Blog 9 Lesson 1 Reflection

Positive Statement

I like how I did the intro suction and I think I gave a good background on Indie film and how it differs from studio film. I also liked how I engaged the class toward the end, because it made me feel more cofertable presenting.

Questions to Consider

a. What assesment would you give yourself on your lesson 1 presentation.

I would give myself a P-.

b. Explain why you deserve this grade using evidence from the lesson 1 componant contract.

 Though the presentation wasn't as strong as I wish it would've been I did touch on the all the 5 points that I originally set out tell. I also made roughly 9 minutes, had a strong into and memorable conclusion.

What Worked For You For Lesson 1?

I personally though using examples of how my points could be used in  real filmmaking helped and the fact that toward the end I explained what the ultimate goal of an indie filmmaker is.

What didn't work, if you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your lesson 1?

I would have told myself don't worry about time, you have enough content. I think I was just so worried about reaching 8 minutes that I got nervous and started rambling. I then would've brought my mentorship and the experience I had last week and what I learned from it.

Extra Blog October

Last weekend my mentor had me help him out on his film shoot. The project was for a Doritos commercials that he plans to submit for the Super Bowl. My job for the shoot was to work as his an intern/ assistant director/ continuity. The shoot was two days long and 11 and a half hours in total. The plot of the commercial is a kung-fu style story set in the forest so we diced to shoot on location at San Bernardino National Forest. I'd say the most exciting part of working on the Doritos shoot was working continuity because the job requires you to look at every detail and visualize the finished product in your head. I didn't just stand around I did catch multiple things that were inconstant, some big and others small. The commercial should be edited in two weeks and I'm looking forward to seeing it.

Here are some photos I took from the shoot.

PS: Ian Kam and Joseph Garcia were part of the cast.

Blog 8

Working EQ

What is your working EQ?

How do you maximize the potential of a low budget independent film?

What is a possible answer to your working EQ? Please write the answer in thesis format.
A film must be able to have a balance between production value with limited money through planning and still work with the actors to get a good performance.

What is the most important source that helped you come up with the answer to your working EQ?
The most important source I found for my working EQ is Rebel Without a Crew by Robert Rodriguez which contains his journal and his journey in making and releasing his first film, El Mariachi. He gives a lot a of tips of what was useful and what you shouldn't do when making a low budget film.

Who is your mentor, or where are you doing you doing your mentorship, and how does what your doing relate to your EQ?
My mentor is Tom Kam. He runs a small independent film editing company and often works on his own projects. When he is working on his own films he will take me out to the set and have me help out and it helps me learn how to both direct and organize a production.

Blog 7

Independent Component 

For my independent component I am planning to work on two films. The first film that I plan to work on is with Andrew Morris and Brandon Le. They approached me to help co-write, co-direct, edit and play the lead in the film. I'm almost positive that that the work put in on this film alone will get me at least 30 hours.

I also plan to work on my own film that I had planned to make a novel but decided would make an excellent movie. I plan to work on preproduction like script writing, storyboarding, location scouting and possibly even casting. If the first film doesn't get me the 30 hours the addition of the second project most definitely will.

Extra Blog September

For this extra blog I chose to watch and review the film Short Term 12 just to find a relatively recent film to review, but after watching the film it easily enter my "Top 5 Independent Films of all Time". Short Term 12, written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, is a independent drama film that explores the beauty and destructiveness of human imperfection. The film won best actress as the Gotham Independent Film Awards and for good reason, Brie Larson's deliverance is what makes the film so powerful and pulls at the strings of your heart (be prepared for a rollercoster of emotion). The film rated R mainly for language and short scenes depicting blood and violence, but since we are grown ups here I'm sure you'll be fine. Like Escape From Tomorrow, Short Term 12 is on conveniently on Netflix for your viewing pleasure.

