Neha Ashok Raj AS Level

Although directing is difficult, I am lucky that, for the first time, the actors also came up with and used their own ideas to make the film better. They needed clarity to get a clear continuous shot, though, so they shouldn't move about too much or the frame would break eye contact. It was also difficult to avoid not noticing the camera. We had to hurry up and pretend that we weren't running late for class because we were also under a tight schedule. However, we all persevered and eventually got through the procedure.  

 Scene 1 Test Shoot Scene 2 Test Shoot Scene 3 Test Shoot

  Fade is a software program that we used to create our script in the correct format. Despite this, I was aware that we used an independent cinematography software. The only difference I can think of is that one of the filters was the one we required. Since this is not my forte, I don't know much about it. DaVinci is the tool for editing and tying everything together.

  As you can see, there are a plethora of differences between the actors and the original shooting site. We had considered recording on the stone bench where the tape is located above, but my teacher then stated that it seemed extremely professional and not at all informal because it was heavily scripted and took place during a formal conference. Later, we relocated to an area where the actors could act more casually. Due to scheduling conflicts between their classes, which we cannot have, it was challenging to locate the actors. Fortunately, we were able to find all of the performers who were willing to participate and worked with us through to the end, even if some of them were unable to meet up to remain until 6 p.m.

  The letter referenced a few locations and items that we didn't include in the finished movie. Even though we had a lot of locations to add, the process of putting it together took longer than expected, and we had to eliminate several extras that we didn't favour. As a result, we had to obtain permission from our principal, our friends' parents, and our own parents before we could shoot after school. Since it was three hours later, several compromises were made, such as carpooling. Although they weren't required to, I really appreciate that the parents made a few minor adjustments to their plans just for our project. ⁣ 

  The experience taught me how to design a Gantt chart, which helps me manage the production schedule and shows a simplified but summarized version of the process of what is happening and when. The entire procedure, including the blog posts in May, has taken four months to complete. Many factors were overlooked, such as the need for a reshoot, but luckily, I saw the shot's obvious difference during the first cut, and it didn't go well with the rest of the clip. It was a little difficult to figure out when to show it to our teachers and classmates, but in the end, the wait was worthwhile.

There isn’t much to say, as this was all taken in my school with all our equipment combined. As this is our first time ever being in this field, we weren’t planning on having a budget. Thankfully, most of us had what we needed and could progress with our production. Regardless, I’ve made a budget plan just for the sake of following the complete method and to also have practice before we do our A levels.                                   

I lost track of how many times we tried to make it sound less staged and more empathetic by altering the script. We tried to include as much conversation and detail as we could in a limited amount of time, and we had a lot of different endings. The game started out in an empty classroom with the window closed, but the drapes would suddenly flutter due to "ghostly wind." Later, it relocated outside since it made more sense for the main character to enter the school from the outside. Second, we considered the stone benches, which provided the ideal setting for the players to act, but they were heavily fake, informal, and, to be honest, like a cult attempting to carry out a ritual. We had some questionable endings in mind, but we lacked the tools and time to carry them out. I discovered that we forgot about the fact that our partner, who is also the "supernatural entity" in this project, plays one of the supporting characters, confusing the viewers. Thus, we eventually...

Hunting for locations was quite simple, and it's concerning that my school had so many locations that created a sense of fear, particularly the area where the wall painting was left incomplete, suggesting that something terrible occurred but no one completed it. When I noticed the basketball net swinging in the wind, I thought it was a natural movement. Since we couldn't replicate it perfectly, we changed it so that it begins at a canted angle and moves in the direction of static to create the illusion of inverted perspective. However, I hope we achieved that. Later, the insert shots were actually a lot of fun to do because we discovered the park that was once part of my school but had been left in such bad shape. While we were on the grounds where all the physical activities take place, we heard the dogs barking and howling nearby, which was recorded and, to be honest, sounded like a howl for help when the footage was playing. We initially intended to play the game in an empty...

The idea of "peer manipulation" wasn't very difficult to come up with. Being accepted or able to fit in with a particular circle of friends labels us as cool or valuable in a society, at least for the generation I belong to. In other words, we created such a belief. I don't maintain tabs on the behavior and "morals" of the younger generation, but in my viewpoint, playing games that push limits or comfort zones—like Truth or Dare, for example—is a way to show that you're "cool."  My friends and I were playing the friendly version of the game because we were bored on the day we were writing the screenplay. I got the idea to start playing a game because I used to do it with my family when I was little. We used to make quite a bit out of playing Charlie Charlie in Roblox, as if we were attempting to call the devils. This time, my liking for horror or thriller films actually helped me come up with ideas and develop useful insight from other films. C...

