Reflection

   This is my reflection of my project the Mantis. This is a story about a couple living dangerously. We had to integrate technology like the imovie software and the scenes filmed on camera. We had to use a dolly to help with filming to make movement more smooth. This project pushes the conventions of dedicated couples to the extreme. A couple willing to go 110% and more to be free and stay together. The audience is engaged by the dialog and mystery. Under the mysterious conditions, it makes the audience watch more. Especially when they find out who is in the trunk. The audience then wants to watch more and find out the rest of the story. This would be distributed in real media text by all outlets.  That will create a demand. My production skills personally improved because I learned new things to do. I learned how to properly convert a file and how to edit better. I figures all the little effects you can add to a film. I learned so much and have new tools to  use on future projects. This was an amazing project to be a apart of and i'm appreciative that I was given the opportunity.

Final Project

   I got all the files converted and watched them. Nick is now watching them to see which ones he thinks are good and bad. We are seeing which shots look best. Thats why we took multiple shots of one scene. Now after all the scenes are chosen then we put it together and edit. I have to convert them again because some of them were cut short.

    It's really funny to see of the scenes that didn't go by plan. The good scenes are awesome and thats why they will be in the final piece. 

  Still no response on the song and thats really sad and upsetting.  I am going to send another email to bother them. We are now going to plan B and using a non-copyrighted song. Its going to be funny when they email me after the project is over.

   Not only that problem, but now we ended up missing a line in the film. We are missing a scene where Nick is saying his line. We are going to either cut it out or implement it with narrative. Its not big of a deal because its not important to the scene. Kim will fix it with her awesome editing skills. Until next time when we are editing and finished.

     We picked all the files that we are going to use. I will add a clip for you to see. They are good and Tomorrow we will edit. We just have to improve some audio and cut some scenes. We are only over 2 minutes by 20 seconds, so thats some good space for cutting. Thats all, thanks for reading.

   Editing is the most fun anyone can have,Except for me. Its a good thing Kim is going to be editing most of it. She will be working her magic on it. I have no doubt it turn out great. Fingers crossed I don't mess it up. Of course there has to be problems because if there weren't then it would be easy. We cant open the video files. We tried converting it, but it still wont open. I'll have to try and open them at home. If it doesn't open then a file conversion is in need. I can't wait to watch it come together.
   It takes forever for files to convert especially when you have 85 to convert. Thats right 85. I have working on this for about an hour and I'm still not done, close but not done. Tomorrow we will see the awesome work I did and watch the clips together and edit. Yay!

    Yesterday was the first and last day we filmed. It was good, but I wasn't able to stay for long because I had to work. Thats why we should of had a set schedule, but the manager said only Sunday. I was only there for 10 minutes and got a lot done in the ten minutes. Nick said everything went well after that. Everything is filmed and is going to be edited soon. Before we filmed Nick sent me a list of items we needed. This is the list:
Kim's camera

Chris's camera

Tripod(s)

Rolling thing.chicken and waffles

my car 

two forks two knives

Back up SD cards

  Not a lot right? Everything in that list is super vital to the project. Everything was brought and worked perfectly. We started at 9 in the morning and went until 11. It didn't take long. In either the next post or after I will put a small clip.
     I have some bad news. The music company didn't get back to me yet. I have went to a different song in our list Dream on and emailed them. Hopefully they can actually email me back. We really want to use the first song, but things come up. Thats why we have back up plans. Its a good thing too because the project is due sunday. Nick is probably going to have me send emails to all the other songs we had as options.

  I have a surprise for you. Its important to this film and was posted here before. Can you guess what it is? Its the script all typed up. Just show you can read it and maybe, probably not, give feedback on it. Here you go:

Script:

INT- A busy diner (bellini) in the early morning.

The camera follows the waiter of the diner as he walks to a table with food in hand. He places the food down on the table and walks away. As the fork and knife reaches for the first bite the camera moves from close shot of the food to a medium shot of the female character.

She picks up the food and bites into the waffle. She looks to the man across her and sees his distress.

Jude: (with a faint smile, offers a bit of her food) You want some?

Alex rejects the food and Jude retreats from her offer. She goes on speaking to fill the silence. She speaks with her mouth full.

Jude: To be honest (takes another bite of chicken) This isn’t the worst thing I’ve put in my mouth (faint smile trying to break tension).

Alex watches her chew, still irritated, he tells her how he feels about the situation.

Alex: (reacts to her ignorance) Why did we have to do this now?

Showing the profile of both characters and Jude being irritated.

Jude: What?

Alex: We had planned for a week, I had a car ready...In a WEEK.  

Jude slams her fork.

Jude: (Looks away from Alex, chewing and swallowing her chicken. She faintly whispers to herself) A week…(She looks to Alex) I couldn’t wait another week.

The shot shows Alex’s reaction to Jude’s outburst. He knows he’s awakened the Dragon.

Jude: You don’t understand what I have to go through...The troubles I have to face.

Alex struggles to be mad at Jude and looks down to the emptiness.

Jude: You think I enjoy having a father who doesn’t love me...Who prefers Jack Daniels over his own daughter.

Jude Begins to raise her voice making Alex feel like shit for putting her on the spot.

Jude: So I apologize if i needed to get out as fast as I could. I’m sorry I wanted to run away with the best thing that has ever happened to me...you. I didn’t mean to inconvenience you.  

Jude looks away from Alex, Hiding her face as Alex looks at Jude, wanting to fill the silence.

Alex: (nervously chuckles) (peers over to her and then looks down) So you think your dad is going to be looking for us?

Jude looks up with satisfaction knowing she has gotten what she wanted. Alex tries to get a straight answer.

Alex: Jude seriously, I need to know if he’s going to be looking for us.

Jude takes another piece from the food and is very excited.

Jude:Don’t worry...where we’re going...nobody will find us.

Alex looks blantly into Jude.

Jude:(leans close to Alex’s face) Even if they tried.

Alex: So what do you wanna do (grabs some of Jude’s food) When we get there.

Jude: What the keys? (grabs food) We can do whatever we want there...that's the whole point.

Alex: (Smiles) How long is that going to be?  

     Its not that long, but long enough. I think it will turn out great in the final stage, which is coming up soon.  Now we film tomorrow. Let me know what you think. See ya in the next posting.

   More about the research I did to find who to email about the song involved Google, a lot.It was the only album from Derek and the Dominos. Eric Clapton is the only one still alive also. I thought there was no hope, until I typed in magic words into Google and I found out that Atlantic Records owned and produced the song Layla back in the day. WarnerBros Records owns it now though. Thats why I emailed both. Nick is still looking to find a contact for Eric Clapton, but instead of an email he found his previous address. That was a little weird even though it was a step in the right direction. Not really I had to give him positive motivation. Also I received an email back. Not the email I expected though. It was an automated email from a computer just saying that they received my message. That was a little disappointing. Nick found something! He found the writer of the song, Bobby Whitlock. He may not own, but he should know who does if we got it wrong. Nick is sending an email to him right now. Nick got an email back from Bobby and they said to email Warner since he doesn't own the song. Thats good because we did that already. Since We haven't heard back yet from Warner, We are going to pick a non-copyrighted song as a backup.
      Nick is going to call the manager of an Italian restaurant today to see if we can film there. I know it should of been done already. I already talked to him about it. We should know by tomorrow though and if we can shot there then we will begin Saturday. The manager got back to Nick and we start Sunday morning at 9:30. Sadly I wont be helpful there for long because I also have to work. Thats why we need set schedules, but it was because the manager got back late and said only Sunday we can film. I'm just happy that we can shoot there.

 (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Whitlock