CCR ANSWERING QUESTION #1 (Week 7 3/24-3/28)

This CCR was extremely easy to make how I did it was is I created presentation going through the steps of how my presentation answered the question of how does your product use or child convection and how does it represent social groups or issues for each bullet point on the CCR guidelines I created a slide and I did a voice over explaining in detail How my film does this. 

How I created my phone was extremely easy as I use the designer in the Google slides app. I did have to delete many slides due to there being 40 slides in general. I deleted edited inserted my own photos so that I could have uniqueness to my presentation from the original. 

CCR ANSWERING QUESTION 3

In the CCR, I answered question three by discussing how my production skills improved during this project. I chose to do a Vlog style because it allowed me to express my thoughts in a more personal way to my audience. At first, I struggled with the camera angles and editing, but as I practiced, I became more comfortable. As I’m not the kind of person that likes to kill myself or be on camera I learned how to add music in the background, as well as add an intro in an outro to make the video more engaging and attention grabbing. This experience taught me the importance of planning and being creative in my approach Of my CCR.

As I continued working on my Vlog, I noticed my confidence growing. I started to experiment with different editing techniques, like adding music and transitions, which made my video more polished. I also learned how to speak more clearly and connect with my audience For example, I started to give more insight to my personality as I acted kind of sassy and funny throughout making small jokes or saying things like it was a lot of work with us With an over dramatic sigh. 

CCR for Question #2 (Week 7 3/24-3/28)

The inspiration to do the CCR answering questions two :"How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?" as a podcast interview was from one of my favorite podcast Bailey Syrian although she hasn’t done any kind of interview, she does have a podcast about dark history and murder mystery. I was inspired by her through her spunky attitude throughout the podcast as well as using creepy music throughout which I did in mine. 

The way I made this podcast was actually very simple  I filmed the actual podcast or the audio you would say through TikTok I filmed it through TikTok because I was able to make clips starting through the timer so I could easily make a clip delete the clip or restart the clip. This would be hard to do on the iPhone camera app because it’s not the same you only get to record and then be done or delete it or restart so it wasn’t the same as filming on TikTok as well as the platform allows, you to edit the clips and add a voice over. I added a voice over to the clip of Johnny Joe. The person that I played that was the host of the podcast and it changed my voice into a spunky young adult men’s voice sounding like he’s interviewing me and then for my parts I just left my voice as normal. I went through CapCut. I edited the scenes, took out the parts where there was random pauses it or there was a random stutterers due to me having a bit of a stutter as well as I edited a song in the background as well as I changed the cover art to me talking to a photo of a microphone and headphones. 

Killer Queen Final Video Project

 

This is the final video of Killer Queen, and I have to say THIS WAS A PROCESS, which has been a whirlwind of so many emotions. It has been stressful, fun, creative, and intuitive. I'm really glad I had the opportunity to learn and grow my skills with Adobe Premiere Pro and explore its master amount of features.

Through this experience, I've gained a better understanding of what producers, photographers, actors, and actresses go through during the production process, and its not easy. It has been fascinating to see the hard work, dedication, and time I have gone into help create something special, and I'm so grateful for the lessons I've gained a long the way.

CCR ANSWERING QUESTION 4

For CCR four I created a cinematic document/video essay answering the question how did you integrate tech technologies - software hardware’s and online tools in this project? This was by far one of most challenging project/blog post I have made so far in this journey as it took me nearly 7 hours to complete I had to gather all the important clips into my editing software, also adding smooth audio and visual transitions. Also adjust lighting effects and record voices for visuals and audio multiple times as I sometimes have a stutter. After finally exporting it I faced so many technical issues, uploading it to YouTube. It didn’t export correctly the first time and then at one point files were deleted for me to restart and re-edit large portions of my project, making me go back to square one. I also had to layer music in the background because it was somewhat dull,  and it gave it more of a document like feeling and added to the final result of the project.

