Short Film Critique: Finding One's True Self

Rationale- With this film Waris, Kevin, and I wanted to create a story that shows a boy who goes through his everyday life with little or no change to it. A girl he ends up loving proves to be the motivator to change his boring ways for a happier life with other things to look forward to beside routine events. We added comedy to our film to add to the romance in the film and to create something without just the typical romantic outlook. We thought this would be a good idea because some romantic films are a little "cliche" and add no other element to it besides love and romance with certain scenes in our film like the fight scene and the dream sequence we incorporated it to add a comedic aspect to it because we thought it would be more appealing and interesting. Our intended audience was the film class and our own personal preferences in movies we tried to incorporate what we like, because a lot of teenagers have the same or similar interests.

Commentary- My role that i shared in the film was primarily the leading actor, but shared the role as a director and helped edit the treatment to develop our script as well as edited my own version of the film. Some problems we faced were lighting issues in some scenes like the one we shot outside for our dream sequence with just the streetlight as our light source. The shot came out darker than expected as well as a little fuzzy but constant retakes and camera angles helped create it as clear as possible. Another issue was a crucial scene in the film when i was reciting the main audio of our film how to find one's true self while drifting off to sleep the audio was turned off or not plugged in all the way so we hear nothing there. Since we already finished filming and time was already short we decided to go on without the audio and thought the scene still worked with my facial expressions helping the viewers to understand whats going on. Another problem was keeping the camera steady during action scenes where the tripod was incapable of capturing the constant movement because the movement made the image less clear and made the shots seem more unprofessional. We fixed this problem by doing shots over and over again until it was as steady as possible and it was still clear. Acting was the last problem because no one wanted to act and finding reliable actors to fit in our schedule was tough so I decided to take the role as lead actor and asked Anissa to help, as the girl, even though she was reluctant, she pulled through. Daniel a person we originally casted turned out to be a no show so Kevin had to fill in as the ex-stalker boyfriend who did his part as well as he could even though his image didn't portray what we originally planned.

Narrative/Script- The beginning of our film is presented well with the boring and routine lifestyle of the boy shown, but certain transitions seemed awkward like going right to the school from there without showing how the boy gets to school and it just drops into this one key aspect of him in school. This school sequence was significant to the whole film because it presented the theme to our film and the catalyst that drives the boy to change his boring ways. The boy realizes through this theme and prompt that he's been wasting away his life going after nothing so decides he needs change. The middle of the film leading to the fight scene shows a transition in the boys character as as the film goes on we effectively see him gaining more confidence. The dream sequence incorporated in the script was for comedic purposes and didn't seem realistic if it was real life. The dialogue we used supported and allowed our plot to advance in an effective manner.

Casting and Acting- Casting was sort of a hassle because finding actors that were dedicated and had lenient schedules would be hard so I casted myself as well as Anissa. The ex-stalker boyfriend we had to change because Daniel our original actor couldn't make it so Kevin replaced him. Our actors ultimately fit our film because it was a romance and conveniently enough Anissa and I are together so the boy and girl fitted perfectly. The ex-stalker though we originally planned as bigger and more intimidating then me but Kevin wasn't that but instead used the wardrobe he had to make his image look meaner and tougher. I had a hard role to portray as the shy boy because I'm used to being more out going and on camera I had to be a lot calmer than off the camera. Anissa an outgoing person also didn't like the idea of acting at all, but we had no one else so decided to pull through for us and used her outgoing character to add comedy to our film as well as romance. Kevin unaccustomed to being a ghetto, scary, tough guy used his knowledge of those types of guys and his creativeness to imitate something he was the farthest from. Some facial expressions and scenes seemed rushed and unrealistic because of the limited amount of time we could have all actors present at once and because the images we were trying to portray weren't really us. It played out nicely though because the scene where I was rushing because I ad fallen asleep while doing homework happened before, but to further portray that i added a shocked, stunned expression when i saw the time on my phone. Other awkward scenes like the fight scene were hard to catch because Kevin punched over me instead of through me to make it seem unrealistic. The scene was fast though so didn't seem to noticeable and was hard to catch. Overall acting was difficult, time consuming, and tiring repeating scenes, doing scenes, but we the actors, used our own characteristics and personalities to depict our own respective characters as well as possible and each person did the best they can and were thankful for having what we had.

Staging/Props/Lighting- Our props we used were very limited like school work things for the classroom scene we used a book and for when I went home to work on my homework I had a pen in hand and paper. The staging was also good for the shots that needed a home we used mine to portray a routine lifestyle, the classroom we had other students working to depict an actual class, and for the chase sequence we showed different streets to get to the park where the climax took place all relevant. Also to add comedy to the staging I used my sisters room as where I got up and used her pink blankets to further add some comedy to our film. The major difficulty of staging was outside the temperature was scorching hot and it added to impatience and a restlessness that caused even more takes to be needed because of constant minor miscues. Another difficulty was filming at night for the dream sequence where Anissa and I were skipping the only lighting was the street lights so it was hard to get a clear focused shot. Most of the shots were taken outdoors in the daylight or indoor so we had a lot clearer shots than the one night scene.

