Filming Blog Beach (Music Video)

I made the list of where to film when to film, what to film in and who to film. So far, we have only filmed for about one day and only covered three to four scenes, which is quite a bit of progress. All of the scenes were shot in Young Circle Park, Hollywood, FL. The costumes were regular attire; the lighting was particularly bright, as we were out in the afternoon; the number of actors present was three; there was no makeup required for the scenes; as well as no props required; and the setting was a peaceful, bright grassy field relatively peaceful to the surrounding hectic city. Overall, the scene was not exactly disturbed nor was a lot of footage reshot due to pedestrians or strangers, meaning the filming went pretty smoothly.
First, I had let the actors know what time we will approximately film. The time of day is very important as it is the primary source for our lighting and sets the mood for the video. Since we were filming the relative later parts, most of the lighting was bright and complimented the actor and its surroundings rather than contrast with it. Of course, the lighting does not always portray the same in the film so I decided to put it at the most ideal angle to capture and reflect the light. Additionally, I've allowed the actors to have a certain choice over what happens, based on the various options I present to them. So, the actors get to choose whichever option as long as it does not jeopardize anything nor does it seem possible to do so. The scenes that were being taken seemed quite safe, as there was no real danger being caused nor any actual people provoked. All of the scenes had to do with love, recognizing self-assurance and peace. Also, elements that were traditionally used in Selena Gomez's song Who Says. The scenes filmed were very fast yet still, effectively, got the message across.
Honestly, after filming so much, the set up has just become quicker each time. From the camera to the tripod, it has become very easy to set up all the equipment. Also after we were done filming, I created a schedule roughly for the next week or so for filming. The schedule includes such as what time we have to meet/ where, what clothes to bring, if makeup is required or not, and even the type of emotions being conveyed within the scenes being shot. I have decided that this system of operations was much more elaborate than the last one as the actors expressed their confusion through the first scene's directions and requirements. I knew that even though the only other places need to be shot, which is the beach and bathroom/ bedroom scenes, that reshooting the scenes will also be needed at the end of filming; which means, I had to shorten the number of days of the actual filming into days of reshooting film since multiple takes would be required for a perfect goal. The next day we are supposed to film is November 26th, however, it is not permanent. That day, I hope to film all of the beach scenes as South Florida will be in warm temperatures then, around 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit. The beach scenes are the lowest amount of scenes, so with that out of the way, I hope there are the lowest or no disruptions to the film.

Storyboard (Music Video)

As I mentioned in my previous blog, my storyboard, and music video, including costumes, lighting, actors, makeup, props and setting to fulfill the role of the video; which is, to spread a moral message on inner beauty and to not to feel forced to conform into society's values and ideologies. These factors will be affected by the place we are currently filming at, the lyrics of the song in that given moment, and the message we are conveying at that given time. For example, the beach scenes will include appropriate clothing found at the beach such as swimsuits, coverups, tank tops, and shorts, etc. The lighting will be focused by the time of day and the type of angle used; such as, at Young Circle the lighting will be mainly bright as we will film during the afternoon. The actors used will also depend on the lyrics at that time, there are not many variables taken into account for actor bias as both genders are judged by their beauty; although one gender may gain more criticism than the other, both genders still receive criticism on the same topic: beauty. The makeup used will depend on the lyrics at the time and the actor's wanted amount. As I mentioned in a previous blog, the amount of makeup is up to the individual actor and is not put on a general scale for all actors to contain the same amount of makeup; the makeup used will only be for a temporary amount of time. Also, the props used will also be based, almost literally, on the lyrics from the song and for the appropriate scene. For example, towels and beach bags will be found in the beach scene at Hollywood Beach. Lastly, the setting is mainly based on my choosing- what I believe to be the perfect fit, or vision, for my video. As I examine the song I chose, beauty contains a great sense of intimacy with self-assurance and self-confidence so, there were some areas, such as the bedroom and bathroom scenes, that were picked to give an individual a sense of appreciation and conflict.
There are only three scenes taken at the beach; only six scenes were taken at Young Circle park; plus, only nine scenes taken at a personal house. Places that have more defined importance and value will be given greater interest and time. For example, in my first scene, I will take an establishing shot at Hollywood Beach then, position the camera to take a high angle shot to get the view of the actors looking down upon one another. The angles I take will have a sense in relevance to the scene and lyrics at that moment. Other scenes, such as my sixth scene, will have an eye-level angle to create a deeper connection between the audience and the actors. Additionally, I will use multiple techniques such as pan, tilt, and zoom to convey the motions occurring in the video and where the motions gain momentum in the music video. Also, most of the shots will be a two-shot or three-shot as there is a group of actors participating in this project; however, as I mentioned, there will be scenes of seclusion and individuality which is to contrast with the rather larger group and convey the message to help other people out in their time of need.
Although the editing process has yet to begin, there is already a template of what I have in mind for my music video. Transitions, especially the first and last, will be quite easy to figure out; although, transitions appearing in the middle of the video are actually quite hard to smoothly insert. I will have certain new characteristics in this project than in the last, which includes graphic match and action match. These new techniques will allow my project to be more developed while also improving my current skills in the editing process. Lastly, there will be diegetic sounds within my video; of course, the sounds will not be loud enough to distract from the actual song, however, they give a sense of normality and conscious feeling at that particular scene; such as the ocean waves at Hollywood Beach.

