As stated by the title, this is the first filming blog for the new project, the music video. This blog should entail what an individual and their group filmed and the details that come with it. On the other hand, it wasn't necessarily required to film so if filming didn't occur the blog should be about that and why. In my last few blogs, I mentioned how my group and I planned on getting a headstart and shooting our T.L.C. inspired "What About Your Friends" music video. The video would be shot at various locations such as a local skatepark, the Popeyes' restaurant, and a junkyard. We planned to film the new project for the weekend because most of the availability we had on our personal schedules. The Aicemedia group and I would meet on Saturday, November 23,2019, and begin the filming process. Doing so from so early would give ample time to dump and begin editing the footage. Soon or later it would be ready to be reviewed and turned in to the class email for a final grade. The only thing that would be left to do is wait for a grade and the next project.
Although all of this was planned and expected to take place, this wasn't achieved. My group and I did not get to accomplish any of this, unfortunately. Life happens and everything doesn't go as planned no matter how much effort you put into planning it. I have been ill for weeks due to the flu. It's caused me to miss school, extracurricular activities, and my job due to breathing complications, tightening of the chest when I cough, nauseousness, and even headaches. The typical person would probably see a doctor from having the flu for more than two days, but when growing up in a Caribbean household, it's believed that almost anything can be fixed with a home remedy. Caribbean parents find it easier to make their own medicines rather than bring their children to the doctor. This is said because sometimes the doctors recommended overly price medicines that aren't affordable. However, in my case, it's probably wiser that I see someone professional to analyze the severity of whatever flu I ave caught. It is safe to say, however, I'd wouldn't like to know I am the reason someone at school or work is sick and in need of hospitalization.
Despite all of this I still try to stay on top of all my schoolwork and work outside of school. I wasn't present in class on November 22,2019, but I was still aware of any assignment the class had. I was also the individual to ask my group for the address of the location of where we would meet to begin our filming. In addition to that, I inquired about what time we would film. I was just eager to get filming out of the way so that editing could begin. However, all of my group didn't respond (hopefully because of serious matters). One member did and said she wasn't sure if she would be able to go tomorrow because her mom was being complicated with the whole thing. This is relatable because parents can be overprotective sometimes. With human trafficking and death at an all-time high in society, our parents are trying to be alert for us. So many young black girls (people in general) are going missing daily and it's somewhat horrifying. This only means my group has to reschedule on a day everyone would be available and present.
Monday, November 25, 2019
Monday, November 18, 2019
Storyboard Blog
To begin, this week's objective was to complete two blogs which were the Planning and Storyboard Blog. Both blogs were due by today, November 21, 2019, by 11:59 P.M. I prefer this method of submitting work rather than submitting a blog by the end of each class period. Submitting by the end of each class somewhat rushes us as individuals. This new method gives me time to thoroughly plan what I want to say and express in my blogs. I finished the Planning Blog within the same class, but I had to wait for the storyboard to be completed to begin the Storyboard Blog. Charli, the person in charge of formulating the scenes for the music video, was to create the storyboard with the assistance of Amina and I. With the storyboard completed and this blog, we plan on using all of this to guide our group when we film our music video this weekend. So before I go into details about the scenes that are going to occur in the T.L.C. inspired "What About Your Friends" music video, here is a copy of the storyboard.
At the beginning of the music video, the skatepark will be the establishing shot. A pan of it will be taken with non-diegetic sound and probably the video in slow motion. Next, there will be scenes that introduce the main artists. To start off the T.L.C. group and in the order of how they rap in the song, T-Boze is first. There will be a close-up shot of her with a fade. Following is Lisa Left Eye who will also have a close-up and fade after. Last, is Chilli who I will be playing in the film. The close-ups will make the audience feel as if they know us personally. There will be a wide shot to show back up dancers and the group singing and dancing. There will be a high angle to spice up the filming. There will be another wide shot after this with a low angle that will make viewers feel as if we are on top like being on top of the world.
When getting somewhat close to the ending of our music video, we will relocate from the skatepark to the Popeyes restaurant. Here we will take a handheld video in slow motion of us enjoying a meal from Popeyes. This scene will describe our personalities as genuine, food-loving, and always ready to have a good time almost anywhere. We want to embody this because the members of T.L.C. were similar to this. Next, there will be a scene of an art wall that will be handheld and shot at eye level. This take will also be done in a flash pan to make those watching the music video want to wish they could see all the details from the fast back and forth motion.
