Just like the location search, this quest worried me a lot as well. However, I think that this was because I was looking in the wrong places. Craigslist, for example, was far from a success, since I encountered both problematic and unresponsive people (very glad I won't be meeting the problematic one in person, thank god). LetGo and Bay sucked as well, since most people were selling their CRT TVs for unnecessarily high prices. I found out that this was because CRT TVs are rising in popularity again, for two main reasons:
1. Owning "vintage" technology is becoming popular, and
2. Apparently gaming on an old TV is better, since the graphics are more fluid (less laggy) and the screen is able to hide the imperfections that one can usually spot in lower-resolution video.
This made finding CRT TVs that are both functional and in good shape pretty difficult, especially on sites that are usually used and known by a younger demographic. Therefore, once my dad told me about Facebook Marketplace, I was instantly relieved. Not only did I find a lot of options, but they were cheap as well, many of them ranging from $5 to $30, a lot of them being free as well. The only downside is that my dad and I would have to drive quite a bit to get to these people's houses, but honestly I think it's worth it, especially since many are around the same area. I don't know what it is with Boca, but there are five solid options there that I am currently looking at.
Speaking of my options, here are some that I will be contacting today:
I was also thinking of possibly contacting some technology recycling/repair places to see if they had any CRT TVs they were willing to donate (if they hadn't already demolished them for recycling, of course). Here are some of my options:
Although, I'm thinking that if I can get the ones I need through Facebook Marketplace and the CBTV storage closet, I shouldn't go through all that trouble. After all, the options I have so far are already pretty solid and I really need to focus on finding a filming location, finalizing the questions, and more. I will update you guys soon with more information regarding the props and all the other elements of this production! The search may have been somewhat difficult so far, but I honestly think that all of this hard work will be worth it in the end. Like always, we power through. Talk to you guys later!
When I began looking at these pictures on Pinterest and building my board for this project, I definitely knew that finding the correct place to film was not going to be easy. However, I definitely did not think that my options would be this limited.
So far, Kim and I have considered (and searched for) so many options. Possible places in our homes (rooms, garages, etc.), other people's homes or property that they would be willing to let us use, even areas that we could rent for a select amount of time. However, even the rentals are limited, and it's getting us a little worried regarding what we are going to do for filming (which by the way, is coming up quick). These were our ideas when we first began our search:
- Room in house
- Garage?
- Places owned by people we know (warehouses, my dad's car shop, etc.)
- Online rentals (studios, rooms, warehouses)
- Portables?
After about a week or two of searching, this is what we've realized:
- Room in house: too small, might get stuffy after a while of filming and shots may be limited due to limited space
- Garage: my garage is packed, but Kim's might work. Honestly, if worse comes to worse, this might not be a horrible option. We will have to check it out.
- Places owned by people we know (warehouses, my dad's car shop, etc.): My dad's car shop has a bunch of equipment inside that we would not be able to remove, plus the ground is not the cleanest since they work with car fluids inside, and I would hate for equipment/equipment bags/interviewees/props to get dirty while filming. I would not be opposed to cleaning prior to the shoot, but considering how little space we would have and how the shop does not fit the "look" of the piece at all, it does not look like a viable option. I also know someone that owns a warehouse, but it is also filled with a bunch of boxes and such. I think that unless another option comes up, relying on connections will not really work this time around. Just for reference, this is a music video I made with some friends showing the inside of my dad's car shop. As you can see, there would not be much available space to work with:
- Online rentals (studios, rooms, warehouses): the search for this has been long and quite tiring since there are many options online, however due to cost, we most likely will not be using any of these options, either. The cheapest I found was an space we could rent for about $35/hour, but even that would be pricy since shooting (and of course, setting up), can be extremely time-consuming. This is a screenshot of one of the many sites I used to look at some options:
- Portables: We didn't really even look into this since 1. portables are small and probably filled with a lot of stuff, 2. we would not be able to film there at night (or at all, since the portables at school are currently off limits), and 3. I'm not sure that the inside of a portable is the look we're going for, either. Obviously we can't be too picky at this point since our options are so limited, but of course filming in a school portable is probably a bad idea anyway.
Right now, I think either a garage or maybe another area owned by someone we know is the best bet. Because of this, I have been (and will continue) asking around to see if anyone has something that could work, and sometime soon I will be going to Kim's house to see if her garage would work. Wish us luck! I really hope this gets resolved soon.
Goooooooood evening everyone! This past month has been pretty difficult to manage since my school work has been ramping up, this project is now fully in motion and I have been competing non-stop since the beginning of February. I have missed so much school that I am sure my teachers are ready to kill me.
