Creative Critical Reflection

 The last piece, my CCR. I tried to talk about my entire thought process going into this film but still keep it concise. Topics I mentioned were my synopsis, social issues I wished to cover, the filming and editing process, past productions that helped me, and my distribution channels. I hope you can get a glimpse into my mind and dig deeper into what Caste Takes All really means to me. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey, bye!

CCR

Final Film

 I am beyond excited to share my final film: Caste Takes All. With months of planning, shooting, and editing, I am very satisfied with how everything came out. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I did making it. Here it is finally! (make sure to choose 1080p60 for the best quality)

CASTE TAKES ALL

Wrapping up

Its finally over. I say it as if it is a bad thing but I am relieved to be wrapping up the production of my opening scene. I just filmed the rain scene, it was very simple. Ziya wakes up in the grass and looks at the sky, visually confused on how she got there (this will be explained later in the movie). This part was filmed so late because it never rained!! I waited weeks on end for there to be a storm and during that time I finished editing the parts I did have. Today, it finally rained and I ran outside as quick as I could and lay down on the grass. Some stills of the unedited pieces are featured below. 

But before I did this, I sent a rough cut to my teacher with only the shots so they could be analyzed. Before I edited, I wanted to make sure that the material I was working with was at least alright. After reviewing, I gained better ideas and some changes to make. 

So I found that the rain scene and sunny scene did not fit together. They were inconsistent and I couldn't just jam them together. To make this scene blend with my former shots, I edited a blinking effect. So Ziya is listening to Maahi yelling about how "the place, the people" are all good but then her eyes start blinking and they open to the thunderous sky. The blinking effect was difficult because I had to add an adjustment clip and then merge the eclipse node and then per every 5 frames, change the height and blur of the mergence. In the end it definitely payed off and elevated the complicity of my opening scene. 

Also I was iffy about what type of music to add. The sound chosen was a mix of nature sounds and white noise. I did not want to add lyrics of any kind because there is so much dialogue in my film and the scenes without it are short. I needed something that was natural and my rough cut helped me realize this. 

While finishing up my opening scene, I had to also be thinking about my creative critical reflection (CCR). This is where I could really explain my story and why I made the choices that I did. I focused on the 4 questions provided by Cambridge but also included experiences that were individual for me. The filming layout will look like this. I will start off with a synopsis of the story while sitting on a chair with the outdoors behind me. Then I will break down where my story falls in the social issues/ stereotypes category which will be filmed as an voiceover with insert shots of the final video. Next I will cover the specifics of production as a walk through of me talking about the tools and materials I used. Then another voiceover of my past projects like the music video and swedeing scene. Lastly, I will finish with distribution and exhibition in the same chair I started in.       

Credits

After arranging the shots into the correct order, the next step in the editing process was to add credits. I first created a document with the order in which the titles would appear and in which scene would they be placed. The scene opens with a wide-shot and my made up company's name: AK Films. I placed the credit in between both characters in the trail area to make it blend better. I chose the jitter effect for all the titles because it looks like how a child would scribble on paper yet also eerie. It fits the indie vibe of my film.

Each one of my titles were placed thoughtfully. For example, for "Cinematography by Ashleen Kaur", I put it right next to the closeup of me holding the camera because camera=shots=scenes=cinematography, you get it.

Next for the names of the characters I created a parallel between the two characters. In my introductory scene, the title is placed on the bottom left corner and in Ashveen's scene the title is placed in the bottom right corner. I used the rule of thirds to construct this sequence.

Again there was another important choice that I made. Rather than having the words pop up on the screen, I timed them to appear when an action occurs or the characters move so that they seem more apart of the scene. Like in the instance below, after the camera flashes, the words slowly appear in the space where the light was shone. 

Lastly, the biggest credit of them all, my movie title. I know that your not technically supposed to put it at the end of the opening sequence but it really could not fit anywhere. And I would make up for it with my reasoning. At the ending, Maahi is in the rain and distraught. When she gets up off the grass and walks away she feels like there is nothing left with her, that this place had finally taken it all away. And on the grass the words "Caste Takes All" will replace her. Pretty symbolic I think. 

