Final Presentation & Distribution

This being the last project of the semester, I am pleased.  I really enjoyed being able to be an author or not only text but video.  I think that the class is "a fresh glass of water" being that is something so different then anything I have done before.  I think that being so, some of my biggest weaknesses from the project surround my inexperience just with the editing software.  I feel like in the project, the audio, once again wasnt as great as t could be, but I did actually improve.  Another weakness I came across, also on the audio side, is that my music did not actually fade in and out as well as I wanted it to but I think it gave the right impression.  Nonetheless, I think that my biggest strength of my movie was the choosing of the right speakers.  I feel like the people that I interviewed played a big role in my movie and its appeal.  I think that though my movie was a lot of talking, it was informational talking that engaged its audience.  This engagement is both the same and different from text.  By having a video to watch, it is different to engage an audience because it is includes both visual and audio components unlike text.  Making a video as a whole, is fulfilling because it allows you to combine several types of elements into one project. 

I fell that through my video, I was able not only to portray my belief through video but also my purpose in making the video, which was to inform and create awareness.  I think that by my audience's response I can interpret that my video came across vividly.  I think that the audience clearly understood my purpose because it was clear in the video.  This makes me think that I will be and want to distribute this video to others.  The people that I feel will make the most use of this information are teenagers and college students who find themselves in the awkward period of learning about friendship.  Nevertheless, this video has worldwide appeal and may be able to help people of all ages.  

This I believe Rough Video

My video wont post on my blog. Its on youtube

Editing Final Project

I love to edit my raw material.  I feel like when I am shooting, most of the time, I do not have the time to actually take i everything that is happening at the moment.  When its time for me to go back and edit, I get the chance to experience the of watching not only the show through the video's "eyes" with the angles and sound but I also can see the whole story unfold in my mind.  This is the time when I think the video project actually sees so many stages in my process.  I take the time to change things and play with things.  I feel like this is an opportune time to decide which way you want your movie to be finalized, unlike when you are shooting, you can delete and change things where needed. I believe that actual editing of the movie can be just as important as what is captured when shooting the video.  Nonetheless, in the end, the two stages have to work together for a successful movie to occur.  Though sometimes editing tricks can save a movie, if there is not enough of the content gotten when the shooting is done, there are some instances when all is at a loss. 

Post-Production Stage Final

I got a lot of great footage of my mom while I was interviewing her for the "This I Believe" video.  My mom was a good subject because she had a lot of stories and experience, which is one of the main reasons I wanted to interview her on the subject.  I think that I also got some good footage of my family interacting on Thanksgiving and both friends and family at my god mother's bridal shower.  When I was going through my raw footage some of my shots were kind of shaky so that is why I decided to try to get some interactions between family and friends.  I also thought that by getting some of that footage I would be able to add some variation to the movie so that it wouldn't be just talking. My ideas for the video were continuing to evolve as I got more footage.  One of these ideas were to use the interaction footage I got along with the voice over from my original footage of my mom.  I utilized my new found knowledge of how to separate audio and video, which Lucas taught me, to fully achieve my final product. This being so, I believe that my final product was a success. I think that I achieved my goal of finally starting to be able to have a product that I am proud of that utilizes different aspects of iMovie and its features.  In addition, the subject, my mom, that I chose to analyze such a sincere and interesting social issue had very insightful stories and experience that people should hear.

Production Stage Final Movie

For my project, I would like to portray how people feel about friendship as it relates to family, and for most people how friendship can evolve to something bigger.  Today the social issue involving family is, when people say "blood is thicker than water" and consider friends their blood. 

For my storyboard of this video, I have a sketchy idea right now. I will start my project by interviewing 2-4(time permitting) about what they feel either friends or family are and then asking the relationship between the two.  I then will talk wit a peer of mine about a specific situation when friendship was almost as important as family.  I will then tie the two together with a brief comment by one of the previously interviewed people about the relationship of family and friends.  I then will talk with my mom about how her friendships, with her being older have evolved over the years and a specific episodes when she found friendship to be most important.  I haven't quite decided how I will then end my video yet, however. 

