On Monday, Catalina and I finally began our storyboard! We began discussing some of the main shots we would like to incorporate. One of our biggest concerns we have at this point is that we want to alternate between point-of-view shots and regular ones of our character. Due to the fact that we are filming an individual's morning routine, we want to portray the direct tasks this person completes each morning and their thoughts as they complete these tasks. As we were creating our storyboard we decided that it would be best to create some back up shots in case some do not work out when we film. On Tuesday we simply made final changes and modifications to our storyboard.
Yesterday my classmates and I met in groups and we discussed our progress thus far. I personally felt as if this was really beneficial for me because it allowed me to get some constructive crtiscism as well as advice on what we need to do to better our opening. I think this activity was also helpful because I was able to ask questions about some of my concerns. In addition to this, our groups were also given the names of other students to review and comment on their blogs. I loved this because it allowed me to see other people's perspectives and thought processes. It was also interesting to be able to give advice to someone who I'd never met before.
Today Catalina and I worked together to search for some potential non-copyright music for our film. We utilized the website Purple Planet and looked over the categories they had to offers. We found quite a few that captures our attention and wrote them down for future references. Overall I'm feeling a bit more relaxed because little by little things are falling into place.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Saturday, March 26, 2016
What's Next?
As my spring break slowly winds down, I am beginning to put myself back into work mode and prepping for the things that need to be done for our film within the next couple of weeks. Here's a quick to-do list I came up with so Catalina and I can stay on track once we get back to school on Monday!
1. For starters we need to create our storyboard! We now know what our film is going to be about and have a few visions on how we would like to approach it... We simply need to collaborate our ideas to create one vision and transfer that to paper. I strongly believe that once we have this done, it will make the filming process go a lot quicker and will be more efficient.
2. Casting!! The next step for us will be looking for an individual to be in our opening. At this point in time, I believe that the most important thing we need to remember is that we want the audience to feel connected to our character and with the disorder. Therefore, while we search for an individual we should look for someone who has the capability of genuinely appearing as if they have OCD and can portray all sorts of emotions. As of now I do not believe that we are looking for any specific qualities or characteristics in an individual so it shouldn't be terribly difficult to find an actor.
3. Last but not least is filming! After we complete steps one and two we can now move on to filming and creating our opening. Although I only listed two steps prior to this, I do think that we need to make sure we are properly prepared and organized before we begin to film. Personally, I think it's very important that Catalina and I have a large understanding of the opening we'd like to create because it will allow us to be more focused when filming. This will also allow us to have the confidence to make any sort of changes when filming because we want our vision to be executed perfectly and smoothly!
Although I only mentioned three important steps, I am fully aware that there are several tasks Catalina and I still have to complete for this project. For instance, things such as finding the perfect music, setting, mise en scène elements, etc... I believe that all of these steps go hand in hand and correlate with each other in one way or another. As a result of this, once we establish the basis for our film, like the storyboard, a lot of our questions/concerns will be addressed or answered in other parts of our work process. I am a little worried because I simply want everything to go smoothly and turn out perfectly and sometimes I find myself getting frazzled over the littlest things. But at the end of the day I have to remember to stay positive and always put as much effort as I possibly can to create a great opening!!
1. For starters we need to create our storyboard! We now know what our film is going to be about and have a few visions on how we would like to approach it... We simply need to collaborate our ideas to create one vision and transfer that to paper. I strongly believe that once we have this done, it will make the filming process go a lot quicker and will be more efficient.
2. Casting!! The next step for us will be looking for an individual to be in our opening. At this point in time, I believe that the most important thing we need to remember is that we want the audience to feel connected to our character and with the disorder. Therefore, while we search for an individual we should look for someone who has the capability of genuinely appearing as if they have OCD and can portray all sorts of emotions. As of now I do not believe that we are looking for any specific qualities or characteristics in an individual so it shouldn't be terribly difficult to find an actor.
