You got the part!

     I never saw casting as a challenging task which is why I put it off for so long. Now that the time for filming has actually come I realized it’s not so easy after all. I thought anyone I asked would say yes to me and I planned on asking a few of my friends and family members for help.

Issues with casting: 

1. Not everyone’s available 

2. Not everyone will fit the character’s vibe and aesthetic

    Since the beginning I knew who would play Naomi. My sister Alessia who forced me to be the main character of her portfolio project last year fit the role perfectly. She agreed to play Naomi and volunteered her friend as one of the male characters.

Brey, my sister’s friend agreed to play the role of Ben which he also fits very well.

For now, I  haven’t found someone to play Leo since most of my guy friends have gone away on vacation for spring break. Brey said he could do both if we figure out a way to but I’m not very sure about it yet.

6 brains work better than 1

     Today in class we met up with groups and discussed our projects. I shared my blog and explained my plot to my group members and mentioned a change I didn't know whether to include or not. I explained to them that I was unsure of including the shot of Ben looking out the window at Naomi and Leo in the car or if I should focus on Naomi and Leo in the car. They told me to add it since it introduces a conflict. One of my team members brought up the idea to change the song from "Can't help falling in Love" to a heavy metal/rock song once Naomi gets into Leo's car to emphasize the contrast between Noami's relationships with Leo and Ben. Although I like the idea I'm not sure if I should include it but once I start the editing process I will test it out and see what it looks like. She also suggested that Naomi could have a more edgy outfit under her pastel tracksuit to also emphasize the contrast between the relationships which I think will look great if I decide to add the rock music. 

    Meeting up with a group to discuss each other's projects was really beneficial as it helped bring up new ideas and give feedback to each other. I also got to see the behind the scenes of the projects and what my classmates are doing in order to bring their ideas to life. 

dont go off script...

 My opening scene doesn't include much dialogue but I still decided to create a script for the little dialogue there is. I used google docs to create my script and used pictures online as a reference on how to properly write a script/screenplay

Though it is very short and doesn't look 2 minutes long, my film is all about the music and overall vibe, that's what tells the story. 

I also made a small addition to the story and opening scene which is Ben looking out the window and seeing who Naomi is with. This is to introduce the conflict of the film and also to show how much Ben cares about Naomi that he makes sure she makes it out safe. 

My first company

Orion productions

I created my production company, Orion productions!

The reason why I chose this name is because like I previously mentioned, I want this project to have a little bit of who I am. You may be wondering, what does Orion have to do with who you are? Well let me tell you the very cheesy reason. Every time I look up at the night sky I see Orion's belt and I always like to stare at it and it brings me some type of comfort. I had initially chosen "Romer Productions" for my company's name but I thought it was way too basic and I could come up with something better. 

 On the opening scene of my film I want to start off with my company's logo.

I used the website Canva to create the Logo and animation for my production company which is the website i've used for most of the elements in my project such as the mood boards. 

shots and angles

     Today is my first day in Mexico City and after a day of exploring the city and the anthropology museum, I'm back in my hotel room so I grabbed my computer and got to work. Today I want to organize my scenes shot by shot so next week when it's finally time to film I will have everything settled. 

Shot list:

- Long shot (Naomi and Ben dancing)

-Close up of (phone)

-Medium two-shot (Naomi telling Ben she's leaving)

-Over the shoulder shot (Naomi fixing herself in the bathroom) 

-Long and tracking shot in slow motion (Naomi running to the car)

-Close up zoom in (Leo looking out the window)

-Long shot of Naomi's back (while running to the car)

-Over the shoulder two-shot (Leo and Naomi) 

too good to be true... my first obstacle

    Sometimes things are too good to be true. This project is an example. Everything was running smoothly, all my deadlines were being met, I was following my schedule, etc. On Friday my mom called me and told me we had to travel to Mexico last minute to get my passport. Since I'm Venezuelan and can't get my passport anywhere in the United States, the fastest way to get it is through the Venezuelan embassy in Mexico. After months of waiting I finally got an appointment on March 9. I had scheduled "filming day 1" on that day and I wont get back home until March 11 which completely sets back my schedule. I'm going to take advantage of the situation and I'm going to keep researching and adding details which I will be sharing here on my blog. I will also see if I can look for any inspiration while I'm there and add it to the project. Although I am excited to finally get my passport and also visit the Federal District, I am a little disappointed I'm going to have to reschedule everything and run way behind on filming and editing. 

Moral of the story: Look at the bright side of things (I get more time to plan)

    I made this list on "Microsoft To Do" which is probably the only reason why I ever get anything done in my life because checking off a task releases a small amount of serotonin every time, so I am looking forward to checking these things off. 

   

schedule

  

    Now that I have most of my opening scene details down, it's time for the filming process to begin. In order for the process to go smoothly I made a scheduling chart to make sure I stay on track. I plan on taking one day to film the opening scene(3/9)  since it's mostly at the same location but I saved a second day just in case anything goes wrong. Afterwards, I will spend the rest of my time editing to make sure everything looks exactly how I envision it. 

    The rest of the planning I need to complete is the casting, script, lighting and shots, and adjust any details from the storyline which I will complete in the next week. 

Date
2/28-3/7	Complete planning
3/9	Shooting day 1
3/10	Shooting day 2 (if necessary)
3/14-?	Editing

    I can't wait to begin the filming and editing process and slowly see everything come to life.