Editing pt.2

 I was trying to finish editing the rest, and it was pretty easy because those parts did not need much work. The problem is that my partner and I are not very confident in what we have. When we were filming, we could not get the lighting right. It was very frustrating. Because of that, we had the killer wear a strange mask. It made him look mysterious and less real, which was good, but it was not our original plan.

Since we were not confident about the lighting, I decided to watch some videos to learn more about it. I started to understand how we should set it up. One video helped me realize that the light should be behind and slightly above the actor. When you add a hoodie, it blocks some of the light and hides the face more.
You could still barely see the eyes, so I used a half mask to cover them, and it worked. Now my partner and I are going to reshoot some scenes on Monday using this new lighting setup.

EDITING!!!

  Alright, so I have started editing and it is going pretty well so far. We finished recording, but we are not very confident about it yet. We want to see how the full edit looks first. After that, we might reshoot some scenes on Monday and then fully finish everything.

The hardest part of editing so far has been the news broadcast. It took a lot of searching. I went on YouTube and downloaded a bunch of royalty free videos to use in the opening scene so the news broadcast would look real. I also used Canva to help design parts of it. I searched for a news broadcast template on Google, downloaded it, and added my own text in Canva. I uploaded a fake news logo and edited in a picture. Then I used an Adobe website to remove the background. After that, I placed the image over the video to create the effect of a real news broadcast with a heading, subheading, logo, and a live sign in the top corner.

Another thing I added was a wanted poster. Instead of showing the person, it shows what the person was wearing. This supports what the reporter was saying. I made it appear on the left side of the screen for a few seconds, then disappear. I edited it in Canva. I found a wanted poster template and used shapes with the same color as the background to cover the old text so I could add my own.

Right now, I have finished about half of the editing and I am still working on the rest.

Production Post

 

    Today I finished recording the news broadcast part, and tomorrow I should be done recording the rest of the film. Today I decided to record alone because I had already memorized the script, and since I had everything I needed at home, I didn't want to waste any more time, and I just started recording. I finished recording the news broadcast in around 20 minutes. I felt like it was hard to record because every time I would press record, I would mess up my line, which was weird because I had memorized the script.

    I started to record the transition into the murder's home, but I felt it was hard. I'm trying to go for a seamless transition from the news broadcast to being on the screen, then slowly zooming out and now you are watching it on TV from the murders POV. Then it cuts to a close-up of the killer's face, and he's still wearing the same black sweatshirt with the hoodie over his face originally. I wanted the hoodie to create a shadow over his face, but when I started recording, I thought the TV lighting would be enough, but when I started recording, you could still see my face, so I'm going to try to add a flashlight pointing on top of my hoodie to add the shadow under all the hoodie.

Look at the bottom picture I want to get that angle (maybe a bit closer) and the guy staring at the screen wearing a hoodie with the shadow of the picture on top.

Group #2

    We had another group meeting today in class to talk about our plans and see where everyone is with their filming. Each of us talked about our ideas and how we planned to make them.. It was really helpful to hear everyone talk about their ideas. Some thoughts were very clear from the start. Some of them made me really think. There was this one idea which sort of inspired me but confused me alot. Guillermo had an idea of hes filming a murder scene through sort off the pov of the killers excense I think it sounds good, but I think I need to see it on film to fully understand what he means. This is one of those ideas that

sounds better on film than it does when you talk about it. Today has made me feel a lot better about my own plan. I think my idea is set. I know the shots I want, the mood I want, and how I want the viewers to feel. Now, I just need to film it and execute it the right way. The planning part is mostly done. Now it is about actually making it look how I imagined in my head.

    One cool thing I learned today is that another person in my group is also starting their opening with a news show. That helped me because I got a few new ideas from them. Instead of putting the script behind the camera and trying to read it without looking obvious, I might use AirPods. My partner can sit off camera and tell me if my pacing is too fast or too slow. That way I can keep eye contact with the camera and still change in real time. I think that will make it look way more clean.

    I'm still not fully sure about lights though. I know I want shadows and a darker tone, especially for the killer scene, but I don't have a good thing with lighting. Someone in my group told me to watch YouTube videos about how to make shades and control light in a small room. That is probably what I will do next. I feel like once I figure out lights, everything else will fall into place.

Production pt.2

 This week we kept working on the news show scene and made it better. We practiced reading the script over and over so it would sound natural. Since this is the only conversation in the whole opening, it has to sound real and official. I worked on slowing down my voice and saying clearly. We used a stand to keep the camera still and a microphone to make it look more official. When we watched our test clips back, I noticed that small things like stance and eye contact made a big difference. Sitting straight and looking directly into the camera made it feel like a real news story. Ima be honest though, recording is so much harder than I thought. I mean for a good while we couldnt get a good take without one of us laughing. I think its something about how serious im trying to be and just how akward it feels staring at the camera and my friend holding up the script in the back. I dont know what it was but we just kept laughing. I think next week when we try recording officialy Im going to make a blooper reel. We didn't film the finished version yet, but all this practice will help us finish faster next week.

