Publication 1, Week 4

I spoke with my teacher and pitched her my idea. There had been many aspects and details to the project that I had not thought about. Certain details that I didn't think would effect the content itself. This goes to show that when creating something, and especially when wanting to create something great, you have to focus on the small things. For example, my idea is set to take place at the beach. The beach is a beautiful place to film at yet complex. There are natural, environmental aspects that are out of one's control. Another example, the sun. The Sun is a ball of fire millions of light years away (or maybe that's what they want us to think) that has been illuminating the Earth for billions of years (or has it?). This Sun changes the look, obviously the lighting, shows the passing of time, gives a distinct vibe to a scene depending on its position.

With this being said, if I were to film a calm, well-lit scene without much exposure in the physical camera then I would have to film in the morning. No later than 11am which is when the Miami, Florida coastal heat starts to hit. This would help with the mise-en-scene with the characters. For example, if the actors have been outside, at the beach, in the sun, for a couple of hours, it visually could be implicated. Yet, that is not the point for the beginning of the scene, the passing of time should be shown as their mise-en-scene gradually grows sweaty and bronzed. If I were to get stills of the water and shots of them already (as states before) "beached" (glowy and bronzed) then these scenes would best be filmed at noon or later. When the extreme rays of the Sun have just begun to pierce our skin.

These are factors that I now have to take into consideration. I really like caring for the little things. And in this case, little things that play I big role. (get it? cause actors? a film opening? playing a role? no? no, ok.)

Merci d'avoir lu, je les aime<3 

- Camila Castillo 

Publication 2, Week 3

Sorry I have been a little AWOL with the blog posting, I have been quite occupied with the cognitive process of this project. As well as, the actors that are going to play the role of the characters name's I have yet to figure out. Oh, also the wardrobe and if they are going to be speaking English or Spanish. I would love for it to be Spanish, but I would have to make subtitles which is great because I love to be creative and see what color and font I would use for them.

This is a rough "visual" sketch of the filming process that I had verbally described in the previous blog post. I have been working on actual sample stills of what the filming process should come down to. I'll draw my own and find some online so you can picture in your head meanwhile it is being filmed and not yet at your disposal.

Merci d'avoir lu, je les aime<3 

- Camila Castillo 

Publication 1, Week 3

List of shots that I think would portray a great scene:

- long shot of a car arriving at a hotel near beach

- close up of subject inside (visually 1st introducing main character)

- track shot of him descending the car and walking to the beach

- pov shot of second subject (visually 2nd introduce other main character) sitting on a beach chair 

- pan shot from the back of the 2nd character to the first that's arriving (sits at a distance)

- the focus changes from 2nd character to 1st with a rack focus technique

- there is a close up of the book that the 2nd character is reading

- he gets up (the shot remains for 6 seconds or so) to ask the person for something

- there is dialogue between the two men

and much more that I have to visualize but so far, this is how I imagine it to be. I know that it is different for reader's creativeness to spark with only this information as opposed to me, that the difficulty is putting it into words. 

There are many elements that I have seen in films of the genre I am trying to portray, that will aid in the process of making it more raw and realistic. Integrating the natural colors and diegetic sounds so it can be considered the target genre. The story is heartwarming, but has a saddening end. Just to give it a little juiciness. Sucks that you guys will only get to see the heartwarming part.... for now ;)

Merci d'avoir lu, je les aime<3 

- Camila Castillo 

Publication 2, Week 2

In 2017, a wonderful film that to this day I am still in love with, was released into the world. This film has woken up an artistic and creative part of me, that I did not know I had. It made me appreciate raw, real, and eyesome films. Its scenery is one of a kind, it's story is heartfelt, and it's actors are grand. This film inspired me to promote the nature of Earth, nature of life, and nature of self in not only my art but in my thoughts. In me it opened a door of poetry, an open-mindedness, and an inexplicable love for love. 'Call Me By Your Name' helped me find a goal for this project; a style of filming and an essence of purity through the content. My film opening will have scream 'Call Me By Your Name' but in it's own unique way.

