MUSIC BABYYYYYYY

 I AM SO EXCITED RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!

Ok. So one of the biggest elements of our film will be music. When the diner scene begins, there is music playing and it sets the tone. So, due to complications of not being able to pick out any song, I had to sue some research. 

I looks a few weeks ago and found that music is only in the public domain if it is from the mid 1920s or before. SO… since we didn’t want to just use flapper music, I looked for some songs that were popular, that may have been covers from older songs… older songs that were in the public domain. 

Sure enough… I found one. The famous song, “It Had To Be You” performed by Frank Sinatra was actually a cover of Isham Jones’ song from 1924. And yes, 1924 is public domain. I did some listening, and Jones’ version has lyrics, but you cant hear them well, if at all on Spotify. 

Sinatra’s lyrics matched, though it was newer sound and a bit different. I tried looking up if Sinatra’s version was in the public domain, since it is the same song, and long story short, it wasn’t. BUT… there was something that stuck with me. One person wrote that if you use something in the public domain, you can do whatever you want to it and it is yours. 

I did more listening and it hit me. Keira and I can use this song, but not from someone who owns it, Frank Sinatra. It would have to be the original, or… our OWN cover. So it hit me that if we were to find someone that can sing a cover to this song, it would fall into the gray area that is copyright usage, and no harm would be done.

So… yeah. It’s almost midnight and I had to write this out while I was still excited about it. It’s gonna be great. 

“It Had to Be You” by Isham Jones, 1924

GROUP PROJECTS

 Today in class I got to hear people's stories and what they were working on. I got paired up with Clara, Claudio, Valentina, and Erin. We talked through a lot and seriously helped each other. 

They all loved my idea and I was very happy about it. We talked about my script and the ideas I could work on. They didn’t have a lot, but said they loved how deep into the production we were, script wise, and said to fix certain aspects that didn’t seem realistic. 

Overall, I think it helped me and put me in a good headspace talking to people who want to help. 

First Outline on the Script

 Well. It has begun, officially. Below is the first draft of our first scene to our still untitled heist film. Please enjoy.

OUTSIDE THE DINER

Film opens with an establishing shot of a diner. We see a girl there, EMBER, on the phone. She is pacing, not nervously, more waiting for something. We hear a phone answer as she stops walking.

EMBER

Hey. Okay. What song do you want me to play?

PHONE

Such an insignificant detail. Think of the bigger picture here… 

(hangs up the phone)

DINER SCENE

The scene shifts to a long shot of the inside of a diner. We see a hand reach and select a song. The rest of the audio goes silent, and we only hear the song being played.

The shot shifts as we see a boy from the back sitting in a booth, alone, Ben. There is a tracking shot moving towards the back of Ben as he looks up. The camera is moving at the speed that EMBER would be walking towards him at. We see close ups and tracking shots of EMBER walking as well.  The camera slows and we see EMBER walk and sit down across from him.

The camera is set on a close up of EMBER, now staring at Ben. Shot reverse shot- Ben is confused. This happens a few times.

*The song is playing- the first break in audio we hear is from Ben

BEN

(confused)

What's up...

EMBER

Stop.

BEN

Why are you-

EMBER

(cuts him off)

Just listen

The song continues to play until BEN tries to interject again. Before he can say anything, EMBER puts up her hand: he stops immediately. 

BEN

Look, Ember, I know why you're upset and everything

EMBER

Ben. Please.

There is a pause between them. EMBER is looking the opposite direction as him. 

EMBER

(smiling)

You hear the song

BEN

No, I can't hear shit.

EMBER stares

BEN

Ya of course I hear the song what about it.

At this point, other people in the restaurant start looking. 

EMBER

(yells)

WHAT ABOUT IT?

Ben starts to stammer as everyone in the restaurant is watching.

EMBER

Well it's the song we listened to when you first kissed me. In your car. A year ago. Yesterday.

BEN

Look, Ember you know I was busy

EMBER

(screaming)

RIGHT! 