There will also be an E.S. of a junkyard to show that we're at a different location and also the theme of the music video which is edgy and carefree. Following this will be a T.S. of my group and I on cars singing and having fun all of which will be shot at eye level. The second to last scene will be God's view shot. This shot is expected to be above us and a great way to close the video out. Finally, E.C.U of Charli, Amina, and I. This is the ending of the storyboard and also the music video that will be followed up with credits to acknowledge the rightful owners.
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| The first page or first 30 seconds of the music video. |
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| The second page or the next 30 seconds of the music video. |
At the beginning of the music video, the skatepark will be the establishing shot. A pan of it will be taken with non-diegetic sound and probably the video in slow motion. Next, there will be scenes that introduce the main artists. To start off the T.L.C. group and in the order of how they rap in the song, T-Boze is first. There will be a close-up shot of her with a fade. Following is Lisa Left Eye who will also have a close-up and fade after. Last, is Chilli who I will be playing in the film. The close-ups will make the audience feel as if they know us personally. There will be a wide shot to show back up dancers and the group singing and dancing. There will be a high angle to spice up the filming. There will be another wide shot after this with a low angle that will make viewers feel as if we are on top like being on top of the world.
When getting somewhat close to the ending of our music video, we will relocate from the skatepark to the Popeyes restaurant. Here we will take a handheld video in slow motion of us enjoying a meal from Popeyes. This scene will describe our personalities as genuine, food-loving, and always ready to have a good time almost anywhere. We want to embody this because the members of T.L.C. were similar to this. Next, there will be a scene of an art wall that will be handheld and shot at eye level. This take will also be done in a flash pan to make those watching the music video want to wish they could see all the details from the fast back and forth motion.
There will also be an E.S. of a junkyard to show that we're at a different location and also the theme of the music video which is edgy and carefree. Following this will be a T.S. of my group and I on cars singing and having fun all of which will be shot at eye level. The second to last scene will be God's view shot. This shot is expected to be above us and a great way to close the video out. Finally, E.C.U of Charli, Amina, and I. This is the ending of the storyboard and also the music video that will be followed up with credits to acknowledge the rightful owners.
Planning Blog
Today's Aicemedia class objective is to begin a planning and storyboard blog for our new project, the music video. Today, which is November 18,2019, is different from other class days. Usually there's a blog due by the end of the class so there's no time to waste. However, the blogs are due by 11:59 Thursday, November 21,2019. Many students didn't begin, but I have nothing to do and would rather not wait until last minute. Also, the fact that I missed last class I can't waste my class time even if I wanted to. However, thanks to the group I was caught up with what they decided to do for the music video. The song chosen for the project is T.L.C. "What About Your Friends". The Planning Blog should consist of information on the location, health, safety, props, costumes, and the schedule for this project. This blog allows me as an individual to see and be aware of what needs to be accomplished before the music video's due date. Myself and those in the group I'm apart of can use this planning blog as a guide for what we need to achieve each day we use for this project.
To begin, the music video's shoot will take place at a skatepark in North Lauderdale and a nearby Popeyes. The exact name of the skatepark isn't known but it still gives some idea of where my group is heading. We chose the skatepark because it's creative and close to what T.L.C. did. The famous girl group shot their video in various locations such as a restaurant and what looks like an abandoned construction site. At the skatepark, backup dancers will dance behind us as we shine for the camera the same way Chilli, Left Eye, and T-Boz did in their music video. Shooting at Popeyes will give our video a sense of humor because we'll be eating fried chicken and sandwiches, items very well known in the modern day. For the health and safety part of this project, there isn't much of a problem. We'll be sure we are allowed to shoot our video in a public skatepark and ensure only safe activities take place. If there is an unfortunate incident, a first aid kit will be present. Popeyes isn't a health issue as it is a well known food chain that many people dine at daily. For our props, not all of them are finalized, but we may use a regular sized radio to embody the 90s music culture. We may have microphone stands if Amina, a member in the group, is able to get them.
In addition, for the costume category of this project, it's not too much of a difficult task. We will be dressing like T.L.C. who's outfits were eye-catching but simple at the same time. The girls wore T-shirts and jeans probably three times larger than they were. Along with this, they wore hats or du-rags and accessories such as glasses and jewelry. For my character, Chilli, she had straight hair shoulder length with a du-rag. Her clothing pieces consisted of colors like navy blue, teal, orange, and a few others. My goal is to try to achieve her whole look as close as I can. The last thing to discuss in this blog is the schedule for the project. Beginning from today, November 18th, it’s based on the planning and storyboard blog. Until the 21st, this is the assignment. On November 25th, filming the music video is expected to begin, but my group plans on filming on the weekend before this. On December 2,2019, filming is also allowed. On the 6th of December the finished music video is due and to be emailed to Mr. Katz, our Aicemedia teacher. This will conclude the schedule for the project.
