AICE Media Studies

After the project has finally been completed, it’s time to reflect on my experiences. This is my creative critical reflection for the final task. I’m grateful for this experience and how it has improved my skills both as a producer and collaborator.

1 . How does your product use or challenge conventions AND how does it represent social groups or issues?     A Spike of Luck uses modern clothing, music, and dialogue to represent teens today. More specifically athletes, as both characters are volleyball players.  The premise of the project revolves around two black teenage boys. As a result, their motives in the movie should be considered through that lens. In the project, we see MJ, played by Randy Sweeting, primarily on his own. Unless he is training with Ryan, played by Joshua Newell, he drives alone and greets no one when he gets home. It is implied that he does not necessarily have anyone looking out for him, seeing as he only interacts with Ryan to train and he ends up being late to tryouts at the end of the film. This provides a possible motive to why he is so motivated to join the team and is representative of how many teens join sports for comradery.      The primary convention of the sports genr...

 After our final filming day was complete, I wasted no time finishing up the editing process. Because the last scenes were shot mainly using tracking shots, I didn't really have to do much in terms of cutting them and adding transitions. The clips flowed together well because there were physical transitions to them. The final scene with the phone was a little more difficult. Because I was unable to help my other members film the final scenes of the film, I called them and helped them film scenes that way. This meant creating mock-ups for them to follow that demonstrated what angles to use and how to pace the camera. This actually worked way better than I thought it would. Most scenes came out great, but the only issue was that the team had a hard time filming the final scene which required a phone as a prop. Luckily, I had a phone I could record that looked similar to Randy's. I changed the wallpaper of the phone at my house and took off the case so it was less noticeable. I th...

 Though our journey to complete the project was not without its obstacles, I am proud to say that this is our final project Spike of Luck. I feel it is a major improvement from our past films and hope you enjoy watching it.

       The current weather has presented a major obstacle in our filming process. Because the entirety of the work is set outdoors at a sunny volleyball field, the constant rain has made it impossible to get new footage. To work in these conditions, we may have to scrap the entire draft we currently have so that all the scenes match. Alternatively, we would have to rewrite the ending to provide an explanation for the setting. Seeing as half the project is already completely edited, I'm much more inclined to choose the second option. The entire situation is extremely disappointing considering that this project is arguably one of our better works.  Regardless of the obstacles we're currently facing, we will take any opportunity we can to film today.      The footage that we currently have was not easy to edit. Without any cuts, it was already too close to the required time. After some cutting and arrangement, the opening and training montage sat at ...

 Since our last filming day, we haven’t been able to record. It’s a very frustrating situation because we couldn’t do anything about it. The weather has been awful, so the scenes we would shoot would look nothing like the material we already have. The outdoor scenes we have require sunny weather. It has been raining constantly, so we could not film at the park we filmed at previously. Essentially, time is being wasted due to poor conditions. For now, we have been working on the draft of our project. I sent my mockup to Aidan, my fellow editor, to look over. He had some interesting feedback to give me. He re-edited some portions of the montage. Additionally, he changed the music for the project entirely. I feel that this made a vast improvement to what we had already. Even though the beginning is nearly complete, we still have to film the later portion of the project. The entire ending needs to be shot. This will require more actors outside of the group. We have all talked to our fr...

       With more footage in our possession, I started the process of weeding out what we do and don't want. Because the last filming day was so fun, we got a lot of footage we don't necessarily need. However, the clips we did get felt very authentic and natural. This was very important to the direction I wanted to take in the film. I wanted to ensure that the characters felt like real people. Thankfully, the actors were able to deliver that with ease. I started with a mock-up of the opening that I had made previously. Using that as a base, I compiled the clips that were reshot and replaced the previous takes that weren't up to par. After this was done, I continued trying different methods to add the titles and names. I have a general idea of what I want, but I'm still open to changes. Because I haven't heard back from anyone I emailed for music, I searched for royalty-free music that could be implemented into the project. I primarily used Youtube for this. When ...

       After a week without any new footage, we were finally able to film. Naturally, there was a lot we needed to get done. One thing that was definitely prioritized for us was the scenes we had to reshoot. After reviewing the footage we already had, and having several discussions, some clips just did not do what we needed them to. They were either too loud, blurry, or just shot in a way that was confusing for the audience. Reshooting was definitely needed, and it provided us with much better content to work on. Today, we focused on shooting the training montage present in the film. This involved shooting several close-ups of the actors playing volleyball with each other. They practiced passing, setting, and hitting just like they did during the practice run. I used several different angles of their playing. I focused on their hands and arms and how they moved when receiving the ball. I also go several shots of the ball in motion. Sometimes getting in bushes or hitt...

