Its Been a Long Week

 Week Five: Storyboard and Scheduling

The number of times Hannah and I have changed our minds about film opening is insane. I am sorry. We went from this long Miami-montage idea to a park setting to our current vision. This week, I have also been playing Anita in West Side Story, hence my lack of blogs. Again, I am sorry. Here is our current idea: it still follows the same premise I mentioned last week, except we converted it to a film opening. The film opens, establishing a nature setting, then two girls ride their bikes, arrive home, hang out in their room, and end up on the bed together. 

Here is the outline! I am almost certain that we aren't going to change our minds again.
(This may be a lie)

Second-order of business. Filming. Goodness. There are a few minor scheduling issues. March 21st-27th is spring break, and Hannah isn't available Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Luckily, we have an early release on March 17th and a day off on March 18th, so we plan to film those days and edit over break. Because I am going to be acting in the opening, we are calling on a friend to help us with transportation and props.

OUR CREW:

Hannah Ackermann - Cinematographer 
Gianna Schultz - Actress [Maxx]
Gianna Gomez - Actress [Sami]
Keira Hochberg - Assistant to Cinematographer 

OUR DATES: (Tentative)

March 17th - Film

March 18th - Film
March 21st to 27th  - Edit

New Hobbies: Photography and Art?

Week Four: Character Development and Storyboard

Okay, I slept on it. If we do the outline, Hannah provided, that is a montage. But, if we pick two or three scenes from Hannah's outline, develop intimacy, and put in a few ad-libs of dialogue, that could make it an opening. So, I went on a walk for inspiration. 

I understand there are pictures of nature. Humor me. The beginning of the opening is scenes of the girls swinging on swings, blasting music, and biking/driving home. These scenes establish a bond, a setting, and a feeling of intimacy and freedom. 

I also used my room as inspiration. The nature scenes transition into the second half of the opening, which is either Maxx or Sami's room. There are a few exchanges of dialogue, each shot gets tighter to develop intimacy, and then both girls end up on the bed, and bam, "It's Complicated." The shots would range from close-ups on nick nacks found in the bedroom to shoes on the floor to the girls looking at each other. 

PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER AND DRUMROLL PLEASE...

Listen, I am no Picasso, but this is my rough storyboard and scene progression.

There is also the issue of endings. Should one girl break the fourth wall at the end? (INTERNAL SCREAM) I see Hannah tomorrow, and we will finalize the storyboard/overall concept. I have a love-hate relationship with partner work because the storyboard would be done if it were up to me, but Hannah needs to have a say in it. 

Please Don't Have Trust Issues

Week Four: Character Development and Storyboard

Ironically, I titled my last blog post "Keeping my Promises," yet didn't keep my promise on the storyboard. Again, I want to work with Hannah on it in person, but we have pushed it off long enough. We planned to do it on Thursday, but we didn't look at the syllabus (Our Fault), and we had to write an essay that day. So! Hannah and I talked about it and planned it out.

I'm going to sketch it out tomorrow, and we will finalize everything on Monday. 

HANNAH'S OUTLINE:

I love it, but here are some issues we are encountering:
1) How do we make this opening NOT a montage?
2) How do we make the opening flow?
3) How do we give detail but not reveal everything?

I call the following information "Gianna is SO Indecisive!"

Gianna is SO Indecisive

OPTION ONE:

Girl taking a BuzzFeed quiz with each question answered has a memory, a scene listed in the outline.
PROS:
Sets the film up as LGBTQIA+ based. 
CONS:
Seems like a short film rather than an opening.

OPTION TWO:

Flow similar to the Waves movie opening, going from scene to scene, removing Buzzfeed quizzes, and everything else remains the same.
PROS:
I am having trouble finding a pro to this option.
CONS:
- Seems like a montage/gives everything away.
- Takes many resources and locations.

OPTION THREE:

Swinging on swings, car jamming, dancing, arrive home, lay in bed, girl one brushes the other girl's hair behind her ear, and "It's Complicated" is shown. Each scene heightens intimacy (I.E., Camera shots get tighter).
PROS:
I really like this option. It removes the cons of the previous two.
CONS:
Not really a con BUT is something missing?

OPTION FOUR:

SAME as Option three, but before the title is shown, the shot freezes, and one of the girls gets up and says something along the lines of "Ah, shit!," breaking the fourth wall. 
PROS:
I really like this option. 
CONS:
No cons. Is the tiny bit of dialogue the "something missing" from option three?


I keep repeating to myself, "2+2 but not 4," option 3 and 4 seem to be "2+2" rather than "4," but the small detail at the end will require Hannah's opinion. For my visual readers, I will provide some sketches tomorrow. I am going to sleep on it. Good night!

Keeping My Promises

 Week Four: Character Development and Storyboard

   

I promised mood boards and background on my characters and a story board this week. WELL! Here is all the information on the extraordinary leading ladies. Hannah worked on one character while I worked on another, and we both gave each other inspiration. That being said, may I introduce to you Maxx and Sami!

I created the awesome Miss Maxx. Maxx's name and grunge style (Graphic T-Shirts and Baggy Jeans) play a huge role in her personality. As seen in the bottom right, Maxx has an absent father. As seen in the bottom left, Maxx struggles with her body image. The quote is indicative of how Maxx often feels unlovable or hard to love. 

Hannah created Sami. Sami's style is earthy, elegant, and edgier than Maxx. Sami constantly doubts herself, represented by the quote in the top right. Sami is a music fanatic, indulging in vinyl shopping, represented by the bottom right picture. Additionally, Sami is a book lover, as shown in the book picture. 

