FINAL LINKS

CCR VIDEO 1: CCR 1

CCR VIDEO 2: CCR 2

FILM OPENING: EREBUS

Final Thoughts

Oh.  My. God.

Theres no way these 8 weeks have gone this fast. It's literally felt like 3 days since we started. 

This project was such an enjoyable and valuable experience, and I am so proud of both myself and my team. From the start, we organized and paced ourselves well; we also made sure that everyone contributed equally. Even though we faced challenges, we pushed through and worked together, creating an amazing film opening. The teamwork aspect was one of the best parts—we had fun while putting in the hard work. And I couldn't have chosen a better group to do this with.

One of the things I appreciated most was getting to apply and develop new skills. Not only did I improve my filming techniques, but I also learned better time management through organizing my blog posts and pacing myself with the project schedule. I ALWAYS procrastinate, so this really helped me stay on track. Additionally, working on my CCRs gave me a deeper appreciation for how films are put together, which will help me analyze movies better and improve my media text essays as well.

Beyond just the technical skills, this project taught me patience, teamwork, and participation in a way I didn’t expect. My group and I went through some wild experiences, from climbing trees for high-angle shots to jumpstarting my car that broke down while filming. Even though these moments weren’t part of the original plan, they added to the overall experience and made the project even more memorable.

Choosing a genre we all loved made this project even more exciting. It allowed us to create something meaningful and showcase what we knew. Looking back, I feel like I gained so much—not just from the final product but from the entire process of bringing it to life. This was truly an unforgettable experience, and I hope you enjoy what we created!

Post Production CCR Video 2

 During the production of the second video, I faced many challenges, whether it was setting up the camera, microphones, etc., or just editing and making everything fit.

My first challenge during filming was setting everything up. I went all in with this and brought my computer, camera, microphone, and other stuff into the garage where I could effectively make use of all of these to create a semi-realistic podcast. Here is a picture of when I was setting everything up.

I wanted to include product placement, as it is regularly shown in podcasts like these, and I also wanted to add a comedic twist, so I wore a wig and a fake drawn-on mustache since I couldn't find a stick-on one.

And then, when I finished up doing the part where I am the interviewer, my sister moved the camera. I was so mad at her, but I couldn't do anything; she's only 8 years old, so I just told her to get out. And I had to refilm everything since if the camera was even a little bit off, it would ruin the entire thing. 

Fortunately, I finished before I lost my darn mind, but then came editing.

For some odd reason, the second recording had different lighting on it, so I had to meticulously change the color on Premiere Pro until it met my standards; even then, it doesn't look completely perfect. So I'm kind of mad about that. 

Overall, my experience was pretty meh while filming and editing this, but I hope you guys enjoy the final product. And with that, I think I am done with everything. Thank you guys for following my journey. My next 2 blog posts will be my final reflection, and then the links to my film opening as well as both CCR's.

Question 3-4 CCR Script

 The script for Video 2 CCR

The camera is set up on a tripod. On one side sits INTERVIEWER ME, wearing a ridiculous curly wig and a bushy fake mustache that keeps slipping. On the other side sits ACTUALLY ME, looking mildly embarrassed but playing along. The vibe is chaotic yet oddly professional. 

INTERVIEWER: (adjusting mustache, deepening voice)
Well, hello there, folks! Welcome to Me, Myself, and a Terrible Disguise, the podcast where I ask the hard-hitting questions… to myself. Today, we’ve got a very special guest... Me! Say hi, Me. 

ME: Hi, Me. Nice mustache. Did you borrow it from a 70s cop show? 

INTERVIEWER ME: (stroking mustache, offended)
Excuse you! I spent three whole minutes hot gluing this bad boy on. Anyway, let’s get to the good stuff. (Scoffs) First question, how did your production skills develop throughout this project? I hear you’re some kind of editing wizard now. 

ME: (smirking)
Oh, wizard might be generous, but yeah, this project leveled me up for sure. I mean, I was filming and editing. Honestly, working on this film was intense. Every little edit mattered—like, Every. Little. Part, even a small sound effect like a footstep being placed wrong can ruin the immersion and flow of the whole thing. 

