Week 4 Photo Challenge

“The Survivor” is a three-minute short I made in 2011. It’s a post-apocalyptic short about the after mass after the world changed drastically overnight. The atmosphere had a sudden and unexplained change, 80% of the world population disappeared and strange creatures roam the earth eating anything in their path. Jason Korinth was recon in the military before the sudden change and now serves his new community finding supplies and other Survivors. Don Kaffie follows Jason out sometimes, but is not as brave. The third character is The Survivor, who we never learn her real name, and in the full story I created they end up calling her Su because she refuses to say her name.

I wanted to prove that people could be working, going to school, and create an outside project on their own time.  I spent about one month on pre-production, writing and fixing the script, finding locations, casting actors, getting small crew, and finding all the equipment and money for props and costumes. All of that, and right before shooting I had to create the room and decide of a color feel for the movie. After all that shooting was only two days that took place in a one week span. Shooting went as smooth as it could, with some stunts that included pulling Johnie Wood IV down a hallway by a vest under his jacket.

For the poster I took the design from the titles of the movie. The bright orange light helps set an uneasy mood for the film. The broken text shows that something is off about the world. The main characteristic about the poster I want people to know about is the use of the character Jason as the “I” in survivor. By the fact the movie share its name for a character, most think that that is were the title comes from. In fact the title is about Jason. Jason lives in a world were people have gone missing; even his wife of 3 years, and those left are as quite sane. He faces death almost every time he leaves the small community they made, yet he always finds the will power to keep going and survive. 

"The Survivor" has made "Official Selection" in two film festivals.

Week 4 EOC: Executive Summary Rough

When People think about Las Vegas Motion Pictures and Television, they think cheesy commercials, low budget corporation videos, but almost no one thinks about the serious side of filmmaking and video production. Royal Bear Media is a Motion Picture and Television Production Company dedicated to serving the growing want for serious productions in the Las Vegas area.

            With the rise of Independent Filmmaking not slowing down, it is important to help the people longing to bring an idea or script to life. We provide gear, crews, actors, and means for inspiring creatives to bring their work to an audience. Weather they want to create a short film, feature, a television show pilot, or a web show, we are there to help them grow.  With a database of local actors, crew, and locations, we help take the load off the shoulders of our customers so they can focus on their dream.

            There are a few production companies that attempt to do this. For most production companies in Vegas, they tend to focus on commercials and cooperate videos. Some venture off to make videos of sport events, or music videos, but almost none have focused on the rising need to help create story.

            There are many film festivals, events, and even an Independent Theater that people want to be a part of, or make things for, yet no one is there to give them a chance to find help. We will focus our company on those creative wants and needs. Having one option for an Independent Theater is not enough anymore, our offices will include a theater room for release parties and events. We understand the growing use of media and all the new forms, so we can offer options to our clients weather their video is going to DVD, a webpage, youtube, or even iPhones and iPads.

            While we will be serving the needs of our clients, as a production company we can’t limit ourselves either. We will be looking for material to create some of this media ourselves to sale online or into festivals. Our short-term goals is to become established as the top option for creative filmmaking in Las Vegas. We want people to know that if they can dream it, we can help make it. The first year will be finding those clients and bringing in enough money to cover our financial needs, within five years we will be able to be big enough to bring more work and attention to the film community in Las Vegas. Starting we will be small, with only one full time worker and one part time and contracting out positions. People don’t just need us, they crave for us, because “Every video deserves the Royal treatment”.

           

Week 3 Photo Challenge: Storyboards

For my photo challenge I’m sticking to a simple, but effects commercial approach to my storyboards. Sometimes the best commercials are the easier ones. You can have an easy commercial without having a cheesy one. They don’t have to look low budget either.

                In this storyboard challenge I took a slight Pledge and Old Spice style take, but added my own twist. I decided to go for 24 Hour Fitness, because it’s a service that many different people like to use for many different things, which opens me up to even more possibilities. By opening up more ideas it helps the creative process flow without being locked in to it only does this for this person. Many people get stuck into the idea of a service is only good for a particular person, but 24 hour fitness has many things many different people like to use all available at the same time.

                In my commercial it starts out with a guy lifting weights, he stops and looks at the camera to say his lines. The camera is always moving to the right at all times. It moves slow for each person to talk, then speeds up really fast to hide the edit into the next room before slowing down again. By doing it this way we can show eight different people doing completely different things they enjoy. On our ninth move it stops on the titles saying “24 Hour Fitness”. For each person we show they say one line about their activity they are doing.

                A commercial like this can show great diversity. It’s opening up to a wide range of people longing to be or stay in shape, but may have time issues because of work. Plus we will have a style that is slightly different, but has a hint of familiarity.

Week 3 EOC: Where are you now and where are you going?

I'm at a point in my life where choices rule all. It's my last quarter in my journey to get my bachelor's degree in Digital Filmmaking & Video Production. It's been a long and treacherous journey. I've had to take a lot of extra steps to even make it this far in life. After high school I worked two jobs for a year trying to pay rent. After that, to get out of the small town I lived in, I joined the military. I wasn't able to go straight into college. I had a few grade issues, and didn't even know where to start in looking for a chance to get scholarships. Even doing all major plays, being president of Drama Club, Journalism for 3 years, and even was Student Body Secretary. With no other options I knew about, Military was the way to go. After 5 years, a tour in Iraq, and the loss of my brother, it was time to follow my dreams. Now here I am, a couple months until I graduate, and I have many choices to make. Choosing the areas to look into moving to, and jobs to apply for, have been at the top of my list. I've been accepted for the MFA in Motion Picture and Television with a focus in Producing program at The Academy of Art University. They have a great online program that will make it so I'm not limited to moving to the school. With all the choices open to me, it's almost overwhelming. As for where I am going, if everything goes as plan, in three years I will have a feature film completed for my graduate project. My dream is to not only have my Master's, but even my PHD, and be a Film and Television Producer.

