A Final Look Back

 *sigh* The time has come. The last blogpost. The short film has been finalized, our project components have been finished, and I can now take a breathe of relief.

    As I look back at the work my group and I have had to accomplish over these past couple of months, it is clear to see that we have grown a lot from this project. For starters, this is technically my first short film that I have worked on from beginning to end in full. Yes, I have done short projects here and there throughout the years, but none to the extent that Cutting Room Floor was on as my group and I maintained total creative control and remained on track with this story. We developed the idea together from scratch, wrote and revised the screenplay for it, and followed it through on this story from filming all the way to the editing room. It was something incredibly satisfying and beautiful to see our artistic aspirations come to fruition before our very eyes and know that the end product is what we sought it out to be. 

    In comparison to my past endeavors, this project has also had the highest production value I have ever worked on thanks to us renting professional-grade equipment, such as boom mics, quality camera lenses, monitors and the iconic film clapboard; all of which came incredibly handy. Additionally, our level of editing on this project was at a high as we were ambitious and implemented various color grades, sound effects, titles, visual and special effects that can be seen throughout the film.

Cutting Room Floor
 Finalized Editing Timeline (Adobe Premiere Pro)

    My group and I sought out to raise the floor with this next project and to create something that will knock it out of the park. I can say with full confidence that we have done just that. It has been an honor to work on this project and to have the opportunity to document the process with you loyal blog viewers over the past two years.

While this blog may have been the first time you see my name on a film, it surely will not be the last.

See you all on the big screen soon :)

-Oliver Sulla 

Low and Behold!

Hey everybody! The promised day is finally here! My group and I's finalized components are here and ready for the world's viewing pleasure. It has been an honor to invest my time and energy into this portfolio project as the end product is something my group and I could not be more proud of.

Without further ado, our three components are linked down below :)

Cutting Room Floor Short Film

Social Media Page

Postcard Front

Postcard Back

Creative Critical Reflection

 Hello everyone! As I look back upon the finished work my group and I have accomplished, it is important to critically reflect upon our working process throughout the course of this entire project. So, linked below is my own Creative Critical Reflection for Cutting Room Floor.

CCR

I CAN SEE THE FINISH LINE

This Saturday, Ryan and I got up earlier than our typical weekend schedule to meet up and begin (and finish) editing this titan of a project. Beginning at around 11:00am, I proceeded to begin the color grading process while Ryan tackled audio and finding music. A few hours later, we put the two sequences together to make a more polished rough cut.  After this amalgamation was created, we inserted the Narrator dialogue from earlier in the week and found that this cut was a lot longer than anticipated. Throughout the next couple of hours afterwards (and after taking an important break for food), we rewatched and discussed certain shots, cuts, and even scene aspects that we liked and didn't want to keep in our final cut. While we are not entirely done as the script titles and narrator animations need to be completed, the finish line is within our field of view and most of the editing heavy lifting has been accomplished. 

Expect the completed project very soon! 

Cutting Room Floor
Adobe Premiere Pro CC Editing Timeline

Me, the Narrator

In addition to being a part of the filming and editing process for Cutting Room Floor, I also have the amazing privilege to play the Narrator within the film. As we were filming, we made sure that between Eddy's lines there was enough space for the Narrator to fulfill his dialogue in post and now that I am recording the lines, I am pleased to say that our planning during filming has been extremely helpful. With the help of our trusty Shure Boom microphone that we used to capture our audio for the film, I was able to record the dialogue cleanly and efficiently. Truth be told it felt like I was a professional voice actor or singer with the mic on the stand like it was below. 

It took us quite a bit of time to record to make sure that 1) our levels were right and 2) my delivery was on point and works for the story and scene. Overall, I think my performance is one better heard than seen ;).

