Editing Day Blog

   After dumping our raw footage onto our computer and starting Pinnacle Studios,  the computers began to have some technical difficulties. Once loading onto Pinnacle Studios, our computers were not able to transfer the raw footage onto Pinnacle.  In every attempt to transfer the raw footage, the computer showed our cursor and footage going into Pinnacle but would not retain the footage. Immediately our group began to find a plan b option as to how we were going to film. We decided that we would transfer all of our raw footage onto a USB and all of our google drives as a precaution assuming that the computers will be wiped after being serviced. Our plan for next class is for one member of the group to bring their personal computer and begin editing on there, this will only be used if the computers are not running. Our plan for today was to begin editing our raw footage, focusing mainly on the transitions between scenes to keep the commercial smooth and not choppy. Although we were not planning to finish editing today, we planned on getting almost all of it done, leaving room for only final touch-ups in the end. 

    The editing process was difficult, especially since our computers did not work. To be honest, I am a little aggravated that the computers were not able to process and retain or footage as it stretched the process to last longer. Personally, I had high hopes for today because I thought our group would come together and work as a single unit to complete our project. This however was not the case. Especially since one of our group members was not here for the day of filming, I thought that we would catch her up on the commercial and show her what the next steps would be. In our next class, I will be bringing the computer to hopefully begin and finish our commercial. Overall, today was very frustrating because we were not able to work, hopefully we will be able to start next class. At least today I learned how to transfer footage from the desktop to Google Drive.

Filming Day Blog

Today we began the filming process for our commercials. We began by filling out the equipment sign out sheet as it is the first step in the process of taking equipment out for use during the class period. Once all equipment was signed out(the camera, tripod and SD card), we immediately began to film as there was no time to waste. Prior to filming, we had to change our original plans and storyboard because one team member was absent, leaving holes in our plans. As a group, we decided to change the first scene from leaving the restroom to a secluded stairwell that serviced the same purpose of being a quiet setting. Once we began to film, we had to decide on new scenes on the spot. We used our backup plan partially for particular parts in scenes, however we added new material and angles as well.

   During the filming process I filled a part of every role in the process, from being an actor to director and editor. During the film, I played the role of the “addiction” effect of using vapes. In this role, I labeled myself as “addiction” and was pressing the student that used the vape. I was introduced into the film by coming around the corner after the student used the vape. The rest was me following and walking toward the student that used the vape to show that these effects follow you after using. At the end of the film I give a small bit of information dealing the effects of vaping on teens with nicotine. As a director, I pitched several ideas that were used in the film. For example, when deciding how the effects of vaping should be introduced, I suggested that we come around the corner as the student did to show that the effects show up quickly and together. Also, once the student becomes overwhelmed with the vaping effects in her face, I suggested a Point of View shot as it can get the point across that these effects are extremely present after use. During the process we had a teammate that was absent due to illness, they were going to be necessary for certain shots, we improvised by asking another student to help us film. This student previously took AICE media Studies so he had no problem adjusting to the shots we asked of him; he did a phenomenal job as a replacement and camera man.

At the end of the filming day, we returned to class for the last 15 minutes to properly dump all of our raw footage onto our desktop that we will be using for the remainder of the project. Using the SD card reader, I transferred the footage into a file on the desktop for our next use. In our next filming day, we plan on going over a few more scenes to complete our project. The editing process Belgians as well Monday and we will peice together our project

Storyboard Blog

Today we began and completed our storyboards in class of our upcoming commercials. Since our commercial is 30 seconds long, each box of our storyboard represents 6 seconds of film so in total we used 5 boxes. In our anti vaping commercial, we will be using several kinds of shots in order to fully enhance the audience in the commercial and keep them interested. Some shots we used were point of view shots, over the shoulder, high angles, and finally wide shots. Although we may have to change some scenes, these are the planned camera angles and movements we will be using in our commercial. During our editing process we plan on using jump cuts to transition between our different pieces of film, the reason being that we want this commercial to really emphasize what each scene is saying.

Editing Lesson Blog

    To begin the editing process, you must have some type of film to edit. To checkout a camera, you must go through a complete process to ensure that our equipment is safe and in responsible hands. To sign out a camera, the group or individual must grab one sign out paper, on the paper there are certain fields that must be filled out, these are: the equipment name and number, the name of the person signing the equipment out, as well as their contact information just incase they have not returned the equipment. The paper must then be put into the period 5 media studies folder and left there until the return of the equipment the next day that we are in class.

     After filming all of your takes, the editing process can be started to change your takes into shots as the final product. For our editing in all of our projects we will be using Pinnacle studios, the most important thing to remember when using Pinnacle to edit is to use only one member of our group’s login information, if not we won’t be able to access any of the editing we have done previously. Also, our class being a shared class room, we must use the same computer for all editing in each project, if not, we won’t be able to access previously edited takes. After recording all possible takes and back up plans, we must transfer or “dump” the raw footage to our computer that we will be using; in order to do so, a SD card reader is needed to transfer the film to the desktop where we will place it all into a special folder just for this project. As the SD card comes up onto the computer, the next step will be going to the DCIM labeled. After retrieving all film that we will be using we drag the film to the desktop, then placing it in our folder created for the specific project, also known as “dumping”.

