TEA extract practice and worksheet

Although kind of chaotic (I wrote these considering it as planning), this is my extract practice and TEA worksheet. I did them both with a time frame in mind. Information on TEA is provided in the previous blog. As for the practice, I found it a bit difficult as I didn’t see much of the other methods of film besides camera shots, angles and movements.

TEA Extract Essay

The director designed the extract to be somber and intense. The atmosphere, set in a medieval setting, had no lightheartedness in this film-- though it does in a sense seem a bit mystical. Though the Game of Thrones extract theme overall does not seem to be pleasant, but rather interesting nonetheless.
In the first scene, which shows the two travelers' voyage to the bank, is a stage setter for the scene to come, although it does show some of the themes within it. For instance, the props and the setting (location) displayed when the aerial shot occurs give the mystical image I described as well as clarify the setting and time period that the film was made. The lighting on the ship ride reflected the waves; cold and harsh, using mostly cool tones. These tones reflect the tone of the extract. The score also reflects the mystical feel-- the nature of the music was climatic and somewhat upbeat, but also felt kind of surreal. The zoom that went from the travelers to the aerial shot gave clarity to the situation, but also was a key element in setting the pace for the next scene.
The next scene was much more clear in its vision and delivery. The props yet again convey the time period through the chairs and furniture in the iron bank, but also through the attire worn by the people of the iron bank. The lighting is also more obvious-- the same cold and somber overtones are highlighted on the faces of the people inside as well as on the walls. The dialogue was a key element in showing the tension between the two parties (Stannis and Davos and the Iron Bank). It shows the context of the arrival and the reasoning behind it.The shot-reverse-shot highlights this-- the dispute between the two parties is heightened with every shot reverse shot, showing each side’s visual response to the other’s statements. Lastly, the low angle of Davos when he stood up for Stannis was a very evident tone enhancer. It showed his frustration and discontent with the Iron Bank’s statements.
To conclude, the tone of this extract was tense and somber. In order to convey this, angles, lighting, location, shots, movements, editing and sound all came together to compliment one another in a certain way. It was because of these things the cool tones, high and wide shots, and tense dialogue why the director was able to achieve this mood. 

 

This is my essay that I wrote for the TEA extract assignment. I chose Game of Thrones as my extract, and followed the Cambridge procedure prior to the essay as practice, which I will post after this. In case the definition of TEA was not known prior to this blog, here is the definition:

                T-Terminology (vocabulary)

                E-Examples (How the Terminology is used.)

A-Analyze (Why is this example important to the overall message of the extract?)

Final Video CCR

The CCR wasn’t as bad as anticipated. Usually, this assignment is the part that that frightens me the most. This time around, however, it wasn’t so bad. The format was in interview form and it was to be recorded and edited just like our films were. I liked this method because as opposed to worrying about the amount of slides or pages I took up, I was able to focus on the content of each question.

For my group’s CCR, we broke the workload into sections. Aaliyah took question one, I took question 2, Lauren took question 3, and Jahrvia took question 4. Despite this, we still attempted to have an understanding of each question. Perhaps it was because we approached in this method that I was able to analyze and understand my question to the extent that I did. I’m sure each of us felt the same way, as all of our presentations are two minutes or more. We also brought a host. She wasn’t from our school, but Lauren knew her from before and had a good enough relationship to ask her. I feel like the CCR was well structured and organized.

Final Video

The final video was a challenge. The length as well as the story line and vision made it difficult to plan and to execute. Additionally, issues arose that hindered the process quite a bit throughout pre-production, production, and post-production. My group tried our best to achieve the feeling and story line we aspired to portray, and the final product comes close to it. Of course, our knowledge and understanding of the filming process was superior to before, a major contribution to the improvement of our product.