Mid Studio Session

Mini Edits

 Hey everyone! With our editing deadline approaching faster and faster, my group and I have begun tackling this tedious process by fleshing out each scene before we begin on a complete and full sequence. Both Ryan and I decided to compile rough cuts of each scene by syncing up our audio with the visuals and choosing which takes we want to be in the final cut. This process will definitely help guide our vision of the final product and overall streamline the entire process. 

Below are two of the genres I edited into rough cuts.

Horror Rough Cut

Comedy Scene Rough Cut

That's a Wrap!

Our final day of filming has completed! 

To reflect on this day of filming is to do it very tired because shooting the remaining Action and Void scenes took over 7 hours! 

Did we need that much time? Debatable, but we got it done!

Setting up for our Action Scene

Our action scene was something that we needed a lot of varied shots and several takes in order for us to piece it together in editing to sell the very intense and action-packed sense of this type of scene. We filmed all of this in my garage and it involved the most amount of costume design and fighting that we had to portray as realistic. This scene was very reminiscent of a very Hollywood blockbuster kind of film that we thought was hilarious, but very cool at the same time. 

Void Scene Set 

The Void Scene was quite tricky to say the least. Our group had purchased a black backdrop for us to use to make it seem as if Edward was in, quite literally, a black void of darkness. We had to manipulate our lighting in a way to make Edward look dynamic and cinematic, but not illuminate the black background to show it is fabricated. Not to mention the pain in the butt it was to clamp the backdrop with tape and two clamps to my garage. 

Ending Shot Set

Overall, the filming experience for this project was on a scale I had never worked on before and I am incredibly grateful to be in a position where I am able to film at such a production level. I am very excited to release the film and show everybody our hard work. 

But filming is only half the battle, now is time for editing!

The Teen Comedy Horror

Day three! 

As of right now, my team and I have completed the Romance, Comedy, Teen, Silent Film, and Horror scenes for our project. 

Teen Scene Set #1

Teen Scene Set #2

Regarding our Teen/Coming of Age Scene, we filmed in two locations: my room and my patio outside my house. The shots turned out very good, but we did have to get creative to make the scene flow and be presented in such a way that is visually interesting as someone getting up and ready for their day is not always the most exciting thing to see on display. Additionally, we had to work with and learn how to control the natural lighting that was coming from the sun via my light reflector, diffusor, or even just closing my window in a certain way to get the look and feeling we wanted. 

Comedy Scene shot

Comedy Scene Set

Secondly, we planned our Comedy Scene in how a typically sitcom would have been. We set up my kitchen and living room to be very clean and colorful to mimic a stereotypical network sitcom set. Additionally, we shined our lighting more straight on to our actor Edward as opposed to more angled or controlled for a cinematic look as sitcoms normally have very flat and bright lighting. We had him wear a Hawaiian shirt and hold a banana to really sell how wacky and more colorful this section of the movie is and how, in the context of the film, makes the Protagonist feel out of place.

Horror Scene Set

Finally, our Horror Scene was an eventful filming experience. We went over to Regional Park more towards the back that was more woodsy and had plenty of nature that would look as if Edward was stuck in the woods. To film this, we had to carry our equipment like our camera stabilizer all the way there away from my car and film in a more guerilla fashion as opposed to a more controlled environment. We had minimal light, but enough that we needed as Horror films are typically lit more dimly as they are in a night and dark place. We filmed this scene rather quickly, but as we were going to get a quick insert shot of Edward's foot, we felt a raindrop and began sprinting toward the car to save the equipment. Thankfully, we made it in time and all went well!
 

All in all, I can say that I am very excited to finish filming and begin to compile and piece the movie together in editing very soon.

First Day Jitters

 And so it begins....

Our first day at filming has come and it was quite the experience. First off, never underestimate how long a quick scene might take to film. We filmed our Romance genre scene that would last around a minute and yet it took us over 3 hours! Granted the scene came out very well due to us being very meticulous with our shot composition and the way we want each take to play out. It was also great to put in the boom pole we rented out to use as the audio quality for the scenes was, in my opinion, professional level of quality and is most definitely the best way to record audio. 