Regardless, I still want this documentary to surpass Counter Conformity in terms of both production quality, aesthetics, and story - the story part will be difficult, though, especially since the male gaze is such a complicated topic. Therefore, good planning is essential for this project to fully come to fruition the way that I am envisioning it - which is why today, Kim (my partner) and I met up to discuss everything that has been laid out so far and think ahead, since we have less time for this project than we think we do. These are some of the things we got done:
- Planning Document on Google Docs: So far, we have been discussing everything either through text or in person, which can sometimes get messy since the texts regarding the documentary get mixed in with our personal conversations. Because of this, we decided to create a Google Drive folder with a Google Document inside in order to keep everything organized and document our progress. This is what it looks like:
So far, we outlined some things we need to watch out for and get done, as well as some of the other planning we did (like coming up with potential interviewees). This is really going to help us stay on track and keep everything in one easily-accessible place, which will save us time in the long run. We did this for Counter Conformity and it worked wonders, so I hope it helps us just as much this time around.
- Project Schedule: Because we only have a few weeks left, we decided to list everything we need to do every week from now until the project is done in order to make sure we are not falling behind. This is what the project schedule looks like:
As you can see, I also listed the amount of blog posts I would like to get done every week in order to make sure I am properly (and consistently) documenting the process, especially since I regret not doing so for Counter Conformity. Since I sometimes struggle coming up with blog topic ideas, I also used this project schedule in order to create a separate blog post schedule for myself.
- Blog Post Schedule: Like I mentioned, coming up with blog post ideas can often be difficult, at least for myself. Because of this, I created a personal blog post schedule, making sure that the topics correlated with what I was going to be doing during each week. For instance, if I was planning on filming the documentary during spring break (which in this case, I am), then it would obviously be logical for me to discuss the filming process, any hardships we faced, and what I enjoyed about the experience in a blog post that week. It took some time for me to finalize this since the dates were kind of confusing (I was very tired when making this, oops), but this is the end result:
Obviously these are all subject to change since some parts of the process will definitely take longer than expected, but this is what I am thinking so far. I hope that this helps me stay organized and on top of these blog posts, since again I really want to properly document the process and be able to come back, read about my experience, and compare it to the end result.
These schedules may seem tedious and unnecessary, but I already know that they will greatly benefit me especially on the days when I am extremely busy and fail to see the bigger picture. I already know that these next few weeks are going to fly by, so I need to make sure that I am thinking ahead and making sure that I can finish this project with Kim by the deadline! I genuinely cannot wait to see the end result. See you guys tomorrow for another blog post!
Over the course of this week, I have been thinking about this documentary more and more and I have really started to put some thought into who could possibly be an interviewee for this piece. After all, due to our lack of voice over (we plan on doing indirect interviews and letting the interviewees "tell the story"), we need people that will be able to not only present themselves well on camera, but also talk about the subject in depth. The main issue with this documentary is that many people do not know about the male gaze, which instantly narrows down the pool of potential interviewees for our doc. Luckily, I happen to know some socially aware individuals that have been affected by the male gaze personally. Here are the ones I am considering:
*Note: For privacy reasons I will not be using their names, only describing them and what they could bring into the production.
Potential Interviewee #1:
This person is an artist and has actually been basing their entire AP Art portfolio on women and oppression. I have talked to them personally about complex matters and they seem mature and honest, which is definitely something that we need for this documentary. I remember talking to them about the male gaze specifically (I also happened to mention this project, and how I was looking for people to interview), and they told me that they would love to discuss it, however the main way in which the male gaze has impacted them is in their sexuality, which is something they may not be ready to talk about on camera - especially since they really have not been interviewed for a documentary before. I told them that I completely respected that and that we could talk more about it when we saw each other in person, since I think Kim and I could make them feel comfortable enough to open up. We obviously do not want to force anyone to do anything so if it doesn't work out then it doesn't work out, however we think they would be an amazing candidate, especially with their artistic background. The artistic part of them could also result in some new B-roll ideas, which is exciting.
Potential Interviewee #2:
This is someone that Kim and I have worked with personally before. I have wanted them to be in one of our docs for so long, so since the topic is the male gaze (and they love to consume media critically), I am basically jumping at the possibility of working with them. I have also told them about my idea already and they seemed to really like it, so I think they are likely to say yes.
