#50 Preliminary: Reflection Synergy Project

    Hey everyone, welcome back to my blog! I’m really proud of how this final product turned out. Compared to last year, I can already see how much I’ve grown not just in terms of technical skills, but in how I approach planning and creative decision-making. I feel more confident about my Cambridge coursework because our ideas were well thought out, and this trailer gave me a solid foundation to build on and improve even further.

    We aimed to represent suspense throughout the trailer, and I think we achieved that mainly through our use of camera shots, editing, and sound design. These technical codes helped create tension and position the audience to feel anxious and curious. If I had to pinpoint an area for improvement, I’d say our performance could be stronger especially in expressing emotion more clearly to the viewer.

    One of my favorite symbolic choices was the clock in the opening scene. It wasn’t just a prop it became a visual metaphor for time running out. The way we framed it and used sound made it feel unsettling, which was exactly the mood we wanted to establish.

    Another moment I really enjoyed was the scene with cabinets and drawers slamming shut on their own. It added a supernatural element and helped build suspense. To make it work, I had to carefully pan the camera so Ethan could push them from the side without being seen. It took precision and planning, but the final shot looked seamless.

    We also used close-ups to highlight fear especially through the eyes. This was a deliberate choice to represent emotion and immerse the audience in the character’s experience. And the voiceover of me saying “You can’t hide forever” added mystery and left viewers wondering what might happen next. It was a great way to end the trailer and keep the tension alive.

Here’s the video of our final product: 

Here's the social media post of our final product:

Here's the poster of our final product:

Thanks for reading more updates coming soon as I continue developing my Cambridge Media Studies work!

#49 Preliminary: Production Synergy Project

    Hey everyone, welcome back to my blog! Today I’m sharing an update on our production process for the suspense thriller trailer my group and I have been working on. We kicked things off by filming in an abandoned classroom a location we chose deliberately to evoke a sense of isolation and unease. The mise-en-scène was crucial here: the empty desks, dim lighting, and eerie silence helped establish the tone from the very first frame.

    Our opening shot was a mid-shot of a ticking clock, symbolizing the passage of time and building tension. This was immediately followed by a close-up of my hand anxiously tapping a pencil. That repetitive action was used as a symbolic gesture to convey internal anxiety and foreshadow the psychological unease of my character.

    We then transitioned into a sequence of fast-paced edits. In one of the key shots, my character is seen alone with a notebook until drawers and cabinets begin to slam shut on their own. This moment was designed to disrupt the audience’s sense of reality and heighten suspense. Of course, drawers don’t close themselves, so we had to get creative with our production techniques. Ethan, our camera operator, pushed the drawers from the side while staying out of frame. Madison Velazquez, who was filming that scene, had to carefully frame the shot to ensure Ethan’s hand wasn’t visible this required precise coordination and attention to composition.

    In the next scene, my character spins around abruptly, realizing she’s not alone. She hides the notebook as quickly as possible. We used an aerial shot here to visually communicate urgency and vulnerability, allowing the audience to observe the character from a detached, almost like looking at something private without permission. Immediately after, she receives a message on her phone that reads: “They know.” sent from an unknown number. We captured this moment using an over-the-shoulder shot, which helped position the audience directly in the character’s experience.

    To intensify the emotional impact, we followed with a close-up of my eyes, highlighting fear and uncertainty through facial expression. The final sequence featured flickering lights and the sound of footsteps echoing through the hallway classic thriller conventions used to build suspense and signal danger. Madison then recorded a voice-over that plays over the final shot: “You can’t hide forever.” This line reinforces the theme of paranoia and secrecy that runs throughout the trailer.

    We’re really proud of how these technical elements camera work, sound design, and editing came together to construct meaning and engage our audience. More updates coming soon as we move into post-production!

#48 Preliminary: Synergy Project

    Hey everyone, welcome back to my blog! I'm here with another post, and today I will be talking about the creative chaos my group and I dove into while planning our suspenseful thriller trailer. We’re going for something that grips the audience from the first second fast-paced clips, eerie visuals, and that creeping sense of “something’s not right.” You know that feeling when your heart races and you don’t even know why? That’s exactly what we’re aiming for.

    We spent time thinking about how to visually represent that tension. One of our favorite ideas was using an abandoned classroom as the main setting. It’s got that perfect mix of familiarity and discomfort like a place that should feel safe but doesn’t. It instantly sets the tone for something strange and unsettling.

Here is an example of the type of setting we are going for:

    We also talked a lot about sound. We’re planning to layer suspenseful audio distorted messages, sudden silences, maybe even a creepy voiceover. We want the audience to feel like they’re being pulled into a mystery they didn’t sign up for. And yes, we had way too many ideas, but that’s part of the fun.

    Roles are officially locked in: I’m playing the main character and the *antagonist plot twist, right? My character is hiding something big, and it all revolves around a mysterious notebook. That notebook is the heart of the trailer. It’s what makes people ask: “Why is this notebook so important?” “What are they hiding?” “What happens next?”

