Social Media

 Hey!, I'm not sure if I ever mentioned the idea of possibly creating social media for my short film, but I went ahead and did it. I just made an account on Instagram for my short film "Demise Of Man", and I will be using it as my main platform for all content about my piece. 

Here is the first post of the Instagram, I made the profile picture my official title card because it seemed to be the most fitting for my taste, and since I see many other social media pages based on productions utilize either a shot of a character or the logo. I feel like my logo gives off the clean, simplistic look that represents the costuming of the characters as well as blending into the aesthetic Instagram post vibe. 

For my next posts, I plan to upload certain shots of my short film as I'm in the filming process, it would give my audience a gist of what the film will look like visually as well as show them glimpses of what they're going to expect when viewing my film. Here's an account that I researched when planning the layout of my Instagram page. 

Yes, it's another peaky blinder reference, I know (I love this show so much), anyways, I enjoy how they post stills of characters as well as iconic clips from their production, which increases engagement with their target audiences as well as attracts new ones, making this a successful Instagram page due to it's wide following and reputation as a show. 

Sooner or Later, I'll make an update of my Instagram page when everything is all said and done, there will be many more posts to come!

Title!

Hey! so I've finally come up with a name for my short film! I think I teased it in previous posts, but I never officially announced it.

The title is "Demise of Man"

I think the title works perfectly with the story, it provides a metaphorical symbol as well as clearly states what the film will showcase, the demise of a man. Draco is a man who the audiences witness a man in a great sense of distress and loss of direction, ultimately, it's the business he's in which eventually leads to his ultimate dismay.  I've figured out what the title will look like as well. Here's a canva screenshot of how the title card would look. 

I think this fits with the atmosphere of my story quite well (I would send a zoomed-in version of the title but Blogger not letting me) anyway I do think this is the perfect style for what I'm going for. Black and white are the most prevalent colors during the production, also the story just doesn't give reason to show off any exuberant colors for the title. I'm liking how it is right now, although I may make some tweaks in the future, I think it works as a solid title card. 

All in All, the title of "Demise of Man" fits my project perfectly and adds a metaphorical and literal sense to the story which I really like. 

Confirmed Cast (So Far)

Ok, so if you've been following my blog so far, you'll know that my production contains a big cast, most of whom will not have spoken lines but will still be present on screen, having an impact on the overall impetus of the story being told. 

First up, It's me! 

I will be playing the main protagonist of my short film, Draco, I've played a character in I think all the films I've produced in my aice media class, and this will be trend will be continued as I'm embarking on my last film in the class. This role is a HUGE acting job, which is something I'm heavily looking forward towards. The success of the short film is contingent on my performance as Draco, so I'll make sure that it's a role to remember. 

Second, my cinematographer, Alex Duque!

This is my cinematographer, Alex Duque, he has a GREAT background in film as he's a prominent member of CBTV and he has two Emmys to his name. I'm so glad that I got to do my cinematography with him as I know he'll help me get some great shots. 

Third, we have our Thommy, Logan Handley! 

Logan is a good friend of mine who I worked with in my last media, which was the movie trailer. We have a great connection on set and on camera, and I know he'll always be there to record. He only has a few lines as Draco really is the pinnacle of attention, but he still has a job to do. 

Lastly, I'm yet to gather all the guys I need for the production, I have three as of right now, I need three or four more, I'll be able to find them and when I do I'll make a blog post about that entire group of gang members. As for now, this will do. 

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Props Part 2

 Now, I said the last time I discussed blogs that I've probably decided on what I'm purchasing, in all honesty, I'm not really too sure, I haven't decided on whether I'm purchasing the actual prop gun or a nerf gun, and I haven't decided on if I'm buying herbal cigs or just borrowing my friends. 

This is a prop that I know for sure that I will be using in this production. Actually, I'll use a picture of me drinking out of one for a performance. 

Dewey in Legally Blonde

The point is, I plan to use a beer bottle for my production, feel like drinking is an essential part of Draco's life, and it's a very common thing in many gangster films in which the leading man always has some sort of alcohol impulse. I can definitely see myself placing it on the character's office table. 

The other prop I'll be using is an envelope, which will have a letter from Draco's mom, the letter has much text, but it zooms in on the words "Come back. I'm waiting for you", as these are his mother's words as he reveals it after the beating of his men by the other gang. The "Come back" is a slight reference to the movie atonement, in which a love letter is written with the words "Come back. I'm waiting for you" multiple times. 