We also talked about pacing. We timed how long the news piece goes so it does not drag or feel rushed. We want the drama to slowly build. That's important because right after the broadcast, the camera will show the killer watching the TV. The news sounds will still be playing as the camera zooms out. That moment has to feel smooth.

Production pt.1

 This week I worked on setting up the killer’s room by myslef. I moved chairs around to test different angles and what kind of fits the mood. I want the room to look dark, with most of the light coming from the TV. That will make the killer feel hidden and secret. It's been hard because I don't have the right room, but I am working to make it work with what I have. I tried where the table will go for the close up shots of the knife, the cleaned knife, the grey sneakers, the black hoodie, and the victim’s cash and ID. I want each item to be clear on screen with the titles next to it.

I also was looking around for sounds and found a sound I really like for the video of the things. My teacher showed us a free website called Pixabay where you can download music and sound effects. I found two sounds that both fit the mood. I am stuck between the two because they both change the feeling of the scene in different ways. I need to test them under the recordings to see which one fits better. I have thought about adding like a rough effect like trying to take inspiration of the effect from the "black phone" opening credits.

Sound 1- https://pixabay.com/music/supernatural-mystery-suspense-347945/

Sound 2- https://pixabay.com/music/crime-scene-echoes-of-crime-302340/

Planning post

Planning to shoot the film opening is my main concern right now because me and my partner and I are a bit behind right now. Because we didn't meet much this week, we used our time to plan and study so that next week when we meet we can use our time as efficiently as possible so that we don't waste time and we can get it done in a couple of days.. I want the news broadcast to look and sound as real as possible since it's the only thing in the opening that has any dialogue. I'm going to make a clean background that looks like a basic news set. To make it feel professional, I'll wear simple, dressy clothes like maybe a suit or maybe a nice polo, just something to make it seem more official. I'm also going to read the plot out loud to myself a few more times to help me remember it. That way, I won't have to look up as much and can look the camera more directly in the eyes. 

I'm working out how the camera will move during the murder scene. The shot will begin with the TV news story in the frame. After that, it will slowly zoom out to show the killer sitting there. I want the viewers to slowly understand who they're looking at. I also want to take close-ups of the things that are on the table as proof, like the knife, the cleaned knife, the grey shoes, and the black hoodie. The credits will be next to each thing in, like, an artistic way, like to actually add in the credits and not just cram them in there. Also, I have a microphone, and we used it to rehearse, but I think I'm going to use it just as a prop because I dont know how to use it for real. By planning all of this now, I think shooting next week will go smoothly, and we can move into editing without spending time.

Here is a picture of the tripod, Microphone, and the script

Production logo

Alright, so this is a pretty cool story about our production logo. When we started working on our production name and logo, me and my partner were honestly stuck. We had no thoughts. We knew we wanted something simple and clean. Something that looked sleek and had aura. But for a while we just sat there with nothing. We kept throwing out odd names and none of them felt right and everything was corny nothing felt like official.

One thing about me is I love fishing. One night I was fishing  a bridge in Miami. When you fish bridges at night, you try for something called shadow lines. This is where the light hits the water and the dark and light meet, its pretty hard to explain. So in class, while we were stuck, I was just looking through old pictures and TikTok and then I was texting in this gc and we where making plans to go fish again at the
same bridge. The topic just came up, then it randomly hit me. Shadow Lines Productions. It felt perfect. Our film is dark and strange. 

After we locked in the name, my partner jumped on Canva and started drawing the logo. He found these smooth curved lines and stacked them in a cool shape. He copied them and stacked them so it looked clean and current. It actually came out way better than I expected. Then he added a font for the name. We might still change the style later to match the tone of our picture more. During editing, we also plan to animate the image and have it move onto the screen in a smooth way.

Audio

    I think of the sound in this opening as another sign about who the killer is when I plan it. I want it to be quiet in the room so that small sounds stand out. The news report about the murder is the main sound because it tells the story. The reporter's voice takes up the room, and everything else stays quiet. That contrast helps you see the details. I also want natural sounds in the background, like city noise in the distance or a small sound from the background, so the scene doesn't feel empty. They make the room feel real. I don't want the music to be too loud. The background music is supposed to increase the suspense and make the pictures to stand out.

    I am still looking for the right main audio track, which is one of the hardest parts. I have heard a few choices, but none of them fully capture the mood I want. I want something creepy and quiet that builds tension without taking over the scene. The sound should blend in with the TV voice and room tone, not clash with them.I'm going to keep putting ideas to the test against the images until I find a track that fits with the opening's pace and mood. 
    

