Group meeting #2 (in replacement for CCR #4 post)

 The final group meeting before the project is due, tension is at the max, no filming has been done yet.

Boy am I in a pickle. 

Luckily I had one of the best groups for this meeting. They gave me so much advice that will help me improve upon my creation process. My partners gave the advice that I should add low-key lighting.

I have been behind in my film opening so they have given me tips for when they have had issues with filming and overall props. 

I can't mess up now with all the knowledge my comrades have bestowed upon me. 

Its about time I locked in.

For the first piece of advice they suggested that I recorded the monster breakout scenes from the monster POV so it is easier to film and breaking an entire glass case won't be necessary. Instead of a black screen with glass cracking, it will look like the camera is banging on the chamber. 

This will provide future use as we don't have to scale up the monster's size with editing nor would we have to sculp a final product of the monster since; again, it is in the monster's POV. So only two sculpts of the monsters will be necessary, one for the monster slowly taking form, and the other one with legs, fin and a tail. Emphasizing the life merging and becoming one. 

Another bit of advice was to film the project at around 6:30 and start preparing at 5:30 PM. This will give a realistic effect to the film shoot as the eerie night slowly creeps in, setting the tone of the film.

I also had a bit of issues with costuming as the lab coats I was able to obtain had these giant logos on them, which was completely different from the company name we had in mind. It was suggested that I create my own logo (make sure the size fully covers the logo) and print it. Too not ruin the fabric I decided to use safety pins and attach the logo from the back. Making the coat now look like an original. 

The final change made to the film is that the film shooting within the forest will not be necessary as a backyard will suffice fine, as the house we are filming in is used as the lab, another point was made that it wouldn't make sense for a lab to be in a forest, it just doesn't work. So the lab remains the same, House, and the scene where the monster breaks out is the monster breaking out of the glass and running out into the backyard. 

My partners projects:

Kailensblog: https://astudentsdayblog.blogspot.com/2025/03/start-of-my-ccr-research.html

This project is a film centered around a teenage girl, who is ignoring her phone notifications instead of replying with urgency, seeming bothered by the notifications rather than caring. Like any other teenager would if they were getting that many notifications. Going about the idea of teens who are attached to their phones. It represents online mistaken identities, how digital images often mislead us. 

The Best Blog Ever: https://thebestblogever06.blogspot.com/

Horror/Slasher film, typical genre conventions are at play with this film. Woods/forest setting and teenage victims. the story gradually shifts from slasher to a psychological thriller. The real threat isn't just the villain but also the protagonist's perception of reality.

itsanabella3009: https://itsanabella3009.blogspot.com/

achakaicemedia: https://achakaicemedia.blogspot.com/

Takes inspiration from the video game Hello neighbor, the film is about a kid who plays games a lot and is mysteriously cursed by his console, bringing the villains from the games into his life, haunting him. Seems to be a horror film.

lmvasqueZ: https://lmvasquezjr.blogspot.com/

Horror/Psychological thriller film. 

Horror aspect: focuses on explicit, graphic and supernatural elements. Darker lighting, fast paced shots and costume designs with blood on them.

Psychological thriller aspect: using techniques like trauma, paranoia, confusion, uncertainty, and more subtle displays or elements of horror. The traumatic experiences of watching his wife's death occur in front of him to pledge him into deeper thoughts, mentally damaging him, causing him to inevitably be caught by the zombie.

Thats all, overall this group meeting helped all of us improve our films and we had a good time talking about our films.

Stay Tuned!!

Post Production Process-Editing (#2)

 Post Production Process- Editing.

Rough cut: Start by building a rough cut from the most effective footage segments among the vast amount of recorded material. 

During the editing stage, we combined rough cuts to establish proper scene transition while sustaining continuous suspense. A one sentence introduction begins with extended footage of lab spaces while the editing speed escalates with the breach development. Through the angle choices the film builds tension, standing close to frightened scientists in tight shots matches with distant wide shots of the massive containment tank which creates an understanding of the problematic size. Right when Titan frees itself the editing comes into play with disorganized quick edits that reproduce the disorienting panic throughout the room.

Sound is also an important part of the editing aspect.

There will be lots of rumbling sounds to create a visual on how large this monster is.

Some echoing sounds for effect.

Where am I gonna get these roaring sounds you ask?

I have a sound board and I can download a bunch of roaring sounds from games and such, mash them together, to create one new sound.

Thats all for now!

Stay tuned!

Post Production Process- Editing (#1)

 Post Production Process- Editing (#1)

For our first half of the editing process in the post production process is to put the clips together (obviously) and begin putting the film opening together.

So first it starts with a tilt upwards, going from the end of the lab coat to the eyes as Dr. Nathaniel typing on his laptop, eyeing the experimental through a reflection in his glasses.

