Starting to Edit

   Low and behold, we have finally reached the editing stage of our project. This portion of our project will focus on connecting all our different shots, adding sound and music, and inputting the credits and other special effects. Like I have said before, Melanie will be the main editor of our film opening. She volunteered herself for this role because she already has some experience in editing and will be receiving guidance and assistance from her friend throughout the process. 

   The rest of us will also be contributing something to the editing process, even though our main role is during the filming portion. Tori will be the one with the film camera and footage, so she will be uploading the files onto her computer and saving them on Google Drive. She will be sending the footage for editing. Hannah and I were the ones that looked through multiple tracks of no copyright music to find the two perfect songs for our film.

   I'm excited to announce that we think we have found our songs! The song that plays during Betty's room scene is called Reverie (Piano Version) ft. Adarsh PV by Lahar. This is a slow, thoughtful piano track that perfectly reflects the mood and drama of our film. The song that plays during the title shot will be Token (feat Cloe Sutherland) by Fernweh. This song actually has vocals and is also very emotional. Our song choices could always change in the future, but for now we think this works for our film.

   Melanie is still trying to figure out the works of our editing softwares, Sony Vegas, Final Cut, and Adobe After Effects, but soon we will finally see our movie all complete! 

Links to Songs: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyRs5liCLgU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77EPJ_BcT98

Our Use of Sound

     Sound will definitely be playing an important role in our movie. Like almost every other film, sound will be doing half the work when it comes to telling the story and allowing for viewer comprehension of what is happening on screen. Right from the start, we plan to use diegetic sound with the sound of the alarm going off in the morning, which will awake Betty. This should be followed by minimal sound as Betty wakes up and gets out of bed. However, as the shot changes to go around her room, music and Betty's voiceover should immediately start to play. We are unsure what this song will be since we have to look into the copyright of our options. We don't want to end up with a song we can't use! The voiceover will be the more important part of this scene, since it involves Betty revealing some of what she has been through and what the story is about. Not only does it help characterize Betty, but it also lets viewers begin to suspect that someone broke her heart. Both of these non-diegetic sounds will play as Betty gets ready for the day, until the doorbell rings and the room scene ends

    We will then transition to the front door scene between Betty and James. We don't think any music should be playing during this intimate scene between the exes. However, audiences will be hearing the intense dialogue as these two converse. They will also hear a loud slam as Betty shuts the door in James' face. All of the sounds during this scene will be diegetic.

    Finally, comes the scene between August and James. As James walks down the street, it will be partially silent, seldom the sounds of the neighborhood and him walking. However, August will pull up blasting music from her car radio. Unlike the music in Betty's room scene, this music will be diegetic. The two will begin to talk and eventually argue. Obviously, the car door will be heard opening and closing as James gets in the car. The last thing I'd like to mention is that as the camera tilts up from August and James to the sky(title shot) the music playing from August's radio will slowly get louder, as their arguing fades out. However,  August will not be turning up the music herself, so the music is only getting louder for audiences, making the music now non-diegetic. This will result in the shot of the sky, which reveals the title, featuring upbeat background music. 

    Last but not least, I think I should mention how we will be editing all of our shots and sounds. We will be using multiple editing softwares to bring our vision to life. These include Sony Vegas, Final Cut, and Adobe After Effects. We might not use all of these or we might use more, but these are our options for now. It really depends on what we find works best for our film opening while editing! 

Successes and Failures of our First Day Filming

    Our first day saw a lot of good things, but also a lot of bad things. I'm going to be speaking about these things today. I touched on them in my last blog post, but I'll be going more in depth today.

    For one, the successes are pretty easy to list. Betty's room scene was mostly successful and we thought the room looked great. It fit exactly what we wanted Betty's room to be. The pink lights really gave it the space a different feel and made it specifically Betty's. We really hope we can use this room again the next time we film. Another great success was the length of the conversation between James and Betty. We wanted enough exchange so the audience would understand the dynamic between the two characters, but not too much that we run out of time in our opening. The amount of time it took for the characters to communicate their feelings was perfect! We really hope this works out the same way for the conversation between James and August, since it is a bit longer. 

    Now, everything that has good things also comes with some bad ones. There were also a few fails in our filming. We were a bit slow with the panning around Betty's room. It took too long to get from point A in the room to point B. Also, when we tried to reshoot the scene and go faster, we went too quick! This doesn't give enough time for viewers to interpret the props they see around the room. We still have to find the sweet spot for this scene's length. Another failure was Betty's POV as she walks up to the front door. The shot was way too shaky for what we wanted it to be. This makes sense because it is a POV shot, but it isn't what we imagined for the opening. The next time, we plan on walking slower and more carefully to make the camera less shaky. Finally, the other prominent failure was the time that we filmed the sky scene.  Since this was the last thing we filmed, it was getting a little dark, and the sky wasn't the brilliant blue we desired for the title shot. In fact, we had to navigate the camera to shoot the part of the sky that was the bluest, since other corners were getting darker and darker. We plan on shooting this scene first the next time we meet up. This will ensure that the sky will be bright and sunny, like it should be in the morning when the characters are supposed to be waking up. I just hope it doesn't rain the next time!

