IN-CLASS PROJECTS

To prepare for this long journey, I have done plenty of personal and in-class projects to help me make a decision on which portfolio I will be creating. In this post, I will highlight my in-class projects throughout my time in AICE Media Studies, and how they have helped me make my decision.

AICE MEDIA AS - MUSIC VIDEO PROJECT

In AS level, I was tasked in a group to create a marketing campaign for a band we created. Given a rock band, we created "M'Lady," a royal-themed group that doesn't take themselves too seriously. We also created a music video to the song "The Man," all about an incompetent king who spreads chaos everywhere he goes. Getting props and filming was my favorite part of this entire process: we got a robe, crown, and even a money gun that Logan had way too much fun with.

This task prepared me for the Music Video option of the portfolio project, and though I enjoyed myself, there are other things I need to take into consideration. For example, our whole gimmick was not taking ourselves seriously, which worked well for our made-up band, but a real group probably would want something more... intense. Working with a real band means that I won't be able to have that creative freedom that drives me to put my upmost effort, and each decision would have to be run through someone else. As someone who enjoys directing my own project rather than creating for someone else, this option doesn't seem right for me.

OUR MUSIC VIDEO

AICE MEDIA A - DOCUMENTARY PROJECT

Our first big project in A level was to create a documentary, which, at first I really did dread. Just listen to that word. Documentary. It's five syllables and they're all boring. As someone who likes to create her own stories, the thought of having to make a piece around reality drained much of my excitement. But man, I was wrong about this project.

My group and I centered our 8-minute documentary around a social experiment that had been performed at our school regarding an image. This story is WAY too difficult to explain in words. It is almost unbelievable until you watch it, which I'd strongly recommend you do because I'm proud of this project.

Also, I swear that this is not a mockumentary. Everything in this presentation is 100% factual.

(VIDEO GOES HERE)

Once we got into the hang of things, this documentary was just so fun to put together. We created a strong bond with our interviewees and it reflected in our video. I found the process of interviewing to be unexpectedly enjoyable and I learned how to take it easy and make my interviewees more comfortable.

I edited this project for a total of 10 hours. Not because I had to, but because I enjoyed it so much. Every so often, I rewatch my final product to have a laugh.

(pic)

I think this project prepared me for the production side of the documentary. I'm sure I could figure out the print and distribution aspects on my own, so this option is a possibility for me. I would just need to find a topic that releases my inner documentarian the way that the Cookie Muncher did.

AICE MEDIA A - FILM DISTRIBUTION PROJECT

Our most recent in-class project involved creating a distribution plan for a film alongside a teaser and a trailer. We teamed up with the creative writing class for this task, so my group was given a selection of scripts to choose from. We chose a sci-fi drama (the easiest genre we could've chosen... haha... so easy...) and we started planning.

I loved the filming process, and found a new love for location scouting and costume design. Despite this, I felt overwhelmed by the idea of not only having to create a full story, but having to condense this story into trailers.

These three projects have given me a taste of my options for my portfolio, but I am still missing one: a short film. Having gone through many rough points this year, I want to release my emotions into a longer piece without the constraints of a trailer or someone else's vision. This might change, but I am motivated to create my own story this time that feels more "me" than last year.