creative critical reflection

 

https://prezi.com/view/FQZM0h1JKE6CfmPHDoww/

final film

 Finally, it is the moment we have all been waiting for, the final film. I hope you like it! 

see you later.... (my overall thoughts and feelings)

Bittersweet, but the film is over and this will be my final formal blog post. The next two posts are my CCR and final film. After months of working hard on this film, it's been completed and all my blog posts are done (well except for this one). I am so grateful for this opportunity. I learned not only how to act and edit, but also how to lead a group. I was able to let my creativity run wild and do what I wanted. As I've mentioned before, this film was my vision and idea, and this is exactly how I imagined it. Obviously, this is no Hollywood-level film, but for what it's worth, it's a pretty good film. There are some things that I would've done differently, though, like using CapCut from the beginning and getting a different dress, but these are minor things, the positives outweigh them. I love the zoom-in transitions. I love the montage. I love how Dylan gave Nicole a ring pop to propose. I love how the comedy of it. I love how Priest Pascal turns into a burger. And the list can go on, and, on. Honestly, exactly what I wanted. Not only was the film fun but writing these blog posts was a blast to make. I loved updating this blog and writing updates on our film. It helped me put all my ideas into one document. And when I needed to reference something, it was easily accessible. Overall, I will miss this experience and would love to do it again. Who knows, maybe this won't be the last time you see me. Maybe you'll see me credited in the next movie you watch in the theaters. So this isn't a goodbye, this is a see you later. 

-with love, Nicole Gonzalez

what do others think?

So far, you have only heard opinions of our film from my point-of-view, but what do other people think of my film? I interviewed two people, my school's video and photo teacher, Mrs. Perez, and her student, Elliott Marrero. I picked these people to interview because they have a lot of knowledge on the topic, they do a lot of filming in their free time/is their job. Here, you will see what they liked, disliked, and overall criticisms they had.

Elliott Marrero:

What did you like?

The storyline throughout the opening was very consistent and well-written. The audio fit with the short very well. I also loved the comic effect hidden behind the eerie feel of the end of the film.

What did you dislike?

The camera angles in the film are not compositional. They felt tilted and too close up. I also wish that the priest was in more of the film.

How can we improve?

Getting better compositional angles would keep the film better quality. Slowing down the pace of the opening would allow for a better interpretation of the film.

What moments, characters, or ideas resonated with you while watching?

Priest Pascal really resonated with me while I watched. The comic effect they brought gave the film a different meaning. I also enjoyed Nicole's character before she was in her daydreaming, the way her character looks gives an extra comedic effect.

Why would someone want to watch this film?

If anyone is interested in chicflics/romcoms, this film would be perfect for them. It has the same feeling of a hallmark movie. It's definitely not something to take seriously. 

Is this movie at a level where we can distribute it?

No, due to the lack of camera quality during the daydreams and the quick pace.

Mrs. Perez

What did you like?

I loved the whimsical feeling in the dream sequence, that whole scene is very cute. I like when he hands her the flowers and the ring. The part where the girl wakes you up was very. Overall, very cute.

What did you dislike?

I did not like the transitions between the different scenes. I think they do not match. The composition is off and it is dark at some points. 

How can we improve?

In the beginning, you should've put an over-the-shoulder shot looking at Ashley, not at Nicole. Additionally, it is not clear Nicole is daydreaming, you should've used a different transition that made more sense, like a rift. The beginning is also too fast, it should've been slowed down a bit.

What moments, characters, or ideas resonated with you while you were watching?

I really like the main character, Nicole. The way she's a nerdy girl and delusional is cute. I also liked when the priest became a burger, it was funny.

Why would someone want to watch this film?

I think someone would want to watch this film for the comedy, I found it funny. If this was a real full-length film, I would've loved to see where Nicole and Dylan's relationship would've become.

Is this movie at a level where we can distribute it?

No, the beginning is a little confusing and some parts are choppy, but for being their first time, they did a wonderful job!

