filming day 1

finally... right? yeah... it didn't go as planned.
I barely any got any shots because I ended up switching my screenplay and I helped Dario film the majority of his opening. Another problem is that I'm going have to rethink my shots due to my area surroundings plus my microphone doesn't sound that good.

The place I picked was pretty secluded, with no security or anything... but the lighting was off. We came too early for my filming and too late for Dario's but by the time I figured that out, We were running out of time on both ends. I'm going to have to rehearse my lines before actually shooting to make sure my acting isn't so subpar. The next filming day should happen on Tuesday.

army of one

new shot list! (here's the old one)

Since it's going to be just me in the opening, I'm gonna tweak my shot list. I'm not sure whether to shoot this in the daytime (and color grade it to be dark) or when the sun sets to achieve that regardless.

1. KTB (КТБ) Production Company 
2. A Nagovski (Наговски) Production
3. Long shot of the BMW (Conversation on the phone begins here, nonsynchronous)
4. Long Shot of the car he's arriving in (Behind a Wall preferably)
5. Mid tracking shot of him inside the car (synchronous sound begins here)
6. Long shot of the BMW as the car moves
7. Mid shot of him rolling down the window as he's on the phone, He puts on a black cap and gets out
8. Transitions into the black background of the actor's names
9. Tracking Mid shot of him inspecting the car with a flashlight and follows him as he walks back to a door on where he proceeds to lock it with a rope
10. The black background of the cinematographer and producer
11. Tracking shot of him walking away from the door and back to the driver door of the car
12. Aerial shot of the car and him
13. The black background of the Editor and the Director
14. Mid Shot of him breaking into the car with a wrench and as he opens it, the alarm goes off
15. Aerial Shot of the car honking
16. Cut back to the mid-shot of him slamming the car door
17. Extreme Long shot of him walking away from the alarming car (Focus Pull from the car to his face)
18. The black background of the music credits
19. Mid Shot of him on the phone having an argument
20. Mid shot of the door of him getting back into the car
21. Aerial Shot of the car trying to start
22. Close up shot of the car dashboard as he tries to start up the car
23. Tracking Shot of him going to the back of the car
24. Mid Shot of him swapping the license plates
25. Long Shot of the back of the car as it starts up
26. Long Shot of the front of the car as it drives out
27. Black background of the name (место под солнцем)

untitled

I haven't started filming yet because I haven't gotten my lens yet. had to order a new one because the other one took too long to get here. there's not much I can update on, I can't fully answer the last two CCR questions.. I'm just waiting until I start filming at the end of this week.
As for music, I might add some at the end or maybe the beginning to create some anticipation or tension. It depends whether I get permission to use a song or whether I'll have to create my composition.
(Edit: I got permission to use one of the songs I requested. I just wanted to use its instrumentals and not the actual song at the end of the opening. Still debating whether it would fit well in the film. Only You - Savage 1984)

no show

my second actor dropped out due to his house arrest :/
Improvisations
Instead of two people in the opening, it'll be just me (Danil) on the phone with the other character. He's going to be voicing the other character. Same exact script except for the part after the alarm goes off is cut out. (Here's the new screenplay)
Filming is supposed to happen this week but who knows?

exploring filters

Filters are a big thing in post-production, notably in crime films. And to get this out of the way before my editing process, here are my thoughts.
To make my movie authentic, filters are very important, as they can help portray an environment, like the city of New York, which can help stay true to the atmosphere and the overall mood of the criminal world. A (neo) / noir-like filter can support the gloomy, darkness and dirtiness I'm trying to depict in the film.



Some examples include:
Scorcese's Taxi Driver, Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs and my main inspiration, Brother 1. How am I going to do this? Well, thanks to a blog posted on this very question, "To get a [neo noir] effect, [I would need to] shoot a street scene at night, using a tripod, a fast prime lens with the aperture open fully, shoot in RAW, use the histogram in the camera to expose to the left (very slight underexposure) to avoid clipping the highlights. Then open Photoshop, and in Adobe Camera, adjust the white balance as necessary, recover the highlights, and boost the shadows, slightly increase the exposure, add some clarity, add a bit of vignetting, and apply some noise reduction."

