Class Discussion

Today in class we go to discuss our projects with the class. This was a very insightful process as I got to not only help others projects but understand the very different writing styles and filming styles. It also helped me to once again become more lost in my story and the path that I want to take with my film. I did however come to a name that I know will guide most of my thoughts. " Por Siempre Tuyo" which means 'forever yours'. The theme of this film has shifted after today. My main goal was to show the beauty in the relationship between two men and differentiate my film from the stereotypical gay films. I don't want to show any strong narrative that portrays negative emotions towards the LGBTQ community, I want to only portray the positive aspects of the relationship. In the discussion with the class my peers gave me multiple new ideas as to where to go with this project, different story lines and different takes on the same variation or emotions. Ana Rubin, who I planned on working with beforehand, gave me a great idea on showing both sides of the story and not keeping it one sided. Which brought me back to an original idea I had to show both sides with different color grading, yet this reverts me back to the ideal of tampering with a closeted relationship and seeing the beauty in that. I still have not reached my final conclusion and I know I need to do so before the end of the week. I need to have a storyboard ASAP but I feel like I'm at a standstill, I creatively cannot decide which story would be more aesthetic, which would be less stereotypical, which story would create ripples in society. I want to change some view points with this film, I just don't know how. I need sometime to think this over.

XOXO Media Nerd

Scheduling

So the main worry for me in this portfolio is finding the time to actually film. I decided I would need two separate filming days with multiple outfits changes and different locations. I chose on two days at the end of march. Two Saturday's, which with my work gives me enough shifts but enough time to get the filming in. I plan on splitting it down the middle. Shooting at least one half on Saturday the 21st, and then editing through the week to figure out what I need to shoot and edit. I also want enough room to be able to redo anything that doesn't come out how I want it. I will also take a few Mondays to get my B roll and make sure that the film comes together. The only thing I need to finish this week would be my outline and a script. I also want a shot list so I can get organized, however I do need finish the script first and my main concern is not having a direct story. I know that I don't want any dialogue in my film but I need to figure out the exact story, there is a million ideas that I'm debating I know I need to sit down and think it through. My story right now has multiple loose ends and my thoughts are not collaborating with me.

XOXO Media Nerd

Location Scouting.

So for the actual porfolio I want to create the sense of a well rounded relationship. The narration will carry the story and the shots in the background are just to show the romantic part of the relationship. I need to show different places, different outfits, different hairstyles if possible. I'm going to take advantage of the next weeks to try to get as many shots in as many places as possible. There are a few scenes that I need to have. I want to have a sunrise and a sunset scene, one for the beginning on for the end, I also want to have beach scenes, and scenes in bed, not sexually but romantically. I want to develop the story of two people who truly love each other and are willing to be real with each other. At the same time, I want to have situations shown where their relationship is not approved by many, showing the social stigma of being gay, how it's neglected and closed minded people shy away from it or just prefer to voice their opinions. I need to drive the pain throughout the film to allow the audience to understand the hardships of two guys holding hands in public. The looks, the stares, the emotion, and the words. It's so relevant to move this through the film, with my outmost goal is creating the need for social action, for a change in how we see the LGBTQ community. This week I will work on casting a group, mainly two and some of my friends for support and help, I hope to make some outlines of scenes and figure out filming dates and locations. We got this. I can do this.

XOXO, Media Nerd

Research

One of the main items of my research was past projects done in earlier years. When I spoke with my course director she advised me to look at past projects to gain and understanding of projects with full on narration. I believe in a much more personal level of story telling which includes a conversation with the audience, I feel more power speaking directly to them and I wanted to pursue a storyline where there is a connection. Stoklosa advised me to research a project form 2017-2018 called "Goldfish" which is an odd drama that uses first person narration to describe what the main character is going through. This film relaxed me a little, I had been quite nervous to use full narration, through this specific portfolio I realized how a mixture of narrated scenes, and silent scenes could help to make the perfect short film. through this process I also came to the realization that I wanted to represent myself in multiple ways. I had chose to do a gay love story, being part of the LGBTQ community I felt that the representation in the media was twisted and not correct, portraying it in a very taboo and stereotypical manner, I wanted to shift this. I wanted to show the beauty behind a gay romance, I want people to see the reality of it, and through narration, you can get the first hand account of what these individuals feel. What I did not see when researching narration are any in spanish. I wanted to represent my culture using my native language. I came to the conclusion that I needed to be able to represent many things within my film, and I had to do so effectively. I like a challenge, and I feel as if this will be a challenge.

XOXO, Media Nerd

A Change in Direction

Earlier this week our advisor allowed us to change the groups around and choose a new idea. When I spoke to Ana, she discussed with me how she wanted to try it by herself and create her own story. I was scared at first I will not lie. I've always been self conscious about the work that I create, I never feel like its enough and the ideal of not having a creative crutch alongside in this monster of an assignment was worrisome. Yet at the same time, it was creative freedom, I was free to do whatever I wanted with my imagination. So I thought of what I could represent with my film. I have always wanted my pieces to spark conversation and though, I want my work to inspire people or change views. I reasserted many topics that I felt I could portray in a good light, and I drew my conclusion to a film oriented around the LGBTQ community. Films that I researched included the Oscar winning "Call me by your Name" when analyzing this film I realized the the representation of the gay community was highly stigmatized and made to look taboo. In this specific storyline the characters relationship is tabooed and at times highly inappropriate. In other films like "Love Simon"  the characters show a feeling of shame in being true to oneself, with troubles with self acceptance and difficult developments in the sexuality. I wanted a piece that challenged this, I wanted to something that showed beauty not confusion. I wanted a piece that could show the LGTBQ community in the way that I know it, to be different than the regular version, something that adequately showed how real the love can be in this community, and not make it seem like a big deal, I want it to be a standard piece with no negative input, just positive love. I realized soon that I was ready to take this project on, and make it perfectly mine. Perfectly real.

XOXO, Media Nerd