Welcome!
For my capstone I explored the medium of digital video production as an expression of political feelings. In this piece I went through all the processes of video production. Pre-production ( script writing, storyboarding, scouting, b-film, recruiting actors), Production ( filming), and Post-production ( editing and finalizing). In this process I challenged myself to sticking to schedule, learning how to use new editing software "Adobe Premiere", and collaborating with others. While at times there was many failures, such as obstacles of delay due to long winters, equipment availability, and a freelance production crew with fluctuating schedules I managed to learn a lot about the differences between guerilla style filming and hollywood level production.
Background
Why did I decide to make the focus of my capstone digital media production? This relevation was mostly a phenomenon to myself. The reason this is due to my recent focus on writing and independent work habits. I find I do my best when working by myself. This is an aspect of my personality I knew that I needed to modify and challenge. So choosing film as a medium was partially this reason. Another reason is that I realize have a broad experience with Digital media production. I had taken a digital video production course with Jon Spielberg. We used Sony Vegas to edit film, and professional DV camera's. I learned how to capture film from mini-dv tapes, and the importance of not using copyrighted material. I was surprised that my video was chosen to represent the course on Youtube. At SLA i continued with digital video production at SLA. I wasn't always successful, mostly due to the fact that I had to work with others, and while i had the handywork my ideas could never compromise theirs. So group work was not always successful for me. It was only when working independently that I could turn in my greatest work. I also attended a summer digital media production camp hosted by WHYY on scholarship. The digital media production camp was not that good. We used Final Cut Pro X which was terrible, a program I characterize as taking the worst parts of iMOVIE and replacing them with the best parts of Final Cut 7. Also I found it difficult to relate to other's ideas, and felt I was a minority in the entire situation who just went along and helped out with technical aspects such as writing and editing.
Since I had gained some skills and experience with digital video production I figured I should put my skills to the test and try making all the films i ever wanted to make but just lacked the template and freedom to. Plus I should learn how to assert and communicate my desires to others, direct people, and do the teeth-pulling work of working with others.
Since I had gained some skills and experience with digital video production I figured I should put my skills to the test and try making all the films i ever wanted to make but just lacked the template and freedom to. Plus I should learn how to assert and communicate my desires to others, direct people, and do the teeth-pulling work of working with others.
Process
November-
I started my capstone in November. With first composing the script to Inep Yratnemidur , recruiting actors. I also started filming.
December-March
Due to the prolonged winter, lack of school, snow days, and lack of availability of others I did not film during this period. But spent my time writing new scripts, proposals, and revising old.I also made a schedule for how I was going to plan out my capstone.
My schedule was the following- I would finish production by the end of April and head into post production by the end of may.
April-
During April I started filming the first day. I focused primarily on Girls With Guns since that one required the most actors. So I needed a lot of time to get that done. I started filming about each week with a friends who had volunteered.
May-
By the time May had come around I was still filming and in editing mode at the same time.
I started my capstone in November. With first composing the script to Inep Yratnemidur , recruiting actors. I also started filming.
December-March
Due to the prolonged winter, lack of school, snow days, and lack of availability of others I did not film during this period. But spent my time writing new scripts, proposals, and revising old.I also made a schedule for how I was going to plan out my capstone.
My schedule was the following- I would finish production by the end of April and head into post production by the end of may.
April-
During April I started filming the first day. I focused primarily on Girls With Guns since that one required the most actors. So I needed a lot of time to get that done. I started filming about each week with a friends who had volunteered.
May-
By the time May had come around I was still filming and in editing mode at the same time.
Obstacles
There were many obstacles when filming but none that I did not predict.
Firstly, I'll start with myself. The hardest person to deal with was myself as a senior. Stress and anxiety were a major issue for me to the point where I could not do anything sometimes. So my tactic for dealing with this is pure dissasociation, not thinking too much at all about anything (such as deadlines, bad things that could happen), and remaining as calm as possible.
Another problem was dealing with rejection.There was one script Not a Romance that was not finished due to the fact that the person who was originally supposed to be in it could not be in it. So I set that project down and focused on those that could. It was difficult sharing something so personal with someone but I'm glad I did and now I can face rejection.
The main problem which caused great delay is the availability of my crew. Since I was working with mostly juniors and seniors the schedule availability was a tough thing to wedge in. The students I was working with were in Digital Video Production and also had their own demanding projects. So I had to basically work with them whenever they could, and align myself to their whim. Which prolonged the process of filming. This includes access to equipment also. I had to make sure I had asked ahead time, before anybody else had, to secure equipment. And sometimes Mr. Herman wasn't available due to baseball season, or equipment was literally in utilization.
Using Adobe Premiere was not as challenging as I thought it would be. Even though I did receive outside help for it. Mr. Herman was clueless as to how to use it. But I quickly caught on with help within a week.
Firstly, I'll start with myself. The hardest person to deal with was myself as a senior. Stress and anxiety were a major issue for me to the point where I could not do anything sometimes. So my tactic for dealing with this is pure dissasociation, not thinking too much at all about anything (such as deadlines, bad things that could happen), and remaining as calm as possible.
Another problem was dealing with rejection.There was one script Not a Romance that was not finished due to the fact that the person who was originally supposed to be in it could not be in it. So I set that project down and focused on those that could. It was difficult sharing something so personal with someone but I'm glad I did and now I can face rejection.
The main problem which caused great delay is the availability of my crew. Since I was working with mostly juniors and seniors the schedule availability was a tough thing to wedge in. The students I was working with were in Digital Video Production and also had their own demanding projects. So I had to basically work with them whenever they could, and align myself to their whim. Which prolonged the process of filming. This includes access to equipment also. I had to make sure I had asked ahead time, before anybody else had, to secure equipment. And sometimes Mr. Herman wasn't available due to baseball season, or equipment was literally in utilization.
Using Adobe Premiere was not as challenging as I thought it would be. Even though I did receive outside help for it. Mr. Herman was clueless as to how to use it. But I quickly caught on with help within a week.