post card Inspiration

I have decided to call my short film The Apocalypse. Since there is no specific character to showcase on the postcard, I'm able to choose a picture that assimilates the film. I have chosen a sunset picture taken by yours truly because each section starts off with a sunset. A collection of film festival winner logos because I'm ambitious ;)

new short film

My short film's genre is drama, but not the regular kind where you're on the edge of your seat trying to figure out the ending. My story has no characters and no plot. It is simply a story of gratitude, a story of having everything and suddenly imagining it all go away. Usually dramas portray real life situations and settings, exhibits character development, and contains much social interaction. I believe the genre convention that most fits my film is that of moving an audience emotionally.
My film represents societal issues by reclaiming the pandemic of unthankfulness. Many people take life for granted, don't understand the blessing it is to not be in need of anything, and lastly to spread awareness for those who don't have a family, water, food, a house, don't have arms nor legs, are stuck in a hospital because of illness their whole lives. Meanwhile, we have more than what we deserve. Being grateful everyday is so important, especially at a time like this with so much uncertainty. This virus was meant occur so we can value life. Being stuck at home has not made you value life? The outside world? Going out with friends? Traveling? Or simply going to the beach? Has the quarantine seriously not made you value all the wonderful moments you've experienced? If it has, but really, truly has then it this virus has fulfilled it's purpose in your life. If it hasn't, then you have some personal reconsidering to do.

CHANGES

hi, I haven't been on here in a while. mostly because of everything the world has been going through the last few months. well you know... coronavirus and all that. to be totally honest I completely cancelled on this project, as in I didn't think we would be doing it anymore so I flaked. oops. I have many blogposts to make up because I don't want to fail the last semester of senior year and this project.

to be totally honest I wanted to do the project I had in mind because it was so wonderful (in my head) but in life there are changes, and we have to adapt. see you the last couple of days with a lot of updates. 

I'm Not Okay With This

I just watched the new original Netflix series, I'm Not Okay With This, and in all honesty it was entertaining. The main character was truly obnoxious... not sure if it was the personality or the way she didn't annunciate some words clearly. Well, she was just not in any way the cool part of the show. They probably could've casted better... whatever.

Netflix sort of has a certain theme going on with their originals, they seem to really speak to me in an artistic and storytelling type of way. First it was Stranger Things, then The End of The Fucking World, then Sex Education and now I'm Not Okay With This. The targeted-teen English / American shows have a certain continuity in them, whether it is because of the heavy color scheme, the impeccable characters (except the one I mentioned above), or a story that is just so wonderfully written. I am not sure what it is but Netflix Originals maintain a certain aesthetic to their series that makes all of them feel so well done (as well as the Spanish series, so amazing!!! 10/10 recommend).

I watched all of Season 1 of I'm Not Okay With This in one sit down... right now... no like legit, I just finished it at 20:30... and then I felt inspired so here I am :) What I'm trying to say is that it would be nice to incorporate those aesthetically pleasing characteristics as well as have well written roles.

Two details:

Stanley's suit!!! For one of my characters!!!!!

Adding the title at the end of a scene!!!!!

Story details

During the class meeting on Tuesday, many doubts were cleared and new ideas incorporated into the project. I was experiencing a dilemma with how I should end the piece and if the characters should be spiced up (just a little) since my story is quite simple... which I love (and Tina does too).

"Start with how they end up and the rest of the film is the day leading up to the audition." Instead of showing the band playing at the end after the film placed the people into the band, the students suggested to start off the film with the band playing (a nice & non-recurring approach). Which personally I don't think is a bad idea, I just don't think I would be filming the band playing in general. I don't obtain all the instruments needed nor are all the actors are musicians. With that being said, I appreciated the idea but I don't think it will be considered (maybe for another project).

Another idea would be to have the band audition and none of them pass the audition, which would mean ending the film with a twist and not a resolution. This ending would also leave the audience with a suspense, with a mystery of if the band ended up together or not. Personally I don't like when films/ short films and/or music videos end this way. I like to have the full information, not necessarily a happy ending but a resolution... something to end the piece in form of a resolution, a kind of proper closure.

The last advice that was spoken from the minds of the wonderful students!!!!, was to make the characters very distinct. Each and everyone has their unique quirks that differentiates them profusely from one another. I believe this idea would add an interesting element to this film, it would add a certain contrast that color and mise-en-scene in general wouldn't be able to portray. As well as the physical style of the characters, their personalities will vary. Yet I feel more than the personalities, what they do during the day would be better to set the contrast. Since it is a 5 minute film, trying to sum up the personalities would be resolved in an easy which ends up with the film being cheesy. Which I don't like.

Poster I

Since my film takes place in the 70s (finally decided), the poster has been a complete image in my brain. I'm usually better in exerting my creativity and ideas at the moment that I have them because I like to have the physical visual. It's more difficult for film because in my eyes there are more and easier resources I have to make the poster work out, when the film includes other people, more equipment, planning out profusely, editing, re-filming (if there something you missed), sometimes you don't get a shot the way you want it, or it's not cool enough. There's just so many factors that are out of my reach with a film, that doesn't mean I don't want to create them but for now I feel quite comfortable with canvas and 2d art in general. 

Inspiration for 70s type poster: 

Downloading fonts resembling those of the 70s: 

Design so far: 

Soundtrack

My music taste is wonderful (if I do say so myself). Especially when it comes to visualizing a scene, or a film in general, I usually tend to have certain songs prepared for the vibe being displayed in my head. In this case, a few hit 70s songs were in the equation since the beginning but fortunately I don't like bankruptcy. Hence, abstaining myself from loosing a bunch of money I don't have, equating to a different tool would be best.

SO! Searching on google "how to use copyrighted music legally" came into play at one point. In the search results, a very informative website opened my eyes on the real (and excessive, may I add) process of using multimillion-dollar making tunes. It described how I had to get in touch with the music company, the record deal, the artist, the background singers, the sound mixers, the creative contributors and many more titles that me, Camila Castillo, did not want to contact. The website went on displaying a number of resources for the contacting, as well as a sample email/ letter that IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to be used for when contacting these people.

I bestow the template:

NOW! Since all of ↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑ that is not really in my job description because it requires a lot of patience and time (which I don't have) then I will subside with utilizing royalty free music. From the same website that gave me all of ↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑↑ that, it also gave me a really nice market where I can buy a variety of non-copyrighted music at an affordable price. This place is called Audio Jungle! Absolutely wonderful... definitely recommend if you're not too stingy with buying songs for school projects. This great artist I found from another website that recommended Audio Jungle, was exactly what I was looking for. They make 70s type jams, that give a bit of the vibe that I'm searching for for the short film. l'll keep searching but this I what I have so far. 

oh! and don't worry I won't be spending $240 on music... like I said before I don't have that type of money ;))