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!