Here is my final opening and creative critical reflections!
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1YvtpuCR2CeEZ3QREnbKnev-nOJKHTtio?usp=sharing
Citations:
Shary, Timothy. Generation Multiplex: The Image of Youth in Contemporary American Cinema. University of Texas Press, 2002.
Grant, Barry Keith, editor. Film Genre Reader IV. University of Texas Press, 2012
Thank god this project is over. Not to say it wasn’t informational or interesting to learn, however as a person who tends to struggle with hard deadlines and being creative… it wasn’t my favorite. Making movies is really hard, coming up with an attainable yet a creative idea was really difficult, scripting and planning everything out was difficult, filming alone and having to beg friends to let me film them was difficult, and editing alone in my bedroom at 11pm while switching between tabs to do math homework was really difficult. Something interesting was learning a lot about genres and filmmaking through my initial research for this project. Sorting through different films that fit my genre and seeing what they had in common or what they did differently to incorporate into my own work was more fun than I expected. I really enjoyed learning about the conventions of coming-of-age film and more of the filmmaking process.
Now, do I think my project lived up to my inspirations or what I hoped? Honestly, no. As I said, I had a very difficult time with this project especially in terms of deadlines and scheduling. As a highschool student with multiple extracurriculars, a job, homework from other classes, family obligations, tutoring, etc. I felt very overwhelmed by this project. I’ve come to realize that this is a common feeling in the filmmaking industry and even though I’ve considered going into the industry before, this has taught me that I might not be cut out for it. I definitely shot myself in the foot a little when it came to taking on the project alone, but thats just how things worked out. I will say, I feel a sense of pride that I was able to create something using my cellphone, my iPad, and pure willpower.
Overall, I am incredibly relieved to not have this project hanging over my head any longer, it was driving me crazy. It taught me many things about creating movies and a few things about myself. For example, I have a lot more fun analyzing and taking notes on movies than creating them myself.
“How Does your Product Engage with Audiences and How Would it be Distributed as a Real Media Text?”
Being a coming-of-age film and focusing on a teenage protagonist, my main demographic is teenagers themselves. I hoped to connect with this demographic through the common themes of insecurity and desire to belong in high school. The film is also set in many familiar locations for this demographic such as school and home. I chose this target demographic as it felt the most familiar to me and the types of films I usually enjoy, not to mention being part of it myself. I hope that any teenagers that see it may be able to resonate with my project even a little bit and feel they can relate to Jane and her struggles.
In terms of distribution, it would obviously be difficult due to my lack of budget or general connections. However, there are possible avenues for indie film creators out there. For example, SVOD or AVOD, Subscription or Advertising-Based Video on Demand. Now, getting picked up by Netflix or Amazon Prime is a bit too ambitious for me, but smaller services such as Mubi or Fandor that focus specifically on indie films could be an option to consider. Many young adults utilize platforms such as these to access films as they are much less expensive and often contain some hidden gems in terms of films. These websites could provide wide spread reach for my film if enough people on these websites watch and promote it.
Another route to look into would be trying to sell the rights to my film through sales agents or film festivals. Getting in touch with a small sales agent would be useful to contact distributors and negotiate deals on my behalf. Film Festivals such as Sundance or Florida Film Festival are also incredibly useful for a small filmmaker like myself trying to attract the attention of distributors.
Happy Monday, readers! As we enter the second to last week of my project, it’s time to seriously consider my CCR or Creative Critical Reflection. My teacher recommended to keep in within the theme of my project and relate it somehow, so thats what I plan to do.
For my first idea, I thought I would take directly from my own work, an alternate self. In the project, I would dressed in more relaxed style clothes, maybe pretending to edit my project. Then, my better, more beautiful self would appear to ask what I was doing and begin to question me on my project following AICE questions. I want to start writing my CCR script as I edit my project so I can put it together pretty quickly. I think this idea works because it’s relatively simple but can still be made interesting or funny depending on how it comes together in scripting.
