Filming blog

The first thing my partner I decided to do was make a plan on how we were going to film. I made a list to start, showing how we were going to do things chronologically. I then decided to label our storyboard as well. I put in big bold letters what angles and types of shots we'd be using. I did it just like we did with our last project. Next it was time that we checked out our equipment again. I signed it out using the forms provided by our teacher, and inspected the equipment to ensure it was fully functional and ready to use. We decided to get together at the park after school to film. We brought everything with us, came dressed, and began immediately. I was responsible of choosing the area we filmed in. I chose court-like space to film in. It was very open which is why I decided on it. I took the equipment out of its casing and we began to film. I filmed my partner and she filmed me. We also did a couple of shots that included the both of us. We did this using our tripod provided to us. While filming I also help the responsibility of doing routine checks on the camera's angles and such. We filmed several takes of each scene. Once we were content, we decided to pack things up and go home. We also came together the following Saturday to film only a couple of scenes inside my car. My partner isn't able to drive so I was fully responsible for the car. I unpacked the equipment once again and we began to film. My partner filmed and I acted in the scenes. I also acted for a scene or two in my bathroom. Some of the scenes involved both of us in the car, which I had my sister film for us. I had to explain the angles and how we wanted them filmed. We decided we were fully content with everything that we had filmed. My partner and I decided to have me keep the equipment over the weekend. I arrived at school early the next school day and signed out an SD reader so I could dump the footage onto the computer. I plugged the reader into the computer and selected everything I wanted to dump. After i returned the reader and equipment, I headed to class, and that part of the project was complete.

Storyboard Blog (Music Video)

We are going to begin our music video by starting exactly where the beat drops. We will be featuring two "divas" in the music video. We will place a zoom on the first shot to emphasize the beat dropping. In the next scene we will capture the diva in front of the mirror applying makeup. This will probably be a medium shot or a POV shot if we're able to pull it off. The next scene will be of one of the divas lip syncing sassily, while the camera does a pan up and down her body. This will give the audience a chance to see and take in the clothes and attitude of the diva. The next scene will switch back to her in the bathroom in front of the mirror. The camera will then follow her from the front as she walks out and sings at the same time. This will probably be a closeup shot. This type of shot/scene is definitely very Beyonce esque. The next scene is just very complimentary to the lyrics of the song. Beyonce will say, "she aint no diva, no, no, no." The diva will be lip syncing this and mocking the idea that "she" is a diva, with her fan in hand. The next clip will be the diva stepping out of the car while singing to the music. For the next scene we'll be shooting the diva crouching from a low angle so we'll really be close up. The next one will once again be in the  car and the diva will be flaunting her paper money. This of course will be play money but will definitely add to the general effect. The next two clips are just going to fill in space and will be pretty simple long shots. The first will be the diva dancing and the second is a hair flip in slow motion. The clip after that will add humor to the video. It will be a clip of the diva pushing away a bystander trying to watch her/be on her level as she gets into the car. This two person shot might be an over the shoulder. Next, we have a break in the music. We will add an extreme close up of the diva applying a thick layer of gloss on her lips. We also capture her walking in her heels, just like the Diva video that was released in 2009. We will next add an oblique shot of money being thrown on the diva to capture her luxurious lifestyle. Our last and final clip will be the diva throwing the money at the camera. Our transitions will include fade ins and fade outs, jump cuts, and iris' in and out. 

Planning (Music Video)

Planning Blog:

1. Location
1. Park
2. House
2. Health & Safety
1. Parental supervision
2. First aid kit
3. Water
4. Wear seatbelts
3. Props
1. A fan (optional)
2. A car
3. A phone
4. A purse
4. Costumes
1. Fur coat
2. Glittery clothing
3. High heels
4. Dresses
5. Skirts
6. Flashy crop tops
7. Jeans
5. Schedules
1. Filming
1. Thursday November 21 after school
2. Friday November 22 after school
3. Saturday November 23 (Time TBD)
4. Monday November 25 after school
5. Tuesday November 26 after school
6. Wednesday November 27 (Time TBD)
7. Friday November 29 (Time TBD)
8. Saturday November 30 (Time TBD)
9. Sunday December 1 (Time TBD)
2. Editing
1. Monday December 2 during class, after school
2. Tuesday December 3 during study hall, ater school
3. Wednesday December 4 during class, after school
4. Thursday December 5 during study hall, after school

Storyboard Blog: Beyoncé - Diva (Homecoming Live)

• Start song at 26 seconds

1. Mis En Scene
1. Costumes
1. Flashy and sassy
1. Glittery
2. Fur
3. High heels
4. Dress
5. Skirt
6. Crop top
7. Jeans
8. Jewelry
1. Earrings
2. Bracelet
3. Necklace
4. Ring
2. Hair
1. Kayla - Low Puff
2. Chelsea - Wavy
2. Lighting
1. Bright and Lively
3. Actors
1. Kayla
2. Chelsea
4. Makeup
1. Natural looks
1. Mascara
2. False lashes
3. Lip gloss
4. Lip stick
5. Props
1. A fan (optional)
2. A car
3. A phone
4. A purse
5. Shopping bags
6. Sunglasses
7. Gloves
8. Mask
6. Setting
1. The mall 
2. House
2. Filming
1. Camera Angles
1. Low angle
2. Eye level
3. Oblique
2. Movements
1. Tracking
2. Zoom
3. Pan
4. Tilt
3. Shots
1. Extreme close up
2. Long shot 
3. Two shot 
4. Medium
5. Trunk shot

• End song between 1:31 and 1:41

Music Video Research Blog

Throughout all the difficulties we faced with our commercials, we were finally able to finish off strong.  I learned how extensive a 30 second video could be, and I truly will appreciate the craft of filmmakers from here on out. I learned that I truly enjoyed the filming process. I also learned that I definitely wasn't a fan of the planning and editing portions of the process. They proved to be beneficial, but were not fun at all. And Although I didn't enjoy it, in the future I will plan much more extensively so things can go even smoother. With all of these things in mind, we are taking on our next project which is going to be a music video.

We chose the song "Diva," by Beyonce. It's video was published on YouTube a little over 10 years ago. This 2009 song is considered a contemporary R&B song. We decided to with this song because its sassy just like us. It beat out our other Beyonce and Lizzo song because of how much it reminded us of our younger selves. We knew we wanted to do something a little on the older side. We just browsed through Apple Music and found this song and we knew it was the one.

Majority of contemporary rap I've seen is by female artists. They're either pretty sassy or a bit more romantic and emotional. The costumes for the sassier videos are more revealing and are beaming with crystals and jewels. The lighting tends to be really bright and flashy as well. Their acting is extremely confident and empowering. The props and setting are usually not overbearing because you're focused way more on the artist. These videos include a lot of complimenting angles like low angles, extreme close ups and more. You also see many tracking shots and movements that move with the artists. The costumes for the more raw and emotional videos tend to be more plain, and more romantic. The lighting is a lot softer and more dimmed. The acting is definitely toned down to meet the more romantic feeling of the songs. Characters are usually stationed in one place for these more romantic videos either in a shower, bathtub, bed etc. The props are usually a lot nicer and it compliments the artists instead of having you focus solely on the artists like the sassier videos do. The angles for these videos are a lot simpler in my opinion. The angles are usually medium close ups with minimal movements tracking movements.