Character development

THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT 
OF 
THE KILLER

    Im mainly trying to develop the character of the murderer and the scene through the tv report. Instead of showing the killer murdering in my intro, I use hints to build the killer. In the intro it doesnt specificly say he is the killer but I leave alot of evidence for the audience to be able to put things together. I start at night at a normal apartment to make the murderer feel like a normal person . I make the room into something mysterious and hidden right as the guy comes and closes the door. I make it so the title makes the transition between his house and the crime. I change the tone from calm to stressful when I cut to the crime report. Information, like stab wounds and outfit, are given by the TV reporter. This helps you to see what happened. I show the murderer feels organized and in control by making him watch it. You can tell he has control because he is listening instead of freaking out. 

    I keep using close-ups of stuff to build the killer. He prepares and hides what hes done, which you can see from the bloody knife then showing it once its cleaned. The victim's wallet shows the crime was planned not just random and the wallet adds more evidence as the guy being the murderer. You connect

the evidence to the TV because the black hoodie, grey sneakers, wallet, ect. match what the reporter says. I don't show the actual murder. instead I let you piece together his identity based on his stuff and mysterious activity. As I continue to develop the killer as someone who avoids risk while hiding in plain sight, I want you to think that he is organized, careful, and smart by the end of the opening.
    

mise-en-scene element

 A TV, a little table, and basic furniture all add to the mood. The majority of the talking is done by the props. The wallet, the sweatshirt, the sneakers, the knife, and the cleaned knife are all there for proof. What happened isn't shown to you. You look and find it out. That makes you feel involved, which is why I enjoy it. The clothing is very simple. The killer blends in better with grey sneakers and a black hoodie. For the dark part of it all to look hidden in everyday life, I want everything to appear normal. The part that
mostly bugs me is lighting since it determines what is visible and what isnt. With the TV and a tiny side light providing the most of the light, I want the room to remain pretty black. The murderer's face is in shadow as the light covers his body. His shape is seen, but his identity is never shown. Im gonna experiment with different types of lighting until his face is hidden and the light hits his arms and shoulders. The scene stays alive by the tiny glow given by the TV. It draws me in since it gives him a hidden mysterious vibe. Even when you are in the same room as him, he feels so far away. That helps show that he is calm, controlled, and good at hiding, which is how I want you to see him.

Story board

When coming up with this opening sequence, I wanted it to be mysterious from the start. I wanted you to start asking questions. I was thinking about how I could show clues to the audience without giving them all the answers. That was always in my mind, even from the beginning, when I wanted to connect this night scene to the crime report and the objects on the table. I was thinking about what I could reveal to the audience, what they would see first, and how I could create some tension step by step, keeping it simple and nice. I was trying to see it from the audience's point of view, in order to define this opening sequence with elements that would be considered creepy but nice.

My Inspiration

     When we started this project, my partner and I were very lost. We didn't have any idea of what we were going to do, so to pass the time in class, we scrolled through a lot of sample projects, and I got a lot of ideas, and I saw 2 very good ones. There are so many projects, and I would just randomly click one, so I don't have the video of the exact one it was, but I know that I was watching one, and it started with a TV broadcast, and then it was about a detective who was watching the broadcast and was trying to figure it out, and that really sparked something because I really like the idea of that TV broadcast introducing the film opening with a crime news broadcast. 
   My teacher also was showing us a sample project that was inspired by the movie "Se7en," and I really liked it. It was just a bunch of cuts of razors and blades and blood and these chemicals, and at the end it showed all of these murder weapons and stuff being organized. I really like that because that's sort of what I want to do, like show off the weapons and his setup, and I watched the Se7en opening film, and I really liked that too. The scene in the movie Se7en is scary because it neatly and cleanly shows murder weapons and objects. By saying the whole story each close-up gives each item a feeling of importance. By showing weapons and other stuff in these types of shots that connect to the murder, Im tryna get the same feeling. Another student project that started with a news story worked as inspiration for me. My project is about the murderer, while theirs was about a detective solving a case. My idea started when I saw the film, which also showed me how news can instantly grab the peoples attentions.

Media theory

    Enigma Code states "when a narrative withholds information to develop mystery or leave plot point unexplained".  Imagine you are reading a book or watching a movie, and the story gives out a big question or something unknown at you, but it doesn't tell you or give you the answer right away. That is the enigma code.
  

For me the "Scream" movie uses the enigma code and helps introduce the problem and mystery from the start in the opening scene. In the opening scene it starts with the phone ringing and the audience doesn't know who is calling or what they want.  By having the guy on the phone talk about movies and popcorn, the writer uses it to make it seem normal while slowly building some tension. Then It gets more tense and mysterious when the caller says hes actually seeing Casey from outside which makes me think Where is he at? The movie keeps the suspense until the end.

