First Draft-Glitch

Final Story Board

The final story bard was changed to accurately represent the change of setting and shots of our film.  The establishing shot is important because it will  display the titles of everyone involved in our film as well as showing the glitches.  The long shot of Robbie riding the bicycle will be an important shot that represents his anxiety.  The mid shot of the friends in the car disappearing will elaborate the extent of the simulation and nothing being real.  The wide shot of Robbie before he jumps into the pool is to express the angst before his knowing of what he is about to do.  The close up of Robbie sinking is to express him dying.  The close up immediately after in the Virtual Reality headset is to show he was in a simulation the entire time and that he didn't actually die.  As this being just an extract, it is visible that the story will carry on.

Scouting Locations

In order for our film to be portrayed, the setting has ti be accurately represented.  The pool is an extremely important factor for our film along with the landscape of trees and plain.  We will be using Carl's house for the shoot because it is the best option to represent the sitting.  Below are pictures of some of the places that will be used in the film.

The Pool

This is where Robbie will jump into the pool in order to end his supposed simulation.

Bike Sequence

This is where Robbie will be riding his bike.  It will be filmed by Carl on a moving car in order to capture the moving of the bike sequence.

Schedule Filming

A problem our group has is conflicting schedules, which we tied to overcome by filming over the weekends.  Conflicts upon filming are unavoidable while on set which means we will need a couple of hours for filming. For our movie to be filmed in a time span of  a couple of hours, thus we cannot film during school.  We need to have continuity in our extract so upon both shoots it should be the same type of weather and the cast should be in the same clothing. Hopefully, all actors will show up on time and ready to perform.  All of our group members are ready to contribute to this film in order to complete the project.  Below is our scheduled time for filming.

Film Schedule

12/16/17- 11 am-2 pm ALL CAST

12/17/17- 11 am-2 pm ALL CAST

Cast List

As our film is developing, it is necessary to develop a cast who is ready to act in order to get the message of our film across.  Shawn is an experienced actor who will be ready to play the protagonist.  However, he has stated he might be uncomfortable with jumping into the pool.  If he is, this puts the integrity of our film at risk.  We may need someone else to jump into the film for him if he is too uncomfortable.  Jeffery am an experienced actor as well and will be ready to play Jeffery.  Mary and I will be ready to lay the friends because we all have taken an acting class.    If the cast has any trouble playing their role, I have experience in acting coaching which can benefit them. The cast members will be providing their own costumes.  Robbie will be in a light colored shirt while in the simulation, but once found out of the shirt in a dark colored shirt.  This will represent the change in setting and character.  Jessica and the friends similar clothing of light colored shirts.  Overall, the cast picked should be able to represent the film accurately through acting and costuming.

CAST

Robbie: Shawn Cacciola 

Jeffery: Jeffery Zamarripa

Friends: Mary Margaret Steber & Katie Terres

Shawn who will be playing Robbie.

Jeffery who will be playing Jeffery.

Rough Draft- Story Board

In order to understand how the film will be created, a story board of six important scenes is absolutely necessary.  The six scenes were chosen based off of their difficulties that may be better represented before filming. The establishing shot will be when our titles will be displayed as well as the glitches to establish the setting and simulation.  The over the shoulder shot will show Robbie patting Jessica as well as speaking dialogue.  This scene is important because it will show the non-realness of Jessica's character.  The mid shot of the friends staring at Robbie is to elaborate the fore shadowing the findings of Robbie being in a simulation.  The wide shot of Robbie looking over the pool is to show how he feels before his impending doom.  The close up on Robbie in the virtual reality head set is to show that he was in fact in a simulation the entire time.  The full body shot of Robbie is to offer anticipation and that their would be a plot after our extract.  The other shots not presented in the story board will offer a complete story for the extract.

