"They love me, They really love me"

 It’s here and it’s finally done… my opening 

I am ultimately thankful for all the support I received from people around me, my parents, brothers, sister, friends, teacher, and family they all helped me believe that my work is amazing and worthy. 

I remember the first time I told my mom about the project she was super interested in my ideas, even asked many questions, though back then I wasn’t able to answer all of them, I knew that she was my 1# supporter. Throughout the whole process, I kept telling my family about my project and updating them, basically building a whole fan base for myself, so when I was finally done there were people who were waiting for the final project, making me feel really happy. 

If I had to describe the whole process in one word I would say it was enlightening. This whole experience opened my eyes to different things from the media industry that I really enjoy doing. This is good because I am still not 100% sure what I wanna study in the future, but the project made me realize some of the interests that I don't usually show. 

Okay WOW, it really hitting me now, I kinda grew attached to this project now, all the steps that I went through the planning, preparing, filming, and editing, to make my opening. It almost feels as if it was my baby. 

Well without any further ado 

I present to you all Enigma 

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Critical Creative Reflection

 Here we go, the end of this wonderful journey.  

 

We finish!!! 

Well until next time, peace out 

Ana Sofia Marquez CCR 

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Target audience

 Our film is a psychological thriller, with a sub-genre of romance. Due to this, we have been having a little trouble coming up with the specifics for the target audience. However, because it's a psychological thriller we can come up with an age range, given that some of the images shown are graphic and inappropriate for kids. For this, we have the age range is between 25-and 40.  

Overall thrillers include suspenseful scenes that could be scary for a younger audience. Specifically, psychological genres would incorporate elements from themes such as crime morality, mental illness, substance abuse, dissolving from the sense of reality, and even multiple realities. 

While researching I found a demographics chart from the British Film Institute, which shows which different age and gender groups and the genre they prefer watching. According to the chart, 36% of males under the age of 35 watch thrillers suspense compared watch to 57% of males above 35 who said the same. With females, 45% of women under 35 watch thrillers suspense thrillers while 60% of women over the age of 35 watch thrillers. 

This data tells me that both genders enjoy watching suspense thrillers, leading us to have to target the movie to a more general audience in the gender department, though we believe because of the romance we also add through the storyline more women would be attracted to our film, we can't rely on a sub-genre for our target audience. 

I want to research a bit more before doing my CCR to have 100% accurate information to present. 

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Learning new editing tricks

 Prior to starting this project, I had experience using adobe premiere, the editing app I wanted to use for the project. Though since when I learned how to utilize the app, adobe premier has gone through various updates that changed some aspects of the app but still left the basics. 

During spring break my partner edited the different clips together through iMovie, however, I couldn't really help, given that the app isn't friendly for a group project. Nevertheless, she was able to complete the editing successfully, and apparently, it didn't take a long time. 

When she showed me the finished project, I felt like we could add more, like an effect to make it obvious that Pablo is imagining his wife, dancing with him. That's when the idea struck me to add some blurriness and color filters to make the part of the scene where the dancing happens dreamy and unreal. 

I soon realized that I didn't know how to do what I wanted, so instead of giving up on my idea, I searched on YouTube for a tutorial. While looking for a video I was concerned that the creator might go too fast, but I was able to find one that was easy to follow and short. (the one below)

Though after I added the blurred corners to the opening it still felt as if it was missing something. I originally wanted either a blue or yellow tint to the dancing scene of the video to make it seem more dreamy. I wasn't sure how to do this in adobe premier though so I quickly searched on YouTube for another tutorial. (the one under) 

Adding all this effect made me finally feel as if the editing portion of the video is done, all missing now is the credits which are easily added into the video. 

I know it's hard to see, but here is a screenshot of the editing process of the effects that I was able to add to the video. Though you can see the layers of the various effects and the arrows pointing at the blurred corners (which the screenshot didn't really pick up)

I am actually proud of myself I was able to quickly learn a new skill in the premiere. I am usually the type of person who has to re-watch the tutorial or re-read the instructions multiple times because I am wasn't able to understand. Though this time I rapidly picked up the steps and set up the effect in less than 20 min. 

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Finding Fonts is a whole adventure

 Hey, guys so me and my partner a few weeks ago pick the type of font we wanted to use for the credits. Though there were no specifics we knew we wanted a cursive font. This pick was a little before we started filming, a little early I know, but we were going through the different fonts for the distribution credits that we decided to kill two birds with one stone and also look for the credits font style.  

For the distribution credit, we were using Canva and we actually stumbled through one font that could actually, work Amsterdam Two. It was perfect, given that it was readable (sometimes cursive fonts are really hard to read because they put the letters way too close to each other) and pretty. So I saved the name in my notes and went by to complete the video. 

We really wanted a cursive font for the credits so it gives the whole opening a more classical romantic look. Contradicting the themes of the overall opening but showing that the Film will have some romance in it. Additionally, it fits the personality of our main characters given that they are very old-fashioned, with their music and old speakers. 

