Links to CCR & Production

 CCR Podcast (Questions 1&2): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aAl71x6rmRxnY2iaQ6E3MnXt9LTVIOCi/view?usp=sharing

CCR Search History (Questions 3&4): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xHWtUFArQJUXmKy9UX2BkNd1Ga5QlBJl/view?usp=sharing

Film Opening: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ijpelXwFPmPphYPBbVuK4hhSISqkClTs/view?usp=sharing

Thanks to Robert Baboi for being the host of the “Behind the Screens” podcast in the first CCR.

Final Reflection

Hi blog!

This is my final reflection on the entire film opening project, from the first research blogs, through the production of Airball, to the creation of my CCRs. 

When we first started, I was convinced we'd be making a thriller about a few boys stranded in the middle of the woods with a broken car. I researched some suspenseful openings like Se7en and The Dark Knight, but after valuable feedback from a group meeting and from my teacher, we pivoted towards doing a sports comedy, Airball. This taught my early on that filmmaking demands being flexible and open to change.

Throughout this process, the biggest lesson was about how much of filmmaking is about creatively solving problems. We faced many challenges like not being able to film in the school gym, having to adapt to filming in an LA Fitness, and fixing audio quality issues. 

I think our film successfully captured some aspects of genuine humor, struggles, and dialogue of the teen experience; even despite not having the best actors. I think particularly JD's internal battle of being under his brother's shadow was conveyed well. There were definitely areas to improve, especially technical aspects and shot composition, but overall I'm happy with how the storytelling turned out.

Documenting my journey on this blog was extremely valuable. Writing reflections regularly forced me to think about my own thought process and decisions and deepened my understanding of filmmaking through research posts.

Creating my CCRs was also a highlight, for questions 1 and 2 I produced an enhanced podcast with engaging dialogue, a fake ad, and soundbites from our film. For question 3 and 4, I created a search history style reflection that allowed me to answer the questions in a creative way while demonstrating my growth in editing. 

Overall, this project was incredibly rewarding with my confidence in filmmaking growing significantly as I realize that there's so much more than what's just on the surface.

Thanks for following along with me on this journey!

CCR Post Production

 Hi blog!

Today I'll be documenting the post production process for my CCRs.

For the podcast, I first had to find a song for the intro. I searched YouTube for copyright free podcast music and found a nice, copyright free lo-fi track. I put it at the start of the podcast then faded it out using Audacity's fade out tool.

I then converted my film from a mov to an mp3 and put it into Audacity. I got the sound bites I needed from the film and added them on another track. 

Finally, I incorporated a scene from Avatar: The Last Airbender to illustrate the parallels between Zuko and JD, cutting out some silences and fading it out as it went away, here's the scene:

Here's what the final timeline looks like:

In total it is 5 minutes and 23 seconds long.

Now, for the search history CCR:

Throughout editing, I wanted to make sure the visuals stayed engaging while keeping the format clean and easy to follow.

I found stock footage on a website called Pexels which provides free stock footage. I used this stock to break up the visuals with cutaways.

I added a Gaussian Blur effect when talking about poor video quality.

And I of course integrated actual clips from Airball as cutaways.

These questions (3 and 4) were a lot simpler than the other two, so this CCR is much shorter than the other one.

Here's the final timeline:

The total length for this CCR worked out to be 2 minutes and 11 seconds.

See you next time!

CCR Production

Hi blog!

Over the past weekend I've been working on producing my CCRs. Today I had my friend Robert help me by being the host of the enhanced podcast. I gave him a script for Ad section but besides that, it was just bullet points for the questions should ask me and some bullet points to guide me in answering. It wasn't all one take, it was actually probably about 200, which we recorded in Audacity using my HyperX Quadcast.

For my search history CCR, I recorded screen recordings using a software called Screen Studio on my Macbook which removes your mouse pointer when doing the screen recording, then adds it back which allows for really cool animation - I really like how they turned out. Then, I did some voiceovers in Audacity explaining the thought process behind the "searches" and how they relate to the overall project. I did this cool voiceover where I purposefully did a fake recording when recording with Screen Studio, which shows Audacity on screen, and then I synced a voiceover from Audacity onto that screen recording, enabling Realtime effects in "real time" as they were activated on the screen recording. 

Next I'll have to edit and enhance the podcast by adding music and soundbites from our film and add cutaways from our film to the search history CCR in Premiere Pro.

See you next time with the post production post!

Choosing My CCR Format

Hi blog!

Today I'll be choosing my CCR formats! Here goes:

My thought process is that CCR Questions 1 and 2 seem more complicated than Questions 3 and 4, so it'd probably be best to do something that allows me to engage in dialogue.

I think an enhanced podcast with an interview style discussion would work for this. The engaging dialogue would keep it dynamic while allowing me to reflect on the project. The interaction would be between a host and guest, and I could use my skills in Audacity and sound design to add music transitions, an advertisement section, and even sound bites from the film to avoid it just being talking.

For Questions 3 and 4, I wanted to even be more creative, so I thought about existing formats that are popular on Youtube and how they could be adapted. One thing I found while researching was the Wired Google Autocomplete interviews.

Copying these wouldn't be creative, but I brainstormed about potential similar formats, and I thought about going through my Google Search History.

