Wednesday, July 31st
Written by Project Comms member Isaiah A.
Filmmaking Workshop
Project Comms was visited by Andrès Arias, a journalist, filmmaker, and post-production editor to break down storytelling and creative decisions that follow from the filmmaking process. Andrès showcased the many documentaries he’s worked on, such as The Boy From Medellin.
The Boy From Medellin
When watching the trailer, the music was mixed- sentimental and energetic. I felt that it was balanced between the harsh side of being a celebrity and the ecstatic energy that has to be brought out. Showing the two sides of that lifestyle got me emotional as I felt for J. Balvin, who had to perform throughout his struggles. The editing of the trailer does a great job with the back and forth of the two leaves, having quiet moments where Balvin speaks about him struggling, but then using his music as a motivation for him to continue to preserve. Andrès focused the workshop on the editing process of films, bringing clips from a trailer to form a timeline, and discussing the overall work put into editing with sound, effects, patience, creativity, and dedication.
Still-Frame Activity
Members engaged in a collaborative activity in which they organized printed still-frames from a black and white Snow White film called Blancanieves. Members arranged the frames in an order that was considered accurate for the film- without watching the trailer beforehand. The activity targeted teamwork, communication, and critical thinking, all necessities when working on films. Through this activity, members learned about the multiple steps that are part of creating and arranging a scene in a specific way that can have more of a dramatic impact on the audience. An example is when it exhibited an editing technique such as a match cut, when the camera zoomed into the bull’s eye, transitioning to Antonio’s eye as he passed. The use of the match cut in this scene creates a dramatic impact as we see a contrast between Vitalla and the bull as he lost his life in battle, while the bull was victorious. This brought me to the realization of why there are known editing techniques that are constantly utilized in films, it’s because of their success in creating suspense and drama.
Brimstone & Glory
Andrès illustrated that becoming involved in the entertainment world leaves a lasting influence on the audience, varying from positive, negative, and neutral. The beauty of filmmaking is creating an atmosphere that engages the audience in becoming involved in a world that was created or shown by the filmmaker. When Andrès shared Brimstone and Glory, towards the end of the trailer, the music started to build with suspense. I could remember chills running down my body as the music’s pace continued to increase and the vibrant colors in the shots were displayed before my eyes. I felt like I shouldn’t have looked away, not even for a second. I was hooked the whole time. In this moment I realized that filmmaking is a heavily creative field as it relies on a person’s interpretation and a subject’s manipulation to convey a message. Andrès demonstrated the complicated process filmmaking entails when it comes to communicating the director’s vision, specifically the editing aspect with music, sound fx, color, and arrangement of clips- all contributing factors to the effectiveness of a film’s emotional impact. This trailer showed that all these elements combined can create a sense of yearning as the build-up in the trailer develops desire and excitement within the audience.
Takeaways
Imagine being part of a story that visually takes an audience on a journey. This feeling thrives inside people, making them eager to go to a theater and allowing them to connect with family or friends to experience film. I enjoy the feeling of entering a theater and watching people’s hard work. A feeling unique to film; instead of one’s words being present only in imagination, film is the visual representation that takes words and brings them into reality. With this art form, film imbues emotions within oneself that are not comparable to other art forms. It brings multiple properties such as acting, color, setting, and many more that are involved across all the art forms. It is exciting. You become immersed in an artist’s work that is meant to be relatable, entertaining, and creative. Films have in some shape or form molded a person’s identity whether they know or not. It is an artistic expression that is eternal, and that will continue to influence a person’s perspective of life. With every great film, they will be seeing and feeling a different experience that is extraordinary.
Members’ Word-per-Minute Films
Andrès capped the workshop with an assignment: making a strictly 60-second-long film with no dialogue that explored one word chosen out of a hat. The assignment allowed members to apply and practice the film editing concepts and skills they learned with Andrès. The two groups’ words were ‘betrayal’ and ‘flight.’ Spending multiple days filming and re-filming at various spots, like Central Park, members honed their ability to find the best angles and shots to convey a story, learning how much work goes behind every second of a film. Then, the post-production team got to work. After countless hours editing scenes to smooth transitions and tweaking chosen or hand-scored music to fit their respective stories, members ultimately created two beautiful films: The Betrayal and Flight. We are so proud of Project Comms members for creating and showcasing these impressive films.