My Marriage is Falling Apart

Another editing update. I think my life with this film has reached a level of mediocrity. I feel like I'm married to my film and right now we're both middle aged and our lives revolve around our kids and soccer practices and clarinet lessons. (Our kids are the scenes that I'm doing.)

This film doesn't feel like the film I married. I remember when we were truly in love. It was just starting. my ideas were flowing. And then we had our filming day. And everything was still going so well. I thought that we would last forever. But now, my relationship with my film is solely based on the scenes and I feel like we don't know each other anymore. Maybe we should go to counselling. Or we'll just reconnect during our retirement.

Ever notice how marriage can be an analogy for almost anything?

So, I'm still editing. Less rendering to do. though. Since this is like my third editing post, I though I'd make it more entertaining with a marriage analogy. Otherwise, even I would be bored.

Hopefully, we can get through this rough patch and once again fall in love. And then editing will stop killing me. I hope.

Extra! Extra! Read All About It! Girl Dies from Editing!

The title says it all. But I'm not just talking about today's editing session. Yesterday, I was editing all day on a different film. Then yesterday evening, some friends came over and we edited our video for our presentation in class today. And now, I'm editing again. I've essentially spent the last 24 hours editing. I think that I have the right to complain. At least a little.

In other news, I've finished the opening scene. Mostly. There's still a bit of audio iffiness but I needed to move onto a new scene. I wish that I could be moving further along but Final Cut Express requires rendering before I can really do anything.

Note: Hey Ocean! is a good band to listen to while waiting for clips to render. Or maybe it's just me.

Also, I've found that breaking up a bunch of clips before rendering helps a lot with time. I'm not even cutting the clips out yet, they're just broken up and therefore easier to render.

Editing is Slowly Killing Me

I'm still in editing mode. And it is not fun. It's like a constant battle of render and edit, render and edit, render and edit, edit and render, render, edit, render, edit....BAM! My brain explodes!


Basically, I'm just playing around with the shots. And losing my sanity. Slowly but surely. No big deal.


I'm finishing up my work on the beginning scene. Syncing audio and video is a real b-i-t-c-h. It's driving me crazy. Especially considering that most of my good shots doesn't have good audio. And there's this little rough patch of them closing the door. GRRR!!!


Anyway, I'm still working on basic editing. But I should be done by next week. I'll add my special effects and then it'll be all good.

Rendering: the Latest Time Waster

I haven't even finished everything that I'm going to be doing today. But I'm updating now anyways. 


 I'm updating now because, well, I'm bored. I've been editing and the only way that i can check up on what I've done is to render it. For those of you that don't know, rendering your video on Final Cut is essentially writing the actual video. And you can't watch your newly edited selection without rendering. Unfortunately, rendering can take a while. Right now, I have to wait 15 minutes before I can play around again. It feels very tedious.


I know, 15 minutes probably isn't that long to wait but i have a short attention span. Just like the rest of my generation. I demand constant entertainment. Also, I have this horrible sense that time is slipping away from me. This of course is ridiculous. 


Actually, it's not. After all, Albert Einstein did disprove Newton's theory that time is constant and linear with his special relativity theory. So maybe, according to my personal time, time actually is slipping away from me. 


...We're studying Einstein's Theory of Relativity in Physics class right now. Hence the completely unrelated deviation to Science.


Back to film stuff!


In other news, I finished my filming! All of my shots actually look quite good. My actors did really well and I'm quite pleased. Unfortunately, we were filming yesterday, in the pouring rain. That reminds me, I need to buy them dinner for helping me...


**Tip for filming in miserable weather: have very positive actors. And towels. Lots of towels. Also, a quick method of transportation is key. We biked because cars stay dirty for longer...and none of us can drive without an adult.**


So, I've just been putting my clips together, mainly trying to get a good variety of angles as well. After I put everything together, then I'll put the special effects in.


Rendering's done!! Back to editing!

