Making The Last Few Touches (Blog #45) PRODUCTION

As I finished up my film opening, I spent most of my time making small but meaningful adjustments rather than big changes. At this point, the focus was on polishing what I already had and making sure each element worked together to support the story. 

After asking a few more friends and family for feedback on the new version of the film opening, one of their main suggestions was to move the title card to a different part of the opening instead of ending with it. I took their advice and placed the title card just before the scene where the main character receives her college letter. This felt like a stronger moment for the title, as it adds tension and leads naturally into an important turning point in the narrative. 

They also commented on the font used in the opening credits, saying it felt more suited to a horror film than a drama. While I understood where they were coming from, I simply explained the meaning and significance behind them. The handwriting style was a deliberate choice, meant to reflect the main character’s handwriting and emphasize how drained and overwhelmed she is. For me, it represents her constant exhaustion and mental state rather than signaling fear. 

Another change I made was removing the establishing shot of the outside of my house. There wasn’t a way to include that shot without showing my house number, and for privacy reasons, I felt it was best to cut it. Removing it didn’t negatively impact the story, and the opening still makes sense and flows smoothly without it. 

These final tweaks helped strengthen my film opening and made me feel more confident in my creative decisions. Balancing feedback with my original vision has been an important part of the process, and I’m happy with how the opening has turned out. 

Audience Feedback (Blog #44) PRODUCTION

An important aspect of working on this project is receiving outsiders' feedback. If I simply went with my opinion for everything in this project it would be missing out on a lot of possible potential, which is why now that I’m near the finish line I knew I needed to receive feedback on the video. I went ahead and created a Google Forms Survey like I did when researching genres. After sharing the film with a select group of viewers and collecting survey responses, the feedback provides valuable insight into what worked, what resonated, and what could be improved. I intentionally kept the audience a lot smaller than last time when going about the survey to ensure that people would actually watch the two-minute video, since I knew that simply embedding it in a Google Form might result in responses from viewers who hadn’t fully engaged with the film or who simply never even finished watching the video.

Question 1: What do you think the film is mainly about? 

When asked what they thought the film was mainly about, viewers overwhelmingly identified education and college pressure as the central theme, with 10 out of 11 respondents (90.9%) recognizing it. Financial struggle and personal ambition were also noted by 3 respondents each (27.3%), showing that these secondary themes were still apparent but not as dominant. These results indicate that the film successfully communicated its intended core message while layering additional elements to add depth and realism. 

Question 2: How did the opening make you feel overall?

The opening effectively drew viewers in emotionally. Nine respondents (81.8%) decided the opening as tense, highlighting how the pacing, editing, and music created immediate suspense. Some viewers also reported feeling curious (27.3%) and emotional (36.4%), showing that the opening not only engaged them intellectually but also invited them to connect the character on a personal level. I’m glad people were curious as the purpose of a film opening overall is to have the audience leave with questions and be curious about the overall story being told. Only one viewer (9.1%) felt calm, confirming that tension was the dominant emotional response. 

Question 3: How clear was the story in the opening?

Audience responses indicate that the story was communicated clearly. Ten out of eleven respondents (90.9%) said the story was very clear, and only one felt like it was mostly clear. This shows that the opening successfully established the narrative and themes without leaving viewers confused.

Question 4: Did the opening make you want to keep watching?

100% of respondents said yes, indicating that the opening successfully captured and maintained audience interest. This result suggests that the combination of clear storytelling, emotional tension, and relatable themes effectively pulled viewers into the film from the very beginning. 

Question 5: How did the pacing feel?

Ten out of eleven respondents (90.9%) felt that the pacing was just right, while only one thought it was too fast. These responses indicate that the rhythm of scenes allowed the story to unfold clearly without feeling rushed, keeping viewers engaged while maintaining the tension that is being built up throughout the film opening. 

Question 6: How effective was the music and overall sound design in building tension?

Sound design and music were strong contributors to tension, with 63.6% rating them as very effective and 36.4% as somewhat effective. These results show that audio elements complemented the visuals and pacing, helping immerse viewers on the story and reinforce the emotional weight of the scenes. 

Question 7: How effective was the color grading in setting the mood?

