CCR

https://youtu.be/MK9ukrCSdHo

Here it is, A start to my career.

https://jocma4.wixsite.com/acommonmisconception

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v9RKEEBt-M

Reflection Time

As I wrap this project up last minute, I can't help but feel absolute relief. I had a story from the beginning that I wanted to show. A message I looked so hard to portray. The film is not exactly what I wanted, some components of the shots did not come out how I wanted them, however given this quarantine I feel incredibly proud of the message that I have conveyed.
Looking at the film at the end, I feel that I skimmed on the line of a montage, which is something I did not want to do, the more that I reviewed my film, I saw that it worked out for me, the story is there and it shows what I wanted to show. I got to play around with independent filming, and acting at the same time. Something I was so afraid of doing.
This process has definitely been eye opening, and I as I charge on to adult hood, this class has been my gateway to a new path. It was through this film that I was finally able to decide that this is what I want to do, I want to learn and get better at this. With this film I came upon the choice to attend the University of Copenhagen in Denmark to study Film and Media Studies in 2021.
It might not be the best. It definitely is not exactly what I wanted. It's the beginning of my story. The first piece fully done by me, my first step into what seems prominently my life.
I thank Cambridge and Tina for this opportunity. I truly hope you enjoy my film, take it as you will.

A Change of Name

As I start to complete my editing, I soon notice that my name is still in Spanish. With the limited resources that I had and the quarantine not making my life any simpler, I had to choose to keep the main language English. For me this is quite disspoiting since I based so much of my reasearch and my challenge on the ideal of a bilingual movie. However I understand that it is one task I just could not reach at the moment. My actor who was supposed to speak Spanish could not help me film, and my back up actor did not speak Spanish. I felt that having the short film shift back and forth between languages would be far too confusing for the audience. So I chose to change the name, and with that change of name my narration became more concise and clearer.

One thing I had to do was base a lot of my short film on the main characters train of though, at first I was quite afraid of doing so as Tina had warned me that it could come it very bad. I think the mix of dialogue and scenes alongside my narration works well. I truly hope you do too.

Editing Day 1

So I'm in absolute tears, some of the shots that we took did not come out how I wanted them and I knew this would happen, not being able to be my own cinematographer is tough.
We'll have to make do, but I really do think when all this is over I will re shoot this.
Thankfully I made an outline on Final Cut Pro of where I wanted to go with the shots so the process is starting off very easily and I'm not loosing my mind over it. I feel confident that this will turn out good underneath the situation that we are in.
The thing that does bother me is how I had this image in my head of how I wanted it to come out and now I'm actually editing it and it is not looking how I want it.

There are some shots I want to re-do and I have time, I'm going to be cutting it short but it will be done. I feel highly confident about it.

XOXO Media Nerd

Shooting Day 3

So today was weird. I had to kiss a girl, but I did not like the shot at all, so I don't know if it will be in my final product. Today we wrapped up shooting, it didn't take that much time and we got the shots done in time. We also re-shot some of the shots that I wasn't fully satisfied with, the good part being it was different outfits so, when I edit the film I'll be able to mess around with the time-frame and move around the time and make the film look right.
I really did like how the weather is different in every shot so the story can move in a more enticing way, making it look like this problem has developed over time, and the story moves in a compelling way.
Today was also the day that we shot the frames where Ashley is be herself which for me was so powerful cause I actually got to shoot them. I love being able to be in control so this really worked for me.

I will start editing very soon.

XOXO Media Nerd

Shooting Day 2

So we had a very impromptu day of shooting, I was off from work and had done very minimal editing on the shots that I already had, I was actually ignoring it because this portfolio causes me a great deal of stress. I hate the fact that this quarantine has limited my creativity, having to act in the film and not being able to work the camera has made my time shooting this a living hell. I have to explain to my brother how I want every shot to work, how the zoom should go and how to focus it, from what angle and how long. Which makes the preparation for every shot 10x worse, plus acting it out with one of my closest friends, pretending to be straight causes some very hysterical moments.
Today was much tougher than the first day, we reshot some scenes that had already been shot so I could decide which one I liked better. Yet today took many more takes than I expected, we weren't getting the ambiance I was shooting for and as much as we tried not one of us was satisfied with what we're composing.
We are set to work again tomorrow to finish up the shots, hopefully this goes over smoothly, I don't know how much more of this I can handle.

