Closing the Chapter: Part 2

  Back in the media room, I was for year two. I was thrilled to find out that Brooke and Julie were in my class for year two! I knew the majority of the class from day one, but there were a few new faces whom I developed relationships with over the year.

  This year was a bit of a blur for me as I dealt with mental health challenges, however, the media gave me an outlet, a place where I could escape my own struggles and just enter a new world I created. Media gave me a purpose. 

   The projects that impacted me the most in media this year were the two final projects. This year, unlike last, I decided to create my short film "Unaware" alone, this mainly was due to the fear that I would drag my partner down. Working alone went well, I was able to create each component, the video, social media, and postcard. During critiques, most people praised my social media which was great as I thought that in college I could attempt to become an influencer/post my passions. 

  Speaking of passions, as you read in the second most recent blog I really am unsure of what I want to do in the future. I think my major will end up being something in journalism/digital media, but I will still try to take courses in the marketing/communications field. 

  I was one of six juniors in a class full of seniors. I had honestly not talked to all of the juniors well till today, the final day of class. I hope that I continue to keep up to date with these students as we are all going to be dealing with AICE Media withdrawal. I was so impacted by each student in the class as they each had their specialization which they were more into. Some of my peers had great scripting skills, others had great marketing skills, and others had great videography skills. I recently wrote a few Instagram messages to a few of the seniors that impacted me the most as seeing their skills challenged me to grow.

  The final project I ended up editing as you know if you read the last blog. I used Adobe Premire for the first time when previously I had only used iMovie. Editing this allowed me to see the wide arrange of areas in the media I could work in as some of my peers want to work for The New York Times and others want to become directors. This class has prepared me for a job in the field and I am extremely grateful to my teacher.

The way I started my AICE Media blog: 

    "Hi, my name is Grace, I am a 10th grader who is at the point of life where she must figure out what she wants to do in the working world. My "ideal job" changes weekly, if not daily, and the media is something I am interested in. College seems far away but I know time flies. Currently, I am enrolled in the AICE Media AS course. This blog will be the place I document my work as I go along learning and creating within media. I am so excited to be able to look back in the future and see some of the exciting things I got to create in my sophomore year."

The way I am ending my AICE Media blog:

  Hi, my name is Grace, I am a soon-to-be senior who is still figuring out what she wants to do in the working world. My "ideal job" remains to be something that is ever-changing, but I know for sure I want to work in the media. College does not seem far away anymore as time is flying. I am soon no longer rolled in AICE Media and this blog will now be used in any way I want, whether it is sharing creations, reviewing a movie, etc. I am so excited about my future.

Closing the Chapter: Part 1

  Hey blog, today was my final AICE Media class and I am feeling very sappy about it. I think I have grown as both a person and media artist throughout these past two years. Walking out of class was very odd, but I know I can go back to the AICE Media room whenever I need to.

Recap:

  Day one of sophomore year I remember as being a good day, my hair was looking good, I got to school on time, I had friends in my classes, an overall good experience! I had AICE Media AS the second period and I will admit the first time walking into that class I was nervous. I was one of just a few sophomores in the class that was typically taken by only seniors and juniors. I recognized many of the upperclassmen as being tv production students and this was a concern as I knew they had experiences I did not have.

  I soon realized that my lack of experience would just mean I had to push myself harder. I believe my first AICE Media project was a short video which I could choose to make on anything. Due to my school opening a new building my partner/friend Brooke and I decided to make a project titled "Lightning Bolt Where?" . Looking back at this vide
o allowed me to see the growth that has occurred these past two years. My shots were very unstable and there was a lack of continuity. Our second AICE Media project (I think?) was a project where we had to take pictures that would convey a message. Mine was called something like "Fear of the Agenda" and it was about an evil agenda. I guess we can see that from the beginning of AS my brain had been in the psychological thriller area. I had a great time with this project as we were allowed to capture images throughout the school. I really enjoyed this freedom.