The letter will look like this, nothing too complicated. 

For now, that's all I have to say regarding the props, these are the most important ones that will for sure be in use for my production. 

Confirmed Props!

 Hey! so, I realized I never did any prop list or confirmed props that I will be using for the production of my short film. Here are some of the props that I've ordered and expected to receive soon. 

Now I'll get probably the most jarring one out of the way first...

So originally, I was looking at this one since it looks as identical as a real gun could be, and it would be pretty effective for my project: only thing is that it's $20 without shipping, so I'm not really sure If I'll buy it. However, I do have an alternative...

My friend told me the idea of having a nerf gun and PAINTING it black! I was astounded because I genuinely do think that it's a great idea. It wouldn't be too noticeable as well since it's being shown from mostly wide shots. The only negative aspect of it is that it may not look as real as the first option, and I don't really have anything superficial, but we'll see in the upcoming days what my decision will end up being.

Another Prop I'm sure will be in use is fake herbal cigarettes, I'm still not sure if I'll end up using them but...

I'm not entirely sure If I'll be purchasing this, as I am unsure if my teacher would allow me to utilize for the making of a film, honestly, I don't think my parents would even approve of me using this for a film so it's very on the edge if I actually end up getting this or not. I really want the smoke to be a part of the product as it just feels so much more real, and I have cool cinematography ideas I could play with in utilizing this technique. 

To be honest, even if my teacher doesn't approve of herbal cigarettes, I could always use fake ones that I'll get from a friend or whatnot, which will probably be the safest and cheapest option. Me, I do want to have the real smoke appear in the film though, it just feels so much more realistic.

Anyways, I'll continue the prop usage discussion in part 2, as there's a lot to reveal in the prop department of my production. 

                                                                           

                                                

More Short Film Research

 So, the script is nearly done, there will probably be some slight changes in dialogue, but a script blog post will be coming up soon. 

For now, I did some more research on short films, particularly ones that have to do with gang violence or living in an unsatisfactory, inhumane environment. There were two I watched that I really enjoyed, and I think I can take some inspiration from them, especially the first one that I'll discuss now. 

This short film sends a very clear and strong message about the living conditions of suburban families compared to those in the hood. It focuses on the life of the same person but in two different lives, one is a smart and fun boy with a loving family while the other follows a boy in a dangerous household as his father is correlated with gang-related activities and they live in a hood area. The ending of the film displays a message of one trying to get out of the hood lifestyle while the other is entering it. Overall, the film is very well made due to its great direction and writing, assisted by great editing. For inspiration, I really liked the coloration used when showing the hood lifestyle and how demeaning it looks compared to a regular, middle-class lifestyle. I definitely feel as if I'll incorporate this element into my short film.

This short film (entitled SECOND CHANCE) is about a teenager coming out of juvenile detention, in this film, he meets up with his friend and drags him into the Latino gang lifestyle. The night of a meetup, his friend is fatally shot in a drive-by seemingly by a rival gang. The audience sees the boy grieve as his friend's death was initially caused by him. After, the gang leader provides him a second chance to walk away if this life isn't for him. What I enjoy about this short film are the quick editing techniques and the mise-en-scene, it shows the horrifying details of this gang very well. I intend to utilize these intricate details to make my short film really encapsulate the environment my character Draco is in. 

All in All, I really enjoy watching these short films, I somehow almost get new ideas every time I view one. 

Representation

 The representation of gangsters in the film is pretty much the same for most productions. They're seen as psychotic, violent, abusive, and guilty of committing heinous acts, but they get away with it every time. I'm going, to be honest; my production encompasses a lot of these traits. Not fully though, I intend to incorporate things not typically in use for gangster genre films.

To put things into context, here's a picture that displays some classic representations of gangsters in media. 

I'm definitely keeping the overuse of Cigarettes and the clothing, hair, and aesthetics. One thing I am changing though is the characterization of the characters themselves. In many gangster films, the main character or supporting characters are often seen as psychotic or mentally deranged in some way. Draco isn't like that, pretty sure most audiences will understand where he's coming from and can infer the reasoning for his reactions and general disparities.  I don't really know what type of character I would compare Draco to, as there isn't too much complexity displayed in this short film due to the run time. 

All in All, I am putting many of the stereotypes in place, the representation is pretty similar to what audiences are used to seeing in the gangster genre. I'm just aiming for a little higher sense of dramedy element as well as humane characterization.