(hesitation)

Look I don't give a shit who you were with or what you were doing with her. Just don't go from being all lovey to cheating on me in the span of two weeks. I noticed all the shit you pulled. 

(intensity increases)

Picking up shifts at work, having to call "your parents" because of shit in the family. I know you've been fu-

(stops herself)

Everyone is full on staring at this point. The entire restaurant is still, besides one man who you can see walking from the entrance into the bathroom, CHRISTIAN.

EMBER

Doesn't matter who you were with, does it. 

EMBER stands up and splashes water in his face. We hear "Ooohs" and chattering throughout the diner. One person starts clapping. 

We see EMBER leave as the screen goes dark. 

FACETIME SESSION

 Today, my dream came true. My partner and I took the next step in the filmmaking process. She finally answered one of my many FaceTime calls, to which we got a TON done. We started on the outline of the opening scene and got it all written out. I used a script template I have, from a script software called Fade In. It's absolutely amazing and I would recommend it. 

We also figured out all of our character's names and they are as follows:

Jack- Ben

Keira- Ember

Connor- Christian

Gianna- Nicole

Skyler- Humphrey

We truly did get a great amount done and we will be doing this more often.

Keira on FaceTime repping her "Legally Blonde" merchandise. 

Filming Schedule

 We realized while writing that we already have a filming schedule somewhat figured out. While we don’t know the dates yet, we know that there are 5 scenes, spread across two days. 

For recap, the five scenes are as follows:

-The First Shots (outside the diner)

- The Diner Scene (distraction)

- The “Plotting Scene”

- The Intensity (during the plotting scene as Jack and Keira argue)

- The Closing Scene (what we saw at the beginning)

We realized that the first two scenes, and the last scene, would all be at the same time. We can film those three on the same day, and pretty much all at once. 

The middle two of the “planning” will both occur at the same filming location, most likely one of our houses. 

Little Outline

   Week Two. Lets run it!

Keira and I spent the entire class going over character backgrounds and their contributions to the “heist”. We figured that if we did this, the script would fall into place easier. 

I have written some scripts before and when I write out everything about the characters, I can figure out what they would say in situations. 

Most of what we did revolves around what they would do in the planning part of the heist, since we don’t see them before or after that scene. We landed on six characters and figure out their motives and their part in the plan.

(FYI, we don’t have character names yet, so the names you see are the actors playing them) 

   

Jack- He is the leader of the plan. The Danny Ocean of the operation. He used to work at the diner, but after they screwed him over (probably over firing him), he decided to do the same to him. He brings everyone into the plan and explains to them what’s gonna happen: they are going to rob the diner. He’s the mastermind as he knows where everything is. He cant be involved in the heist, but he makes a great distraction because everyone knows him, and all eyes will be on him. He also fights with Keira as he thinks she has nothing to contribute. 

Adrian- Jack's best friend who is coming along for the money. Doesn’t care about Jack’s motive, only wants money. He brings his girlfriend, Keira, to the heist. He is portrayed as a stoner and doesn’t care about the consequences necessarily.

Keira- Goes with Adrian to the planning, doesn’t know what she’s going for. She sits when she’s there, not really contributing. She is very against the whole idea and she tried to shoot it down. Jack gets mad at her and they eventually get into a fight. He asks her what she wants from it or how it could be better, or to get out. She tells him that she’ll provide a distraction for the group.

Gomez- Works at the diner and used to work with Jack. She is there because she is the current “inside man.” She doesn’t care for the plan but wants to be a part because she doesn’t get paid enough. She is the logical one there and since she still works there, she’ll help Connor. 

Connor- He is the brawn of the operation. He’s the man going in to take the money. He doesn’t know anyone well, besides Jack. He doesn’t care since he doesn’t really have anything to lose and just wants the money. He brings Skyler for “backup”.

Skyler- Connors backup/ getaway driver. He’s there to help Connor get in and out. Doesn’t like Adrian so is always making jokes at him and being mean. 

Our Story…

The time has come. Please enjoy the outline for our untitled project. 

