Editing Process 1

Today we intended to edit the blog. Unfortunately, this did not come to pass. Computers 1-12 are working computers, and though 13 and beyond have pinnacle studios, they are not in the best condition. This means that we cannot crop or edit the videos created. It is because of this why we did not make much progress in editing today. However, the day was productive in other means, so maybe  we will be able to edit successfully next class.  We intend to do voice overs as well as effects and transitions when we get the opportunity.  This is exciting but also worrisome, simply due to the fact that I am worried that my group and I will have a contrast of interest. We had conflicts before and today because we did not efficiently make a plan for the shots and the commercial. Next time we work together should we get the opportunity, I will ensure that the plan is well illustrated and clear for my teammates.

Even though we did not get to edit, we did get to record. We only had two more scenes, so we got to record those two missing scenes today. Jahrvia brought the food, so we were able to do the trunk shot.  We also remembered to bring the clothes from last time so that we can shoot the door exiting scene. Luckily for me, I did not have to change. I didn’t have to change because the McDonald’s worker was no longer required. This, as last time, resulted in me being the cameraman for the scenes required. I didn’t have much of a say in the trunk shot; I stood and ensured that everything went as planned and assisted when needed.  We recorded this a few times, and had some issues figuring out how to do the trunk shot. Lauren eventually figured out how to do it, and the shot went smoothly after that. Both Jahrvia and Lauren were cast in the trunk shot , and they only took one shot of the scene.

After this scene we went to do the first scene of the film. There was a debate over where we should shoot the takes. The image was to have the mother and the two children exiting the building and talking about their dreams. In order to do this, we needed double doors. We thought of using the double doors for the gym, but there was a dispute. The reason for such was because the doors were blue and McDonald’s is red. This applies to most of our doors. Luckily, the media center has glass doors. This meant we could shoot without altering our theme. After traveling to the media center, there was an issue with shooting. I wanted to do a tracking shot from a distance and then trail behind, and my teammate just wanted to walk past the camera. No one was satisfied for a while and there was a lot of shots. In the end, I decided to do two shots. The first shot was from close, the second was from a distance. I preferred the first shot so we went with that. However, my teammates appeared to be frustrated and spoke very quietly. We might have to voice over next class. I hope next class will be better and more efficient.

Filming Process 1

On Thursday, October 24, 2019, my group shot the scenes for our commercial. Unfortunately, we could not shoot all of our scenes on the day because we didn't have access to the inside of buildings. Additionally, we did not have a happy meal box, which was crucial to the filming process. We decided to shoot the scenes in between those and record again on Monday. I had to change my entire outfit for the role. My shirt was changed to a black one and my skirt was changed to black pants. I wore black shoes and my black and white visor. Lauren and Jahrvia, two of my three partners, changed their shirts to something more childlike. Aaliyah did not have to change her clothes because she was the mother and did not have to. Most of our scenes were outside, so we didn't have to change locations.

We filmed on the senior patio for most of our scenes. The first scene had consisted of the children and the mother walking to the seats. They decided to put a spin on it and improvise as they went to their seats. We improvised for the majority of the scenes. This was because for most of the scenes, although there was a rough guideline, there was no specific script. However, it ended up working well and the guideline was sufficient to create the scene we all desired. We took a lot of takes of the first scene and were incredibly picky. As time progressed, however, we realized that there wasn't enough time and were not as specific. There were only four of us, so when we got to the scene where the McDonald's waiter came to take their order, we ended up having to leave the camera. This means that we couldn't do zooms, pans or tilts. This was a bummer for me because I feel like they enhance the film. Nevertheless, we did the recording in one take and made do with what we were skilled enough to achieve. Hopefully we can edit some effects in post production.

I enjoyed the experience very much, particularly towards the end. I was only in two scenes, so I transitioned to the role of cameraman after I completed my lines. This allowed us to do close ups, change the variety of our shots, and add camera movements. We changed a lot of the ideas I had in mind in the beginning. Our shots also contrasted the plans of other team members. We decided to do an over the shoulder shot between the children. This scene includes the children playing with the barbie toys that match their desired careers. In the end, they turn to face the camera and say the barbie slogan, after which there is a tilt to the sky. My intention is for the shot to fade to a red backdrop with the McDonald's logo. Once the clips have completely transitioned, the signature jingle will play and the clip will cut to black.

Storyboard

Today in AICE media studies my group and I created our storyboard. The images we had in our brain were not completely the same, but Aaliyah, one of my group members, made one a day in advance to help. The first box is an establishing shot of McDonald’s. It’ll be a short shot, and we intend to travel there to get a shot if possible. The second box is an image illustrated by Lauren. The image shows a parent and her two children exiting the McDonald’s building. As they exit, the children talk about their aspirations and dreams. The third shot is a picture of the waiter speaking to the now seated guests, and the shot following would be the mother placing the order. She orders a happy meal for her two girls. The fifth box is a picture of a split screen. One half shows what is supposed to be a trunk shot of the delightful meal and the surprise toy. The other shows the picture of a surprised and overjoyed girl who finds a Barbie doll that suits her aspirations. It is in this shot that the Barbie theme song begins to play. The last shot is shot that will be a zoom out on the now content family as they enjoy their meal. As it zooms out, it will fade to the red background with the signature M in the middle. The theme song for McDonald’s will play and the commercial will end. This is the agreed commercial. I think that it’ll be interesting to watch and an entertaining method of promotion.

Planning Blog for Happy Meal Commercial

In my research blog, I described the numerous methods utilized by McDonalds to promote their happy meals. Our project will be a commercial based off of the toy for a recent McDonalds toy.