You are suddenly hit with a close up shot of intense typing on a keyboard. Alarm sounds in the background, red probing lights flickering. Ensuing mayhem. 

For the monster we will use a monster mini figure, and at first it may not make sense to use a "mini" figure for a monster that is supposed to be golaith sized. So to fix this issue we are going to edit the frames where the monster shows up in and enlarge the specific area the monster is in, increasing the monsters size from the audience perspective. 

Analyze: Editing this half of the film opening may prove to be the hardest within the entire post-production process. Due to the time remaining, and what is to be done within the post production, it may feel as if we may not be able to put our all into the actual editing process and just want it to be over with, attempting to finish the project rather than put our all into the project.

Research: I actually did quite a bit of research for editing because this isn't my best aspect in the editing sphere. I looked a lot of film openings (especially the given examples from my teacher) which I took inspiration from to further enhance my take on the film opening. I saw how they were edited and the types of shots taken so this really amplified how I was going to originally do my editing and filming.

Production Post #4

 Filming

Tomorrow my partner and I are heading out to the first film site, which being a dark forest to capture the eerie pressure as described on previous blogs. It may appear as if we are starting late to filming but we are both confident that we can succeed filming in just 1 week. 

What are we filming first?

We are going to film the breakout first as it is the most important part of our film opening. I am not free through the 10th-15th so we are going to also shoot some shots at our homes, just the little laboratory scenes.

On to the topic of the breakout scene, how will that work?

We will be getting this type of bendable thin plastic, to create a dome. We will fill this dome with Mountain Dew to make it look like an experimental tube. We are also going to put in a small monster mini figure inside the tube. We will film the tube slowly falling apart, as the fluid starts pouring out and screams are heard in the background.

Although it would be better to film in order, this is the hardest bit of our production and we need to nail it quick. 

What are we using to record?

We will just be using our phones, as cameras are not necessary for this project.

Analyze: Due to the lack of time we have since we started filming so late, we may have to cram a lot more footage into one day. Which may overwork us but luckily it is on a Friday so we do get to relax on Saturday.

Research: Looked up some places that may be of use to our film location, Markham park has a nice eerie forest if you go later during the day. The trails serve as good places to film running scenes (minimal because they are repetitive.) There was other places to be considered however they were not accessible to students or filming was not permitted.

Thats all!

Stay tuned!!!!!!

Script for CCR post

 Script for CCR post 

SCENE 1 – FILM CONVENTIONS 

 By a single spotlight's illumination the analyst sits in a chair openly within the DARK STUDIO. 

CRITIC (leaning forward, adjusting glasses): Let’s talk about Titan. Titan presents itself as a science-fiction horror film that explores genetic experiments alongside a loose monster alongside total chaos. The movie skillfully employs and disrupts typical genre standards in addition to the bloody action. A collection of famous monsters appears throughout this scene in archival footage that follows. 

In Jurassic Park the raptors put their strength against the fences constructed by humans, Godzilla towering over Tokyo. 

(Images wont load for some reason???)

CRITIC (Voice over) The approach of Titan to create suspense follows a similar pattern by concealing its creatures at first while confining them in an isolated facility through slow developing horror. Its novelty emerges from this point on. The next screen shows storyboard illustrations depicting Titan.

A transparent glass tank contains the monster while water droplets run down its surface. The view from below shows Titan while its enormous shadow drifts throughout the research facility. 

CRITIC (Voice over) The majority of the creature features restrict their horror element by establishing boundaries through laboratories and spaceships and islands. But Titan? The plot enters actual reality to destroy the wall that separates scientific discoveries from human communities.

[FADE TO BLACK]

The narrative of Titan presents moral dilemmas because researchers demonstrate diverse perspectives about the project's nature. Inside this film opening we discover a confrontation between mankind and the results generated from their scientific inventions. It isn't like other mad scientist movies, Titan gives moral conflict with researchers questioning their work. This film isn't just man vs monster, it's man vs their own creation.

(This is all I have as of now because we haven't even finished filming.)

Bringing Titan to Life (Production post #3)

 Bringing Titan to Life

The very beginning of Titan positions itself as a vital dramatic element inside the movie. This sequence sets the film’s character through its mood then uses pacing to establish tension before the creature makes its dreadful escape. A flawless film opening delivers narrative content through proper pacing along with cinematography and appropriate illumination. Following are the steps of our approach to create the Film Opening.

Developing the opening sequence.

The Titan opening achieves two main effects: 

first it builds anxiety gradually before it bursts into complete disorder. 

Scientist investigate a bio-engineered creature which violations every scientific law through the high-tech facilities of the research facility. 

The escalating tension reaches its explosive peak as the creature breaches its containment during the time alarms sound and containment systems fail. 

Our purpose was to instill anxious sensations into the viewers before characters become aware of the situation through subtle visual cues. 

The project required our attention to three core elements which included cinematography together with lighting and sound design.