Although, I had all those setbacks while making the CCR I’m very proud of how the CCR turned out overall it gave me a chance to showcase that not just the final project, but the detailed work that went into this and the amount of time with the editing, the creative choices, and especially technologies we used throughout the film project of Killer Queen. Out of all of this, I feel like the CCR best reflects the efforts, thoughts and growth. I’ve experienced through killer Queen because I really talk about the difficulties and limitations, as well as I provide an abundance of proof with this.

Editing Killer Queen: What I've Learned in Premiere Pro

    Before the production of Killer Queen my skills with premiere pro were pretty much limited to no experience, I really only knew how to clip audio and videos, but that was about it throughout the editing process however, I gained so much hands-on experience and knowledge. I learned numerous techniques that helped me bring life to the film. One of the first things I picked up on was how to adjust audio levels, allowing me to raise or lower the volume for different scenes and layer the sounds to be more effective and more immerse in the film, making the clip seem more realistic. I also got to explore color grading tools I use, especially in scene 2 to make the scene more nostalgic, by adding warmer colors giving it more of a warmer tone.

    Another important skill I gained was video masking learning one video over another to hide unwanted background elements to create cool visual effects. I learned how to import and organize media,un-link audio, which was very useful, I use adjustment layers to apply effects across multiple shots insert and use transitions for text. I also experimented with both video and audio transition. Often using fading to smooth out scene changes and give dialogue or background music. A more finished flow Premiere Pro was definitely challenging at first as there was so many buttons and the screen seems so complicated and it was very intimidating but this project gave me the confidence to explore tools and I’m so grateful that I did and so that now in my own personal life, I can use Premiere Pro for editing my own work ,and I’m so excited that this class gave me the chance to do so.

What My Group and I Would Do Differently If We Filmed Again

    Now, looking back in the process of the creation of Killer Queen I’m really proud of how far my group and I have come but like any project there are many things I definitely would’ve done differently if I had a chance to redo the project again or we filmed, re-edit, redo the plot, or script. Even one of the biggest lessons I have learned from this project was the importance of planning for technical issues and technical limitations for example, and some scenes lighting became a huge challenge. At times. The shadows were too harsh making the spaces not visible enough if we filmed again we’d spend more time testing lighting, set up beforehand and maybe even invest or borrow a more reliable equipment. Also, this with mics. Many of our audios are windy and not very clear and it would be really nice if we had used professional equipment instead of just using basic equipment like our phones for audio.

    I also realize how valuable shot planning in camera angles are we didn’t do this and we just came up with them on the spot. Some scenes could’ve definitely had more of a dynamic movement or different angles to increase visual interest while we manage with what we had I’d love to experiment with more framing like handheld shots and tracking shots. Even though the process wasn’t perfect every mistake taught me and my group something new and I’m so excited. I have to apply these lessons to whatever I create next in the future.

What I Want the Audience to Feel Watching Killer Queen

  

    When helping to create Killer Queen, I didn't want  to tell just a basic story. I wanted to make the audience feel something but something unique from the very first scene of the film. My goal was to build a large amount of tension and uncertainty as well as a sense of an underlying feeling of uneasy. I wanted the viewers to frequently question what was true? Who can trust we? What was Roxy's real motives? Is she a victim? Villain? Or both?

    I also really wanted the film to touch emotional layers through Roxy's past trauma and the telling of prom night mystery. I hope that I sparked a small amount of empathy for Roxy, and anger and disappointment towards her. At the same time I wanted to aim to leave the audience slightly uncomfortable, forcing them to reflect on how high school cliques, revenge, and mental health are often portrayed in the media. Overall, I wanted Killer Queen to be more than just a drama/horror. I wanted it to stay in the mind of those even after the credits roll.

The Hardest Scene to Shoot(and How We Did It!)

