Music Madness

  Hey blog,  I lack many updates as today has been a not-so-great day. but I do have a music update.

Music:

  Today I found out that the band The Aces who created the song I want to use in my project are signed to Red Bull Records. I had no idea Red Bull had their own record label. I sent an email to three different emails to try and gain a Sync License and Master Recording License. Last year I was unprepared when emailing Asthmatic Kitty Records who owned the song I wanted to use so I got rejected. On the bright side, the company did email me back a link to a document on how music licensing works so I become more informed. Sadly, the Red Bull Records website was a bit confusing. They have a licensing company called Red Bull Record Sound Supply, but from my research, the song I intend to use is not on that website. However, on that website was an FAQ page that listed the pricing for song usage. From my understanding, I would have to pay $1.99 to use the song for my non-commercial usage. I would prefer to not have to pay at all, but I understand why I might have to. I am not sure if I will receive a reply, but hopefully, I do and I can use the song "Always Get This Way"

Sources:

https://www.themusickitchen.com/music-biz/music-licensing-sync-licenses-master-use-licenses/ 

https://www.redbullsoundsupply.com/faq 

APA Citations:

Benghiat, M. (2016, November 23). Music Publishing and Licensing 101: Sync Licenses and Master Use   Licenses. The Music Kitchen. Retrieved March 5, 2022, from https://www.themusickitchen.com/music-biz/music-licensing-sync-licenses-master-use-licenses/

High Quality Music for your online videos. Red Bull Sound Supply. (n.d.). Retrieved March 3, 2023, from https://www.redbullsoundsupply.com/faq 

Moving Foward:

  I will share my script with you all tomorrow and on Sunday will be creating a mood board for my main character as well as sharing more exciting information about the settings of my short film.

I still need to find a lead! 

I am going to give Red Bull Records a week to get back to me and then will be reaching out to my backup option.

A Little Of Everything

  Hey, blog, I took my SAT Wednesday and it went as expected. I was proud of myself for going because I had signed up for a previous SAT and the day I woke up feeling sick, so I did not go. I for sure failed the maths sections, but so it goes. In a few weeks, I will update you on whether I did better or worse than expected. Hopefully, I did better than I thought I did. Since I went to school Wednesday I thought I was going to be able to go back today, Thursday, and I would have had my AICE Media class. I did not end up going back.  I am hopefully going to school tomorrow and after school, I will be meeting with my Media teacher to discuss this project.

Social Media:

  In class Monday, whilst I was home, my teacher went into depth about the social media aspects of our projects. My friend Julie, whom you all may remember since she was my film opener partner last year, has sent me her notes. Everyone say "Thank you, Julie!" 

  My plan for social media is to create an Instagram account. On Instagram, you can post both video and photo content, unlike on TikTok which I had thought about using. My target audience, teens, is
very familiar with Instagram so I believe this will be what works best.

  What I will be posting on Instagram is unknown. I would like to post still shots (my favorite shots) of my lead character, but I do not have a cast yet. I also at some point likely need to create some sort of logo for my film meaning I also need to choose a title.

Casting Update:

  Each person I have asked to be my lead character has either said no or maybe, but they are busy and will be unlikely to take part in my project. This is a bit of an issue.

Music:

  Last year in my film opener I included music my brother created since my want to use the song Futile Devices by Sufjan Stevens was rejected. Well, it was not rejected, but the company that owns the song wanted me to pay a pretty penny to use the song. Anyways, I heard this song on TikTok today called Always Get This Way by a group The Aces. It hit too close to home, as it what about feeling like your anxiety is causing you to be a burden, but it is a bop of a song. I think it matches the tone of stress/confusion the lead character is going to feel after being ridiculed by her parents for thinking it was the morning when it was still night. I kind of imagine the end of my short film is the lead going to sleep and then I would have my credits at the end. I am a person who falls asleep listening to music, so I thought it would be interesting to have the girl put her AirPods in and turn on the song I mentioned as she goes to sleep. The song would roll into the credits. I have no idea if this is a good idea or if I would even be able to freely have access to the song. A backup song choice would be In My Mind by Lyn Lapid, but I think it is a little slow for my ideal choice. We shall see!