INTERVIEWER ME: (nodding)
Mmm, yes. So, what’d you actually learn, huh? Gimme the juicy details—did you master lighting, sound, what? Spill it! 

ME:
Okay, fine. I got way better at the small stuff that nobody notices until it’s gone—like adding footsteps when Leo’s running, or that creepy clock ticking in the background. The sound design was huge for suspense. We picked audio effects that made you feel like something bad was definitely about to happen. Oh, and fonts! Turns out picking the right font for credits is, like, an art form.  

INTERVIEWER ME: So, you’re telling me you went from amateur hour to Spielberg Jr. just by fiddling with sound effects and stuff? 

ME: (laughs)
Pretty much! I mean, I had some editing chops before, but this was like -next level shi- stuff dude! Every choice—lighting, camera movement, the color of the title—had to mean something. It’s like I was playing 4D chess with myself. No offense, Me. 

INTERVIEWER ME: (twirling mustache, which almost falls off)
Hmmmm. Fascinating! Truly, a genius at work. Alright, onto question two, because I’m a professional and we’re not just goofing off here. Tell me about the tech you used—how’d all those fancy gadgets and software make this masterpiece happen? 

ME: (grinning)
Oh, where do I start?  I mean, Adobe Premiere Pro was my ride-or-die. I edited the whole thing there, cut the footage, added credits, and threw in music and sound effects. I even cleaned up background noise, so you don’t hear my dog snoring through the suspense. Then I hopped over to After Effects for this slick title sequence. (Showing title sequence)- 

INTERVIEWER ME: (interrupting)
Wait, wait—did you say your dog was snoring? Is he the real star of this film? 

ME: (rolling eyes)
 Focus, wig guy. Anyway, hardware-wise, I used my iPhone in cinematic mode—smooth focus pulls, crispy footage, honestly great stuff. We had a drone too, but the crappy quality unfortunately didn't make the cut, so I had to improvise. Instead of the drone, I went ahead and climbed this big tree to get the shot we needed of the car.  I also got fancy with shots—close-ups, over-the-shoulder, low-angle stuff to make me look cooler than I am. Stabilizing shots was a learning curve, but I nailed it. 

INTERVIEWER ME: (pretending to take notes)
 You climbed a tree? Sure, whatever you say... What else? Did you, like, invent a new filmmaking app or something? 

ME:
Nah, but I did use Blogger.com to keep us organized—shot lists, schedules, all that jazz. And YouTube tutorials were my secret weapon. I’d be lost without some random guy on YouTube teaching me how to keyframe in After Effects. I also watched a ton of film openings too, for inspo. It all came together into something… actually decent. 

INTERVIEWER ME: (leaning forward, mustache dangling)
Decent? DECENT? You’re underselling it, pal! Sounds like you’re ready to take Hollywood by storm—or at least make a viral TikTok. So, final thoughts: what’s the big takeaway from all these techy stuffs. 

ME: (serious for a sec)
Honestly? Editing’s everything. You can shoot the prettiest footage, but if the edit sucks, it’s over. This project taught me how to take raw stuff and make it feel right. suspenseful, polished, whatever. It’s like sculpting, but with less clay and more caffeine. 

INTERVIEWER ME: (standing up, wig slipping)
And there you have it, folks! A man and a mission to edit the heck outta life (Shrugs). Thanks for joining us on Me, Myself, and a Terrible Disguise. Catch you next time—assuming I don’t lose this mustache in the meantime! 

ME: (facepalming) And cut. Get me out of here... 

[FADE OUT]  I have finished filming Video 1 and am currently editing it as i write this, filming for Video 2 will commence tomorrow, or when i finish editing Video 1. Thanks for reading, this blog was kind of short, and we are nearing the end of this project. I hope you enjoyed my journey! Next blog will be a post-production blog about Video 2.