      Once all footage is in Pinnacle Studios, we can begin to edit all the raw footage that has been filmed from our filming day. To select the particular take, you click on it and a yellow/orange box should surround the take, once the footage is selected you may drag it down to the editing area in which you can customize three tracks. The three tracks include different areas of editing, the first track is where the title may be typed in, the second track includes the raw footage that has been edited, and finally, the third track containing the audio and sound to the footage. The third track is especially important if there needs to be a voice over or music in the film. During the editing lesson we also learned how to insert a voice over into the edit, it begins with going to track three and selecting the audio of the footage, the next step would be right clicking the audio and then click on "detach audio". By detaching audio, we can record what needs to be said during the voice over, and then insert it into the particular scene that it is needed.

Planning Blog For Anti-Vaping Commercial

As a group, we have decided to do the anti-vaping commercial. In our commercial, there will be a student walking towards the bathroom, they will then enter and begin using the vape(USB). After their use, “lung cancer” will wait outside the bathroom and begin to walk up to the student that vaped, “death” and “addiction” will follow and eventually circle the student. It will then fade or dissolve into a close up of the students face where they will be overwhelmed with the effects of vaping. At the end of the commercial, there will be a voice over, stating something to the effect of  “After vaping, you may be stuck with these effects forever” The commercial will then end with the warning signs of vaping.

1. Props: For our anti-vaping commercial, we will be using a USB as dangerous vaping device, shirts with labels on them:“lung cancer” on one shirt, “death” on another, and finally “addiction”.

2. Costumes: We will be using a casual, school appropriate clothes to represent the student vaping in our commercial. To represent the effects of vaping, we will be using T-shirts with labels on them “lung cancer” on one shirt, “death” on another, and finally “addiction”.

3. Schedule: 10/10- We are preparing our commercial by listing our props needed, our costumes we need, our schedule for planning, the location of our commercial and finally, the backup plan if our original plan does not go through. 

10/14- We will be creating our storyboards for our commercial to explain each segment in the commercial.

10/22- We will be filming our commercial on the school campus where we will film our original plan and possibly our backup incase the original is not what we were hoping it to be.

4. Location list- For our commercial, we will be filming near the bathroom and the classroom. We will be using these locations as it portrays perfectly where vaping occurs throughout the school day. We may change or think of new places in the school to shoot the video, however, for now we have chosen the bathroom.

5. Backup Plan: If our original plan of using the bathroom is not able to be followed through on, we will switch locations to the bleachers by the football field as it is secluded and could be another place for vaping to happen.

Media Blog 2: Conventions and Codes

  Conventions and codes are used throughout commercials to get the viewer or consumer, more interested in the product. An array of conventions and codes can be used during an advertisement, some being: lighting, music, sounds, and overall story and plot of the advertisement. Each example of conventions draw the audience in more to the actual commercial, whether it be through emotions or curiosity. 

  Conventions are the familiar and predictable forms of media that brands use to communicate certain ideas or convey a desired impression. How certain words and phrases become conventions is through repeated use to the point where the audience is actually anticipating the phrase again. In our commercial, an anti-vaping campaign, we will focus primarily on the health effects of vaping in the long term so we will use the conventions of constant repetition throughout the commercial. 

Introductory

   Hello, my name is James and this is my first blog... ever. I am a middle child to my older brother Nick, and my younger sister Olivia. Nick and I are only 13 months apart, so we share a lot of common interests and we are very close with each other. My younger sister on the other hand is my dad's little princess so she gets anything she wants. My family is really big too, I have 25 first cousins that all live in Florida so it gets pretty crazy during the holidays.

   I currently attend Fort Lauderdale High School in Wilton Manors, Florida as a junior and I am proud to be a "flying L" for all of my high school career. This year I am working on completing my AICE diploma for the Bright Futures scholarship to assist in paying for college. As a junior in the law program, I am in my second year of Executive Internship where I am learning the fundamentals of being a trial lawyer at both the appellate and trial levels. Other than law, I am also taking AICE thinking skills as a way to prepare for my upcoming SAT and PSAT, this class however, I am taking because of my interest of how films come together, from planning to distribution.

  

    Outside of school, since the age of four, I have played soccer and I am more than happy to say that I still play the sport I love for Weston FC. I was introduced to soccer at a young age and I have grown to love it to the point where I practice everyday in Weston, from 4 o'clock to 6 o'clock, in the academy system of Weston FC. Not only has soccer kept me in physical shape, soccer often has many life lessons in it such as determination and time management that help make me a more focused person.