In terms of their value as an interviewee: I think this person is extremely well spoken, is knowledgeable about not just the male gaze but other topics as well, and could be a fantastic person on camera. They have been in my productions before and they have no problem acting or showing off in front of a camera, which would be extremely beneficial for filming. This person is one of my top choices, 100%.
Potential Interviewee #3:
I am not too close with this person, however they have been in my classes in the past and they seem to be constantly aware of what is going on in the world, they are exceptionally well-spoken (they compete for debate, so no surprises there), and they are always advocating for women's rights (as well as marginalized groups), so I think this topic would be right up their alley. Even if they do not know about the male gaze in particular, Kim and I will be writing questions that are more personal, therefore not requiring the interviewees to know anything theoretical or overly specific about the male gaze. We will simply focus on the perception of women through the media and how this affects not only women's view of themselves, but their view of the world/society and how they may subconsciously change their behavior as a result. I definitely think this person is intelligent and emotionally aware enough to answer our questions, so I would love to see if they were interested in participating. Also, they happen to be a very close friend of one of Counter Conformity's interviewees, Florence Laurent, so they are familiar with us and our work. We'll see if they are willing to be a part of it!
Potential Interviewee #4:
This is someone that I have spoken with about the male gaze multiple times, and each of those conversations have sparked a lot of deep thinking on my side. I really do think that this person is very knowledgeable about the male gaze and could definitely give Kim and I some good answers, especially since we have worked with them multiple times for projects. However, because we have worked together before, we are aware that they are very busy and sometimes unreliable, which could be risky. Also, because we are so used to working with this person, I think it would be best to work with someone new and mix things up a little bit. I think that one of the things I enjoyed most about Counter Conformity was getting the chance to not only meet knew people, but also get to know them as human beings, which is an experience we could not get from working with this potential interviewee. I am keeping them in mind due to their strong camera presence and knowledge, however I am only thinking of reaching out to them if we cannot find anyone else. I definitely would like to work with them for other projects, much like we have already done in the past.
Potential Interviewee #5:
Last but certainly not least, this person actually reached out to me to make something about the male gaze together. I already told them about this documentary and they seem to be interested, which is nice considering I know that they have done their research and could probably talk about the topic extensively. The only downside is I am not sure how much they would fit the "look" we are going for, however that is something that we might be able to figure out. I am also keeping this person as a backup, however they are definitely not a bad option.
Alright guys! Hopefully that gives you a slightly better idea of what the potential interviewees are looking like for this project. I really take this selection process seriously because if I am being completely honest, one of the things that made Counter Conformity so special was the interviewees, 100%. They were so well-spoken and honest, and they were even able to bring in some comedic moments throughout the piece (which definitely helped lighten up such a complex - and occasionally dark - topic). I also loved how Florence in specific would bring up some very significant points in a poetic way, such as when they stated that people "weave in" gender expectations into clothing, despite clothing having no designated gender. I really do hope that we can recreate or reimagine those sort of moments in this documentary in order to make it not just entertaining and engaging, but also memorable.
We have plenty of people to choose from (I might even have other options as well), so I cannot wait to contact them and finally have them picked out! I am really excited to have this idea come alive. Let's see what happens!
In my last post, I talked about my plan for getting props and possible back-ups incase Craigslist proves to be completely unsuccessful. However, props are not the only components of a good scene. Mine-en-scene also includes the filming location itself, as well as lighting and costuming. Because I am still trying to figure out the physical characteristics of the scene itself, I'll focus on the filming location for now.
If you were to look at the Pinterest board I've put together, you would most likely notice something: all of the photos included are taken in an empty, white room. Not only does this leave the viewer to focus on the props and subject, but it also gives a rather polished, modern and other-worldly look to the scene (especially when the subjects are wearing peculiar clothing, like in the image below):
I am absolutely obsessed with this aesthetic, especially with the picture above. Unfortunately, being able to find an empty space where this documentary can be filmed will definitely be a challenge - and I have about two weeks to find one, if I want to stay on schedule.
Due to my limited budget, I began asking around and even thinking about any areas available to me that could work. For instance, I could possibly clear out an area of my house to film, but there is heavy furniture everywhere and my dog will most likely be a disturbance while filming. Another option is to see whether filming in Kim's garage would be possible (we would most likely purchase some sort of white photography backdrop, or rethink the look of the location all together).