The color grading was highly effective in establishing the film’s tone, with 81.8% rating it as very effective and 18.2% as somewhat effective. The visual style successfully guided the audience's emotions, enhancing tension and contributing to the overall atmosphere without relying solely on dialogue or action. 

Question 8: At any point, did you feel confused? 

Nine respondents (81.8%) said no, and two (18.2%) said they were a little confused. This indicates that the opening was largely clear and easy to follow, even while building tension and suspense. 

Overall, the survey results showed that the opening was successful in multiple key areas as it clearly communicated the story, established emotional engagement, and built suspense through pacing, sound, and visuals. The feedback also highlights opportunities for fine-tuning, a few viewers noted slight confusion or moments being too fast, suggesting small adjustments could make the opening even stronger.

Keeping the audience small proved effective for gathering meaningful feedback, as I knew that if I simply placed a two-minute video in Google Form, many people might not have fully watched it. By choosing a more engaged group, I ensured that the response reflected genuine reactions to the film, which makes this feedback much more valuable for improving future projects. The group I sent the form to was a mixture of friends, family and media studies students I knew I could trust to complete the survey and give an honest answer to it all. 

Finding The Right Musical Piece (Blog #43) RESEARCH/ PRODUCTION

Choosing the music for my film was one of the most challenging parts of post-production. Since I don’t casually listen to classical music, I didn’t have much prior knowledge going into the process. The main thing I understood was the effect music can have on an audience, especially  how fast-paced classical music can create tension, urgency, and emotional pressure. Because of that, I decided to start by asking AI to generate a list of fast-paced, tension filled classical songs that could potentially fit the tone of my film. 

Here's the list ChatGPT created 

Fast-Paced Classical Music

• Summer (The Four Seasons) – 3rd Movement – Vivaldi

• Night on Bald Mountain – Mussorgsky

• Danse Macabre – Camille Saint-Saëns

• Symphony No. 7 – 4th Movement – Beethoven

• Caprice No. 24 – Paganini

• Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 – 1st Movement – Bach

• Symphony No. 25 – 1st Movement – Mozart

• William Tell Overture – Finale – Rossini

• Moonlight Sonata – 3rd Movement – Beethoven

• Little Fugue in G minor – Bach

• Winter (The Four Seasons) – 1st Movement – Vivaldi

• Rage Over a Lost Penny – Beethoven

• Caprice No. 5 – Paganini

• Symphony No. 40 – 1st Movement – Mozart

• Barber of Seville Overture – Rossini

After getting the created list, I went to YouTube and listened to each song individually while watching my video at the same time. I paid close attention to whether the music matched the overall vibe and emotional direction of the scene. If a song didn’t work, I immediately moved on. If it somewhat fit, I saved it into a folder on Youtube so I could come back to it later and compare it with other options. This trial-and-error process helped me slowly narrow down the choices without settling too quickly. 

Another important part of this process was making sure the music was copyright-free. I researched copyright laws and learned that under U.S. copyright law, music becomes part of the public domain 70 years after the composer’s death. This meant I specifically looked for classical composers who passed away well over 70 years ago, ensuring that the compositions were legally safe to use. Making sure the music was public domain added another layer of decision- making, but it was necessary to avoid any copyright issues. 

After testing multiple fast-paced classical pieces, “Danse Macabre” by Camille Saint-Saens stood out as the strongest choice for my film. The song’s steady build-up and rapid tempo helped create a sense of tension and unease that matched the emotional direction of the scene. As I played the music alongside my footage, it naturally enhanced the pacing rather than overpowering it, which made the visuals feel more intense and purposeful. The darker tone of the piece also reinforced the mood I wanted the audience to experience, making Danse Macabre the most effective option after a long process of trial-and-error. 

This entire process was really stressful and ended up being the hardest part of post-production. For a while, I couldn't find a song that fit the video whatsoever, which made me second- guess my choices and was even thinking of simply recording diegetic sounds for the video. The whole process took me about a week to complete since I started working on finding the perfect song before I was even done filming, but I didn’t want to rush it since I believe music has a huge impact on an audience and strongly influences how they feel about a film. In the end, all the time and effort paid off, and I was able to find a song that truly enhanced the tension and mood I wanted the audience to experience. 