Finally, it came time to put the credits into the final video, which I was doing through Adobe premier. So I opened the font drop-down in Adobe premier pro, looking for Amsterdam two. after a few scrolls, it hit me that the font I am searching for isn't going to be in premier because I found it in canvas (facepalm). Looking back I have no idea why I saved a name of a font in Canva even though I knew I wanted to edit through premier. 

So I went back through the selection of cursive fonts that adobe Premier Pro had, which were honestly very few, surprisingly. Each one I clicked wasn't good enough for the theme I was trying to get through the fonts, either too bold, too straight, or overall looked basic. I was disappointed and left with no Fonts, so as any other desperate person I reached out to my friend for help. 

She has already done this project, so she was able to guide me to the Adobe fonts website where I was finally able to find numerous fonts, specifically cursive. after searching for 9 pages of fonts I had 6 options of fonts and added them to the editing software 

As my luck has it half of the fonts didn't look like they originally looked on the website while the other half didn't fit the aesthetic I was looking for. I was left with no fonts and back to searching. I opened Adobe Fonts to their cursive font and found La Bohemienne. I have no idea how I missed it the first time around because it was one of the first ones on the list. Nevertheless, as soon as a added it to the opening it was a perfect match. Plus it was readable and pretty just like our beloved Amsterdam two, though honestly, it was better than our first choice. 

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Filming pt2 +some BTS

Though I had already filmed with my parents, I had a small feeling that I still had to film with my original choice for the actors. A small notion telling me I had to film with my original choice, that it would be different and better, which were right. 

They ended up having better chemistry in front of the camera than my parents, I feel like you can feel their love through the screen in some clips. Also, the husband's actor had better facial expression than my dad, he even did dome improve in some of the lines. My original Actros basically felt more comfortable being in front of a camera than my dad and mom, given that they both had experience and connection in the film industry. 

My actor arrived at my house around 6:30 excited to be the actors to my film, they even brought different costume decisions because we weren't able to meet face to face prior to filming. They also wanted to learn more about their character, like what are they like, etc. to really get ready to play them. Soon they had what they had to do down and were ready to film. 

Well after eating my mom's food and catching up with my parents they were ready. I didn't mind, I actually needed them to take their time, given that when they arrive it was still light outside, and I needed the sun to be setting, almost dark, to have the perfect lighting. The darker lighting I feel gives a more evil, scary, mysterious aesthetic to the opening which was exactly what I was aiming for. 

For costume, she wore a white lacy dress with a yarn sweater over it, which weirdly really fit the vibe I was going for. My original idea wasn't any lace nor a sweater, though I did want white in the dress, so we could show that the wife wasn't meant to die. The dress also gave a mature but stylist vibe which I was surprised her dress actually worked. 

For the guy's costume design it was way simpler a dress shirt with jeans, something he didn't usually wear but had. The goal for his costume was to make him seem like a middle-aged dad, which even though our actor isn't, he was able to fit become one for the film. 

Filming was a breeze for many reasons. Firstly, I already knew what I had to do, what shots look best, what shots I have to remember, which ones I don't need. I was even more comfortable having the role of the director now that I got some practice with my parents. Secondly, the woman in my film work in the entertainment industry (not sure what she exactly does but I know she edits and creates shorts), this helped her be more confident in front of the camera, which helped her husband be better too. 

As I said before they really had better on-camera chemistry than my parents, literally as soon as I started playing the music I would use in my opening, they rapidly started romantically slow-dancing and drifted to somewhere else, like they were the only ones there dancing together. They were so much into character that they didn't realize when I was getting different angles, from the kitchen, behind the desk, closeups of hands, etc. I never asked them to do this, but it really helped the character development of an in-love couple.

Here I have some Behind scenes while filming with them. 

(some dancing shots, my mom took these)

(my dog being an attention seeker) 

(basically having fun) 

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AHHHH!! I am so excited

 As you guys know I wasn't able to film with the original actors Tuesday because one of the actors was sick. It was really out of nowhere they got sick, but they still wanted to be safe. Tuesday she actually took a rapid home test to make sure it isn't Covid, which came back negative, but she wanted to be 100% sure that she doesn't have the virus, so went to get a PCR test, which usually takes more than 24h to give results back. Because of this, I had to result to film with my parents. 

I still filmed with my parents that same day, just in case, I wouldn't be able to film with them. I was ready to use the footage I got with my parents, but miraculously I get the news that my original actor doesn't have Covid and is feeling better already, which means she is in an okay state to film. 

(prove) 

Though she was Covid free we weren't sure that we could even film, given that her husband (who would play the character of the husband in the film) always gets out of his job around 5pm, and is super exhausted. The only days that he has free are Tuesday and Wednesday (which have already passed), meaning that our chances of filming are basically gone, also because I won't be there for spring break and filming after the break wouldn't be useful given that it will be too late already.   

Miraculously, that Thursday he got out of the job at 3:30, meaning we would be able to film later in the afternoon. When he got home he was able to take a nap, basically recharged his batteries, until his wife got home at 6pm from her job, so they'll be able to come to my house to film. They came prepared with different outfit choices and with an attitude to get things done. 

This was truly a blessing they could come to my house, and be in my film. They really were a perfect choice for the character and slayed their performance (which ill go into detail about it in the next post). 

 

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