While I was asking around, my friend Wade had offered a spare room in his house that would soon be empty because of his dad planning to remove the furniture inside. I asked him to send me a few pictures once he got home, and this is what he sent (he also sent some pictures of his room incase the other room didn't work):
This is basically the equivalent of me removing all of the furniture in my room, which could serve as a last resort, but I would rather search for a larger area. I really appreciate him offering his house especially since he is not even a part of the project, but it is not worth for him to go through all that trouble when I could achieve a similar result in my own home. My main concern, like I mentioned earlier, is the fact that the room is small. This could technically be countered with the use of wider lenses (like a 14mm); however, this would most likely look strange since it would warp the image. It could work, but again I want to look for something more practical and something that I know will produce the results I would like.
But again, not everything works out the way one expects, so I have to keep an open mind and try my best to find something that could be successful. I really want this documentary to be successful, so I will make sure to go the extra mile to secure the proper location, proper props, and proper interviewees to make this vision come to life. These are some alternatives I will be looking into in the coming days:
- Possible places to rent (might not be possible due to our minimal budget)
- Other possible filming locations that I could get through some connections
- Finding ways to further transform areas I have already considered in order to make them fulfill the requirements
Anyway, wish me luck! This is by far one of the aspects of the production I am most worried about, so I really hope that Kim and I find something that works. Until next time!
So far, I've mostly been focusing on the content, posting about research and the overall idea that I've been working on. However, it is very important to assess whether or not an idea like this can actually be achieved, especially considering the B-roll Kim and I plan to get and the props (and location) needed to pull it all off.
I lightly touched on this in a previous post, but because I need old TVs and other appliances that I currently do not own, I've turned to sites like Craigslist to hopefully find the things I need to bring the scene in my head to life. So far, I found two promising postings:
So this is actually a TV that I had looked into earlier for a different project (the distribution project I described in an earlier post). My group and I never actually got around to contacting the person that posted it, but last class, I decided to send them a text through the phone number they left in the post. Despite the TV looking a little big, I thought that it would still be manageable and that it would be interesting to have a TV in a cabinet, since that is not something that is commonly seen anymore. Unfortunately, not only was the size more of a problem than expected, but the person I contacted about the TV was quite problematic as well.
The person answered pretty much instantly, their texts sounding pretty passive-aggressive. They asked if I was "serious about getting it" and kept speaking to me in a condescending tone, making me want to get this TV less and less. Once they mentioned the TV being large and heavy (larger and heavier than I expected, may I add), I instantly used it as an excuse to not pick it up, which of course caused the person to get even more passive-aggressive (fun!) until I ended the conversation and blocked the number. Oops.
Therefore, getting this TV was not much of a success (which was probably a good thing, in the end). Definitely did not expect to have to deal with an angry stranger while making this project, but hey, it happens!
This posting got me very excited, and I actually reached out to them through email about a week ago. Unfortunately, they still have not answered, which is relatively frustrating. Despite the long drive that Kim and I (and a parent of course, I'd rather not get kidnapped by some random Craigslist user) would have to do to get to Boynton Beach, getting these TVs would actually be amazing, especially since they're in good condition, look cool, and are very similar to the ones I was envisioning for the project. Sadly, I will try not to get my hopes up since it is highly unlikely that they will respond after such a long time. I have to keep looking, I guess!
After continuing to search Craigslist, I have come to the conclusion that unless the Boynton Beach user reaches out to me soon, I will have to rely on another method of getting props. Thankfully, I have some other plans that might also work. This is what I am thinking:
- Thrift stores (particularly American Thrift and Goodwill)
- EBay, Letgo, and any other sites where people give away their old technology (Facebook Marketplace may be good)
- Some old equipment in the CBTV inventory room. Not only are there monitors and small TVs, but there are also old cameras, which may also come in handy
- Maybe some garage sales? Junk yards?
If all of this fails (which honestly I doubt, but I'd rather not jinx it), I might have to rethink the B-roll a little bit, which would really suck. I love the atmosphere and aesthetic of the idea I have now, so having to change up the B-roll would feel like I am changing the documentary entirely. I really hope it does not come to this, and I will keep looking (and updating you) throughout the next couple days. Wish me luck! I have a lot of searching to do.
Hello everyone! Another week, another set of blog posts. Let's get right into it.
One of the main things I wanted to upgrade in this documentary that I did not get the chance to fully accomplish with Counter Conformity was the extremely stylistic, staged B-roll. I LOVE stylistic visuals. I love them. Despite getting staged footage for my last documentary, I really wanted to go all out and developing a whole set for this one, carefully selecting the mine-en-scene and using it to create a feeling that matches the content being discussed in the interviews.