Areas of Production

All four areas of production were visited. For mise-en-scene, we had a photography camera to hint towards Ziya's love for capturing important moments. The clothing was restricted to cream and white colors to create a feeling of innocence and youth as the characters are supposed to be on a trip to ease their problems back home. 

For cinematography, we utilized over the shoulder shots because there is a lot of dialogue in the scene but tried to keep the shots a little messy. This was an afterthought because when I watched back the takes, they did not fall into clear definitions of types of shots. So, to add more depth to the opening as well as make up for the shortage of cinematography, I decided to use the "forest" sequence as a flashback and develop a new scene of Ziya in the present. 

For sound, the mics gave pretty clear audio except for 2 clips that did not have any sound. This was because we filmed for two continuous hours so they ran out of charge without our knowledge. But to cover up that mistake too, the new clip that I will film will be put in the stead of those muted clips. As for BGM, the new scene will have rain in the background and the flashback will contain dainty background music that will disappear when the dialogue comes in. 

Finally for editing, I will mainly change the coloring. So for the forest scene, add a warm tone, and the rain one will be cool toned. Kind of to show the drastic difference in Ziya's mood in the two scenes. Of course, I will make sure to edit match cuts so they align smoothly and place credits throughout my opening scene.

Finally Filming

The day had come. Friday March 24th, 2023, the day I filmed my opening scene. We arrived to Markham park at 5:30pm , the perfect time for the sun to be warm and shining brightly, bringing a golden glare to the film. Since the scene takes place at one location and during a specific time period, we only had 2 hours to complete the filming. With over 93 videos in my camera roll and my phone at 9%, we finished at 7:30pm. Just enough time. 

Markham park is huge. It has aero flying plane fields, golf playing fields, sawgrass fields, but no flower fields. This was my first "oh" moment. After driving for about 10 minutes, I settled on a plot of land at the edge of water with tall trees standing near it through which sunlight peeked out. This would work, no white flowers in sight, but I would have to adapt. 

The sight was a little creepy to be honest. There was no one around except for this one person who was standing a hundred feet away and then threw a freezbee towards us. As the natural reaction, I picked it up and walked to hand it to him, until he waked over as well and told me it was a game. My second "oh" moment. Some golf puck throwing thing that occurs allover the park. I apologized for moving his impressive placement and moved on with my evening, while he walked further into the forest, throwing freebees. (now that I look back, I remember looking at the park map and seeing dots with point values, most probably the game that person was talking about). 

Moving on from that weird encounter, we set up camp, got the tripod situated, attached microphones (tried our best to conceal them), and ran over the script one more time. Filming was difficult. Since I was not behind the camera but acting into it, I had no idea how our shots would turn out. And I couldn't check each one after it was filmed, that would be unproductive. So I hoped for the best or something presentable. In theory, everything was thought out. Ashveen was wearing her white dress, I had the camera around my neck, Mitchell was steady with the phone. 

After I got home, I charged my dead phone and 2 hours later, I finally watched back the footage. Okay not bad, this shot is good, ooh nice lighting, wait, what happened here? My last "oh" moment. Well there were some problems to say the least but those will be unrevealed when I start editing. For now, this was my experience on the day of filming, Friday March 24th, 2023. 

Rehearsal

After multiple weeks of planning, preparation, and trial and error, I was finally ready to rehearse my opening scene with my cast members. I conducted a video call with the person helping me film, Mitchell Wagner, and the person acting with me, Ashveen Saini. 

We discussed our lines and did a run through of each scene. During the run-through, we changed the dialogue and added some improv so the characters could feel more natural to us. A main part of my opening scene was the growing tension between the two characters and to display that, Ashveen and I practiced using different movements and words. 