Planning (Music Video)

With the beginning of my new project, various factors have to be defined. For locations, all of the areas I film require permission, however, some require administrator permission rather than personal. Such as for places like Young Circle, Hollywood, FL; and the Hollywood Beach Boardwalk, FL, I need to require permission from the administration to film in my designated areas for my music video. Although, other areas such as a bedroom and a bathroom just require the permission of the owner(s) of the house I film in. Additionally, one last scene including a street cannot gain permission as that is considered a public location owned by the city and allows filming without permission.

I realize that there could be several health and safety issues; for my music video, I will reduce, if not exterminate, all possibilities of danger when it comes to all factors included in my video. For example, one is that we will be exposed to the Sun which still has dangerous UV rays even during the late Autumn season. So, all the participants will need to bring sunscreen, in any form of their desire. Another is that we will be filming near traffic areas; so, we want to make sure that we are not blocking traffic or putting ourselves at risk. This means we will film as far as possible from the traffic and still allow space for all of the equipment required; if there is not enough space available we will have to obtain a close, new area.

The props in my video are to symbolize the original video by Selena Gomez. My props used are beauty magazines, a smartphone, a "test," a gavel, and a body mirror. Also, the props match the lyrics and their deeper meaning; what I mean by that is, beauty magazines are present to show the artificiality of humans- that their beauty is only skin deep, in contrast with the actors in which their beauty is soul deep. Other props such as the test are used to bring out the literal meaning of the lyrics; so, not only do the props bring out both the physical and interpreted meanings but, they demonstrate the completeness of the scenery.

Additionally, the costumes in the video will differentiate with every actor and with the duration of the video. At the beginning of the video, the actors are instructed to bring a formal piece of clothing, such as a dress or formal pantsuit, and etc. This is to demonstrate the expectations of society and how we are viewed only based on looks. Later on in the video, the actors will change into more casual attire, so articles such as ripped jeans, tank tops, etc. By doing so, this change represents how perspective can be varied and validated in such aspects; also, that beauty is not just skin deep and the attire of people does not determine who they are but rather a piece of what they are fond of.

For my schedule, it is rather strict as all actors participating in having different times of availability. The created schedule includes factors such as school, transportation delay, extracurricular, and additional educational benefits; so, most filming will take place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday as most availability occurs on the weekend as all actors participate in fewer events. Specifically, most filming will occur in the morning and afternoon, this is to use natural lighting as an advantage and to contain the mise-en-scene that pop music videos maintain. There is quite a change when it comes to Thanksgiving break, however; filming is estimated to take place on November 26th and 27th including the routinely days of Friday-Sunday (November 29th-December 1st.) For the last week, if any additional filming will take place then it will occur either December 2nd or 4th. Lastly, the areas will be filmed in order as such: bedroom, bathroom, Young Circle, and Hollywood Beach.

