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We eventually got there in the end | Reflection

  By Matthew Duong • October 27, 2016

It is the end of the semester, the hard work’s done, long hours at uni of class then waiting for our shoot are over, long days conversing with crew members on how to approach the next task, long hours in the editing suites are done. I’ll be honest, the studio (Nothing against Jeremy), more so towards the way things unfolded, was not as smooth as I would’ve hoped. Coming in I thought it would be a relatively easy task to shoot a web series however I probably didn’t take into account all the problems that could happen and for Shriekers, it did happen. However what came out of the end, was a product that was ultimately salvaged from a script that didn’t have a ‘comedy’ aspect to it, adapting it to a different genre to what the creator wrote for made my group members have a unique experience changing and blurring the line between two genres with editing.

When the pitches came, I thought this concept was awesome and could be a goldmine for comedy. I initially thought the series being a parody on the horror genre, much like Scary Movie in a lower quality production (for obvious reasons). I felt like I could bring a unique twist to the parody theme with some unique sarcastic and ironic editing sprinkled into the final product; I didn’t expect the sarcastic and ironic editing to be a centrepoint to production however (as it is now). The script our crew received was to put it into our words “too gay”, most of us felt that the script was the creator imposing his view through this web series, which even got to a ridiculous point in the production stage that we had to imply to him that he wasn’t needed in this stage. I at first also wanted to create at least some of the music accompanying the series (being a musician) however, with the direction the production was heading there was no way for me to write some scores for the series.

What we started was a structured plan with a auditioning stage, into a recruiting & planning stage, production and finishing with post production. I had initially pushed for an early push for production being able to film our series within a week so we can have about 2-3 weeks to edit and change anything if we needed. However that didn’t eventuate, although in the planning stage we did have a plan but it didn’t come out to play as we had a larger abundance of actors to deal with. The initial schedule of production in the first 2 weeks of proposed filming was very scattered for some of our main characters, with one we ran into another problem later on and another juggling this acting gig with year 12. Since the initial planning stage didn’t go to plan we had to create a makeshift schedule, asking what actors are available at what times within a given week and dealt with filming with whatever content could be shot during that particular day of shooting. One particular shoot we had a last minute cancel and we only had 3 actors for a scene that required 4 actors, so we had to rethink to what was shootable during that day. If anyone could notice in our first episode hallway dialogue, it was shot in a way that would only show 2 or 3 actors at a time, this was mainly due to only having 3 actors on set on a particular day and we were too pressed for time to reshoot. The process of rethinking an entire scene was a difficult one and was quite lengthy however it could be useful for my own improvisation in a shot, and shooting given a certain restriction. Although it would’ve been easier if I had all actors on set that day it gave me an insight to different approaches I could take in shooting a scene for future.

We had a problem with the techs with borrowing too, one day we stored the abundance of equipment in the RUSU offices (not advised to anyone who thinks of doing this in the future, the techs get angry) and I had organised with one group member to come in and return the equipment the following day as I had work. However there was a miscommunication where she thought someone else implied they were doing it. Upon receiving a call from the techs that they haven’t received the equipment, we were in panic mode. However, we had to bite the bullet and resolve the issue and fortunately enough we were forgiven and all was good as we resolved the issue from the techs. So next time, have a clear plan in mind for the equipment and be clear on what is happening when communicating between group members. I assure you, this won’t happen again… unless I get amnesia or something like that.

However that wasn’t the only problem, we had a group member go AWOL on us in our time of need. What we imposed as the leader of the group, went missing for the most crucial stage of production and post-production only to reappear when all the hard work had been complete. And the excuses used were in our opinion, not adequate enough. Our feelings weren’t immediately addressed as it would’ve created drama and tension within the group and at our stage of production that was the last thing we need. So in the end me and the remaining group members had to pick up the slack and do extra work to cover for her. In the end we got most of the project done, advancing our knowledge and skills as media practitioners in greater abundance than our AWOL member did. It put me in a position to assume a leadership role and address what is happening and at what time, and that makeshift happening caused our production to accelerate ahead of schedule where shoot days were finished earlier and we had a clear mindset going in.

