Cambridge Portfolio Project - 3 Credit sequence analyzations

 Ever known how bad restricted school wi-fi is for the research behind these blog posts? I cant really look at the resources I need to be looking at until I get home.

Similar to my last blog, this time I'm going to be looking at the credit sequences of the same exact films.

Mad Max ( 1979 ) 

Whilst the credits to Mad Max use the standard 

Black screen with bold white letters and a score

the one special thing that is done during the opening credits is the syncing of the appearing names with the music. While I don't think I will use this technique ( Since the specific type used was relative to older movies [since its and old movie]) it does have me thinking of creative ways to have credits appear.

I could try syncing the credits with SOMETHING ( I don't know what exactly, though.) But (since its an older movie) there was not much to learn off of.

Fahrenheit 451 ( 2018 )

Im not gonna lie, I should've selected my movies more carefully, it was hard to watch this, I had to spend money.

anyways for the credits in this film, they just kind of place names in "asthetically pleasing" areas whilst showing close ups and sequences of books burning, which I guess is related to the film but nothing really special.

I guess the thing I could learn from this is that I should place my credit names in my film in "asthetically pleasing" areas, though again, nothing real special to learn from this.

Very interesting picture I found from the 1996

film, special effects were certainly something

(they were most likely actually good for 1996.)

 

Cambridge Portfolio Project- Genre research

 Hello :3 ! 

For the Cambridge Portfolio Project, I desperately need to do some research on possible genres for the 2 minute film opening, so here is a rundown of my research !

I will research 2 genres today !

Starting off with the genre of Dystopia !

I've liked Dystopian literature for a while and coincidentally have been learning more about it in my English class,(subsequently led me to reading "The Electric State" [Simon Stalenhag] and "Ready Player One" [Earnest Cline]) so here's my research on the genre

What exactly is dystopian genre?

Ready player one ( Steven
Spielberg)

Dystopian literature and film follows the decline of a society that is usually caused by some common topics including: Oppression, Control, and  Disaster. (Though these are common themes, many bits of literature prefer to scope out their own topic, and simply include one of the main topics as a basis.) The whole point of the genre is to take a question regarding a current society and asking the question "What if (random aspect) was perfected? What effect would it have on the other aspects of this society?" Etcetera etcetera. This genre usually serves as a warning, or serves as an attention grabber.

The only real downside to following through with a Dystopian film opening would probably be the difficulty in the creative process, however its probably not a huge problem, so chances are I will follow through.

Another genre I've been looking into recently is Coming of age !

If I'm being completely honest, I never knew what coming of age meant before I started taking this class, but coming of age is a vastly reappearing genre throughout many, many films and stories. Whilst present in most movies, usually it isn't the full focus ( a side genre of the film, probably ) , which seems interesting because building a character development adds a lot to a story. 

What is the Coming of age genre?

High School Musical
(Kenny Ortega)

Coming of age is a very common genre throughout various films, books, and general bits of media. It follows a simple process of the growth of an individual ( usually the main character, but sometimes its a side focus on a side character. ). Coming of age is usually the main focus ( or one of the main focuses ) of youth themed films, like High School Musical. ( I wish I didn't have to include this because I majorly dislike musicals, but its one of the most known so... ) Coming of age is also known to have various emotional aspects to it.

If I were to incorporate this genre into my film opening, I think it would most likely be a side topic used to build some character, whilst still keeping another genre in the spotlight.

Sources:
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utopian_and_dystopian_fiction
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coming-of-age_story

NOTE: I didnt realize till after but I feel like I need to clarify it better, Ready Player 1 ( Steven Spielberg ) is NOT ONLY a dystopian film. Yes, it is one of its main genres, but it also follows many other genres ( such as science fiction taking up more of the film and book )

Transitioning to cambridge portfolio project...

 Hello ! I wanted to let yall know that I will be transitioning my posts to only relate to the cambridge portfolio project, so far all the other 9 or so posts have been on topics related to the portfolio project, but have been more research and informing yall about the research.

Very basic rundown of the project, 2 minute film opening that has to be original

I need to be ontop of this project as it is very important, so I plan to get things done possibly early (not including these posts unfortunately) so that I can have time to revise my work.

in terms of structuring, depending on my genre, I want to have a buildup of whatever main character's personality is, or whatever the antagonist / obstacle is. These options really allow for creativity to shine as theres many different ways to build up a topic, whether it be with camera movements, dialogue or the environment, it would also make the creative process be a bit easier on me, and more customizeable.

Goodbye !

Music marketing #2

 

Genre research blog activity

 made this while i was sick, mightve done it wrong

Genre: Adventure

Genre Conventions – Content
The Adventure genre involves exploration, quests, and journeys to exotic or remote locations. It mostly deals with physical challenges, the bravery of a protagonist, and a goal, mostly combined with self-discovery or heroic deeds. The typical conflicts in this genre would be man versus nature, hostile groups, or impossible odds.

Genre Conventions – Production Techniques:
The typical adventure film uses fast-paced editing, expansive shots of the landscape, and immersive sound effects to give the sense of the enormity of the journey. A lot of the production usually involves practical effects, on-location shooting, and big set designs in order to really keep the audience in place with the sense of the story. Cinematography showcases vast, natural landscapes, creating an epic sense of discovery.

Institutional Conventions – Marketing:

Adventure films are usually promoted by focusing on stunning vistas, nail-biting situations, and the hero's quest. Trailers focus on action and settings of an exotic nature, aided by slogans that distill the adventure of the film, such as "Discover a world beyond imagination". Posters often use wide landscapes with small central characters to convey a journey against insurmountable odds.