Music Video Research

I am finally finished with the last project, which is the commercial. Since that was the first part of my portfolio and "trial" to the class's rigor, I have learned much since then. I realized my greatest skills included setting up, recording takes, and integrating basic editing. Setting up originally took a long time since there was so much equipment, however, now I know how to time manage the process; also, I realized I held the camera quite stable and moved it to create better scenery; lastly, from my notes, I navigated around Pinnacle Studio and roughly familiarized myself with its tools, although, I still needed help from my teacher.
I chose the song "Who Says" by Selena Gomez. This song represents how everyone, specifically women, do not need to follow any rubric or guidelines on how their life should be; such as should they wear makeup, dress feminine, and etc. The video gives an encouraging message to stand up for yourself and to love yourself. It empowers females around the world and holds a constant energetic vibe. I believe everyone, to an extent, can relate to this video and have sympathy for people who are affected by negative messages. With this song for my music video, I hope to incorporate the same message but convey it in a different format.
The song goes under the pop genre, which is mainly energetic. The angle conventions include close up angles and long shots that portray dancing or celebration. While the sounds tend to consist of an upbeat positive rhythm, it's also mixed in with electronic music; however certain elements, such as bass, are less focused on. For the editing process, there are usually many filters or tints used so the video is kept colorful and boosts present colors. Additionally, artists are photoshopped so that they can perceive as "perfection" and fill people's general foundation of ideals. Firstly, for the costumes, every actor will be dressed in "perfection" and femininely then, it will shift to regular clothes; because most of the actors will be females and this is supposed to present different perspectives on idealism and beauty. Secondly, the lighting will be darker in the beginning and slowly get brighter throughout the video; this will be used because it represents the sadness of the girls being bullied to the girls being happy for their recognition. Thirdly, as I previously mentioned, most of the actors will be females of different age groups and ethnicities, although extra background actors will be males; this is what I envision because, I want to convey the original message but, in my particular view. Fourthly, most of the actors will be wearing makeup, at least distinguishable enough to see it in the film; however, later on in the video everyone grabs a makeup remover wipe and starts taking off their makeup, the amount of makeup on them and the amount taken off is up to every individual actor. This feature is because everyone has their own limit and view on beauty and how it should be portrayed. Fifthly, the props that will be around the scene are beauty magazines, a smartphone, a failed "test", and a body mirror; all of these props are used because it directly relates to the songs lyrics and conveys the narrative of young people cyberbullied. Sixth, the scenery will change based on the actor, timing, and props so it will include an appropriate bedroom scene, a bathroom scene, a park scene, and a beach scene; this is mainly because I want to remain with the original conventions of energetic changing scenes and rapid movement that is usually conveyed in pop music videos.

Final Commercial Blog

Today, my commercial was finished like a masterpiece. First, I started rewatching all the clips; however, I had to watch the raw footage rather than the one already dumped as the Pinnacle Studio application wasn't properly processing the footage. As I rewatched the takes, I had trimmed any parts that seemed flawed; such as balance being thrown off, blurry views that weren't necessary, any takes that seemed secondary, etc. Then, I played all the takes after to see how clear the trim was and whether or not the take was visually positioned in the right place. Later on, I viewed through the video editor; by that, I searched through all the transitions, sounds, and tools to custom myself to the studio more. I had gone to the next stage of my editing which was the transitions; there I viewed the transitions and such and placed them where it seemed appropriate.
Overall, I picked my transitions to match the movement of the current take being played. My first transition was the fade in. Fade in is when a black screen goes into a video or image and begins the process; so, it made sense when I applied that to my establishing shot. Next, the other transition I picked was dissolved. The dissolve transition is when two images collide with each other however, the previous one fades into the newest one so it "dissolves" into the other image. By doing so, dissolve portrays the similarities of school life and why food is so important to sustain a positive school life. Conclusively, my last transition was a fade out. Not only does the fade-out match with the beginning transition; however, it makes the commercial feel complete by allowing the scene to slowly dissipate and merge with the transition. This persuades the audience to believe the commercial is over and the full message has been sent across.
The auditory part may have been the easiest of all the editing. I prerecorded all of my script that I would say for my voice-over in the commercial. Most of the commercial just contains my voice-over and a song of my choosing, as copyrights issues were said not to be an issue. Although all of my takes came with an auditory background, there were only two takes that I wished to keep their audio; as they explained about my commercial and their parts were crucial to the foundation of my commercial. It was not to difficult to transfer my audio onto the take of my choice; the audio was already prerecorded in an area without noise so it wouldn't seem disturbed. Any additional audio was muted or kept, which would be crucial to the commercial. However, I did keep various diegetic sounds such as cars roaming in the background to create an allusion of reality and its closeness to Wendys. Although some audio was deleted to ensure a clearer message, most of the original audio remained unchanged.

