group meeting part 2!

 Hey Cambridge I’m back I'm so excited to tell you all about how my 2nd group meeting went, so here we go!  Audrey’s film Silenced is a psychological drama about a guy who thinks he’s a good person until he realizes he’s not. A mysterious "Red Guy" puts red duct tape over people’s mouths, but it turns out he’s just a hallucination. The film explores freedom of speech and self-awareness. Inspired by Cabaret, Audrey even composed her own music! She had some filming challenges but worked through them. For her CCR, she’s planning fun street interviews like Billy on the Street as her inspiration! 

Sergio’s film follows a medical student with a serious illness that weakens his muscles. To fight back, he becomes obsessed with powerlifting. Over time, he starts to love it beyond just doing it to try and survive. The film has a dark, intense vibe, inspired by The Batman. He’s using visual storytelling instead of explaining things directly and even composed his own classical music. His CCR will be a self-interview. 

Oona’s film Obession is about a girl training for a competition who gets injured and has to rely on family and friends to recover. It’s a story about perseverance and growth. She’s already finished filming and editing and is now planning a creative CCR, possibly a Wired Autocomplete Interview style. 

Lastly, we have Maria’s film. Her film follows a girl who mysteriously disappears after getting involved in a drug scandal, but the details don’t add up. So, they need a determined investigator who won’t give up on finding the truth. The film uses low lighting and a bulletin board of clues to set the mood, though keeping the board in place was tricky! For her CCR, she’s thinking of answering random questions from a jar. 

As for my project, my group gave me an idea for a name for my film, and so I took their advice and named it "20 Questions." If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have gotten the kind criticism I needed to make my project as good as possible.

Here's a picture from my group meeting where we shared so much amazing advice and critique! 

types of lighting!

 The lighting in my project will play a big role in setting the mood and showing Addie’s emotions throughout the film. In her bedroom, her color-changing lamp will help create different feelings and portray different emotions depending on the scene. The light may be a gentle pink or purple when she first receives the mysterious text, showing her excitement and curiosity. The color may change to blue or become a little dimmer to reflect her feelings if she starts to feel anxious or uncertain about what's happening. This will help to tell the story without using words and give her bedroom a more personal feel. 

Depending on Addie's location during the film and her mood, the lighting downstairs will change. The living room's mid-level lighting will create a warm, inviting atmosphere that is perfect for her to unwind in while she thinks about the texts. The white marble counters in the kitchen will reflect more light, making the space feel open and light. The scene will seem more realistic if she switches on a light as she moves around. The house's lights can be dimmed and brightened to help control the mood and add tension or comfort to certain moments. These lighting changes will make the film feel more natural and more interesting to look at on screen. 

 

An image of the lamp with the perfered lighting i will use in my film

my props!

 My romantic comedy short film relies heavily on props to create a realistic and relatable environment. Since text messages are used for most interactions, the phone is one of the most important props. Close-up shots of the phone will be used to show the audience the messages sent by the mystery sender to the main character. A computer, calculator, and notebook will be on the bed, suggesting that the character was working on her schoolwork before receiving the unexpected text. These props help set up a normal, everyday scene, making it seem more realistic when the conversation with the mystery texting starts. 

Later, when the character goes downstairs in the middle of the film for a change in environment to calm her nerves, she goes on the couch, surrounded by pillows and a blanket, which will help show her trying to be as comfortable as possible in stressful yet intriguing situations. She may move the pillows or pull the blanket over herself while thinking, showing that she feels both nervous and excited. The cozy setting contrasts with the mystery of the messages, making the scene feel more balanced. As the character moves around in the kitchen after sitting down on the couch, props like the refrigerator full of food and snacks and water on the kitchen counter will help the scene feel more natural. These minor details will help the audience relate to the story and give the film a more authentic feel. 

a example of the water bottle that will be on the kitchen counter

my finalized shot list!

 SHOT LIST 

 

Shot Type  

Notes 

 

Establishing Shot 

 

The exterior of Addie’s house at night, dim outside garage lights on. 

Sets the scene and introduces the setting. 

 

Medium Shot 

 

 

Addie is sitting on her bed, looking bored, tapping her pencil on her notebook. 

Establishes her mood. 

 

Close-Up 

 

Phone screen lights up with "PING!" notification. 

Draws attention to the mysterious text. 

 

Close-Up 

 

Addie’s confused reaction. 

Captures her emotions. 

 

POV shot

 looking at her phone, reading the message. 

Puts the audience in her perspective. 

 

Medium Shot 

Addie typing back hesitantly. 

Shows her response to give audience context. 

