CCR Question #1

 To plan how I'm going to respond to question #1, I started to research different types of films that examine and explore ambition, emotional struggle, psychological disorders, and identity image. Even though my film opening Cadence is a mental sports drama, I researched both romantic and psychological thrillers intentionally to comprehend how internal conflict is visually produced. 

In the Fault in Our Stars and Me Before You, which I talked about in previous blogs, emotional vulnerabilities is often introduced through these factors:

- frequent close ups
- soft, naturalistic lighting
-slow pacing
-diegetic sound like breathing or quiet dialouge

These films reflect more on characters facial expression to position the audience in a emotional sense. This influenced my decision to incorporate close ups on Leo's face, clenched fists, and physical strain to represent internal pressure. 

Also I talked about A Star Is Born which presents ambition as destructive but also showing that it can be inspiring. The film uses performances and mise-en-scene elements to mirror the protagnists mental struggles and decline. This influenced me to utilize cross cutting in between the hopeful running scenes and the chaotic garage scenes to represent the definition behind ambition visually.

I analyzed Se7en too for its use of the dark lighting and harsh atmosphere. The dimly lit spaces usually portray the theme I'm trying to convey, psychological decay. This influenced my lighting in my garage scene, where the shadows symbolize Leo's mentality which is chaotic.

In Cadence, I follow these factors but also I'm challenging traditional sports statements. Rather than obsessing over perseverance, I portray ambition as unsettling. The scene in the garage uses quick editing and diegetic sounds of him destructing things to construct meaning around emotional breakdowns instead of success.

In terms of the representation of my opening, I introduce a young male athlete who experiences vulnerability. Many narratives that are male centered highlight emotional restrain. Throughout sound design, editing, shots, I position mental health as the main element to the narrative rather than add ons. This research will guide me to evaluate how my film both satistfies and overthrows genre expectations and I will do this throughout a slideshow presentation w/ a voiceover connected to question #2. 

Sources:
Review: In ‘me before you,’ a broken man meets a free spirit (published 2016). (n.d.-d). https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/03/movies/me-before-you-review.html

Group Meeting #2

 Today in class we had our second group meeting, and being honest it felt more productive than the last one. The group members were Sebas, Ava, Catalina, Nikki, Rob, and Sonakshi; they all developed very different storylines. Everyone seemed to have everything planned out accordingly, but we all shared our production problems, which made me feel better lol. We didn't just tell our ideas straight up, we communicated on what's actually going wrong. 

Sebas was the first to share and his main issue was continuity. He started to rant about when they were filming, it started during the day and gradually started to darken into the night, which created a lighting incosistentnecy in their opening. He also had mentioned that one of the member that was supposed to assist couldnt make it, making their process more stressful. Their opening summary is someone finding a weird bag in a parking lot, opening it, and getting put into a trance. We gave him feedback about his structure and pacing, especially when he said he had 100 clips in a 2-minute film opening. We suggested he tried to build more suspense rather than including everything that they filmed. 

Then, Rob discussed their footage with the procrasination and lack of props he ran into. He admitted that him and his group filmed very little recently and missed some shots they planned on doing. However, their story seems to be super entertaining. He mentioned that he doesn't want to rely so much on dialouge, which is similar to what i want to do and let visual storytelling and non-diegetic sound to carry emotion instead.

Catalina is creating a drama film but also ran into complications. She wanted to film earlier but her parents are her actors and they were out of town. Her situation reminded me of how much coordination and timing are essential in producing a film. 

Ava is doing a coming-of-age film about a girl running away after she founds out she's pregnant. She's almost done with filming and only has one scene left of the character driving away. She seems to be very organized and structured.

Sonakshi also is creating a coming-of-age film that is centered around procrasination. She has not been able to film yet because one of her actors is away but I think she's very organized with everything else, such as her props representing scheduling and pressure. It shows how mise-en-scene can show mental conflict without using dialouge. 

Lastly, Nikki's story is about kids sneaking out due to their emotional struggles. She plans to use heavy breathing, like me, to emphasize anxiety, which is an effective diegetic sound. I found her story interesting since a girl is taking a pill and the color of the scene changed. This color shift symbolizes emotional escape, which is a strong example of how post production can create meaning.

At the end, we also discusses our CCR and are pretty much doing similar ideas. Rob and Nikki are considering doing theirs in a talk show format and interview which I want to do. Overall, this meeting helped me feel better about my production and was less about ideas and more about execution.