I began to interview people for my beginning and transitions.  I interviewed them in separate places so that they could not hear each other's answers.  I did this because I did not want any one's answers to influence the next.  However, I think that I will interview a few more people just to see if I can get some better footage and a variety of answers. Maybe for my final I can have one younger like college kid and one older person, just so that it can kind of foreshadow my movie. 

Nonetheless, I like the direction my movie is going in at the moment.  I think that it will be an interesting story when it is done.  However, it still has potential to go in a few different ways pending on the anecdotes I get from people and the responses they have to my questions. 

Pre-Production Stage Final

This topic is personal for me because my own beliefs, morals, and values led me to this topic. I believe that friendship is an essential key to life and being happy in life.  I feel like friendship is just one of those things that it is hard to live without.  

I am kind of nervous about my project since we did not see any student samples of this project, I am not sure if my topic relevant.  I do not know if my topic is going to be of interest and fulfill the requirements to get an A.

My project is going to be out how friendship is essential to life and can come about in many different people, venues, and time frames. I want to show this by mainly following my mom around during the Thanksgiving holiday.  My mom has always been a very popular person so whenever she goes somewhere she seems to know someone.  Nonetheless, she has select groups of friends that she is continuously with.

Goals

My goal for my project is to show how important friendship is and how it can evolve from beginning to end.  I intend to show how friendship is an important factor in everyday life and how it can be almost essential as water and food. 

Recording

Brainstorming For Video

Evolving of friendships

Living life full out

Friends to the end

I think that I may do my next video on friendship and how friendship evolves. BUT Im not quite sure yet how this may be possible since it is such a abstract idea. I think that maybe I could show some people that I know who have been friends for years. Now that I think about it, over break I could possible follow my mom around and see how the many friendships she has evolved over the years.  My mom has so many friends that I swear we can hardly go anywhere without someone saying Dawn is that you or someone yelling out Dawnie. This being so, she does have friends that she grew up with that she still spends time with and friends that she has known since grammar school.  My mom works a lot now so she doesnt see them as much but she keeps in touch using all our family minutes every month.  Usually over holiday breaks, we see and visit all her close friends or they come to my grandma's house to visit. 

This I Believe Edited

It was a regular Friday, well as regular as Friday the 13th's get, night my senior year of high school.  We had a big football game that night against our "rival" team.  Nonetheless, we were all friends so we all went out to Buffalo Wild Wings that night.  It was at least 30 of us and we were all just having fun, eating, and taking pictures.  It got to be around midnight and  knowing that my bestfriend, Seonnee, had a curfew I reminded her that it was probably time to find her friend and go home.  About 10 or 15 minutes later, we were done so we were walking to the car and we saw Seonnee arguing with her friend telling her to come on they had to go.  They left literally 5 minutes before us.  What happened next, I will never forget. 

I had just got home and Seonnee sister called me to ask me if I knew Briana's, Seonnee's friend, number.  This immediately seemed weird since her sister was away at school, but I just said no, but they should be home soon. They left right before me. Next thing I know, another friend was calling me saying that Seonnee had been in a real bad car accident. She had hit by a drunk driver only about 5 blocks from my house and thrown out the car.   They didn't know if she would be alright. She was being rushed to St. James hospital.  The next few minutes are still a blur to me. I had known Seonnee since I was 2 years old.  All I know is I ran up the steps to wake up and tell my mom.  She told me to put my clothes on so we could go because I wasn't driving and she would call Seonnee's mom.  First she took me to the accident spot and until this day I don't know why but I was crying at this point and couldn't form the words to ask. 