With me acting in the actual scenes, I could not film at my own discretion. So in the video call, I walked through the camera shots with Mitchell and explained the overall storyline. But he could interpret the scenes differently so we changed some of the formatting up. For example, new insert shots were added of me grabbing a phone or looking at the camera to create a variety of filming techniques. 

We practiced using the tripod, microphones, and photography camera so everyone could be comfortable with the materials on the day of filming.

Through this collaboration and rehearsal, I was exposed to new perspectives which would be vital in having the filming process run smoothly the next day. 

Progress 2

    The planning part of my film opening is almost finished. The mise-en-scene for the film has been collected. The two main characters are Maahi and Ziya which will be played by my friend and I. Their two outfits and aesthetics are described below, Maahi being the flowy, pure older sister while Ziya is the stricter and spiteful younger sister. I have asked to borrow a professional camera as the main prop and pictures taken on it will be edited into scenes as real time snapshots. This will create a unique POV shot in my film opening. 

As for production, since we are filming the scenes outside, maintaining the audio quality is very important just as the video quality. So we have ordered materials to aid in this process. For example, we have a wireless microphone will be crucial in recording close-up shots where dialogue is essential to understanding the scene. Also, we have acquired a tripod to make filming more stable and to film from higher angles. Lastly, to mask the sound of walking on grass, we will lay out a thin carpet over the grass or wear fabric under our shoes to make sure the only sound being heard is the characters speaking. 

For video, I will still be utilizing my iPhone 14 Pro Max as it has the highest camera quality available. To elevate it however, I will film some scenes in cinematic mode and give them a glowing effect by placing a piece of glass in front of the lens and rubbing Vaseline on it. With these measures taken in the planning process, I expect to start filming in no time. 

Progress 1

My film opening project has been moving slowly honestly. I created the script and idea in as short as a week. All the camera directions have been stated and the script is emoting feeling, which was easy to accomplish since my imagination took over. Yet the realistic details are more difficult to plan.

I have contacted my cast and people involved in the production since I am working solely on the project. Also, we have discussed the best time to film for all of us which will be in the middle of March, primarily spring break. I have learned more about editing software such as Davinci Resolve and how to maneuver the key aspects. However, the main challenge I am facing is with the location.

One of the regrets I have is not filming in India when I had gone for vacation during winter break. The picture-perfect location and yet I did not take advantage of it. The aesthetic of the entire scene could have been elevated by how green the fields are there and where the sun sets. But I cannot continue being regretful. So I will try and imitate the traditional mise-en-scene as close as possible. A possible location being considered is Tradewinds Parks and Stables in Coconut Creek. 

Sweding

The art of sweding, or remaking a part of a film. Before starting the project, I asked myself what I wanted to achieve or what was my purpose so I could better understand what film to choose. I wanted simplicity and something that could be executed easily. Not because it was less work but because it was inside my reach. Yet it could not be too simple to the point one watching it is bored. They may sill get bored, something I cannot control. But control was what I ought for this project. Therefore, I chose a film that I was knowledgeable about and a scene that had hidden complexity. Midsommar: Tripping in the Field.

Actual Scene

First, I analyzed the scene and broke down each moment where the camera cut to another angle, taking snapshots of how the scene looks before and after. Then I identified the materials and characters in the scene and wrote descriptions of them. Lastly, I created the script and shared it with my actors so they could memorize lines and change them to be more instinctual. All of these steps contributed towards the actual filming process being smooth and the recreation of the scene close to exact. 

excerpt from script

Challenges faced during the course of this project were entirely environmental. We filmed near noon when the sun was at it's highest point to create a consistent lighting source. We filmed at a park with hills to imitate the fields in Midsommar. However, outsides sounds hindered the ability to hear actors so the audio of my project was not extremely clear. These factors just had to be dealt with because we do not have access to the equipment say A24 has. 

