Ups and downs

I’m getting worried. 

My friend who contracted COVID last week has fortunately been feeling better but hasn’t tested negative yet. I don’t know if they will be okay just in time to film the final scene they partake in. I’m starting to think about plan B and the only thing that comes to mind is substituting the actors but will still play the same character. I have already asked one of my friends and he agreed to do it I just have to let him know in time. 

Furthermore, I’ve written down some of the things I need to keep in mind while editing next week (final week) and also the adjustments I have to make to other scenes, here’s a sneak peek. 

Lights, camera, ACTION!

Today is day 3 of spring break and things are going well. Today was another day of filming and once again, thanks to my team, it was easy. 

Today we filmed the scene where Soul had just jumped off the window to explore the “real world.” This is the moment Soul is left speechless by all the beauty around her she’s never seen before. Once again, the same issues were presented today such as audio problems, lighting, and other factors. I will once again attach some shots from today’s filming and remember, no spoiling! 

SPRING BREAK (with no breaks)

The first day of spring break is finally here and there is no better way to enjoy it than taking the day off and take advantage of the beautiful weather to film. Although I had to skip a couple of scenes because of the COVID incident, I think the scene I filmed today will do justice. This scene consists of Soul jumping out of her window to go outside and explore. This scene had a few complications due to the lighting and surprisingly there were many interruptions such as cars passing by, outside noise (construction), and joggers. However, although I filmed about 30 times to get the perfect shot, my whole team was very helpful and we finally achieved what I was looking for. 

As far as changes made, there weren’t any big ones. I will advise because I live in a two-story building, Soul can’t literally jump off the window so a lot of editing has to be made to make it look like she does. Jump cutting is key in this scene and precise angles as well. Overall, today was a successful filming day and I will include some shots from today, no spoilers though! 

SHOTS! SHOTS! SHOTS!

Not the ones you might be thinking of. 

Today, I went outside and with the help of my fellow, healthy characters, I was able to capture some of the shots needed for my second scene. 

I have found many pros and cons to filming at night and also some solutions and improvements I can do for next time.

There are definitely more cons than pros but I think these are all bareable and we could work around them. 

I will attach the list made below and I hope next time I see you there will be plenty solutions and maybe I’ll be done by then!

See you later, alligator! 

Alessia. 

It’s reflection time...

I take it back.

This week was cut short. It was all going great. 

One of my actors actually got sick and it turned out to be COVID-19. As disappointed as I am, it’s important to recognize these times are rough and there are way more important things to take into consideration like our health. My team and I got tested and luckily we are negative, but this means the filming process is detained for a couple of more days until this person tests negative and feels okay to continue. 

Looking at it from the bright side, I now have more time to make some changes and even film some scenes that do not include this character, progress! Right? 

Moreover, I have done some research and found some microphones on Best Buy that are affordable and can make a great impact on my film. I’m thrilled! 

We shall keep our heads up. No one said this would be easy and I realize now. I will keep working and trying my hardest to push forward and make advances to my film and my vision and I can’t wait for the final product.

Thank you for understanding, 

I will keep you all updated.

See you later, alligator!

Alessia. 

THANKS TO... BREAKOUT ROOMS

Hello Everyone,

It’s been an excellent week, with the planning and shooting of my first scene, it’s safe to safe I feel more accomplished every day.

You’d think by now I would know all the tricks and tips anyone has to offer but the more I go on breakout rooms, the more ideas and tips I bring to the table, let’s talk about them!

First, I explained to everyone in my breakout room (there were about 5 of us) what my opening scene talked about and it seemed like everyone enjoyed the idea and gave their opinion on it which for the most part were positive. As I explained to them some of my struggles such as audio, lighting, and editing, they have blessed me with some solutions that I will definitely be taking into consideration. This time, I wrote them down on my iPad and saved it to my “planning portfolio” and I will be soon be doing more research and maybe purchasing some of these items that will help with the development of my film such as a microphone. 

Below I will attach what I wrote down. 

Thank you to my group members who collaborated with me and did not mind sharing their secrets so that we can all succeed in this amazing project!!

See you all later!

Alessia. 

THE PROCESS

Today I woke up with my right foot. 

I recorded the first scene of my film and it went spectacularly.

With the help of my mom and sister, I was able to put together the first drawings of my storyboard and bring them to life. 

The process of filming was hard though. A lot of bloopers and mistakes were made. For example, my sister who plays the role of Soul, had a hard time memorizing her parts and my mom also forgot some of the lines. My cat who plays Lennot, Soul's cat was not able to stay still in one spot which made it very difficult to film. Nevertheless, the scenes turned out exactly how I wanted them to and my vision and ideas were spot on! I'm thrilled. 

I made a list of things I need to adjust at the end:

• Sound
• lighting
• background music

I will attach some scenes as well as behind the scenes of how this day played out and you guys can start creating an idea of how the movie will turn out at the end, no spoilers though! 

Special thanks to my sister, Elisa and mom, Rosalba, who've surprisingly helped me out tremendously and collaborated with the process, I would've never been able to get it done without them. Thank you! 

Thank you all for checking in, see you next week!