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.