Read till the end for my rate of the film

Setting: The film is mainly shot at a foster-care facility which is intentionally made to look rather small and close together. In the film the supervisors of the foster-care facility do their best to keep the kids inside the gates of the facility so there are rarely any scenes of the kids outside of the facility. Since the film is through the point of view of Grace there are also many scenes dealing with the sub story of her and her boyfriend in their house.

Plot: The film follows Grace, a supervisor who works at a foster-care facility, working with troubled kids fighting their inner struggles. The facility receives a new foster child named Jayden who is deeply pessimistic and obviously troubled. Grace sees much of herself in Jayden, having gone trough similar experiences and ends up bringing up past, unresolved, demons. Grace then not only tries to

Technical Aspects

Camera Work: The whole intention of the film is to make it seem like you are in the room with these troubled kids which is what makes the film so powerful. To keep that the illusion that your are standing or sitting there in the scene the shots mainly consist of close ups, medium shots and a couple medium long shots. The set is also important to how this film was shot. The facility that the foster children live at is intentionally shot so that everything looks condensed and close together. Even though each kid had their own room, with their personalities and problems they were close and the for each other serving as to as a form of symbolism that they are in fact a family.

Lighting: The style of this film is to make it look as human as possible so the lighting was not overdone as you would see on a studio film so if a scene would be dark in real life they made an effort to make the scene well lit but still dark. As a form of artistic vision you can tell that the colors are actually often muted and look a bit gloomier than normal to show how serious and depressing the film really can be. Then there's he final scene of the film which is filled with bright natural light and added warmth to show express that perhaps there is a hope for even the most damaged people.

Sound: I was very impressed by the sound of the film. The sound was very clear from the individual characters. Because most of the shots are interiors so the microphones could be set at high sensitivity to hear every painful breath and every quiet sob.  To get such results the sound must have been recorded hand held for the close up and medium shot but recorded on lavaliere mics for medium shots. Music was very important to this movie because a few of the characters use it as a form or remedy, escape and expression. The sound and music mixing was well executed and very precise making it subtle yet meaningful.

Critiques: I can hardly think of any critiques really. Like I said earlier this is perhaps one of the most human films I've seen, meaning it's not just a story but in fact a look into all aspects of human imperfection. This film has so levels that beautifully layered on top of each other to make for a moving story that everyone could relate or love in one way or another. Each character in the film has their own individual personality and serves their purpose to the film. The acting is all around superb and is deserving of its best actress award received. Beside the screenwriting  perhaps my favorite part about this film is its cinematography. The film was shot simply and I think that says volumes because this film , I the simplest form possible, was supposed to be about people their journey through struggles or the possibility for eventual happiness.

Rating for the film: 9/10

Blog 6 - Second Interview Preperation

Question 1. Who is your mentor and where do they work?

My mentor is Tom Kam and he runs his own film editing business from his home in Fontana.

Question 2. What questions do you plan to ask him?

• In film school which classes did you find must interesting?
• Where there any major events or movements in film that you can recall that were occurring the same time you were in school?
• Is there anything that you've carried over from you experience at the film business you worked at previously to the one you run now?
• What has been the most difficult project that you've worked on so far and why?
• What has been your experience with working with others to collaborate on a film?

Blog 5 Mentorship and Research Relection

1. Describe your experience in how you found your mentorship?

I had heard from Joseph Garcia that Mr. Kam (Ian's Kam's dad) edited films for college students. I had already known a the time that i wanted to pursue film as my topic. I asked Ian for his number to contact him contacted he agreed to mentor me.

2. What has been the most important article you have researched so far and why?

I believe that "Guerrilla Style" by Daniel Loria has been both one of the most interesting and most helpful. Unlike the other articles I've researched Guerrilla Style focus on one film. Daniel Loria interviewed an actor from the film Escape From Tomorrow, an independent film that was an award winner at Sundance. The article describes how the movie was filmed, insight on production and the style in which it was filmed, which from my perspective makes it more relevant than any other article I have read.