The theme for this year through October 14, 2019 is Barbie and Hot Wheels-- both under the company Mattel. Our commercial will be geared towards Barbie and will be built around the concept "You can be anything." Three of the four of us will be playing the part of children in the commercial. All three of the children will be speaking and receiving happy meals. The final person will play the role of the cashier at McDonalds.

In order to create this commercial, various Mis En Scene must be utilized in order for the subject to understand. As props, we will include the infamous red box with the golden smile arches. The boxes will contain a meal and the toy to be featured in the commercial. For costuming, the worker will wear all black and the customers will be wearing child-like attire and backpacks, acting as children coming from school. Our schedule will lead as follows: We will first set up around the front of the school to show that the kids are leaving and heading to McDonalds. The school will be shown for a few seconds after which we will cut to the senior patio, which will serve as our McDonalds outdoor seating area. Next we will switch to a trunk shot that will show the faces of the kids as they open their happy meals when they spot their barbie toy. 

Unfortunately, South Florida tends to have unpredictable weather, and the bulk of our plans are dependent upon a favorable forecast. In the case of precipitation , the McDonalds scene would be moved from the senior patio to the media center or the cafeteria if we're granted permission. As for the introductory scene, it will be moved to somewhere under shelter. In preparation of an absence, the members of my group will learn each others parts so that we can assume both roles effectively. 

Research Blog: Conventions and Code

My group has decided to make our commercial to advertise McDonald's Happy Meals. Over time, McDonald's has continued to become more creative in the way they include their own app for children to play on. Starting with their first Happy Meal commercial in 1979, the franchise has utilized different families and characters to promote the fun sized children's meal. In a Happy Meal commercial, you will find that there is the signature box that is either a plain red with the signature McDonald's arches or a box covered in the promoted character/ theme for the month. The commercials often include 30 seconds of laughing, dancing and eating. Additional commercials display a family coming in for a happy meal to find a pleasant surprise at the bottom of the box. Recently, McDonald's has resorted to using animation to promote the happy meals as opposed to the traditional happy meal characters (ex. Ronald McDonald). The company has also been allowed to animate the characters as a method to promote the toys.

Additionally, you may often find in most every commercial that there is a signature jingle and slogan. It typically follows the traditional tune "Buh da buh buh buuhhh" (C D E A G ), and precedes the phrase "I'm lovin' it". However, some commercials also base their songs around the toy being promoted. For instance, a recent 2019 commercial featured the song "hakuna matata" from the 2019 release of "hakuna matata" from the new Disney film, "The Lion King". The advertisement also conveyed the family as characters from the movie, strutting as Simba, Timon and Pumba did in the movie. Happy meals on occasion will do promotions. Whenever there's a new television show or movie, McDonald's will create a toy, after which they compel their customers to watch the promoted show/ movie. This does not apply solely to television but other methods of entertainment as well. A perfect instance is the early 2000s; the rise of Kidz Bop. McDonalds would give out a CD with each happy meal for children to listen to at home!

In conclusion, McDonalds has used a lot of the same techniques attract their audience, still continuing to receive brand deals and success. Despite using the same jingle, McDonalds continues to entrance its audience with its amusing commercials. From 1979 until 2019, McDonalds has never ceased to create an entertaining and family friendly environment through their advertisements that sparks joy and lures in customers. For our project, it has been concluded that the most reasonable method of promotion would be through replicating the principles/ technique of the Lion King. This is because of its relevance to this generation. However, the industry being cooperated with is also a careful consideration. McDonalds was wise in choosing a Disney-- a concept we will likely recreate-- as it is big among the targeted audience for happy meals. With every commercial of their favorite Disney princess or biggest hero on television, children plead for their parents to take them to McDonalds, ultimately increasing revenue. By following McDonald's stellar guidelines for this commercial, we get one step closer to understanding what it takes to succeed in the AICE exam.

Introduction

-        Hello, my name is Anishkaneel Allen! I am15 years old. I am a  sophomore  at Fort Lauderdale High School. Presently I reside in Plantation, Florida and I enjoy things such as the arts and literature. I was born March 11, 2004 in Broward General hospital. My mom works in the education field and her drive to assist students in need has inspired me to pursue a career in Speech Language pathology. However,  there are various other aspirations that I have in mind that I could potentially do instead. I like the color blue, particularly vibrant shades and mixtures such as cyan. Despite my vibrant taste in visuals, I fancy more dramatic movies that touch the soul and evoke emotion, such as romantic tragedy. 

-        My passion for the arts has influenced me in a lot of my after school activity. Although I wasn’t active kindergarten through third grade due to lack of confidence and interest, moving to Fort Lauderdale inspired me to be active and I joined the chorus club. I found myself to enjoy this activity very much, and from then on I’ve engaged in the activity every year. Entering sixth grade I also sparked my interest in literature and writing, which paved the way to debate. Unfortunately, debate was not the best experience for me, as I was not informed properly regarding the regulations by my teacher and I never found the category I was truly passionate about until the end of eighth grade. In high school I attempted poetry, and although the club was not as intriguing as I anticipated, I did appreciate the bonds I developed with the members there. I didn’t find the club I was truly passionate about until the end of freshman year when I joined marching band. I was already passionate about the activity before— the music was entrancing and their enthusiasm blew me away. I intend to remain in band until I graduate from high school in the year 2022. 

-        I joined this class for various reasons— I initially thought the class was entertaining and the idea of learning more about the film industry fascinated me. Additionally, I heard from my peers that it was a fun and interesting class, which I felt could benefit my schedule. It is presently meeting my expectations as a fun class with opportunities to use your peers as a social mechanism in order to learn more about the art known as film. I anticipate that it will continue to challenge me to expand my horizons and test my abilities to the fullest in hopes of creating something that would show my views on this subject. I intend to pass this class, as well as my other classes in order to graduate from high school with my diploma and some form of merit. Thank you!!