Creative Critical Reflection: Update Post

 Creative Critical Reflection: Update Post    

Video Essay - Title Card (*Background Image May Change)

    At this time in the production of the two creative critical reflections, I've been exclusively focused on the video essay approach thus far. The image above is the title page that I will be using to introduce the brief synopsis of the film noir genre's history to provide context before answering the four required questions. It's important to make it known that I've moved from having my second creative critical reflection be a podcast, to an interview. I've made this choice in order to be more efficient in production, and due to complications with friends' schedules and willingness. I've began recording the narrative to go under the visual elements that will be strewn about the video essay approach, and am structuring the narrative to be more natural and conversation-like in order to keep it engaging. It's important to note that the brief section about the history of film noir is simply there to provide context about my project before discussing the four questions, and will be just that, brief. Overall, the production of the video essay and interview parts of the two creative critical reflections is very much in its beginning stages. 

Final Cut Comparison: Part 2

Final Cut Comparison: Part 2

Movie Chosen: Drive (2011)

  In a similar way to how The Godfather (1972) contrasted with my personal project, Blank Shell, Drive (2011) utilizes darkness to focus in on the emotional display on the actor's face. Due to the lack of dialogue spanning across multiple characters however, I believe that Drive (2011) can be much more closely compared to Blank Shell. For example, Drive (2011) uses darkness to its advantage in the same way I utilized it in Blank Shell. Audience focus is drawn from the actions on screen, and onto the actor's face where both the character and the world they reside in can be developed. It's important to note that both Drive (2011)'s and Blank Shell's soundtracks lend themselves to more modern, electronic genres, though Blank Shell's soundtrack is arguably of a much darker tone and is devoid of lyrics. One extremely notable difference we seen between the films is that Drive (2011) utilizes a plethora of aerial shots that convey the sheer scale of Los Angeles. For very glaring budget, time, and location restraints, Blank Shell had absolutely no way of practically reproducing these kind of establishing shots, and as such, was devoid of them. 

Final Cut Comparison: Part 1

Final Cut Comparison: Part 1

Movie Chosen: The Godfather (1972)

  When looking at how the film opening of Blank Shell compares with the legendary film The Godfather (1972), we can see multiple similarities and differences. Starting with the most significant and notable similarity between the two, both productions utilize dark lighting to focus in on each actor's face. This is used in both cases to pull the audience's focus towards the actor's performance, and this is where some differences between the two opening's presentation arise. First of all, rather than utilize spoken dialogue between multiple characters, Blank Shell simply adopts an all-encompassing narrative recording to build out its world. 5his difference is largely due to both time- and budget-constraints. My friends largely did not wish to participate in this project, and scheduling around their own personal lives would've proven difficult, which spurred the motivation to simply record a narrative rather than a full dialogue between characters. Overall, The Godfather (1972) simply does a better job of establishing its world through a higher amount of actor resources in comparison to Blank Shell.

CCR: Drafted Script

 Question 1:

Q: How does my product use or challenge conventions, and how do they represent social groups or issues?

A: Throughout the production of Blank Shell I both utilized conventions commonplace in the film-noir genre and challenged them in different ways. To discuss how Blank Shell utilized film noir conventions first, the more prominent and visible conventions concern my use of mise-en-scene. One of these factors include the black and white color correction, and whilst artificial, conveys the typical high-contrast lighting seen in noir films. I also fit into the convention of having the main protagonist be an investigator-type character, which encompasses the majority of noir films. Another convention I used in Blank Shell, the wide shots of a dark room and frequent close-ups of the character's face convey the darker and "flawed protagonist" tones and style that are typical in noir films. Finally, the last significant convention I used in Blank Shell pertains to the sound design choice of having a narration underneath all of the visual elements. This style of monologuing from the main character is commonplace in the noir genre to both develop the main character, and build out the world of the film. I challenged popular noir genre conventions by having the film be set in a modern world, with more advanced tech then what we see in the classical noir films of the 40s and 50s. This gave me more creative freedom in the themes I could confront and admittedly made much of the production process an easier and more convenient time to record. I subverted the typical expectations of musical scores in noir films as well, rather then have a jazz or big-band track serve as background music, I opted for a more modern, somber electronic music track to give the film a more fresh take on the genre. As for how I represented social groups and issues, I chose to confront social issues such as missing persons, crime, and even human trafficking to an extent, which all things considered, are typical of the noir genre. Choosing to have myself play the main character means that we're representing the social class of a middle-class white male, who in this role is meant to represent a grizzled, disenfranchised detective. Having the missing person be a male is also a considerable choice in social representation, as in noir films, the "damsel in distress" stereotype is often used, and as such women roles are cast for the victims of the plot. 