Ryan as boom operator

From what I had to take away from this day as I think about the next few days for us to film is to film earlier as we do take quite some time to film. Additionally, I see our chemistry and workflow is just as smooth and efficient as it has been in previous projects, so I have great confidence that these next few days of filming will go great!

The crew (Left to right: Ryan, myself, and Edward)

New equipment who dis?

 Hey everybody! Today, Ryan and I went over to BECON-TV and picked up our new rental equipment that they would lend out to us in order to help us film Cutting Room Floor. Needless to say, we are extremely pleased with what we were able to check out. Jim was very helpful and eager to offer us whatever kind of equipment would be useful in helping us to get the highest quality of production for our film. 

We had requested ahead of time a boom mic, light kits, and a monitor. Jim went above and beyond giving us a clapboard for us to sync video and audio, a boom mic that can record internally and into the camera, Canon lenses for my camera, a wired and wireless video monitor, and even a mist machine! Ryan and I walked out feeling over the moon and like we were real film directors using real Hollywood-like equipment. We are very excited to put this hardware to good use :)

Clapboard slate + Mist Machine

Shure Lenshopper VP83 Boom Mic

New Lenses

A Jack of all Genres

Regarding the cinematography and overall "look" of our shots, we are going to have to display a variety of different compositions, color grades, and lighting setups to convey the several genres of film we are going to be tackling within our film. In order to prepare for this, I researched and found shots from various films from our specific genres in order to base the style that our shots will have.

1. Coming of Age 

Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Lady Bird (2017)

For our coming of age film, it is important that a bright and warm look is shown in order to convey feelings of happiness and to be more inviting, especially for the beginning of the film to lead the audience into a sense of comfort before throwing them into what is to come. Something that I see in coming of age films is that they have a "film look" meaning the look you get from a film camera as opposed to digital format. In order to replicate that on a DSLR, we will have to play around with the grain level as well as to soften up lighting while filming. 

2. Horror

Us (2019)

For the horror section, I am looking for a more dark and cool look, which is very reminiscent of typical horror films as they are typically chosen to create a 'chilling' effect. Since we are filming in a forest, having this moody and cold tone will create a sense of tension and ambiguity within the audience. Having the depth of field be shallow (background blurry) will also be used in order to convey loneliness and isolation.

3. Comedy

Truman Show (1998)

Regarding the comedy section, I decided to base it upon a film like the Truman Show as during this section is where we want it to seem as of the Protagonist is being ridiculed and a part of a sick joke. By having a more yellow hue with flat lighting and slight vignetting in the frame, will get the point of across visually as it is a similar look to typical old sitcoms. 

4. Silent Film

For the silent film clip, we will be filming the Protagonist at a flat 180 degree angle parallel to him. Many silent films were shot straight on to the subject at no angle and in medium shots, so we will do the same in replicating the style. To give off a more vintage look, we will overlay grain and a film filter to have it seem as if we shot the sequence on an old time camera. Additionally, we will have title cards for the dialogue after each line as there is no audio to be heard.

5. Action Scene

El Camino (2019)

Regarding the action scene, to evoke this style, we will be filming with dramatic lighting and having this section of the film be edited with black bars to create a more cinematic aspect ratio that is widescreen and more "Hollywood." For our color grading, we are thinking of having the contrast turned up and the colors become less vibrant and more towards a brown green tone to create a more gritty and dirty look to the film, that encapsulates the feel of a hostage situation. 

6. Void/ Ending Scene

Stranger things (2016- )

 
Our ending scene was recommended by Ryan to be based on how Stranger Things filmed their "void" scenes being completely encapsulated in darkness with only the subjects being lit slightly. In order to convey this effect of "nothing, but blackness", we had bought a black photography backdrop and being able to manipulate lighting effectively is something that will be key to pulling this off. 

