And to all a Goodnight

      Wow to think this is my last post, how time flies. First off I wanted to say it was a pleasure to work with all of you throughout the semester. Additionally this class has been one of the most unique experiences in both college and life in general (especially due to the interesting stories and objective of the class). While some days there might have been stormy seas it is nice to know we will all be sailing into the sunset on calm waters after our screening this Saturday. In all seriousness this class allowed me to gain a true appreciation for the industry and taking myself serious as a filmmaker, I mean how can one not learn from such a seasoned veteran like Arturo. Lastly I wish you all the best in the future as you pursue your careers, good luck on your finals and have a safe break!

      Now that I got all the sappy shit out of the way I would like to share my favorite holiday animated special, A Charlie Brown Christmas. This was actually the first prime-time animated TV special. The animated TV special is based on the comic strip, Peanuts created by Charles Schulz. For any of you that aren't familiar with Schulz or his work he was an American cartoonist that dedicated 50 years to his most notable work, Peanuts. A Charlie Brown Christmas was first debuted on CBS in 1965 and was switched to ABC in 2001 where it is currently aired on multiple occasions leading up to the Christmas. The animated TV special  has received much recognition throughout the years and has won an Emmy and Peabody Award. The last reason this is one of my favorite of all time is the soundtrack and how it works in unison with the animation throughout the entire special. Additionally the music simply spells Christmas as it provides a magical feeling we have all felt at one point or another during the holiday season. Without further adieu here is the classic opening to A Charlie Brown Christmas...

Laying on the cheesiness...thick

         

 Since it is the last week and our class has officially concluded, Im going to talk about what I have learned in this class and throughout the semester in general....please, hold back the excitement. The first thing I learned was how to use the Sony FS-100 and how important it is to use profile pictures. When doing my first project, I learned the importance of art direction and location scouting. I also learned that it is very hard to workout five peoples' schedules to film. I really enjoyed learning how to use the FS100 and was impressed by the camera's higher shooting quality. During the second project, I learned the importance of image quality and how difficult it is to find actors that fit the type you are looking for. It was a challenge to mimic a shot exactly like the original but my group did a great job. This project was a lot of fun and I was really proud of the completed shot. I learned the most during the third project. This was the most involved project this semester and definitely the most stressful. I learned that you can not expect that everyone will do the jobs they are assigned and must be prepared to have yourself or other group members take over. I learned it is important to be organized and professional...and punctual.  This was also my first experience doing audio and using the marantz mixer. This experience showed me that audio is one of the most important aspects of a production and is much more difficult than I could have ever imagined. I really enjoyed doing an audio and realized that it takes a lot of practice. Overall, I really enjoyed this class and I am really proud of the things I have worked on. 

Also, good luck on your finals.

-Brie