When we finally arrived at the hospital, everyone was there.  All of our friends were sitting by each other, her mom was sitting by herself, going crazy, and then the rest of her family. Briana's friends and family were also there.  The waiting room was packed but I chose not to sit by anybody.  I am not usually a person that cries, but I could not bear what was going on so I just had to be by myself.  People came by to check on me, including my and Seonnee's mom, but I never moved.  It felt as if time was moving so slow that night, but as people had to start going home around 4  and 5, I stayed. I couldn't go without seeing Seonnee. Though the time was moving slow, it had become 6 am without me noticing because I couldn't go to sleep. When she was able to see people before surgery, her mom said she wanted me and I went in.  It was so hard to see her in that much pain, she had broke her leg in 3 places, her hip and had infinite scratches and bruises. Nonetheless I was glad she was alright, well at least alive.  

That was night that I found that friendship is something should cherished and never taken advantage of, and never to get behind the wheel of a car under the influence. 

Beliefs

Family First

Blood is Thicker Than Water

Kids Grow up Fast

Both cats and dogs are bad

Home is where the heart is

Friendship is the Key to Life

Life is What you Make It

Money Makes the World Go round

Sleep is the Cousin to Death

Greed is the root of all evil

2.  Family First

This idea formed when I was about a sophmore in High School and my grandfather passed.  Though this made me maintain my belief much more, I always put my family first because thats what is in my heart to do. 

I firmly believe in this statement. There is no changing my thoughts on it. I try my best to make decisions everyday with the statement in mind. 

I maintain this belief because I believe it helps me to have my priorities in line. 

There is nothing that would make me change my belief.

 

Greed is the Root of all evil

This idea formed in my head just recently when a lot of my friends started become very greedy and bad situations kept presenting themselves to the friends.

I wouldnt say that I am firmly stuck on this belief, but at this moment in my life this is something I am finding to be true. 

I maintain this because I have seen the bad attitudes, the "2 faces", and even the revenge that occurs when people get too greedy. 

If I saw enough of greedy people in different circumstances such as giving some of their things back to less fortunate, which in turn would actually not make them greedy, or having a loving attitude then I guess I might change my point of view. 

Friendship is the Key to Life 

This idea formed when I was younger. I have always been that girl that pretty much everybody liked because Im the type of person who will not lie to you and I make sure people know that from beginning. Nonetheless, as I got older this belief got reiterated time and time again when my friends got hurt or passed. 

This belief came from my mom telling me to always be a good friend because it will come back to you.

I maintain this belief because not only my best friends tell me on a regular that I am a good friend. 

Once again, there is nothing that will make me change my belief!!!!

Questions

I think that are argument can be proposed by anything that proposes a point of view since another person can have a different point of view. 

1. The "leather" cover is neither embossed or leather

2. Not a point of view

3.Not a point of view

4. What makes it the best selling artist

5.  Why is it a warning

6.  How is it belated

7. What is nutrition?

8. What is science fiction?

9. How is it a shirt lapel

10. No point of view

2.  Being that I am in college and language is our basic  means of communication, I use language everyday to inform, convince, explore, make decisions, and to pray.  I think that language is our best tool in life for all these facets. 

4. USDA- nutritious food made from the ground

NIKE- Good shoes made for little money

GOLDEN ARCHES- an unhealthy food chain with clean bathrooms

SEAN JEAN- refinement and Making the Band 4 

Presentation and Distribution

The most important strengths of my project were the dancing transitions and the sound overlay. It is my belief that the sound overlaying the dancing helped to enhance my video. I think that the footage that I got of the team dancing assited my video in its visual appearance. It allowed it to be a break in the video from just seeing Aramie's face to actually seeing what he was actually talking about in his interview. These breaks that I have included, as transitions, are the team dancing. I thought, and after hearing my comments, the class thought that the dancing was a great way to transition from one scene to the next. The angles I got on the dancers and the way that I incorporated not only Aramie but the entire team was also a strength. However, the sound behind the dancing was choppy and distorted so I decided to overlay the interview over the dancing. I have never actually done a sound overlay so it was a big project for me but I knew from my class discussions that it would enhance my project so I took on the task.
As I said the sound overlay was one of my stregths but it was also one of my biggest weaknesses because the sound overlay of the dancing was lower then the sound on the actual video. When the transitions occur, it was not as smooth as it could have been or was intended to be. I actually just did not have the complete knowledge I needed to fix this problem. The audio was fading out a little to early, which made some of Aramie's last words indeciferable and the audience did not like this effect. However, I do feel like my video reachs its targeted audience and is a successful film.
At this point, I do not feel like my video is ready to be distributed to a much wider audience then the actual classroom. Nonetheless, I will provide a copy to Aramie and I would be ok with him showing it or distributing it to the rest of Hip-Notic.

