Shooting Day

 

Ready!? Set, Action!📽🎞

So professional teehee. 💗💫

Film Opening Day

Hey Besties!! Let me share with you about my day prepping for the shoot:  

LOOK AT THAT CONCENTRATION----------->

Lol! Anyway, before I bore you about the events of the shoot, I wanted to share my overall experience. Since I brought my family as actors, it was quite interesting 😅Everyone was so involved, and it was nice to have all that support and ideas. Speaking of ideas, directors are underestimated for their contribution. It was so hard to keep an open mind during a shoot because I wanted to stick with the storyboard so I wouldn't forget anything. Everyone wanted to be a director and I was like it's my film guys. 😭😭😭 But then I realized that some of the ideas were actually beneficial. Yes, it is important to set boundaries and stick to the shots, but I did want to overshoot in case I didn't have enough material. So I listened and did multiple variations of the shots, which turned out great. WE DID A SIX HOUR SHOOT! Most to none of us had breakfast...😓 We were immersed in the film, making sure we had at least one video we were all in agreeance with. I believe the person who had the most fun was my younger cousin because she got a fake birthday for the day.😂After we were done, we all went out to Chilis and got a fat nap when we went home. I think that was the fun part, celebrating and rewarding our achievements. There was definitely arguing and laughing, but most importantly, we were creating a story. 

Film Opening Day: Process

Before I started, I explained to each individual the plan. I talked about their characters and their style options. For Lynda, my character my cousin was playing, I told her I needed to make a few touchups for makeup. If she were to be Lynda, she would have come to the party like red lipstick to leave a bold impression on viewers. Then, I went ahead with the storyboard, discussing the steps and movement with it. 

Then I started adjusting the camera and the placement to showcase everything. I practiced the movements before each shot. There were frequent times I had to zoom in and out, but it became blurry. I would dim the lighting and readjust the focus to fit the zoom. At first, I choose to prioritize taking the pictures of the rings and the family photo for the frames. 

----> For the ring pictures, I used a white sheet of paper and placed the rings at different angles. I took numerous shots moving diagonally: downwards and upwards. This was my favorite part because it made me feel professional. 

The picture on the right is the family picture--->

I wanted to showcase the cheating through action, so I highlighted James and Lynda's hands close to each other with a flashlight from my phone hidden behind the balloon.

Then I made another image where Mary looks directly at the hand so that I can bring the viewer's attention to what she is looking at. The fact that Mary is starring at the hand, shows women's instinct, which introduces to the viewers a characteristic about Mary.

I wanted to show Mary's relationship with Grace through a photo, so when I frame it, it shows their bond. 

I needed to put an individual picture for Grace, to showcase how parents always frame their child in their home. 

In terms of lighting, I switched from warm to cool tones. At first, I started with the warm tones of the family together, dancing and having a good time. Then the cool tone begins when Lynda comes to the scene, intervening in Mary's family picture. 

Film Opening Day: Finish

 

By the end of the day, I had accumulated over 300 photos/videos. It was indeed a tiring and stressful process, but we got cake and Chilis, so that is all that matters. I enjoyed making something into reality. Some things did not come into what I had originally envisioned, but there were definitely some shots that were better than I had imagined. I had started this project thinking it was hopeless, but with the support and efforts, I truly believe it is a winner in comparison to other videos I have tried to create in past projects. I was allowed to use technology I would have never been able to access if it weren't for this project and I definitely want to practice.

Thank you lovelies for being my actors when no one else would 💕You guys really outdid yourselves with the support and drama that this film needed!