    

    My Film opening is very close to this thoery. Mystery is right away going to be induced by the establishing shot of a nighttime apartment or town home, which shows a scene without any context. When the guy enters his apartment and the title shows It gives something without giving an explanation. The question gets worse when it changes to a crime report. The murder, clothes, and weapons are like given to the viewer but we never get to see the actual murder or the murderer. The images have close-ups of things

such as the wallet, sweatshirt, footwear, and knife. Without showing much, each item leads to a bigger thing. The beginning uses the enigma code to keep viewers interested and involved by hiding the answers and adding more mystery with sound, objects, and editing. The main goal of this media theory is to get the audience to make decisions between hints and think about and try to find the truth.

Group meeting #1

Group meeting    

    This week our teacher made us do this thing called a group meeting, where a bunch of people from the class got together in groups of 5-6 people to discuss each other's projects and help each other out. My teacher made it so nobody that's working together in the film opening would be together during the group meeting, and this is so that after all the group meetings are done, me and my partner can come back and we can share our different feedback. I think this is really smart because I got to hear a lot of feedback from my group members about my ideas, and they gave me some ideas, which I am for sure going to add into my film opening. The entire goal of the meeting was to get a concrete idea of what I was going to do for the film opening.

    Going into the meeting I already had a vision but it lacked details. The film opening would start with a tv news broadcast where a news reporter says something like "18 year old boy named ___ has been found dead", then It would cut to a slow zoom out and we see a mysterious guy in a mask watching tv then he leaves. The guy in the mask then cleans and organizes his stuff like knife and all his equipment and puts them all in place. 

    My idea was good but wasn't enough, and I still had doubts, like how can I make it more mysterious, and how would I incorporate the credits and title in an artistic way that wouldn't look so forced? One of the members in my group suggested that I should use the TV broadcast more, like have the TV reporter say, "He has multiple stab wounds," and then the scene cuts to a knife on the table with the credits. Like the credits next to each hint or clue. I believe I can add more, like having the reporter say, "The victim was seen wearing a blue hoodie," and the scene cuts to the killer washing a blue hoodie, and more cuts similar to that.

    Another group member suggested that having the killer wear a mask inside his house is pretty dumb because why would someone be wearing a mask inside his own home. She suggested that I should play with lighting to add a shadow across the killers face to make his identity a secret without forcing the mask. For me this will be a bit difficult to do because it takes a bit to understand lighting and figure out the perfect angles, but I do think that this extra effort will make the movie opening 10X better.

    I think that my opening will be a establishing shot of an apartment complex at night then will cut to a hallway where a man will enter his apartment and when he closes the door the title will apear. Then the door will open and it transitions into someone at a crime scene reporting and talking about the murder. Then it will cut to the tv broadcast playing on someones tv then will slowly zoom out and face the killer. Then as the scene goes on the tv reporter will talk and describe the scene of the murder and say, "The victm has many stab wounds", "The suspect was seen in a black hoodie and was wearing some grey sneakers". Then it will cut to a table and we will ad close up shots of all these items with the credits right next to the item for example a knife thats bloody, the knife after its cleaned, The victms wallet with a picture of his id, some grey sneakers, a black hoodie ect.

    When I started this group meeting I though it was going to be a boring usless activity, but now that im done im realizing hiw important and good it was for me in this film opening. I got so much great suggestions and have a solid idea to build off of. I think for me this group meeting was a succes and now im ready to start developing a script and hopefully start filming by the end of the week.

research blogging list

Color schemes In mystery movies

In mystery movies, color shows emotions. Black and white and dark shadows you think of lies or secrets. Bright flashes of red attract you to blood or danger. These calm blue colors and dark greens make a weird creep mood that makes us feel scared. The most of film noir is in black and white so you have to focus more on things and people who are hiding in the shadows. Film noir uses these colors to emphasize the fear of the unknown and mystery. Black is usually seen as a color associated with darkness and evil and mysterious and thats why mystery movies use it so much. Even though there is a mystery, the mood is usually lighter and more funny in  mystery comedy films because they use more brighter colors to give a warmer tone but still uses the sense of mystery with these bright colors.

Color is used differently in different genres. Warmer colors and calm lighting are used in drama mysteries to really show the importance of the story and the plot, dramas use a lot of different colors. Darker colors are used in murder mysteries to create a realistic and depressing vibe. To make you jump and scream and be scared horror mysteries use dark colors and realistic colors like blood red or bright green. Comedy horror make strange, funny moments that are both scary and funny by using bright neon colors with dark scenes to add the comedy element within the scene. With every movie and scene colors are really important because they get your attention and shape your feelings without you knowing.