3. Last but not least is filming! After we complete steps one and two we can now move on to filming and creating our opening. Although I only listed two steps prior to this, I do think that we need to make sure we are properly prepared and organized before we begin to film. Personally, I think it's very important that Catalina and I have a large understanding of the opening we'd like to create because it will allow us to be more focused when filming. This will also allow us to have the confidence to make any sort of changes when filming because we want our vision to be executed perfectly and smoothly!
Although I only mentioned three important steps, I am fully aware that there are several tasks Catalina and I still have to complete for this project. For instance, things such as finding the perfect music, setting, mise en scène elements, etc... I believe that all of these steps go hand in hand and correlate with each other in one way or another. As a result of this, once we establish the basis for our film, like the storyboard, a lot of our questions/concerns will be addressed or answered in other parts of our work process. I am a little worried because I simply want everything to go smoothly and turn out perfectly and sometimes I find myself getting frazzled over the littlest things. But at the end of the day I have to remember to stay positive and always put as much effort as I possibly can to create a great opening!!
Friday, March 25, 2016
OCD Through The Lens
I wanted to share this video because it's very similar to some of the ideas Catalina and I had for our production.
The video begins with a male waking up in the morning and immediately having several thoughts running through his mind. These thoughts vary from questioning how much sleep he got during the night to hoping he did not do anything stupid yesterday. As I mentioned in my previous posts, Obsessive-compulsive disorder is accompanied by intrusive thoughts about an individual's fears. For instance, in this video the male kept asking and reassuring himself that he did not make any mistakes the day prior. This is a result of him having a fear of making mistakes and wanting everything to turn out perfectly.
As he continues to get up out of bed his intrusive thoughts are repeated with the addition of counting numbers. Once he gets up and is reaching for his clothes he begins to mention how he is not feeling well and feels as if something is wrong. The video then shows his thought process in which he has to reassure with himself that he is okay after being indecisive about the way he feels at that specific point in time. The male then repeats a few other daily tasks meanwhile he counts down and questions his actions. This is very similar to the ideas we have for our opening in the sense that we would like some of the shots to be point of view shots and would like the viewers to interpret our main characters struggle with OCD. I think that we shouldn't solely focus on the intrusive thoughts of our character but more on the repetitive actions.
Overall I think this video was very helpful to me because I was able to understand Obsessive-compulsive disorder in more depth. Towards the end of the video the guy begins to have even more thoughts and doubts to the point where he makes the viewer feel overwhelmed. Personally, I think for that exact reason this video will aid is when creating the opening for or film because I want the audience to fully grasp the effects and impact that OCD has on an individual.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
The (Re)Search Continues
I have continued my research on Obsessive-compulsive disorder and I have learned some important things that I believe will help us when creating our film opening!
For starters, an individual with OCD doesn't just have obsessions over specific things. For it to be considered Obsessive-compulsive disorder, these obsessions have to affect important activities that the person values. These obsessions are then accompanied by intense and uncomfortable feelings of fear, disgust, doubt and a few others. I think this is important to address as we begin to film our opening because it demonstrates the larger effects that OCD has on an individual. For instance, OCD unfortunately affects individuals everyday because it causes them to perform compulsions on repeat which consumes a large portion of their time. But even worse, this disorder tends to take over individuals' minds where they then feel out of control and eventually begins to affect their emotions. I was thinking that my partner and I could portray the emotional struggles behind this disorder by showing our main character getting frustrated , disgusted, or even having a mental break down when something is not as perfect as they need it to be. The International OCD Foundation states that the frequent intrusive thoughts that an individual with OCD receives, triggers extreme anxiety and affects day to day functioning. I believe that we could begin our film with a completely normal looking person waking up in the morning and progressively as they go to complete basic daily tasks, we show the anxiousness and the need for everything to be perfect.