Sami and Maxx are closeted teenage girls, around seventeen years old. You may be asking: Why the mood boards and emphasis on developing characters that don't speak? Ironically, the answer is found in the question. Because the characters don't speak, there's such an emphasis on their emotions and WHY they act the way they do. Why they remain closeted. Why they remain so intimate, yet don't express their true desires. It all has to do with their internal emotions and their past. I loved creating Maxx and Sami, as I got to pick traits and aesthetics that I see around my high school.

The storyboard will be started on Thursday and hopefully finalized over the weekend. We are making good progress. After the storyboard, we intend to start the filming process (locations, planning, scheduling). After filming, we will edit, and finish up with the portfolio project. I know I sound overly ambitious but the process so far has flowed smoothly, and it is only a matter of time until we are pressing that submit button. 

If you want Hannah's take on ANYTHING regarding our portfolio... Han's Take 

Character Development

Week Three: Decisions and Planning

When developing characters for my portfolio project, I thought back to a project I did earlier in the year. My film pitch project. I had two main characters for my horror film genre. I created a mood board and answered a series of questions that gave the characters depth. I think I am going to do the same with Hannah on Tuesday. I would do it on my own, but if she has other ideas or wants to approach the characters differently, we will communicate that in person.

Mood board from the Genre Pitch Project

 I picked around eight pictures that showed the character's job, hobbies, interests, morals, and childhood trauma. 

Series of Questions from the Genre Pitch Project:

1. Where was your character born? How would you describe their childhood? 
2. What environmental factors contribute to your character's personality?
3. What does your character enjoy doing?
4. What defining events have occurred in their life?
5. How would your character spend a free day?
6. With whom does your character surround themself?
7. What archetype does your character most represent?

Once I see Hannah, I promise these will be completed. I think the fact that I am not giving details through dialogue has me emphasizing the character development portion. Realistically speaking, your hobbies and interests and childhood heavily influence how you act and interact with the world; thus, affecting the character's chemistry and decisions. Coming up is the finishing of both the characters and storyboard. Both these things need to be done in person. I am thinking the due dates will be Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, considering this is when I will see Hannah in class. Busy week ahead! Peach out my shoes!

Character Decisions (Sorry, Hannah)

 Week Three: Decisions and Planning

It's character time. What I mean by character time is beginning to brainstorm and create characters. If you have read my prior blog posts, you would know that we only have two teenage girls for our opening. Initially, I thought, "easy!" But now, I am starting to question that "easy" line of reasoning. Because two characters, especially girls, create more room for cliches and the typical two-on-two dynamics. 

Case in Point: Hannah Picking a Generic Dynamic (Sorry, Hannah)

Personally, I feel like sticking to a particular mold of a character limits the uniqueness and unpredictability of adolescence, subsequently hindering the whole point of the coming-of-age genre. I want these two girls to be ordinary people, and I think Hannah is thinking very Euphoria, that Rue and Jules dynamic, which is fantastic but quite confining for an opening. Once again, I am sorry, Hannah. So, I have instead decided to focus on the individual and let those traits develop their dynamic. 

CHARACTER 1: 

.      

THINK! VERY grunge, VERY emotional, and VERY music-oriented. Similar to Rob from High Fidelity's aesthetic and overall aura. 

Small Problem: How do we showcase the above with no dialogue?

Solution(s):

- Band T-Shirts
- Baggy Pants
- Doc Martens
- Converse

- Minimal Makeup

- Pen on Skin (Fake Tattoo?)
- Headphones (?)

- Hair is NOT tame (I.E. Braided, Layered)

CHARACTER 2:

     

THINK! VERY elegant, LOVES to dress up, VERY earthy. Psychologically speaking, we choose friends who are similar to us; thus, two characters will have similar aesthetics and energy.

NOTE: Costume and makeup will be used to emphasize both character one and two's traits.

I need to finalize all these decisions with Miss Hannah and then create a mood board/outline. Stay wild! Also, thinking of a name for my dedicated readers. The Shoes? Goodnight my little shoes. 😊 

Triple Threat: Acting, Blogging, and Directing

 Week Three: Decision's and Planning

We have created a "Portfolio Idea" Google Document. This is mainly for us to brainstorm, but its not going to be our formal scheduling one. Once the dust has settled, we will create that document. 

Portfolio Idea Google Document

What does that document say? Lead actresses? OH YEAH. We are doing auditions for this opening. It is a bit ambitious, but if our actresses don't have chemistry than that defeats the purpose of our opening. The fact that were holding auditions raises a few questions. One being: How are you gonna audition two characters if you don't have a script? Well, yea. Our opening is currently just music, so we are going to find scripts from films and simply test our the character connection. Also, if you look at the list again. Who's name is number one for lead actress? Mine. I do dabble in acting. Consider me a triple threat: an actress, a blogger, and a director. 

Here is me as Maleficent. I wasn't kidding. 

Whether I get the part or not. I am first and foremost running my portfolio project. Hannah and I have started disagreeing a little bit. We decided yesterday to do strictly music. Right? Right. Hannah mentioned narration. I don't know how to feel. I am not loving that idea. But that's what working with a partner is all about. Agreement and lack there of. Hannah thought it would be more cohesive to add narration through all the friendly shots, but I just think it is cliché. I literally wrote last blog "NO NARRATION!" I thought a compromise would be to break the fourth wall occasionally but not overlap? Hannah thought this idea was too similar to Euphoria, so we are back to square one. Of course Hannah is still hinting at the idea. A message for future me... did Hannah win?