Final Shot List

As the script was finalized, this meant that the shot list could be developed.  The shots from the rough draft were added into the script which made it easier to describe on the shot list.  Now that the shot list has been created, it is up to the camera men Victor and Carl to correctly shoot the scene.  The shot list will help them though to get an understanding of how the extract should be filmed.  

Glitch Shot List

Establishing Shot- The setting of the simulation will be established in an outside area with trees visible in shot.  Glitches will appear on screen.

Long Shot- Robbie riding a bicycle down a street surrounded by trees.

Insert Shot- Robbie's bicycle comes to an abrupt stop.

Pan Shot- Robbie's feet to head.

Over-the Shoulder- Robbie is walking to see friends standing around the car and he heads to the garage.

Mid Shot- The camera is focused on Robbie a group of friends.

Close Up- Garage open to see Robbie's face with face of concern as friends get into the car.

Mid Shot- Friends are in car as they disappear one by one.

Full Body Shot- Robbie rushes through his house.

Insert Shot- Robbie puts 40 lb salt bag into bag.

Mid Shot- Robbie from the waist down mutters to himself then jumps into the pool.

Mid Shot- Robbie is sinking in pool.

Close Up- Robbie's face as air empties his body.

Close-Up- Robbie is  in dark room with a virtual reality headset on.

Final Script

While developing our project, our group has finished our script.  The revisions made added characters and shots in order for the actors starring in the film to have a better concept of how to portray their characters. Hopefully, this will allow for an easy shoot when filming.  Problems did arise while writing the script because not all of the group members were putting in the appropriate effort to get the message of our film portrayed.  Nonetheless, the script is finished and I am ecstatic to film it.  

"Glitch"

Setting

(Establishing Shot of outside area.  Glitches are visible on the screen.Present day in a neighborhood filled with trees. Focus is one boy ROBBIE riding his bike. Pan Shot and Over-the- shoulder shot starts of ROBBIE approaching the driveway and walking his bicycle to the garage.  ROBBIE puts in code to the garage and is approached by JEFFERY and FRIENDS in a mid shot.)

JEFFERY

Hey is something up? You’ve been kinda quite all day.

ROBBIE

Yes I’m fine I just have a lot to get done today
(ROBBIE attempts to put code in garage again.)

JEFFERY
(cheerful & exaggerated) 

Hey man...

FRIENDS
 Where are you going?

ROBBIE
(while typing code into the garage)

I gotta go! Lots to do.

JEFFERY

Are you sure? 

FRIENDS
C’mon! C’mon!

ROBBIE
Sorry guys!

(Close-up on ROBBIE as the garage opens.  Friends get into car and ROBBIE sharply turns with a face of concern.  Cuts back to mid shot the faces of friends, shows them smiling and then their smiles turn to plain straight faces until glitches start appearing and they disappear one at a time.)

Time Cut.

(Insert shot of ROBBIE putting a salt bag into a duffel bag.  Mid shot of ROBBIE standing over the pool.)

ROBBIE

I hope I’m right about this...

(ROBBIE clenches his eyes shut and jumps in the pool. Mid shot  of him sinking in the pool to the bottom. Close up of face as the air empties ROBBIE's body and then cut to a different close-up of ROBBIE face wearing a virtual reality headset sweaty illuminated by light. 
ROBBIE lets out a gasp of air in the Virtual Reality headset.) 

Rough Draft-Shot List

While developing the script, our group needs to focus on the shots needed to portray the simulation of our film.  Below is our rough draft of the shot list.

Establishing Shot- The setting of the simulation will be established in an outside area. (glitches will be edited in post production)

Pan Shot- The protagonist will be walking in a somewhat crowded hallway. 

Full Body Shot- The camera is focused in the protagonist in a group of friends.

Two-Shot- The girl approaches the guy.

Over-the-shoulder- Guy pats girl on shoulder.

Full Body Shot- Girl Stares at camera for 4 seconds while glitches appear.

Close Up- Guys smirk changes to a face of concern.

Wide Shot- Friends crowd the guy.