One important thing that I have learned from my research is that not all repetitive behaviors or rituals are considered compulsions. Therefore it is vital "... to look at the function and the context of the behavior,"as the International OCD Foundation claims. Let's put this into perspective, sometimes routines( such as morning and nighttime) require individuals to repeat specific tasks but are typically a positive and functional aspect of everyday life. As a result of this, Catalina and I must put into consideration that just because our main character is shown repeating a few tasks or wants something to turn out perfect, does not mean that it will be directly interpreted to our audience that the individual has OCD. With this being said, I think that we should maybe tone down the amount of repeated tasks our main character completes, and focus on a solid few that will justify their actions. For example, someone suffering from Obsessive-compulsive disorder behaves the way they do and repeats specific actions with the intention of trying to escape the anxiety or the frequent obsessions occurring in their minds. I also think that by lessening the amount of repeated compulsions it will also make our opening less repetitive and will keep the audience more intrigued.
I learned that compulsions are not just classified as repeating routine activities. Below are list of a few other compulsions one may experience when dealing with OCD. I think that by incorporating some of these into our opening will also assist in making it less boring and will portray the different ways Obsessive-compulsive disorder affects people.
Checking
For starters, an individual with OCD doesn't just have obsessions over specific things. For it to be considered Obsessive-compulsive disorder, these obsessions have to affect important activities that the person values. These obsessions are then accompanied by intense and uncomfortable feelings of fear, disgust, doubt and a few others. I think this is important to address as we begin to film our opening because it demonstrates the larger effects that OCD has on an individual. For instance, OCD unfortunately affects individuals everyday because it causes them to perform compulsions on repeat which consumes a large portion of their time. But even worse, this disorder tends to take over individuals' minds where they then feel out of control and eventually begins to affect their emotions. I was thinking that my partner and I could portray the emotional struggles behind this disorder by showing our main character getting frustrated , disgusted, or even having a mental break down when something is not as perfect as they need it to be. The International OCD Foundation states that the frequent intrusive thoughts that an individual with OCD receives, triggers extreme anxiety and affects day to day functioning. I believe that we could begin our film with a completely normal looking person waking up in the morning and progressively as they go to complete basic daily tasks, we show the anxiousness and the need for everything to be perfect.
One important thing that I have learned from my research is that not all repetitive behaviors or rituals are considered compulsions. Therefore it is vital "... to look at the function and the context of the behavior,"as the International OCD Foundation claims. Let's put this into perspective, sometimes routines( such as morning and nighttime) require individuals to repeat specific tasks but are typically a positive and functional aspect of everyday life. As a result of this, Catalina and I must put into consideration that just because our main character is shown repeating a few tasks or wants something to turn out perfect, does not mean that it will be directly interpreted to our audience that the individual has OCD. With this being said, I think that we should maybe tone down the amount of repeated tasks our main character completes, and focus on a solid few that will justify their actions. For example, someone suffering from Obsessive-compulsive disorder behaves the way they do and repeats specific actions with the intention of trying to escape the anxiety or the frequent obsessions occurring in their minds. I also think that by lessening the amount of repeated compulsions it will also make our opening less repetitive and will keep the audience more intrigued.
I learned that compulsions are not just classified as repeating routine activities. Below are list of a few other compulsions one may experience when dealing with OCD. I think that by incorporating some of these into our opening will also assist in making it less boring and will portray the different ways Obsessive-compulsive disorder affects people.
- Checking that you did not/ will not harm others
- Checking that you did not/ will not harm yourself
- Checking that nothing terrible happened
- Checking that you did not make a mistake
- Checking some parts of your physical comdition or body
- Rereading or rewriting
- Repeating routine activities (examples: going in or out doors, getting up or down from chairs)
- Repeating body movements (example: tapping, touching, blinking)
- Repeating activities in “multiples” (examples: doing a task three times because three is a “good,” “right,” “safe” number)
Other Compulsions
- Putting things in order or arranging things until it “feels right”
- Telling asking or confessing to get reassurance
- Avoiding situations that might trigger your obsessions
"What Is OCD?" International OCD Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016.
Saturday, March 19, 2016
More About Film Openings!
Now that Catalina and I have established what exactly our film opening will be about, I've decided to conduct some research on some of the qualities needed to create a good opening to be our basis before we begin the process. We have a pretty large understanding of what we would like to create, we just need to figure out how we can portray our visions within the film opening. This is where research comes into play... I strongly believe that with the help of some sources, we will be able to gather some tips and notes to use as guidance when integrating the content and filming of our project.
