AICE Media Studies

      Today was the first day of filming. Two days prior, I spent time creating and developing a computer generated voice over to narrate the commercial as well as downloading the music and sounds effects that I would add in editing. Anyways, I went to my planned setting, which was the courtyard outside the cafeteria. However, the sun casted a large shadow over, so I had to move west to offset the sunlight and create a clear, bright set. I started by taking my fruits, which included one nectarine, since they are larger and shine more than a peach, one kiwi, and two strawberries. I set them down for the planned medium shot and got good footage of them. This was the most straightforward and simple scene. I used automatic presets installed to zoom out with the tap of one button. It was here that I realized I did not have a stabilizer for my phone, and that it would be best to shoot in landscape mode to allow for easy automatic zooms. Regardless, I tried to keep my hand as st...

      Since September 24, I have been working on this commercial project independently. I am also currently creating a storyboard for my commercial. To do this, I would have to make a series of drawing and descriptions for every. Every picture and description would represent 6 seconds of the commercial. This means I would have to do 5 to encompass the entire video. I began by drawing an intro of the fruit resting on a table at a medium distance shot. I would make sure to include a voice over advertising the fruits before linking it to Snapple. Secondly, I thought of doing a zoom out to include all of my props (the produce and the corresponding drinks) in the shot. Maybe here is where I will add a suspenseful sound effect to bring more tension and uncertainty up until this point. Next, I will begin a cinematic compilation of different shots and angles. For this, I think it will give the best dramatic effect if it is edited in slow motion. Doing this can also highlight drop...

 Planning Blog         Props         For our Snapple commercial, our props will be the fruits from the corresponding flavors of the unique teas and other beverages. For some easily accessible fruits, it was decided on peaches, lemons, oranges, and apples. We might also add some new produce depending on whatever other flavors we choose to add. Our other props would include the beverages themselves, along with chilled glasses or other containers.         Costumes          Since the focus and subjects of the commercial would be the fruits themselves, we thought to refrain from adding costumes to the inanimate objects apart from light activewear one of us would be wearing for a few seconds. We would be adding things such as water droplets on our fruit props to imitate perspiration to personify them as actors and show emotion. It would not make sense to give the fruit clothing, as it migh...

 Research: Commercial Conventions and Codes     Mana and I are choosing to create a commercial for Snapple. Even just the prospect of cold, refreshing, and energizing iced tea can be tantalizing for many. We think this will especially resonate among young people in South Florida's hot, humid climate. After doing some research on the different types of commercials for cold drinks and drinks in general, we noticed that they had some similar characteristics. Most of the commercials don't include major acting roles from humans in them. Most of them have simple voice overs and narration over the video.     The drinks are usually in clear glasses (except for the branding on them) or plastic containers to show transparency of the beverage and highlight the rich, solid color. They are usually filmed on a monochromatic set that highlights the color of the drink. Drink advertisements are also heavily edited, with many different changes in playbacks speeds to make the drin...

  Group Blog     Although I mentioned that I would probably be working by myself on this blog, it seems that I will be collaborating with Mana-Kenichi Itchener. He is another 10th grader who shares the same period as I.  Both of us care about the class and the quality of work we produce. This should create a strong dynamic that leaves us evenly sharing the workload. This duo has a lot of future potential and it all started since we sit next to each other in class. After conversation and brief planning for the class, it seems like we have similar goals for the procedures and final outcome of the project. For example, we both want to have a commercial that has minimal props and certain conditions for the set, but will highlight many of the new editing terms we learned and camera the camera shots and movement. Neither of us have firsthand experience with directly filming. However, we both have open minds and are willing to learn as much as we can. I happen to had s...

Intro Blog      Well, well, well... A seemingly encumbering weight has just been dropped from the ceiling onto my spine. My name is Alec Zamudio and I am a 10th grader taking AICE Media Studies AS. My first thoughts of the class was that would be slow-paced and very introductive class, but I soon learned that this would be a hands-on class where we learn by completing various projects that tested our knowledge of "media studies." In a very fast-paced class today, we were introduced to making or blogs to begin our first project. We must make a 30 sec commercial that we design, script, film, and edit. I was very intrigued by these commercials, they were well composed and executed. Even the camera quality was amazing, capturing rays of light and droplets of water at very appealing resolutions. Even the editing looked professional, making an ad that truly "flowed" and was easy to follow. Apart from the lighting and set, there were not that many noticeable flaws with the...