CAP Hollywood Reflection #3

So, somehow, by the end of this process, my group finally got it together and produced a really solid film. We all went downtown and filmed all of the remaining shots, and came in a lot after school, during school, lunch times, etc. and put in a lot of extra work to make the deadline.

Our film now includes a lot of different voiceovers, and even some funny bloopers at the end. With all the challenges that my group faced throughout the process, I think we ended up with a really good result.

I made our group's entire movie poster, from start to finish. We took a picture of the three main characters and I created the poster based on that image, which included cutting it out, feathering the edges, adding a drop shadow effect, and a lot of different text, etc. to make it look like a real movie poster.

I added the rated R symbol onto the poster as well, because of the reference to drugs, but overall I think it turned out really well for how constrained our time limit was, and how stressed out my entire group was in general.

I also helped Max and my other group members with editing, choosing placement of clips, etc., where to put voiceovers, where to add music and transitions, and overall just making our film look professional and not like a rough cut.

CAP Hollywood Reflection #2

So this week, we still haven't found the time to complete filming for our project. We got some of the in school filming done, but we have yet to film the important scenes downtown which are very crucial to the plot.

We are planning on finishing filming this Saturday, which puts us pretty far behind everyone else. The editing time for us is sure to be very tight and it's likely that we'll be struggling but I think my group can handle it/pull it together.

This week, me and my group's main priorties are to complete filming for our scene. I am helping with cinematography/directing, and also I'm going to help my group with editing when our final filming has been completed.

Other than all of this, I will also be making the movie poster with Amy as soon as we finish filming so that we can get a good shot that will adequately explain our movie's theme/plot. I think this will also be a process that we can get through quickly once our filming comes to an end.

CAP Hollywood Reflection #1

At this point, our film is struggling a little bit. We began with a great idea, and planned everything out to a point where everyone had a role, and we knew exactly how it was going to play out. However, our group has ended up with some challenges.

We got pretty behind on our filming schedule, because we didn't have the right camera, props, etc. on the days that we needed them. Nobody in our group (including me) has been able to film the past few weekends, so we really don't have much footage at all. We have maybe the first few scenes of the first act.

As of right now, our plan is to do all the filming this week so that we can start editing. We're going to be a bit rushed editing everything, but since we have group members that know what they're doing when it comes to Final Cut Pro, I think we'll be alright.

This week, I helped my group plan out what we were going to film/when. Amy and I worked out the prop list, and led our group in figuring out what we need in order to film this week. I also worked with my group members in finding a replacement to play one of our main characters, because the person that was going to do it backed out at the last second.

Our goals for the following week are to complete our filming, which includes finding a replacement to act as Raymond, and starting the editing process. We aren't using a school camera, we're using Amy's, so we also need to make sure that we have all the equipment that we need to import our footage and start editing.

School

The amount of work that we, as teenagers receive, is ridiculous.

Most of it isn't even real work that's going to benefit us or help is any way humanly possible. Most of it's just busywork that teachers assign because it's their job. I'd so much rather be taking classes that I'm really interested in, and pursuing my hobbies that matter to me instead of doing tedious work that really isn't gaining me anything in the long run.

Some work, I enjoy at school. Overall, I like my classes and I gain at least something from all of them, but what's really frustrating is how there are so many nights that I stay up far too late, doing homework that I really have no need to be doing in the first place.

I'm not the kind of person that would be satisfied if I dropped out of high school and earned my GED, because I've always been somewhat hardworking and I feel like since I've gotten through almost 10 full years in the public school system, I can definitely deal with two more. And senior year isn't really a full year anyway, so that makes it even less time.

I can't wait until college, where I can pursue my interests and not be up until 2 in the morning doing homework. That would be really nice. But until then, high school is high school, and I guess I'll just have to make do.

Documentary Project Reflection

 For our documentary project, we were assigned something a bit out of the ordinary, and different than the project that the other students and groups were expected to do. Originally, our plan was to do a documentary about homelessness in D.C., including street artists, musicians and to interview people that made their living on the streets by performing. The plan was to get interviews of these people, and hopefully be able to share their stories with the world.

Unfortunately, that plan didn’t end up working out, and we realized that our subject matter was a bit sensitive and impractical for the task we were trying to accomplish due to privacy reasons, etc. We ended up creating a documentary to welcome the British kids, who were part of a CAP foreign exchange program in which about 12 students from a school in England came and stayed with us for a week.

Our documentary centered around Blair, and the different aspects of the school. We interviewed a lot of different students, both in CAP and outside of CAP, and asked them what their favorite parts about Blair were, whether or not they enjoyed the school, etc. We filmed a lot of the building itself, and made sure to include shots of all the different sports field- one of Blair’s most prideful elements!

           

The overall experiences of filming, editing and producing our own short documentary was probably one of the most enjoyable things we’ve done in CAP thus far. The creativity that we were able to channel to make this project worthwhile is something that I think all of us in CAP are going to try and use with all the projects to come. The biggest challenge our group faced was probably the decision making, figuring out how we were going to change our topic/film and how we would get it all finished in time.

If we were able to make another, brand new documentary, I’d want to do one that revolves around a more serious topic that I’m really interested in. It was a lot of fun making the documentary for the British students, but I think we could’ve probably benefitted and learned from the project more had we been able to choose a different topic. Even though this was a challenge for a group, and we were all pretty frustrated at first with the changing of our ideas and plans, we were able to persevere and create the best thing we could, which, in the end, turned out pretty well.

As the teacher, I think Mr. Mayo did a phenomenal job encouraging and supporting us through the experience. It was really helpful that he assisted us in choosing our topic, etc. but he also allowed us to do the project ourselves, and I think it would’ve been really frustrating had we not been able to do so. I think it’s really important to find the balance between guiding a group, and doing the project for them, and I really think Mr. Mayo did an excellent job balancing that. Overall, this was a fun, interesting and wonderful project. I’m glad I got to do it.

School

I just don't even know what school is.

It's a bunch of irritated, stressed out teenagers crammed into a building and forced to deal with each other for 6 hours every single day except for Saturdays and Sundays. And on Saturdays and Sundays, said teenagers sleep, and complain about homework.

Granted, school is obviously extremely necessary and helpful in putting us youngsters on our life paths. We need it, no doubt, because we need to leave high school, and go to college, and pick a career path and have successful, fulfilling lives. None of which would we possible without 12 years of education.

I don't even think it's school itself that's so frustrating. It's more my lack of time management and ridiculous tendency to procrastinate more than anyone in the history of ever. And I know it's a big problem and I really have tried to fix it! But it's hard.

I really like CAP. I loved CAP 9, I love the community, the kids, most of the teachers, and the environment. I really think I'd be a different person if it wasn't for CAP, given the size of the school and how many kids really are floating about Blair Blvd. everyday.

Sure, sometimes the work load is extreme and we're up late a lot of nights, but I think us CAP kids are really fortunate to be able to be in such a program, in such an excellent school system. And despite how stressful it can be, school is school.

We're gonna have to deal with it for a really long time, so we might as well make the best of it!

Silver Spring

Here it is. My Silver Spring video. Including a bunch of ugly selfies at the beginning, because you know, selfies are a great part of American culture. Also, my dog is too cute for lifeeee.