This project displayed our best utilization of angles and movement yet. Although there were a few pans and tilts in our previous assignment (music video), none of them were able to truly convey meaning. In this video, each angle and movement played a part in conveying meaning to the film. We were also much more diverse. We showed people from high and low angles, and used things such as close ups and tracking shots. However, there were many problems that we faced in order to even get to that place. The storyboard creation was a struggle in itself, but a huge issue was transportation and timing. Every member in our group has their own independent lifestyle and schedule, and it wasn't always compatible. Additionally, how to get there was an issue considering none of us could drive. We were able to film the entire thing, but it was rough and poorly constructed. This called for re-shooting, but a problem quickly surfaced after corona came into play. Nevertheless, we overcame this obstacle in order to create what we have now.

Music Video

This music video was a great improvement compared to our last assignment. It was a moment when we were able to truly apply our knowledge to an assignment. We gained a lot of knowledge nonetheless, but we were able to do better after learning from our commercial. In this video our angles, shot lengths, transitions and lighting were better catered to suit the atmosphere of the audio; which is likely why it was such a personal feat and accomplishment for us, despite getting a lower grade.

We learned more about the process in this video (pre-production). In the commercial, our recording was almost impromptu because of the lack of clarity  in our story board. Even though the images were established, we had no idea from what angle or perspective. However, the storyboard for this video was clean and clear; it was easy to comprehend and realistic. Production was also an improvement since our time wasn't limited-- we were able to record in different areas for as long as we deemed fit. Although there were issues with consent as far as recording goes, we were able to overcome and create something we felt was accomplished.

Commercial Video

Re-shooting blog 1- corona

Corona, a pandemic that has been causing major issues as of this month (March), has been a major hindrance to most school activities. Club activities cancelled, academic plans ceased, school delayed. This has also impacted the productivity of our group. Should things have gone as planned, this blog would’ve been completed at the very least earlier this week. However, the inconvenience has resulted in otherwise. Nevertheless, the project must go on. We continue to work towards complete the project. It was agreed yesterday evening that we would attempt to reshoot. However, the time was not specified, a major issue in my strict household. Consequently, I was not able to attend when the filming process was proclaimed to begin at 5 pm today. This was not a major issue considering I was not casted in the film at all and am more useful for the editing process. Filming went on as planned without me. 

Although my group mates did not disclose whether or not they finished filming or not, it is imperative that they redo every present time scene. This is because a lot of them were sloppy or poorly executed in our eyes, but Aaliyah cannot recreate them the same way due to the change in hair. This means that we must recreate every present time scene. I’m sure my group, very confident and productive, was capable of accomplishing this feet. Hopefully when they meet up to begin editing, I will be able to accompany and contribute. 

Editing Blog: we re-edited our film

We began re-editing process on Tuesday. There were quite a few issues with editing that we needed to resolve. Between our group and the peer review group, there were many considerations. Some of these included lighting, clarity, and transitions. Lauren and I made it a point to correct as many of these as we could.

The first thing we did was try to fix the titles. We had them all, but they weren’t evenly spaced and they also weren’t in proper order. We decided to fix this by moving the titles over and rearranging them, but this quickly became an issue due to the fact that we still needed to reshoot. Unfortunately, not all of our takes were up to par and cannot be used in our final presentation. This will cause for reshooting. In order to avoid being redundant, we didn’t include those titles. I feel like this portion would have been more productive if we had sorted out which title goes on which shot again though, just to be clear. We also tried to change the fonts in order to get the contrasting theme that we wanted. This was also an issue however for the same reason, and we could not put them all in.

Our group also worked on lighting. We decided to use iMovie as opposed to Pinnacle Studios because it’s more user friendly and can be used at home and school. While experimenting with the app, I discovered that it allows users to change the lighting through filters. We intend to use this, but it was hard to do it in a way that doesn’t make it seem too overbearing. It would have been better to have done the lighting better from shooting, but it’s unnecessary to include it in reshoots. Sound was something that we also corrected: we had an issue with the previous sound we had found and couldn’t use it. Today, however, we found an exemplary sound that completely envelopes the mood we were going for.