       Unfortunately, the group could not come together to film this week. This was extremely frustrating because it set us behind for a few days. Many of us were working, and when we weren't, others had obligations they couldn't miss. Despite this minor setback, we still made time to talk about our film. The group decided to do a phone call to work out the details of the project. Again, we were focusing on the opening. We are unfamiliar with the formatting of the intro. As a result, we all had many different ideas on how we should execute it. All of us provided input on how we could change certain scenes and dialogue to accommodate the opening. Though small decisions like the font have not been ironed out, we have a clear idea of how we want the names and titles to be displayed. This may require some of the scenes to be reshot, but we are perfectly fine with making this adjustment to get the best product we can.      The group agreed that we should im...

       After our first attempt at filming, the group realized that we had to work more things out about our project before we try filming again. With spring break upon us, we were thankfully able to get a lot of things done. Our main focus was the CLAMPS of the project as well as the editing. I reviewed several new editing applications to see if I could incorporate something new into the process. For the past two projects, I used Video Leap for the majority of the editing. While I have no issue with using the program again, something new could provide me with more unique effects that I otherwise would not have access to. I ran some of the scenes we did shoot through several applications to see what things could be changed. Because we are so early in the filming process, I'm unsure of what to cut from the footage at this time. However, I still played around with color and sound to give myself a general idea of what I will do in the future.      While I ...

       To prevent the issues the group faced when working on our previous project, we started the filming process really early. This proved to be advantageous to us because we worked out a lot of the structure of the film today. I will admit that I kind of lost sight of the direction we wanted the film to go in. Once I joined the group, this was cleared up completely. For our first day of filming, we went to the beach. Unfortunately, this did not prove to be the perfect set that we thought it would be. The beach was very windy, which made it hard to film. Additionally, there were way more people than we anticipated. The weather and crowd made the dialogue very difficult to hear. As a result, we searched for an alternative setting for the scenes that were supposed to be at the beach.     Hagan Park, a park near our school, proved to be the perfect substitute for the beach. It's a small sandy volleyball court in a neighborhood. There was no one using the cour...

       In preparation for filming, all the actors practiced playing volleyball together. To make the project more authentic, each actor needed to brush up on their skills. For one, he had to be completely taught how to play. This worked out perfectly fine because the character he plays is in a similar situation. What resulted in this practice was a fun day of preparing for what was to come. Watching the actors play with each other gave me ideas on what angles to use when filming. I also got to practice filming them as they played. While it was challenging to get close shots without the threat of being hit, it was still a fun and educational experience.     The day started with each actor warming up. Everyone stretched and took long breaths to help avoid injury. Volleyball is a sport that can be played both indoors and outdoors. For the purpose of our film, the boys practiced outside on a sand court with a net. They practiced both in a group and on their own...

    The team has been working very hard in preparation of the film. While we haven’t started filming yet, we have watched several films to help us form a better idea of what we want to do. Each movie sets up the mood, idea, and setting in a different way. A major way that they do this is through sound, and more specifically music. Because of this common theme, our group has been examining different songs we can include to enhance our project. The group has looked at several songs coming from different genres to see what would best work for our project. The requirements to put a song into consideration for the project included a generally positive feel with simple lyrics. This led us to songs like Hell n' Back by Bakar.\, Malibu by Anderson Paak, and California Girls by Katy Perry.  These songs are mainly being considered for the opening. More deliberation is needed to determine what songs and sound editing will end up in the final f ilm.     Though they were all...

      After the storyboard had been completed, the group needed to meet up to discuss a few aspects of the project. Once we got together, some important details were worked out. Each member had a different set of ideas on how we should film, direct, and edit the project. Despite this, we were able to come to an agreement pretty quickly.     One major aspect of the project we talked about was locations. We all agreed that some locations were required fro the project. Because we can not film at school, we have to get a little creative with the sets. Locations like the beach or parks are definitely on the list of places we want to film. The only issue with these places is how filming would play out. Because these areas are often loud and heavily impacted by the weather, it might be hard to film with good sound. Having the actors’ voices clear is imperative to the viewing experience of the project. Additionally, there may be a few scenes in homes or gyms to fil...