We also had an older actor cut from production, although he was a key role in the series, we had to cut an episode out (due to time and continuity errors) as well because of this. Being university students we expected the ‘professional’… yes in quotations… actor to not take it too hard as we needed to meet a requirement to be content with our series and we detailed our apologies and thanked him in our email. However he did take it too hard, lashing back out at us with an email. Labeling us as ‘unprofessional’ and him as taking his job seriously. Well a serious actor wouldn’t be taking on a university project that had no pay or concrete schedule (which he knew what he was signing up for) just saying. His attitude on the few hours he was on set was not at a professional standard I might add as well. I won’t name him here but *cough* Jordan MacCormick *cough* (Sorry, that was my sister) didn’t contribute to a healthy environment to Shriekers. With consultation with Jeremy we drafted a reply e-mail and replied a few days later. The learning experience from this is that we shouldn’t play on our emotions, because it clouds our judgement and can result in further drama down the track. Moreover we learned that there are people like this in the industry, ‘dicks’ of the industry and its no one’s fault on our part, its just how people are, we just have to deal with the situation at hand and I feel that we did a decent job at it on Shriekers.

So to wrap up, Good Form was not the smooth experience I expected but an invaluable experience for me. Has it put me off web series? No, as a matter of fact it makes me appreciate them more and the next time I take part in one I’ll make sure I will do it right with little speedhumps along the way as I do have the experience now. So thanks Jeremy for the great semester, and thanks to everyone in Good Form who contributed to this project and all the others in the studio.

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Week 8 | Good Form Studio Weekly Update

  By Matthew Duong • September 16, 2016 , ,

This week in our studio, we were left to our own devices as most of us are either closing in on the pre-production or starting filming. My group, Shriekers, sat in a meeting with the updated scripts for a table read to gauge the length of the scripts were enough and the substance within the scripts.

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The table read was smooth as we each took roles in the script and got a good laugh at the comedy in the scripts. Overall we were happy with the scripts and we only needed a few tweaks here and there in each script to deal with making a connection with the audience and the continuity in the series. Later we talked about the content needed in each episode and what is expected of the writers in terms of content for the last remaining script still to be complete, which we weren’t happy with the content of with the first draft of it. Then we made casting decisions.

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We casted all our actors and drafted up an e-mail to each of them as well as a rejection letter for those who missed out. We had a dilemma casting one of our characters Callie which we had two really good auditions for the character however we went with one of them with the other as a backup as she didn’t fit into any of the other characters. Also, one of our characters casted for Brinton, after e-mailing him he was not comfortable with ‘kissing a guy’, it was unfortunate as we felt he was by far the best audition for Brinton but as he was uncomfortable with his role we wouldn’t want an actor that wouldn’t feel that way towards the character they are playing so we decided with the 2nd best audition.

On Wednesday, we went off to our own groups for meetings again where we had another table read of the yet again updated scripts. Overall we were happy with them and would be ready to shoot these episodes as they are. With regards to the yet incomplete script written by one of the writers we briefed him on what we wanted in this script and had a base outline script ready for him for reference. In this meeting we also came up with a plan for the next two weeks. We got our costume and ‘look book’ ready as well as planning for a cast & crew meet day for the 23rd. On this day we would introduce the cast to each other with the crew and play get to know each other games so we can build chemistry within the team. We also plan on shooting our character profiles similar to Scream Queens on that day where we’d have the photo shoot and organised our crew to book the rooms, have equipment ready etc. Personally I am going to record some sample music, as a past musician, it would be a refreshing experience dusting off my guitars again to record something new for this project.

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Ultimately, the week was productive in that we have a plan ready for the next couple weeks before we start shooting and finally editing. I am hoping the project goes smoothly despite the few hiccups we have had so far with the scripts. I am excited to put forward our marketing and production plans for Shriekers in the future.