 

    One of the hardest scenes to film in Killer Queen was the opening of scene 3- the prom announcement. Looking at it from afar, it might seem like an easy set up, but be hide the scenes, it was a cinematographer's nightmare. To create a prom party atmosphere, we used the TV at my house playing a looping of party lights in the background. It was a smart solution to making the scene's appearance, but it came with so many more challenges than I had anticipated as the set designer.

    The biggest issue came to the overall camera placement. While filming we could only frame the shot tightly to capture the screen, if we moved the camera ever so slightly, the wall behind the TV would become visible, ruining the shot. In some of the shots, the wall would come into shot, as the actors moved, which would cause us to have to edit the clip using the original clip. Making the post-production process extremely hard on the editors in my group(including me).

    On top of that, the TV itself was causing many issues. It glitched, randomly shut off, and even its volume would go up randomly, ruining the audio of the clip and forcing us to re-do the shot.Lighting was also another unexpected issue, as the TV's brightness would sometimes overpower the actor's face, creating vast shadows or making the actors fade into the background.It took a lot of work and brains to make editing this scene work, but alas we pulled it off.

Killer Queen Credits

      

    As my group and I end our Killer Queen film project, I want to make a credit post for who would be credited for what they did in the post-production editing credits. 

    Emilynn Lee (me), played as Roxy one of the main actresses in the film,playing alongside Alexandra Rodriguez-Rodriguez who played Alexandra Rodriguez.With our featuring stars: Alejandra Santecchia (the therapist), Alexandra Dustin (Older Roxy), Griffin Shay (Griffin Shay/boyfriend), and Brian Roskamp (prom announcer), every single character added depth and tension to this film's story and plot. Be hide the scenes, Alejandra Santecchia, the director, of this creative vision, with the help of the cinematographer's Emilynn Lee, Alexandra Rodriguez-Rodriguez, and Alejandra Santecchia. Capturing each dramatic and eerie frame and shot. The editor's Emilynn Lee, Alexandra Rodriguez-Rodriguez, and Alejandra Santecchia, for cutting all the clips,adding clips, and stressing over the process of the film, into the drama/horror we all in visioned from day one.

    Of course, no film is complete without the be hide the camera which includes: our sound designer (Emilynn Lee and Alejandra Santecchia), lighting crew (Alexandra Rodriguez-Rodriguez and Alejandra Santecchia), costume and makeup ( Emilynn Lee and Alexandra Rodriguez-Rodriguez), Props manager (Emilynn Lee), set design (Emilynn Lee), location scouting (Emilynn Lee0, and Screenwriter (Alexandra Rodriguez-Rodriguez). My group and I would like to give a special thanks to our teacher, Mr. Zachariah,our school Sarasota High,and our friends and family for their support and help throughout the production. Killer Queen was a collaborative effort, and we're so proud to turn this into Cambridge University, especially with audiences who love horror and drama like we do. 

Why Working as a Team/Group Made This Film Better

   The best part of creating the film project of Killer Queen was the teamwork behind it and filming is never a one person job and this project reminded me how powerful teamwork is and can be everyone in this project is. Alejandra and Alexandra and me brought something different to the table whether it was creative ideas for the screenwriting, acting technical editing, skills or problem-solving and bloopers working as a team allowed us to divide jobs in the post production and production process, keeping the process more organized, temporary, and helping each other grow through feedback and support as well as it taught us many lessons to listen to each other in understand that not all the time our opinion is the correct ones. Sometimes it is the person that gives you the critical feedback. 

    When one of us hit a challenge specifically me when it came to finding sounds for the film as well as editing or even having a hard time setting up a scene or having a technical issue Alejandra and Alexandra always stepped in and found a solution or a new idea to help solve the issue. It also helped us to stay focused On the film, especially during long filming days, especially when we filmed that night we all began to get tired, but we all motivated each other to stay awake and to keep going. Each one of us had a voice in how Killer Queen was going to turn out and that collectively made the final film so much stronger than it would have been if it was only one of us working alone teamwork gave the project so much life and it added to the creativity of the project and something that we can all be very proud of and I’m so proud of my group and how much we have accomplished. 

