February Post

For this month it was mostly preparation for the Lesson 2 presentation and finishing up my first Independent Component. For the Lesson 2 I got the chance to answer my first answer to my EQ through a lesson and in that lesson I created a video for an activity of mine. The video showed how my answer of pacing of sequenced shots was an effective answer. I made the video with pacing flaws and the class had to tell me if the pacing worked or if it didn't. Another production I worked on during ROP class was a recreation of a scene from the Odd Couple. Mr. Miller, my mentor, gave me the task of adapting a scene from that movie so we could recreate it. I would then act in it along with Andrew Morris and the class would pair up with someone and edit the project while I edited on my own. So February was a very productive and bus month for me.

Blog 16: Answer 2

1.  What is your EQ?

What aspect of film editing most effectively delivers the emotion of the plot?

2.  What is your first answer? (In complete thesis statement format)

An effective editing technique would be pacing of sequenced shots

3.  What is your second answer? (In complete thesis statement format)

Manipulation of color correction and grading enhances the plot

4.  List three reasons your answer is true with a real-world application for each.

·      Color correction is done to please the audiences eyes and captivate them

·      Making a film stay consistent with the color scheme will enhance the productivity of the film

·      Wrong choice in color scheme could ruin the whole outlook of the film

5.  What printed source best supports your answer?

·      RC #28

·      RC #46

·      RC #47

6.  What other source supports your answer?

·      My mentor

7.  Tie this together with a concluding thought.

I chose color correction because in films there are always a certain color theme to it and it staying consistent could really make or break a film. For example, having a film that might be a bit dark and mysterious you wouldn’t go with bright vibrant colors, you’d go with like a bluish type of theme. So color correction actually helps enhance the plot as it emphasizes the overall theme of the film.

Blog 15: Independent Component 2 Approval

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

What I am planning to do for my 30 hours is work with Andrew Morris on a short film that he’s written. The short film should be around 20-30 min. and will take various days to shoot and put together. My roll on this film would be cinematographer and film editor. So I’ll be there for all days of shooting and work on the editing on my own time

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

Considering shooting a film could take more hours than required for the Independent Component 2, I’m only going to count the hours I edit the film since editing could a bit long and the film will require more than a day to put together.

3.  Explain how this component will help you explore your topic in more depth.

The script of the short film has many different aspects of film editing I’ll have to learn and apply myself. It’s going to be a whole different experience from what I usually do with videos. There will be special effects required, efficient audio mixing, and general sharp cuts I’ll need to do. So with new aspects of film editing I’ll need to do it’ll be a learning experience.

Independent Component 1

·      Literal

o   I, Brandon Le, affirm that I completed my independent component, which represents 38 hours of work.

o   What I’ve done in those hours was compose multiple videos, all different in many aspects. The videos range from using more so technical work than others. Overall I made 5 videos for my Independent Component.

·      Interpretive

o   Since my senior project is film editing, there’s no better way to demonstrate an adequate understanding of that topic than to actually edit films. So not including production of the films I did over 30 hours of editing films alone, with great concentration.  So in order, I have the links to the videos in which I worked on for the past few months (note: some of these videos weren’t uploaded to YouTube on the date it was finished)

o   Canada Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9UYxT1UPK0

o   Hasan’s video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR-iUOcMfKg

o   PTSA Silent Auction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24dDONzjiS8

o   Mission Tuition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7rBmpAl0No

o   The Odd Couple Scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMQBVnCUq_Y

·      Applied

o   How this component helped me understand the foundation of my topic better was that they were all relatively different videos. Each video had its own unique style to it because of the type it is. There were some that required a lot more time because of the technical aspects of film editing, while some were just edited by the mood of the video. As you can see from the screenshots of my edits, the videos are all different and you could see which ones required more work in some aspects than others. For example in the Odd Couple video, that took more work in audio because we used a boom mic for the sound so the editing was a lot more focused on audio. Then there was the PTSA video where I had to choose a song and edit it together, so once I chose the song it was up to me to edit it in the style and the pace of the song. So this component was really helpful has my knowledge of film editing increases the more I edit videos.

Lesson 2 Reflection

1.What are you most proud of in your Lesson 2 Presentation and why?

What I'm most proud of from my presentation is that I was able to keep mostly everyone engaged because it seemed with most presentations, throwing facts seemed to not interesting people so it helps that my topic is something everyone can enjoy learning about and is interested in.  

2. a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 2 Presentation (self-assessment)?

       P+

     b.     Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 2 component contract.

I feel I deserve a P+ because it was not only able to make time but it seemed that everyone ended up understanding what I taught, which is the whole point of the presentation. I don’t think I did anything extraordinary though to really deserve an AE but a high P seems accurate to me.

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 2?

What worked for me was being able to teach the lesson successfully without really chocking but also using material people want to see. People like to see pictures, relevant examples, and videos so with what I showed I was able to keep my audience engaged throughout the presentation.

4. What didn't work? If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 2?

The only thing I’d change is mentioning my mentor; I was supposed to and planned on it but completely forgot.

5. What do you think your answer #2 is going to be?

My second answer would probably be color correction in film editing.

Blog 12: Mentorship 10 hours check

1.   Where are you doing your mentorship?


I am currently mentoring at I-Poly in the ROP video class with Mr. Miller.

2.   Who is your contact?

Mr. Miller:
Email - philmworks@ca.rr.com

3.   How many total hours have you done?

I have about 66 hours total.

4.   Summarize the 10 hours of service you did.

Well since I go in for 3 hours twice a week for mentorship my hours have really increased a lot. I do as best as I can to show up to every class.

Blog 11: Holiday Project Update

1. What did you do over the break with your senior project?

During winter break I was unable to do many tasks because I had to get surgery on my torn ACL and Meniscus so I couldn't do too much for my senior project because of my inability to move around much. Although I did watch a variety of movies in which I observed with my EQ in mind, to help support the answers that I have for them. For example my basic answers for my EQ is color correction, pacing, and audio. The movies I observed were Django Unchained, The Graduate, and Short Term 12. All in which are very different yet wonderful films.


2.  What was the most important thing you learned from what you did, and why?  What was the source of what you learned?

I learned that not only do these movies have all the aspects of my answers but they really emphasizes them differently in each film. For example Django Unchained was a very action packed violent movie, so the shots most of the times were very quick, keeping the pace really upbeat and thrilling. Short Term 12 in the other had this really low lit sunset feeling throughout the movie, in which could be symbolic to the movie for it's a movie about struggling kids going through tough and dark times but in their struggle there's light in there. So I guess what was the most important thing I learned from from what I did was that all movies have similar aspects from pacing to color, but it's how they take that aspect and make it their own, making it different and beautiful. 


3.  If you were going to do a 10 question interview on questions related to answers for your EQ, who would you talk to and why?

I would talk to one of Mr. Miller's friends he suggested I talk to, she is a film editor for a small film production and with her expertise, she could help tell me which answer is the most important