Sound/Music/Camera Op- The sound for the film was good for the first time use we used a boom mike most of the time but didn't place the mic directly at the speaking actors mouth so it resulted in a varying volume that sounded less professional. Only a few times did actors voice seem lower than in other scenes because of background noise as well as the mic positioning. For the dialogue it was appropriate to have it at the times needed because it advanced the plot and one time we had a miscue with the audio where we didn't have any dialogue where I was supposed to be reciting the prompt Ms. Tuite provided but the mic wasn't turned on or not plugged in fully. The music was appropriate throughout the film because it added to the scenes at hand and created anticipation for the following scenes. The camera operation was okay for the first time except for certain scenes where we couldn't use the tripod, so the camera wasn't steady. Like the scene where I was running out of the house the shot was a little shaky due to unsteady hands. Some jump cuts were hard to avoid because we didn't keep the camera running the whole time and cut after each scene so it didn't flow as well.

Titles/Credits/Editing- For my title I used motion but my framing was off because I didn't have it set accurately so the opening Title is off but the rest fits well. The credits I rushed and made super bland due to a shortage of time and more detail and time spent on tiring to get motion to work because I was fascinated by the program. For my edit of the film I thought I accurately portrayed transitions really well but didn't add as many filters because I thought too many would be over bearing I wanted to keep the film more simple with detail spent on the shots and whats going on in the film instead of a filter. I felt filters over exaggerate things and by adding too many your taking away from the original movie you created. The filters I thought that helped the film instead of took away from it was first the one I added in the classroom shot where I look over to Anissa I added a glow because that's the first time I eye her and make any notion of interest to her. Another filter was the dream sequence one where I made it all black and white and added white soft edges to make it more dreamy and unrealistic looking. The last one I made was a glow effect in the ending where Anissa and I are holding hands to close the film and show how far the boy has gone from everyday routine events to holding a girl he likes and stood up for. Overall I'm happy with my first film I have little technology knowledge, but seeing how far I've advanced already through one film is exciting.

Short Documentary Review-Kung Fu Fighting Documentary

The documentary on Kung Fu Fighting is about the different styles of martial arts and a Chinese art form that combines many techniques and styles to it. Kung Fu is a general classification of the various types of martial arts. There are various forms of martial arts with no right or wrong and its a sport that any person can do rich or poor. The documentary breaks down three of the main acting/Asian/martial artists of our era: Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li. It also expresses that Kung Fu is something many people are fascinated with because of the intense training as well as focus needed to be skilled in it.

The analysist in the documentary express that people are fascinated with martial artists who use speed and technique over power and force. The precision and fluidity of each move and strike makes every blow powerful and unique. Onlookers are intrigued by fighting styles of Bruce Lee and Jet Li who aren't the bulkiest guys but use their respective martial arts and kung fu ultimately to win in fights.

Kung Fu combines acrobatics, speed, strength, concentration, and dedication to make a fighting style that is used around the world and in many movies to awe and wow viewers. Kung Fu was a way for people to settle disputes they had and walk around with little or no fear that they could defend themselves. Anybody could do kung fu it wasn't only for the rich, but also the poor could practice and the only tools needed was area to practice.

Kung Fu fighters use sounds like yelling to make their oponent fear them and each strike is backed with a pop noise to express the speed and vigor with each blow. Early films were in black and white and it didnt take away from the fight scenes as much but it took away more from the fighting scenery. A significant fight scene brought up in the documentary was one between Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee, where Bruce Lee was the starring actor fighting untill death with Chuck Norris. They fought in the Collosieum in Rome where the backgroud enhanced the fight and made the scene more dramatic. Many fight scenes are close ups with the camera panning quickly back and forth and swaying side to side to make sure the whole fight is captured. The close ups makes viewers sit on the edge of their seats anticipating the outcome. Overall Kung Fu has spread world wide to fans, athletes, and fighters who desire that dedication and concentration it brings.

