EDTC300 – Let's Make a Movie :)

“On the other side of the screen, it all looks so easy.” – Tron (2010)

I spent my first time coding today using the Hour of Code, learning to set up the game Space Invaders.

Through the step-by-step process, you will learn to code all the basic functionalities:

how to move left to right
how to fire lasers with space key
make enemies throw fireballs at random
make the spaceship lose life when hit by a fireball
add background music

When I heard about all of the things required to accomplish to finally reach a finished product, I didn’t think my narrow scope of tech would be enough to even get past the first step. However, I was pleased to be introduced to the resource through its virtual tour of the process in step by step format. That alone made the experience very user-friendly, which helped to get the ball rolling. As the codes become more familiar, your confidence in the skill will grow as well. This is a great tool to use in the classroom, even as a free-time activity, as students will be learning a new skill and have endless options to choose from that will fit their interests. Such as the following:

The website has coding for grades ranging from grades 2-9. This is great as it can be a familiar site for students from a young age, building their progress up as they go. I do believe that it is important for students to learn how to code as it is something that is progressively becoming an important skill to have in a society whose advancement in technology is rapid. Coding can introduce students to a skill or talent they didn’t know they had and present them with opportunities further down the line.

Think Before You Post!

Thinking back to my time in high school, I can’t recall a lot of PSAs or lessons regarding cyber safety in school. My learnings came from more of the Milieu (Shwab’s Common Places), wherein teachers, parents, and peers stressed the importance of having caution towards your presence online.

I recall when Instagram and Snapchat were very popular apps when I reached grade 7. It took a lot to convince my mom to let me download the applications. Her fear was my exposure to the cyber world, and she worried about how I was putting myself out there on a social media platform. I remember seeing posters warning students about the implications and dangers that follow you, like the one below.

Something that comes to mind immediately when I hear the term ‘cyber safety’ is the movie Cyberbully. The movie came out in 2011, and I remember it being my first time understanding just how harmful and dangerous the internet can be. It was the fear that was instilled through the cyberbullying, as well as the empathy that was gained for the main character. To reach students, it is important to know your crowd and understand what they value in order to give meaning and context to the important lesson involved. It was the fear of social media that ensured I was using it responsibly.

Cyber safety is a significant topic for students to learn about, especially at a young age, along with the uprise in different social media tools and applications. Some ways to encourage positive conversations about the topic while still stressing safety include:

Student-led conversations and discussions – get to know your students, learn what they know and what they don’t about their digital footprint
Ask questions
Suggest online safety tools and resources
Guest speakers and assemblies – students look forward to these, encouraged to bring in speakers and topics that will discuss cyber safety
Dedicate lessons to the topic

“I feel the need—the need for speed!” – Top Gun (1986)

This week’s title honestly has no relevance to the post. This is just one of my all-time favorite movies, and the quote is a reminder that this semester is flying by! It’s wild. I am curious though: did you prefer the original Top Gun or the new one? As much as I’m a sucker for originals, they did an amazing job on Top Gun: Maverick. The decision is too hard for me to answer, so I’d love to hear what you think!

This week, I have put together the script for the film. I used the application Writer Duet. I liked this app because it immediately gives you the option to watch or read an introduction. I was surprised to find this as helpful as I did because I am stubborn and tend to skip instructions, but this time around, I was very grateful.

Pros and cons for Writers Duet

PROS

Collaborative writing – allows multiple writers to collaborate. Beneficial if I was working with a partner or team of people, but still a pro for sure!
Cloud-Based Storage
Automatic Saving – if you are someone like me who is constantly not saving or whose laptop is unpredictable, then this is a very important feature for you, as it is for me. My work is never lost, it’s awesome
User Friendly – the best part, 10/10
Export Options
Automatic formatting – automates script formatting, including action lines, dialogue, and scene headings, which saved me a lot of time on manual formatting

CONS

Subscription-based pricing – while there is a limited free version available, the full extent of features is only accessible through a paid subscription, which may not be affordable for all users.
There were fewer customizable templates, which I am personally fine with as this was my first time using any resource to write a script, and I was grateful for the formatting. However, if you are someone who has done this once or twice and enjoys being creative and having the option to customize, this would definitely limit you from doing so.
Storage Limitations: Depending on the subscription plan, there may be limitations on the amount of storage available for scripts, potentially requiring additional fees for increased storage capacity

The rough draft I currently have for the film is a work in progress for sure. However, now that I have an idea and everything is in place, I am not sure if I will bother to make a good copy of the script.

What do I have left before filming?

