First Draft of Plot

 Plot:

The opening shot of the film is a panoramic view of the lush green mountains of Colombia. The camera then zooms into a hacienda, where we see Don Toro, a notorious narco lord, counting his stacks of cash. His trusted henchman, Pablito, is by his side.

As they discuss their latest drug deal, they receive news that Don Mateo, a rival drug lord, has taken over one of their warehouses. Don Toro is furious and decides to launch a full-scale attack on Don Mateo's empire. Pablito is tasked with gathering their army of hitmen and mercenaries.

The film then cuts to Don Mateo, who is also counting his cash in a luxurious villa. His right-hand man, El Chivo, informs him of Don Toro's impending attack. Don Mateo is unfazed and orders his men to prepare for battle.

The scene ends with Don Toro and Don Mateo preparing for a bloody turf war, and Pablito and El Chivo readying their respective armies.

Planning Process and Progress on Cambridge Portfolio Project

 

Today, I wanted to share my progress so far on my Cambridge portfolio project. I am working on this project with a group, and we are still in the very early stages of the planning process. We are brainstorming ideas, trying to figure out exactly what we want to do and how we want to do it.

First, we sat down as a group and talked about the project requirements, and then we started brainstorming ideas for the film opening. We discussed different genres, styles, and themes, and tried to find something that we were all interested in and excited about. We also talked about what resources we have available to us, including equipment, locations, and props.

After our initial brainstorming session, we started doing some research to gather more inspiration and ideas. We watched different film openings to see what worked well and what didn't, and we read articles and blogs about the process of creating a film opening. We also looked for examples of successful student film projects to get an idea of what is possible and what we should be aiming for.

Now that we have some ideas and inspiration, we are starting to plan out the details of our project. We are working on developing a story, creating a script, and mapping out the shots we want to include in our film opening. We are also discussing what roles each group member will take on, and we are starting to assign tasks.

We are taking our time with the planning process because we want to make sure that we create a project that we are all proud of. We know that this project will require a lot of work, but we are excited about the challenge and the opportunity to create something that showcases our skills and creativity.

The planning process for our Cambridge portfolio project is still in the early stages, but we are making progress. We have brainstormed ideas, gathered inspiration, and started to plan out the details of our project. 

Fonts in Media

 Fonts are an essential part of visual communication and play a crucial role in creating a strong brand identity. They are used everywhere, from the signs on the streets to the ads in magazines, and even in the movies we watch. In this blog post, I will explore the importance of font usage in media, especially films, film advertisements, posters, and brands.

Films:

Fonts are an essential part of the movie industry, and they play a vital role in creating the mood and atmosphere of a film. Whether it is an action-packed thriller or a romantic comedy, the font used in the film's titles and credits can convey a lot about the movie's theme and style.

For example, the font used in the titles of a horror movie is often spooky and eerie, with jagged edges and dripping letters. On the other hand, a romantic comedy movie's font is usually whimsical and playful, with rounded edges and soft colors. The right font can create a strong connection with the audience and make the movie more memorable.

Film Advertisements and Posters:

In film advertising and posters, fonts are just as important as the visuals. The font used can make or break the design of an advertisement or poster. The right font can attract the audience's attention, create a strong impression, and convey the movie's message effectively.

For example, the font used in the poster for the movie "Jaws" is simple and bold, with the letter "J" forming the shape of a shark. This font choice effectively captures the film's essence and creates a sense of anticipation and excitement in the audience. Similarly, the poster for "Star Wars" uses a unique, futuristic font that has become synonymous with the franchise and instantly recognizable to fans worldwide.

Company logos:

When it comes to branding, font usage is crucial. A well-designed font can create a unique identity for a brand, making it instantly recognizable to customers. The right font choice can convey the brand's personality, values, and message effectively.

For example, Marvel's iconic logo is instantly recognizable worldwide. The font used in the logo is unique and easily associated with the company. The use of the big capitalized white letters on top of the red background make the logo stand out easily as well as fit the superhero theme.

In conclusion, font usage is a crucial element of visual communication, especially in media such as films, film advertisements, posters, and branding. The right font choice can make a significant impact, creating a strong connection with the audience and effectively conveying a message. As such, it is crucial to choose the right font carefully, taking into consideration the theme, style, and personality of the brand or movie.

