Final Cut

 

CCR Question One

How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?  

CCR Question Two

How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text? 

This TikTok was designed to promote the film and engage with its target audience effectively. By incorporating Billie Eilish's "My Future" once again, the video reinforces a thematic connection and aligns with the film’s tone. The strategic use of this song could also serve as a powerful marketing tool, helping to further elevate the film's appeal and resonate with viewers.   

CCR Question Three

 

CCR Question Four

 

Removing a Logo

In one of the shots, the logo on the jacket our actor is wearing is quite noticeable. Ideally, I would have preferred the jacket to be plain, but unfortunately, we didn't have an alternative option for him to wear. I was wondering if there might be a way to edit out the logo in post-production, as it could help minimize distractions and allow the audience to focus more on the script and the overall performance. 

Initially, I tried using the "Picsart AI Photo Editor" app, as it is designed for video editing. However, I couldn’t figure out how to remove the logo from the jacket. The app didn’t seem to offer any clear instructions or guidance on how to accomplish this task, which left me feeling a bit frustrated. After exploring the app’s features, I realized it wasn’t the right tool for this particular edit, so I decided to search for a more suitable app that could better meet my needs. 

Next, I gave the app "CutVibe: Video Object Eraser" a try. This app successfully removed the logo, and the result looked great at first glance. However, the downside was that the quality of the video in that shot noticeably deteriorated. It almost seemed like a strange filter had been applied, giving the footage an unnatural, altered look. To get a second opinion, I showed the edited video to my group, and everyone agreed that there was a clear difference in quality, compared to the rest of the footage. After discussing it, we came to the conclusion that it would be better to leave the logo visible in that shot rather than sacrifice the overall camera quality. Since the logo only appears in a single shot, we felt it wouldn’t detract too much from the result, and maintaining the video quality was more important. 

Before editing the shot:

After editing the shot: 

Using Voice Recordings

Today, I had our actors send in voice recordings of their lines for the shot that originally sounded more like background noise than dialogue. Fortunately, the stalker’s character doesn’t show frontality in this shot, meaning his mouth is not visible. This makes it relatively simple to overlay the voice recording since there’s no need for the dialogue to match his lip movements. 

However, the actress playing Eva does have a frontal shot in this scene, so we need to ensure that her voice recording aligns perfectly with her lip movements. To help with this, I sent her the specific shot and asked her to match the pace and rhythm of her original dialogue as closely as possible. I also sent the voice recordings to our editor, who will begin working on syncing them to the footage tomorrow. 

If, for any reason, Eva's audio doesn't align perfectly with her lip movements, we'll revert to using the original audio from the shoot for Eva. While this wouldn’t be an ideal solution, it wouldn’t be a huge issue, especially since the stalker’s voice is the one that is almost inaudible in the original clip. The audio from Eva can be worked with. We're prepared for both outcomes, and the priority is to make sure the scene feels seamless.  

Texts between the actor and I where he sends the voice recordings 

Making Sacrifices

We've been working hard to coordinate dates for reshooting certain parts of our film, but it’s proven to be quite challenging to get everyone on the same page. Unfortunately, our actress for Eva won’t be available for additional filming until after the final cut is due. This means that, while we initially hoped to reshoot some of the shots from the date scene, we will have to work with the footage we already have. To address the audio quality, we’ll be utilizing voice recordings to improve the sound during the date scene, ensuring it’s as clear and natural as possible. 

Detailed Planning

However, the scenes that felt the most awkward primarily involved our stalker character, so we’ve decided to focus our reshooting efforts on his scenes alone. Fortunately, we were able to find a date when our stalker actor is available for reshoots. That said, this is cutting it very close to the final deadline, so we’re under some pressure. We’ll need to make sure that we capture the shots exactly as we envision them, as this will be our last opportunity to film any new material. 

As the director, I’ve made sure that my team is fully aligned with how we want these new shots to look. We’ve had detailed discussions about the adjustments, with a particular focus on creating a seamless flow that will make the film feel cohesive. It’s crucial that these new shots don’t disrupt the overall pacing or tone of the film, so we’re all committed to getting it right and ensuring that the final product is as strong as it can be. With everyone on the same page, we’re confident that this reshoot will help smooth out the rough edges and make the film feel more fluid and intentional. 

Text I sent to my team about our next filming date

Incorporating the Music

In our film, the song My Future by Billie Eilish plays a pivotal role and could be considered both diegetic and non-diegetic music, depending on the context. In one scene, the stalker turns up the volume on his car radio, and the song gradually gets louder, clearly establishing that this is the music playing from the radio within the world of the film. This is a perfect example of diegetic music, as the characters within the story are aware of it, and it ties directly into the scene’s atmosphere. The act of turning up the radio amplifies the intensity of the moment, enhancing the character's eerie presence. 

However, the song plays beyond this specific moment in the film, before and after the radio shot. In these instances, the music becomes non-diegetic. Here, My Future serves to add to the emotional landscape of the film, guiding the audience’s experience rather than being a part of the characters’ world. The non-diegetic use of the song helps to create an emotional tone and adds layers of meaning to the scene. For example, it may emphasize a sense of foreshadowing as the music plays over moments that the characters themselves are unaware of, but which convey a deeper emotional or thematic undertone to the audience. 

By blending diegetic and non-diegetic elements, the song not only mirrors the stalker’s presence in the film but also acts as a subtle narrative tool to manipulate the emotional impact for the viewer. This layered approach allows the song to serve multiple functions—both as a part of the story's world and as an emotional cue for the audience, making it an effective and dynamic piece of music in the film. 

Shot from the film showing where the stalker turns up the music 

 

Watch it Again

One of the subtle yet intriguing details we included in the reflection shot was having the stalker positioned behind the car, just visible in the rearview mirror. It wasn’t easy to get the framing just right. We spent a lot of time adjusting the mirror and positioning our actor in a squat to ensure he was captured perfectly. It's a little moment in the film that might go unnoticed unless you’re paying close attention. 

While this detail isn’t explicitly highlighted in the narrative, it plays a significant role in adding to the tension and unease surrounding the stalker’s character. The fact that he texts Eva after this scene, letting her know he’s there, amplifies the creepiness and reinforces his unsettling presence. It’s a subtle touch that heightens the psychological atmosphere without drawing too much attention to itself. 

This is the kind of detail that could be discussed in a post-film breakdown, the kind of thing you’d see in a “things you missed” video.  I might incorporate it into my CCR. For example, during an interview with myself as the director, I could ask about these hidden details — things that viewers might not catch on their first watch, but which contribute to the overall mood and theme of the film. =This would work well for the question: "How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?" Audiences love it when a movie has layers for them to discover as they dive deeper into the story. 

Implementing the Reflection Shot

Our group was thrilled with how the reflection shot turned out – it was exactly what we had envisioned. As the director, I took a step back and trusted the cinematographer with the task of positioning the angle, while I focused on the shot in its entirety. What truly stood out to me was the beautiful sunset in the distance. It helped enhance the shot's overall aesthetic. 

I made sure to check in with the cinematographer to ensure that the chosen angle would perfectly frame the sunset. Initially, we had planned for the actress to mirror the pose in our reference image, with her arm raised. However, we quickly realized that this gesture obstructed the view of the sunset and diminished its impact. After some discussion, we decided to stray from the original inspiration and adjust the shot to keep the sunset as a focal point, which ultimately elevated the composition.  

The shot we used as inspiration 

Our shot