Semester Reflection

What did I do?

This semester, I had a lot more experience and projects involving client work compared to last year in e-Comm. As a class, we made promotional videos the 21st Century Academies, one for the programs in general, and an informational video for each academy. 

Our first video was entered in the CTE Month contest. The purpose was to encourage incoming high school freshmen to join an academy at one of the Olathe high schools. Following this general promotional video, a more detailed video with information about the specific academies was the next project.

The Academy that I was responsible for was the Business Finance Academy, along with one of my classmates. For the video, we shot two different interns at their internships to get a better look at what the academy can potentially offer. This video had taken the longest to shoot and edit, especially since the academy has not yet been created until next year. Since we couldn't get actual footage of the not-yet-made academy, we improvised and had actors read a script of what the future academy will be about.

Strengths & Improvements

My strengths that I've found this semester are mainly preproduction skills. I've become very organized about when to shoot and shots that I need, especially when I filmed the Business Finance Academy video. I do need improvement on editing, I still have trouble editing audio and learning how to edit certain shots a certain way to make the footage flow better overall.

Things I Learned

I've learned a lot more about collaborating and doing client work this semester. After a lot of focus on client work, I learned more skills and what it takes to make a quality video.
In addition, I was a part of the group that wrote our short film script, which I enjoyed. I've learned what goes into writing including the action and dialogue and how important it is to keep the characters consistent throughout the film.

Action Plan & Growth

I've enjoyed this semester and have had new experiences to learn from. Next semester, I plan to apply the skills I've learned this year and hopefully incorporate them to my work next year.

I plan to continue being a part of the short film and involve myself as much as I can with filming, despite the changes in my schedule next semester.

Making of a Short Film

Pre-production

In my film class, we started preparing for our short film to shoot by next semester. Our goal was to have a script ready by the end of first semester, which we did eventually (sort of) accomplish. Earlier in the year, we began with several ideas and it was apparent that as a class, we couldn't settle on just one and go with it.
We had difficulties staying interested in a story idea, up until we decided to base our story on a true story that happened to on of my classmate's family. As soon as we heard the whole situation, the news itself sounded like it already came straight out of a movie. 

Pre-writing

After unanimously agreeing with the idea, we set up a writing team which consisted of me and five others in the class to be in charge of writing a rough draft of the script. Before trying to type up the script on a document, we roughly sketched two timelines to keep track of the story and how the film will be shot. The first timeline we drew is of that actual story, how it plays out and when, in relation to each other. That one is just for our reference. Then our second timeline we made is how the story plays out in the film in chronological order.

Actually Writing

Once the timeline was done and we agreed on the plot, we started on the script. A few things I've learned during the writing process is that writing dialogue is HARD. And writing dialogue and simultaneously avoiding cliche's is even harder. But I've found writing the script and getting into the characters' heads is actually interesting and I genuinely enjoy getting to help decide what each character says or how the action plays, etc.

For our film we wrote a rough draft, mainly focusing on the action and leaving the dialogue to be fixed later when we go through the script as a class. So far, I'm pretty satisfied with our rough draft and think it will tell a very interesting, suspenseful storyline.

It's A Wonderful Life - Analysis

A Holiday Classic

The movie, It's A Wonderful Life, is a great holiday film noted as a classic. It tells a heartwarming story that stays relevant even in modern times. Narrated by "angels", the story is about a man, George Bailey, who decided to attempt suicide due to his struggles with self-image, family, and financial situation. In order to "save" him, an angel comes down to show Bailey how his life would have been if he had never been born. Only then does Bailey realize his own value to his family and town.
As a classic, the story is timeless and memorable and teaches us to be thankful, which is always a good reminder especially during the holidays.

Beat Sheet

Opening Image – The film opens with narration by angels, shown as stars. They begin talking about the story of a man named George Bailey.

Set-up – George is introduced as a boy who saves his own brother, as a result he lost his hearing in one ear. The town he lives in is Bedford Falls and he stays there for his whole life. 

Theme Stated (happens during the Set-up) – The moral of the story is of course to be thankful and realize your own worth and value to those you love. George Bailey learns this the hard way through his hardships.

Catalyst – After his father died, George takes up the responsibility of keeping the bank to prevent the wealthy but evil Mr. Potter from taking over. 

Debate – By being in charge of the bank, George is forced to give up his dreams of leaving Bedford Falls and wanting to travel and build.

Break Into Two (Choosing Act Two) – He chooses to stay in Bedford to save the bank and the people in the town who rely on him for their loans, meanwhile his brother is a war hero in the second world war away from home.

B Story – George discovers his love for his childhood friend Mary, who has been trying to get his attention for a long time, yet George has been ignoring her until she sees him again after being out of town.

The Promise of the Premise – George finally gets married to Mary and they begin their journey as a married couple in Bedford Falls with their own house that Mary dreamed of and keeping up with the bank.

Midpoint – As the story goes on, George becomes more regretful about his life and how he has given up his dreams to travel. He lives a steady, not too exciting life in Bedford. 

Bad Guys Close In – George becomes jealous of his friends who get to travel, meanwhile money that was supposed to be put in deposit into the bank gets lost and the news is brought to George. George becomes stressed and frustrated with the situation, knowing that he can be arrested for the loss of money.

All is Lost – With the money in Mr. Potter's possession, he sabotages George Bailey's career by calling the police for his arrest after George turns down his offer of working with Mr. Potter.

Dark Night of the Soul – George comes home after the horrible news with Mr. Potter, the arrest, and the state of the bank. He argues with his family and intimidates his children and wife, Mary. He storms out of the house and gets into a car wreck, then ends up at a bridge, about to take his own life.

Break Into Three (Choosing Act Three) – An angel comes to "save" George's life, and then grants his wish to "never have been born". George is then forced to watch the town of Bedford turn into a miserable place and the people he used to know are not the same, all because George had never been born. He realizes how much of an impact he has created and changes his mind about his perception of life. 

Finale – George gets his actual life back, where his family and neighbors know him and the town is the same and in much better condition with him being there. He goes back to his house to find his children and wife, also finding the cops there waiting for his own arrest.

Final Image – Many people of the town, including his brother who has come home, arrives at George's house. They all sing Christmas carols and the police rip up the warrant for arrest and join along in the holiday spirit and all is merry and they have a Happy Christmas.