Category: Learning Project

Lights! Camera! Action!

Finally, the movie has all come together. Throughout this process, I have not found a title that I felt fit the film. In the mean time, the title ‘To Be Determined..’ always held its place. However, after completing the project, I think that is a fitting title.

‘To Be Determined’ takes you on the raw, emotional, and real journey of ONE perspective of depression and anxiety. It’s important to me that I make it clear that this is only my view on the illness through my experience and those around me. Carson did an amazing job of bringing these visions to life. Just because this is one person’s view, does not mean that it is the same as everyone’s.

***BEFORE WATCHING***

Trigger Warning: This video contains flashing lights, loud noises, and sensitive content including discussions of suicide and self-harm. Viewer discretion is advised. Please refrain from watching if you might be negatively affected by these topics.

 

What was the point of the visuals (lights, static) as well as the loud noise?

I’m sorry for the jump scare! I definitely thought about tuning those flashing scenes down however I wanted the viewing process itself to feel on edge and uncomfortable. I wanted it to align with the chaos, nuisance, and discomfort that follows mental illness.

 

Nothing beats the Behind the Scenes.

Cars and I finally found time together to start filming. To my surprise, this project only took one day to film thank goodness. I assumed the amount of time it would take to shoot the film would be the bulk of the assignment. However, it was the editing that dragged on. To tell you the truth, I believe that the final product could be tweaked and tune about 9 more times, but unfortunately I don’t have the time to do that.

The process itself was unlike what I expected it to be. I struggled to start the filming process because I was not confident that the product would come close to the vision I had. But in the end everything worked out!

I don’t expect anyone to watch this all the way through, but for whatever you do see, I hope you enjoy!

 

 

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 🙂

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!

 

 

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!

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!

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. 

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!