Long Shot- Guy urgently walks off away from friends in background.

Mid Shot- Friends stare blankly at camera glitches appear on the screen.

Over the Shoulder- Guy is frantically riding his skateboard back to his house grabbing supplies.

Wide Shot- Guy mutters to himself then jumps into the pool.

Mid Shot- Guy is sinking in pool.

Close Up- Guy's face as air empties his body.

Close-Up- Guy in dark room with a virtual reality headset on.

Full Body Shot- Guy is strapped in a chair trying to get out.

Over- the -Shoulder- Guy leaves room.

Rough Draft of Scipt

The following script is a rough draft and will not be the final script used.  It gets the point across of the simulation and a guy figuring out he is in one.  We still are in the process of choosing a cast, title, and character names.  As well as finalizing the shots to make our film turn out well.  The following is our rough draft of the script.

Setting

Present day at a school. Focus is one boy in class.

Starts in empty hallway where we see our protagonist gathering items from his locker when he is approached by a girl. Camera will be mounted on a tripod at the center of the hall way and back a bit. Full body shot.

Girl approaches guy

GIRL

“Hey is something up? You’ve been kinda quite all day.”

GUY

(grins and lets out a small chuckle and begins to pat girl on the shoulder in assurance)

“Yes I’m fine I just have a lot to get done today”

(walks away, Camera stays in position as girl watches him walk away, after guy has exited the frame there is roughly a 4 second wait of the girl just standing still and staring and then suddenly a glitch effect)

Effect will be done by leaving camera in position and girl will move over and then cut later in post production.

Close up on guy as he walks away. His smirk changes to a face of concern.

Time cut

Bell rings. Guy is in a rush to leave school his friends try to stop him (group of probably 4-6).

FRIENDS

Hey man where are you going?

(they are very cheerful blah blah blah experessions of overexaggerated happiness)

GUY

I gotta run! Lots to do.

(he says this while walking away quickly)

FRIENDS

Are you sure? C’mon C’mon

GUY

Sorry guys!

(Long shot as guy urgently runs off)

(cuts back to mid shot the faces of friends, shows them smiling and then their smiles turn to plain straight faces for roughly 5 seconds until glitch effect starts happening and they disappear one at a time)

Cut back to guy on a bike or skateboard or something running toward camera as somebody sits on the back of the car recording

He rides into his house (my house) where he frantically is grabbing things (tape and bricks or something heavy) which he then tapes to his body he runs outside stands over the pool looks down at it

GUY

I hope I’m right about this

He clenches his eyes shut and jumps in the pool. Cut to shot of him sinking in the pool to the bottom. Close up of face as the air empties his body and then cut to his face wearing a VR headset sweaty illuminated by light.

Cuts to a fullbody shot of him in a dark room strapped in a chair hooked up to stuff. He wrestles out of a wrist strap throws the headset off and then cuts to a shot of him exiting dark room.  

Film Project Planning Research- The Maze Runner

While trying to understand how to go about performing the film project, it is important to research movies such as the Maze Runner in order to grasp the idea of how the first two minutes should be portrayed.  In the first two minutes, it is told that Thomas is in an elevator not knowing where he is.  The film portrays the fear and anxiety of Thomas.  The shots used to portrayed  this were a pan shot to express the elevator being extremely fast and nerve-racking for both Thomas and the audience.  The editing use of a long take builds up the anxiety of the unknowings of where Thomas is.   There is a sound bridge of the elevator creaks before it is shown which adds an anticipation aspect to the situation.  Through the lighting in mis-en-scene it is very dark to elaborate the point of confusion that Thomas is feeling on the elevator.  The only title featured is the 20th Century Fox company logo.  The movie was nominated for best actors and actresses at the MTV and Teen Choice Awards.  The budget for the movie was 34 million US dollars and they made 10 million US dollars.  While researching films such as the Maze Runner, it will benefit the making of our film project.