Editing process

 Clipchamp was used to edit my film opening. My primary goal during editing was to portray Leo's physical and mental state of being through pacing rather than just relying on the dialouge. Since the narrative mainly follows his exhaustion and pressure that is building over time, the rhythm of the cuts become the most important factor to storytelling. 

ex. 

SYNCING AUDIO

Because my dialogue was recorded seperate, the first step in editing was syncing the audio to the video. I aligned and mirrored the dialogue by utilizing waveform spikes and matched them to the movement in each single shot. 
This allowed for the speech to sense a natural feeling and prevented the audience from noticing on imperfections in my editing lol. After syncing the dialogue, I layered music and the sound from the ambience underneath while lowering the music volume during speaking moments to the dialogue was clear to understand.

PACING AND CUTS

The cuts and type of pacing change throughout the opening the match the mental state that Leo is reflecting.

In the running scences, the cuts started to become faster and faster. This syncs to the pressure that's increasing as he continues to push himself physically. More shorter durations of shots create a tense tone and lead the audience to feel his urgency.

However, the garage scenes use longer shots. This makes the pace feel slower and force the viewer to sit in his solitude rather than escaping it. The slower pacing highlights the weight of this mentality.

MONTAGE CONSTRUCTION

Toward the end, I realized that the shots required more careful shot placement. By making the action escalate in the intensity, I arranged the clips but starting with the smaller movements and ending in larger outburts.

Instead of cutting scenes randomly, each shot was atleast intended to match the rhythm and beat of the music. This created a visual cadence that matches the running cadence previously in the film.

heres an example of me playing with different types of fonts to emphasize "MILE 6":

OVERALL IMPACT

The story strives to communicate emotion visually rather than communicating it verbally through editing. Changes in the pacing allows the viewers to first-hand experience Leo's stress. Therefore, the editing becomes part of the narrative instead of simply imputing footage.

Foley Sound Creation

 After producting, I came to an realization that even though my dialouge and music are clear, certain movements in my film opening was lacking in impact. Since my story focuses mainly on Leo's physical and emotional struggle, I wanted the viewers to actually feel and sense his exhaustion and frustration - not just see it.

To create realism, I created two key Foley sounds: running footstep and baseball bat drop.

RUNNING FOOTSTEPS

The opening scene focuses only on Leo's long distance running. However, the original audio from my video did not clearly capture the "pressure" of each footstep. The steps blended into the background made the run feel less intense.

To fix this I took the running shoe and reenacted the running by using my hands to match Leo's pacing. More forceful steps were in sync with moments where he appears to struggle physically. In calmer and focused moments the steps became to be more controlled. 

In ClipChamp, I tried my best to sync each footstep to the exact moment his shoe makes contact with the ground.

Effect on the audience:
The amplified footsteps make the run feel physically demanding. The audience can feel his exhaustion and determination through increasing the sound, creating immersion.

heres an example: 

BASEBALL BAT DROP:

Towards the end of the opening, Leo drops the baseball bat after his emotional breakdown. This moments creates a sense of vulnerability and defeat. However, just like the footsteps, the original audio didn't highlight the impact.

I recreate the sound by recording a solid object dropping onto a firm, tough surface. Then, I layered and synced it very carefully to the frame where the bat hits the ground.

Comparing to the surrounding audio, I increased the volume of the drop slightly so it acts as a dramatic factor to the scene.

Effect on the audience:
This minimal impact reinforces the emotional outburst. The sound indicates that his anger has increased to its peak and he has given up in that moment. 

OVERALL IMPACT:

By adjusting just two intentional Foley sounds, I wanted the scene to become more emotionally driven and immersive. The footsteps emphasize effort and determination while the bat drop highlights defeat and frustration.

Throughout this process, it demonstrated how even subtle sound design can strengthen the storytelling. 

Scene Development - Garage Breakdown Scene

 One of the most important moments to develop in my film opening Cadence was the garage breakdown scene. It represents Leo's mental struggles visually after pushing himself physically.

While filming, my main goal to focus on was showing emotion through his body language instead of showing that through dialouge. I tested and experimented with different movements, like Leo gripping the baseball bat, him pacing back and forth, throwing his running shoes, and knocking things over. These actions were chosen to demonstrate the fear and pressure he feels about not being able to reach his long distance goals.