  Also during that year, we had a sound project which was my first time exposed to foley sound art. I really enjoyed this project and to this day watch videos on foley, usually they are Disney videos. I would love to get the chance to work with this art more in the future. Another project, which as my favorite, was the media marketing project. For this project, my group was assigned a song, Blind by Korn. I had never heard this song prior as it was in the metal genre, a genre which I do not exactly listen to. This genre was new to me, but it made me do intense research on other groups as I created a full website with merchandise and tour dates for the band. https://graceaicemedia.blogspot.com/2022/02/music-marketing-blog-post-2.html in that blog you can see more specifics. We filmed at night in a Publix parking lot and it was such as funny experience. I also created a promotional video which looking back at the font I choose for it makes me laugh. This project really finalized my switch from wanting to be a psych major to wanting to be a media/communications major.

  Finally, it was time to create my AICE Media AS project component. I still am proud of this project, "Can You Help Me" which I created with my friend Julie, but looking back there are so many changes I wish I could have made specifically with having more shot variety (which I still had troubles with this year) and with having my title appear on screen longer as this was a film opener.

  Throughout the AICE Media AS course we also learned information for our end of year essays, one of which was a visual analysis. Analysing pieces in media has certainley impacted my viewing experience of other films. I find myself always thinking, "That's a nice shot." or "Oh why did they not film in that way." This class also brought me closer to my peers. I still miss the seniors from that class as they always shared such funny stories. 

Start of Something New

  Hey blog, I am back! This summer I will be doing a one-week journalism program and have decided I want to learn how to use Adobe Premire Pro prior as I have been only using iMovie throughout my AICE Media experience which is coming to an end.

  Speaking of the AICE Media end, I am editing an my final project which was to create a video based on a prompt. The prompt my group choose was "What does it mean to 'grow up'" Our documentary is laid back as we interviewed our peers so I decided now could be a good time to start learning premier pro by creating a blooper reel which I do not think will be graded, but I could likely receive feedback on. 

  From first impressions, editing on Adobe seems like a slower process than on iMovie, but this could also just be because I am experienced with iMovie and not Adobe. I started watching a video on the basics and then got bored so I just decided to download the program and play around with it.

  I did not get much further than figuring out how to edit audio and clips and also I figured out how to add graphics

  I checked out the coloration area and was happy to see that there are presets that I will likely use when editing in the future. These preset looked less harsh than the iMovie presets I have previously used. I also thought the different audio effects were very interesting.

  As the program I am going to approaches in late June, I will continue to figure out how to use Adobe.

  I ended up also editing the documentary itself on iMovie which has inspired me to create future documentaries.

  I have missed the blog as you can tell, so I will for sure blog if I have time at the program or after the program. I am specializing in anchoring whilst there to step out of my comfort zone as I am more experienced with producing films rather than being on camera.

  I have some hopes that throughout next school year, I will make a few productions possibly a documentary on how my school's new clear bag policy is altering how people pack their bags and I also want to try and get involved in filming the sports at my school possibly by creating a season-long documentary for one of the less represented sports.

  College applications are coming soon and that is scaring me, but this new adventure will be okay! Things will work out the way they are meant to.

Project Components

  Today is the day you all now can officially see Unaware in all of its glory,

  I have created a linktree to put in the film's Instagram bio!

  Here are all the links to each specific component.

Short Film

Instagram

Postcard

  It is possible I posted the film on both Instagram and Youtube at 11:11... superstitious much? 

  I hope you all enjoy this piece, thanks again.

  Till we meet again.

Critical Reflection

  My short film, Unaware, aimed to capture the pressure felt by teens preparing for the SAT. More specifically, I aimed to capture the idea that preparing for your future as you prepare for college can be a challenge that people often do not accept and deal with which leads to chaos.

  Unaware is a comedic coming-of-age film. When looking at the coming-of-age conventions I was reminded of how coming-of-age films often focus on an important period of time for the main character as change is occurring. Researching these conventions made me think of two of my favorite films Sixteen Wishes and The Half of It which both feature stories about change that incorporate a love story, another common coming-of-age convention. Unaware features Sofia who is studying for her important SAT. To an extent, my film challenges the coming-of-age conventions since there is no strong romance in this film, but there does seem to be a developing crush on someone unknown. Unaware aligns with the comedic conventions which ties to the specific comedic choice of dialogue used. For example: "Help me, Harry". This current age reference is meant to make the audiences laugh and feel that they can relate to Sofia. Often people love to associate with and feel a connection with their favorite celebrities. Also, specific shot choices such as the long shot where Sofia falls on the treadmill and the long shot where Sofia forgets her keys making her stop mid-shot come together to develop an overall comedic tone. This aligns with the comedic conventions since often in comedy films there are over-the-top actions taking place, which is exemplified by Sofia taking a long time and doing unnecessary tasks to prepare for school. Challenging the comedic conventions is the ending of Unaware since it does not end in a happy tone rather it ends in the frustration Sofia feels after realizing she woke up during the middle of the night.