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Assessment 2: Long Story Short – I had to Write an Essay | Reflection

  By Matthew Duong • August 11, 2016 , ,

Whilst analysing Long Story Short – I Had to Write an Essay I learned a few things about comedy web series relative to what we need to strive for as a studio. Each episode of Long Story Short has a similar tone or theme to its comedy that is short cuts with short sharp dialogue narration. As with Dan Williams reading the comedy has to be short and concise with a punch-line feel to it which Long Story Short did in many bursts. We also have to create our content for our audience in this way. In regards to Shriekers we have to make the humour in a similar vain. We can’t make long drawn out jokes because it wouldn’t fit with how web series convey their humour. Whilst analysing Long Story Short I found that web comedy series must have a general theme across its series no matter what it is, in this case it would be the narration and the narrator. So with each of our murders we have to have a similar punch-line humour attached to each one, however this doesn’t mean that every murder is more or less similar, just the humour would be similar.

Also we have to keep in mind the shots we are using and the speed of the cuts. Generally we will be shooting in low light with quick cuts for a horror mood, we just have to add humour to it. In retrospect to Long Story Short they generally used short or medium shots that were quickly cut with the rhythm of the narration and the background music. Also with regards to background music, it’ll play a huge part in my studio group’s web series. We also have to base characters and the premise in such a short space of time. Which Long Story Short has with the narrator and has its topics broad enough to relate to most people. Most web series that are parodies do generally base their humour off generalisations or stereotypes because it is something most people can relate to and I think it’ll be useful in Shriekers.

We also have to introduce a narrative such as in Long Story Short, though short in Long Story Short I believe in Shriekers we will have an overarching story because of our premise which we have to base from the pilot. But each episode has to have its own plot and storyline to make our audience feel invested in the story and then we would defuse the situation with humour. The describe and analyse exercise made me think of what really goes into a web series and the themes and style it generally goes with a web series. I have a better understanding of how to produce one after this exercise.

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The Difference Between The Hero and The Villain | Real Talk #2

  By Matthew Duong • July 27, 2016 ,

What makes the hero? What makes the villain? In my books the two are very similar. Two very similar personalities, what separates them is what side they fall on what we call the moral code or lawful code. In essence what differs between the Hero and the Villain is where they fall on this line, the choices they make essentially for what? Themselves? Or for others? Both can be argued for the Hero or the Villain. Does a Hero that betrays the ideals of the world to achieve a greater good really someone that can be considered The Hero in their story? Would this paint them as the Villain, for some yes perhaps, their actions in their search for their justice or ‘moral justice’ can cause them to cross the line what is considered a Hero or a Villain. Take a renowned scene from Fate/Zero.

Here Kiritsugu (man in suit) argues to Saber (Blonde warrior) that his way of seeking for true peace is more practical rather than being more moral because of the ideal of the battlefield being a place of ‘honor’. On the battlefield there is no honor, only death awaits those who are not ready. The same can be said about life really, if you’re not ready to compromise and take your opportunities due to your moral code of being giving to others or being a role model to others, you may be left in the dust and your actions ultimately leading to a situation less than desired even though at the time of your decision in seemed like the right thing to do. In this case, Kiritsugu references Saber, or her real name Artoria Pendragon (King Arthur in Legend, a Japanese take on King Arthur), he blames the fall of her/his rule because of her chivalry in combat, attacking her ideals of being an honorable fighter ultimately leading to her death and fall of her empire. It may be true, might not, but her ideals is what he claims to have claimed the lives of many unnecessarily. To achieve an ideal greater good, by being the ideal person in everyone’s mind can lead to complications where being the heartless, cold decision maker would suit better. It can lead to situations where you are considered by people to be foolhardy or naive in the way you are going about solving a problem because you would not budge or your so called ‘just ideals’.

However on the flipside, if you commit atrocities to achieve a greater good it may be more practical. As Kiritsugu said,  “even if that means staining my hands with every evil in the world, I do not care”. If it is true, to amount to such immoral actions to achieve a greater good can create more complications than that if you were to approach it with a more righteous approach. The only way to make this approach seem practical, would be to create a greater evil than that already is thus creating a common threat for all parties. Uniting conflicting parties into peace, however more often than not this only results in a temporary peace. In both situations though, both ideals has its pros and cons, it is up to each individual to evaluate and act upon what is the right course of action. The perception of a hero is only what the public sees as ‘The Hero’ because the Hero may very well become the Villain in the eyes of somebody else.