Editing Blog (Commercial)

Today, I filmed more of the current areas I already captured and of new areas that seemed to have potential. I started out at the half-circle; however, this time I started with the other circle that is parallel to the other. There, I saw whether the different view gave more potential or perspective. Then, I filmed more of the senior patio except for this time it was the flags and cars rather than the tables lying around. I did not film any more of the mural; this is because I had already filmed enough for my establishing shot. However, the new film I received would have to be dumped onto my computer and uploaded on my drive. For the new film, some of it would have to be cut or deleted entirely; however, I believe it will improve my commercial.
For the audio, I plan to do a voice-over and have people create a conversation in my commercial. The beginning, that includes the mural, will be the part with the voice over. In the voice over I will say how Wendys' improves students' lifestyles. Then, in my raw footage, I will have multiple people converse about the product of Wendys 4 for 4. However, if the raw footage's audio gets an error, then I will have to resort back to a voice-over. I also see the potential of adding music in the background. I was told in my class that copyright will not be an issue for my commercial. The music will have to relate back to the video, so I have to choose wisely. Any other audio may have to be silenced as that would hurt my commercial. However, some audio, such as the running of the cars, will be left alone to add the effect of naturalism.
For the actual footage itself, I will have to mashup the scenes in the senior patio. Meaning, I would have to compile them and compare them to see which ones are efficient or not. The transitions will be matched with the movements I do such as pan or tilt, so those will also be chosen carefully to create a rhythmic pattern. Then, for all the parts, I will have to see what I will need to cut out or insert. For some of my footage, the take was either interrupted or corrupt in some way. For the mural, I will have to see which take looks best for the establishing shot. The establishing shot will be the first shot seen so, it should be the widest and clearest shot in my commercial. Later, I will have to see all the footage for the senior patio. As the sun was out, there could be a great chance of glare. Meaning, the film is blurry or unclear and would seem more inappropriate.

Editing Lesson Blog

In today’s lesson, I learned about the procedure for using and filming with the camera. I was told how long it took for the cameras to charge and to be cautious about how much battery of the camera I use up; also, the slab of the camera cannot be open on the side because that does not allow the camera to charge. Then, I was shown how to hold the camera and how to see if it was on or not. The camera needs to be held in a fit grip so that there is no shaky footage or so we do not accidentally drop the camera. While the camera is seen on if the side slab is open and is recording footage. I was shown how to insert the SD card into the camera’s slot; it simply clicks in as the person inserts it and if it is not inserting correctly, then, it is inserted in the wrong way. Lastly, the tripod was presented to show how it maneuvers with the camera. The tripod is given in a constricted form so, I have to open everything and set the tripod’s legs up into a stable position; then, the camera can be attached by using a bottom piece to screw to the camera then to position onto the tripod.

Later on, I was shown how to dump our SD card information; that is all the raw footage I will use to create my work in this class. The presentation given was to show, step by step, how to dump our SD card information onto our desktops. I will have to create a folder on my desktop; then I would insert my SD Card into the computer. Once it is loaded in, I will look at the DCIM folder that will be shown in the folder’s categories. The DCIM folder will hold all of the footage collected on the SD card; that will be all the raw footage collected. If my footage is not seen there, another alternative would be to go to another area. This next folder will be called “Private” and then I would click on the AVCHD folder within that one and on the single next folder. The last folder will be shown as “stream” which will be all the footage collected on the camera, no matter the user. In that case, I will have to be very careful with the film I choose to import.

Lastly, I learned about the program called Pinnacle Studio; that is the program that I will use to import and edit all of my footage within this class. To import my footage, I will click on the edit tab; which is located on the top of the page. Then, I will click the button that says “Import,” which will allow me to go to the Desktop and click the plus sign. I will have to go to my folder, that I have collected all my footage with, and uncheck all the items; this is because it checks all items and may check items that belong to other users. So, I will check all the items that belong to me and my work. There may be errors if the program is rushed so I will have to click on my footage only after it has fully loaded. Then, I was taught what all the tracks were for. The AV Track 2 is what will build our film with and the track which we edit the film; the AV Track 1 is used for our title; and lastly, AV Track 3 will be used for music or voice-overs.