  Scene 1: Two boys, TOM and JIM, are playing volleyball on the beach. Scene 2: Tom spikes the ball and scores a point.  Scene 3: Jim looks disappointed. Scene 4:Dialogue between the two characters about their reactions and emotions. Scene 5: Tom looks a little hurt based on Jim’s response. Scene 6: Tom and Jim talk and work through things together. Scene 7: Tom and Jim are both embarrassed about the situation. Scene 8: Tom smiles again. Scene 9: The Volleyball game continues. Scene 10: A voice from far yells and both Jim and Tom look over. Scene 11: Rick a new character is running towards them. Scene 12: Rick introduces himself and ask cam he join in on their game of volleyball. Scene 13: Tom's face lights up. Scene 14: Rick and Tom are having a lot of fun playing volleyball together. Scene 15: Jim rolls his eyes and mutters under his breath. Scene 16: Jim is sitting out on the sidelines as Tom and Rick play more volleyball games together. Scene 17: Jim angrily is jealous abo...

 Title: Spike and Friendship FADE IN: EXT. BEACH - DAY Two boys, TOM and JIM, are playing volleyball on the beach. Tom spikes the ball and scores a point. Jim looks disappointed. TOM: (excitedly) Yes! Did you see that, Jim? We're killing it! JIM: (sarcastically) Yeah, I saw it. TOM: What's wrong, man? You're not into this today? JIM: (shrugs) I don't know. I just don't enjoy it as much as you do. TOM: (surprised) What? How can you not love volleyball? JIM: (smiling) I don't hate it. It's just not my thing. I'd rather play soccer or basketball. Tom looks a little hurt. TOM: (pouts) Oh, I see how it is. You don't like playing with me. JIM: (reassuringly) That's not true, Tom. I love hanging out with you. We can still play volleyball sometimes, but I just don't want to do it all the time. Tom smiles again. TOM: (excitedly) Alright then! How about we play a game of soccer after this? JIM: (smiling) Sure, let's do it. Suddenly, a boy named RIC...

  Location: Filming at the beach would provide stunning visuals with the backdrop of the ocean and sand. The players could be shown diving and rolling on the soft sand to make intense plays. A park would offer a more relaxed and peaceful atmosphere, with trees and greenery in the background, providing a contrast to the fierce competition on the court. Filming at the gym would allow for intense close-ups of the players as they sweat and strain to make every move count, with the sounds of the game echoing off the walls. The contrast of these three locations would add to the dynamic storytelling of a volleyball movie. Participants: As the director and editor, I will be responsible for overseeing the creative vision and execution of the film. I will work closely with the other members of the production team to plan out the visual style, character development, and overall tone of the film. I will also work with the actors to ensure they understand their roles and deliver the best perfor...

      After reviewing several opening scenes for films that fall under the sports genre, the time had come for the group to design our own title sequence. When doing this, I took into account all the things I learned during the research process. I found that there were several key features that needed to be included in the title design an sequence. The most important feature was the fact that the title design and sequence had to convey the overall mood and theme of the project. Our project is focused on the relationship between two teen boys and their different relationships with the sport volleyball. While the sport is the most important aspect of the project, there are comedic elements as it is meant for teenagers. Based on this information, the title sequence should feature fun, light hearted motifs like physical effects and fun sound.       Additionally, the title design and sequence should also reflect the intensity of the sport. To achieve t...

  1. What titles are displayed during the opening sequences?   - Studios  - Director  - Actors  - Casting  - Music Directors  - Visual Effect Producers  - Visual Effects Supervisors  - Costume Designers  - Assistant Directors  - Editing  - Production Designer  - Line Producer  - Co Producers  - Executive Producers  - Title    2. What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?   Priority was given to the pictures of the actors and directors as their titles were read aloud. Throughout the full title sequence, this was a recurring theme. 3.  What connotations do these images carry?   They have a large, bright appearance. It emphasizes and complements the color scheme and personalities of the people in the movie. This does a great job of presenting the actors who were in the movie. 4. How does the film establish a feeling of the genre from the outset?   It previews some of the eleme...

 1. What titles are displayed during the opening sequences?  • Studios taking part in the film • Title of the film  • Directors/ Directed By  • Screenplays/ Screenplay by  • Story Creator  • Producers • Director of photography  • Production Designers  • Editor  • Music supervisor  • Casting By  • List of cast  • an " a (enter name) production" 2. What images are prioritized in the opening sequences?  In the the title sequence we are shown black screens with the production copy’s introduction with their logo animations then we proceed into the a scene of the main Character Adam Sandler talking to another character as they walk down a hall. They then enter a gym where a player gets interviewed. After this scene we get put on a plane with Adam Sandler as he is a coach looking to draft players and as we get put through the different scenes the credits are placed in corners wi...