoGGF17qATKK3nYfoenHpsrzCj41fsw?e=2fI3pS

Cambridge Portfolio Project Final Reflection

Looking on the entire situation that was developing Stay Inside, I can completely see how much I have leveled up since the very beginning. Initially I only had a general idea in form of a thriller but I had no idea on the science of frightening scenes. Forming an alliance with my producer, Juan Ortega, turned everything upside-down, I learnt how small details would or would not make a production.

Being purposeful is one of the largest things I learned. I got to know that it is not just a gray hoodie, it is an indicator of an atmosphere of being a slacker. I also understood the reason as to why a continuous tripod performance is what marks the difference between amateur footage and a legitimate cinematic thriller. The fact that we scrambled out the so-called 3 days earlier transition makes me extremely proud, it brings into the picture this element of mystery that keeps the audience hooked right through to the first frame.

I also had a lot of information concerning the power of sound. Prior to this, I had believed that audio consisted only of what the characters were talking about. The concept of having people feel physically uncomfortable because of a low-frequency hum or a broadcast with an ailing signal, is actually not that foreign to me. That is how I used Clipchamp to stack those sounds and learned to create tension not only with the camera.

On the whole, this project made me learn that I possess the ability to be a problem-solver. I have developed a strong base in media production whether it was a case of changing the lights in a dark living room or one day ripping off a campaign to market the film. I have left Stay Inside with more respect about the amount of work that goes into the creation of even a short film to make it appear professional.

CCR Post Production

My two CCRs did not have a substantially similar process of post-production actually. With the Street Interview (Questions 1 & 2) I chose to avoid editing the footage. I did not do any serious editing since we wanted to create the authentic on-the-street look.What you can find in that video is the very same video of Gabby. I also believed that having no editing of the conversation was an attempt to make the conversation feel more natural and authentic, which is more of an indie movie style. 

Questions 3 and 4 on my PowerPoint CCR had to draw much attention during the edit. Clipchamp was required to record my speech and match it to the slides. This was all about timing I needed to ensure that at the moment when I was discussing a particular hardware, the appropriate photo was displayed on the screen. 

I also took my time to ensure that there was a balanced sound. Some of the topics that I needed to discuss in the PowerPoint included the explanation of intricate software operations, such as my overlay of the audio tracks to achieve the emergency broadcast and door shaking. I had to ensure that I had a clear voice and that my slides were not abrupt due to the evidence I had to present to the examiner in fitting the technical breakdown.

CCR Production:

To complete the last section of my project, I needed to make a Creative Critical Reflection (CCR) in order to describe why my film became the way it was. I thought of combining two styles so as to present both my creative atmosphere and my technology savvy style. Questions 1 and 2 I prefer a “Street Interview” format as I felt that I would like it to sound like real press junket where I am listening to a director talking about his vision out loud. 

Gabby, my sister was a life savior. She was the interviewer, and also the one who took care of filming. We did not want it to be a boring school presentation, thus we made the mood as high as possible. Upon her posing the questions, I was able to discuss how I applied the genre theory and how I was able to represent various social groups without making it sound awkward. 

In question 3 and question 4, I was formal with a PowerPoint. This was the best manner to demonstrate the evidence of my work. I chose to take some shots behind-the-scene of my equipment, which included my tripod, lighting circle stick and all, in order to have concrete pictures that will prove that I was actually improving. 

Although I joined forces with my producer Juan Ortega to shoot the film, Stay Inside, I did these reflections singly. I was glad that I was able to step out my personal development as a filmmaker and demonstrate a path in the simplest way that I myself managed to work through to the final cut of the first script.

CCR Production Ideas and Final Strategy

Therefore, I am ensuring my CCR is very professional and detailed. As per my notes, I will have to respond to all the 4 required questions in details and yet manage to sound like myself. I am wondering how to do this most effectively, through metacognition to reflect on how I planned, created stuff and the clip that I ended up creating with the help of Clipchamp. It is necessary that I demonstrate this in a creative manner but at the same time maintain it technically sound and full of what I did in real life. 