Also, I experimented with different angles I can utilize to make the space feel more cramped. I wanted the shots to be different so I mainly incorporated medium and long shots during the running scenes and then used close up shots that captured Leo's hands, posture, and tense facial expressions. This helped convey a sense of how isolated, alone, and overwhelmed he feels in that moment.

Another essential part in developing the scene was the pacing. I had filmed longer shots of Leo standing still and looking at the bat right before he begins to act out of control. The suspension of a build-up creates tension and makes the breakdown feel more realistic rather than random or sudden. 

during filming breakdown lol:

The comparison between the calm, determined Leo while he's running and the chaotic tone of the garage scene was made intentional. This contrast helps to communicate that while Leo can appear strong physcially, but inside he is struggling with the pressure he places on himself.

set-up:

Developing this scene guided me to portray the psychic impact of chasing an aspiring goal visually, making it a key factor that reveals the deeper meaning behind Cadence.

Obstacles and Issues While Producing

During the filming and producing of my opening Cadence, I dealt with several challenges and obstacles while filming the running and garage scenes. Filming in real locations made me realize that adjustments were important, even though I had the planning sheet beforehand.

One of the biggest obstacles I faced was filming the running scenes on the trail under the highway, at the New River Greenway. Since my character, Leo, is moving constantly, some of the footage had came out shaky and messy when I was trying to follow his movement. In order to fix this, I changed the way I was going to approach this and filmed more controlled shots, like close-ups of his shoes hitting the ground, his hands clenching, and medium-side shots of him running past the camera instead of following him.

Another issue was the lighting. The running scenes were planned to be filmed with natural lighting, yet the brightness and shadows depended on the weather that day and the time we were filming. Some of the early scenes looked way brighter compared to the ones I filmed later. To maintain a consistent light, I refilmed specific shots at a similar time of the day to it remained more structured.

The garage scenes also produced some challenges. The space was darker than I had anticipated, making it difficult to clearly catch Leo's facial and physical expressions. I opened the garage slightly to allow natural light in while still maintaining a dull, dim setting, instead of adding strong lighting. This aided to convey the moody tone while advancing in the visibility of the camera.

In addition, consistency and continuity was another essential issue. By the garage scenes being separately  filmed from the running scenes, I had to make sure Leo wore the same outfit and appeared in the same amount of sweat and exhaustion so the viewers would acknowledge the connection between the events. 

These obstacles led me to learn that filming can have a different outcome in the way you expect it to. By readjusting camera shots/angles, filming shots a couple of times, and learning to work with the setting I was in, I was able to maintain the emotional tone that I intended to convey while improving the overall quality of the footage. 

 

Creation of My Production Company Logo

 While planning for my film opening Cadence, I designed a production company logo that can visually reflect themes of endurance, mental struggle, and determination that are essential to the narrative I'm conveying. I named my company Resolve Productions, due to the word "resolve" representing persistence and the power to continue despite the difficulty you can be experiencing. 

These ideas primarily connect with Leo's journey and development as a runner who's physcially exhausted but mentally driven.

This logo utilizes a modern and simple design to match with the seriousness and realistic tone of the film. The main word, Resolve, is written in bold, uppercase lettering, which gives off strength and discipline in a way. I decided to choose this font as it displays the mindset thats required for long distance running, where consistency and mental health are important. 

A key design feauture of the logo is the subtle break and upward line thats shown into the letter "V." This detail symbolizes both struggle and progress. Also, the color scheme which is intentionally black, white, and gray, create a cinematic sense while mixing with the darker emotional themes of Cadence. The absense of unique colors emphasizes realism and mental intensity rather than excitement. 

The word "PRODUCTIONS" is placed underneath the company name in a smaller, and light font with horizontal lines of each side. This adds balance to the composition and shapes a professional film industry vibe I'm trying to go with. I started to research some of the popular film company logos such as Pixar, Dreamworks Pictures, and Universal, which are all in black and white. 

Heres what inspired me:

Overall, the creation of Resolve Productions and the logo supports the theme and tone of Cadence. Through it's minimalist design, restrained color, basic font, the logo visually shares the themes of perseverance and ambition before the narrative begins.

My sketch process:

Sources:

40 famous film company logos. DesignCrowd. (n.d.). https://blog.designcrowd.com/article/1760/40-famous-film-company-logos

27 of the Best Production Company and movie studio logos ever. (n.d.-a). https://fabrikbrands.com/branding-matters/logofile/best-production-company-and-movie-studio-logos/