Split Lighting

Rim Lighting

Loop Lighting

Split, Rim and Loop lighting are techniques I have researched and believe will be beneficial to us during this sequence as they give a variety of looks and emotions to the subject. Split demonstrates inner conflict and ambiguity, while loop is more exposed and soft. Rim lighting is a technique I see us experimenting with, especially in this dark abysmal environment to create a variety of unique looks and shots through the silhouette of the Protagonist alone.

Filming Schedule

With the incoming week upon us, spring break is over and our time for filming is soon to begin. We have prepared our schedule, as well as our location list for the different scenes.

• Tuesday - Romance scene
• Wednesday - Teen and horror scenes
• Thursday - Comedy and silent film scenes
• Friday - Action and Void (ending) scenes

This week is going to be a strenuous, but very exciting week as we know having to film everyday in the middle of a regular school week is no easy task, but this is nothing my group and I have not tackled before. On Tuesday, Ryan and I will drive to BECON-TV to pick up the equipment we are renting from them. After receiving the equipment, we will be hitting the ground running and filming the Romance Scene. As production is underway, I will be updating everyone on how the process goes.

Music Update

 Hello everyone! I have some new on our music situation! Out of the two record companies I have contacted for licensing in our films, Epic and Matador Records respectively, only one has contacted me back: Matador. The lady who I was in contact with was very kind and responded rather quick; only a day after my initial e-mail was when she responded. She asked a couple of questions regarding where I was located and to whom the film would be shown to. I had explained to her that the film was going to be shown to my class, but also be sent off to Cambridge for grading. Additionally, I made mention of the fact that my group and I are most likely going to send this film off to film festivals within the US. Afterwards, she gave this response: 

Although I love the Interpol song we are requesting and think it would work great with the intended ending for our film, we unfortunately do not have the budget to pay for the license of the master and the publishing rights for our film. While this isn't the outcome we were hoping for, I am going to keep a pin on this song to eventually use for a future project that I work on.

Script Revisions

Just as I mentioned in the previous script update, our script is a living document. And this document has been revised once more; albeit, for a more conclusive time.

Some updates we made included: shortening of the opening scene, revised scene and character descriptions, a few tweaks to the ending confrontation, and a new ending entirely (same idea of protagonist getting their own script, but different execution.

Ryan has added notes and comments to the screenplay online that will help Eddy in creating the storyboards for our film. With all these revisions and markups, my group is happy to say that this version should be the closest to what the end product will turn out to be and are ready to help bring these words on paper to life.

You can view our completed script here.

Music

In terms of our film, the visual is only half the battle that we have tackled head on, now it is time for audio; more specifically, our non-diegetic sound.

For our soundtrack to the movie, we will use resources such as copyright free songs on YouTube, filmstro.com, and freesounds.org for any special sound effects. We will need to gather a rather large array of royalty-free music in order to ensure all the different film genres and scenes have the appropriate soundtrack to go along with what is happening on screen. 

An aspect of this journey that we are wanting to go the extra mile for is for the ability to implement copyrighted songs that we ourselves are huge fans of and want to add these songs as a cameo to our film, as well as these songs have always been songs we have always thought of putting into a film.

The songs are:

• Interpol - Untitled
• Death Grips - Get Got

In order to use these songs without copyright infringement, we will be contacting Matador Records and Epic Records, respectively. While we may not even get a response back, it is worth a shot regardless. I'll be back with anymore updates.

Equipment

 In order to produce our film at the highest quality that we are aiming for, we have gathered a list of all the equipment my group and I own and what we will use in order to produce the project.

I, Oliver, will use my own:

• Canon SL2 with two-three lenses as one of our primary cameras 
• SunPak 12\"\" Ring Light for lighting
• Purple Panda Lavalier to record close and isolated audio
• DJI Ronin S Gimbal in order to stabilize any footage that requires steady camera movement
• Tripod for lockdown and more static shots
• Reflector/Diffusor to control lighting
• Rode Video MicGO for NAT sounds

Ryan will bring:

• Lumix G7 with lenses as our second primary camera 
• Three point lighting stands
• Wireless Lavaliers for audio

While this is a plethora of equipment at our disposal, we want to be ambitious on this project. So, we decided to enlist the help of one of the producers of the Shortcuts TV show at BECON-TV by the name of Jim Guarasci. Their program allows South Florida student filmmakers to rent out industry-level equipment for their films.

