Semester 2

SEMESTER 2

Recap

Ferris Bueller

Our project was to replicate a popular high school movie, regardless of date of release and genre. The filming process of this recreation was approximately a month if I remember correctly, which explains why the finished product appears cleaner than the rather rushed short film we later created. Scheduling proved to be an issue, but only a minor one. All of our actors were incredibly enthusiastic and eager to film, offering any and all free time slots available. Along the way, I learned how difficult it is to film multiple nonlinear scenes involving costume and location changes. The main feedback we were given was to adjust the audio, which was previously a tacky royalty-free track that was thrown in last minute. I'm very pleased with the final result.

Short Film 

The final assignment of the school year was to craft our own script and bring it to life. The students had to depend on their peers' script-writing skills to create an exceptional film. For this project, we had a week for pre-production, a week for filming, and a week to edit. Time was definitely a challenge, as well as the rapidly approaching finals we were about to face. And along the way, I learned how to tolerate terrible actors. Barely. Feedback we received focused on the pacing, and I agree it was staggered; unfortunately, we did not acquire enough footage to even it out.

Time Usage

Time spent in class is unpredictable, depending on the project. Pre-production is the busiest, where all time is spent scrambling to complete everything prior to filming. Filming tends to be the laziest, as most of the time filming is off-site. Similarly, editing is laid back. Usually one person takes on the job of editing and only requires help when they need a second opinion.

Strengths

I found my strengths to be focused in directing, which surprised me as I dislike depending on others. I utilized those commanding skills to produce a wonderful high school trailer replication and an, admittedly, sub-par short film. The short film lacked as I let the stress of other classes' finals eat away at me, and I prioritized them rather than the film.

Areas in Need of Improvement

While my personality can be very dominant, I found myself being too lenient at some points, leading to easily avoidable accidents.

Short Film

I directed the short film based on Alex Pauli's comedic script. Many edits were made to create a simpler script for us to follow, yet some important aspects of the story were lost along the way.

Summary

I adored directing Ferris Bueller, as the cast were a joy to work with. I wish I could have spent more time on the short film, though. I intend on taking my newfound directing skills with me to next year.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed this class, even though it stressed me out beyond the point of no return.