To begin, the music video's shoot will take place at a skatepark in North Lauderdale and a nearby Popeyes. The exact name of the skatepark isn't known but it still gives some idea of where my group is heading. We chose the skatepark because it's creative and close to what T.L.C. did. The famous girl group shot their video in various locations such as a restaurant and what looks like an abandoned construction site. At the skatepark, backup dancers will dance behind us as we shine for the camera the same way Chilli, Left Eye, and T-Boz did in their music video. Shooting at Popeyes will give our video a sense of humor because we'll be eating fried chicken and sandwiches, items very well known in the modern day. For the health and safety part of this project, there isn't much of a problem. We'll be sure we are allowed to shoot our video in a public skatepark and ensure only safe activities take place. If there is an unfortunate incident, a first aid kit will be present. Popeyes isn't a health issue as it is a well known food chain that many people dine at daily. For our props, not all of them are finalized, but we may use a regular sized radio to embody the 90s music culture. We may have microphone stands if Amina, a member in the group, is able to get them.
In addition, for the costume category of this project, it's not too much of a difficult task. We will be dressing like T.L.C. who's outfits were eye-catching but simple at the same time. The girls wore T-shirts and jeans probably three times larger than they were. Along with this, they wore hats or du-rags and accessories such as glasses and jewelry. For my character, Chilli, she had straight hair shoulder length with a du-rag. Her clothing pieces consisted of colors like navy blue, teal, orange, and a few others. My goal is to try to achieve her whole look as close as I can. The last thing to discuss in this blog is the schedule for the project. Beginning from today, November 18th, it’s based on the planning and storyboard blog. Until the 21st, this is the assignment. On November 25th, filming the music video is expected to begin, but my group plans on filming on the weekend before this. On December 2,2019, filming is also allowed. On the 6th of December the finished music video is due and to be emailed to Mr. Katz, our Aicemedia teacher. This will conclude the schedule for the project.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Research & Genre Convention Blog
Today, which is Thursday November 14, 2019, I was expecting to spend the whole day at school. This meant that I would be able to attend class and find out the plan for the new project in Aicemedia. However, due to the fact that my immune system has been struggling greatly I wasn’t able to be present. The flu has been going around and it made sure I didn’t get a pass. Due to the heavy rain in South Florida and people in my environment constantly coughing and sneezing in the atmosphere, I caught the same thing. I had to travel to FLHS’ nurse because I was having a difficult time breathing. My nose was clogged to the point where I now had to use my mouth to inhale and exhale which isn’t that effective. The nurse then said that my blood saturation was lower than the average which meant my breathing was abnormal. She suggested I contact my mother to pick me up immediately because if the breathing saturation got even lower the school would be forced to contact paramedics.
Thanks to friends who had this class in previous periods I was able to find out the designated assignment. After finishing and submitting our FLHS Fright Night Commercial on Tuesday, my group and I immediately began brainstorming ideas for this new project. At first we were going for something in the comedy category. A music video that would make its viewers laugh uncontrollably. However, for some reason we became stuck on the idea of doing an old school R&B song. If no one knows this, I absolutely love old school R&B. I started thinking of artists like Bobby Brown, New Edition, TLC, Whitney Houston, Boyz 2 Men, Kelly Price, Aaliyah, and much more. I listen to Bobby Brown and the New Edition group religiously so I immediately began suggesting songs like “Cool it Now” by New Edition, “Every Little Step” by Bobby Brown, or “Scrubs” by TLC. These songs are vibrant and fit the group’s personality because we enjoy having fun and feeling upbeat. These music videos make the audience want to be in the artists position. If you can’t sing or dance, you definitely wanted to learn how because of these videos. They make you want to either sing your heart out to someone you love or express that you can handle this world all on your own. These artists are often seen as just famous people portraying a role they took on when they got into the music industry, but they really are trying to get the audience to understand them and the message they’re trying to put across.