HIP-NO VIDEO

Rough Draft

Reflections on Filming and Editing

Now that I have looked at all the film I gathered and began to edit, I think that I can see my project evolving better.  While editing the film, I found that I have a lot of footage that I didnt remember taking that I can use to show the personality of my interviewee.  I feel like editing allows you to keep want you want to keep while shooting you have to get what you can get.  In my process, I think that the two stages of shooting and editing interact and play off each other.  I feel that by shooting the dance team practicing, I got ideas as to what I wanted to ask him during the interview. 

Post-Production Stage

At this point in my production, I am actually very pleased with what I have to work with to make a final project. I feel as if I chose not only a good subject to record in an action setting, but also a subject that interviewed well. Though there were things that if I was able to take more footage I would probably get. For instance I got some footage of the team in a meeting but it was so dark, I could not use it to the best of its content. I do see a few different ways that I can take this project but I think there is one that jumps out at me as the best that I will take on. Nonetheless, at this stage, I think that my video has a lot of potential to grow and be excellent.
I feel like I have all the material I need since I recorded for 3 hours. I do not feel like their is a need to go back and re shoot any of new material. However, there is some material that I took of a meeting that was a little dark that I would re shoot if I had the the chance.

Production Stage

I chose to record Hip-Notic dance team.  It is often hard to record dancing, especially when there is a lot of people like an entire team. While I was in the field, I did not know what angle to get at first.  It was as if, as soon as I walked in they began to dance, so I didn't have much time to figure it out.  Therefore, my first angle was not as good as I wanted it to be but I did get the entire team which was a plus.  After this, I decided to get on the floor in front of the mirror that they danced in front of.  By doing this, though I had to hold the camera up, I was their audience so they were always facing me.  I felt as if this was a good angle, so I then decided to get Aramie alone.  A surprise that the team gave me was when they saw me filming it was as if they were doing their best and dancing hard!

Form and Content

As of now, the only footage that I have been able to collect is the dance group actually practicing and a couple of the people interacting. I think that in this stage of development and acquiring of footage, I haven't actually seen the project come together as I would like it to in the end.  However, as I have seen in previous projects, I think that my creative side of my brain is more of a spontaneous, spur of the moment idea of how I want the final project to be, which comes to me while I am getting footage.  From there I then just add on to my project and tweak it to my liking. Even so, this time with the different stages of production, I am planning my project out a little more then before. 

Project Pre-Production

As of now, I haven't actually decided on which of the two ideas I will actually pursue for my final project.  The content on my project hasn't actually been determined so I don't know exactly how to plan my project.  Nonetheless, I do know that I would like to not only interview my person but also get footage of them doing the thing I am interviewing them about.  I'm not quite sure how I will integrate the two but I want the video to be entertaining, not just talking. 

Author's Intention

I think that the author's intention in making that film was not only to inform while entertain, but to also shed light on a lot of New York's landmarks that aren't really being appreciated.  I think that when he made this film he probably saw how all the landmarks were in New York and how they made him feel on a day to day basis.  Im not sure if he already knew all that historical information but if not he did a lot of research and development for a film that seemed as if he filmed in just a couple of hours out of a regular day.  By making the film have this appeal, I think he grasped the audience on a heart to heart level and got them interested.  

10 Questions

1. Do you feel, after the recent events, do you think we are in a recession?

2. What is the makeup of a good economy?

3. Do you think the economy will continue to get worst?

4. How do you feel about the recessionary period?

5. Why do you think the economy is so bad?

6.  Who do you feel is to blame for the downfall of the financial system?

7. How do you think the economy will pull itself out of the recession(like events, financial companies being bought or sold, or presidential changes, etc.)?