SOURCES:

AI created list

https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-duration.html

https://youtu.be/YyknBTm_YyM?si=qAPKyQviKc1oDBAp

Color Grading (Blog #42) PRODUCTION

When working on the opening of my film, one of my biggest priorities was setting the mood as early as possible. I knew that color plays a huge role in how an audience feels, often even more than dialogue or music, so I made a conscious decision to use coloring as a storytelling tool. I wanted the visuals alone to communicate the emotional tone of the film before anything was really explained. 

To achieve this, I experimented with filters in CapCut and ended up combining two from the movie section: “Dunkirk” and “Cold Blue”. I chose these filters specifically because of how they work together to create a muted, heavy look. The Dunkirk filter adds depth and seriousness to the image, while Cold Blue removes warmth and pushes the footage toward cooler tones. Together, they help emphasize the film’s depressive and overall cold atmosphere, which reflects the emotional state of the story. 

Visually, the coloring immediately establishes a sense of emotional distance. The blue-gray tones drain warmth from the frame, making the scene feel isolating and subdued. Whites lean toward a cool tint, while the shadows stay deep and slightly desaturated, creating a muted and almost lifeless look. This makes the environment feel tense and heavy, reinforcing the pressure the main character is under. Even everyday objects in certain frames, like school papers and handwritten notes, feel overwhelming rather than neutral (which is how it feels in the character’s mind) because of the way the color grading shapes how they’re perceived. 

The coloring also works especially well with the subject matter shown in this specific frame. The papers, markings, and sharp lines are emphasized by the cool tones, making the shot feel visually busy but emotionally flat at the same time. This mirrors the character’s situation, surrounded by responsibilities and her own set expectations, yet emotionally drained. Overall, the coloring doesn’t just make the film look more cinematic; it actively supports the story by visually communicating the film’s cold, depressive mood and the character’s internal struggle without relying on dialogue. 

(The entire process)

Final Filming Day/ 3rd Rough Draft (Blog #41) PRODUCTION

Just today I finished filming the two main missing scenes that I needed to complete the story. I am simply missing the establishing shot of my house and filming will be 100% done but it's pretty much done since that shot is super easy to do and short. Filming the finale college letter scene was one of the most important moments of the entire project. This scene was never meant to give the audience a clear answer about whether the main character gets to achieve her ultimate goal, to receive financial help for her studies. Instead, it focuses on the anticipation, anxiety, and emotional weight of that moment. I intentionally left the outcome unknown because this film is only meant to function as an opening to a larger story, not the full narrative. The goal was to introduce the character’s journey and the stakes she’s facing, rather than provide full closure. 

This open ending also came from a mix of creative choice and practical limitations. I was very limited on time, and I didn’t fully know what a resolved ending would look like for this story yet. Rather than rushing an ending that might feel forced or incomplete, I leaned into the uncertainty. Ending the film this way felt natural and realistic, especially since moments like this in real life are often filled with waiting and unanswered questions. 

(Before filming this scene I went ahead and searched on Google "past due logos", saved a few images on my camera roll, added them all onto the same document and printed that out to serve as the bills shown in the opening similar to what I did with the college letter.)

Another key scene in the film that was recorded today is the one that reveals the main character’s money problems. This moment is crucial because it gives the audience context for the pressure and stress the character has been under the entire time. Instead of explaining the situation through  dialogue, I chose to show it visually. I used shots of bills, past due warmings, and the character’s facial expressions to allow the audience to piece the story together on their own. This makes the struggle feel  more grounded and believable, and it strengthens the emotional impact without over-explaining

Editing these scenes was super easy, and it has quickly become one of my favorite parts of the whole process. As I edited the footage I filmed today, I started getting new ideas that I hadn’t originally planned while shooting. I experimented with breaking the scene where Clare is flipping through all the bills into smaller shots, which helped build tension as I included the past due, urgent notice, and urgent warnings in between the short scenes of her flipping through each bill. Being able to play around with cuts showed me how much editing can shape the mood of a scene and elevate the storytelling as the idea came to me when editing and was not something I thought to do when planning. 

Overall, these scenes work together to balance realism and uncertainty and are the final pieces to the puzzle that is this film opening. The financial struggles ground the story and are a big part of the representation I wanted to include in the film, while the college letter scene ending leaves the audience thinking about what might come next. Even with time constraints and unanswered questions, the film still communicates its core themes. As an opening rather than a full story, it sets the stage for future development and invites the audience into the character's world without giving everything away too soon. 