I could sign into a new Google account or go into a new browser and type in questions that I can answer in a video. The video would include the questions from the Search History on screen as well as voiceovers where I explain how the questions and the research they led to shaped my production. To keep things engaging, I can include cutaways to footage and screenshots. 

I think these are creative ways to explore my production in depth, keeping the viewer/listener engaged while fully answering each question. 

I have a lot of work to do making these ideas a reality so see you next time! 

CCR Question #4 Research

Hi blog!

Today I'll be answering the final CCR Question - Question 4.

Question 4 is How did you integrate technologies - software, hardware, and online - in this project?

I'll be breaking it down into subquestions like in my previous blogs on the CCR questions.

Here we go!

1. What hardware did you use in production?

We used smartphones to record as we didn't have access to professional cameras. We used the iPhone 15 and 16 depending on who was present during production.

In JD's room, we used Abe's smart lighting system to control the lighting. 

In recording the voiceover, we were able to use my microphone, a HyperX Quadcast. 

2. What software did you use for different stages of production?

In pre-production, I used Arc Studio Pro to write the screenplay / script correctly. I also used Google Docs to help plan the storyboard and production schedule.

In production, we used the iPhone camera app on the iPhone 15 and 16 and used the cinematic mode because it looked more professional and added a Depth of Field effect.

In post production, we used Capcut for editing and Audacity for voiceover editing. We also used Google Drive to share video files losslessly. 

3. How did you use online tools in research & distribution planning?

Throughout the entire process, I used Blogger to document everything.

I also used Youtube to find the no copyright rap music.

I used Google to do research and I cited my sources using a website called EasyBib that helped with formatting. 

4. How did technology impact the entire filmmaking process?

Technology shaped the entire process in not just how we filmed and edited, but how we developed ideas, adapted to challenges, and refined the product.

In pre production, Arc Studio Pro formatted the script and structured my thinking. It made sure the scenes were intentional before shooting.

Blogger and Google Docs allowed us to track our progress and pivot when necessary, like when we switched genres from thriller to sports comedy.

During production, using the iPhone camera & cinematic mode allowed the film's aesthetic to feel more polished by adding depth of field. Even filming in a public gym became manageable with strategic framing which might not have been possible with more professional equipment, showing how tech allowed us to adapt to real world problems.

Post production had perhaps the biggest impact on shaping the final product. We used Google Drive's lossless file sharing to collaborate and maintain high video quality. Audacity and my HyperX Quadcast allowed us to make professional voiceovers, making dialogue clearer and more immersive. Capcut's editing tools helped refine comedic timing, fix pacing, and add the credit sequence that makes the opening more realistic and conventional.

Technology didn't just help with production, it allowed us to make the most of the resources available and tell a story that wouldn't have been possible otherwise.

CCR Question #3 Research

Hey blog!

Today I'll be breaking down my Question #3 research. Like with Q1 & Q2, let's break it down into subquestions. 

The question is "How did your production skills develop throughout the project?"

Here goes!

1. How did your process evolve from pre-production to post-production?

Initially, we wanted to do a thriller film, researching openings like Se7en, No Country for Old Men, and The Dark Knight. I explored how thrillers build suspense and considered incorporating non-linear storytelling and in media res openings.

However, after a group discussion and feedback from my teacher, I pivoted to a sports comedy, using my research on CoA films like Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Coach Carter to inform my ideation.

I used Arc Studio Pro, a professional scriptwriting website and learned the proper screenplay format, which is reflected in our script.

I researched sound design and decided to integrate semi-diegetic music in the song that plays during the gym sequence. 

We originally planned to shoot at the school gym, but had to pivot to using a public gym (LA Fitness). We had to adapt and replace certain shots when others didn't work - replacing squats with treadmill/cycling shots. We also had to frame shots strategically to protect other people's privacy and remove distractions, both in the gym sequence and in the basketball sequence.

We used Audacity for voiceovers, and in post I learned how to clean up background noise and use VST plugins (the compressor and equalizer). 

2. What unexpected challenges did you face, and how did you adapt?

Filming in a public gym was unexpected, and we had to deal with background noise and people in frame. We adapted our shots and angles and even replaced the squat shot with a treadmill/cycling one. 

We also had to change locations for the coach scene to stay on schedule; we initially planned to film at school but conflicting study hall periods and some failed attempts at getting permission led to us changing it to the office at Abe's house.

3. How did working within limitations shape your learning experience? 

The biggest lesson wasn’t about creating a high quality product but about learning how to adapt and solve problems within limitations. Being forced to adapt improved my ability to think on my feet and it showed me that there's much more to production than just filmin
g. It's also about finding the right location and adapting to real world limitations. 

I initially assumed that once we had a plan in place, execution would be straightforward. But I quickly realized that filmmaking is as much about problem solving as it is about creativity.

Also, working with a limited equipment setup made me more conscious about how small adjustments make a big difference - especially with things like camera stability. Efficiency was also important when working on a scene like the basketball scene; people were waiting to play ball and so we had to work under time constraints. 

It was about making the most of the resources available. 

4. Where did you start, and where did you end up?

To start, I had little experience with real-world filmmaking challenges (location issues, sound problems, shot planning).

In the end, I developed skills in adapting to problems, making effective creative decisions under constraints, and using tech/software to enhance low-budget productions.

That should be enough to answer Question 3, see you next time with Question 4!