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Final Reflection

Between my movie review vlogs and my production project there are multiple similarities but also many differences. For my production project I chose to take on the technical breakdown video. I think the main difference between the two is I went into greater depth within the technical breakdown video, and did not rely on as many movie clips to take up time. I felt that within the technical breakdown video I did far more background research, but also looked at the singular clip that I chose in immense detail. They are similar in the aspect that I used the intro clip that I had created for the final movie vlog, and took the same approach when beginning my research as I felt that I had established a successful method to go about the movie vlogs. I find myself able to edit things far better and navigate Imovie with little to no problems after completing all of the projects. I was playing around in the software and was able to put clips in slow motion, and have an overall greater grasp of how to put different videos together. The first movie vlog took me about 2 hours to edit just because I was trying to get a grasp of the software, and what editing techniques worked and didn't work for me, and by the time it came to editing my final vlog I was able to piece everything together in about 45 minutes as I had gotten a grasp on how the program worked, and the style that I liked to piece it together. It was important to me to create something that was visually appealing and not super boring to watch. While it is important to have all of the information provided to the viewer, I liked to do so while providing visuals so that different things could sink in better with providing the facts and pictures or clips from the movie with it. I feel I reached my goals, and was overall impressed with what I was able to accomplish within my production skills as I had never completed something to this magnitude before. I thought that the different movie clips I provided kept it entertaining. I think the most important skill I learned over this course is my ability to see the finer details that are put into movies. Whether that be how much the certain shot angles add to a scene, or the delivery of the themes because there is so much thought and effort put into making a movie. To me, being able to pick up on even one more thing that I had not previously seen makes the impact of the movie entirely different. For instance, when I was completing the technical breakdown video and was able to pick up on the amount of American flags waving in the background added a huge element to the movie I had not previously picked up on. I appreciate how through this class I am now able to look at movies through a different lens that tends to make the message of the movie more powerful. If I had to take this course again there is not one thing that sticks out to me that I would do differently. I was overall satisfied with my performance on the assignments, and what I was able to take away from this class. If I had to say one thing, going back to the first movie vlog and just going into finer detail and not being so generic when talking about different points. My favorite assignment was the second movie vlog when we were tasked to complete it as if we were one of the characters in the movie. I thought it was a fun twist on the assignment and made it differ from the previous one, and I was then looking at the movie through the characters' eyes, not my own.

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Production Project Commentary

When looking at the different options I could complete for the Production Project I chose to take on the Technical Breakdown Video. I selected this project because I found it similar to the movie vlogs that I enjoyed completing and chose a movie that I have a very big appreciation for. I chose to complete the technical breakdown video on the movie Miracle that is about the 1980 Mens Olympic Hockey Team that beat what was considered impossible odds in defeating the Soviet Union Team. My favorite sport is hockey, so it was not a difficult decision when choosing to watch this movie for the first time, but I was not aware of how this movie is about so much beyond the sport of hockey. It is such an inspirational movie about hard work and uniting as a team, but it also highlights what was happening in the world during that time, as I was not alive during the 1980’s to see first hand how much the The Cold War really affected people's day to day life. I chose to break down in detail the scene when the United States team reached their dream, that many described as impossible, of defeating the Soviet Union. It shows the United States team storming the ice to be with one another in celebration, but also the celebration that was occurring throughout the entire arena with how proud America was of their amateur hockey team. When dissecting the scene there were many aspects that I had not noticed and am appreciative that I chose to do this project so I can now pick up on these cues, but also look at the entire movie with a closer eye to see what aspects I missed in other parts of the movie. When watching the movie I was so focused on the players themselves celebrating I overlooked the crowd and their support and reaction. When the clock buzzed signally they had officially defeated the Soviets I did not notice how many American flags were waving at that moment. Also while completing this assignment I researched in greater detail The Cold War and the effect it had on Americans. I never previously realized how long The Cold War actually was, as it took place from 1947-1991. Americans were living in fear that the country was going to change into a Communist Country. Children in school were taught how to prepare for a nuclear attack and many households bought backyard bomb shelters. This is a time in history that I could not imagine having to endure these events, and the thought of living in constant fear is unimaginable. Having the background information relating to the severity of the effect this war had on Americans stuck with me when looking at this scene in fine detail. It is amazing that this team's victory was able to provide an escape for the outside world, and celebrate the victory of a sports team but also a victory for America. With this film being about true events there is a lot of pressure to capture the events to the magnitude of the real event and celebrations in 1980. I was able to find a clip of the real event and compare it to that of the remake within the movie, and I was speechless with how close in comparison they are to one another. There is a lot of pressure lying on the movie crew when making a movie around such a significant event in history and capturing it to the magnitude at which the real event carried and I was taken back by the power of cinema and all that they are able to create. I am happy with my decision in picking this project to complete, but also with my decision to do it on Miracle. This is a movie that I already considered to be one of my favorite movies, and no matter how many times i have seen it everytime i watch it, it feels like the first time with the emotions that surround the movie, but with being tasked to look at the movie in greater detail using the tools and skills I learned throughout the semester made my love for this movie skyrocket. 

“Cold War.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 8 Dec. 2023, www.britannica.com/event/Cold-War.

“Miracle.” Stream Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Nat Geo, https://www.disneyplus.com/video/3ff70c72-2cda-4828-803a-bd0d22c9a237. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023. 