Genre research: crime for Cambridge portfolio project

 What is crime and gangster?

Crime and gangster movies focus on gangs and organized crime. They follow the acts of people breaking the law. Although it seems strange that people would want to promote unlawful activities most people find crime and the life of criminals to be extremely compelling. In other instances people find catching a criminal to be even more satisfying.

Content:

Creating suspense is extremely important especially in crime movies focusing on a murder mystery. The audience has to be kept on the edge of their seat at all times waiting to know what will happen. Suspense usually arises from some sort of conflict. A question might be asked such as “who is the murderer” and this creates tension.

Ex. Throughout most of the movie Se7ven know that there is a serial killer but we don't know who it is. A large part of the movie focuses on trying to figure out who is killing all these people. The movie uses this question on ‘who?’ to their advantage by making an investigation which is extremely intriguing.

“Red Herrings” is another technique that is frequently used in crime and gangster movies. Red herrings are clues that intentionally mislead people. Having multiple red herrings creates suspense and keeps the audience guessing. It misleads people down the wrong path.

Ex. Shutter Island is a great example of a red herring being used to keep that audience guessing and create suspense. Throughout most of the film people are led to believe that Ted is an actual detective investigating a disappearance of a patient in the island. Teddy believes that the doctors are using unethical and radical treatments on their patients, but it turns out that Teddy isnt an actual detective and he is a delusional killer. There are multiple red herrings in this movie and listing them all would take pages of writing.

Foreshadowing is another big technique used in crime and gangster films. It involves suggestions of things that may or may not happen. Just like red herrings they can be misleading, but they can also suggest what will actually happen. Foreshadowing can also be used to create atmosphere and mood.

Ex. When Andy Dusfrene suggests his idea to Red about escaping prison and moving to Mexico Red brushes it off as being “a sh**ty pipe dream”. Sure enough Andy would end up escaping Shawshank prison through a sh*t pipe.

Production techniques:

Some camera techniques that are important in crime and gangster films are high and low angle shots. These shots are used to make the characters look big and powerful. Its important to use these shots because making them look this way is exactly what a crime film needs. Low angle shots represent a character having power and authority. High angle shots show a character being vulnerable and typically in a bad situation.

Another camera technique that is frequently used is close up and extreme close ups. These shots are used to show a characters expressions in a given situation and help the audience understand what he is thinking or feeling through another way which isn't dialogue.

Some crime and gangster films to consider watching:

The Godfather

Goodfellas

Scarface

Breaking Bad

Better Call Saul

Peaky Blinders

The Irishman

Heat

The untouchables

The Sopranos

Pablo Escobar: El Patron Del Mal

El Señor De Los Cielos

American Psycho 

Genre Research: Music Marketing #2

The research phase of the project was crucial to our understanding of the target audience, who were mainly fans of alternative rock and electronic music. We also looked at the music video trends in the industry, as well as the distribution methods used by popular music artists. This research gave us a solid foundation to build our marketing campaign on.

After the research phase, we started the brainstorming and planning process. Our main goal was to create a visually appealing music video that would resonate with the target audience. We discussed the concept of the splitscreen and the racing theme, as well as the visual elements we wanted to include in the video. We also came up with a plan for the marketing campaign, which included social media marketing, influencer partnerships, and collaboration with music streaming platforms.

The production phase of the project was time-consuming but rewarding. We worked on the video many days to bring our vision to life. The proccess of filming the video was challenging as the only filming equipment we had was our phones, and getting the right shots of the cars was very hard, but in the end we were able to figure it out. The editing process was also intensive, as we wanted to make sure the video was visually appealing and the story was told clearly.

After the production phase, we moved on to post-production. During this phase, we worked on the final editing, color correction, and sound mixing. We also added special effects and animations to enhance the overall visual appeal of the video. Finally, we added the song Sail by Awolnation to the video and created the final product.

The presentation phase was the most exciting part of the project, as we got to share our work with our class and recieve feedback on our creation. Our marketing campaign was a success, and the video received a lot of positive feedback from our peers.

Reflecting on the project as a whole, I learned that the key to a successful music marketing project is thorough research and a well-thought-out marketing plan. I also learned the importance of collaboration, as working as a team was crucial to the success of the project. The skills I developed during this project, such as project management, teamwork, and creativity, will be valuable in future projects and will help me in developing my Cambridge portfolio.