But that is what makes a sweding project individual to itself and it has been a great learning experience for future film productions, especially in the drama/thriller genre. 

behind the scene

Media Companies

My assigned major media company was NBC universal and the minor, DreamWorks Animation, which is owned by NBC universal too. That is a common concept. When a large film studio owns many other smaller film studios. So there are only 5-6 companies that own about 90% of the media market shares. These were usually established many years ago and have a complex history. For example, Universal Films was created in 1912 and NBC in 1926, which actually is the first permanent radio network in the U.S. And then NBC Universal was born on May 12, 2004, when NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment merged. At this point both companies had acquired many smaller companies and would only grow larger.

In addition, even though the major media companies are similar in many ways, they are different in that they have specific genres, not drifted away from. For example, Disney specializes in creating characters while Universal focuses on action and blockbuster films. This way, the audience has expectations for a film when it gets released because of the company producing it.

Opening Script

Honestly the hardest part of writing my opening scene was submitting it. I have so many ideas in my head of which pivotal moment to choose from in my imagined movie that every time I would finish a line of dialogue, I would sit there and let it melt in. "Is this truly the best representation of what I have to offer". Writing was no problem, the words came running to me and my fingers were struggling to follow behind. But it was the content that even now, I don't feel fully confident in. How much do I want to give away or will my viewers even know what I'm talking about. Until, I realized that it isn't that deep. 

My opening scene actually takes place a day before the big climax in the movie so it's like a peek into the future. Tensions are definitely established in the scene but the scene will not be repeated again in the actual movie. So here's how I think of it to play out as:

Ziya is the younger sister and Maahi is the older. Maahi has secretly fallen in love with their tour guide while viewing South India on vacation. The guide is of way lower class than the sisters and this will be very important because an incident occurred with their dad's side of the family where the mom was significantly hurt from a similar situation. Surprise, history repeats itself but Ziya indirectly causes the tragedy at the end of the movie so the out lash we see in the start is a huge hint. I wish for it to kind of click in the viewer's head at that point and make them realize that they always knew a little of what was going to happen. There is is a flashforward then to the big climax where Ziya wakes up in the rain with no answers and just an empty feeling. The rain, they day, the feelings on her face all are going to be showcased because the resolution of my film is the loss of both Maahi and her love to the dehumanizing caste system of India. 

Of course, I'm not a professional scriptwriter, I feel more fitted towards keeping ideas in my brain but I will try my hardest to shoot the scene in a very aesthetic way. As the film revolves around Indian characters, I will act alongside someone of similar ethnicity. The location is a flower field which should be relatively easy to find when there is an abundance of nature and land in Florida. I think the coloring and costuming will be prominent in adding meaning to the opening scene. The sharp contrast between characters and switch in sunlight will reflect mood too. 

Caste Takes All

Film Companies

A24

A24 is a good fit for my film because it is an indie company that approaches films in a variety of ways and experiments with the horror genre. A24 is known for bringing us some of the most critically acclaimed horror films of recent years. I would like to create a terror different from thrasher or supernatural scares and implement traditional values. Sometimes the truth of the world can cause more fear than ghosts and serial killers.  

For example Midsommar is a haunting folk horror film that stunned audiences in 2019. The movie follows a group of college students who travel to a pagan festival in Sweden and get caught up in a terrifying ordeal. It had a very complex storyline and was successful in theaters and on streaming services. The film grossed $48 million and received positive reviews from critics. 

NEON

Founded in 2017 by Tom Quinn and Tim League, who started the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain, Neon quickly established its indie credibility in Hollywood by identifying compelling scripts and discerning filmmakers in an era when franchise blockbusters starring comic book superheroes are the norm. Movies acquired by Neon have won the Palme d’Or — the highest award at the Cannes Film Festival — the last three years. This company would be a good fit for my film because it will take advantage of my authentic theme and turn it into something unexpected. 

An example is Parasite. It is a film that does an exceptional job in showing the ways that those who are impoverished are treated poorly in subtle ways, and the effect that it has on them is greater than many would assume. Parasite grossed $71.4 million in South Korea, $53.4 million in the United States and Canada, and $133.9 million in other countries, for a worldwide total of $258.7 million

Points of Interest

My favorite genre as well as one that I would like to work in is the Indie genre. An indie movie i.e. independent movie is a short movie that is made outside the big film studio system. But Indie movies are different by their style and content, and also by the way in which the personal artistic vision of the filmmaker is realized. I plan to work in the genre because it is easy to create a dramatic storyline while simultaneously creating a tranquil mood.