What I will be using for filming – camera
How will I go about the audio for the film
Setting – school and home
My actor’s name and style
Lighting – the time of day is important to consider as you will have to work around different lighting, and I plan on shooting scenes indoors and outdoor
Filters – what vibe am I going for?

More to come! Thanks for reading 🙂

“Say hello to my little friend” – Scarface (1983)

TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION

It is truly astonishing to see the evolution of technology over the years, from the DS to Apple and now to artificial intelligence. The level of knowledge and information people of all ages have access to is insane to think about. It was in one of our lectures that I learned that 92% of toddlers today have a digital footprint. The thought of my photos, face, and experiences being on the web from the day I was born terrifies me. This goes to show how much technology and media have infiltrated its way into society and the new norms.

Then vs. Now

Growing up, I never had the kind of technology that is accessible today. And that was even more than the generation before me. And the one before that. And the one before that. The crazy thing is that it is all a never-ending cycle. Revolution is constantly happening. I can think to myself that entering a career as a teacher will be impossible with the kinds of technology that students now have access to—especially since I will be in high school, where their favorite thing is their phone. But then that gets me to think back to my parent’s generations and the assumptions they may have had. They are both educators. They probably feared the same thing when Google and laptops and smart boards came out. It is a technological advancement that occurs periodically with all of us. We advance just as they do. It is essential that teachers continue to educate themselves alongside it because they will get behind if they don’t. This risks straining the connection to your students.

Artificial Intelligence + Teaching Career =?

One thing that I think about the most about potentially causing an issue with the student’s scholarly performances is the introduction of Artificial Intelligence and chat gpt. If I were to insert the questions that this week’s blog post prompts us to do, not Chatgpt, it would spit out a likely perfect answer. I will try it below and insert the answers I find.

Example of the power of artificial intelligence

Reflect on our changed world and the new culture of participation. What does this mean for your future classroom as an educator?

“The changed world and the culture of participation have significant implications for the future classroom. As an educator, it means fostering. more interactive and collaborative learning environment where students are actively engaged and encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas. Embracing technology and digital tools will be essential for enhancing participation and providing personalized learning experiences. Additionally, promoting diversity, inclusion, and global perspectives will be crucial in preparing students for the interconnected world they will enter. Overall, adapting to this cultural shift involves being flexible, innovative, and responsive to the evolving needs of students.” (chat.openai.com)

I would have to agree with everything this response gave. This is nearly exactly what I would have said. In Michael Wesch’s An Anthropological Introduction to Youtube, he explains that media mediates human relationships. When media changes, human relationships change—causing us to rethink everything and ourselves. I think that is the most important part of this all. We must be able to adapt to change our ways of thinking, learning, and teaching. With all this new tech, it is important that we work on the student’s ability to grow socially. To foster their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which may have declined with artificial intelligence.

Technology isn’t going anywhere, and neither is the future.

This idea that we will ever have it all figured out in this career is not going to happen (in my opinion). Sure, you can build up a reliable routine and re-use content, but with change in tech and media comes change in everything. How we teach and the students learn, is dependent on the revolution of technology, and it is imperative to learn as you go.

“I’m not great at the advice. Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?” – Chandler Bing

I started my day by hearing the sad news that Matthew Perry passed away. Chandler Bing had to be one of my favourite characters of all time. So, it was only fitting to use one of his famous quotes as this post title. If you are a Friends fan, I hope this one lands.

As I get the ball rolling for my learning project, I met and discussed the plans for the short film with my friend Carson. They will be playing the one and only role in the film. (Carson is also president of the U of R’s newly founded Improv Club, and I am happy to send you their information if you are interested!)

Carson and I discussed my vision for the short film as well as the role they will be playing in the piece. The plan we have set in place is not yet concrete but it is a start! We are very eager to start filming some scenes soon!

iMovie, uMovie, We All Movie!

In today’s blog post, I get better acquainted with an app that will make my life a lot easier when it comes to the editing process. I am very well-known for lacking in the planning department, so it gives me a lot of peace of mind to have figured out this portion of the learning project.

The app iMovie is very user-friendly. I understand my phone better than my laptop, so I was very happy to be doing this through my phone. The feature that will be of most service to me will definitely be the splitting and snipping tool!

3,2,1, Action!

Now, I know that I am making a short film for our learning project, but that’s about all I know. There are so many things that I need to learn in order for me to create something that I am happy with. My knowledge of editing skills stop at iMovie and TikTok productions. Some things I need to start worrying about at this point would include first of all, what is my plan?

At this point in time, these are the following questions I am faced with before even beginning this project:

Where do I start?
What is my end goal?
What are the steps I need to follow to get there?