(Edit: Another good example, I just watched Ozark Season 3 and well... I forgot it has the same stylish, dark, noir-like feel I'm going for.)

denial, anger, acceptance

My Agenda
my practice was canceled, my trip, my plans but despite the virus, I can still go outside (kinda) so I was hopeful my original plans would stay intact. I messaged my friends who were originally cast, and it seems only one of the two can actually go outside, so it seems I'm going to be Danil (one of the characters in the opening). And to take my spot as the cinematographer will be my friend, Dario. I really hate being on camera though...
For the location, I'm thinking the weston business center (meridan business campus) is my best bet for filming. i'm going to scope out and determine the best place and maybe find a closed off place tomorrow morning.
Opportunity Costs
In terms of equipment, I already ordered an anamorphic lens (to widen the shot) for my iphone and a stabilizer.  I also bought Filmic Pro to advance the cinematography and utilize the features of my phone. But regarding editing, iMovie is probably the better choice for me since I know most of the features and I really don't want to shell out $300 for Final Cut Pro.

CCR: Question 2

How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?

As the overall theme of my film revolves around creating an authentic and effective gangster world, depicting the gritty, back streets life of New York as a Russian immigrant, riddled with poverty, crime and gangs. The setting is rather significant in the crime genre as it helps with engaging the audience, and my choice to use New York is maybe overused but recognizable. New York City can be easily utilized for a crime film, as it has a predominant organized crime presence which is what my main character is in. Iconic structures such as the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan skyline or more obscure places could be used to establish the authenticity of the film.
The soundtrack in the movie is another tool that can be used to engage audiences. To what Frankie Valli is to Italian mobsters, Viktor Tsoi is the Russian version or more fitting to the gangster atmosphere would be Sergey Shnurov's composition for the film, "Bumer 2." A great example of utilizing songs that became renowned later on would be the cult classic, "Brother 2", with its amazing soundtrack that's still relevant today. Recognizable hit songs have the power to positively change a viewer's perspective on the film. If the audiences are bored, whats the point?

Throughout the different projects, we've done this year, it's evident that social media is a necessary tool to promote any type of media, including movies. Social media such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter can all be utilized to post teasers, such as this opening to engage and broaden my audience/fans. I've discussed distribution in a previous blog post, so I'll just sum it up here. My film is made for niche audiences and for an online audience. Even with film festivals, it's extremely difficult to be picked, especially if you're waiting to be picked out of the crowd by a big festival or a distributor. This is where Youtube is perfect for small filmmakers. On top of it being free and an ability to monetize your work, it can reach a global audience with a possibility of going viral, or at least noticed. 

CCR: Question 1

Since I have plenty of time, I'm going to answer some of the CCR questions.
How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?
Crime films are determined on the basis of their relationship with society. On one hand, crime films say something important about the social setting that they represent and from which they have been created. Contrarily, the films themselves have an effect on social meaning, since their representation of crime, law, justice, and punishment itself becomes an interpretation of reality.

Specifically, my movie is classified as the gangster crime genre and I did a blog post on the conventions a while back. There are the ones I incorporated: 

• Corruption
• Good v. Evil
• Power
• Morality
• Danger
• Fallibility (Rise and Fall)
• Violence 
• Murder
• Wealth

For the most part, my film would embrace all of these conventions. It includes a discharged military man in his youth who aspires to have a better life in America. He has an aspiration to be in a position where he can have everything he ever wanted. However the main protagonist learns that America isn't as prosperous as he imagined it to be, learning that his stride for social mobility wouldn't be possible and that a life of crime would be his fate in land of the free. He has a moral dilemma on his wrongdoings and decides to take a different approach to his life. Instead of having a corrupt and violent protagonist, he would have positive morals as he goes farther and farther into the criminal world . Unlike most criminals to kill or steal for money or power, he does it to do good in his community. He's extremely patriotic but he has his own prejudices that are frequent throughout the movie, however, he would remain loyal to his family and his beliefs, sacrificing anything in order to protect them. 

The Production Side

The filming and editing of the film would be simple, relying heavily on mise en scene to demonstrate the realism of the film. The viewers need to figure out whether the setting, characters, and costumes are realistic which is where realism ties into the film production. Location is also key, for instance, movies like the Godfather are put in New York where there is a large Italian and crime presence, contributing to the realism of the film. 

Challenging Conventions

There really isn't any. In fact, my whole film embraces these conventions. My whole protagonist embodies the genre, as he is a male character who has a hard-up bringing and the film emphasizes his struggles and his road to overcome them. The reason for this is that my main character has his reasons to do the criminal acts he intends on doing, and the viewers are supposed to sympathize and understand his reasons for doing them. My whole film is just a stylistic approach to a realistic portrayal of a criminal figure. 