Typical Target Audience:

In general, adventure films also appeal to a mass audience, typically teenagers and adults who enjoy action and adventure. Although family-friendly adventure film tends to attract young viewers through its components of humor or fantasy elements.

Film Exemplar #1: Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Analysis: Raiders of the Lost Ark is the exemplar of the Adventure genre, with a high-paced journey, exotic locations, and a central quest for an ancient artifact. Indiana Jones, the heroic archaeologist, has to overcome physical challenges, deadly traps, and enemies within the genre's emphasis on courage and wit. With its practical stunts, shooting on location, and rapid editing that engages the audience, the action is even more sensational and thrilling.
Film Sample #2: Jurassic Park (1993)
Analysis: Jurassic Park combines elements of adventure with science fiction by placing the story on a remote island populated with dinosaurs. The main character and his companions experience both natural and artificial dangers, such as dinosaur attacks and greedy industrialists, respectively, which increases the potential sense of risk and awe. The movie employs animatronics and visual effects to achieve realistic dinosaurs, while the sweeping shots and sound effects increase the sense of scale and danger on the island.
Additional Film Examples:

The Mummy (1999) Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) King Kong (2005) Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) The Revenant (2015) Life of Pi (2012) Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Representation research post - Steven universe

Steven Universe is an amazing show created by Rebecca Sugar that simply disrupts the traditional means of storytelling with its vast atmosphere and fusion of characters and themes. The show really explores stuff like identity, love, and belonging in such really great ways, represented so well through the characters Steven Universe and Garnet. Both characters were tools to talk about the discourses of race, gender, and sexuality; Steven Universe was a really interesting example of how we do this today.

So, Steven Universe is the main character, this uniqur combination of human and Gem heritage. He just outright shatters those stereotypes of what guys should be like, being tender and caring as opposed to whatever stereotypes people call "feminine." This is a pretty subversive feeling, really reminiscent of dismantling gender stereotypes and forcing everyone to question what makes someone strong. Steven's emotional smarts play an enormous part in the storyline, offering new views on stereotypical male roles in media.

Garnet, being the fusion of Ruby and Sapphire, represents completely love and being oneself. She really exists outside the realm of stereotypes about relationships and womanliness through her strong, complex character. Also, this whole fusion business presents her as a beauty in the symbolism of love between two females, which is a cool, positive way to portray LGBTQ+ relations in kids' media. Rather, it's about normalizing queer love, messing with traditional notions of sexuality, and giving younger viewers a view of this stuff simply existing, and also giving them some knowledge that LGTBQ+ relationships aren’t something to look down on. For a more detailed explanation (and some evidence) of one of the points listed check out... https://www.teenink.com/opinion/social_issues_civics/article/964141/Garnet-A-Great-Representation-of-a-Gay-Relationship/ and https://www.oxfordstudent.com/2019/01/11/steven-universe-a-model-of-queer-representation/ (the second source isnt so specific on the character, however it does have a section on Garnet.)

 Community, inclusivity and the representation of race and ethnicity is another very important part of the Steven Universe storyline.The diversity in casting brings to light a number of backgrounds and experiences through which we can root around for some historical and social contexts shaping these identities. Characters like Garnet and Pearl really push the story along for the community, bringing focus to themes of inclusivity and acceptance. This show does not aim at making characters exotic but celebrates their differences while pushing across this great message of unity. This is sort of a reversal of what usually happens-they make the marginalized identity an outsider-and instead puts them into the main storyline.

In conclusion, Steven Universe really revolutionizes the way representation is done in today's media. Characters like Steven and Garnet give us deep looks at gender, race, and sexuality all mixed into one in fresh perspectives. The show completely shifts away from the usual cultural norms and promotes inclusivity, reminding us of the importance of real representation. For that reason, it's showing a path that future animated series should go by with more diversity and empathy.

Sound film project experience!

 So basically, Sound has a lot of different uses, it conveys emotion, builds suspense, Ect. but you got to know how to use it.

For this project, I was partnered up with another person, we had to make a Brainstorming sheet, where we listed all the scenes and sounds we would need. Then we would need to collect sound effect online, BUT, 4 of the sound effects we would use we had to make ourselves using the Foley method.

Basically, we had to submit 3 files
- Edited project
- How we did the Foley stuff video
- And like 4 images of our progress in the editing program

Here's how it went for me.

In brainstorming, I did most of the work, though my partner did come up with the original idea of an eerie horror setting and plot. I basically made the entire thing though.

I then grabbed all of the sound effects except for 2 that my partner did. And used the Brainstorming sheet to organize all of the sounds.

I used Adobe Premier Pro, which I do not recommend, unless you are an insanely fast learner, or already use it. Its hell.

Though, when I went to edit at home, I got locked out of the google drive that had the sound effect because I did it on my partners computer for convenience, and I'm guessing they made a mistake or something and for some reason I didn't have their number.

I still did it all thought, until I realized that it was 1 file we had to submit, which had me puzzled on what to do.

In my edited file, I personally liked how well I placed every sound together, and how well I made it match the brainstorming sheet, However one thing I would love to improve is making sounds sound a bit more fluid, as the best I could do is put in some fade-in's and fade-outs and hope for the best. I did, however, link some sounds well using simple cuts.

Link to the Sound file if you want to see it: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m6ChxqdWrADZN8OSod6sLDFkRncRIkbW/view?usp=sharing

:3