Katherine @futurefilmmaker-blog - Tumblr Blog

My original objective for learning in business of film definitely exceeded my expectations. Everything I learned in this class has definite meaning for when I graduate. It is important to understand the way television and production companies operate. I learned what to expect in the Hollywood film industry and as an independent filmmaker.

Learning from Peter was awesome because he is so knowledgeable and has the real-life experience that we will be going through. From the facts to the stories there was so much valuable information to absorb. I know I will be able to use the information from this class for any job in the film or television industry.

Researching film festivals with other classmates was very beneficial, because of the feedback for how it will do for specific reasons. Important considerations were categories like student film, female director, short film, comedy, locations and dates and if a crew member could attend, and the mission of the festival. I liked creating the personal brand video, updating my biography and resume so they are all ready to use at a moment’s notice. The marketing information is extremely helpful. I plan to use the strategies learned to market my student films, myself as a filmmaker and future films. The practice pitches with feedback from Peter was very practical and useful to help prepare for future industry pitches.

I learned a lot from the lectures, homework assignments and class projects. It is a great feeling to be able to enter our student film project into film festivals after seeing it go from the script, the pitch, pre-production, production, post-production and several re-writes to what it is now. It was a good feeling to get into a film festival during our 1st week of business class. As the writer, director and editor I am excited to see what is ahead for The Bet.

My favorite quote that I say often, “When you’re working on a film set with long hours and it doesn’t feel like work you know you’re in right place.”

Above is the link to my Tumblr page. My original objective for learning in business of film definitely exceeded my expectations. Everything I learned in this class has definite meaning for when I graduate. It is important to understand the way television and production companies operate. I learned what to expect in the Hollywood film industry and as an independent filmmaker.

Learning from Peter was awesome because he is so knowledgeable and has the real-life experience that we will be going through. From the facts to the stories there was so much valuable information to absorb. I know I will be able to use the information from this class for any job in the film or television industry.

Researching film festivals with other classmates was very beneficial, because of the feedback for how it will do for specific reasons. Important considerations were categories like student film, female director, short film, comedy, locations and dates and if a crew member could attend, and the mission of the festival. I liked creating the personal brand video, updating my biography and resume so they are all ready to use at a moment’s notice. The marketing information is extremely helpful. I plan to use the strategies learned to market my student films, myself as a filmmaker and future films. The practice pitches with feedback from Peter was very practical and useful to help prepare for future industry pitches.

I learned a lot from the lectures, homework assignments and class projects. It is a great feeling to be able to enter our student film project into film festivals after seeing it go from the script, the pitch, pre-production, production, post-production and several re-writes to what it is now. It was a good feeling to get into a film festival during our 1st week of business class. As the writer, director and editor I am excited to see what is ahead for The Bet.

Post-Production Assembly

Above is the link to my video from YouTube. Please excuse the quality of the video because I attempted to use a green screen to add some background video. Below is what I already had written for the assignment before I did the video. Some of it is different, so I included both. I didn’t want to just read what I wrote for the video.

My original objective for learning in post-production assembly definitely exceeded my expectations. To be able to collaborate and help create the audio and see The Bet come alive was awesome. Also, to collaborate and make suggestions for the color and see it pop out of the screen was great.

I wasn’t expecting the major difference that we got in the film after adding, enhancing and mixing all of the audio involved (dialogue, music, sound effects, background/ambience). It was the best experience. I was very impressed by the entire audio process and the professionalism by the staff I worked with (Dave, Mike, Stephen and Bill). We all shared the same goal for the end result of having a great sounding film.

Working with Bill was amazing. I enjoyed working with him in the dub stage. He listened and took our questions seriously. He made suggestions and was great about my responses even if I didn’t agree, which was not that often. He put his professional touches on everything, because he truly wants the best sounding film we can create. I am very grateful for the suggestion of having a music composer compared to the free music.

Pro Tools is a challenging program, but with the tutorials and working with Stephen (the audio intern) I understood the complicated program a little more. Stephen helped me to increase my knowledge, but we also agreed how there are too many options for each function and in the end it comes down to preference.

I learned a lot from the lectures, homework assignments, class projects, watching and participating in the dub stage. To see a film that I put so many hours into from pre-production and production to post-production come together on the big screen in the dub stage is the best feeling ever. As the writer, director and editor I have big plans for the film we all worked on. I am very excited about the future of The Bet.

My original objective for learning in post-production met and definitely exceeded

my expectations. It was very challenging and rewarding being the main editor for a thesis production. I only wanted to edit a Director’s cut for the experience with Avid, but I got so much more out of this class. Using Avid Media Composer was frustrating, but I am also appreciative for the experience.

I felt like I started with an okay assembly edit, to a better rough edit, but then to a worse final edit and finally back up to a good final edit that I am happy about. The process was like a roller coaster ride, but I appreciate everything I learned from my mistakes and various edits. I understand more about what’s important and what can be left out to carry the story. Continuity is important, but not as important to the pacing of the story.