First Day Filming

 Last weekend we finally began bringing out story to life. We went into the filming knowing we wouldn't use any of the shots taken. We just wanted to get a feel for the setting, see how everything worked out and if we should change anything. First, we wanted to see how Betty's room scene would work. The plan was to see how we should move the camera around the room so viewers could see all the obvious indicators (props) of Betty's recent breakup. In the end, it worked out pretty well! However, I do believe we could go a little faster. I'm not sure we will have enough time to fit everything we want to cover in the opening if we take too much time panning around the room. 

Pictured above is a still shot of Betty's room! We wanted a simply, "girly" look so we set up the room to have a pink light. We are unsure if we will stick with this light in the final footage, but it worked fine over the weekend. 

Following Betty's room, we quickly went to the front door to see how the conversations scene between James and Betty would be like. We filmed the POV shot of Betty walking towards the door, but it came out a little too shaky for what we desire. We then took turns alternating from Betty and James' face during the conversation. Our acting skills were put to the test! We definitely have to get better at showing emotion! 

Here is a still shot from Betty's POV as she walks up to the door to open it. James will be seen standing on the other side. 

Finally, we ended filming by tilting up the sky where the title would appear. We wanted to see how fast or slow we should tilt to deliver the right feel for the movie. One thing we noticed while filming this scene that it was getting a bit dark and the sky was not the exact bright shade of blue we were imagining. I think for next time, we will film the tilting to the sky scene first to make sure it doesn't get too dark while filming the other scenes. 

We did not film the scene between August and James on our first day due to a lack of time. This is fine though since we were just testing out some of the other shots we were planning on including in the opening. I am sure we will cover this parts of the opening on our next day of filming. We will probably meet again to film this weekend. Then we will check what we have filmed and see if we need to refilm, anything. The day for reshooting will most likely be the weekend after our SAT testing date, which is March 3rd.

The Challenges of Filming

   While this film opening is obviously not a full length, full production Hollywood movie, it still definitely presents several challenges for us when it comes to actually filming the scenes. For one, a camera. To film a movie, one absolutely needs a camera. Whether it be from one's phone or an advanced, professional camera, the key component to shooting a movie is a camera. We have decided to possibly use Tori's digital camera to film our opening. However, we encountered our first challenge because her camera's audio is a bit muffled! Obviously, we would need to fix this issue if we pan to record the audio on site. Another big issue is how we will exactly meet up to film. Unfortunately, the global pandemic by the coronavirus took our our would by surprise and changed the entire way we do things. One of these things affected is meeting up fro school projects and assignments. We are still trying to figure out the safest place and way to film our opening, so everyone can be safe and follow CDC guidelines. For example, one of the biggest issues we face is if we will be able to film Betty's room scene, because the actress, Amberina's, family might not allow people into the house to film because of COVID. Hopefully, we will figure all this out. Another issue is who will play James. At this point, it will have to be me because we do not know any other boys who would be willing and available to work on this with us. I don't really fit the vibe we are trying to achieve with James, but we have no other option. 

   I should mention what everyone in my group will be doing in this project. For one, while not all of them are in our group, the actors will play a crucial part to out project. As I've said in previous blog posts, there will only be three characters and three actors playing them in the opening. For one, our friends, Ashley Polo and Amberina Khoja, will play August and Betty, respectively. They are not in our actual group or class but they two of the three faces seen on camera, acting and playing their roles. The third actor will be myself. I will play James and step into the role of a cheating, regretful, guilty ex-boyfriend. My character is very important because he connects the two other characters, Betty and August, in the film opening by showing he had romantic relations with both. I will also assist the director every time we film to make sure our vision is executed correctly. When it comes to the rest of my group, Hannah Barnes will take on the difficult task of director and will actually film the movie. She will tell the actors where to be, what to do, fix any errors in the shot, and take all the angles and perspectives. In other words, she will be the main person behind the camera documenting the story. Additionally, Melanie Reynoso will be our main editor. She will take the the previously filmed shots and connect them together, add sounds and music, the credits, and anything else we might need. Her role is crucial in the delivery of our film opening because editing is what makes the shots into an actual story. Finally, Tori Ragin will do a little bit of everything. Excluding her great brainstorming skills, Tori will be all hands on deck during filming. While Hannah is focused on filming and getting the right angles, Tori will make sure the set looks clean and correct. She will also make sure the actors are delivering the right feel we want. She will give a second opinion, along with Hannah's, when it comes to the decision if a shot is good or if it should be redone. Not to mention, Tori will also assist Melanie in editing, so the workload does not only fall into Melanie's hands. She will act as a co-editor and edit some of the minor, but important things into the film. I'm excited to get to work!