Take Tyrion from Game of Thrones for example (S3 Spoilers ahead, but honestly who hasn’t seen/heard of it)

Tyrion, beloved character of Game of Thrones, is what we would call a ‘Hero’ however in this case, we see him being victimised as ‘The Villain’ of the murder of King Joffrey at The Purple Wedding. Here we see his ideals as a character come back to betray him, for him to think he is trying to make sense of the complex world of Game of Thrones in Kings Landing, trying to make peace with what he can and not be involved has resulted him in this situation where he was blamed for regicide. His ‘noble’ or ‘smart’ character was turned around where he was once seen as the Hero of Kings Landing, saving the city from Stannis Baratheon’s army, is now seen as the Villain. He is done with his ideal to achieve peace with what he can and in an attempted last cry to say ‘fuck you’ essentially he blasts everyone in the room in typical Tyrion fashion. A contrast of character that doesn’t seem too far fetched. This takes me back to my point that, the Hero and the Villain are two very similar, so similar that they very might well be the same person. It depends on the context and the situation you are in.

You might feel it too, there have been situations I’m sure that every person has been in, that they would act harshly or not idealistic but chose not to. To lash out with frustration, everyone feels it. It is ‘The Villain’ inside of us. Something inside of us that makes us feel like what we’re experiencing is unfair and should do something about it, ‘The Hero’ inside of us tells us that this is what we’re given and we have to deal with it, but ‘The Villain’ says we should do something really stupid about it. And it takes a strong sense of character to find the right time and place for such actions where action is needed. You must find the time to abide by your ideals, and times to make a compromise and bite the bullet not only for yourself but the people around you. There may come a time where an action that is needed that betrays your ideals, when people realise what you’ve done they will know why you had to do it and you made that compromise to trust yourself and those around you to understand. However I hope no one has to go through that process of insecurity of themselves, but in saying that once you do it and conquer it, you’ll be a better person for yourself and those around you so take the challenge head on. So the word of the day would be Compromise.

So there it is, my ramble on what is a Hero and what is a Villain. I hope it made sense, I did my best to convey what I wanted to say with examples to make it seem a bit easier. But hey, stay safe everyone. Tune in for the next Real Talk

Next Real Talk topic: Anger & Depression

 

 

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A Really Amateur Production | Assessment 1 Reflection

  By Matthew Duong • July 27, 2016 ,

So today we started and finished (mostly) our assessment 1, we were given a script and we each got into groups to film these scenes however we liked and edit accordingly. I was really looking forward to this opportunity, this would be the first time since high school since I’ve worked with a script and producing a video of that script (even though it was Low-Fi). As for what worked, we had a blast of a time going through the script and filming the shots, we also improvised on pretty much all of the attempted humour of our video. Getting the scenes right as amateur actors just so we can work with something in editing.

I really liked our cuts to Ash (me) saying ‘whatever’, we wanted to do a disconnected not caring type of ‘whatever’ and with our random cuts of being outside of the room and comedic ‘asian squatting’ to make it seem what Chris (Oliver) was too uninteresting to listen to. We wanted to establish the comedic side of not caring about whatever Chris was saying. As for a scene that didn’t work, there was a whatever where the sound quality isn’t too good, the one where Ash is lying down, and generally the sound quality of the video is bad in terms of production value. However we did the shoot and edit in about 2 hours on my phone (Samsung Galaxy s7), while the picture quality is decent, the sound due to the microphone used and the ambience around us is that of a low quality. If I had a chance to do this again, I would have two things I would like, that is more time to rehearse, brainstorm, set up, edit the scene and to have higher quality equipment so the production value is at a decent standard. This would be ideal but we had to work what we were given, which is what we produced. With better equipment and more time we could get an idea on what our production quality would be like for our webisodes, however I’m not fussed about the product of this low-fi project.

Google Drive Link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B32yH54QH6CEYkF6VUJ3M2w4WE0

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Mitch Wallis’ Injury – Everything Else Seems Insignificant | Football Talk

  By Matthew Duong • July 24, 2016

In case you haven’t heard, one of the most horrific injuries I have ever witnessed just occurred Saturday night during the clash between Western Bulldogs and St. Kilda Saints. Western Bulldog midfielder received a handball from fellow teammate Clay Smith, who himself has battled serious injuries but more on that situation later, as he received the ball he was prompted to kick however opposition player Shane Savage attempts to tackle him and pushes him. During this push Wallis’ kicking foot was swayed in a way that would make him kick his own planting foot, the sheer force he put in his kick instead of connecting with the ball connected to his lower leg… snapping both his tibia and fibula in his left foot.

