Capstone Reflection

Through the course of this semester I have learned a lot about capstones and what is needed for my idea to become successful.  After attending the capstone presentations on friday I was reassured that I was heading in the right direction in regards to concept, planning and scope.  There were a few main points that every person I talked to had to say about their experiences.  The first point was that everyones' ideas changed from their original concept.  This sets me up to be prepared to change things around and not to fight them, but rather let them happen.  The second point was to get help.  Don't feel like I need to be do every aspect of my project.  Don't be afraid to ask for help from friends and fellow students.  I need to prepare to be overwhelmed by the whole experience, but be prepared with reliable people to step in and help with my capstone.  The third point was to make sure to have the final product in mind as I am going through the process of production.  For me, that means not just the film I am going to produce, but also the way in which I intend to present it at the end of the semester.  This will help with planning and make sure that I have every aspect in check.

I saw a lot of impressive capstones on friday, but the whole time I was thinking of how they could be better.  This really opened my eyes to how important the presentation is as well as the actual project.  This is one aspect that I had thought of before and it was reaffirmed on friday.  All things considered, having taken this class and seeing the current capstones being presented I am confident that I am on the right track.  Now its time to get work.  See you in May.

Capstone Presentation Interviews

Santiago Casar:

1.     Why did you choose this for your capstone project?

     Plans to move to Los Angeles.  Most of the jobs that he has applied for in the process of this move requested a demo reel.  He decided that this was the most logical step.

2.     What are some of the changes that you had to make between your original idea and what you are presenting today?

     His original idea was to shoot a documentary, which was to cover his favorite pastime of rock climbing.  After several months of attempting to make it work he soon discovered that he did not have the funds, manpower, and time necessary to complete the project.  He changed the idea completely due to these restraints and decided to create something that was more focused on his future as a cinematographer.  He decided that he would create a strong demo reel that focused on specifically his skill behind a camera.

3.     What is your opinion of the timeline for your capstone? Was it helpful or a waste of time? Why?

     He did not feel as though the timeline worked very well for him because it did not give him enough room for changes and focus on the typical changes that come with producing a Capstone film.

4.     If you could change anything about your capstone, what would that be?

     He said that he would have tried to get more help and feedback from faculty and his student peers.

5.     What advice would you give me in planning for my capstone?

     He advise me to try and focus not so much on the final product, but instead focus on the learning process and what I can take from it.

Saliou Ramseur:

1.     Why did you choose this for your capstone project?

     He chose to do a short film for his Capstone because it dealt with every aspect of his direction of study.  Sal is a video major and specialized in audio/video production.  He felt as though it was necessary for him to pursue something that was in direct correlation with his major.

2.     What are some of the changes that you had to make between your original idea and what you are presenting today?

     Sal told me that the changes to his Capstone were quite large.  From changing the plot to his approach in making the film come together in the editing process.

3.     What is your opinion of the timeline for your capstone? Was it helpful or a waste of time? Why?

     He felt as though the timeline was very helpful and essential to assisting him finishing the film.  He was able to use the timeline as a tool to help him stay on track with his shooting schedule and making sure that all of the necessary steps were completed.

4.     If you could change anything about your capstone, what would that be?

     He felt as though it was essential to have more people involved in the filmmaking process.  He found that it was difficult to complete his Capstone with just two people involved in the production.

5.     What advice would you give me in planning for my capstone?

     He advised me to make sure that I have as many people helping as I can get and to also make sure that I have a strong post-production team when I finish shooting my film.

Nate Moody:

1.     Why did you choose this for your capstone project?

     Nate chose to do the "Outcast Chronicles" a digital comic book.  He chose this because he wanted to push his abilities as a digital storyteller.

2.     What are some of the changes that you had to make between your original idea and what you are presenting today?

     He did not feel as though it has changed much in the time from when he first started the project over a year ago.  He was very clear from the onset of what he needed to do and what it would take for him to accomplish his goal.

3.     What is your opinion of the timeline for your capstone? Was it helpful or a waste of time? Why?

     He felt as though he needed the timeline for guidelines but not for the over all picture of staying on task.  Overall he felt as though it was a necessary tool.

4.     If you could change anything about your capstone, what would that be?

     He would liked to have had a more physical presence aside from business cards.  Something like a take home book or posters with characters and artwork.

5.     What advice would you give me in planning for my capstone?

     He advised me to do what's familiar.  To try not to overdo it by doing too many things at once.  He felt as though it is important to try and not over extend yourself by losing focus of your end goal.