Fantastical Newborn Discovery of Epic Proportions

I found something new! And it's magical!
I found a website where you can download free special effects! YAY! Isn't that exciting? I feel like I've stumbled upon the door to Narnia! 


These effects are free to download and can be used in Final Cut Express. Unfortunately, they do not come with sound. But they are free. I think it balances out. I've put the link in my side bar but I've also copied and pasted it at the bottom of this entry. I've already downloaded a couple of the effects and I haven't contracted any sort of STI of the internet so I think that it's safe. Basically, the website is made to supply people with free effects. Clearly this website was sent to make me happy. And it's doing a fantastic job!


Today, I've basically been exploring all of the effects that I can use. It helps to be aware of what I can add into my video before filming day. (Film day is on Monday, by the way.) That way I can relax about adding these things in on the actual day of filming. I've found a dust effect, some fire to throw at my characters and I may even add some rain. All in all, it looks to be pretty promising.


Update: Just realized that i forgot to put up the link. Here it is:
http://www.detonationfilms.com/Stock_Directory.html

Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting ...a Fever

I have some unfortunate news. I know, that's a horrible way to start a post. 


Okay, I was planning my filming day to be on Saturday. I had the script and shot list done and ready. My actors were ready to meet me in the morning. I had my props ready and my camera. 


And then, Friday night, an obstacle arose. I came down with a fever. Now, I am pretty accustomed to getting fevers. I pretty much get them whenever I'm sick. So, when it was Friday night and I had a fever of 39 degrees, I sort of brushed it off. I can still usually function with a fever, maybe not very well, but I felt that I could push myself. However, it got worse. I was up all night tossing and turning and completely delirious. I woke up with a fever of 40.7 degrees. I had slurred speech and I couldn't even walk. So, safe to say, I did not film on Saturday. My fever only broke yesterday so filming was out then as well. 


This week, we have a long weekend. I plan to get my filming done on Friday or Monday. Then I'll have footage ready by the time school restarts. However. I did bring a couple of short clips to experiment on today. They're not pertinent to the actual film but they will give me some practice with final cut.

With the actual film editing underway, posts will become more frequent. I will actually give detail about what I'm doing and the process as a whole. Today, I'll be watching the tutorials. These helpful tutorials are available on my side bar if anyone else wishes to learn.

Now let's see if I covered everything: fever, upcoming filming day and tutorials. Yeah, that's them all covered. Until next time!

Shot List is Done!

So, for those of you well versed in the filming process, you understand what I mean when I say shot list. For the others, here's an explanation:

Essentially, I wrote out the order of which I intend to film my scenes. I've also documented the props that I'll be needing for each scene, as well as the camera angles I intend to use. This is going to be sent to my actors in order to better prepare them for film day.

I also e-mailed my actors the script and the shot list. We'll be starting filming early in the morning. And hopefully I can have my filming done by next week. Then, I shall finally commence the process of editing.

Plot is Done!

Hola! 
I've finally developed my plot! Yay! (Insert applause here.)


 Essentially, my story will be set in the middle of an apocalypse. I will follow the story of two siblings, Alex and Elle. Basically, Alex becomes trapped in a rock fall and Elle has to save him. (Unbeknownst to them, the world is ending and chances are that they would die anyway. But I digress.) Anyway, Elle has to save Alex before he asphyxiates and she spends quite a lot of time running. So, there will be lots of footage of Elle running determinedly while Alex hyperventilates. (Did I mention that he's claustrophobic?) 


*SPOILER ALERT* The end is depressing...because they both die. I dislike happy endings greatly so....yeah.


Basically, I've written my script, my footage will be ready after the weekend and then I can hopefully begin editing/adding special effects.


I know this isn't very long but an update was needed. And also, I haven't done much so there isn't anything to show you. I'd present the script but I don't want to give anything away. That's a lie. I've already stated the plot. I'm just lazy.