Film Preparation

 Actors

    In order to deliver our film opening in an efficient way, we need to feature three crucial characters to the story. First, is the most important of them all, Betty. She is a 17-year-old shy girl who tends to keep to herself, but works hard in school and lives a pretty normal, happy life. She will most likely be played by our friend Amberina Khoja, whose room will serve as a filming location. The other female character is August. She is a popular cheerleader who every boy wants because of her beauty. She is a bit selfish, sassy, rude, and self-centered. She will be played by another one of our good friends, Ashley Polo. Finally, there is James. The 17-year-old boy who broke Betty's heart by cheating on her with August. He is still in love with Betty and made a stupid mistake. For now, I am most likely going to play this role, but this might change in the future depending if we find another actor.

Costumes

Costume is extremely important in communicating the personalities of the characters. We envision Betty wearing simple jeans or pants, a cardigan or sweater, and run-down sneakers. She is pretty modest and doesn't take many fashion risks. This outfit gives off a vibe that she is more of a quiet, introverted girl. On the other hand, August will be much more bold with ripped jeans, a crop top, and elegant shoes. August is much more willing to show some skin with her outfits and she is not afraid to get very glammed up for any event. Unlike Betty, she is very confident in herself. James is your average teenage boy. He wears some regular jeans, a simple hoodie, and a pair of common sneakers. He doesn't put much effort into his wardrobe and prefers a chill style. 

Locations

We will mainly be filming in three different location. First will be Betty's bedroom. A small, pink room in which Betty wakes up and gets ready for the day. Scattered around the room are remnants of her past relationship. It is at this location that Betty's voiceover will play and the opening credits will role. Next, is Betty's front door. Here, Betty will open the door and see her ex, James standing outside with flowers. They get into an argument at this point before she slams the door in his face. Finally, there will be filming at the neighborhood sidewalk, as James walks home and August pulls up in her car next to him. There will also be a quick scene of them talking inside the car and James walking away from Betty's house (driveway). 

Props

Most of the props that we will be using will be seen in Betty's room. For one, we will be displaying several past memorabilia of James and Betty's failed relationship around the room. For example, a ripped photograph of the couple on the floor, a burnt Photo Booth picture, cut up love letters scattered around her desk, and even a teddy bear in the trash can. We will also be using with an alarm clock or a cell phone to work as the source of the alarm that wakes up Betty. We will also use a hairbrush and makeup as props the Betty is getting dolled up in front of the mirror. Finally, we will most likely have James hold some flowers when he rings Betty's doorbell as an apology gift for her. 

Dates & Times

The entire opening scene of the our movie will occur at around the same time on the same day. The events take place on Saturday morning of September, with Betty waking up at around 9AM and getting ready for the day until 10AM. James will ring Betty's football and they will talk at around 10 AM. James will then leave and find himself talking to August around fifteen minutes later at 10:15 AM. 

Film Equipment

Our filming equipment is pretty standard and straightforward. We will be using a digital camera to film all of our scenes. We also might use a tripod, where a more steady shot of a scene might be extremely necessary. Finally, we could include a ring light during certain scenes to emphasize the lighting more. 

Script

Betty’s Bedroom

·      “Quote over black screen”

·       ALARM SOUNDS

·       BETTY GETS OUT OF BED

·       VOICEOVER AND OPENING CREDITS START

·       BETTY WALKS AROUND ROOM GETTING READY AND PUTTING ON MAKEUP. PROPS THAT IMPLY HER HEARTBREAK ARE SHOWN.

- Betty: When I was 10 years old, my mama told me that men can never be fully trusted. I never realized how true this would be until this past summer when I learned that lesson the hard way.

·       My name’s Betty. I’m no one special. Just an average girl from an average town. I get good grades, play the guitar pretty decently, and come from a loving family. How could anything be wrong with my life? Trust me, a lot. 

·       “Men aren’t too be trusted.” Jeez, how could I be so naïve. Didn’t I see the signs? I guess it was always meant to be this way.

·       After all, love is a ruthless game, and if you don’t play it right, you end up getting... 

·       DOORBELL SOUNDS

Front Door Affair

·      BETTY HEADS TO THE DOOR AND OPENS IT, WHERE JAMES IS STANDING OUTSIDE

·      Betty: James? What are you doing here? What do you want now?

·      James: Bette, I just want to talk to you. About everything. 

·      Betty: I’m sorry James, but what’s done is done. I really just don’t have time for this anymore. Go home, bye

·      BETTY SLAMS DOOR 

·      Betty’s voiceover: …you end up getting hurt…

Neighborhood Stroll

·      JAMES WALKS AWAY FROM HOUSE AND WALKS ON THE SIDEWALK OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD

·      AUGUST PULLS UP IN HER CAR

·      August: Hey hot stuff. Long time no see. 