The film begins on a kid eating by himself in a restaurant. A girl walks up to him and as he begins to talk, she tells him to stop. This goes on for a bit, before she tells him to just listen to the music on the jukebox. There is tension and she eventually gets mad enough to throw water at him. She storms out and it cuts. 

Next scene is of 6 friends sitting. They’re planning a heist. Logistics are not clear yet but they need money for something. They eventually decide that Jack (my character) and Keira’s character will be the distraction for the whole operation. Everything we saw in the earlier scenes was that said distraction. 

It ends with them finalizing this and a phone ringing on a black screen. As we hear someone answer it’s Keira’s character asking what song to play. She hangs up and then walks into the same diner. The scene that is supposed to happen chronologically is the scene we saw at the beginning, the distraction. 

Genre for our Short Film

 For our film, Keira and I wanted to create something similar to productions we love. The explain it in a surface level way, we will be putting together a Drama/Thriller film.

The genre at heart will be most closely resembled in a piece like “Oceans Eleven”. The heist and thriller aspect will be shown, but without seeing the heist itself. 

“Ocean’s Eleven”, directed by Steven Soderbergh, 2001

What makes the project different, however, is that it will not be a thriller/ heist film from the start. It starts as a romance film (seemingly). 

It will be most similar to “La La Land,” about two people who are fighting and seem to be different people at heart. We will not get to see all of this, as it is only in the first scene. This romantic part we see is the distraction for the heist they are planning. It also serves to distract the audience and confuse them when the genre changes.  

“La La Land”, directed by Damien Chazelle, 2016

Finalizing the Idea and the Problems Along the Way

 I have fantastic news. KEIRA AND I FINALIZED OUR IDEA!!! I wanted to give a little update in case people were wondering where we were. We’re putting finishing touches on the story and fixing little gaps we had. We both suggested ideas, and with little disagreements throughout, we made it through and decided on a great idea. 

We are going to brainstorm in class to finalize little ideas but overall we have a somewhat shaky idea. I know it is not much, but it is a step towards the nomination for Best Short Film at the Oscars. 

Portfolio Project Timeline

One of the biggest parts of completing this project is going to be planning so I’m just gonna get right into it.

While I like the timeline that was given, there are some things that I would change. Here is my completed one!

Week One:

-choose genre for the short film

-decide on a story and begin work on it

-post to blog

Week Two:

-research project components and how writing

-develop the story and begin writing the script

-post to blog

Week Three:

-continue to research/plan

-finish the script

-begin storyboarding and researching how to get each shot

-create shot list

-create social media tool

-post to blog

Week Four:

-continue to research/plan 

-begin filming!!!

-document each part of production blog/ social media

-begin posting on social media

-post to blog

Week Five:

-continue to research/plan

-finish filming!!!

-post to social media

-post to blog

Week Six:

-possible reshoots if needed

-continue planning

-post to social media

-post to blog

Week Seven:

-focus solely on editing

-post to social media

-post to blog

Week Eight:

-research information relating to Critical Reflection

-finish editing

-post to social media

-post to blog

Week Nine:

-create Critical Reflection

-double check the production is good

-post to social media

-post to blog

Week Ten:

-create final, overall project reflection

-post all project components to blog

-Post Critical Reflection to blog

As you can tell, there are a few differences in the timelines. There were a few parts of the sample that I felt were too rushed or too far behind. For example, the Critical Reflection felt too early in the sample to how I had planned on it. 

I also did not want to rush filming or editing. There are still many similarities, however, including almost the same outlines for a couple of the weeks. The organization seemed very similar as well. 

I will most likely try and focus as much as I can, because in my mind, 10 weeks seems longer than it actually is.

WE’RE BACK!!!

It’s AICE Media A Level now, and I’m so excited. It’s been a bit and I think I’m seriously ready for this project. 

My friend Keira Hochberg and I are going to be producing a short film together which we are still working on. As of right now, it’s still in the early stages. We’re passing ideas back and forth but are planning to begin writing by the end of the week. 

I truly think that what I’ve learned to far in A Level is going to help me and make this project as good as it can be. 

As always, stay tuned and I can’t wait for you to see what’s in store!