Journaling Template: Presentation & Distribution

1. Reflection + Critical Thinking: When I look at my finished interview the weak parts of it to me is the lack of technological editing that I wanted to do; like voice over, picture in picture, etc., but could not. I really would have liked to had this project made in iMovie HD, because of the advance editing tools it has. But after putting in so much time and effort into the iMovie project and not being able to transport it over to HD, I simply worked what I had already had. In future projects I will think out all of my options from the beginning and make the best judgement. I learned alot more about chemistry. The people you work with in filming may not always be people you like, but the better the beginning of the relationship starts the better off your project will be. Chemistry between actor and director is key in making excellent work. For my next piece I will take the same approach, and just have even more fun with it, it was a fun process when I look back on it. The pleasures of being a video author is watching your finished project and thinking back of the passion and time put into it. The perils for me was the frustrations of editing and technology misfires. Authoring with text is fun, and to me easier to do than actually editing around someone else's words.
2. Audicence Response: After showing my rough draft project to my classmates, the feedback was good. There were no surprise comments. I believe that my project main concept was realized, and I asked some of my classmates personally did they "get it", and thier answers were yes. Showing my final project to the my interviewee, family, and friends, the feedback was better when comparison to the rough draft respectively. The changes I made were well recieved and everyone seemed to have enjoyed it.
3. Distribution: I could have my project viewed by others outside of the class and family. It could be used as a recruiter plan to get more African American girls, or more girls period to enroll in same sex schools. It can help those that were toying with the idea like my interviewee; about considering the big move from grade school to high school attending a same sex school. To do this I would just have to contact schools like Mother McAuley and Maria to set up a meeting.

Song of the Week 03/30/09: RWANDA; Wyclef Jean

This song touches my heart. It never gets old. Listen to the words carefully.
Clef play your guitar for RWANDA!

Song: Hotel Rwanda

Artist: Wyclef Jean

Album: Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant

Genre: Rap/Hip-Hop/ Think About It/Act Do Something

Favorite Line: Whole Song, but last part when he lets it all out. Powerful movie, song, message.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Da Interview Finale, well not really

I have been trying to change up and get in contact with youtube but their has been no luck. Just like the rough draft, there will be no sound. The final final finale can be seen 04/01/09, so stay tuned, hopefully I can find some alternative to this problem.

"It's Nothing Like That"

Song of the Week 03/23/09: Day 26

Spring Break Edition

Aight for this one you have to either be driving fast switchin' lanes or going real slow, I prefer fast tho, volume on max. Oh and windows have to be down! And if you can listen to the one w/o Diddy and Joc!

Song: Imma Put it on Her 

Artist: Day 26

Album: Forever in a Day

Genre: Club/Dippin' From da cops

Favorite Line: "Imma put it on her!" First verse though

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ½

Da Interview (Rough Draft)

*Longest production I done made thus far... I'm proud of it.

Song of the Week 03/16/09: Kid Cudi

Title: Day 'N' Nite

Artist: Kid Cudi

Genre: Rap/Hip-Hop/Chill

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Favorite Part: The Video; Bananas

Album: A Kid Named Cudi

Journal Template: Post Production

1. Logging Shots: The material I have is everything that happen during the filming. I want to communicate the entire experience that I had and my interviewee. I want to communicate her story and experiences to the audience. I want to communicate a conversation with my audience. I want my audience to feel like they are having an actual convo.
3. Re-shoots: The camera ran the entire time, so I have all the mistakes and all the bloopers. As of now there is no need for a re-shoot, just maybe some voice-overs.
4. Reflection: I feel very confident about my footage. Fitting it all into 5 minutes was very hard. I had to do many cuts, and I had to cut some dialogue that I really enjoyed, but I had to stay on the strict path of the questions that I asked my interviewee. I choose the footage that captured her personality the best, and the footage that was emotionally charged.
5. Improvisation: My ideas have definitely become smaller. Do to my equipment and my lack of resources in editing software, I have come back down to earth a little. But I have stretched my resources close to the limit.
6. Rehearsal: My quick version received good feedback, and it was fun to make. It was like a trailer of my interview.

Response: Form+Content

I feel that the form and the content in my interview flow together well. I am still working on it, but I feel that my final project will be pleasing. I can say this now, that this film is the closest out of all my other films of what I really wanted to show. Form and content are so important for the message received by the viewer, and I think my message will be delivered.

Song of the Week 03/09/09: R. Kelly

Song: Turn Back The Hands of Time
Artist: R. Kelly (Kelz)
Genre: Think About It/ R&B/ Make-Up Song
Favorite Line: The Hook
Video is crazy beautiful!
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Album: R.