Now because my group has a hard time communicating things at times, I’m not sure what song they chose without me being present. This means I have to select a song I’d use for the music video. That song would be “Cool it Now” by one of my favorite groups, New Edition. This group consisting of originally 5 males tell a story in the song. Associated in the Contemporary R&B genre, the song is very relatable to teens. The young boys in the song are having mix feelings about loving a girl and all the issues that come with it. 4 out of the 5 boys try to warn their friend not to move so quickly with this girl the 5th boy seems to be in love with. They believe he’s going to lose control and fall in love. The boy, however, believes his pals are hating and doesn’t care for their opinion on someone he truly likes. In the music video, the singers and other actors are found wearing bright colors in a style that young people in this generation would see as hideous. The costumes don’t match as the boys are wearing different pieces of clothing throughout. They obviously like to stand out and are doing a great job at it. The video’s lighting comes from our basic source of energy, the sun, because the boys are outside playing basketball. Although they are somewhat acting to give the music video some structure, this is also how they would behave if it wasn’t a music video. So while they are roughly playing basketball as typical boys would, the female lead is acting in a way that makes her extremely cute and attractive to one of the boys in the New Edition group. The boys trying to convince their friend that he’s making a bad decision are doing a great job at acting because they are very convincing. It’s difficult to tell if they have on make up because there isn’t any extreme close ups in the video. Props used in this video are very little compared to how artists in the modern day use to make their videos more appealing. In “Cool It Now” the only present prop is a basketball that the boys used to play with. The setting of the music video is a basketball court surrounded by a park area for teens to hangout. The video’s camera angles vary from low angles to high or two people shots to show the in love boy and girl. These different camera angles and shots make the eyes continue to move and makes the audience want more action. The editing is pretty simple as people in the 80-90s probably didn’t care much for cool art tricks and effects like kids do now.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Final Blog For Commercial
Today on November 6, 2019, I decided to begin my blog for the editing process. Last class which was November 5, 2019, the Aicemedia class was given the task of beginning to edit the commercial to get the finished product. However, I wasn’t present in class so I couldn’t help edit although I had a role in editing. Due to health issues for a few days I felt too ill to attend school. I was suffering from a stomach virus most likely caught from other family members who’s health was attacked previously by the virus. The virus caused me to have symptoms of vomiting too often, headaches, and another which I wish not to mention. This led to me having to go hospital and get checked. In the end, I had a stomach virus and I was extremely dehydrated. While at the hospital, being the typical teen,
I decided to use my phone to find something interesting to watch before I remembered school was taking place. I then texted a classmate about the assignment given by our Aicemedia teacher, Mr. Katz. I was told to write on why I wasn’t able to be present in class as a part of the blog.
Today, on November 7, 2019, editing the commercial was continued. We been by logging onto a computer. The computers at school, however, function very slow so everything takes a while to load. This somewhat affects the process because today is Professional Study Day. This means that class is shorter giving us less time to finish editing the commercial. While editing, we decided to arrange the clips in order and remove unnecessary takes or scenes shot during filming. With the commercial not being due until the 11th of November, we decided to not rush the process of finishing the commercial and just simply take in the experience we are getting from creating our own short film. During this short class we just did as much as we could before we have to switch to our next period.
Today was honestly not as progressive as ours may have been. Less was accomplished than usual but I am in a group filled with ambitious students who will get the work done no matter what. Our commercial isn’t completely edited but it is getting there. I didn’t do much today in regards to the editing process except give input where needed and complete my blog. With the completion of the commercial at the forefront of my mind, a critical reflection on the process also has to be properly done. This reflection is going to be based on the beginning of formulating a commercial to the finished product itself. The thought of almost being finished causes me to be very anxious but also excited. Seeing what my group and I have creatively put together is a sight to behold. Saying this with confidence, I know the Cambridge graders and my Aicemedia teacher won’t be disappointed.
I decided to use my phone to find something interesting to watch before I remembered school was taking place. I then texted a classmate about the assignment given by our Aicemedia teacher, Mr. Katz. I was told to write on why I wasn’t able to be present in class as a part of the blog.
Today, on November 7, 2019, editing the commercial was continued. We been by logging onto a computer. The computers at school, however, function very slow so everything takes a while to load. This somewhat affects the process because today is Professional Study Day. This means that class is shorter giving us less time to finish editing the commercial. While editing, we decided to arrange the clips in order and remove unnecessary takes or scenes shot during filming. With the commercial not being due until the 11th of November, we decided to not rush the process of finishing the commercial and just simply take in the experience we are getting from creating our own short film. During this short class we just did as much as we could before we have to switch to our next period.
Today was honestly not as progressive as ours may have been. Less was accomplished than usual but I am in a group filled with ambitious students who will get the work done no matter what. Our commercial isn’t completely edited but it is getting there. I didn’t do much today in regards to the editing process except give input where needed and complete my blog. With the completion of the commercial at the forefront of my mind, a critical reflection on the process also has to be properly done. This reflection is going to be based on the beginning of formulating a commercial to the finished product itself. The thought of almost being finished causes me to be very anxious but also excited. Seeing what my group and I have creatively put together is a sight to behold. Saying this with confidence, I know the Cambridge graders and my Aicemedia teacher won’t be disappointed.
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