Merci d'avoir lu, je les aime<3 

- Camila Castillo 

Publication 1, Week 2

I have a vision that my film's setting is going to be at the beach. There is a sort of custom in me that only makes me like going to the beach specifically on Sundays. Sundays have always been a much better day when one escapes to the beach for a while. (You know... to forget that the following days is one of the least wanted days by humanity.) (Poor Monday... truly.) Editing will be easier for me on Saturdays because I need a lot of time to perfect that aspect of the video, which is very important. This is my schedule at the moment, and if anything changes then I will reorganize it.

Merci d'avoir lu, je les aime<3 

- Camila Castillo 

Publication 1, Week 1

Considering it's a 1 minute time frame, a film opening takes a lot of planning. Planning the costumes, actors, scenes, shots, the day, at what time in the day, and much more, is equally as important as the content. If it weren't for preparation, the content would not exist. A method that aids in this preparation are storyboards. Taking the time to really imagine the soon-to-be creation is important. It has been known that over planning is not successful. There have been people to say that taking a grand span of time on storyboards was not the best option. Preparing costumes, fittings, hair and makeup, castings for actors, props, the script, what types of shots all have a creative and organized way to be conducted. Yet, over planning the exact length of each and every scene is not the advised way. Know what you want to create, write it down and do it.

These are different methods for planning a film:

- regular storyboard

-index cards

Merci d'avoir lu, je les aime<3 

- Camila Castillo 

Genre Research

Genre- Horror

Genre Conventions [content]- Aims to provoke fear in its audience. A horror film's target audience ranges from adolescents/teens to early 20's. Content conventions for horror are dread, alarm, and panic with a suspected/ unsuspected finale. 

Genre Conventions [productions techniques]- Various production techniques for a horror film include location, time, and character's art direction. For location, it is known for houses, woods, cabins, and for a handful multi-billionaire films with a shark as the main scare, the ocean. Usually the time in which people are most hesitant and vulnerable to be scared is at night, there is something about the dark that ignites a sweat indulged angst. Lastly, for a truly important aspect in horror films is the art direction. This refers to costumes and make-up, which significantly expand the outcomes of the film depending on if the plot of the story is very unrealistic, such as zombies which demands prosthetics and dirty wardrobe, or if it is a simple girl in the woods being stalked, which solely demands blood. 

Film Example #1: 'Hush', a horror film about a deaf girl living in a house in the middle of the woods is being stalked by a man with a mask. Throughout the whole film she does not sense anything that is happening, as the stalker is taking pictures of her while being inside the house and sending them to her. There are many more details, which I will not spoil. This back and forth responsiveness between both characters drives the audience to a near heart attack experience because of the realistic body the film has. 

P.S. -I watched 'Hush' in eight grade with classmates and all I remember is covering my face every from fear and awaiting the deaf female character's boyfriend to arrive. Does he? We'll never know. Dun. Dun. DUN! Actually you might know if you watch the movie... oh and little advice, never live in the middle of the woods. You're welcome. 

Film Example #2: A Quiet Place is a wonderful film, I very much enjoyed it (unlike Hush). It takes place in a world where you cannot make noise, even if your life depended on it, because then... your life might depend on it. There are demo-gorgon like animals, immense in size and full on predators. There is always a sense of uncertainty throughout the entire film because the possibility of making noise is inevitable. The story is developed by showing the life of the family, such as how they altered daily routines to be silent and what they do in case the character playing the mom has to go through labor and their lives are in the hands of the baby coming out of that womb. Too specific? Yeah, maybe a little. All I have to say is that there were a lot of fireworks. 

Film Examples- 
1. A Quiet Place a quiet place
2. Hush hush
3. Scream scream
4. Jaws jaws
5. Halloween halloween
6. The Conjuring the conjuring
7. Insidious insidious

Merci d'avoir lu, je les aimes<3

- Camila  Castillo