Filming blog: missed reshoot

We did not film today.we didn’t film because we haven’t yet sorted out the dates. We Weill sort them out soon. We got our peer reviews back, there were things to improve on. This is what they said. We intend to improve these as soon as possible. The plan is to do this. Sorry this is incomplete!

Filming blog- Peer Review

Tuesday we finished our process and started peer review. Peer review is when our videos are swapped with another group in order to help them improve their film. However, this also gave our group an opportunity to compare and improve. Our film was completed lacking much. This was partially due to the short time provided. The sequencing and titles are there, but it’s missing some key elements such as scores. We intend to fix this immediately after the peer review, which is tomorrow. We will work with our group collectively to add and subtract any elements needed to enhance the film. It will run smoother because Lauren will hear, particularly because she has total access to the computer and iMovie. This is imperative as we always use iMovie instead of the school recommended.

The group we were peer regrouping was group 3. This group consisted of Stephanie and Kaitlyn.they made a film entitled, “the red dot”. In the film, a girl struggles to escape with her friend. The reason was not apparent to me, but I know pertained to the red dot she had on her hand. There were a few issues with the sequence. For starters, the titles were not in the right order, as we were given a specific sequence to list the title. Additionally, the sound isn’t as great as it could be. For me, it didn’t feel realistic due to the lack of diegetic sound. I recommended that it be re-included. I also recommended that they add a ring light to improve  lighting quality. Other than that and a few missing angles, the film was very well executed. Shots and editing was very easily identified. The angles were clear and cleverly executed. We will use these in order to improve our own film before the submission of our film deadline.

Filming blog— Bad timing

My group did get to film today. They filmed the beach scenes and took the pictures for the fame on the wall. The process was very productive. However, I was not able to attend. This was not my intention, and when I wrote my last blog I had anticipated being there. Between the last blog and the filming date, I had realized that a fatal issue had arisen. Weeks prior, it was requested that I sing the National Anthem. I accepted, thinking that the date was for Friday. I didn’t realize that the date was Thursday until the night before the event. I couldn’t cancel on my school, so I didn’t attend. Fortunately, my attendance wasn’t mandatory. Me not being there did not impact the process and my group was still able to film. As for the inconvenience with the male lead, Lauren’s friend, Bobby, offered assistance. It was because of this why are group was able to succeed. Plans intended for Saturday will still resume as intended. We will have to record all the house scenes in the morning. This is stressful because they all have to be recorded before Lauren’s birthday party in the early afternoon. After this, we will do the editing on Sunday and Monday. I will put in effort to atone for my absence.

Filming Blog- again

As seen in the title, today was yet another unproductive day. In the previous blog, I explained how today, Tuesday and Saturday were our anticipated days. Today began as planned. There were a few discrepancies, as the person we intended to play Autumn’s spouse was no longer available. Additionally, Aaliyah’s sister, who’d play Summer, was also unable to attend. Despite this, we still decided to film. This is because we have ample scenes that are individual moments with Autumn. Issues began with transportation. My bus, which Lauren and I share, is extremely crowded. Additionally, we have a very strict driver who is extremely particular about who enters her bus. Because of this, Jahrvia was unable to get a ride to be at Lauren’s house by the expected time. However, this merely meant a delay in filming, so we chose to proceed. Aaliyah also had an issue. Today was the day she anticipated to get her drivers permit (taking the test). As a result, she also intended to be tardy. Thus, I took the bus with Lauren and decided to get off at her stop. Around an hour after my arrival, we discover that Aaliyah is unable to attend because of the short notice. Additionally, the schedule has been completely altered. The majority of the group cannot make it to the filming on Tuesday. Thus, we have moved it to Thursday, but the Saturday filming remains. Rather than letting the day completely go to waste, Lauren and I recorded some sample shots of the scenes to show to see ur members. If all goes as planned, the next filming date will be on Thursday.