Cinematography.

The camera techniques strongly manage how the audience feels during the film. During the opening we use structured precise shots combined with random handheld movements to establish an opposition between structured elements and disordered aspects.

Lighting: Creating Mood and Tension.

Cartwright implements lighting as an essential factor that determines the emotional tone of the Titan opening playground. Inside the laboratory where everything is sterilized and under controlled light exposure stands distinct from the dark confusing elements that surface when accidents occur.

Lighting design choices:

During the initial stage when the lab has cold fluorescent lighting it creates an unwelcoming clinical atmosphere through its blue-white illuminations.

Emergency Red Strobes (Midway) activate when the facility implements lockdown procedures by using this intense flashing warning system which creates strong shadows for intense disorientation.

The lights start to flash intermittently which allows viewers brief moments to witness the monster before complete darkness envelops the scene.

During the last scenes the monster appears partially outlined with rim lighting which shows its shape indirectly while preserving mystery about its true appearance.

Sound Design.

Fear achieves equal prominence with sound design as it does with visual design during production. Each creaking breath as well as every distant roar heightens the tension throughout the scene.

Sound elements incorporated within the opening scene:

Low-frequency ambience: A continuous deep humming noise reveals itself throughout the scene while gradually intensifying.

Distant monster breathing: Right before the first sighting of the creature listeners hear muffled breathing noises which suggest something is present nearby.

Glass creaking and cracking: The beginning sign of danger manifests as sound effects reveal that the containment tank develops tiny fractures.

Alarms/sirens: Sudden bursts of high-pitched alarms adds to the tension.

Monster's first roar: A deep rumbling sound disturbs the walls as the escape moment ends that marks the start of terror.

The_skills of sound directed toward foreshadowing the monster allow our audiences to enact their own fears through imagination before the monster appears in full.

Conclusion: Setting the tone of Titan.

At the beginning of Titan, we the filmmakers deliver a suspenseful introduction to their monstrous threat by perfectly combining camera techniques with proper lighting effects and strategic sound design and motion pacing. The intended result of this start is to capture viewers immediately because we defer showing the creature during its full scale while carefully raising tension through lighting effects and hidden warnings about what's coming.

Our development of Titan continues forward and we look forward to showing you the final version through a big screen presentation.

Stay Tuned!

Building a film's identity. (Production Post #2)

 Building a film's identity.

The movie's visual language takes shape when filmmakers use cinematography with defined colors and lighting techniques together with camera movement before actual filmmaking begins. The director along with the cinematographer and production designer and costume designer unify their creative efforts to establish a unified design framework.

Defining the Cinematic Palette.

A movie's color selection foundation plays vital part in establishing its emotional atmosphere. Color scripts and mood boards serve during pre-production to build a consistent visual quality. 

For example: Golden tones used in Dune convey both majesty and coziness to the scenes.

Mystery together with tension arises from cool desaturated color choices such as in The Batman. 

Neon colors presented with high contrast create an otherworldly and futuristic appearance (John Wick).

Choosing the right camera and lenses.

Camera along with lens type options directly influence audience perception during a film viewing. Film makers can use wide-angle lenses to stretch spaces in their shots yet telephoto lenses give their images a flat depth with a feeling of watching from a distance. 

 EX: The movie production of Titan requires filming techniques which combine:

Slow zooms for suspense Handheld shaky cam for chaos Extreme close-ups for intensity. 

These three elements within the film would build up its growing tension through multiple points throughout the story.

Lighting as a storytelling tool.

The source of illumination serves purposes beyond safety which include the creation of emotional and mood-based atmospheres. Through proper lighting design planning a regular scene can become dramatically more appealing to the eye. 

Key techniques include: 

Heavy shadows that appear in low-key lighting produce tension in films (The Godfather, Alien).

A bright and soft lighting setup creates an open and attractive visual atmosphere in movies (La La Land).

The combination of silhouettes with backlighting techniques creates both mysterious effects and dimensional scale (just like the Tyrannosaurus Rex scene in Jurassic Park).

Finally, Bringing it to life in production.

Running the project plan becomes the task for the team after setting the blueprint in the visual domain. The director of photography maintains absolute alignment between the creative vision's lighting requirements and frames along with movement of the entire production.

The realism of movies increases through practical visual elements such as rain and fog and fires because these effects bring more authenticity to film scenes. 

The director controls energy levels by using static cameras for dread creation and moving cameras for creating urgent scenes. 

During action sequences filmmakers must use handheld camera techniques for feeling involvement and establish composed supported camera work for maintaining visual understanding to maintain audience focus on the action. 

A perfect marriage of realistic textures, managed destructive elements and environmental illumination would lead Titan toward excellence in the creature-feature horror division. Making a film feel unforgettable through defining its cinematic style extends beyond visual appeal to encompass collaborational result.