Right now, the only advantages that I have in the film department are my love of movies and a 60 average in Film 100. So I have got a lot of work to do if I want to create even half of what I have envisioned in my mind. I turned to tiktok immediately when it came to these questions. And as always, it delivered.

@dannijuhl

How i made my last micromovie 🎬 #filmlife #filmtok #behindthescenes #filmmakersoftiktok

♬ The JUICE by MR FINGERS – Haaniyah

Determine idea and location (TRIGGER WARNING)

For this film I would like to put a spotlight on mental illness. It is my goal to portray the life of a student who is struggling with suicidal thoughts and is choosing between life and death. It will display feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, depression, and anxiety. I don’t want it to be a sad story, but a story of hope and resilience and that is what I aim to show. However, I do want to portray a real experience of what it is like to be drowning in that mental turmoil. Suicide accounts for 25% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds (Statistics Canada, 2019). What I display in the film will be my take on the illness through my eyes. I understand that this is a very difficult topic, and I would just like to put out a trigger warning right away. It is important that if and before you do watch the final result, that the content of the production may be emotionally challenging.

Write a Script

First and foremost, I know now that I need to get on writing a script. Originally I had plan to go with the flow, but that might come back to bite me later on when I’m unorganized and scrambling. She mentions the site Highland to be helpful while scriptwriting.

Who is involved

I am going to have to soon get in touch with someone who may be interested in being the star of this production. Some things that are important to discuss will be organizing a schedule that works around the both of us. I have a friend in mind, however if they aren’t on board than you guys are stuck with me as an actress and trust me no one wants to see that.

Plan Ahead

Something she mentions in her TikTok is creating a mood board. This will be an important part of the entire movie. As this will be the ‘dream board’ or goal that I am teaching for. This will set the mood and theme for the entire film. It will determine the look, the vibe, and what materials I will need.

@kind_of_a_filmmaker

HOW TO MAKE A SHORT FILM, Pt. 2. “Get ready to write”. #filmmaking101 #filmmakingtips #filmtok #indiefilmmakers #screenwriting #celtx #finaldraft #shortfilm #writingtips #writing #sundance #howtowriteascript #trello

♬ Puff – Hany Beats

TAKEAWAYS

Spotify

Soundtrack is huge! I can’t believe I almost forgot about this one. The soundtrack alone is crucial in setting the vibe of the film.

Celtix

This Screen writing software is another great and free resource.

Trello

Trello will come in handy when it comes to my disorganization and struggles with planning ahead!

Technology. Friend or Enemy?

Technology and media have taken our planet by storm. It felt like just yesterday, my mom brought home the first iPod I had ever seen. And instantly, I was obsessed. So now the laptop was out, and the iPod was in. Does anyone remember the game Fruit Ninja? Or that ridiculous game where you had to cut the rope at the perfect opportunity so candy could drop into a frog’s mouth? Those apps were why my parents started stressing the problems around our screen time.

Nevertheless, those games were addicting. That was, for me, where it all started. And then came Instagram, Snapchat, Vine, TikTok, 14 new generations of phones, and now this artificial intelligence craziness is going on. Has anyone heard of or seen the movie The Creator? I haven’t seen it yet, but that concept is nuts.

Free Iphone On Yellow Surface Stock Photo

Anyway, I will not get any more off track than I already have. I am very well aware of the issue that technology and media present amongst society, especially the younger generations. Or is it not an issue? Is it the answer to everything? That is a frequently recurring thought that I have.

Once I took a second to think of how many different platforms and applications I use daily, I couldn’t believe how much I needed/used my phone in a day. But here me out, some of this can be justified.

Communication! My mom needs to hear from me, of course

Apps that I use on a daily for communication are Messages, Snapchat, and Gmail. I understand that people can communicate with one another way too much these days, but it also works to our advantage. As long as my phone’s away at the supper table, I think I use my technology appropriately for communication.

School!

Now, when it comes to school, technology and media are my best friends. I wouldn’t be anywhere in school today if it weren’t for my laptop. Here, I use so many different sites and sources. Google, of course; I shouldn’t even have to explain that one. Along with Gmail, Google Drive, WordPress (I’m a blogger now;) Google Docs, slides, photos, etc. I don’t know what I would do without my calculator app either.

Photos: take photos of everything; it’s important

I am indeed the friend who takes pictures of everything. I like to capture all the moments I can. I think this came from my parents having very few pictures of us when we were young. But I know that I will never forget a memory.