Filming Blog- No content

Unfortunately, the blog for this week will not contain much content. The original intention of this blog was to detail our first filming experience. However, my group did not film last week, nor do we have any intention of filming this week. Because of our schedules, our group is forced to push our filming to next week. Our intention is to film everything between Monday and Saturday.

A lot of our schedules couldn’t blend in with this week to film: for starters, this week is your standard school week, so we didn’t have much of an option as far as time was concerned. The weekends are also optional, but it was set in stone from the week prior that we would not film this past weekend. As for this upcoming weekend, it will be strenuous on my group to do anything on the next available filming period (Friday and Saturday). My group (excluding me) is all a part of the FLHS auxiliary, and they will be having MPA on Friday, something that is a great hindrance from filming. Family matters also come into play, as one of our group members also have a family member coming over on Saturday.

Another thing that causes this to be a text of minimal context is issues with our script. Previously we had agreed to do our final project as a thriller about someone who murders people he suspects of committing the seven deadly sins. We had believed that the plot was interesting and it left a lot of room for creativity. However, after doing our research, it was brought to our attention that this idea has already been executed. This resulted (as seen in the storyboard) to a change in plots. This inconvenience may have also contributed to the delaying of our filming.

Despite these hindrances, our group has a plan in order to record and edit by the given deadline. Our group has diligently broken down our week in order to find three days that are best to film and then edit afterwards. Monday and Tuesday are the most available days, so we will record then. Lauren’s birthday is on Wednesday and Thursday won’t be a good day, so we’ve decided to either stay Friday for Saturday or go to Lauren’s house early Saturday morning. The reason being because Lauren’s birthday party is on that Saturday and we would like to record all our footage by then.

Planning-storyboard

Today in class we completed our storyboard. In total we used 10 pages to show all of our scenes. My group member Anishkaneel drew out all of the shots because she draws very neat and detailed. While she was drawing my other group members, Aaliyah and Lauren, and I guided her through the process. We were each reading our shooting and sound script to describe to her what was going on on the scenes. However, we ran into some trouble along the way. About half of our storyboard scenes were missing. As a result, we had to divide the first few storyboards amongst Aaliyah and Lauren. Thankfully we were able to finish it on time, and it turned well. We were able to clearly and effectively explain our scenes.

Planning- location, participants, health, schedule

Before we can begin the overall filming process of our movie, we had to finalize some important details to be sure we were all on the same page. In this powerpoint, you will see four different aspects of our planning process. This includes location, participants, health and safety, and schedule. In the location slides, we were sure to include where we were filming along with pictures of the settings. For the participants slides, we included both people who were seen in the movie and people who are going to be behind the scenes. For example, we included each characters' names along with the person who was playing them. We also included our director, filming crew, etc. For health and safety, we included a brief description on the safety regarding elements used in the film. We also added the names of our safety team. Lastly, our schedule. Here, we made a week-by-week plan of what is to be done. This includes filming, editing, re-shooting, etc.

Planning- Title Design

In this powerpoint we explored our options and came to a conclusion on the design of our titles.We explored six different areas. First, we decided what fonts and how many we were using. The fonts a big part of the titles because it feeds into all the other elements. Next, we talked about how the fonts we were using contrast in color and size with one another and what's going on in the scene. Then we explored spacing. This included leading, in between lines, and tracking, in between spaces. Then we came up with a working title for our movie. Right now we are calling it Misconstrued. Then we worked on how the titles will enter and leave the screen along with where they will appear. Lastly, we  said how long the titles will appear on the screen throughout the two minutes.

Planning Blog: shooting script

My group members and I created the script for this PowerPoint by each contributing ideas. We tried to keep everything in chronological order. to make sure that the film looked organized. We each threw in different ideas until we all could agree on the one that would best fit the film. For example, Aaliyah said that instead of starting our film from the beginning of the opening sequence we decided to start it from the ending of the film which includes the ending of the climax. The film will open with Aaliyah (the evil sister) washing blood off of her hands.  In order for us to fill up each scene  Jahrvia came up with the idea to have each scene include a flashback. After an object is touched by the evil twin a flashback of a good memory will occur. Another thing that we did to create the script for the PowerPoint is take a voice recording of everything that we say. We did this so that we could keep a record of good ideas that we might want to add into the film. By doing these things we were able to come up with a detailed PowerPoint of how the scenes in our film will play out.