Below are two tips that I have gathered and think are important to keep in mind when creating a film opening:
1.Introduce your protagonist as soon as possible
-Personally, I think this is a very important tip to follow! Due to the fact that Catalina and I chose to go down the Drama route, it is vital for us to introduce our main character starting from the beginning because most of the film will be about them and the conflicts they are encountering. In our situation, introducing the character is of great importance because the individual will be defined by their OCD and By their thoughts, actions, and fears.
2.Create conflict immediately
Creating the conflict in the film opening holds great significance because it sets the basis for the rest of the film. The conflict needs to be incorporated into the opening because it introduces all features of the film to the viewer and informs them. In our opening, I definitely want to create the conflict in the opening and relay our message. My goal is to create the conflict within the opening without giving away too much information!
As I stated in my previous blog, I do plan on researching Obsessive-compulsive disorder in more depth. My teacher gave me two resources that she believes will help me understand the disorder better. The first one is a book called "Kissing Doorknobs" which is about a teenage girl who suffers from OCD. The next is a movie called "What About Bob?". I'm not quite sure what this movie is about but I'm excited to look into it!
Mind When Writing Your Opening Scene." ScreenCraft. N.p., n.d. Web.
Friday, March 18, 2016
A Work In Progress
Over the last few days I have been asking my peers, friends, and family memebers about their opinions on the OCD film opening and they all seem to like the idea! I feel so much more comfortable knowing that this is a topic people would enjoy watching while at the same time, I could have fun making! I have been thinking about the ways in which we could actually create this opening and these are some of the ideas Catalina and I discussed together, as well as some others I thought of over the week!
Catalina and I both decided a great way to incorporate the obsessive habits and actions of our main character, will be filming in the morning right as the individual wakes up. We have made this decision because we believe that starting the film off right in the beginning of the day demonstrates that this order immediately affects the individual and continues throughout the day. I also believe that using a female will be another great feature in assisting us to relate the message that teenagers now a days are striving to be perfect. Especially teenage girls because they are so conscious about their physical appearance and the way the appear to others.
Some of the shots that we are thinking to include in the film that portray Obsessive-compulsive disorder are:
-Immediately after waking up the individual will turn to their side and turn on the lamp approximately 3 times.
-Individual will then put on slippers 3 times
- Bed will be made with exact precision and caution (after making it, goes back to fix one pillow to make it perfect)
-Turns on light to room 3 times as they make their way to the bathroom
-Fixes frame in bathroom to be perfectly straight
-Brishes teeth 3 times for an exact amount of time using a timer
-Walks to closet where everything is perfectly coordinated
When creating this opening, I definitely want to ensure that those watching understand that the individual suffers from Obsessive-cumpulsive disorder and therefore everything has to be done the exact same way and perfect. On the other hand, I definitely do not want this opening to be too repititve and boring. I think Catalina and I definitely need to brainstorm idea on how we can verify that this piece is interesting and still relays our message. I also believe that we have such a large message for a simple opening, therefore we need to make an effort to incorporate our theme or message without giving away too much or coming across as overwhelming.
This is all definitely a work in progress but it I surely coming along!
One Small Step At a Time
Just a few days ago my partner, Catalina, approached me with a new idea for our film opening. I really like the idea so I thought I'd share it with you guys!
The film opening will be about an individual suffering from OCD, also known as Obsessive-compulsive Disorder. OCD is characterized by unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead to compulsive behaviors. Catalina stated that her thought process behind this idea was that often times attention and emphasis is placed on eating disorders such as Anorexia, Bulimia, etc... But other disorders, like OCD tend to be over looked by individuals. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a disease that affects individuals of all ages for years or even a lifetime. There is no cure for OCD but treatment is utilized to help the individual suffering from OCD.
I believe that I'm really interested in this idea because I genuinely feel like there is more to this topic. Since the beginning of this project I knew that I wanted to create something that eminates a significant message and connects to the viewers emotions, and I strongly believe that this opening has the capability of doing just that! Since Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by uncontrollable thoughts and actions, sometimes triggered by a fear of something, I think that our film opening can symbolize today's society. Now a days everyone has the fear of not being perfect. Individuals today are so addicted to the idea of coming across to others as perfect, whether it may be their appearance, personality, or even just their lifestyle... So much to the point where teenagers are doing everything in their control to be as perfect as possible without realizing the consequences this has on themselves, physically and mentally.