 

 

Close-Up 

Phone screen: Typing bubble appears, disappears, then reappears. 

Builds anticipation. 

 

Close-Up 

Addie's eyes widening as she reads the confession. 

Emphasizes shock and curiosity. 

 

 

Medium Shot 

Addie sits up, holding the phone tighter, looking intrigued. 

Shows her growing interest. 

 

 

 

POV shot

Looking down at the math book, scanning for clues. 

Puts the audience in her shoes. 

 

 

Close-Up 

Addie biting her lip, debating. 

Subtle nervousness and anticipation. 

 

 

Medium Shot 

Addie gets up and walks into the kitchen. 

Adds realism and movement. 

 

 

Close-Up 

She opens the fridge and stares inside. 

Subtly shows her thinking. 

 

 

Close-Up 

Another phone "PING!" She looks down. 

Emphasizes message importance. 

 

 

Close-Up 

She smiles, rolling her eyes at the message. 

Shows her reaction. 

 

 

Medium Shot 

She dials a number and lifts the phone to her ear. 

Introduces new action. 

 

 

Split-Screen 

Phone call interrupted: Sky on one side, her friend unseen. 

Shows conversation while keeping the mystery. 

 

 

 POV shot

Looking at the phone, reading "Your move." 

Immerses audience in her perspective. 

 

 

Medium Shot 

Addie's flops back onto the couch, staring at the phone. 

Shows she’s invested in the game. 

 

 

Fade to Black 

The phone screen glows in the dark as we fade out. 

Ends on a mysterious note. 

what helped me create my shot list was a pdf i found online to organize everything  and also using my script to see how i would use different shots to make my project as good as possible

final audio!

 Hii Cambridge So for my project, sound was especially important, and I wanted to focus on realistic sounds over a lot of background music. I created sounds like nails tapping on a phone screen and an incoming text ringing using foley to give the scenes a more realistic feel. The story felt more authentic and realistic because of these small details. I used these sounds to create tension and express the character's emotions during the film rather than constantly using music throughout the whole thing. This way, the audience could focus on the moment without being distracted by too much background music. 

When I did incorporate music, I was careful to keep it subtle and only use it when I thought it was appropriate. I selected soft instrumental music that I created off the app Garage Band using sounds from a piano. These sounds that I made will be used when a surprising yet interesting moment takes place, highlighting important plot points. I also am thinking of adding a soft ticking clock sound to create a feeling of waiting and nervousness when she waits for the boy in her class to respond to her texts. By keeping the music minimal and focusing on more realistic sounds using foley, I can make the film feel more natural while keeping it interesting for the audience.

heres me making my audio in garage band trying my first sample

here is me trying my second sample to see which one i think would fit better with my film

audio for my project!

 My project's audio will focus on subtle, realistic noises that strengthen the film. I'll use foley sounds, such as Addie tapping her fingernails on her phone and the soft ping of incoming texts, since texting is the main form of communication. The audience will feel as though they are there with her, feeling both her excitement and nervousness because of these sounds. Tension will also be increased by the phone's ringer, especially if she is nervous to answer. With minimal dialogue, every sound will be carefully created to sound natural and help tell the story.

I want to keep the music simple and use music that sets the right mood by using instrumental pieces. When Addie first receives the message, a gentle tune could play to show her excitement and curiosity. Her nervousness may cause the music to fade or slow down. This will make the moment feel more intimate by pointing out the little sounds surrounding her. The story will feel more real and engaging if there is a balance between quiet parts and background music. 

set ideas!

 Addie's home really represents who she is; it is cozy, familiar, and full of little things that give the audience a sense of who she is. With a vanity covered with beauty products, perfumes, and decorations that show her creative and expressive side, her bedroom serves as her private safe space. The warm lighting from her mirror gives the room a cozy, soft vibe, while her slightly messy bed with an open laptop implies she spends a lot of time online, whether doing homework, watching shows, or just relaxing. Her open closet, with the neatly hung clothes and storage bins, shows how she is a little organized but still has a natural lived-in mess vibe to her room. The mix of soft colors, like pink and white, adds to the romantic comedy feel, which shows off this is where she feels most like herself.

Outside her bedroom, the rest of the house continues to build on who Addie's character really is. The living room is warm and cozy, with a dark brown couch covered in soft, neutral throw pillows, making it a perfect spot for her to relax and contemplate all the events happening to her. She can take a break to think about her feelings in the brightly lit kitchen with its clean white marble countertops and mutilple appliances everywhere. The open cabinets and food on the counter give the kitchen a genuine, lived-in vibe. 

a picture of addies room where most of the filming will be done