Now to the horrendous feeling I had when it occurred. As it was happening live as I watched on TV I was thinking surely he had not just broken his leg, I doubt many people would’ve seen what I saw. Most people would’ve seen the incident as an innocuous collision and Wallis was just sore, however with my attention to detail, prior knowledge to injuries (fellow teammate Jake Stringer suffered this injury in near similar fashion as a junior years ago) I knew something was wrong. As I saw on TV the player number 3 was lying on the ground and looked to be in pure agony, I knew what he had done and as I cupped my hands around my mouth the only words I whispered were ‘No’. I knew what had happened before the commentators even mentioned it or the cameras were all over the incident in the middle of the ground, I saw his foot dislodge unnaturally in my moment of pure attention to detail. I felt sick in the stomach, in the throat, in every fibre in my body. In that moment, I didn’t care if my team, the Western Bulldogs, would win. I was hopeful, but in the end I didn’t really care. I was truly worried for Mitch Wallis, and was hoping for the game to be stopped and paused then and there. Not to mention another Bulldog Jack Redpath had suffered a season ending ACL injury earlier in the game, it just added insult to injury as we finished the game with 19 fit players instead of 22 (Dale Morris had a minor complaint on his hamstring). When the replay showed on the TV, I didn’t look away, I needed confirmation that this wasn’t what I thought it was. However, it wasn’t to be as my worst fears were realised (Oh the joy of instant replay). This would be the 3rd time I had witnessed an injury like this in real time. The first being, funnily enough, Dale Morris breaking his leg many years ago and the other was when I was playing football myself. And the person who broke his leg wasn’t even meant to be playing that day, he was just filling in because my team was low on numbers. A series of unfortunate events. I still remember seeing the bone stick out of his leg. Luckily enough Mitch Wallis’ injury wasn’t that bad that his bone was sticking out of his leg and all the best to his recovery.

Hearing extra information on the incident on the radio, credit to ABC radio, they described how Mitch Wallis was escorted into the ambulance or wasn’t escorted in the ambulance in time. They wanted him to be moved into the ambulance so his teammates wouldn’t see him in this state and another is to beat the traffic. When the players entered the rooms after the game they all walked past him and ushered into another room so they wouldn’t have to witness these scenes. However Wallis was in so much pain he was ‘screaming uncontrollably’ or ‘howling in pain’ and all the players heard it. They described it as ‘heartbreaking’ and ‘haunting’. All the players left the room to provide some comfort for Wallis and inevitably left everyone in tears. Bob Murphy, injured captain of the club and the stature of a great man was with Wallis at this time and ‘was weeping uncontrollably’. Of course I couldn’t feel the same emotion in the room because for one I wasn’t there and another I’m not his teammate, but being a die hard supporter of the Bulldogs. Watching these men make their way from juniors, even rubbing shoulders with some of them at times, seeing someone who I had been watching play and improve his game be setback to ground zero like this is unfair. The feeling in the room resonates with the emotions I was feeling when the incident happened. Hearing the word of the town, Mitch Wallis is an upstanding bloke who does not talk ill of anyone, always lends a helping hand to anyone in need, always has something positive to say and is a natural leader around the club often putting in extra hours to better not only himself but those around him. Now he needs our help. So Mitch, I wish you the best mate. There’s plenty of people out there wishing they could help you in any way as you’ve helped the community around you.

Thanks for reading guys, until next time.

Unrelated Announcements: Real Talk topics usually are posted on a week-week basis. Otherwise my posts will be about other stuff I find interesting during the week or reflection on class during the week. So tune in Thursday or Friday for the next Real Talk topic.

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The New Me, Writing and Life. | Real Talk

  By Matthew Duong • July 21, 2016 ,

Over the holidays I went on a self discovery journey. Not one I intended but it happened nonetheless. Without fleshing out the details let’s just say I’ve come a long way since that kid who started university for a second time this year. Not being sure who exactly I was at the time but slowly getting my shit together. Coming off spouts of depression over the past couple of years, it was tough getting back on my feet, usually I would just go through the motions of life without too much purpose or reason to be anywhere. Now after this holiday period, certain things have happened that made me wiser, made me smarter, made me better as a person and I’m proud of that.