CCR Production Ideas

As you all may know, my idea for Video 1 of the CCR part of this project will be a TikTok-like interview where a man walks up to me in my car, and proceeds to ask about questions 1-2 of the CCR. In between the more serious questions will be follow-ups and less serious questions. I tried to make the script sound as human as possible, to make a sincere-sounding conversation. 

I will be filming this with my friend since kindergarten, Wyatt T; he is also taking this class, and we will both be helping each other out with making our CCR's. We will be using Wyatts Meta AI Ray-Bans to film the entire interview. He will be the one interviewing me. As for his project, well, you will have to see for yourself on his blog. We will begin filming and hopefully finish on this Thursday, March 20th.

However, for video 2, I was thinking to switch it up a little bit. I kind of wanted to do something where I am interviewing myself, sort of like a podcast, but the interviewer is wearing a wig and a mustache, to add kind of a comedic part to it. I was also thinking of doing an AI interview, where an AI person is interviewing me, but that just seemed kind of weird. For the interviewing myself thing, I was thinking of setting up my phone on a tripod in front of a large table in my house, and sitting on one side of it, while I ask questions, wearing a wig and mustache, to nobody on the other side, or maybe someone sits there kind of as a placeholder so it doesn't look weird, and then recording the same thing except I'm on the other side and I'm answering questions. Then i will edit out half of each video and put them both into one video on Premiere Pro, using my masterful editing skills (that was not sarcastic)

I know this might seem kind of like a weird concept, so I drew it out in MS Paint so you can kind of visualize it. (Dont judge my drawings please.)

I also wanted it to look as authentic as possible, so I will probably be adding stuff that you would usually see on a podcast: microphones; product placement and advertisements; audio content, including music and sound effects; as well as something in the background that can indicate which podcast we are on, like a banner or something on the wall.

That's all for this blog. I hope you enjoyed my somewhat chaotic brainstorm. My next post will be about a group meeting about our CCRs.

Question 4 CCR Research

Question 4 for CCR is:

How did you integrate technologies—software, hardware, and online—in this project?

In this project, I got to experience using different technologies to create my final production. I used Adobe Premiere Pro to edit and assemble our film. I added credits and titles, using specific fonts to enhance the visual storytelling. I integrated music and sound effects, and used After Effects to create a visually stunning title sequence. Background noise was removed to enhance audio quality; all of this made me realize how crucial editing is in filmmaking and how much it can elevate a project.

We also used hardware, such as the phone we used to film the scenes, and the drone that we unfortunately didn't use for the final cut. I used my iPhone's cinematic mode to capture high-quality footage, including smooth focus pulls. I learned how to stabilize shots and adjust movements effectively while filming. Our shot list included close-ups, mid-shots, establishing shots, and over-the-shoulder shots. I also incorporated dynamic movements such as tilts, handheld shots, and low-angle shots to give better visual storytelling.

To stay organized, we used Blogger.com to document our entire production process, which helped us schedule tasks and ensure every step was accounted for. I also referenced YouTube tutorials for editing techniques and watched other film openings for inspiration.

Overall, these tools and techniques allowed us to successfully complete our project and achieve a high-quality final product.

Thank you so much for reading my final CCR Research post, Next post will be about my CCR Production Ideas

Question 3 CCR Research

Question 3 for CCR is:

How did your production skills develop throughout this project? 

Working on this project significantly improved my production and editing skills, especially since I was responsible for filming some of it, as well as editing all of it. Throughout the process, I applied many of the techniques we learned over the year, which helped me refine my abilities.

Before starting, I already had some editing experience from previous projects, but this one was different. Since it was a film opening, every little edit and design I added to it would mean a lot since it was only a 2-minute video, where we had to demonstrate our ability to use techniques, be it camera movement, lighting, or editing, to give a scene more meaning.

I mostly worked on editing. Working on adding the little things nobody thinks of, like the sound of footsteps when Leo is running, or the clock ticking in the background. Sound design played a huge role in creating suspense, and we carefully selected audio effects to enhance the tension in our film opening. I also learned a lot about font choices and how they affect a film’s tone. Certain fonts and colors didn’t work under specific lighting conditions, and I realized how crucial credits are in setting the mood. Even small details, like the color and style of the title, contribute to the overall atmosphere. 

