Forming a group for The Edit #13

Welcome back guys!

This week’s assignment was titled “The Edit”. Originally, I was planning on working alone being I usually work best when I don't have to rely on others to upkeep with their role however, I was cut short on time and figured working with a classmate would help keep me sane. That said, Ethan and I came together to brainstorm some ideas. He already had his own group but I figured I could use his help as a camera man or possibly the person I would be interviewing. We thought it best to spend one of our elective classes with Ms. Ortiz considering her class consists of all the materials that would create a stellar film. Long story short, Ethan and I find a perfect time to conduct the film when suddenly…..

You guessed it! Suddenly two of his friends decide to invite themselves into our group which usually would stress me out but I decided to take the higher rode and include them in our production group. For those of you who are curious as to who they may be or struggle to determine who is who, comically Andres is super tall and Sebastian is super short. Although that isn’t relevant to the film what so ever it is something you notice off the bat and it’s something I thought was pretty funny when I first saw them.

Now that our group consists of four people we needed to distinguish who would be paying what parts. Being that Andres was the only friend who was left without a group it made the most sense to have both Andres and I as the news broadcasters, Sebastian as the interviewer and Ethan as the camera man. After many on going debates and tons of back and forth (which what did I expect working with boys) we finally established everyone’s roles and were able to move forth with the edit. 

I was honestly excited for my role being I enjoy role playing as someone who has high value such as a news reporter. The down side was that the back of the class (the filming area) was FREEZING and mind you I don’t know how Andres wasn’t cold being that he’s taller and wayyy closer to the air vents. Overall, this was a new experience for me that I was thrilled to take upon. Not only was I the news broadcaster but I was also the editor which allowed me to further gain knowledge that can be used for my future 2 minute film. That said stay tuned for the actual process of making the film…

Stay tuned! #12 (Representation)

Hellooo!

Today's blog will be centered around lesson 3.3 (final lesson for chapter 3). To be completely honest I’m feeling a little overwhelmed with the amount of notebooks I have to catch up on but also relieved that I've finally caught up to the rest of my peers. I have a horrible tendency to procrastinate (which I promise I'm trying to work on), and it always results in the same thing... stress. Which listen, I could write a whole other blog on how procrastination plays a crucial role in students' ability to perform in school, but my intent isn't to bore you guys', that said, I'll leave that for another day.

Okay, back to lesson 3.3. This lesson is titled “Representation”. When considering representation, we are focusing on the way individuals, groups and events are portrayed to audiences. That said, the media plays a crucial role in the construction of representations. It has the ability to influence audience thinking & attitudes about these groups. The media subsequently shapes audiences understanding of social class, gender, ethnicity, body image and size, age, sexuality, disability, regions and nations. In the bottom illustration you'll be able to see my digital notebook for 3.3:  

With all of this kept in mind, I believe representation will be a key aspect in our 2-minute film production. Being that our entire image is centered around “spreading awareness on the effects of poor mental health from the perspectives of a female vs a male” the way we articulate this film to the audience is highly critical. Our ultimate end goal would be that the audience can truly grasp the severity of poor mental health, its cruel effects, and how it may vary from men to women, ultimately fostering empathy amongst our community.  

Overall chapter 3 has been vital in my film making process and thought it best to bring you guys along to this specific chapter as it seemed the most fitting! But see... taking notes can be a fun process, you just have to apply yourselves and really see the bigger picture (and I mean REALLY see the vision)! 

Half way there! (Narratives) #11

Welcome back! 

If you’ve decided to stay tuned for today's blog, I've come to the conclusion that its either because you LOVEE learning about film production or you really liked my digital notebook and were inclined to see more. Whichever it may be, I'm thrilled to present to you guys' lesson 3.2 titled “Narrative”- a story that you write or tell someone, usually in great detail.

Narrative is a common phrase I've heard all throughout high school especially in my reading courses. For those of you who may not be familiar with this term or where it takes place in a story it's often in the "setting", which refers to the time and place where the events of the story occur. The two common narratives that were discussed are “Linear Narrative” which in short terms is a story provided in chronological order and “narrative resolution” the ending of a story which results in conflict being resolved. Different types of narrative may be used according to the audience the film maker may be targeting. This can definitely be useful when planning for my 2-minute film!

For our film, narrative would be essential and can be used through various approaches. The use of creative techniques such as metaphors or analogies to simplify complex mental health concepts may make this piece relatable to most viewers and possibly help shed a light to those who may not know the signs of poor mental health allowing them to help close family/ friends who may be secretly battling with depression. Another way is community engagement, and this would be done by showcasing a variety of different people from different social classes to build trust with our audience and encourage collective support for mental health issues.  

After scrolling through the comments from my last blog I took it upon myself to take your feedback into great consideration and I added more graphics and a pop of color. Some of you guys even found it quite comical to cite research on how pops of color can improve your ability to retain information. That said, I hope you guys were able to learn something new about “Narrative”. See you shortly! 

Digital Notebooks! (Genre) #10

Hi guys!! 

This week I’ve got a lot of catching up to do in regard to my digital notebook. For those of you who may not be familiar with what that is it's basically an online notebook that Ms. Ortiz had us create on Canva. Each week she assigns us a lesson from the Cambridge book, and our job is to dissect the lesson and depict all the important information to then add to our digital notebook. As tiring as that may sound, I honestly prefer creating and designing my personalized notebook online as I believe it allows me to showcase my creativity while creating a fun learning environment. As a student that’s been in school for twelve years, I would highly recommend that all teachers consider accommodating their comfortability with certain teaching methods to possibly change student's perspectives on taking notes. These digital notebooks give us the perfect amount of insight into media which makes articulating our 2-minute film way smoother! 

That said, to catch up with the rest of my peers this week I'll be focusing on chapter 3. This lesson (3.1) is centered around “Genre”- the way of categorizing media texts. Some main topics that stood out to me were Iconography, Narrative Themes and Genre Hybridity. If I'm going to be completely transparent with you, I wouldn't say I knew too much about genre before reading this lesson. However, it has truly opened my eyes to different terminologies that I wasn't familiar with previously. 

The main topic that intrigued me was “Genre Hybridity” which in short terms is the process of mixing genres together. Additionally, it enables producers to maximize their target audience being that different genres will appeal to different demographics. Filmmakers tend to blend elements from a variety of genres, resulting in a richer storytelling experience that appeals to diverse audiences. Genre Hybridity enriches, in other words enhances character development, plot complexities, and thematic depth, furthermore, making stories more engaging for the audience.  

Moreover, with the information I now know about genre hybridity I believe it can be an effective tool for spreading awareness about mental health which is essential for our 2-minute film production. This may be done by integrating contrasting styles such as upbeat melodies with somber lyrics to highlight the reality of mental health experiences resonating with diverse audiences. Another way to incorporate genre hybridity into our film would be showcasing a display of interactive media for our audience. Combining gaming with educational elements creates immersive experiences which would ultimately stimulate mental health challenges, fostering empathy and understanding to those struggling with poor mental health.  

I would love to know what your thoughts on my digital notebook thus far and if there's anything I could add to further gravitate to your attention. Till next time!