So what wisdom do I have to share? Well most of what I say is quite cliche, but most often than not they are true. It’s the common walks of life, but there are always outliers to each situation no doubt about that. So from this blog, what am I trying to get out of it? Well for one a running blog for uni, which is advised for me to use to experience a better learning experience but another thing is to write or blog what I really want to talk about. Topics of life, real talk. Things like Love, Friendship, finding yourself etc. Having something to write on, is different to talking about it. When you write you have time enough to think and carefully select your words, leaving out room for mistakes such as being caught up in the moment. This is because when you are talking to someone about something you care about you can tend to be caught up in the moment and when you think back you can think about the things you could’ve said or said differently. Writing is something I’ve recently found to be a great way for me to get my thoughts down, to sort of get something off my chest and this is a great release for that. No matter who reads it, I’m not going to flesh out any finer details of my personal life because they are personal, but enough vague information or example to gauge my point.

I myself am writing a book, hopefully one day it will be published but more on that another time.

So to what I want to talk about today. In short: Play the hand you are dealt.

This means whatever situation you are in, if it were a shitty situation or if you are in the most ideal situation. You have to play your hand. I’ve been in bad situations before, I’m sure all of you have. The difference between someone who is viewed as a hero, a villain or just a bystander is judged by the way the handle each situation. Bystanders do not get anywhere sitting around doing nothing. I’m not saying that that necessarily is a bad thing however, maybe sometimes you need to take a step back and let things settle down. However when you are dealing with a situation which action is key, you must act no matter how bad it gets. And if it is a really ideal situation, do whatever is in your power to keep it that way. I’ve seen too many people in the perfect situation blow their chance at glory because of poor decision making. For instance, I had a few friends that were very talented in whatever sport they played, whether it be basketball, football or soccer they were amazing at the game and had the chance to play at the highest level. However bad life decisions led them to taking drugs, this affected their lifestyles in such a way that they would become disinterested and eventually give up on this opportunity given to them. I envied so much for their natural skill around the sport they played, and as a hard worker I never could’ve quite hit the heights they achieved but I could keep up with them for a time before I ruptured my achilles that is.

For whatever reason, if you are in the worst of situations play the hand you are dealt. No matter what it is, if you don’t do anything, nothing’s gonna change. If you act, there’s a chance you can better the situation and in doing so makes you a better person. Take it from me from experience. Act upon things you think you have no control over and the results will surprise you. I’m not saying if you are presented with such a situation that you drastically try to change things, its just with the right attitude and approach you can even affect the little things to go your way and those go a long way.

Next topic for Real Talk: The difference between The Hero and The Villain.

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New Semester, New Opportunities

  By Matthew Duong • July 20, 2016 , ,

So here I am, start of a new semester. The holidays… Let’s just say they were eventful and I’ll just leave it at that for you to speculate. But overall I really did enjoy the break. Anyway, during the holiday period, we decided on our studios that we would like to be a part of in this semester. I was pretty happy to get my 1st choice in Good Form. I thought it would be great to be producing a web comedy series. Then I got my results and was proud of what I got considering I did take a significant amount of time during being in Hawaii for holiday.

I was excited to be back at uni before class on Monday. In this class we had discussion on what we are actually making. That is Comedy Web Series. So expanding on each term as if they were their own was interesting, gave me new perspectives on how to approach this project, after all theoretically the possibilities are endless. We can make anything into a web series in essence. Then conversing to each other what actually makes a good web series or a controversial one that even though may be very controversial is still very well produced. Take Onision for example. If we get people to even watch these web series it is a success whether they love it or hate it, what we don’t want is for people to find this boring. Which for a comedy web series, we do not want to happen. Conversing with the collaborative creative writing students we discussed what they would like to write about in general. However we have to provide a pitch on what is available to us so they can write accordingly.