However, I also was filming. I filmed most of the scenes inside the house as well as all of the scenes inside and outside the car. During filming, I thought of using camera movements to communicate different ideas. We applied a variety of angles that we had been studying in class and saw how they can actually work to influence real productions. Using my phone, I filmed many moving shots, experimented with focus pulls, and adjusted lighting to highlight characters and create suspense—perfect for our chosen genre of horror.

This project pushed me to improve in multiple areas, especially filming and editing, as well as understanding the impact of post-production choices.

I hope you have enjoyed this blog. The next one will be about Question 4 CCR Research

Question 2 CCR Research & Video 1 Script

Question 2 for the CCR is:

How does your product engage with audiences, and how would it be distributed as a real media text?

First, let’s focus on the target audience. Our target audience with this film opening is young adults and teens; this is shown by the main character being a teen, and our genre—horror/psychological thriller—being most popular in ages ranging from 15 to 25 years old. 

The way we engage with audiences in our film opening is using a large amount of techniques, such as creating tension by using suspenseful pacing, a chase scene, and minimal dialogue to engage from the start and give the audience anticipation for what is to come. The most successful openings in film history are ones that engage the audience from the first second. Especially in horror, some films openings can be very boring and repel viewers. That is why it's important to sort of “hook” the audience in the first few minutes.

We would distribute our film by posting on sites like YouTube, Vimeo, and others, as well as on VOD (Video-On-Demand) sites. We would also attend many local film events, such as:

Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF):

Dates: November 8-17, 2024 (past) 

Description: FLIFF is a major regional film festival showcasing American indie and studio films, international films, student films, and special tributes. 

Venues: Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Lauderhill

Website: www.fliff.com 

FilmFreeway: https://filmfreeway.com/FortLauderdaleInternationalFilmFestival 

South Florida Film Forum:

Dates: March 29-30, 2025 

Description: A two-day event celebrating South Florida's unique cinematic voices, featuring panel discussions, networking opportunities, and screenings. 

Website: https://filmlauderdale.org/film-festivals/ 

Other Film Festivals in the Area:

Boca International Jewish Film Festival: February 23 – March 16, 2025 

Gasparilla International Film Festival: March 25 – 30, 2025 

Miami Film Festival: April 3 – 13, 2025 

My idea for the CCR video for questions 1-2 is a vertically filmed social media-like interview, starting with an interviewer walking up to me with a microphone and asking me questions like if we had just met, but they know who I am. They ask me questions like “What do you do for a living?” and such, and then get to the CCR questions, asking about distribution, representation theories, and other things that have to do with the film opening. The script will be uploaded below.

CCR Q1-2 SCRIPT.docx

Thanks for reading my blog; I hope you enjoyed it! Next blogs will be about Question 3 CCR Research

Question 1 CCR Research

Question 1 for CCR is:

“How does your product use or challenge conventions, and how does it represent social groups or issues?”

The question consists of two parts. The first part asks whether our film uses or challenges conventions, which, based on my research, refers to whether it goes towards or away from already established filmmaking expectations. I think our film, Erebus, follows conventional film structures. It also doesn’t stray from typical expectations in a movie/tv show, as it avoids elements like flashbacks or time loops, instead putting the story in chronological order.

The second part of the question focuses on how the film represents social groups or issues. While Erebus doesn’t specifically target a social group, it does however target the social issue of mental health. This is evident in the portrayal of the main character, Leo, whose depressive state is shown through his facial expressions and dark clothing. His vulnerability, leaves him more susceptible to torment from the demon. Up to the film’s opening, it remains ambiguous whether this torment is in his imagination—tied to his mental condition—or a real supernatural occurrence. The theme of mental health is further emphasized when Leo calls his therapist from his car, showing he has had problems in the past with this.