Other Updates:

  I have been working on my script as well as developing my character, who is basically me, is this aspect bad? Maybe?  

Script Sneak Peak

Overall:

  I NEED TO FIND A CAST! Sorry, that was harsh but true

Sunday Stress

   Hi, blog, sadly I have been unable to watch the film Booksmart directed by Olivia Wilde as it is not on any of the streaming services I own. For some reason, I thought it was on HBO Max, but it is not.

  I just finished taking a practice SAT test so my brain is mush. 

Script:

  I have not made any progress on my script. I do however know that whenever I work on this week I will be blogging. Currently, I am taking the AICE Lang A level class, and in this class, we have focused deeply on the usage of the language as you grow up. Within this study, we have focused on how social media and the media, in general, have impacted today's youth. My main character is sixteen years old and is part of Generation Z so she is experienced with social media and due to this has specific language characteristics associated with her such as her usage of popular slang. I myself use a lot of teen slang as you may have noticed that one of my recent blog posts was titled "tea" For those of you who do not know that type of tea is not drinking tea. It means more gossip and the spread of usually exciting/confidential news.

Moving Foward:

  I need to write my script! This will be done this week

  After my script is complete I may complete an online storyboard

  I will also be developing my character's backstory this week, as I believe I will find that to be fun and calming after the stressful start of my week.

Side Note:

  Starting Wednesday night my first SAT will be done and I will have more time to focus on my short film! For now, my brain is full of SAT stress. Wish me luck!

Stressful Week

  Hello blog, this week I have my first SAT so I have been focused on studying for this important exam. This means I have not made much progress on my untitled short film.

Script:

  I may stay up late tonight and watch Booksmart to hear how it was written. I know that I want my short feel to feel very natural and unscripted, but I will still be creating a script. I am still determining how much I will have my cast follow the script, I would like to allow the cast to express their beliefs on if the lines sound like something they would use in their everyday speech. 

Outline of Script

  You may remember in previous blogs I have mentioned that there are two versions of the proposed ending for my short film. Ending two continues where ending one ends. Due to this, I plan to film the entire thing as in ending one is the middle of the film and ending two is the actual end. Then whilst editing I will create the film with the ending one and see how long that is. If it is not long enough I will continue on with the ending two portion.

Casting:

 I have still been unable to convince my friend to be the lead. I will ask again this week and if she does not want to do it I will find someone else.

Location:

  I will be filming in my own room. My room is the place I spread most of my time and I believe it expresses who I am. I am building my lead character sort of based on myself. 

Date of Filming:

  That is to be determined. Originally I would have liked to film the weekend of the eleventh. But, I will be taking my second SAT test on this date. I believe filming will take place the weekend of March 18th. I will have to make sure this works with my future to-be-determined cast.

Moving Foward:

  I may watch Booksmart tonight, if so be prepared to see an early morning (maybe 1am?) blog posting!

  I need to find my lead character. This is my biggest worry currently.

  I need to continue with my script.

  Once I have my lead I will be working with them on costuming. Props wise I already own the props I need, but I will make and share a set list of the items at a later date.

A Comedic Coming of Age Short Film

  Hey blog, I ended up completing a bunch of AP United States history homework yesterday so that I could focus on studying for my upcoming SATs throughout the weekend and also still have time to blog this weekend. Therefore the research blog is being shared with you all today rather than yesterday.

Coming of Age Genre:

  Last year my film was a psychological thriller. This year I decided I wanted to challenge myself by doing something with a more positive tone. I have decided to do a Comedic Coming of Age film.

What makes a film a Coming of Age film?

How will my film align with this genre:

  The audience will see the protagonist preparing for the SAT which is an important exam to get into college. This supports the aspect of coming-of-age films showing crucial portions of a person's life. 