Representation

The only group I'm representing in my opening are two white Russian males, so not a whole bunch of diversity. The main character, Danil, would represent aspiring young men in Russia hoping to find a better life in the U.S and we would portray that later on the film with the type of music he listens to and his interests outside his criminal life. But the other social group in the movie would be the evil, devious criminal figures (including Danil's cousin) who make Danil do their bidding. The movie is supposed to ponder on things such as the life of an immigrant in the U.S and what it means to be a real patriot of one's country. The film would discuss things such as racism, tense relations between Russians and Ukrainians, Russians and Americans and so on. The whole film is basically a Russian guy looking for a better life in the U.S who experiences the worst and the best America has to offer.

Now throughout his time in the criminal realm, he encounters numerous issues, issues such as the ones that arose in Scorcese's, Taxi Driver. "Travis is disgusted by the sleaze, dysfunction, and prostitution that he witnesses throughout the city, and struggles to find meaning for his existence."

Danil has the same exact problem, with an existential crisis on his purpose in America, as he goes farther in his cousin's crime world. The corrupt and immoral people he meets revolts him and gives him a want to better his newfound city. He comes into America naive and oblivious but his participation in crime makes him a stronger and more moral person. 

pandemic ensues

i was supposed to be going to new york on a connecting flight to amsterdam on the 19th, but my parents hysteria over the virus ruined it. but on the bright side there's no school for 2 weeks.
and now A) I have more time to work on my project B) I can't get my own establishing shots in NY, be that as it may, I asked a few friends if they would be so kind to do it for me so :) C) Will there be online learning for the rest of the semester?

since there's no school this week, filming will most defintely, hopefully, maybe if no one gets sick will happen this week and editing will be done this weekend. i already started some ideas for my CCR video and i'm going to start writing the script and my answer to the questions the following week.

but for real this virus is annoying
like why
why now

revisions

Here's my new name: "A Place in the Sun"
It essentially has the same meaning behind it as "American Dream" but it's not as cliche. If you say that someone has found their place in the sun, you mean that they are in a position where they will be happy and have everything that they want, which is exactly what my protagonist strides to do in the U.S of A.

                                                                                     

Now the fonts. These are the ones I've chosen, and I took a survey on which ones I should choose. I was going for a bold, intense, dramatic font to compliment the story of the film, and the characters in it. I took inspiration from the movie font from "Eastern Promises", "Brother 2". and the majority of other crime films. Now the Survey Results, the majority picked the red font, while the rest chose the same font but in black. I liked the red one anyway, so cheers.       

#filmmaking101

So who is the target audience of the Crime Genre?
Although it can be argued that crime films have no specific target audience, different sections of the crime genre do. As a whole, crime films are enjoyed by both genders but are more targeted towards men due to "more male characteristics of the films" with the use of guns, cars, suspense, murder, and mainly male heroics.

Self-Distribution 
Understood, but let's dive into the logistics. The intended audience of the film would be... Russians and/or people interested in Russian culture. BUT, and this is a big but, I can't, as a small-time film producer even afford a ticket to the mainland, and so distributing it in Russia is out of the question. On top of that, Distribution companies take 30% of your revenue and counting other overhead costs, it's hard to justify it. Noam Kroll's podcast further talks about setting distribution/sales targets for an independent film and reaching those through purposeful marketing using case studies and real-world examples. Besides, let's be realistic, my film won't be in a theater, it won't attract attention. My film is made for niche audiences and for an online audience. Even with film festivals, it's extremely difficult to be picked, especially if you're waiting to be picked out of the crowd by a big festival or a distributor. This is where Youtube comes into play. On top of it being free and an ability to monetize your work, it can reach a global audience with a possibility of going viral, or at least noticed. Now in terms of streaming, there are a couple of options:

Vimeo
With more than seven hundred million monthly video views, Vimeo provides a great option. With the release of their on-demand service, it offers filmmakers the chance to self-distribute and merchandise their own content without going through a distributor.

Roku

Roku has streaming VOD media channels readily available for filmmakers to distribute their films with the ability to monetize.

Marketing
Reaching your audience is key. Building them, Cultivating them, Exciting them with content is essential. Now going back to our previous project, Music Marketing. Social Media and Streaming were key in music, and it really doesn't change much for films. Instagram, Twitter, Personal Websites all accomplish in keeping an audience interacting with you and what you produce. In terms of streaming, there are a couple of options:

props & more

As the project deadline is coming closer, and closer, I need to address some of the finer details.
My final decisions for the items needed for the production:

1) Car
BMW 330i GT

2) Establishing Setting

Going to be using license plates to further demonstrate setting (Switching a Florida License Plate to a New York one)

3) Clothes
Black Sweater/Hoodie, Black Jeans, and a Black Hat/Beanie.