I plan on completing further research on Obsessive-compulsive disorder and the affects it has on individuals, as I want to get a full understanding on this topic. I also plan on asking my family memebers and friends about their perceptions of this idea and how they feel would be the best route of portraying this topic. I'm feeling a bit more calm and confident in this project because I believe that were making progress, one small step at a time!
"Obsessive-compulsive Disorder." - Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2016.
The film opening will be about an individual suffering from OCD, also known as Obsessive-compulsive Disorder. OCD is characterized by unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead to compulsive behaviors. Catalina stated that her thought process behind this idea was that often times attention and emphasis is placed on eating disorders such as Anorexia, Bulimia, etc... But other disorders, like OCD tend to be over looked by individuals. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a disease that affects individuals of all ages for years or even a lifetime. There is no cure for OCD but treatment is utilized to help the individual suffering from OCD.
I believe that I'm really interested in this idea because I genuinely feel like there is more to this topic. Since the beginning of this project I knew that I wanted to create something that eminates a significant message and connects to the viewers emotions, and I strongly believe that this opening has the capability of doing just that! Since Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by uncontrollable thoughts and actions, sometimes triggered by a fear of something, I think that our film opening can symbolize today's society. Now a days everyone has the fear of not being perfect. Individuals today are so addicted to the idea of coming across to others as perfect, whether it may be their appearance, personality, or even just their lifestyle... So much to the point where teenagers are doing everything in their control to be as perfect as possible without realizing the consequences this has on themselves, physically and mentally.
I plan on completing further research on Obsessive-compulsive disorder and the affects it has on individuals, as I want to get a full understanding on this topic. I also plan on asking my family memebers and friends about their perceptions of this idea and how they feel would be the best route of portraying this topic. I'm feeling a bit more calm and confident in this project because I believe that were making progress, one small step at a time!
"Obsessive-compulsive Disorder." - Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2016.
Saturday, March 12, 2016
Let's Talk Genre
As a result of not having an idea of what to do for my film opening, I've taken the initiative to do some research on genres with the expectations of a learning a bit more about films. Here is some of the notes I have gathered from these genres!
Drama
(As of now I am mostly interested in Drama so this is where I have done most of my research
Drama
(As of now I am mostly interested in Drama so this is where I have done most of my research
- Serious
- Plot-driven
- Portray realistic characters, settings, situations, etc...
- Typically intense character development and interactions
As I have previously mentioned in my other blogs, one of my goals is to create a film opening that my viewers can relate to. Which is exactly what Drama has the capability of doing, portraying real-life emotional problems that the target audience will be able to connect with. My partner and I know that we would like our target audience to be young adults and therefore this genre would be the ideal outlet for relaying a meaningful message to individuals who could reside with it.
Horror
- Frightening, terrifying, shocking
- Invoke worst fears
Mystery Fiction
- Involves a mysterious death or crime
- May involve a supernatural mystery
Adventure
- Usually exciting stories
- New experiences
- Searches or expeditions
"Main Film Genres." Filmsite. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2016.
"Drama(genre)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2016.
Team Work Makes the Dream Work
Yesterday Catalina and I met with three other students from our class to discuss the beginnings of our projects. I really enjoyed being able to meet with other individuals because it allowed me to ask questions, while at the same time receiving feedback. I informed them about some of the ideas Catalina and I have so far and some of the results I'd like to get out of this project. They were very understanding that we are still in the process of establishing what exactly we'd like to do but nonetheless, they encouraged us to research several genres and eventually choose one that we can really connect with and feel like we would be able to excel in.