I am super happy that I’ve basically completed the filming stage of this project and can now move onto the technical effects that will tie the story together such as music, coloring and sharper editing which I will write about for the next few blogs. 

(The editing process)

(The 3rd rough draft)

The Making Of The Story’s College Letter (Blog #40) PLANNING

(The entire process)

For my project, the college letter is a central part of the story, so it was important that the prop looked realistic and believable. Since I don’t actually have a real college letter, I knew I would have to create my own version. This gave me the opportunity to design it exactly how I wanted for the scene, while also making sure it fit perfectly with the other elements in my film. 

To make the letter, I started with a blank piece of copy paper and cut out a square where a real letter would usually show the recipient’s name and address through a transparent envelope window. Then, I printed the character’s name and address on another piece of paper making sure the print of the text and size were similar to actual mail (I compared all the different fonts to mail that I received) , cut it to fit, and carefully glued it behind the square so it looked like it was part of the original letter. I made sure the edges were neat and secure so the props would appear authentic on camera. 

Next, I printed another small piece of paper to show which university the letter was from. I printed “University of Miami” on it, but for the scene itself, I plan to only show the word “University”. This way, the scene stays simple and focused, and the audience immediately understands the importance of the letter without being distracted by too much text. 

Creating this prop was not only necessary because I didn’t have a real college letter, but it also gave me a chance to think about the small details that make a scene feel realistic. Even something as simple as a letter can carry a lot of weight in a story, and by making it myself,  I could ensure it had the exact look and impact I needed for the scene.

The Making of The Title Card (Blog #39) PRODUCTION

Creating the title card for my film opening was one of the easiest parts of the whole project. I already knew I wanted to keep everything consistent regarding the same text fonts as there's already enough chaos within the film, so I used the same font that I had chosen for the opening credits. Since that decision was already made earlier on, I didn’t have to spend time overthinking or testing different options, which made the process really quick and stress-free.

I decided to place the title card at the very end of the film. After the finale scene, the screen cuts to black, and that’s where the title will slowly fade in. I added the fate into the text to make the ending feel more dramatic and give the audience a moment to sit with what they just watched as the last scene before cutting to black is Clare finally receiving a letter from a college. The longing black screen before the title popping up will provide a short moment of nothingness to the audience to soak in what they’ve just consumed. I liked this choice because it felt more intentional and emotional, rather than putting the title at the beginning and interrupting the flow of the opening. 

Once everything was in place, I only had to make a few small adjustments to the size, positioning, and timing of both the text and the fade in. The whole thing took less than five minutes, which was honestly a nice break compared to other parts of the project that were way more time-consuming and stressful. Even though it was quick and simple to complete, the title card will still help to tie everything together and make the final project feel more polished and complete. 

(The whole process)

(The finished planning to do list)

Reframing The Story Through Cutting Scenes (Blog #38) PRODUCTION

Although it was a little disappointing to remove parts of my original vision, these decisions will help make the opening more concise and focused (I finally understand why director's cut are a thing).They’ll allow me to concentrate on showing the character’s current state and personality, which is already enough to highlight how unhealthy and overwhelming her life has become. By trimming unnecessary scenes before even filming them, I will be able to work more efficiently and ensure that the final film opening feels polished, clear, and impactful. 

During the editing process of my film opening, I made the decision to cut a few planned scenes even before filming them. One of these was a flashback sequence meant to show a glimpse of the main character’s past, highlighting who she was before school began to take over her life. The idea was to contrast her carefree, balanced past with her current unhealthy lifestyle. However, before filming, I realized that including the flashback scene might make it difficult to stay within the strict two-minute time limit. Looking at my rough draft, it became clear that the main character’s struggles and unhealthy habits are already very evident through the way her present life is portrayed, so I decided the flashback sequence wasn’t necessary. 

I also chose to cut a montage showing her unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as staying up late, skipping meals, and neglecting her wellbeing. While these scenes could have added more detail, I felt that the opening already communicates enough about her current struggles, and adding a montage would have been repetitive. By cutting both the flashback and the montage, I’ll be able to focus on the scenes that are more essential for the telling the story while keeping the pacing tight and trying to stay within the time limit since there are still some scenes missing.

(The new shot list with annotations from editing, filming days and scene cuts)