Question 2:

Q: How does my product engage with audience and how would they be distributed as real media products?

A: Looking into how Blank Shell engages with the audience, we see a build-up of tension, and a cliffhanger at the end to effectively hook the viewer. Whilst the project is made as a film opening, and not a promotional trailer, this cliffhanger-style ending would be an extremely effective marketing technique if it were a real product. Using short clips from the opening, an actual promotional trailer could've been created and something like that would be effecting in the advertisement of my product. As for how it would be distributed, the smaller-scale size of this project would lead me to distribute it as a full film through independent video sites like YouTube. I would likely not be selling this product for profit due to the nature of its independent and zero-cost production process. Overall, distributing this product if it were a real, polished film would prioritize wide accessibility, and the enjoyment of the viewer over making a net profit. 

Question 3:

Q: How did my production skills develop throughout this project?

A: Throughout the production of my individual film opening Blank Shell, I developed my production and editing skills even further than what we saw in my group's music video project, and editing project. I found myself getting very familiar with navigating the UI and getting into a consistent workflow using CapCut, my editing software of choice. This time around, I learned considerably more about what goes into color correction, as whilst the black and white filter seems simple enough, there's actually a great depth of different effects you can create with it. I also realized the value of feedback in the production phase, as clear issues with the light balancing of my project was noticed after I had peers review the footage, and was then promptly fixed. Filming in a dark environment for the first time also posed its own unique caveats which I was able to overcome through tweaking the exposure settings on the iPhone 13 I was filming on. The editing process went very well, and adding the unsettling figure in the hallucination scene was the only real hurdle due to the lack of any green screen, making it look natural took a lot of setting tweaks. 

Question 4:

Q: How did I integrate technologies in this project?

A: Technology used in this project, whilst simple and household, made the production process much smoother, and a joy to create. For my camera, I kept it simple and used my iPhone 13's onboard camera, using the 4K, 60FPS setting to my advantage in creating a quality production. I was using my personal desktop computer for all of the editing, and for the creation of some of the elements of the story such as the fake missing persons poster and emails. It was also used as a sort of fill light, as in the dark space the computer monitor acted as a nice, bright light source that silhouetted my figure and allowed the elements of the film opening to be well-seen, whilst preserving that darker mood I wanted to create. Stabilizing my camera was easy, as I had a tripod laying around that I was able to attach the phone to and keep it stable in all of my shots, though some hand-held shaking was visible in the panning shots of the computer screen. In a less conventional sense, my personal car was also a piece of technology I integrated into the film opening using it to convey the act of getting ready to go to a location, and effectively close out the clip. I edited the entire film opening using CapCut, a free editing software that proved to be very capable of making a quality product. I sourced my background music, and one sound effect from the internet, downloading them in mp3 format to put into CapCut, arranging them and balancing the audio accordingly. 

The Final Cut of "Blank Shell"

 Blank Shell's Final Cut:

Peer Review Post-Production Project

Peer Reviewed: Kaytlynn R.

Hyperlink: https://youtu.be/bVXToGcucWw

Providing Feedback:

  When looking at Kaytlynn's project, there are multiple aspects of note. To look at the strengths of the film opening at first, the sequence does a very effective job of building tension through the use of short shot duration and utilizes diegetic sound effects well. I've been told that in addition to the diegetic sound, there will be music added. If music is added, I think that would do wonders in ratcheting up the tension built throughout the runtime of the scene. Each frame was composed well and in a way that drew the audience's focus to the more important actions we see taken in each scene. The use of locking doors and closing blinds was a good use of props to create a theme of paranoia and anxiety. Finally, the opening scene demonstrates a good awareness of the relationship between off- and on-screen space, as each action is cut together in a way that makes sense and preserves continuity between actions, it's always clear what's happening at any given time.