I learned how to be very patient, take it one scene at a time, it’s okay to edit, re-edit, and re-edit again and again while making several cuts as long as the story is still being told. It opened my eyes to a variety of ways on how to put clean cuts together. There was so much to consider while editing that includes; telling the story, dialogue, actions of the actors, continuity, visual effects, sound effects, ambient noise, and music.

The lectures were very informative. I want to learn more about DaVinci Resolve for coloring and editing, as well as continuing to learn more about Avid Media Composer and hope to use both of them in the future.

I am very excited about the future of the film, The Bet. I can’t wait to see the final production with all of the sound and color. It will be interesting to see others reactions when we screen it from those who have never seen it.

My original objective for learning in pre-production met and exceeded my expectations. It was very challenging and rewarding working as a team with different personalities. It all feels real now. I learned about every position in more specific detail, and how we do not all have the same time management skills working together as a team. I learned that no matter how many roles someone wants to take on, managing his/her time to be able to do those things is very challenging and can hurt others in the long run with their projects. This includes myself, because I need to focus and prioritize my time.

The one area I need to work on is patience with others. I like to get things done as early and efficiently as possible. I need patience to wait on others who take a little longer to get things done. My biggest take away from this class as a director for a thesis film is the fact of effective communication with others, listening and learning from others.

I am very excited about directing because I enjoy working with the talent. My favorite parts of the class were the casting calls, call backs and rehearsals. The actors are excited about the film and that helps keep me excited about it. Jeff recommended directors to sit in on acting classes or workshops, so I am going to attend an acting/directing lab this month on campus.

During this month, but not apart of the class, I had the opportunity to work on the set of the thesis film as 2nd AD for one day. I learned a lot from everyone on set, and I watched the director closely. I asked lots of questions and had lots of takeaways for my upcoming project, including scheduling, lighting, using natural lighting, working with talent, and being on location challenges.

There have been many lessons learned throughout this class. It has been a roller coaster of a ride, but I am grateful, and I feel much more prepared going into production.

Entertainment and Communication Law

My original objective for learning entertainment and communication law was met and exceeded in this class. I learned so many things about the laws for entertainment that I will continue to remember and use for all my future projects. The two most important takeaways I have are the four factors for determining ‘fair use’ and the importance of correct contracts and/or agreements looked over by a lawyer and signed for everyone involved.

Learning about the four factors of ‘fair use’ taught me how to help determine if something I am using can be considered ‘fair use,’ even though there is no specific defined definition. There is no magic number of words, lines, or notes that we can use without permission. What surprised me the most is the fact that something being used as ‘transformative’ outweighs the fact of it being used as commercial use. Someone can follow all of the right steps to protect something through the copyright office and it’s still not 100% protected based on the four factors.

The importance of having the correct contracts looked over by a lawyer and signed is to protect everyone involved in a production. Without the proper contracts and/or agreements there is always a potential for a lawsuit. A well-written contract will cover all aspects of concern for the situation. I also realized how almost everything is at the discretion of the producer.

The class is very beneficial and important in so many aspects of filmmaking; however, it would be even more beneficial if it was taught earlier in the program before we start making films. We already made a few films before this class that we have to go back and make sure that we don’t have any intellectual property concerns. I appreciate being more aware of what to look for as potential issues, and to make sure I do things that won’t get me into legal trouble.

Tumblr Visual Storytelling

My original objective for learning visual storytelling was met and exceeded in this class. I learned several important concepts of lighting, rigging, cinematography, dolly, and other important responsibilities related to setting up and striking a set. We worked great together in teams to re-create indoor pictures with a variety of lighting techniques. It’s hard to focus on just one area to expand on. I had two areas of interest that I would like to express from my experience in this class, director and script supervisor.

First, I enjoyed being the director for the emotional and narrative videos. I learned a lot from working with a different group of students. I created the story behind the emotional video, and while I was directing and using the camera I envisioned how it was all going to be edited together. I liked using all natural lighting, because even though it’s not as controlling as using lights, I really prefer natural lighting. The biggest challenge was working around all of the people walking by with their reflections on the windows. The project was fun and came together great. When people watched it they were sad and that was the goal.

Directing the narrative with another director was fun. The other director wrote the script, then we put out a casting call with Full Sail. Casting was very beneficial and we met so many talented people. We created the schedule, completed the pre-production paperwork, sent out the call sheet and was able to film all of the scenes MOS in one long day. It was exciting to work with the talent and express what I was looking for with their movements and expressions. We recorded the voiceover another day with our talent and another student who has professional audio equipment. We wanted to use a bar for a bar scene, but we couldn’t secure a location, so we changed it to a house party. We had several lighting challenges because of the white walls at our secured locations. I was very pleased with all of the help from class as extras and grips. Three of us took on the roles of producers. I don’t mind all of the paperwork and work of a producer with securing locations, food (we provided snacks for our crew and talent), and all of the logistics it’s just not one of my favorite positions. In the end, the production Tinderella was successful.