2 Things That Boost My Creativity Instantly

 

    During this project I often got writers block, had brain farts, and just couldn't stay focused. So, I turned to a few simple tactics that have never failed to boost my creativity. Listening to music I like always seems to help me especially when writing the script, the music I listened to would range but the music I most listened to was Deftones. That specify artist helped me gain creativity as the music ranges from angry, calm, sad, and overall, very emotional. It would help me as the music's emotion pull would weigh on my mood thus allowing me to write the script in the tone it needed to be.

    Another tactic was watching a horror/drama movie like, Prom Night, Carrie, and Jennifer's Body. These movies helped me overall make a plan as they all have a strict timeline, which my group used in our film but fast forward, as each film introduces the villain, who doesn't start that way and is an innocence teenage girl at first. They also inspired the overall prom killer theme, as they all involved in prom. 

Meet the Cast of Killer Queen

Meet The Cast of Killer Queen!

Emilynn Lee - Roxy (past)

About the Actress: Emilynn is a 17-year-old girl born in Sarasota Florida. She enjoys many creative activities including crochet, painting, drawing, and photography, as it helps her shape her internal visions through material not words. She is also very athletic as she is involved in many sports and clubs at SHS, she did Varsity track in 9th, Varsity Cross country in 9th and 10th grade, JV Weightlifting in 11th grade, Varsity tennis 10th and 11th, Sailor Baywatch club 11th grade, JROTC 9th grade, and the AICE program 9th-11th grade.

Alexandra Rodriguez-Rodriguez- Alex Rodriguez

About the Actor: Alexandra is a 16-year-old girl born in Eglin Florida and moved to Sarasota. She is a military child, as her father was in the military for 20 years. She has 5 siblings. She is also in the AICE program at SHS, while she also is very involved as she does clubs such as: Captain of the JV Cheer team, flag football, theater, and one nine. She also owns a small business where she sells jewelry, accessories, and cups. Which inspired her to want to continue working in this field, and major in business in college.

Alejandra Santecchia (the therapist/crowns Griffin and Alexandra)

About the Actress: Alejandra is a student at SHS is involved in the AICE and MAST program. She is expected to graduate in the class of 2027. She is involved in cross-country and gymnastics. In the Presidential Classical of 2023: She represented Sarasota Gymnastics, earning an all-round score of 33.275. And in her cross-country achievements she ran at the tri-county championships 2023: She completed the 5k race with a time of 25:50, placing 103rd place.

Alexandra Dustin- Roxy (Present)

About the Actress: Alexandra Dustin is a commercial real estate agent based in Sarasota Florida. She has 20 years of experience of the area of Sarasota and is currently working as a Sales Associate at Hembree & Associates, INC. Where she specializes in commercial real estate listings for sale or for rent. In Alexandra Dustin's personal life, she has only 1 daughter, Emilynn Lee. Also, she marries Brian Roskamp on June 10,2023, at University Park Country Club in Sarasota.

Griffin Shay- Griffin Shay (the boyfriend)

About the Actor: Griffin is a SHS student who has been in the AICE program 9th-11th grade and is expected to graduate in 2026. He was involved in in JV cross country in 9th and 10th grade, and Varsity wrestling 9th-11th grade. In May of 2024, he was awarded 3rd place in the Florida State Patriotic Youth 3D Art Contest for his photo sculpture titled "Layers of Youth."

Brian Roskamp- Prom Announcer

Abou the Actor: Brian Roskamp is based in Sarasota, FL, who specializes in property and development. He serves as the Director of Property & Development at Community Assisted & Supported Living, INC., a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a safe, affordable, and supportive housing for adults with mental health and substance abuse disabilities. In Brian's personal life he has 4 children, 3 daughters and 1 son, Riley, Bailey, Kelsey, and Emilynn. And is married to Alexandra Dustin on June 10, 2023, in Sarasota, FL.