(I took inspiration from this website for some of my questions: https://calvary.church/grow/resources/movie-discussion-guide-general-questions)

meet the cast: overall feelings

The main people you see on camera, the cast. I myself am part of the cast. For all of us, this was our first time acting, so it was a new experience for all of us to be in front of the camera. Obviously, we are not Hollywood-level actors, but for our first time, I think we did a great job and I am so proud. Here are their quotes (my overall thoughts will be in a following blog)

Ashley Marshall as Ashley

"I’m Ashley Marshall, I was an actor in the film. I played the role of Nicole’s best friend. I helped out with setting scenes and piecing everything together. My house was used for the majority of the filming. I had a very fun time with this project, particularly because of the people, they made things less stressful. I’m glad I got to work with such an amazing team."

Dylan Hernandez as Dylan

"What's up bees!!!! My name is Dylan Hernandez and I played Dylan, the love interest, in the film. This was my first time filming and I was really nervous since I was meeting new people. it was an amazing experience and I am super happy I got to meet new people. My favorite part about filming was THE FREE FOOD (just kidding). It was overall a great day filming at the park and spending time with my new friends."

Bryanna Pichardo as Priest Pascal

"Heyyy! I am Bryanna Pichardo and I was an actor, makeup artist, and assistant camera person. I was asked by the group to assist them when making the film, and I had a fun time with them. They had told me the idea for their film, and occasionally I added my two cents, mostly jokes, and it build my relationship with each member. For example, we joked about me dressing as a burger and it actually ended up in the final product. Every moment that I was able to spend with this group, whether it be in class or outside shooting their clips, I had a smile on the whole time. I was also a cameraman for a good chunk of the film and I improved my ability on capturing scenes from different angles and camera movements. Not only was I able to improve teamworking and camera work, but I build on the relationships with each member. Love y'all!"

meet the crew: overall feelings

Behind the scenes, there are people who helped in the making of the film. Here, I will say who is the crew and a brief quote from them. They did things like record, design, and overall make the film look better. Not only were they a big help, but they also gave us good ideas and advice on how to make our film look better. Most of these people weren't even in our group, they just lent a helping hand!

Vivien Tang: Editor and Camera Worker

"Hey my name is Vivien Tang, and I and the editor and camera worker of this project. The project was a phenomenal success as I was able to contribute a lot of my ideas to the storyboard to help create the final piece. I enjoyed so many different aspects of the project, such as the editing process where I cut and edit each clip so it can transition more smoothly. I enjoyed being able to replay my clips over and over again to ensure everything was smooth and nothing glitched out. As the editor and camera worker, I also obtained several skills during my project such as communication, editing, and filming. Communication was extremely important to me as I had to learn how to communicate with my peers outside of school to help with the filming. Editing was an additional fun aspect that I also enjoyed doing as I learn where to place each clip and where to edit. Moreover, the filming aspect of this project was very enjoyable as I learned different camera shots and angles to do for this project. Overall the project was my absolute favorite as I had a lot of fun!"

Anais: Musician, Photographer, and Helper

"Hey! My name is Anais and I made the music, took pictures for their blog, and was an overall helper. It was so much fun to make the music in this film, I have a passion for writing and playing the guitar, so me being able to show that off in a film was cool. One thing I did to help was hold up a towel so it wasn't too bright in the scene, it was so hard for me not to laugh. Overall, helping Nicole, Ashley, and Viven in their film was a pleasure!"

Malavika Nair: Helper

"Hello, my name is Malavika and I was a helper during this film. I gave Nicole, Ashley, and Vivien inspiration for the film. I gave them the idea to have a picnic scene, and I love how it turned out. I also helped while filming by setting up the props and bringing the things they needed for that scene. Even though I did not play as prominent a role as everyone else did, I am still happy to get the opportunity to help and be part of this great film!"

Jim Marshall: Camera Worker

"I’m Jim Marshall, Ashley’s father. I helped out Ashley film the final scene. Although the filming process was a bit annoying since we had to reshoot a few things over, I still enjoyed it very much. I even offered some advice for some of the clips. I was more than happy to help my daughter with her school project."

final storyboard

After all the editing and new scene, this is the final storyboard.