Journaling Template: Production

1. Interview Questions: I will totally try to avoid yes or no questions. I will also try to avoid straightforward questions that lead to just a simple statement. I want interviewee to give me a story, an experience. I want to know what was it like going to a same sex school, and to solve my curiosity, and end the rumors I here about such schools.
2. Shot List: My shot list will be short. I do not want complex angles as such in my manifesto film. This interview is shot raw and real, and I want to capture the personality and intensity of the person I am interviewing. I want eye contact, as if you are in a conversation with this person. Nontraditional, no sitting down and having bottled waters and flowers in the background. Just the nitty gritty.
3. Style+Elements: My style and elements have been in my head since I thought of the idea to try and interview someone from a same sex school, they are just dying to get out and perform. Music as always will play a big part in my interview. Music is essential because it give moods that a thousand frames can not do. The music will fit the topic and help express the feeling I am trying to portray. As lighting goes, and audio, I want it all to just be naturale; authentic.
4. Storyboard: I think that in my head, storyboards are set to almost everything I do. I can always see them the way I want and how I will do it. Instead of putting it on paper, I made a short trailer or tease for my interview. I know these are usually made after a production is finished but I used it to capture everything I want to capture in my interview. It came out good.
5. Composition+Form: Yes my idea of real authentic footage unfies with my other elements. The choices I made kind of came automatically and some by accident, but together they look good.
6. In the Field: There were many surprises, it was hard to get a time that both of us had free. People bombarded my set one day, but it was her room. The happy surprise was how beautifully the extra footage fit into the interview. I see use for most of it, and it gives what I am aiming for more intensity.
7. Reflection: Beautiful. Life has an experience rd., and it has to be crossed, be able to share and learn experiences from others is a true blessing.
8. Improvisation: Yes, improv sometimes makes the final product priceless, non repeatable

Journaling Template: Pre Production

1. Personal: The topic of what was it like going to a same sex school has been on my mind since the days of grade school. Coming from an area where coed schools was the dominate choice and those of same sex seemed to be the outcast choice, and those that went where either curious about their sexuality, or just gay. I want to know what happened behind the close doors at these schools, and would they keep decision o going to a same sex school? Research has shown and overwhelming increase in academic achievement in same sex schools compared to coed schools. But most same sex schools are private and the class sizes are usually very small compared to coed’s. My reach has made even more excited about talking to alum of same sex schools.

100+ Word Statement:Persistance

After viewing the short interview “persistence” it just furthers my believe of hard work pays off. Easy work is worthless is what I was told. If something came easy to you, you cannot complaining about it getting taken away easily. The Green Belt organization worked hard for all of their progress, nothing came easy. Just seeing the hope and ambition in those kids eyes is worth it.
The interview was shot in a traditional way, showing both interviewee and interviewer. Even though being shot in this way can sometime be categorized as boring in this case it was not. The information told, the footage, and the authentic sounds of Africa kept you involved with the film.

Title: Flight School Ft. Kanye West
Artist: T-Pain
Genre: Hip-Hop/R&B/Drive Slow Muzik/Think About Muzik
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½
Favorite Line: “You Living Like You Done Died Before” Thats how I feel!!!

Hampe Advice

Let the interviewee tell his/her story, don’t stop them with your own questions. That is when the magic happens, let them get into their own element.
Imagery is key. Use pics.
Plan before action.
It is the person behind the camera, not the actual camera. Work with what you got!

Talking Points: Hampe's "Making Analogs of Reality"

1. Hampe stated in his book that the truth is never portrayed in reality TV, that people just expect the truth to just hop in their video cameras. Do you believe this statement? Do you believe that all of the reality shows you may watch on TV are not portraying a person’s true identity? I agree and disagree with his statement. I believe that sometimes people’s true self can come about and be filmed, but all in the while that person may be judged by America just for that one moment in time. Is that fair? Is that right? I have seen many people that have been filmed say that the person portrayed in the reality series was not them, that the editors did a “good job”.
2. Docudramas was an interesting tittle for me. Was the movie Malcolm X considered a docudrama. To me the term documentary means a look at someone or one issue from a close as you will ever get point of view without actually being there and experiencing it. Movies about people’s lives like Malcolm X according to Hampe’s theory would to me be considered a docudrama, do you agree? Why or why not?

Post Preduction/ Art of the Real

I always wondered how it would be to be at a school of all the same sex? I wonder why where they originated? Do the kids come out smarter? So are they saying that different sex orientation can affect our learning progress.How did they feel going into the school.Its crazy how I met 2 different girls, went to the same high school and now same college. I wonder will they be willing to do this interview? Because I am not going to slim down on my questions, I really want some answers, some people perceptions are that only gays/lesbians or curious boys/girls go to or come out of same sex schools. Which I think is ludicrous, but how did they feel, did they know this, were they ever tempted?
Ever thought about it?Tools/Resource pageBoth, 2 diff. Stories, how did you choose U of I? How did yall meet? Ratio of friends male to female, growing up what u think lead to the decision, father figure, or mom.
Pre production on blogTopic: Going to an all girl school for 4 yrs and now being at a coed university. Now being at a all girl dorm.School? Where?Why? First Day?Relationships?Bf/Gf?stereotypes, come on with; I kissed a girl and arubt stop, different song, oops song by tweet,
Why? Because I was going to go to gordon tech or carver, and all boy school, and then morehouse.
Research females going to all girl schools.