Week 2 Photo Challenge: Professional Photo of you working

This photo of me was taking during a three camera shoot for a television reality show pilot. We were shooting the show titled “Sound Check”, it was a reality show about local artist here in the Las Vegas area. We interviewed five bands for the pilot show, and it got cut down to three. One of the bands that we got to interview was Alien Ant Farm. Alien Ant Farm was a big band in the early 2000’s that are making a comeback right now. They started their new tour in Las Vegas, right after being shot for the cover of AMP magazine. 

The interview being shot in the picture is with the local band “Crash Kit” who got to open up for Alien Ant Farm. My main role for the show was producing, but we wanted a three camera shoot for the whole show so I had to step in and help with some camera work. I’m seen here with an HMC150. We had our talent in front of a stage for the interview. 

Overall for this project, I served as Producer, Camera Operator, and editor. We had only a two week deadline to get the complete half hour show shot, edited, and turned into VegasTV for airing. For cameras we used two HMC150, a JVC GYHM700, and at time a Canon 7D. It was shot in over five locations, all of which I got the legal paperwork signed and worked out. 

For editing I used Avid Media Composer. It’s the editing software I am most comfortable with when being rushed. I used Final Cut constantly, but Avid Media Composer is the fastest for me to hit the ground running and get it done. In the two weeks the shoot was done I had put in almost 90 hours of work. It’s an experience I wouldn’t trade.

BOC - Film Festival

This is my movie for the Film Contest assignment. It has two characters who are aliens in the sewers talking about their experiments with humans. One of the aliens takes it too far and talks about earning his street credit by “putting a cap in a homeless man”. This freaks the other alien out, but the one admits it was a joke and he got it from watching too much Law and Order.

I chose this setting and characters from the idea of where would aliens hid in such a populated area such as Compton. In a town of that size they would be forced to hide in a remote area such as a sewer. I felt like it was the most appropriate out of all the settings offered.

They choices in voices were one of the easiest. Bald little aliens, in my opinion, would have higher pitch voices. So the commanding alien I went with a little boy’s voice. For the “Street” alien I went with the hip-hop voice to add to his confusion.

I decided to pick out some of my own movements for the characters. A lot of them were in reaction of the “Street” alien and preformed by the commanding alien. I chose camera shots in such a way to highlight close ups when saying certain lines.

The basis of the story started out as an idea of how media today would make an alien react if it watched it. We always talk about how it corrupts or shapes our children, so I wondered what it would do to a species that doesn’t belong on earth. Would they believe it and do things, dumb thing, like some humans do? Or would they see it as one big joke?

Oh and to put in a current topic I added in the bit about Tupac for fun. Getting the voices to get close to saying Tupac was the hardest part.

Week 2 EOC: Get Some Copyright Law Under Your Belt

There is a lot of information out there about copyright law and intellectual property. It is important to know where to go for help though if you do have questions or run into a problem you don't know how to solve on your own. Here is a list of places with links that can help.

Intellectual Property Office : http://www.ipo.gov.uk/types/copy/c-applies/c-tvfilm.htm
Intellectual Property Office is a site that will help anyone with any Copyright, trademark, Patents or any other services. They have pages to help answer questions, assist a new or existing business, or even just help educate about Copyrights and similar services and why they are important.

Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants For The Arts: http://www.vlaa.org/?view=Film-Intellectual-Property
This is exactly how it sounds. They are a group of Accountants and Lawyers who are based in St. Louis and volunteer their services to help others.

United States Patent and Trademark Office: http://www.uspto.gov/inventors/assessment/
Not only do they actually do the work they help answer questions and willing to help. They even have an assessment test to help you understand what you need and what you need to do about it.

Briffa: http://www.briffa.com/
Award winning firm of lawyers who specialize in intellectual propert. The firm is based out of London.
They are experts in things like Brand Strategy and trademark portfolio management.

The Law Offices of Sayson & Associates: http://www.saysonlaw.com/howWeCanHelp.php
The Law Offices of Sayson & Associates help with many different categories, including consumer products licensing and Evolving New Media Production. New Media Production is producing things in means other then television, films, magazines, or books.

Week 1 EOC: What sacrifices are you willing to make for your Career?

In the field I’m trying to join, Motion Pictures and Television, sacrifice in inevitable. It’s a hard field to get into to start with, but once in there are still as many sacrifices and problems and trying to even get started. Some people sacrifice their want for family, time with loved ones, or even their own beliefs and creative control. So it makes it one of the biggest and hardest questions to ask yourself.

I’m willing to sacrifice my time. I know by doing this it will take away from time with the ones I love or family I may have in the future, but a choice has to be made in order to even attempt a life in their field. I am like most people. I love my free time. I love being able to sit around the house, do nothing, and sleep over ten hours a night. If I could do it for a living, I would probably be so bored it would drive me crazy. So is the answer to that going into a career that is known for working people over twelve hours a day?

Not only that but the times of days change constantly. Nothing is set when working in Motion Pictures and Television. One week you’ll work five in the morning to eight at night, and the next week you’ll work five days of six at night to seven in the morning. It’s unpredictable, long, and tedious. If you don’t love the work, then it will wear you down and eat you for a snack.

So then why would I choose to do it? Why would I knowingly sign up or pursue a job that I know, if I ever have a child I might not see them for a couple months? It’s because I do LOVE this job. It means more to me then my own health. (Last years 48 hour film festival I was still going even after becoming severely ill.) It’s a part of who I am.