Editing Adventures: Using the Vintage Vibe

Hey blog! Today I will be discussing the way we will be editing our footage.

Reason for Vintage Filter

Let’s dive into the world of color and filters in our editing process! Our main focus is on using a vintage filter to really bring out that 70s vibe in our film. While some of our scenery and props already give off those 70s vibes, we wanted to make sure it's absolutely clear to the audience. That's why my partner and I decided to use a vintage filter—to enhance the overall aesthetic and make everything pop in the right way. It’s a fun way to ensure that our film feels authentically retro.

Movies That Use Vintage Filter

When it comes to movies that nail the vintage filter look, two great examples come to mind.

First up, we have Clueless. Even though it's a 90s classic, the use of color and style gives it a nostalgic, almost timeless feel. The soft, warm tones and slightly faded look really add to the charm.

This is a perfect example of the type of lighting/ look I am going for. All our footage doesn't look like this so we're trying our best to utilize the filters. 

Another example is The Virgin Suicides. This film uses a similar vintage filter to create a dreamy, nostalgic atmosphere that perfectly captures the era it's set in. The subtle color grading and filters make the scenes feel like you're looking through the past.

Challenges in Applying Filters

Of course, applying the vintage filter isn't going to be without its challenges. One of the main difficulties we've faced is ensuring that the filter doesn't overpower the scenes. We want the filter to enhance the footage, not distract from it. In Adobe Premiere, we're trying to adjust the hues, saturation, and brightness to get the perfect vintage look. 

Another challenge is consistency. We have to make sure that the filter looks the same across all the scenes, which can be tricky given the different lighting conditions we filmed in. But we're confident that with careful adjustments, we can achieve the look we're going for.

Adobe Premiere's own website explaining how to change the filter and lighting. This really helped me understand what I need to cover next week with my partner when editing with my partner.

Conclusion

So, overall, while there have been some challenges, the use of a vintage filter is definitely helping us achieve the 70s vibe we envisioned for our film. We're still in the editing process, but we're making progress every day. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to perfect our film!

Editing Adventures: Overcoming Delays

Editing Tools and Resources

Hey blog!

Let’s talk editing tools! Our main focus for editing this project is Adobe Premiere, which is an absolute win since the school provides it for free. It’s such a great resource to have, especially for students like us who want professional level editing software without paying those crazy costs. Not to mention we learnt how to use it at school! We’re planning to dive in and make the most of it to bring our vision to life. Honestly, just having access to Adobe Premiere makes the entire editing process way easier!

The Adobe Premiere app that our school provides for free.

Organizing Videos: The Folder That Saves Everything

Okay, so here’s something you need to know about me—I’m VERY disorganized, like, chaos-level disorganized. So, before I even touched Adobe Premiere, I created a folder to store all of our videos. Trust me, without that folder, it would’ve been insanity trying to find all the clips we needed. Now everything is in one place, which makes it so much easier to stay on track with editing (or at least try to, LOL).

My folder that contains all my files from our days of filming.

Delays in Editing and Adjusting the Timeline

Now here’s where things get a little tricky. Due to the huge problem of my partner having to go to India for a week and a half, we obviously couldn’t start editing right away. This delay pushed back our timeline, but no worries—we’ll still be finishing editing by next week! We’ve been making sure to use our time wisely by working on the CCR alongside editing, so we’re not falling behind.

Conclusion

So, overall, the editing process hasn’t been without its challenges (timeline delays and disorganization), but we’re getting there! Between Adobe Premiere, my video folder, and proper communication with my partner, I feel confident we’re on track to deliver something we’re proud of. Stay tuned for updates as we get closer to wrapping it all up!

Lights, Camera...Challenges: The Adventures of Days 2 & 3 Filming

Hey blog!! I'm going to recap over our shooting process and include fun little clips to really bring the process to life.

 Day 2 of Filming (Wednesday, 3/5/25)

Day 2 Revision

So, Wednesday was officially Day 2 of filming! We started with the scene where Ethan finds the "help wanted" poster and follows it all the way to Lilly's house. This shoot actually took us two hours because we were overshooting everything to make editing later so much easier. 

Golden Hour Problems: Lighting Challenges

Anyway, we used an iPhone camera to film, and it was going great until golden hour. And let me just say, golden hour can be a blessing, but also... a bit of a problem. The lighting changed so drastically that we had to call it a wrap earlier than planned. School gets out around 3, but unfortunately, we all had other commitments that day, so there just wasn’t enough time to continue. Oh, and to top it off, another problem popped up. Since we’re heavily relying on our actors, it’s been hard to figure out a filming schedule that works for everyone. Our actors aren’t available on the weekend and most of next week. 

Thankfully, after some back-and-forth, we settled on Friday for Day 3 of filming!

This picture beautifully shows the perfect lighting of golden hour that created a serene environment. 

Small clip from filming of Ethan walking towards the "help wanted" poster!

This is a clip of the close up we did for the "help wanted" poster. We shot this poster from different angles just to see which one we want to use during editing.

The problem! The lighting was too different from when we were filming earlier in golden hour. We were going through frustration between the choice if we should continue filming despite the lighting being different.