Documentary Pre Productionn

Purpose:To show the pros and cons of a video game specifically one a majority of students play Call of Duty: Black Ops and to see how it affects students daily life.
Contacts:I need to speak to various students in high school who have had certain hardships in their lives or who are doing bad or well in school.
Interview Questions: I need to focus on a selected group of students who have different lifestyles and face different struggles. What is Black Ops and why is it so popular? What majority of kids play it? How does Black Ops help you cope with hardships? Does the game distract you or affect your school life? Does the game make your character rougher or reserved, outgoing? How does it affect your character and personality? What makes you keep playing and spend so much time on it?
General Flow: In the beginning of the film I could put background information on the video game and put percentages of people playing the game in our area or data on what majority of race plays it and scientific research on the cons of games especially ones that show violence.  In the middle Ill follow a selected group of students who play the game daily and see how they use it to cope with things or use it just for pleasure and fun.  In the end Ill come to my conclusions on the games effects on those students and how that compares to the overall data. Shot List- The first shots I could take is full body shots of the students I'm following to show their various body languages at school. Then close ups or waist shots of their participation or awareness in class. Next i can take shots of them playing and their reactions to the game as they play in comparison to school reactions and body language. Rack focus shot showing the group of students being interviewed and their body language after routinely going through their day.
Scripts:Interviews of the students I'm following mainly and there life at school and at home. I'm scarcely going to be in the script If anything only minimal participation.  Intro:Background information on the game and introductions to the students I'll be interviewing and following. Closing:Show the comparison of data and what I found out through the game and if it affects student life.

Baraka Film RESPONSE

The film Baraka was created by Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson and portays a simplistic film with powerful images that depict a life of growth, adaptation, and beliefs. The film was enjoyable and seemed eager in showing how much the world has changed throughout the entire world. Without any words sometimes the film seems difficult to understand and follow the change in scene, but the images ultimatley are placed in focus here so the differences in our world are revealed. The images are clear and the cinematographer uses a slow trucking technique to portay each shot and landscape as if its been passed by with little appreciation. The theme implied is human's evolving through the willingness of our world around us that makes us forget about the simplistic beauties that create our world.The simple images like a waterfall or a baboon that we ignore for virtual indulgences like video games show how we lack appreciaton for our world and soon it'll be lost. The cinematographers take each long shot and image and use them to portay lifestyles and living conditions at the time and of the people of various countries. There is no plot or storyline in this movie but the sequence of events seem to transition and evolve and become more urbanized as the movie continues on. The lighting for the most part is bright and mainly in the daylight to contrast the solemn, gloomyness of the constant music that plays throughout the film.

This picture is taken of the Kecak Dance in Bali the shot shown is taken over the head and looking down on the Bali people who are performng a sacred ritual dance that seems to be done by elders. Some dancers seem to be grinning in the picture and enjoy the unifying ritual and spirtuality with a leader shouting out cries that spark other people to reply back with similar responses. All these people are dressed the same with an equal outlook in their respective ritual that is uncommon today.

This picture of Kowloon, Hong Kong depicts crowded apartments or living conditions that seem unsanitary. The housing at the time depicts a rough life of civilians with drug use and many crimes that are a result of this torn down beat up city.

The last picture reveals New York City bustling with activity and cars and livelihood that loses all the serene calmities of previous images and shows the urbanization and transitions of people and daily life.

1. I think the title Baraka or "breath" or "essence" means that everything breathes whether its nature or people traffic or animals everything essentially has its own breathe and sound with it. Wr neglect certain wonders in our world that in this film through no dialogue we can learn about the essence of life without any speaking.

2. I think it expresses a crticism of the modern day world and the destruction we are causing in the world that allows us to "breathe." The images portayed show a loss of culture and a destructive manner people have used to allow society to grow. Another vision depicted shows the disregard of great cultures that were in our past and images of different cultures customs.

3. The message I get from this film is one that is disgusted and in awe at the same time. I understand the beauties of the world disregarded and the various cultures that make our diverse world what it is but also realize how each great civilization ultimatley crumbles through a greed and desire for more.

4. I think the absence of voice and text ultimatley showed limted sides of how are world is growing and how each country has its own way of living. the images were there but first hand dialogue or text could suppport those images and each culture further and show more of a positive outlook to the film.

5. Various images aply to culture and city like of the men chanting and New York bustling with numerous amount of people and cars. It contrasts the nature in the film because the mountains or sunset is shown in a serene calm soothing manner while the city life and cultures our more wild and noisy.

6. Some intrepretations of the monk on the street can be that our world is full of diversity with all kinds of people, races, cultures, religions and beliefs but we are all people and ultimatley live in the same world. The cigarette factory show difficult harsh labor to make a product that destroys our world and we pain for something that inevitable hurts our world to ease certain addictions and enjoyments. The city streets are an insight of our world today how its evolved in technology and our living styles our much more technology oriented. The film says spirtuality and religion are never neglected nor forgotten but are masked in peoples images.

7. The social statement Baraka makes about the poor is one of constant hatred and neglectment people pass the poor by as if they are dust on their shoe and could care less about those strugling in life. People neglect each other and care only for themselves are their own gains or benefits.

8. I like the transitions from one image to another and when the man with the tattoo transitions to the little child with body painting because it shows that we still follow customs and follow traditions but they just have changed as time and advancements evolve.

9. We watched Baraka because its a thought provoking film that expresses ideas through images and little sound. We are soo accustomed to sound films that we neglect just the still images that have riveting information through them. I think its harder to just realize things and through a film its a more understanding way of getting a point across. Yes it makes me want to travel the world before other historic or indigenous people or place is destroyed by our constant destruction of our own world.