Second, I enjoyed working on the thesis film, Bad Magic for several days as the script supervisor. I appreciate the experience I gained as the script supervisor, and was able to be the script supervisor again for an indie project on campus. I observed several other crew members with their positions. I want to understand all of the jobs on a set and what to do, as well as what not to do. Not only did I gain film experience working on the thesis project, I also gained valuable relationships with others and learned a lot from them. Building relationships is very important in the field of filmmaking, and that is why I want to work on as many sets (thesis or indie) and class projects as I can while in school.

Overall, this class has been a great experience. I even had fun learning from the lectures. I enjoyed all of the assignments and troubleshooting our own projects to get exactly what we were looking for with a final product. I liked how our classmates worked great together and were willing to help others. After this class, I confirmed my two biggest interests in being a director and script supervisor.

My original objective for learning about experimental filmmaking was met in this class. I learned several important concepts of lighting, setting up for a variety of scenes, doing a complete film analysis, and the specific responsibilities of the main crew positions. I learned not to be intimidated to try new things. It’s ok to break the rules with purpose and done correctly, but only after you know, understand, and have experience with the rules. What can be intimidating is all of the paperwork involved with making a film for pre-production and production. The things I still want or need to learn is actual experience with certain jobs to qualify for positions in other thesis projects.

The original vision for my final experimental film was changed during the editing process. I was nervous about it at first because I felt like I was all over the place. After talking to JP, I had a better and new direction for the documentary. It ended up being story-based instead of character-based. I am pleased with my final experimental film.

The experience of pitching for a thesis film was stressful, exciting and rewarding all at once. I feel like Chad and I were well prepared and had a good pitch. It is nice to work with someone who can share the same vision. It was a great experience, and I am excited to see whose pitches are chosen. Our class comes together pretty well to help each other out.

My biggest take away deals with time management. I am pretty good at managing my time and this class really put that to the test. I know it’s only going to get even more challenging as the months go by. My biggest challenge is trying not to do too much. I enjoy volunteering and helping others, but sometimes I need to be careful not to spread myself out to thin.

I really enjoyed this class and plan to use what I learned to produce and direct other experimental films. I have an idea of a film using the Kuleshov Effect, so I can experiment with eye lines and camera angles while at the same time the idea of two people who never meet but have so much in common and keep passing each other. They are both searching for someone, but never quit figure it out.

Vine by katherine

Here is my week three editing vine assignment.

Week one vine - this is the preferred way to behave for my dog, but this is how she usually behaves - #fsefm

#fsefm

This is my dog Izzy most of the day, this is how I wish she was moat of the day!

Directing Talent Reflection

My original objective for learning how to direct and communicate with talent was met in this class. I learned so many valuable lessons by being an actor and directing actors. That concept is excellent and really helps to understand both sides of the film and what needs to be done. I was nervous about acting in class at first, but after doing the exercises in class and working on trying to get into character and feel what they are feeling at that moment because of what just happened is key. That is why the moment before or backstory is so important, so the actors can put themselves into character based on that information.

I learned as a director how important it is to collaborate with actors and communicate in a way that is not demanding, but with some freedom if possible for them to do their thing and act. My biggest take away deals with the ‘as ifs’ and active verbs. I never realized until this class the difference it makes when you use active verbs versus adjectives when explaining what you want from your talent. The as ifs really motivates the talent and helps directors to see how well the talent can be directed. Blocking and rehearsing with the actors seems tedious sometimes, but I feel like if I take the time to do this and focus on getting it right it will save me from having to get too many takes when the camera is rolling.

Directing with the crew is a different type of communication, and as a director I need to be flexible and use different leadership styles based on what is best for the situation. I also learned how important it is to have good camera operators and check the shots before moving on. Directing is a talent within itself, and has different ways to craft it based on experience. It takes a team to create a great film, and the director sets the tone for the entire team – talent and crew. It is so important for the director to be positive, patient, collaborative, assertive, active, and willing to demonstrate what the actors need to do. I feel like a good director will have talent and crew wanting to do their best to help create the director’s vision.

I am very excited about one of my scripts being chosen to pitch for thesis. It was a great surprise, so I want to use the knowledge I learned in this class to prepare a directing pitch for it. I need to figure out who to partner with as a producer, because everyone I wanted to work with has his/her own script to pitch for now. I am sad to see this class end, because I really enjoyed it but I am also excited about what is ahead.

Katherine Dudley: Safe Haven. Katherine Dudley was born in New Jersey, served in the New Jersey Air National Guard, then went to college in North Carolina. She received a Bachelor of Science Degree in TV Broadcasting and a Master of School Administration from The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. She also received a Master of Science in Educational Technology from NC A&T State University. Her next educational goal is ...

Here is the link to my latest updated IMDb page!

Reflection

This video is about 520 Films Interview

Here is the interview I directed and edited, Chad Happens in our 520 Films Class. This class was full of exciting opportunities and lots of experience!

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