In general, my team and I weren't trying for the horror genre, although we had a few ideas. However, we became particularly interested in seeing a number of horror short films on YouTube since they are both incredibly beautiful and alarming. As previously stated, it requires interest. Fortunately, we all agreed on this and began the process of incorporating both practical and logical shots. We came to the conclusion that it had to take place on school property and have to depict a significant issue facing our society right now. I'm not sure how I even considered studying sociology because it didn't seem like a major deal, but I've since learnt that it's a huge issue that still impacts our generation and may have an impact on their future generations as well. The most prominent aspect of our film's opening is peer manipulation. I have a great deal of respect for the professionals because of the work that went into the pre-production alone, and the finalization...

  It was amazing to see how spontaneously my team and I came up with the idea. We decided to create content that resonates with our generation, as that is the majority of our audience. This became our target demographic. In today’s society, peer pressure is very common, especially among children, who often engage in activities they shouldn't just to fit in with a group or avoid being teased.  As a teenager myself, we wanted to make clear that the thrill around games like Truth or Dare is held to high standards and typically results in pressure to fulfil a truth or dare. The scenario is that the main character choose "Truth," but the others subtly persuade them to select "Dare." Later, the character loses all of their confidence and develops trust issues, which will eventually impair their future social skills. While it was exciting to investigate and go through the same procedure as the professional film industries, it took a long time for my team and I to concl...

Since it would be our first time participating in something that other high school students wouldn't, there wouldn't be any fun. After reviewing our roles and duties, we discovered that we were unsure of some of them and left several minor but crucial positions, such as set designer.  I received the role as the Director which is such an important responsibility and if I am going to be completely honest, I didn’t think I was up to it and thought I was failing my job since I have anxiety and generally am an overthinker. Now I know a lot more in depth and have the support of my teacher. I have returned part of my confidence but still some uncertainty lurking in me but in a way, that is good as that motivates me to perform my work and accomplish my goal. As shown in the above table, I have accepted the roles of both director and editor, sharing it with Akhilesh. Despite the fact that we will be filming at my school, according to format, we must have documentation as proof and evide...

The second visit to the media college was both informative and highly engaging. I am thankful that my school gave me this opportunity because I doubt I would have had it at such a young age. The best part was getting to see the behind-the-scenes production of the short film that was being produced at the college. We visited a green screen set and studied the basic operation of the camera. We discovered that the process of making a movie is like a butterfly effect; if one part isn't done, the others won't work. The screenplay is therefore the main part, and the main focus should be on the topic or plot functioning as it should fit within the script and not leave the audience with unanswerable questions. Mr. Ramesh Murugan (Scriptwriter & Director) dir_rameshmurugan         Mr. P. Thirumalaisamy (HOD - Clusters Media College) Although the details, like the normal iOs being (xyz), confused me and made it difficult for me to understand, I was able to get the mai...

I learned a lot by exploring DaVinci, mainly that even a 44-second video edit has a lengthier editing history than watching it! I have a great deal of respect for YouTube content creators and the post-production team in the media industry. I won't lie; it was enjoyable and I felt liberated. For practice, I decided to play around with something more commonplace, like traveling. I imagined myself traveling to Switzerland and taking in its breathtaking scenery and beauty, and the song was incredibly beautiful (thanks to the YouTube shorts). It was satisfactory for my first attempt, and since I am achieving the dreams and wants of my inner kid, I am fully inspired to improve.  I experimented with the cut page in DaVinci and discovered various tools, such as CrossFade and Dissolve, which helped to create a smooth transition.

The sensation of having a professional camera in my hands reminded me of my childhood obsession with photography, which began when I was eight years old. I lost any sense of how to manage and go over the basics, which led to the return of my hidden photo obsession. The fact that the school allowed us to use their camera was great, and I had a great time taking it with my friends.  It took a lot of time and involved a lot of brainstorming to figure out how to execute the shot! However, I persevered, and given that it was my first time after a long break, I am rather proud of myself for doing well. Here are the shots I have captured: Extreme Long Shot Long Shot Wide Shot Full Shot Medium Shot Close-Up Extreme Close-Up Over-the-Shoulder Shot Point of View Shot High Angle Low Angle Canted (Dutch) Angle

It’s not every day that you get the chance to attend a professional media college, learn from experienced professionals, and make your outcome even better. That’s a great opportunity for beginners! My school arranged a trip/class to Clusters Media College for my classmates and me to enhance our knowledge and understand the intensity and effort we need to put into this project. I know it's for my studies, but sacrificing my weekends feels like signing up for a never-ending meeting. Still, some things require a bit of compromise! It would be selfish of me to think I'm the only one giving up my weekend, especially when my teacher is also sacrificing their time to supervise us, making sure we have everything we need, including picking us up and dropping us off. To be honest, the waiting felt like it lasted forever—and if you've read my first blog, you know waiting is basically my arch-nemesis! It took about two hours before we could finally kick off the session. Having a class...