Film Project Planning Research- Divergent

While planning the film project, researching movies in the same genre as ours such as Divergent gives an aspect of research that is beneficial to our project.  In the first two minutes, not much is told but it establishes a place that is guarded off by a huge wall.  The shots used such as the pan and the aerial shot both contributed to establishing where the story would take place.  The pan shot goes from down to up giving a view of the scenery.  The aerial shot shows the worn down town and focuses in on it from and upward perspective.  The editing use of a long take had an impact on the setting making the city appear huge.  Incidental music played throughout the two minutes and it made a sentimental mood for the first two minutes. The mis-en scene used through the bright lighting added to the sentimental mood of the two minutes. There were many jobs featured in the two minutes including Lionsgate, red wagon entertainment, summit entertainment, Neil Burger film, title, named actors, visual effects,music supervisor, music creator, producers, costume designer,and the editors.  The budget for the film was 85 million USD and the film made over 200 million USD.  Unfortunately, we do not have that much money in order to make the the film.  However, the establishing shots used in the two minutes will help us develop our film project.  

Film Project Planning Research- Black Mirror Playtest S2 Ep.3

Although Black Mirror is a television series, the episode Playtest focuses on the idea of as simulation which is why we are researching it to benefit our film making.  In the first two minutes, the story of a man moving away from home is shown and him flying outside the country.  The episode foreshadows by having him refuse to turn off his cell phone while playing a video game.  There is shot of him walking down the stairs and his shadow covers his family's portrait. This wide shot expresses the true hardship of him leaving home.  The editing used for the title of the episode of Playtest is very video-game in the font and the way it blinks on the screen.  This helps the viewer understand that the episode will be about some sort of game.  When the man is leaving his house, incidental music is played to underline the mood of the first two minutes.  Through mis-en-scene, the lighting is very dim to show the solemn mood of the episode.  No jobs were feature, but this is because it is a television series not a film.  Season 2's budget for Black Mirror was 2.4 million US dollars, and they made a total profit of 40 million US dollars from Netflix. Playtest was nominated for a British Academy Film & Television Award in best visual and graphic effects.While planning the film, researching television episodes that focus on simulations will further my research.  Although it is not a film, the television episode Playtest benefits the idea of a simulation and how the first two minutes of our film can be expressed.

Film Project Planning Research- The Hunger Games

While planning the film project, I'm looking at films in the same genre.  The Hunger Games is a science fiction and Utopian fiction which helps me when researching for the project. In the first two minutes of the film, the Hunger Games is described by picking two tributes from every district.  It is seen the people in the capital versus Katniss and her sister in District 12.  The camera shots help detail the poverty and despair of District 12 with over-the-shoulder shots of Prim Rose crying in Katniss's arms, and a close-up on Prim Rose's expression.  The editing used through cross-cutting showed the very distinct difference between the capitol and District 12.  The sound of a crowd listening to the talk show helped establish many enjoy watching The Hunger Games.  The mis-en-scene used through the costuming aspect gives the audience the understanding that the capitol was rich in fancy clothing while District 12 was poor in rags and worn-out dresses.  No jobs are featured in the opening two minutes, but a shot synopsis of the drawing of tributes is featured.  The film's budget was 78 million US dollars and they made over 200 million in the box office. The movie has been awarded with many nominations varying from places such as MTV, People's Choice, etc.  Therefore, when planning my film project it is essential to look at successful movies such as the Hunger Games in my genre of film to get a better understanding of how to execute the first two minutes.

