CCR Someone Follows Blog Post #47

 CCR For Someone Follows!

Hi guys, welcome back to the "final" final blog of the year.  Today, I will be presenting you with my CCR for my movie opener. We have reached the finish line!

Transcript:

Hi, my name is Santiago Giraldo and my candidate code is 8024. Today I'll be presenting you my creative critical reflection based on my movie, Someone Follows. Okay, let's get started. How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues? My product is a horror film opening and it both follows and challenges key horror conventions.
Through researching films like The Conjuring and Halloween, I learned that horror openings usually use dark lighting, isolated settings, suspenseful non-diegetic sound, slow pacing, and enigma codes to create tension. I applied these conventions by using low lighting to create shadows and limit what the audience can see. I also use slow pacing and layered background sound to build suspense gradually instead of rushing into action. The use of restricted information means the audience doesn't fully understand what is happening, which keeps them engaged and slightly uncomfortable. However, I also challenged conventions.
Instead of clearly showing the antagonist in stereotypical dark clothing, I kept them mostly unseen. This shifts the fear from physical violence to psychological tension. I also avoided relying on jump scares and instead focused on atmosphere and sound to create meaning. In terms of representation, my opening shows a young character experiencing isolation and fear. Rather than portraying them as weak, I present them as realistic and emotionally aware.
This avoids common horror stereotypes and instead reflects broader issues like anxiety and vulnerability. Meaning in my film is created through lighting, pacing, and sound, not through obvious violence, which makes the fear feel more realistic and relatable. How does your product engage your audiences, and how would it be distributed as a real media text? My product engages audiences by creating mystery from the beginning. I use enigma codes so the audience constantly asks questions like, "What is happening?" "Who is there?" "Is the threat real?" By not giving away too much information, I encourage active viewing.
The slow buildup of sound and tension makes viewers stay because they expect something to happen. Instead of shocking the audience immediately, I build suspense step by step, which creates stronger emotional impact. If this were a real media product, it would target teenagers and young adults who enjoy psychological horror. It could fit with a production company similar to Blumhouse Productions, which focuses on lower-budget horror films that rely on tension and strong ideas rather than expensive special effects. It would likely be marketed through social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok using short teaser clips to build curiosity.
Releasing it around Halloween would also increase audience interest. Overall, my opening is structured to feel convincing as the beginning of a longer horror film because it clearly establishes genre, tone, and narrative tension. How did your production skills develop throughout this project? Throughout this project, my production skills developed both technically and creatively. At the start, I mainly thought horror was about dark lighting and loud music, but through research and practice, I learned that pacing and sound control are just as important.
I improved my ability to import and organize footage properly, which made editing more efficient. Using CapCut, I learned how to trim clips precisely, layer non-diegetic sound, adjust brightness and saturation to create a darker tone, and sync sound effects carefully with on-screen movement. One key development was understanding how silence can be just as powerful as music. In an earlier draft, I used louder sound effects that felt predictable. After reviewing it, I reduced the volume and allowed pauses in sound, which created more tension.
I also improved my ability to export in higher resolution and make sure the final product looked polished. Overall, I developed stronger control over how technical decisions influence audience emotion. I now understand that every editing choice shapes meaning. How did you integrate technologies like software, hardware, and online in this project? Technology was essential throughout my project.
In terms of hardware, I used a camera and tripod to create stable shots and carefully framed scenes to limit what the audience could see. I used lighting intentionally to create shadows and reinforce the horror atmosphere. These were not random choices. They were based on research into professional horror openings. For software, I used CapCut to edit my footage.
I cut and arranged clips to control pacing, layered sound effects to build tension, adjusted color settings to create a colder and darker tone, and added titles that match the horror genre. I also experimented with transitions and timing to make the opening feel smooth and professional. Online tools were also important. I used blogging to document my research and planning, which helped me apply genre conventions accurately. I sourced copyright-free sound effects responsibly and integrated them into my timeline.
By combining hardware, editing software, and online research, I was able to create a finished product that is technically polished and clearly targeted at a specific audience. Well, that is the end of my creative critical reflection. Thank you a lot for watching and have a good night.

Final Project Blog Post #46

 Final Blog Post for the Film Opener Ever!