    Moving on to discuss what could be improved on throughout the clip, there are a couple cinematic touches that the scene could benefit from. First of all, the brighter lighting clashes with the tones the  subject matter and tension built throughout establish, and I believe that darker, or color-corrected lighting could aid in matching the lighting with the scene's tone. There are many scenes that would benefit from the darker and more unsettling tones of dimmer lighting. However, considering that we are now in the post-production phase of our film opening projects, this is most likely to be solved to color-correction and some desaturation in post. As I mentioned in the first paragraph, the addition of music that helps to build tension would be much appreciated, and would do a lot for developing the tone of the opening sequence. Now that we're in the latter half of our post-production phase, it's integral that crediting and title text is added throughout the sequence. Overall, the weaknesses of Kaytlynn's project are very small, easy-to-fix aesthetic aspects that would boost the tense tone the opening sequence creates. 

Feedback I Recieved on "Blank Shell":

Peer Reviewer: Kaytlynn R.

Feedback Given: 

    "The cinematography was done well in the film. The use of extreme close up allows for the audience to properly read and get context as well as intrigue them to what is happening in the film. The next shot after allowing the audience to read part of the email shows the big missing poster attached to the email. The close ups of the keys turning on the car and the map on the computer also allow the audience to have a clearer understanding of what is happening on screen by emphasizing them by the use of the shots. By doing this the audience can slowly start to understand what is happening in pieces instead of information being thrown at them all at once. Using the black and white filter really fits with the genre as well as give this mystery to what is going on in the surroundings of the character since the character and the computer are the only thing we see. This also brings a focus to the characters and their actions and emphasizes the computer guiding the audience to understand what the character is doing and why they are reacting to the surroundings in a certain way. The sound editing is also well done within the film, at the start of the film the music gives a bit of mystery but is still relatively calm. After the small jumpscare the music quickly changes to be more intense, increasing the tension that the audience feels.

    Leland’s film doesn’t need much to improve on because it has elements of mise en scene, cinematography, sound, and editing that help to tell the story of his film. All of his shots are done very well, and using mise en scene he properly emphasizes what is needed attention. The only thing that can really be improved is the editing, though it is still a rough cut. Currently the credit titles aren’t present, which are needed for the film, there are some shots that could fit credit titles, while other shots are too quick to fit them. Currently without the titles it's a little hard to tell which shots could be cut less, while others more. The shot with the email of the map could be cut to be shorter because enough context is there to understand that the email has the attachment of the map, so cutting the part of clicking the map could be potentially done. The filter could also be edited to be darker because some shots are greyer, making the lights and darks have less contrast. In the shot where the car headlights go on the contrast of the lights to the surroundings are too similar to where the light washes out the shot a bit."

    

Reflecting on The Feedback Given:

    With the feedback Kaytlynn has given me, there are multiple elements of my film's opening sequence that I'd like to reinforce and improve. First of all, there are a couple of things that can be kept the same, such as the background music, the filter (though it will need slight visual tweaks), and the extreme close-ups. Both Kaytlynn's feedback and my own creative vision paint this as the best choice for not only adhering to my genre's conventions, but also developing that mysterious and tense tone I'm looking to create. Now moving on to look at things I can improve on, the lack of a narration and essential crediting text are the most notable things to address at this stage. The most notable flaw of my film project is the color balancing with the harsh black and white filter. The colors must be adjusted to make the film more visually appealing, many shots are much too washed out, and the brightness and exposure levels are terribly inconsistent, and this leads to some scenes that are blinding, and some scenes that are near impossible to see. 