Film Project Planning Research-The Matrix

The film we are creating is a science fiction based around the idea of a simulation.  One of the most iconic simulation based movie was created in 1999 and had a series of movies created in the early 2000's, this movie is called, "The Matrix".  In the first two minutes the audience meets Trinity who has just don't something illegal and is caught red-handed by the cops.  This leads to Trinity fighting off the cops and running away from the men in suits.  The first 2 minutes offered an establishing shot of the cops looking for Trinity in a very eerie apartment complex.  There is an over the shoulder shot showing the high number of cops shining flashlights and weapons at Trinity's back.  The editing of used on the computer made it seem as if the audience was going into the computer adding a suspense in the first 2 minutes.  The dialogue spoken by one of the men in suits says, "The orders were for your protection.". This adds a suspense element to the cops and men trying to catch Trinity.  Incidental music was played while Trinity ran away from the men in suits which added a danger and suspense element to the runaway sequence. The costuming used for men in suits and glasses makes them look out of the ordinary and mysterious, when compared to the traditional uniform worn by all of the cops. No jobs were featured in the opening credits, but  the Warner Brothers and Village Roadshow Pictures logos were featured.  The Matrix's budget was set at 63 million US dollars and made 463.5 million US dollars.  The film received many awards at the Oscars in 2000 such as best film editing,best sound, and best effects.The film won may other titles besides the Oscars at many other film ceremonies.  While analyzing the first two minutes of, "The Matrix", it will help furthermore my planning for the film project.

Project Selection- My Decision

Upon deciding my media studies project, I have chosen the film project because it fascinates me more so than the magazine project.  My skills include prior to script writing and on-camera acting classes. I love the art of acting which holds film-production at a higher stamina than print media in the form of a magazine.  The film would be about a simulation and a man figuring out what is real and whether or not his life is even real. Our film would be in the genre of science fiction because  it incorporates the characteristics of science  such as scientists, technology, and the idea of a simulation.However, it is fiction because life is not a simulation.   I will be working in a group with three others-Carl Fedora, Victor Garcia, and Mary-Margaret Steber. All three members have experience in film which add to the skills of our group.  Specifically, Carl would contribute to the filming aspect by providing the necessary camera and editing skills. Victor would contribute heavily to the editing of the film and the actual filming of the movie. Mary-Margaret has had siblings who have taken Media Studies before which means she knows how the project will run.  She will help with finding the appropriate actors and actresses to star in our film. I will provide the adequate script that fits everybody's expectations in my group, and I will coach the actors on how to portray the appropriate emotion during filming.  With a group of four, everybody will be dependent on each other and the different jobs that will dependent on the film being produced.

Project Selection-Film

Upon deciding my project, I'm taking in consideration that making a film has always interested me which adds value to perusing the film project.  However, creating a film also creates a lot of problems.  As seen in the documentary behind the film production of, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, many problems occurred which affected all areas of the movie ranging from the cast to the editing room.  The film did fix these problems which resulted in a happy ending for the film and all those who watched it.  This poses a threat to choosing the film project because prior history of movie-making proves that dire problems can occur that can affect the movie.  Although, when working with a group of peers on the film crisis would be resolved quickly with many minds at work.  I would bring the strength of prior acting knowledge of film with experience in theater and many years of on-camera acting classes.  However, the challenge of the film would be the editing of the movie because I have never learned how to edit.  Thus, choosing the film project would show my strengths as well as challenges which could result in problems.

Project Selection-Magazine

Print journalism is an interesting aspect of informing the media which fascinates myself. As seen in the movie, All the President's Men , the journalists Bernstein and Woodward were given the story of exposing Richard Nixon and the men involved in the Watergate scandal.  The journalists in the movie showed that print media is the watchdog for the public eye.  Exposing foul movements of the government interests me because it is all done through writing in the form of print journalism.  I could choose the magazine project because I love writing and interviewing to find the real truth for the public.  However, it would be extremely hard to expose the truth in Sarasota where there is nothing to expose about the local government and I have no connections.  Although, not all forms of print media are about exposing government there are a multitude of other topic areas to choose from for the magazine option.  These different topic areas would still pose an issue to where I would interview people for my magazine. Therefore, the magazine option from prior knowledge of print media and my own skills possesses opportunity for my project as well as dead ends.