Although, I'm not sure whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, but my personal style in terms of B-roll is not commonly seen in most documentaries, making research or finding inspiring examples pretty close to impossible. Regardless, I have been watching some documentaries here and there to see what others have done (after all, a huge part of being a creator is also being a consumer). These are some I found:
THESE DAYS
I will be honest, I did not have the time to finish watching this documentary, but I definitely want to when I get the chance. This piece is about people in their early 20s and how they manage themselves as they go through life, constantly asking questions and trying to figure out who they want to be. What I thought was interesting (even though it is done in a lot of documentaries, especially on more "home-style" platforms like YouTube) is the fact that the interviewees are never shown, only heard. I think that this combination of profound storytelling and handheld video makes it seem like you are talking with the interviewees one-on-one, having an intimate conversation in an empty room. The camcorder footage of nostalgic images also bring in more of a personal touch to it, augmenting that "human" feel and allowing audiences to connect with the message.
I honestly like showing the interviewees since viewers get to connect with them personally, however I do see the value in submerging the audience completely, using footage to engulf them in a world created for them to not only further understand the concept, but also increase their attachment to the piece. Before watching this, I was expecting to cut to the interview clips or at least showing the interview clips in a creative matter (ex: having the clips edited onto the screen of an old TV), but now I might experiment with not showing them at all, focusing only on the stylistic B-roll I plan on getting. Decisions, decisions, decisions...
THE FUTURE IS FLUID
This was actually a documentary I had used as inspiration for Counter Conformity, since of course it discussed gender fluidity and expression while simultaneously showcasing this in a stylistic way. I think that even after searching endlessly online for something like this, I have not been able to find much. Because of this, The Future is Fluid has remained in my YouTube Favorites Playlist for a while, allowing me to go back and re-watch from time to time. After so many views, this is what I personally think about it:
- What I like: Stylistic B-roll! Shocker. I love how no matter what is being shown, you can tell that whoever made it shot and chose their footage carefully. I especially love the shot in the documentary's thumbnail, since it is very obviously staged yet aesthetically and visually pleasing (the subjects themselves, the corner of the wall looking like a line between them, the color palette, etc.). It may not be the most conventional thing to do for a documentary, but I really think that it brings up the piece's artistic value and sets it apart from other documentaries. This is the level of visuals I strive for. The shots of the non-binary dancer in action are also stunning.
Also, this documentary does not show the interviewees (much like "These Days"), but I'm not sure if it is as effective. I think that not being able to see the interviewees' faces keep the audience from forming a connection with the speakers, which I think takes away from the piece. This is why I am probably going to make the whole "interview or no interview video" decision once the editing process starts, since I'll have a much better idea of what to do then.
- What I would do differently: In this video, they have a larger amount of interviewees (thirteen) compared to what is usually seen for a shorter documentary (most likely to emphasize that gender fluidity is becoming more popular around the world, not just in a specific country or region). Even though they are discussing the issue thoroughly, it prevents the audience from getting to know each interviewee, which in my opinion makes it less personal. Gender fluidity and expression is extremely personal; and not being able to fully understand what it means to each of them makes it seems more surface-level than it could be. This is why I tend to stick to no more than three interviewees, but again, that's just my style.
AFTER BIRTH: IS IT SELFISH TO CARE ABOUT YOUR BODY?
I LOVE the New York Times Op-Docs, which is why it has been one of my main sources of inspiration (and in a way, research). They always tend to choose documentaries that discuss controversial topics, mainstream subjects through a fresh angle, and/or tell stories in unique ways (I think this is the closest to how the footage looked was absolutely beautiful and soul-crushing, I HIGHLY highly recommend).
In this documentary, they discuss pregnancy but through the lens of mothers that struggled with their self-image after birth. Even though the production is simple, the topic is certainly not. A group of a few women talk about how this change in their bodies resulted in a change within their romantic and sexual relationships, their connection with their children, and their confidence. I absolutely love how they discussed such a taboo topic in the realest way possible, each interviewee being fully honest and going over pregnancy's physical and emotional effects. I think it also did a great job at portraying women as strong and independent since they had to go through these changes by themselves, all while having to take on the immense responsibility of raising a child.
For this upcoming documentary, I would love to also be completely real and allow each interviewee to fully express how they feel about the male gaze, since being completely honest makes everything feel genuine and raw. I really enjoyed this documentary and would love to incorporate all of this into my next project.
Anyway, hope you liked what I found! I plan on watching more and more throughout the process of making this project, that way I can learn more about making documentaries and hopefully find other pieces that inspire me to create. I'll make sure to post them once I find them!