Day 3 of Filming (Friday, 3/7/25)

Day 3 of Filming Recap

Friday was Day 3, but I wasn’t there! I had a super mandatory test after school that I couldn’t miss—it was decided months ago. If I tried to drive to my partners house after the test it would be already after sunset since the test was 3 hours long after school. Because of this, my partner had to handle filming all on their own. Our actors weren’t available any other day, so Friday was literally our only option to finish filming. Today, we filmed the rest of the opening with Lilly and Ethan's interactions and smaller details such as Lilly walking down the grand staircase that we couldn't fit into day 2. 

From what I’ve seen, my partner did an amazing job! I went through the footage afterward, and I’m really happy with how everything turned out. 

Small clip of one of our films with a closeup of Lilly looking at Ethan.

Lilly looking at the garden which is one of the scenes we need for the opening.

This clip is supposed to portray the "magical" moment when Lilly walks down the stairs and meets Ethan for the first time. My partner took several shots of this to make editing easier!

What We Learned from Day 3

If there’s one thing this process has taught me, it’s that difficulties will always arise, but with proper and efficient decision-making, they can always be solved. Whether it’s adjusting schedules, relying on teamwork, or making the best out of the time we have, there’s always a way forward. I definitely feel more confident handling setbacks now, knowing we can adapt and stay on track no matter what.

CCR #1

Hey blog!

It’s time for another project—yay! The CCR!!! The first question we need to tackle is: How does your product use or challenge conventions and ho

w does it represent social groups or issues? In this blog post, I’ll give you an overview of what I plan to discuss and how I’m going to approach this question. I’ll script the detailed answer later on.

Challenging Conventions in My 70s Film

Our film takes place in the fabulous 70s, where disco and bell-bottoms were popular. But instead of following the typical film conventions of that era, our film takes a different path. Our protagonist, Lilly, is not your average 70s damsel in distress. She’s strong, independent. While many 70s films showcased women in traditional roles, Lilly is out there breaking barriers and challenging stereotypes.

Our film aims to represent the shift in social dynamics that started gaining momentum in the 70s. Women were stepping out of the shadows and making their mark, and we wanted Lilly to embody that spirit. She’s not waiting for a man to save her—she’s the hero of her own story. However, she in a way conforms to the damsel in distress due to the wealthy lavish life she lives. She is always sheltered and doesn't experience much danger. Therefore, I envision later in the film she will break out of this shell.

Web's Most Searched Questions Format

To make this CCR more engaging, I’ve decided to present it in the style of the Web's Most Searched Questions format. This means I’ll be asking and answering a series of little questions related to my film to effortlessly tackle the main question. Creating a fun board and setting it up has been an absolute blast.

Imagine a colorful board with questions like: "Why does Lilly not conform to normal norm and in what ways does she?", "How did the 70s influence the film's aesthetics?", and "What social issues does the film address?" By breaking down the big question into bite-sized pieces, I can cover all the important points in a fun and interactive way. Plus, it gives me a chance to add some humor and personality to my answers.

I also want the background to be totally white like the celebrities surroundings when they are answering the questions to replicate it better.

Perfect example of what I am aiming for. I want to and create the board to answer my own questions. I will probably make a board full of questions next week.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this CCR isn’t just about answering a question—it’s about reflecting on the creative choices and how they resonate with the audience. By challenging conventions and representing a strong, independent female lead, we hope to bring a fresh perspective to the 70s era. I’m really looking forward to scripting this out and seeing how it all comes together.

Day 1 of Filming: Feeling the Vibes and Envisioning the Set

Hey blog! Thankfully, my partner is back!!! We didn't actually start filming yet (because of the problem discussed earlier), but we did some "feeling the area" and envisioning how everything will look. We took videos of her house, and we brought all our props to place it down and get a sense of the space. Let's dive into the details!

Feeling the Area

We wanted to get a feel for the space and see how our set design would come together. We took some videos and pictures of the house, and we started putting where everything would go. It was more about getting a sense of the vibe and making sure our vision aligns with the space.

This image and the one above it showcases the location of our first scene. This will be the area where Ethan finds the "help wanted" poster.

This video explores the scenery around the mansion. The plants and the nature all around the house is perfect for filming. Since our last few scenes occur at the garden, we will be utilizing this area.

Front view of the house. perfect spot for our scenes with its architecture and spacious layout.

Lilly will be walking down from this elegant, curved wooden staircase. It features dark wooden steps and railings creating a visually appealing focal point in the room. Perfect for capturing those 70s vibes!

The front door of the house where an elderly couple will open it and welcome Ethan. This spot sets the perfect welcoming tone for our scenes.

Ethan's bedroom, where he'll look at Lilly in the garden through the window. The spacious room with beige walls and white shutters creates the perfect setting for a heartfelt scene.

Setting the Scene

We brought all our props and set pieces to the house and placed them around to see how they fit. It was like a mini dress rehearsal for our set design. We wanted to make sure everything looked perfect before we started filming for real.

Challenges and Solutions

Of course, there were some challenges. For example, we realized that some of the furniture didn't quite fit the way we imagined. But no worries! We moved things around and made adjustments until everything looked just right. It was all about being flexible and creative.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a productive day of feeling the area and envisioning our set design. We're excited to start filming soon and bring our 70s rom-com to life. Stay tuned for more updates!