Ryan has reached out and we are all very ready and excited to put this new equipment to great use!👍🏻

Group Meeting

  Hello everyone! Today during my class, my teacher arranged our class and had us meet in groups to discuss how all of our projects have been going and for any feedback we could give one another. This is our second round of group meetings and it has been a couple of weeks ago since our first union, so it was exciting to see how everyone's progress and ideas would have developed since then. When we met up, we had a good and positive energy among us which helped for us to give critiques well. I was the first one to go and as soon as I described the plot for my group's film, everyone's face lit up. They all loved the idea and were really excited to see how it would go. I let everyone know how we have a finished script, production schedule, and how we organized the work among my group. For the most part, everyone in my group meeting was all for my idea, but I did ask for critiques on the film's ending. I had asked whether to leave it more open ended and ambiguous or to have something more structured and definite. They decided on the latter in order to prevent from confusing the audience and getting our point across. This is something I will be bringing up with my group to ensure our movie ends on not confusing and satisfying note. 

Production Schedule Update

 As my group and I have progressed and focused more and more on the pre-production side of our short film, it begs to wonder how our production stage will go. Since the last blog post I made about our schedule, we decided that we would have to change our dates in order to accommodate for all of our schedules and the time we have spent on just planning alone. 

Our new production schedule from this point forward will go like this:

• Week of 3/15- Principle photography, location scouting, wardrobe and props
• Week of 3/22- Finding and getting approval for music, social media, and postcard
• Week of 3/29 - Filming
• Week of 4/5- Editing
• 4/10 - Finish
• 4/12 - Deadline

This time table takes into account the fact that I will not be here during Spring Break which is why we will begin filming after break ends. During my absence, we will be working on other aspects of our project to further our progress on the overall project at hand (such as by working on the social media page and postcard), as well as preparing as much as we can for us to hit the metaphorical film ground running. We aim to finish by April 10th just in case anything were to go wrong, we have two full days for buffer time before our inevitable deadline of April 12th. 

Source: Nickelodeon

Script Finalize

 After keeping in mind the feedback from our teacher, as well as my group and I reading over the script and discussing how our film would play out, the general themes of the piece, and how the different elements we hope to keep in our film would work with one another; we have finally come to a complete and prepared script.

Source: Nickelodeon

We have completed the three different genre scenes that our protagonist would undergo: coming of age, action, and romantic drama. While the script is still a living document, meaning we can still change or add ideas as we come up with and think of new concepts, it is definitely a strong foundation for us to begin our production. 

Our script can be viewed here.

Teacher Feedback :D

 Hey everyone! During my last class, my team and I decided to take a step back and ask for some feedback from our teacher regarding our script, story, and ideas we have regarding our short film. Safe to say that the meeting went very well. My teacher had already viewed a draft of our screenplay via our last blog, so she already had a good idea on what the synopsis for our film would be about. Thankfully, she really liked our idea! 

We discussed aspects, such as:

• How we would break the fourth wall to prevent us from rehashing old clichés typically seen in many mainstream movies
• To combat this, our character would be talking to the narrator in a variety of different situations and environments that are not reminiscent of stereotypical "talking to camera" sequences.
• Whether our narrator would be a physical person or an omniscient figure
• We decided it would be best for our narrator to remain an omniscient and invisible presence to preserve his mystique and almost god-like control over the film
• How many genres and interpretations we would show in our film
• We would showcase three main scenes from different genres in order to not over or under load the audience, as well as for the benefit of time. 

Overall, it was a very successful and helpful meeting. It was great to hear feedback on our ambitious concept and to know we are on a good track.