Hi guys, welcome back to the last blog ever. Today, I will be talking about my final thoughts on everything we went through to create this project. Ok lets get started!

Honestly, this project flew by so quickly. It felt like a few days ago we were beginning to plan out the film and everything that came with it. Next thing I know, we are filming and editing it all. Now, we are about to submit everything to Cambridge. It really hit how fast everything moved once we finally reached the end. 

Throughout the filming, editing, and blogging stages, I learned so many things that are actually very useful. Before enrolling in this class, I only watched movies for entertainment. I never analyzed the camera shots, angles, and other things that go into filming a movie. My editing skills improved a lot from when I began, and now I feel confident about future projects I may have to edit. I finally realized that every shot is intentional, every angle has a reason, and lighting has a purpose. Choosing props is very tedious, but they add so much to the film and its characters.

Working with Amaar was a great experience. We knew each other from chemistry class last year. We randomly found that we had the same period and class for Media Studies this year, so seeing each other was kinda unexpected. But when we finally had to choose partners for the final project, there was no doubt that we would be working together. This turned out to be a great choice, and it allowed us to grow and bond closer together. Hopefully, our film opener, Someone Follows, receives a good grade so we can celebrate this success as a team!

Last Minute Changes Blog Post #41

 Last Minute Changes after the Screening!

Hi guys, welcome back to another blog. Today, I will be discussing last-minute changes we could have made but ultimately did not, due to our choice. Ok lets get started!

To begin with, after the test screening, we did not make any changes to our film opener. We received constructive feedback from our audience, but most of the comments were confirming rather than corrective. Our audience agreed that the pacing, acting, and mood of the film opener were good, which suggests that the film opener achieved its intended purpose. The audience mentioned minor issues, like some shots being very dark or the editing not being smooth in some scenes. However, we chose not to make these changes because they were creative decisions that we made. The darkness made visibility limited and was part of our natural and low-key lighting. It added a sense of realism and fear. Additionally, we had a lot of limitations on equipment and resources. So, making further changes risked altering the film's style. We felt that changing the lighting would move the project away from our original vision rather than improve it. Also, since CapCut Pro became too expensive, I had to cancel it. This made editing a little more difficult since I did not have the same tools as I did before the screening. Again, we chose not to change any of the editing since it could have negatively affected the opener.

To conclude, we felt the test screening confirmed to us that the opener was effective, so we made the choice not to make any last-minute changes!

Amaar sighing of relief.

Initially Screening Blog Post #40

 Initial Screening of the Film Opener to my Family!!

Hi guys, welcome back to another blog. Today, I will be talking about my family's overall impressions. This will include how they felt after it, what worked, and what didn't. Ok lets get started! 

                                                     Ivan (Dad), Sofi (Sister)  , Ligia (Mom

First of all, I am going to start with their overall impressions and how they felt after watching the film opener. My dad said that the film was good since it felt "creepy in a realistic way". He also said that the acting was decent! My mom said the silence and darkness in many scenes made her feel like something bad could happen at any moment (this is actually very good since it is what we were aiming for). My sister said it made her feel tense and nervous, especially during the stalking scenes, since they seem "pretty realistic." 

Now, I will be talking about what they thought worked well! My dad said he enjoyed the cinematography, specifically the use of darkness and shadows. He said it made the Killer seem hidden and unpredictable. My mom said she liked the use of sound. I think she meant diegetic sound specifically because she said the footsteps and twig snapping made it feel real. My sister said she liked the acting, specifically Amaar. She said the scene where Kyle gets the notification was acted out very well.

Additionally, I asked them about what aspects they thought did not work as well. My dad said certain shots were a little too dark, making it hard to see at times. My mom and sister both said there could have been smoother editing in some scenes to make it look better on screen.

Lastly, I asked them if the film opener met or subverted their expectations. My dad said he expected the typical slasher opening, but was surprised by how quiet and restrained it was. My mom said the lack of dialogue subverted her expectations. My sister said the reveal of Kyle's body was effective and met her expectations.

Casting Blog Post #39

 Casting Choices for the Film Opener!

Hi guys, welcome back to another blog. Today, I will be talking about the cast and why we specifically chose them for each role. Ok lets get started!