Planning blog: Sound Script

Our group’s intention was to leave the effect of contrast in the opening. The scenes alternate between the present, after/during the murder, and before. This includes scenes where Summer, the sister, meets her twin’s groom. The key element in this is dialogue. The dialogue is used to show the conversations and events that occur leading up to the murder in present time (i.e. being chased), which is contrasted by the fond and serene conversations prior to it occurring. We also wanted the film to come with an eerie or anxious tone. In order to bring this out, we intend to use a soundtrack throughout the film. The music will include high and sharp notes, intended to be exciting and climatic. There will also be diegetic sound. This will include footsteps, the sounds of Autumn’s body against the wall, as well as the crash of a lamp. We decided to include this in hopes that it would give our film a raw and realistic feel to it, something that is crucial to our genre.

Title- Research- Get Out

How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?

There were 24 total titles displayed in the opening sequences of the film.
What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
The prioritized images in the opening sequence were photos that one of the main characters have taken himself. They were black and white images of the natural environment that he knew, or, in other words, the everyday events that happen in his surroundings. There were mainly wide shots of an event that contributes to the plot of the story, tracking shots of trees on the side of a road, dolly shots and a pan of the two of the main characters' apartment, and one-shots each of two of the main characters.
What connotations do the images carry?
The connotations that the images carry are of a common, raw, and gritty tone and ambiance.
How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The genre is reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset by them leaving people bewildered as to what's going on by presenting them with a very suspicious scene then switching to a series of calm, everyday scenes.
How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
The film establishes an enigma from the outset by beginning the film with a confusing, suspicious scene that leaves the audience in awe; then switching to a series of calm, natural scenes.
What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
The strategies that were used to ensure that the film appealed to its target audience were dialogue, a sound bridge, and incidental music. The use of dialogue added a comedic tone to an overall suspenseful and suspicious scene. The use of a sound bridge and incidental music built on to the suspense even more. The use of all of these techniques appealed to a variety of audiences; ones that enjoy comedies, thrillers, and action films.
How has technology been used effectively? You want to consider camera angles, transitions, and editing techniques.
Technology has been used effectively by the use of eye-level angles, many different camera shots like close-ups and wide shots, the use of jump cuts, and the use of dissolving titles. These techniques added to the film's genre and left an appeasing impression on the audience making them longing for more.

Title-Sequence- Silent Hill Revelation

1. How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film? - 28

2. What images are prioritized in the opening sequence? In the opening sequence of the film the  images that were prioritized were of ballerinas trying to protect themselves in a chaotic scene.

3. What connotations do the images carry? The images carry the connotation that something horrific has occurred within this place and the outcome of it is can be seen by these images.

4. How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset? The genre is reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset of the film because the beginning of the film because it creates a mood of suspense within the audience and it has viewers questioning how all of the chaos could have started.

5. How does the film establish an enigma from the outset? The film establishes an enigma from the outset by establishing a scene of mystery that creates some suspense within the audience. The different images of a ballerina trying to catch a knife and another ballerina trying to protect herself from things that are falling from above.

6. What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience? The strategies that were used to make the film appealing to its target audience were: creating a sense of suspense, adding in incidental music that assisted with the mystery mood, and the directors left it off with a cliff  hanger so it would leave the audience wanting more.

7. How has technology been used effectively? You want to consider camera angles, transitions and editing techniques. Technology has been used effectively because, the editing of the opening was done by using many different/unique camera angles that aren't normally used. The transitions from title to title also shown how well technology used when creating this film. The titles would appear then disappear and afterwards another title would appear on the screen.

*I got this movie from the website: www.watchthetitles.com