·      James: August, I told you that I’m done with this. Get over it. 

·      August: Oh, silly James, you know you don’t mean that. C’mon hop in. 

·      James: No. I already hurt the girl I love enough and I’m not repeating the same mistake.

·      August: C’mon. You need a ride home anyway. I’m not letting you walk all the way home. 

·      James: Well, I’m walking. 

·      August: James! Stop being so immature and get in the car

·      James: *sighs*. Fine…

·      JAMES GETS IN AUGUST’S CAR

·      August: So, how’s my cutie pie

·      James: August! Stop being such an annoying brat and drive!

·      August: Excuse me?! Don’t speak to me like that. I’m giving you a ride home for god’s sake!

·      James: I didn’t even ask for this!

·      August: Yea?! Well, I didn’t ask for this attitude!

·      James: Oh, come on!

·      JAMES AND AUGUST CONTINUE FIGHTING, BUT THEIR VOICES FADE WHILE MUSIC PLAYING FROM RADIO GETS LOUDER, EVENTUALLT DROWNING THEM OUT

·      PANS UP TO SKY AND TITLE IS DISPLAYED

Movie Opening Moodboard

 

    For my mood board, I made sure to choose photos that brought out the theme and feel of the movie opening. This movie would be quite dramatic since it centers around a teenage breakup and love triangle, so I included photos of a ripped up picture of a couple, a broken heart, a paper that says "Together Forever" burning, and more to express this drama. I also included a photo booth picture of a couple and a paper that says how she still thinks he is a good person to show the love that Betty and James once had or still have for each other. I included three photos that reveal more about Betty. The first is what she would actually look like, which is young, pretty, shy, and innocent. The second shows that she has a fairly modest wardrobe and keeps to herself. Finally, the third is a girl crying, which shows the sadness that has overcome Betty because of the breakup. For August, I put a picture of a very pretty, confident girl who most boys would be attracted to. Her wardrobe is not like Betty's and is much more modern and "popular". For example, sneakers, ripped jeans, and a crop top. James is a very handsome young boy that any girl would dream of being with. He is pretty easy-going and that is reflected in his casual wardrobe. In my mood board, I included a picture of a girl's bedroom, a sidewalk in a neighborhood, and a from entrance to show the main setting where the opening will take place. Finally, I put a picture of a pair arguing in a car to show what August and James will look like arguing in the opening. 

Initial Storyboard

    The opening starts with a black screen. Suddenly, an alarm sounds. The black screen cuts to a shot of an alarm clock ringing, and a hand is shown slamming on it, turning it off. This cuts to a medium shot of Betty waking up and getting out of bed. A voiceover starts with her speaking, explaining who she is and what she is going through. As she speaks, there is a pan across her room to reveal certain things that are important to the story. For example, a teddy bear in a trash can and a ripped up picture of her and a boy. This is the part where she explains that she is broken hearted. Throughout the pan and shots of her room, the opening credits are being shown at the bottom of the screen. Music is also playing.

    Next, the scene cuts to an over-the-shoulder shot of Betty applying makeup to herself in the mirror. The voiceover continues as she gets ready in the morning. She finishes speaking right before the door suddenly rings. She quickly turns over the shoulder wondering who it could be. This cuts to a POV shot of Betty walking up to the door, turning the knob, and opening the door, to reveal James, her ex-boyfriend standing outside. He is holding flowers and begs Betty for forgiveness. A short over-the-shoulder dialogue occurs. He explains that he didn't mean what he did. Betty refuses to take him back, since she feels extremely hurt by him. This shows that something went terrible wrong in their relationship. 

    Turning him away, Betty slams the door in his face. A close-up shot of her face shows her distress and sadness over the whole situation. James turns away from the front door with a disappointed demeanor and walks towards the street. This cuts to a medium-long shot of James walking down the sidewalk, next to the road, when a car pulls up next to him. August, James' ex-fling, is seen to be the driver of the car. She begins to talk to him, asking why he was being this way and that they should go back to how they were. James refuses saying it was a one-time thing and he regrets it since it hurt Betty, the girl he truly loves. This implies that the reason Betty and James aren't together is because he cheated on her with August. 

    

    After some convincing, August gets James to get into her car so she can give him a ride home. Before starting the car, she keeps pushing James to his limit as she constantly tries to convince him to continue their relations. An angry James begins to argue with August, since he doesn't want to be with her. A medium-close up from outside the car of the pair arguing is shown. The camera then begins to tilt up from the teenagers to the sky. As this tilting occurs, their arguing gets quieter and more muffled, while the music gets louder and clearer. Once the camera tilts enough to only show the blue sky, the title of the film fades into view, and the scene ends.