Amaar was cast as Kyle because, out of us two, he convincingly portrayed a more casual teenager. Amaar is very relazed and he looked more natural on camera. He also made the character feel more relatable and believable, something I believe I could not have done. Also, as the scene progresses, Amaar shifts from calm to anxious without speaking too much. This is due to his body language and expressions, which is why he was chosen for this role.

My little cousin Emmanuel was cast as Sebastian because of his age and natural innocence. Since he is small and pretty quiet, his personality contrasts with the events that took place, which makes it more disturbing. He took acting classes when he was back home in Colombia, so he already had experience. His reactions and emotions made him suit the role really well, so we were very lucky to have him.

I was chosen to play The Killer because I have more controlled and intimidating mannerisms, which were necessary to portray this character as menacing and scary. This role required someone who could appear threatening without talking, which I believe I did well by using posture and slow pacing. Since I was in a big jumpsuit, I had to let body language define my character. This is why I feel like I suited this character the best.

Wishlist Blog Post #38

 Wishlist for our Film Opener!

Hi guys, welcome back to another blog. Today, I will be talking about my wishlist and things I would have done differently if I had a major production budget! Ok lets get started.

To begin with, if we had a major production budget, I would most definitely change the actors. For the role of Kyle, I would cast Jaedan Martell (he acted as Bill in It) because of his ability to portray fear and vulnerability naturally. In the movies I've seen with him in them, he has acted very well, and he would make a great addition to our film.

 For The Killer, I would cast another actor from It, Bill Skarsgard. He is a master of using body language to create fear and suspense. His height, posture, and slow movements would make The Killer very unsettling without even using dialogue. 

For Sebastian, I would cast Roman Griffin Davis (the main character of Jojo Rabbit) due to his ability to convey emotion perfectly. He would strengthen the final reveal massively.

In terms of costumes, I would keep The Killer's jumpsuit similar, but I would get it professionally designed to look worn and functional, making it look like it had been used many times to go through with his crimes. Kyle's clothing would remain very similar since that is what a teenage boy would wear normally, and it already looks good. Same thing with Sebastian, his costume fits the tone of the movie, so I wouldn't change it even with a bigger film budget.

For setting and location, I would continue to use a suburban environment, specifically a neighborhood, but I would want one with more control over location and backgrounds. Access to more private areas would allow us to manage background noises and lighting.

Lastly, for lighting, sound, and editing, the lighting would remain low-key, but I would have more control over placement and angling. This would allow for shadows and silhouettes to be shaped intentionally. Sound design would be changed a lot to be clearer and smoother. There would be more separation between ambient noise and sound effects. For editing, I would massively improve transitions and color grading to make the film look better visually.

Overall, a major film budget would allow us to enhance our execution of the film, but it would not change the main idea of the film.

Camera Shots/ Angles and their meaning Blog Post #37

 Camera Angles and Shots in our Film Opener!

Hi guys, welcome back to another blog. Today, I will be talking about the camera angles and shots found in our film opener and what they mean. Ok lets get started!

To begin with, we used a POV shot from The Killer's perspective, framed through the branches of a tree. This shot makes the audience view from the stalker's point of view, making them feel part of the act of watching the victim. The branches blocking parts of the frame create a feeling of secrecy and concealment. By limiting what the audience can see, we heighten suspense and make the audience think The Killer is nearby, but hidden somewhere. This shot was meant to make the audience aware that someone is always watching the victim (Kyle), even though they think they are totally alone.

Another shot we used was an Over-the-shoulder shot of Kyle receiving the text message from an unknown number. This angle lets the audience see and read the message while still seeing Kyle physically. Instead of us cutting to a close-up shot of only the phone, we decided the over-the-shoulder shot keeps Kyle grounded in the scene and emphasizes the fact that the message intrudes on his personal space. The text "I see you" becomes way more threatening because it exists in the same shot as Kyle himself. This links the message to his vulnerability and realization. The shot was mostly used to communicate psychological tension.

Lastly, we used a medium shot of Amaar walking down the sidewalk at night. This shot frames him from the waist up, allowing the audience to see his body language and facial expressions. We chose this shot because there is a balance between his emotions and the environmental context in it. The audience can see what is happening around Kyle, but they are mostly focused on his reaction. This shot works well in moments where Kyle realizes he is in grave danger. You can see his posture and facial expressions that show fear and uncertainty.