8. When do you think the economy will become stable again?

9. How do you think this recession will affect our generation?

10. If we are in a recession, do you feel it affects everyone the same?

Hampe Advice

Get Good Footage

Have Footage that expresses the documentary

The Camera cant do all the work

Don't question people, let them tell their stories

Talking Points

Why has it got to the point where people don't read or cant make time to read?

What has caused documentaries to become so renowned and well respected?

Brainstorming

10 Things I Saw Today (Monday)

5. coach Purse

6. Vomit

7. Rave across the hall

8. Facebook Chat

9. Gas Scam

10. Homer Simpson House shoes

Conversations

I feel like there is a big difference in learning certain subjects through conversation and through just reading. When it comes to things such as street knowledge or smarts or a topic of experience, I think that it is way easier to learn by hearing it and interacting in conversation.  Conversation allows for people to ask questions, argue their points, acknowledge success and failures, and gives face to face advice.  Nonetheless, when you are trying to learn more technical things that you have no background knowledge or are very specific to you having all information correct, I think that it is better to use a book.  Things of this sort can easily be mixed up and told incorrectly so regular word of mouth or conversation may cause mistakes.  

Quick Write

I believe that documents tell you a lot about whatever they are creating documentation for.  However, I do believe that while documents can often be truthful and shed light on a situation, they can also be very deceiving.  The way the document is written, who is written by, and the envoirnment that it is written in often play a major role in how documentation will turn out.  I think that these things will sway a documentor and often cause documents to eithier seem subjective or objective. For instance, Tabloids often catch celebrities doing things that regular people do everyday.  However, since they are celebrities people make different inferences and treat the situation entirely different.  

Self Reflection & Assessment

After getting the audience response, I feel like for my first video project, I did a good job.  I know that I had a lot of comments and questions but I feel like my video was my video and that it expressed me.  Although, I took in both the critical and encouraging advice I got about my project.  I do feel like, after seeing some of the projects in class, that I can improve mine. With the comments that I got and some helpful advice on how to actually use the program, I can make a brilliant film.  I did get the kind of response from the audience that I thought I would after hearing the responses after the other films.  All though there were some things that people said that I don't think I could control.  For instance, it surprised me when someone told me to watch my shadow, which I think could b done but would be hard for the effect I wanted to use.  I made my whole film in like dark tones and being outside in the dark with a light, it is kind of tough to not see a shadow. Also, I when I watched my finished project, I didn't think that they actually made my film bad.  In all actuality, I thought they showed my creativity more so than usual and when I went home this weekend, I showed my whole family. Nonetheless, in the end, I think that my project came out well and that the audience's responses will definitely help me with my next film.  In addition, I think that I do well by starting to brainstorm while filming and then pinpointing what I want the film to be about, for my final project. 

10 Things I Saw This Weekend

Sunday

7. Aeropostale Hoody

8. Book Fair

9. Rapping Story Teller

10. Strawberry Shortcake

Saturday

4. Kids doing the Cha Cha Slide

5. Clouds With Fog covering Them

6.Police Officers

7. Hamada Restaurant

8. WNBA basketball

9. College Football Game on TV

10. 6 Cases of Water

Friday

2.Car accident

3. Balloons

4. Range Rover on 24s

5. Akira

6. My little sister

7.Spinning CDs

8.Coach Watch

The Process

When I was trying to decide what I wanted to do as a my motif project, I started off filming an array of things.  I filmed while we were outside playing catch, swimming, and in the house just talking.  Then I decided that I would do a film on shoes since I love shoes.  I was just in my room looking at my floor like, I sure do have a lot of my shoes down here.  At first, I wanted to show how people use shoes in their everyday life. Just by showing people wearing shoes doing certain things and having shoe interludes. I was also just going to show all my shoes, but I ended up having to many to see all at the same time.  In the end, I did end up doing something of the sort but I kind of flipped it.  I used more of the people wearing shoes an the shoe interludes in the same capacity. I also ended up having to separate my shoes into 3 different categories, Jordans, Air Force Ones, and then just everything else.   However, I did add titles and music, which I think enhanced just the showing of my shoes.  I would like to ask an audience, "Did my film capitvate you?", "Did you like the selection of music I chose?", and "Would you ever watch my video again?"