Naranjo, Roberto. “Historical Analysis of the Cold War.” eHistory, ehistory.osu.edu/articles/historical-analysis-cold-war#:~:text=The%20Cold%20War%20affected%20domestic,working%20conditions%2C%20and%20women’s%20concerns. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023. 

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Mamma Mia Movie Vlog!

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Movie Chronicles

 

Movies are a big part of my childhood and still important to me today. Movie days are something that my Mom and I cherish and still do our best to make time for.

When writing my list of twenty movies it was challenging for me to narrow my fundamental movie list down to only twenty movies. After many challenges of trying to pick between two movies that mean so much to me, and a lot of careful consideration I was able to construct my list. 

AGE 3-9: Mamma Mia!, High School Musical, Cinderella, Uptown Girls, The Mighty Ducks

AGE 10-13: Greece, Coat of Many Colors, Legally Blonde, Mean Girls, Big Daddy

AGE 14-16: Grown Ups, The Blind Side, A Walk to Remember, How to lose a Guy in 10 Days, We are Marshall

AGE 16-18: Barbie Movie, Walk the Line, Athlete A, Miracle, Home Team

When starting this project and writing out my list of movies the first movie on my list was Mamma Mia and funny enough when I asked my Mom to write a list for me, the same movie was number one on her list. I was born in 2004, thus making me four years old when this movie was released. When I was younger, I had a hard time sitting through movies that did not offer lots of singing and dancing and my Mom still likes to remind me of this to this day. My mom recalls playing me Mamma Mia! for the first time, and says I instantly was hooked. She would often try to play other movies for me and saw that I was not paying attention and would switch me over to watching Mamma Mia!. I would watch the movie and sing and dance along with the actors, and that is a core memory that I hold with me today.

I was captivated by the scenery that the movie is placed in, and from a young age I have dreamed about traveling to Greece and am ecstatic that I have the opportunity this upcoming summer! Mamma Mia! holds a special place in my heart because of the huge role it played in my childhood, and to this day when asked what my favorite movie is, I will answer with Mamma Mia! 

AGE 3-9: Mamma Mia!, High School Musical, Nim's Island, Hannah Montana: the Movie, Mary Poppins

AGE 10-13: Maid Of Honor, Dolphin Tail, Legally Blonde, Mean Girls, Sweet Home Alabama,

AGE 14-16: Grown Ups, Monte Carlo, Grown Ups 2, How to lose a Guy in 10 Days, The Perfect Man

AGE 16-18: The Longest Ride, Walk the Line, Athlete A, Miracle, The Blind Side 

Above is the list that my mom created, our lists share a lot of the same moves, but hers included different ones as well. When reading her list for the first time there were a lot of movies that I had completely forgotten about, but seeing the names sent me right back to watching them when I was younger. She reminded me of the times my dad and I would sit in the back tv room and watch Nim’s Island, or the long car rides to North Carolina and I would be in the backseat watching Dolphin Tail on repeat. The movie that I still cannot believe I forgot to include on my list is the Hannah Montana Movie. My Mom, Dad, and I went to the theaters to watch it when it first came out, and the theater was packed, we could barely find seats together but it was so special to me that my dad went with us to watch it because I think there were maybe two other dads in the whole theater.

Another movie we both included on our list was Grown Ups. Growns Ups was the movie that made me realize how much I genuinely enjoy the comedy genre. I cherish the fact that I can put this movie on, escape from the world around me and just laugh. I love watching movies or shows that make me laugh because it truly puts me in a better mood. It also resonated with me that even though they are grown men with families they have the ability to reunite with each other and go back in time and just act like kids again.

I hope this is something that I am able to do with my childhood friends when we grow older. When I am in a sad mood I do often find myself turning this movie on because it takes me back not only to the sleepover at McKenna’s the first time I watched it, but how it has a way of taking me out of the negative headspace and cheering me up. 

From a young age I loved Dolly Parton, my first memory of her is being on a Hannah Montana episode and from that moment I was hooked. I loved the way she was so put together, always had a fabulous outfit, and was such a sweet person. When my mom saw she had a movie coming out she knew we had to watch it as a family. We were sitting on the couch waiting for the movie to air on NBC and I was ecstatic. From the first seconds of the movie I was instantly hooked. The movie was able to represent that even though you might not be wealthy in money you can make up for it with love. Although I am not one of twelve children, it taught me to wear my heart on my sleeve and be thankful for all I have and all my parents have provided for me. 

After watching the movie it also showed me that you can chase and follow your dream and there are no excuses that can be used to hold you back. To this day, my family and I all sit on the couch around christmas time and watch the movie. With us watching it around the holidays, it reminds me to be grateful for everything I am blessed with and most importantly to love one another. 

Until completing the list of my top twenty most fundamental movie lists, I never really thought about how much movies can really teach you. They can teach you to laugh, be grateful for everything you have, and even just how to relax and spend time with family. I truly could not imagine how different my life would be if I did not have those movies to grow up with and still cherish to this day. 

“Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors.” IMDb, IMDb.com, 10 Dec. 2015, www.imdb.com/title/tt4767274/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1. 

“Grown Ups.” IMDb, IMDb.com, 25 June 2010, www.imdb.com/title/tt1375670/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_grown%2520ups. 

“Mamma Mia!” IMDb, IMDb.com, 18 July 2008, www.imdb.com/title/tt0795421/.