Frustration Filled

  Unawares' target audience is mainly females between the ages of twelve and eighteen many of whom are a part of Generation Z which is a very technological generation. Due to this, when branding Unaware the focus was placed on developing a relatable brand. The film component includes aspects of recent pop culture such as the previously mentioned reference to Harry Styles and the inclusion of modern prop pieces such as a hydro flask and minion figurine. Also, I created and posted a blooper reel to develop the feeling that there is a sense of realness behind the film. To target younger audiences I posted short promotional TikToks since younger generations tend to have short attention spans. The brand was not only meant to target Gen Z but also older people who can relate to the film's storyline. On Instagram, I included an interview with my mother who is not a female between the age of twelve and eighteen. I did this to potray that older generations would enjoy this film and to promote parents watching the film with their children. Also, when creating the Spotify playlist that is inspired by the film I used both recently released and past released music. I then used this music and posted Instagram stories to promote the film and interact with the community. Also on Instagram, TikTok, Spotify, and in the film itself, I decided to only use lowercase letters which is a common trend amongst my target audience. On the YouTube page, however, I did use capital letters as YouTube typically has an older target audience.  This relates to the idea of Unaware establishing a relatable brand.

  A way I could improve the brand would be by using the same font on all promotional items such as posts and the postcard. Speaking of the postcard, I do not think it developed my brand well. I mentioned
the social media pages and film festival screenings on the back of the card, but the postcard itself may have made the film look like it was a horror film due to the darkness of the key art. I used pink text to try and balance this out. This choice of the colored text relates to my target audience being females. 

  My brand is not only able to interact with its female aged twelve to eighteen target audience but is also able to represent its target audience. The main character and only character featured on the screen in Unaware is Sofia. Sofia is dealing with the struggle of feeling like she is disappointing her parents as can be known by the music choice she listens to "When Do I Stop" by Ale Aldana. Sofia is a Latino teenage female. I decided to create the character Sofia since young Latino women are underrepresented in film. Paola Segnini, a Latino portrays the role of Sofia, and Ale Aldana a Latino created the music for the film. The age of Sofia can be seen through the story since the SAT is specific to students and also by the overall mise-en-scene. In Unaware it can be seen that Sofia is around the age of preparing to go to college since she has college shirts hanging in her closet. As mentioned prior, there is a romantic aspect of Unaware. After waking up Sofia sees a text from a contact labeled with a heart. The audience never learns the name or the gender of this person. There is often a lack of LGBTQ+ representation within the Latino community so it is possible that Sofia is not out to people so she hides the identity of this crush. She also has a mini pride flag on a shelf in her room. I choose these aspects to represent the LGBTQ+ community and to normalize their existence in films. Many films based on LGBTQ+ characters solely focus on the romance aspect. I think Unaware is successful in representing my desired target audience due to the modern aspects of the story, but I could have included more Latino culture such as Sofia using Spanish after she falls on the treadmill or her mother using Spanish to express her deepened frustration towards her daughter after she is informed of Sofia's actions.

Modern Materials

  After the creation of Unaware over the span of ten weeks, I have gained knowledge on the process of creating a short film alone. I also have deepened my passion for marketing. I know there are aspects of each of the three components that could've been better, specifically making sure that all three aspects are tied together both visually and meaning-wise. All things considered, I am proud of the short film Unaware, its social media pages, and its postcard. 

Did I Find My Purpose?

  Hey blog, it feels crazy to type that by this time tomorrow my short film "Unaware" will be released. I wanted to wrap up my A Level AICE Media blog the way I began it which was by discussing how I hoped to find purpose whilst creating my AICE Media Short Film.