My second idea is a little bit less project related and more celebrity interview style. Personally, I love watching a good cast interview on YouTube after I get into a show. I’ve seen many of stars doing activities or playing games while being asked questions and I think it seems relatively easy to achieve. One of my favorite hobbies is baking and it inspired me to create a cooking show style interview where I make cookies or brownies as I answer my AICE questions. I could simply use my own kitchen and talk while I work, making it easy editing and scripting-wise but not just staring at the camera and talking. Plus I could eat whatever I made at the end.
My last idea is kind of a backup plan in the case that one of my others becomes too inconvenient. This idea is a presentation style using voiceover, a powerpoint or Canva project, and BTS photos. However, this is the least likely for me to pick as I find putting together presentations like that very boring to do and even more boring to watch. I only see myself doing this if I can’t film myself for some reason or run out of time to edit the video.
“How Does your Product Use or Challenge Conventions and How Does it Represent Social Groups or Issues?’
Coming-of-age films are typically defined by their focus on personal growth, identity, and the emotional struggles that come with adolescence. As Timothy Shary explains, the genre centers on young people navigating social pressures, peer relationships, and the transition toward maturity (Shary, 2002). Common conventions include a teenage protagonist, school settings, themes of belonging, insecurity, and self-discovery, and narratives that prioritize character development over action. My film, Another Me, follows these conventions by focusing on Jane, a teenage girl who feels isolated and longs to fit in. The use of high school hallways, bedroom spaces, and social dynamics reflects familiar genre settings, while the emphasis on her internal conflict aligns closely with traditional coming-of-age storytelling.
However, my project also challenges certain conventions through its stylistic choices. Instead of relying heavily on dialogue or realistic confrontation, I chose to externalize Jane’s insecurity through hallucinations of an alternate, more “perfect” version of herself. While the genre often presents internal struggle through subtle performance or voiceover, Another Me uses surreal imagery to visually represent comparison and envy. This approach still supports the core convention of exploring identity and growth, but presents it in a more psychological and symbolic way. Even though the opening does not show full character transformation, it clearly establishes the emotional conflict that will drive that growth.
In terms of representation, the project focuses on teenage girls and the social issue of comparison and belonging. Adolescence is frequently portrayed as a time of insecurity, especially within school environments and digital culture. By showing Jane receiving a single advertisement notification while her alternate self appears socially connected and admired, the film reflects how modern teenagers may measure their worth through popularity and validation. Rather than presenting teenage girls as shallow or stereotypical, the film represents them as emotionally complex individuals navigating self-doubt and desire for acceptance. Overall, Another Me reinforces the coming-of-age genre’s focus on identity while offering a visual representation of the psychological pressures young people face today.
Works Cited
Shary, Timothy. Generation Multiplex: The Image of Youth in Contemporary American Cinema. University of Texas Press, 2002.
Grant, Barry Keith, editor. Film Genre Reader IV. University of Texas Press, 2012.
Hi, welcome to the first day of project post production! For this step of my process I’ve decided to utilize Premier Pro editing software as I have some experience with it in the past. The first step was putting all of my clips into my timeline in the correct order and adjusting the timing to work cohesively. Next was taking all of the saved audio files I collected during my planning process and inserting them into my footage. I played with the timing for a few minutes to make sure everything lined up well before moving on. I added some non copyright music in the background of the project to add to the tone provide some depth. Next I want to do something interesting with filters on top of my footage to show the very stark difference between my “two” characters. Almost like even the sun shines brighter on alternate Jane.
Hello and welcome back to the blog. I’m not going to lie here, this was a very tough week for me and my project. Between scheduling issues with filming, my main actress dropping the project, and major script rewrites due to inconvenience of filming location, we’ve had better. However, we persevere none the less. I’ve officially recast Jane and plan to get my new actress in front of the camera ASAP. The plan for today is as follows: stay late after school to film hallway and classroom scenes, head to a friend’s house to film scenes taking place in Jane’s house, film car scenes on the way home. Pretty straightforward I think.
After that all I need to do is film alternate Jane’s much more exciting life. Lucky for me, the same friend whose house I will be at today is throwing a party tomorrow night and both my actress and myself will be there. Perfect opportunity to film. Photos of BTS and filming process will be linked below, have a look!