As the primary media product in the CCR, I am thinking about creating a Director’s Commentary. It should be an arrangement of me speaking on camera and the actual clips out of my production, thumbs up, Mr. Allen. That will allow me to be specific pointing out what I intend when I share segments of my Clipchamp timeline, blog research posts, and backstage footage of my lighting and camera equipment. I can also demonstrate how I have operated the tripod on the long outdoor shots and how I have positioned the light stick in order to accentuate the gray and black costumes. 

I will also be relying on the DO NOT list and the general tips that were listed on my notes. I will work out a complete script in order not to improvise or make superficial answers. The notes directly indicate that a talking head recording, sitting and biting your lips, is not enough so, I will ensure to add plenty of B-rolls and screen screen shots. And the GRWM style is strictly forbidden and so, I will be more cinematic, more documentary style. 

I will also include background music to provide a smooth touch to the audio to make it sound more customized. I will ensure that the sound is not too excessive on top of my voice yet it creates the same thriller atmosphere as my film. The mash-up of the script, visual, and nothing-but-audio is transforming my reflection into the production of a creative media item, demonstrating how my ability to produce and knowledge of technology have increased through this Cambridge project.

CCR Question #4: Research and Script:

CCR Question #4: Research

As to the fourth question, I am processing all the means of how I combined tech, gear, and online stuff. I referred to Blogger as a research tool and Clipchamp as an editing tool, I used my phone camera, tripod and a few lights. It made me structured and ensured that the film appeared coherent to the end to the point of export. 

Script:

This project heavily relied on the use of tech, which I employed at all levels, hardware to online software. In the case of hardware, I defaulted on my phone camera and a tripod stand to achieve those nice long shots, and I included lighting circle stick to make the living room look somber and dingy. To document all the research and planning steps, online I utilized Blogger, or sort of a digital production journal. Clipchamp was my editing tool of choice where the post-production was concerned. It enabled me to overlay audio, in particular, the rattling of the door and an emergency outsourcing message, to help me sound professional. The first branding was based on Canva, which provided me with an idea of how to incorporate professional design into an entire media project beginning and ending.

CCR Question #3: Research and Script:

CCR Question #3: Research:

I became much more successful in conducting research and planning particularly when I had to operate within the confines of my small filming area. The previous projects I had done taught me how to basicly utilize a camera, however, this assignment forced me to become more deliberate with the technology and more selective. I no longer shoot some random clips but instead set up a tripod and a lighting stick and made up a mood that suits the story and I remembered the distance that I have travelled and where I ended up. 

Script:

Rewinding to my beginning of production, it has changed a lot with each step to the other: research, planning, and implementation. Initially, I believed that filming was going to be easy when I knew that to make a difference in a scene, I had to know how the framing of a medium shot or an over the shoulder shot alters the tension in a scene. I learned how to have a tripod to keep the shots steady and at the same time still made the house look isolated and spooky. My previous work had been easier, but this project had left me more cautious about the manner in which I utilized the equipment so as not to distort the shadows regardless of leaving the grey and black costumes looking sharp. This project taught me that filmmaking is about adaptability at all times and relying on research in making all a technical decision.

CCR Question #2: Research and Script:

CCR Question #2: Research:

In this section of my research, I was attempting to determine how my endeavor was going to occur as a media thing and how I ended up where I wanted to go. I selected my target group by visiting the slacker scene, such as, young adults who can definitely identify with relaxed, ordinary characters such as Jay and Marcus. My project checks them in because it has an atmosphere that one can relate to, such as a sloppy living room with a stack of pizza boxes, sweet treats and all that hype such that they can see that one in it real before the thriller surprises. I also read psychological thrillers to understand why heat built slowly and common everyday drama make people addictive. 

Script:

At the beginning of my research on this undertaking, I fervently desired a Gen-Z audience that enjoyed dark jokes spiced with suspense. I made that out by observing the way people deal with sources of slackers who no one cares about. I drew them in with the set being believable such as the type of sloppy living room full of snacks and easy feels. As a representative, I wanted to present a dirty and real picture of young adults rather than the typical superhero guys. Should I roll this as a real media project, I would aim at indie streaming services or social -media film festivals that would appeal to that audience. I draw them into my project with big tension atmosphere which begins at the ordinary relaxed environment.