Sources used in research

https://library.fiveable.me/key-terms/film-and-media-theory/audience-expectations

https://scriptclickcreate.weebly.com/conventions.html

Thanks for reading. My next blog post will be about Question 2 CCR Research, as well as the CCR Video 1 Script

EDITING DAY 2

 Honestly, editing was pretty uneventful, I just put most of the videos together using Premiere Pro,

 but I haven’t yet added any sounds, and we need ALOT of sounds, some of them are:

• Footsteps for Sebas running
• Breathing for Sebas (it wasn’t loud enough on the video, so we couldn’t hear it)
• Car starting
• Car sounds
• Ambience
• Music
• Forks on plates
• Stings to increase the scariness 
• Some more I can’t name off the top of my head.

I will try to use either a sound database or make them using foley.

That’s mostly all we need to finish up our film opening, I will try to finish this by the end of the week and post the final blog about the film opening. And move to CCR questions

My next blog will be about starting the CCR questions, I hope you have enjoyed our process for creating our film opening!

EDITING DAY 1 (title card)

 Today, I started editing, and I have seriously taken 4 hours to make this title card sequence, I had the idea of the text popping out under the car, but I didn’t take into account how long it would take me to learn and actually be able to make this. But i powered through, and now we have a final product. I used Adobe After Effects to create this sequence, however, I imported it into Premiere Pro, which is where I will be editing the rest of the video. I also added a little flicker effect, to further emphasize the theme and genre, and also to make the title less boring and feel a little more alive. 

I had a difficult time choosing the fonts, here are the ones that I had originally thought of.

In the end, I went with American Slasher, just because it really popped out to me as a horror film looking font, and i want the font to really interact with the story we have. So it’s really perfect to me. We all agreed that American slasher was the best one, so i used it in the title card, however, i used eurocine for the credits, as they are calm, and contrast with the horrorness (i dont know if this is a real word) of the title. 

For the credits i did all of these, as they are the ones that are mainly seen in films now.

Without further ado, this is it!

Overall, i am having a great time learning new things, and without further ado, this is our title card/ credits.

FILMING!!!

 FINALLY! We have finished filming, right on time too. We got all the shots we wanted, so id say that was a success!

So, we didn’t use any drone footage, since it was HORRIBLE quality,  it looked like we were filming from a microwave. We tried to tape a phone onto the drone, but then, the drone wasn’t strong enough to propel upwards. 

So, we did the next best thing. I climbed this tree right in front of Mias house, and i filmed the car from up there. 

We got the perfect shot from that spot, and I will be editing it to create our title card and credits.

We shot over 60 videos for the entire thing, so that was pretty good too.

But then it all went wrong.

I think i might be the unluckiest person ever!

FIRST, While filming, I tripped and accidentally dropped a vase at Mias house. And then we had to clean it all up.

THEN, when i was leaving at the end of the day, MY CAR DIED. So i was stranded until almost 11pm until my dad came back home and brought a little jump starter so i can start the car again.

Thankfully, we got everything done today, so we are good to start editing, which i will do tomorrow.

My next blog will be about starting the editing process, and i hope you enjoyed my misfortunes on this dreadful day. 

Creating Costumes

  Since the main character is a teenage boy who will be played by our teammate Sebas, he found a hoodie and pants he could wear to embrace our character Leo. A hoodie with the hood up usually represents a person is sad or wants to be left alone, this is perfect for our character because he is dealing with some mental issues causing him depression.

The costuming for this character is important because he is the main character and he is the main part of our film opening. He also is the person that we want to use in our representation theory part of the project, as we want him to represent people with depression and other real issues, since those people are rarely represented in the mainstream media today.

As for the demon, another main part of the film opening, he will be dressed in all black, his face will be covered with a black face mask, and only be shown with back lighting. I will be playing this character and i have a black suit that I will be wearing and a black ski mask which I will flip backwards to cover my face, as well as black shoes. 

The costume will look something like this, with ominous lighting and sounds to really set the mood when it is on the screen.

Thanks for reading my blog today, I enjoyed the creation of these characters and i hope you enjoyed reading this as much as i did writing it. The next post will be about our First day of filming!!!!!! I am really excited to start filming, and I think our idea is really great.