To my surprise, that piece of advice really got me thinking. I believe that by accumulating more knowledge on fictional genres, I will then be able to pick one or two that I am greatly interested in and dedicate a large portion of my time to investigating these two categories. I think a key factor for me when looking for a genre to choose, is that I personally have to feel as if there is potential in it for me to succeed. One of my biggest goals for this project is to fully understand my genre and the criteria needed to create this style of film. I am a strong believer in the concept that once I understand what I want to produce, it will then be easier for the viewers to interpret what I am portraying. With that being said, I will focus on researching fictional genres to hopefully aid Catalina and I in making progress for our film.
All in all, I am very appreciative for the advice our classmates gave us and truly hope to use their tips when creating our film. I also found our interaction with them to be a success because I was also able to give them advice on their assignments and share my perspectives with them. I found it so intriguing hearing all of their creative ideas and plans for their projects. I can't wait to see what everyone creates!
To my surprise, that piece of advice really got me thinking. I believe that by accumulating more knowledge on fictional genres, I will then be able to pick one or two that I am greatly interested in and dedicate a large portion of my time to investigating these two categories. I think a key factor for me when looking for a genre to choose, is that I personally have to feel as if there is potential in it for me to succeed. One of my biggest goals for this project is to fully understand my genre and the criteria needed to create this style of film. I am a strong believer in the concept that once I understand what I want to produce, it will then be easier for the viewers to interpret what I am portraying. With that being said, I will focus on researching fictional genres to hopefully aid Catalina and I in making progress for our film.
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Let's Get This Party Started
Hello and welcome to my blog!
This week officially marks the beginning of an interesting journey ahead as my partner Catalina and I unite our thoughts and ideas to create an opening for a film. We are beyond excited to begin the process and genuinely can't wait to see what's in store for us!
Although, it has come to my realization that I seem to be a lot more lost than expected. I know that I want to create a piece that has significance, a piece that gets people thinking, a piece that myself and others can relate to , and overall a piece that I can truly say I am proud of. The only problem... I'm not necessarily sure how. I find myself constantly referring back to genre because I believe that it will be a key factor in our opening. I want to be able to fully understand the genre we are representing. This way we can tell our story, using a variety of techniques, in a more cohesive and detailed manner that our viewers will be able to grasp. I plan on conducting research for different genres to help me eventually create the plot for our film and further going into depth on how we can present that plot. As of now Catalina and I are interested in two genres, romance and mystery. We are both interested in romance and we believe that it's something that many individuals find to be relatable. We also like the genre mystery because it has the capability of being unpredictable and can really be interesting. These genres are not set in stone and we definitely plan on expanding our options list.
I've never done an assignment like this before so it does in a way scare me because I want everything to turn out great and to always perform to the best of my ability. Despite my nerves, I am approaching this project with a completely positive and optimistic mindset. I think that by beginning this assignment with an optimistic outlook, we will start the project on good terms and do everything in our control to create a great opening!
This week officially marks the beginning of an interesting journey ahead as my partner Catalina and I unite our thoughts and ideas to create an opening for a film. We are beyond excited to begin the process and genuinely can't wait to see what's in store for us!
Although, it has come to my realization that I seem to be a lot more lost than expected. I know that I want to create a piece that has significance, a piece that gets people thinking, a piece that myself and others can relate to , and overall a piece that I can truly say I am proud of. The only problem... I'm not necessarily sure how. I find myself constantly referring back to genre because I believe that it will be a key factor in our opening. I want to be able to fully understand the genre we are representing. This way we can tell our story, using a variety of techniques, in a more cohesive and detailed manner that our viewers will be able to grasp. I plan on conducting research for different genres to help me eventually create the plot for our film and further going into depth on how we can present that plot. As of now Catalina and I are interested in two genres, romance and mystery. We are both interested in romance and we believe that it's something that many individuals find to be relatable. We also like the genre mystery because it has the capability of being unpredictable and can really be interesting. These genres are not set in stone and we definitely plan on expanding our options list.
I've never done an assignment like this before so it does in a way scare me because I want everything to turn out great and to always perform to the best of my ability. Despite my nerves, I am approaching this project with a completely positive and optimistic mindset. I think that by beginning this assignment with an optimistic outlook, we will start the project on good terms and do everything in our control to create a great opening!
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