On Wednesday we wrote up our pitch on what we are able to produce in this stage of our early careers. We decided to go on a no budget production as having a budget would provide complications later on with expectations. With a budget comes the expectation that the end product would be of high quality. So having no budget suits as we have access to the equipment available. Eager to get into the swing of things, we established a starting point on what is achievable by us at a base level. Things like having one location per episode, certain roles and the rotation of those roles within the production crew, the number of actors per episode etc. All of those in mind to give a pitch to the creative writing students so they can start writing based on the resources available for them and what is realistic in their goals. Like having an airport runway scene with speeding cars is a big no no simply because it is not within our budget.

So here’s to the first week in 2nd semester, I’m excited to take this opportunity to finally produce something with so much freedom. Also getting into the nitty gritty of producing, like table reads, casting, editing etc. would be very immersive. See you next time.

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Coming a Long Way From Where I Was | Final Course Reflection – Media 1

  By Matthew Duong • June 2, 2016 ,

Here I am, at the end of semester one. Let’s go through what I was thinking about university before I started this course to now. First I was anxious, having done maths and science for high school and doing engineering in my first year of uni last year and finally deciding enough was enough, I wanted to chase my passion. But I wasn’t sure, whether if I was capable of this, I had done no video projects in the past, no production of any kind but so have most people in this course actually. Now I feel like I belong here, I enjoy and look forward to going to uni now and this course does a great job making me feel like that.

This is my thought process during that time.

Upon the first few weeks of university my anxiety about starting this course were swept away, from me thinking that maybe this might not work out to now I feel like I belong here. It is quite contrasting my thoughts before and after starting this course which makes me feel relived I chose to start this course.

Blogging was something I have never done or was really interested in before coming here, but in the first half of the semester I was really invested in blogging, often blogging about random thoughts and reflecting on life along with course material.

Here’s a couple examples of my blogging from that time.

I tended to relate readings and lectorials to things I am interested in because they spur me on to think about them which makes me have a discussion on the topic in a broader view and contextualise things relating them to what I am doing now and what I plan to do in the future or what it is like now.

I also blogged extensively every time I had a significant progress or issue with my Project Brief. I covered things like learning how to use premiere, problems I had with editing, compressing or encoding. Different techniques when it comes to shortcuts and maintaining things to my memory. Overall, learning how to use premiere was a refreshing experience, something I had not done nor did I think I would do before joining this course. But once I got into it and started really learning how to use the program my confidence grew and my comfortability with this course became more apparent. It wasn’t something I learnt that I thought was a chore, but more of an experience.

In the second half of the semester, we were getting into the thick of things, so most of my blogs were about the process of work and reflecting upon it. For instance we had the lecture on Copyright and I had a thought process relating it to our upcoming project. Most of the time I related back to our project brief and the work upcoming.

Upon receiving the last project brief and getting with my group there was a lot of discussion and idea generation of what actually to do for the video and audio essay. We had a lot of discussion between ourselves in our first initial meetings, but I felt we did not have a concrete argument for them and it was too broad to cover things we wanted to cover. When we met with Rachel in our workshop she said the same thing, so we had to go back to the drawing board with our ideas and somehow come up with an argument that can refine our broader ideas down.

There was a point however where I didn’t have the motivation to do work however it wasn’t because I wasn’t enjoying uni, it was just a lull in between assignments where there wasn’t much going on. Illustrated here on my ‘learning graph’.

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The dip in week 10 was an indication of that, and throughout the semester I have been building my ‘media brain’ and work ethic towards this final project.

My initiative posts toned down as we got to the business end of the semester, the work was piling up and I had no time to do many things, the only note worthy post was a review I did on Captain America: Civil War. Other than that I did mostly random things I noticed, or music that caught my attention and I talked about the impact it had on me. However because I was in media I decided to start up my own podcast, which will be on every 6-10 weeks because I want each episode to be relatively long and to talk about anything from Video Games, Anime, Manga or Society in line with me and my panel members’ interests. Other than that my work has been limited to research or discussion with my group along with other work from other subjects.

Now as we approach the end, I feel like I found the course right for me. Coming from a maths and science background it was a bold step for me to take up media based on the sole reason is that in my spare time I love watching movies, anime or playing games (I haven’t played games in months however). Now that the semester is about to end, I’m going to follow through with this course as it is where I truly feel happy.