Entertainment

Saying that I am a movie fan would be an understatement. But, with the blog’s title and the learning project, I am sure we are all well aware. I am a huge fan of Netflix, Disney +, and Prime Video. Who doesn’t love a good movie? I also don’t know if I could go a week, let alone a day, without my Spotify, Podcasts, and Audiobooks.

Exercise

I think I just used this subtitle to make myself feel better, because, no, I don’t exercise, at least not enough to use the word as a personal subtitle. But I track my steps daily on my watch through an app, so I had to throw it in here.

So, with that being said, I think I can use most of these sources to my advantage. But I cannot truthfully say that I don’t get carried away with some of these apps. For example, TikTok and Instagram: I have caught myself scrolling too often on these apps until I would delete them for a little while. But that’s only when I catch myself. It’s so easy to get sucked into the cycle of scrolling. However, without these apps, I would struggle to manage my courses, homework, schedules, etc. In conclusion, I believe that you determine whether or not the technology in your life is your friend or your enemy.

So why a movie, you may ask?

Why did I choose to make a movie, you might ask?

Something from my childhood that stands out has always been my family’s weekly movie nights. The excitement of the new releases list on the TV guide was euphoric in our household. Because of this tradition, I grew up to be a movie connoisseur. I see a lot of artistic talent in the way movies are made. Through the processes of writing a script, taking an idea and putting it to the screen, the soundtrack, the directing, the editing, all of it. I love it. So, this has always been an untold passion of mine. Another passion of mine is mental health. I was introduced to the world of mental health at a young age, and since it has always been something that I am a strong advocate for, a topic extremely important to me, and something that I will always stress the importance of taking care of, especially within education. For my learning project, I plan to write and direct a short film that utilizes both passions. I want to create art in the form of a movie that encapsulates what goes on in one’s brain when dealing with mental illness. We understand physical pain, and we see physical pain. It is advertised. I feel as though I don’t see much mental health being portrayed for what it is. However, that is my own opinion and can be biased based on what I am watching. Is it possible for me to capture something that can make you feel like you are in the mind of someone with depression, anxiety, ADHD, ADHD, etc.? That is what I am trying to create.

From an early age, I became obsessed with movie films, and as I got older, I got even more interested in the artistry of it. Some of my favorites to this day are Top Gun, Interstellar, Moneyball, and Concussion. Etc.

I remember when Apple came out with all these fancy products. My best friend’s family got a MacBook computer. Instantly, we were obsessed… and then we discovered the photobooth app. We did everything we could to spend every spare minute on that thing. Every ‘hangout’ was now designated for time on the ‘Photobooth.’ And thus, every hangout from then on began with one of us saying, “Let’s make a movie.”

^An example of a short film my friends and I made for a group project in the novel study for Of Mice and Men.

What was it like growing up in North Battleford?

Hi! Welcome! If you’re reading this, thank you so much for being here! So, as you can read by the title, yes, I was born and raised in North Battleford, and trust me, there is no need to feel sorry. I love it there.

Fun Fact: Since moving to Regina, the most common thing I am told while getting to know someone is how sorry they are for where I am from. I get a kick out of this, but trust me, it’s not so bad. My name is Kate Nichol, and I am in my second year in the Faculty of Education, working on my Middle Years Degree.

I grew up in a family of five and am the oldest of my brother and sister. Growing up, I played basketball and volleyball. However, I wasn’t the strongest player, but I still took pride in riding the bench. Fact: I got a Hoopla Gold Medal and barely broke a sweat aside from warm-up. Gotta look at the bright side, am I right?

I am one of the biggest Marvel geeks you will ever meet. I love movies, lots of movies. I found a new love for knitting over the past year. However, my skill level stops at a rectangle, so depending on how big of a rectangle you are after, you’ll get a scarf or a blanket. I adopted my dog, Kaiser, two years ago, and he is 100% the center of my universe. Unfortunately, I don’t have him here with me in Regina, but I try to visit as much as possible!

My history with technology and media.

I consider my knowledge base for technology and media to be average. Being a 20-year-old in 2023, I can confidently say that I can tell you almost anything you need to know about how to work an iPhone, along with the apps Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. But, regarding technology in education, computers, different software, resources, etc. I think that I fell a little short. I am taking this course to improve my skills and be as technically aware as I need to, to succeed in the technological world of teaching. I know that the generation of students I will be teaching one day will be very knowledgeable about how to use and operate new technology, so I need to make sure I stay ahead of the game. And that means starting here, in a university class, learning to get around platforms like the one I am using now. The patience I have had to learn for myself and this blogging process has been very trying on me, let me tell ya. For my Learning Project, I want to explore the world of filming and editing while also attempting to write a short film!