    Madison Velazquez is also playing an antagonist she stalks my character and shares a secret alliance with me. It’s layered, intense, and exactly what a thriller needs. Ethan is our cameraman, making sure every shot delivers the emotion and intention we’re going for.

    For our social media campaign, we’re thinking of naming the film “They Know.” I’m designing the Instagram template myself, and I want it to feel cryptic and cinematic like the audience is seeing something they weren’t supposed to.

    Thanks for reading! I’ll be back soon with more updates as we bring this project to life. Trust me, it’s only going to get darker from here.

#47 Planning: My Media Brainstorm

     Hey everyone, welcome back to my blog! I'm here with another post, and today I will be talking about my group and I media brainstorm. the people that we have made into the group are Ethan Sanchez, Madison Velasquez, and I (we are the strongest people in our AS group). 

Project Brainstorm - Final Choices

After reviewing the set production options two movie trailers and posters, a five-minute documentary, a five-minute short film, or a music video my group and I quickly ruled out the music video. Honestly, none of us felt comfortable performing or singing on camera, and we agreed that our creative strengths would be better showcased through narrative or documentary formats.

That left us with three solid contenders, each offering a distinct genre and production style:

• Five-minute documentary - Mental health and suicide awareness: This concept feels the most socially relevant. We’d explore the emotional impact of depression and suicide through a character-driven narrative, supported by interviews, voiceovers, and symbolic visuals. It’s a powerful theme that allows us to apply conventions of documentary realism while also experimenting with representation and audience positioning.

• Two movie trailers + posters - Crime/thriller: We’re thinking of producing both a teaser and a full trailer for a fictional thriller. The teaser would focus on enigma codes and suspense, while the full trailer would reveal more narrative detail. We’d use modern music to set the tone, shifting to darker, more intense audio as tension builds. This option would let us explore genre conventions and trailer structure in depth.

Here's an example/ inspiration for ours: 

• Five-minute short film - Drama: This idea is emotionally driven and visually poetic. It follows a woman who revisits the same café every day, repeating the same routine to relive her first date with her late partner. We’d use flashbacks, voiceovers, and non-diegetic sound to convey memory and loss. It’s a strong concept for exploring narrative structure, character development, and emotional engagement.

Right now, we’re still deciding which direction to take. Each idea has strong potential, and we’re aiming to choose the one that allows us to demonstrate the most technical and creative range while also meeting the assessment criteria for planning, construction, and evaluation.

We’ll be announcing our final choice soon, along with a detailed production plan. Stay tuned!

#46 Preliminary: Photography

    Hey everyone, welcome back to my blog! I'm here with another post, and today I will be talking about the preliminary photography.

*Shallow Depth of Field with Artificial Lighting*

    In this photo, the tissue box stands out as the clear focal point thanks to the shallow depth of field and artificial lighting. The sharpness of the box draws the viewer’s attention immediately, while the blurred background fades into irrelevance. This contrast makes the tissue box feel more important, almost like it’s the only thing that matters in the frame. The lighting adds a polished, intentional vibe, making the whole setup feel carefully staged rather than casual.

*Foreground with Natural Lighting*

    This photo puts the bottle front and center, making it the first thing you notice in the foreground. The natural lighting plays a big role here it doesn’t just highlight the bottle, but also brings out the details in the background. That balance makes both parts of the image feel important, like they’re working together to tell a story. It’s a simple setup, but the way the light hits everything gives it depth and meaning.

*Background with Natural Lighting*

    This photo makes great use of natural lighting to bring out the textures in both the greenery and the shadows in the background. The way the light hits certain areas while leaving others in shade creates a soft contrast that adds depth and atmosphere. It gives the whole image a calm, earthy vibe, making the nature in the shot feel more alive and grounded.

*Shallow Depth of Field*

    Right away, this photo pulls your attention to the bottle it’s clearly the main focus. The shallow depth of field blurs out the background, which makes the bottle stand out even more. That soft blur doesn’t just highlight the object it creates a sense of closeness, almost like the viewer is being invited into a quiet moment with it. The simplicity of the shot adds to that feeling of intimacy, making the bottle feel personal and important.

*Deep Focus with Natural Lighting*

    This photo uses leading lines to draw the viewer’s eye right down the middle, where the concrete path meets the grass. The way the lines divide the space gives the image structure and direction, almost like it’s guiding you somewhere. The deep focus and natural lighting work together to add depth, making the lines feel more dynamic and alive. It’s simple, but the composition makes the whole scene feel intentional and balanced.

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    Overall, these photography techniques are super helpful when my group and I need to take photos that do more than just look good they help us highlight important topics and set the mood for whatever message we’re trying to get across in the media we’re creating. How could these photography techniques be useful when creating print products for my campaign? Using shallow focus helped me anchor the audience’s attention on the subject, which is useful for creating visual hierarchy in print layouts. Playing with lighting especially low key and backlighting changed the mood and added narrative depth to my shots. Deep focus was great for establishing context, which could work well in campaign posters that need to show setting and detail. These techniques made me think more about representation and how visual codes shape audience interpretation. I’ll definitely use depth of field and lighting to construct meaning and reinforce my campaign’s message in future production work.