They are my favorites because when I finish watching them, I always ask myself "what?". Like when a film lingers in your mind for the next week, that's the process I go through when I finish some Indie films. They are so far off the line of normal but how is normal defined. Normal is an action film with the heroes defeating the villains and saving the day in the end. Blockbusters have made this storyline normal to people when in reality the hero should have died like 15 times already. Also, films produced by major companies end up being similar in some way to each other but with Indie films there is no control. The maker is free to put real, raw thoughts into their film. And that's why I like them- they show the other side of things. 

One example of a film in the Indie genre is Moonlight.

Moonlight follows Chiron, an African American living in a rough neighborhood of Miami. Bullied at an early age and seemingly outcast, Chiron knows he doesn’t fit in because of his sexuality. He hardly speaks to anyone, has no group of friends, and has a deteriorating home life when his mother descends into drug use. Chiron finds refuge in a drug dealer named Juan, who has profound and lasting effects on the trajectory of this young boy’s life.

The cinematography in the scene above places the audience at water level and the camera follows the movement of the waves, drifting under the water at times. The camera work makes us feel the tension of staying afloat just as Chiron is feeling. A major detail in this scene is the mise-en-scene and use of the setting. Chiron is learning how to swim to save him from drowning, literally and symbolically. He is learning how to keep his head above the water. Another element that conveys the meaning of the film is sound. There is powerful non-diagetic music playing in the background as Chiron takes his first steps into the water. The music enhances this moment of security and intimacy that Chiron has with Juan which he never had with a father. Lastly, editing choices expand the notion of the African-American image in film. Colors are vibrantly hot and bright, and facial and skin details are extraordinary. 

Music Video

For my first time filming, shooting, and editing, I created a music video with the song One More Hour by Tame Impala. The plot follows me, a young teen, who has been mentally trapped in a universe where she only has One Hour to find a way out. She must sift through her memories to remember where the "exit" is or what to do to get there. The memories have been manipulated to portray a happy past when in actuality she experienced numerous tragedies. She learns this and is regaining control over her mind. But the One Hour is over and she is put back into the endless cycle. 

I learned much about filming, editing, and mise-en-scene. For one, I worked alone on this project. So I had to find someone who understood the idea as much as me and could execute it to my liking. I also learned how to connect different shots into looking like a smooth sequence. For example, in the scene where I look down at the timer, the camera has to follow me as I pull my hand down, look at it, and then turn to run. Filming took multiple tries in order to perfect that consistent movement but at the end I had gained crucial experience. 

Editing was probably the biggest, most time-consuming thing I learned from this project. I used Davinci Resolve which is by no means a beginner editing software. I mean look at it, its like a dark matrix with so many little symbols which click into more symbols and weird technical names. I had totally bit off more than I could chew but with hours of me just tapping at all of the little buttons, I learned how to moderately maneuver the software. In doing so, I unlocked many cool features that you couldn't have on IMovie or other easy-to-use apps. 

Mise-en-scene requires a lot of planning I've learnt. I tried to match the lyrics of the song to the colors of the scene. So this lyric for example: "I did it for love"- automatically the scene has a pinkish tone and there has to be hearts somewhere. And I did this for every lyric where the beat dropped to really dramatize the whole video. Also a major part of distinguishing memory scenes and stimulation scenes was having a strong contrast between them. Choosing a levee for my main location gave me a fully prepared set and created the effect that I was looking for. 

                                                

Lucky accidents did not come often during my filming process but I can vividly remember one instance. I arrived at the levee at 5:30 ish which is like right before the sunset but I finished filming at the end of the sunset, around 6:30. When I got home and was sorting through the clips, I found two very similar shots but one was of the sun at it's vivid yellow color while the other was of the sun at it's deep orange color. Immediately I thought- "I could use this to imply a time-jump for my character and show the audience that the One Hour is quickly running it". And that's exactly what I did. 