  My protagonist will be a seventeen-year-old who is just about to enter adulthood

  My short film will feature some sort of crush, but not directly 

  

Side Note:

  I am leaning towards only having one character shown in the film. There will be other characters heard though. 

  

How will my film also align with the Comedy genre?

  Comedies often feature over exaggeration of events. The process of getting ready to go to school will be overexaggerated in my film as the character wants to look her very best for school.

  Comedies typically have a happy ending. My comedy will have a happy ending no matter which end I end up going with since either the girl made it to the SAT or the girl has the SAT the following morning and likely ends up making it. 

Target Audience:

  The target audience for my film is teenagers around the age of twelve to eighteen.

Source:

https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-a-coming-of-age-movie-definition/

Citation: 

Kench, Sam, et al. “Coming of Age Movies Explained - Examples and Characteristics.” StudioBinder, 5 Dec. 2022, https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-a-coming-of-age-movie-definition/. 

Moving Foward:

  I am hoping to watch the comedic coming-of-age Booksmart directed by Olivia Wilde this weekend to be inspired.

  I will further develop my plot this weekend and come up with a rough draft of my script.

  I may create an online storyboard since I lack the artistic ability to draw one.

  I need to find my lead. I have been attempting to convince my friend Paola who helped with my film opener creation last year, but she has been having a busy year so I made need to continue looking.

New Plan

  Hey blog, I have a new plan!

Plot:

  A girl is studying late for the SAT which is taking place the following morning. She falls asleep whilst studying and wakes up at her desk in a state of panic since an alarm on her phone has gone off and she assumes this means she is late for her SAT. This alarm was likely set since she was taking a practice SAT test and was making sure she finished each section on time. The girl frantically gets ready and walks outside to go to her car and leave but realizes it is still dark out and that the sun is not rising as it should be. 

Ending Option One: 

  She runs back inside to her parent's room and awakens them and they inform her that it is still nighttime and that she must have fallen asleep for a few moments.  The girl is in disbelief but checks her computer which has the SAT practice screen still up with a message stating she has run out of time. The girl decides to go back to bed. 

Ending Option Two:

  When she walks outside she makes some sort of funny remark such as "Oh no, not again!" as if this is an occurrence that has happened in the past. 

Issues:

  This idea needs more detailed development. I fear this may not fit the short film format as it seems more like a film opener? I am not sure it would fill the full five minutes. Is this too boring?

Moving Foward:

  I need to research short films and figure out which genre this film is. I believe it is a comedic coming of age.

  I need to develop my script and shot list along with how long each aspect should be.

  I need to find my cast

Bye for now blog, tomorrow will be a day full of research!

Cinderella?

  Hey blog, as I planned out my proposed short film I have come to the conclusion that it is basically Cinderella plus added confusion. 

Plot:

A girl (let's call her Ainsley) collides with another girl (let's call her Nora). Something gets dropped as Nora says "Sorry" and continues walking. Ainsley picks the dropped item up and sees it is the girl's id but the photograph on it is warn and not exactly visible. Ainsley looks around and tries to find Nora, but Nora has disappeared. This portion will take place in a busy area. Ainsley pulls out her phone and tries to find Nora on social media, but it seems the girl does not have any social platforms/ Ainsley searches around for Nora, but only finds look-alikes so she goes home. At home, Ainsley draws what she remembers Nora to look like and looks her up on the internet, but it seems as if Ainsley does not exist. The next day Ainsley goes back to where Ainsley dropped her id and asks if anyone has seen Nora, but she continues to only find lookalikes.

The Ending:

This may change. Ainsley finds Nora but when she goes to give her back the ID it appears that the name and now visible face on the id has changed to be Ainsley and that "Nora" does not exist as the girl Ainsley believed to have dropped her id is someone else (let's call her Rylee)

Overall + Thoughts:

  The idea of this short film comes from the idea that sometimes when you see a person you never had before you make up a whole persona as to who they are. In this case, Ainsley gets too invested in this as it was really her own id that was dropped.

   So clearly, today was a wasted day and I need to rethink and come up with a brand new short film idea.