MOTIF

Reflections On Bordwell

The Bordwell article opened up my eyes to all the different views and interpretations people can have about film.  I think that the viewers of films often go into the films thinking that they know what the basic plot is and thereby trying to guess and reveal the underlying plot throughout the film.  In addition, I think that Bordwell's use of the Wizard of Oz example really helps to reiterate and illustrate his point.  I never thought of the way that he portrays The Wizard of Oz, its plot, and the form that it follows.  The pointing out of the form in this movie just made me think of how form is in everything we do.  

Inspiration Box

Do You

Reach for the Ocean

Shoot for the Moon Cuz even if You Dont make it you will land in the stars

Prom Queen

These are the days of our lives

What Goes Around comes Around

Change for the Better Not the Worst

Family 

Values

Money Changes People

Beliefs

Snakes

Trust No One 

Sweet Baby Rays




Clothes 

shoes

Married to the mob

C.E.O

Fun 

Party 

Boss 

Gossip Girls

Sex & The City

Videos

Vertov's Film & Manifesto

After watching Vertov's film, I believe that he stuck to his manifesto quite sincerely.  His film was not only a documentary but it did use subtitles or any other such mediums to portray the events with words.  He left the interpretation to the audience which I beliebe that is something that is not only apprectiated by the creative mind now but also the creative mind in his time.  I think the way that he shot his film with the subject switching from scene to scene but the overall themes staying the same allowed the video project to come together. In the film it was as if Vertov's filmed people in their natural states and habitats. He went from scene to scene exploring his own creative process while using the people around him to do so. He then, in some fashion, connects all these distant situations to create an entire story.  

Reflecting of 1st Project

1. As I look back at the noun verb project, I was very spontaneous when I took my videos.  I did not want to lock myself down to having rituals for like wen I recorded or where I recorded. That being so I just basically recorded things that I thought would be entertaining. I mean I took things that I see on an everyday basis and put them together to make the video.  However, I did go through several phases while I was putting the video together. I went through all my footage to find the little clips that I liked the most.  Then I just let the creative process go to work.  I added and deleted things over and over, back and forth, just to see how it would add to this video that could only be 30 seconds.  Nonetheless, I actually like my final project. I didn't actually know what it was initially going to be so it didn't actually ever the potential for disappointment. Yet, I am actually proud of my work, this being my first movie. 

Manifesto

My blog will openly express the thoughts and views I have about life and my surroundings.  I will work on my video projects in a creative setting so that they can express me. I would like the work that I do to be enjoyed by the people who see and watch it.  This being so, I would like to add as many extras such as music and transitions that will enhance my video and its viewing quality. 

10 Things I Saw Today

2. Sleeping With The enemy

3. Tears.

4. Can of lysol

5. Zyrtec

6. Soup

7. My new Bestfriend

8. Shocking Facebook Gossip

10. Broken Nail

10 Things I Saw Today

5. Two Practice Tests

6. Cold Medicine

7. Pillow

8. Concerned Friends

9. Soup

10. Bottle of Water

Fears...Noun Verb Project

The project

10 Things I Saw This Weekend

Sunday....











7. Expressway Flooded
8. Sams Club
9. Maggiano's Little Italy Restaurant
10. Movie "A Family That Prays"

Saturday.....










7. Two Boys having a Ping Pong Tournament
8. Retention Area Flooding
9. Heels with Zippers on them
10. Miles and Miles of Highway




Friday.....
1. Beauty Shop
2. C.I.R.C.E.

10 Things I Saw Today

8. Potbelly

9. Lip Gloss

10. People running in the rain