                                                                                                                                                                                      

Problems came up mostly during my memory scenes where I had all the different colors and symbolization. While filming those scenes, I hadn't had noticed that I filmed them all while holding my phone vertically. I uploaded them to my computer and placed them in Davinci Resolve meticulously so they would correspond with the correct lyrics. When I watched the preview, there were these two black blocks on each side of the shot and I went oh no. I set up the mise-en-scene and filmed for almost an hour, for it all to go to waste. Of course the next day I redid everything and it worked out but this problem definitely slowed down the momentum I had. It will hopefully never happen again:)

Original Inspiration

For my AICE Media Studies final project I hope to draw inspiration from a few movies and shows that are either epics, historical dramas, or period films. 

    #1 Aesthetics 

For mise-en-scene and aesthetics I will imitate the movie Anna Karenina.

Anna Karenina has won the Oscar for best costume design at the 85th Academy Awards. The royal atmosphere will be imitated in my opening sequence and clothing will be adjusted accordingly. The lead will have the sharpest colors while the background characters have duller. Also, Anna Karenina carries a old fashioned tint with it will be applied onto my film. I want to create the aesthetic of a too-orderly place where you feel trapped. This will add to the storyline. 

    #2 Society

For the social ranks and politics, I will imitate the structure of Game of Thrones. 

Game of Thrones is known as intense, bloody, political, and dramatic. With my film, I want the viewer to always be in the unexpected and Game of Thrones masters that. However, only the political aspects will be taken because I still want to keep a systematized social setting that pretends it is perfect. The monarchy, family, and blood ties will play an important role. 

    #3 Storyline

For the storyline, I will follow the Gladiator's heroic plot. 

In the movie, Crowe brings a beleaguered nobility to Maximus, turning what could have been a generic action hero into a weary idealist who is literally forced by bondage into violence. I was inspired by this and want the viewers to take a journey with my hero as they go from being the best to the worst. Fighting will not be used as harshly as it was in Gladiator but I will rather focus on political destruction. 

Those are the main movies/shows I am inspired by but media is so vast and diverse that I am sure I will be influenced by many more!

Introduction

Hello! My name is Ashleen Kaur. I'm currently attending Coral Glades High School and am in 10th grade. Also, this year I'm taking AICE Media Studies. I would not call myself an avid film viewer or die hard fan of a certain fandom but I do enjoy a good watch. Every person has had the dream of being a superhero at least once in their life. I did too. I loved watching fantasy movies and shows which pushed me into a world with magic and victorious heroes. However, as I have matured, I realized that fantasy is only a fantasy. Those dreams are baseless and people cannot always win. Reality struck (in simpler terms). I still wish to be transported away from the problems and stress brought along with them in my life. But I would like to do it in a way that I can justify. 

For example, historical epics. A historical film is usually set in ancient times and an epic is a prestigious genre whose stories ranged from the Trojan War to the founding of Rome. These two coincide very well. Similarly, period pieces are rightfully interesting too. A period piece specifically refers to a film, TV series, or miniseries that is set during an earlier time.

Genres related to these have sparked a type of engrossment in me. The principle of them is effective in turning a trigger in my mind.

These accounts can be tracked back in time meaning they occurred somewhere and somehow. And this is what marks the difference between Harry Potter and per se Pride and Prejudice. The latter is realistic, although not a true story, realistic. But what of Game of Thrones- it falls into the same fantasy genre as Harry Potter. However, Game of Thrones has elements of survival and politics that once played along with society. Voldemort was not a part of society.

Needless to say, I am not fully confident in myself to do the epic genre justice. With the type of equipment and time (money) I have, it seems impossible, but I am willing to make it possible. An understanding has been created between me and an idea: the future will never be realistic but the past always will. And so I will expand upon this idea with my AICE Media Studies film opening or at least hope to do so.