  When I began this project I was facing some mental health struggles which led to me missing a good chunk of school. I am still dealing with these issues which have impacted my motivation levels. I believe the formation of this project brought out my "good side". I have noticed that when I am focused on something I am passionate about, whether it be an American Sign Language Signing Show (which I was a part of earlier this year) or coming up with social media marketing for Unaware, I become an overall more stable person. Was I stressed while making this film? Of course, I was, but it was a sort of good stress as it made me push myself and gave me a reason to go on.

  Now to reflect on the specifics of the project. I know I should have done more research into other coming-of-age films, but my lack of ideas at the beginning completely pushed my timeline back. If I would have watched other coming-of-age films I could have likely written a better script, but I do think my sort of modern-day culture-related lines in the script and overall storyline were good.

  Filming wise I would love to get a "real" camera for any future projects I decided to create as my iPhone was slightly problematic. I would not have the issues of forgetting my iCloud password and having trouble saving footage if I had a camera. Also, I like to invest in a mic and a lighting kit. I do think given the lightning I have in my home I used my resources well for example by using a night skylight that gave the bedroom a night-like atmosphere. I think it would have been nice to use a mic to record the few sounds I recorded such as the shower running and the sink running. This would have given me clearer sounds.

  

  Editing wise I am happy with what I created. I think iMovie really pulled through in being easy to use. I would like to learn how to use other editing platforms on my own time when I have lots of time to learn the programs, but for now, iMovie worked well. I was able to use certain iMovie tools I had not used prior such as the ability to speed up clips and the usage of filters.

   In regards to marketing this was my favorite aspect of the project. My postcard may be slightly boring as I forgot to take any pictures during the filming process... but I think it came out alright. I really like my social media. I interact with my audience on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Spotify which are all commonly used by my target audience. I enjoyed getting to be creative when posting specifically when creating the TikToks. I do however wish I could have learned how to import fonts into and out of Canva as I believe this would have created more cohesiveness within my project.

  I am very thankful for the people I worked with during this film. Paola was a great actress as well as an overall supporter throughout this process. She is a person who will give her honest opinions so this was much appreciated. I also have to thank, Laura, who played the unseen role of the mother in both the film and my life. Her support throughout this process is very appreciated. I also must thank Ale Aldana who created the songs used in both the film itself and the blooper reel. The song "When Do I Stop" well-encapsulated Sofia's emotions. Prior to Ale's offer to create this song for my film, I really had given up on music due to not hearing back from multiple companies. Lastly, I thank the past and current AICE Media Students and my teacher Ms. Stoklosa (hi if anyone is reading this) who have made me push myself. Seeing other people's projects come to life has been awesome. The people in my class are crazy talented and I cannot wait to see what they accomplish in life as most of them head to college.

  It feels weird to think I will not be taking AICE Media during my senior year of high school. I am a person who hates change so I hope to continue to use my film passion to create new projects just for funsies. One passion AICE Media sparked in me was the passion for social media/marketing. I first fell into this when I created a website and merchandise for the AS Level Music Marketing project.  I then again was able to use this passion to create the social media for "Unaware" which I am quite of.

  I thank all of you who have read these blogs even if somedays the blogs were just me complaining about how all music companies hate me (side note, yesterday I received an email from the owners of the song "Cold Cold Man" by Saint Motel, which I wanted to use for my blooper reel, asking for more information to help me gain the rights to the song... a little late). I hope to continue to use my passion as a way to escape from my mind. I hope to blog more here in the future, even if it is just little life updates because I miss blogging.

So Did I Find My Purpose? Do people even have purposes?

Post Card

  I have now completed all three components of my project! Here is my print component, the postcard!

Front 
                                         

Back

My postcard is simple since my target audience of teens may not want to read a lot of information. Instead they would rather scroll through social media which I listed. I also listed my fake screening at the Florida Film Festival which is an upcoming festival in my home state. 

Sadly I was unable to figure out how to import a font into Canva. I was hoping to use the same font I used for my title and credits. However, I think this font, which I have used for promotion on the social medias works well! I was a little worried that since the stills I chose for the front and back are dark lightning wise it might give off the wrong perception that this is a horror film. This font I believe makes it clear that it is not a horror film. I choose the pink color since in the film Sofia wears a plain pink shirt at one point. As I stated in my social media post I have decided to use all lowercase for my social media posts and even credits, so I carried this through to my postcard.