Capstone Timeline

When it came time for me to layout the timeline for my capstone project, it seemed pretty straight forward.  I am planning to start my capstone next semester, therefore my plans for this semester are focused on pre-production planning.  From what I have learned in previous productions is that you can never have enough pre-production.  Once I have everything organized I will begin my actual production.  Once my capstone project begins I plan to hit the ground running by regrouping with my actors and production crew after the holiday break.  From there, my plans are to start filming immediately and get as much done early in order to be prepared for the problems that will arise.  Later on in the semester I have allowed time to go back and reshoot or add scenes as it is necessary to accurately present my story.  I have decided that it will be beneficial to start the editing process immediately after my initial filming in order to spot the problems I will have with my film's clarity.  My goal is to complete as much as possible early in order have time to fix the problems that i will encounter and also to have more time to spend polishing my final product.

General Category

the general category of my capstone project would be video production.  i am choosing to produce a short film that is a part of a future feature length film.  my emphasis will be on cinematography and my main programs of use will be final cut pro for editing, pro tools for audio mixing and after effects for post production.

Group Thoughts

i had an interesting group that surprisingly was all involved in doing a short film.  i was in a trifecta where the other two members were already engaged in the production of their capstone films.  talking with the other members of my group helped me to understand the scale of the project i was getting in to.  i want to be able to impress my audience, but i need to figure out exactly what aspect i want to focus on.  being in a group and talking about the other members' capstones helped me realized that i wanted to focus on actual production and cinematography.  i would like to have a strong story, but a strong image i believe would be more beneficial to me in my career.  to be able to prove that i can produce professional result on a budget, i believe would be impressive to future clients.  therefore, the group was very beneficial in helping me realize the direction i want to take my capstone film.

The Three Big Ideas

1.     The Chase

A foster kid who is in and out of trouble tries to understand his path as he pursues a career in life threatening stunts that lead him to a life of crime.  He eventually creates a name for himself through viral videos posted of his actions.  From this he begins to gain recognition from individuals involved in an organization of high stakes gambling.  He is eventually approached by the leaders of this group and asked to be involved in an assignment.  His assignment is to be the driver of a high-stakes gambling bet in which he must make it from Indianapolis to New York in under ?hrs (a schedule so tight that will lead this character on a long and drawn out high speed chase.

My approach to this film would be to set up the scenario and then play out the beginning of the chase.  It is setup to be a short, action film with little attention to ground-breaking story telling.  However, it deals with my interest in style, action and cinematography and would serve as a small tease of a larger project.

2.     Modern Day Thieves

An alcoholic cop leaves his career when his disgust for the constructs of humanity becomes too much to bare.  Determined to change the way that society operates, he decides to become a vigilante that protects the city by ways of rooftop observation and utilizing the unknown catacombs of the city.  Eventually his comic book approach to fighting crime leads to dissatisfaction and he is forced to try a new method to reversing the economic crisis his city faces.

This film would be similar to a modern day Robin Hood story.  I would not exactly keep it as a straight Robin Hood story, rather borrow some of the concepts from that and apply them in our modern world.  I would like to apply the theme of thievery and how it applies in every sense, whether through actual stealing and giving to the poor, or through the losses we face as individuals through death and the relationships we are involved in.  Again, the focus would be on my interests in film such as style, action and cinematography.  This is a story idea that I have had for a long time that I believe would be very pertinent to the times we live in, plus I have a lot of passion for this project.  My only hesitation is that production would be mostly during the winter months, which is not exactly how I had imagined it, but it could still work out.

3.     Casey Jones

This one needs little introduction as it is the story of Casey Jones, the vigilante from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  I have done some research and found that there is an alcoholic side to his story, as well as some drama in his relations with April O’Neal.  I think this would be fun to produce and the story would be right up my alley.

This film would take place before he meet the turtles and would end with his first encounter with Raphael as it develops in the first film.  I know it is an adaptation of existing copywritten characters, but I feel the movie industry keeps moving towards this approach and I feel it would be beneficial to attempt my adaptation of an existing story, but separating myself from the rest of the pack by developing and presenting my unique style to the story.

What Is a Capstone Project To Me

A capstone project to me is any one project that will showcase all of the skills that I have in order to stand out from the rest of the crowd.  I believe that the success of the project is not specific to size, but more to well thought out ideas paired with successful execution.  To me, it’s about quality and not quantity when it comes to putting together a great capstone project.  I believe this school encourages us to work on our capstones for at least two semesters in order to plan accordingly and allow time for the problems we will run into.  It will be a stressful project and anything that can help reduce that is extremely beneficial.

For my project, I am planning on producing a short film.  My passion in this field is cinematography and I would like to showcase my skills primarily in that area.  However, there are still other video production elements that I would like to present as well, such as special effects and graphics through the use After Effects/ Photoshop and writing talents through the story I choose to produce.

In the end, I would like to have a piece that I can show to potential future employers that I am able to organize an impressive video production showcase from beginning to end.  A capstone project to me should be my best work yet with a blend of all the skills I have learned up to this point in my career.  With the completion of my capstone I plan to have an impressive short film that is setup to be expanded on later in my career and to have the potential of being a real competitor in film festivals such as Heartland Film Festival and the Indianapolis International Film Festival.  To sum it up, my capstone project is going to be badass!