Creative Critical Reflection: Approach #2 - Video Essays

  How Would I Answer the CCR Questions in The Form of A Video Essay?:

  The Following is An Example of A Video Essay Discussing No Country for Old Men (2007):

    Approaching answering the CCR's questions in the form of a video essay is one that's personally interesting to me, as I frequently watch video essays on films, video games, and other media in my free time on platforms like YouTube. With this prior exposure to video essays, I'm quite familiar with how they're typically structured and will be basing my approach's conventions off of this. I would likely choose to approach each question one-by-one having footage from the opening sequence play in the background as I commentate over how the film opening contributes to the subject matter each question concerns. I would also include examples from other films in order to emphasize the points I make, and provide more clear context for the viewer. Whilst this approach may not be as engaging as the more active conversation-style of a podcast, I'd want my commentary to be thought-provoking whilst still answering the CCR's questions. The best way to do something like this is to set-up an audio recording software like Audacity, or even the iPhone's Voice Memos app, and simply commentate over clips of footage I will string together. It's extremely likely that I'll include text and image elements in order to provide some visualizing feedback to the viewer of what I'm talking about. I would have to draft a script for such a broad approach however, ensuring to not make the script sound too clinical in its delivery, as video essays often have a more engaging "conversation with a friend" approach to narration. 

Creative Critical Reflection: Approach #1 - Podcasts

 How Would I Answer the CCR Questions in The Form of A Podcast?:

  

This Podcast-Style Set-up Would Likely Look Similar to This Stock Image.

  Approaching answering the CCR questions in the form of a podcast would bring its own interesting caveats and unique conventions to adhere to. Answering questions in the form of a podcast will likely have a similar staging to an interview, with the exception of having multiple people commentating on the footage from the opening sequence. I'd likely have to get the help of some friends, and sit down in a conversation-style commentary on my opening sequence and the extent to which it achieves each question's subject. I think this would be the easiest and most practical method of answering the CCR in the form of a podcast, as if I were to do this solo, it'd likely overlap too much with the other method I'll be discussing, video essays. The conversation between me and my peers about the opening sequence I've created will need to be engaging enough to fit the entertainment value of your typical podcast, whilst still being in-depth enough to fully answer each CCR question. As for physical equipment, I'll simply be recording my voice through my headset's mic, with my friends communicating through similar style microphones, or through their phones. I would most likely stage this by starting a group call, and starting OBS, Audacity, or some capturing software capable of picking up high quality audio. Overall, answering the CCR's questions in the form of a podcast is an interesting and potentially very engaging approach. 

Production Update #2 - On “Blank Shell”

  As of now, production has been finalized. All physical shots have been taken, and I’m satisfied with the results. We can now begin to move into post-production phase, and there are multiple aspects to consider in this phase. First of all, a mistake was made during the production phase in that the exposure levels on my phone camera was inconsistent. This led to some unfortunate moments where scenes are too bright or too dark. I’ve decided that re-shooting this footage will simply be too time-consuming to be viable, and as such I must start considering what I can do using post-processing effects to balance the overall image appearance. During the final moments of production, I decided that using a distinct, high-contrast black and white filter would be ideal in developing the tones I was seeking out. Overall, production has been a success and I’m confident that I have a solid base to work from in the post-production phase.

Editing Update: Rough Cut #2

    At this time, the post-production phase is roughly 80% done, with all of the shots filmed and strung together, all that's left to incorporate are the on-screen credit texts and add the remaining parts of the narration once I've recorded them. I've made the decision to make the entire clip in a gray-scale black and white with an amount of film grain added in order to further embody that more desolate and pessimistic tone that film noir's often embody. Whilst the props composed of modern-era tech, the filter also is meant as a callback to the more primitive era of film where the noir genre coined all of its most notable conventions. The choice to add this filter to the opening sequence was also fueled by a need to create contrast in the visuals, and to obscure some of the more horror-adjacent factors of the in-room scenes. Overall, the post-production process of this project has been quite smooth. The editing process has been defined by creative freedom, and that's something I find very enjoyable. Going forward, I will need to record all of the narrative voice lines remaining and add them in a way that's in-sync and meshes well with the rest of the sound-design of the opening sequence. Finally, I'll have to figure out a way to include crediting text in an organic and natural feeling way so that the viewer's attention is never drawn away from the scene by it, and it instead acts as a subtle complement.