4) Items used to steal the Car
Not too sure on this, never really stole a car. Maybe some paperclips? Oh and a flashlight for when he inspects the car.


5) How will I be filming this?

My iPhone X with a wide-angle lens going on top of a Zhiyun Stabilizer (to get dolly esque shots) OR a GoPro Hero 4 with the same stabilizer. Plus, to get a more of a professional look, I'm going to be using some lights and an external microphone.


Now comparing the GoPro and the iPhone, the iPhone seems to perform better under low light, but if you turn down the ISO on the GoPro, it looks similar in quality. In addition to the various cameras, in order to get my aerial shots, I'm going to either bring a ladder OR a DJI Phantom Drone, but I'm not the best drone pilot so...

Video shot on the GoPro Hero 4

Video Shot on the iPhone X

location scouting

Filming was supposed to happen this weekend, however... I stayed in.
But for the past week, a friend and I have been looking for some places to film each of our openings.
And since both of our ideas involve a car and we both need each other’s, we’re going to shoot ours in the same place.
I’m thinking about these. Hopefully we can film there.. but it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission, right?

Weston Business Center
Pros: pretty quiet after hours, super open area, close to my house
Cons: it’s a super open area... (I need a somewhat closed off alleyway)

Hallandale Beach Apartment Parking
Pros: I have access and permission to film there
Cons: Usually crowded, only one parking spot I can actually use, 40 minute drive away

Sawgrass Mills Parking Lot
Pros: Not a lot of cars after mall hours
Cons: No permission and there’s security

Some Random Alleyway/Street in Miami Shores
Pros: cool aesthetic, fits the criteria for a place a car would get stolen
Cons: I don’t think I have comprehensive car insurance..

Establishing Shot Film Locations:
Bayonne, NJ
Staten Island (St George, Tompkinsville, Clifton)
Lower Manhattan (West Side Highway)
Brooklyn (Sheepshead Bay)

screenplay

Here's my script.
One in Russian and one translated to English. The english version will be used as subtitles in the opening.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Li95muUmyA-a2xs91B6fahUZB1tSdZ8X

made in america

"американская мечта" (American Dream)
Plot twist, literally. since realistically I can't base my film in Russia, I've decided to base it in new york, where my main protagonist immigrates to meet his cousin, in search for a better life, after being discharged from the military in Russia.
His time in America results in him being driven into the criminal class after he discovers his cousin was a major gangster and hitman in New York City. And, this is where the film name comes in. It's supposed to be almost ironic, as when the term was coined, the American Dream was supposed to be something positive during a time of prosperity. The phrase is closely associated with immigrants who come to the U.S in search of a better life, and this is exactly what my main character intends to do. He wants to escape the corrupt, militaristic life back home, in search of a place with mobility to achieve success. However, when he lands in JFK, the U.S doesn't seem like a place of prosperity or progress. He ends up staying, living in a tentative state of mind, working his way up in the illegal world, having a moral dilemma on the things he does throughout his course there.

update

hi here are my overall impressions along with my choices from the past week.
Plan: I've selected two prime candidates for my opening, Danil and Greg (both of whom who can speak Russian) Both will be dressed in dark clothes to associate them with power, fear, mystery, and strength. The overall color scheme of the opening is going to be dark, almost noir-like, in order to indicate cynical surroundings and characters in the movie.
Film Schedules. Hopefully, the main shots can be filmed next week(end). I think my original schedule held it to be shot during the spring break, but since I won't be here, don't think that's going pan out.
Also! Music is no longer an issue, as I determined not to add it. I don't see a purpose in music during a car stealing scene. I want to emphasize silence and dialogue between the two characters.

details

Short post today!
To make this film opening relatively authentic, I need a few things to establish the fact that my character is a criminal in Russia during the 1990s. However I realized, I don't own a car older than a year old nor do I know anybody with a relatively desirable car that was made before the year 2000. Therefore, I can't base this film in the 90's. So. oops.
Luckily, but unfortunately at the same time. Russia is going through an economic disaster so maybe this will work out? Film is going to be based in New York!

The whole opening is supposed to have a dark theme, it's going to be shot either early morning or at night, either-or, as long as the sun isn't up.
Setting: Narrow Street or Alleyway, with an atmosphere of a grimey, dirty city. (Hallandale, Hollywood Beach, Parking Garage)