XOXO Media Nerd

A Rainy Day of Shooting

So, Friday got pushed back to today for shooting but it went fantastic.

The shower scene came out amazing and every other scene we got to shoot did too. We got most of the scenes shot well and I'm quite proud it. I really do hate the sound on the shots so I'm working on ideas on how to fix it. However I do have 4 more shots to film so I need to wait until Wednesday to film them. I'm also working on a title scene for the movie and deciding how I will introduce the name, I also picked the song, finally. It really fit the mood that I needed.

We changed the trajectory a little and some scenes had to completely change to adapt, but given that we threw them together while in the process of filming they felt real and compelling. I really liked them.

I had my brother Eitan help with the filming and I had to explain to him how I wanted each scene shot and the camera movement as well as the movement of the focus which for me was such a big deal and he did not seem to get it. I will start editing tomorrow at work, it's slow lately and I'm allowed to use my computer so might as well use the time for progress.

I'll be in touch, just know that its coming out great.

XOXO Media Nerd

Post Card Completed

So I've been so caught up in filming that I completely ignored the other factors of this portfolio, so today I sat down and got to work.

I started the website and quickly began to cry, because I have so much footage that I need to insert into this website and I have very little work, Friday Really can not come soon enough, I need to film this damn thing and start editing so I can actually compose a compelling film. The stress is starting to reduce because I got the two small factors of this project down. I also did a little planning sheet to be able to have this project concluded and ready to go by 04/12 so that I can do my CCR and be able to submit by 04/19. I film this Friday that gives me a stressful week of editing to get this to how I want it and then from there proceed to work on the little tweaks and re-shoot anything left.

The website needs some tweaks but the postcard is done and I really do love it, I'm uploading so you guys can take a look at it.

Filming is soon. I'll keep you all updated.

Tina's Word is Considered a Commandment in my Book.

Following my last post, Tina advised for me to be the subject of my own film. Crap.

Okay let's settle some discussions. I love being behind the camera, I like guiding people. That's exactly what I wanted with this project and I really thought hey this could work. Given the situation with COVID-19, it looks like taking this piece of advice is my best shot at succeeding in this project. One main point to consider is, I know how to express the exact emotion I want throughout the film, and after stressing about it enough it is much easier to swallow my pride and just use myself as the actor than try to pull together a whole lot of nothing while quarantined.

Filming will be on Friday with Ashley Keene, a close friend of mine who luckily is my neighbor and filming has been simplified.

I have quite a good relationship with Keene and I think that the chemistry could work on screen to portray what I want to show with this film.

I'll keep you all updated, I guess now I have to stand in a shower and be filmed. Great.

SLAMMM on the BRAKES

I write to you at 3:00 AM as my mind tries to process the very little work that I have for this short film. I'm reaching a completely new level of stress and I'm on the verge of a breakdown.

With that aside let's speak obstacles. Sean is no longer allowed to leave the house, and given that the only footage I have is with Sean it seems like I have hit a crossroads. The footage has been rendered useless and I need to come up with something fast.

I really have no idea what I am going to do this at this point because it just seems quite bleak.

I think my best shot here is filming with my brother, but I do not know how comfortable he is portraying a gay character. I also feel awkward asking him to do something like this for me, but it seems to be my only choice.

Other things to consider, my mom and dad have both asked me to not bring anyone over to the house during these times, both my parents being 60 and with an everlasting list of past medical inconveniences it makes sense for us to take extra precautions. yet again it makes this film even more difficult.

I got this, I know I do, I just need to process.

I'll rendezvous with you all soon.

XOXO Media Nerd.