Ink Concept

 A description of your main character(s). What does your character(s) want? How will your player identify with and get to know the character(s)? (1 point)

Your player changes between Novikof and Vetrov.

ANATOL NOVIKOF: A 17-18 year-old Russian student. Bookish. Brilliant. Independent. Lanky. Quiet and introspective. Attractive in a dark-academia way. Wears round rimmed glasses and tweed suits. Holds a leather satchel around his shoulder. Anxious often, very private and keeps a journal. Taps his fingers as a nervous tick. Is not very connected to the world around him on a micro-level, but sees the world through the philosophies in the books he reads and in the politics in the newspapers (macro-level). Many of his family members acted against the Soviet government or were suspected of it and were tortured in front of him (his backstory). He suffers from PTSD and has daytime visions of those incidents. (Soviet officers' attack dogs dragging his uncle, and when he was younger, his father was questioned and punched under a swinging light in a warehouse. Novikof [called by his last name] watched and was asked if he knew why his father was being hit. He stayed quiet.) He has strong convictions and feeling about what is right. He becomes more sure of himself and his cause over the course of the narrative, learns the art of spy-craft and takes it seriously, but doesn't necessarily get more loud about his views, but more confident and purposeful. Is always very careful. Asexual. He wants to fight against communism. You will get to know this character based on his thoughts and actions, memories, and the conversations be has with the other characters. He already knows his family members, but will get to know Vetrov through hiding after school in a classroom closet.

VLADIMIR VETROV: A once KGB spy turned American spy, gave Reagan valuable information to stop a nuclear bomb that would have brought armageddon. In this 30's, reckless, likes women and parties. He has a unique way of gaining intelligence (partying with KGB officers and relying heavily on alcohol). When drunk, can be made to spill a bit of information. He is subject to great mood swings and has a mercurial relationship with his girlfriend. Becomes anxious and paranoid the longer he spies for America. Wants to help end the Cold War. Wants to hide his connection with Novikof and keep him safe. Will meet Novikof when meeting with other KGB officers in classroom and finding him in the closet. You will get to know this character based on his thoughts and actions, memories, and the conversations be has with the other characters. 

NOVIKOF'S UNCLE: Supportive of Novikof's passion for freedom and Western politics and hatred for the USSR. Dangerously open about his views. Wants communism destroyed and his nephew, Novikof to help do it. Doesn't ever meet Vetrov.

LUDMILLA: Vetrov's girlfriend. Completely ignorant to Vetrov's spying. Is annoyed when Vetrov seems anxious for "no reason." Gets jealous and angry easily by Vetrov because of his partying, womanizing, and alcohol addition. Throughout the narrative she starts to suspect Vetrov of some dark secret. She believes he is not acting like himself (he is paranoid). Wants Vetrov to be honest with her. Is not specified how she meets Vetrov, they are dating at the beginning of the narrative. Doesn't ever meet Novikof. 

An overview of the main story arc. What is the central conflict? What paths might the player have to take? (1 point)

Anatol Novikof (who goes by Novikof) reads books (like his idol, Alexander Solzhenitzyn), filling his head with anti-communist thoughts. He takes on this philosophy and longs for a way to help the effort to tear apart the system. One day after class, he accidentally leaves a textbook in his classroom. When retrieving it, he hears KGB officers approaching from the hallway. He quickly bars himself in the closet to avoid being seen. He realizes that the information discussed between the officers is confidential and that it could somehow be used against the communist government. He writes it all down, not understanding any of it, in his journal. He repeats this practice everyday after school until one day he meets a double agent (Vladimir Vetrov) in the KGB working for Ronald Reagan, the American president. They form a bond and Vetrov teaches Novikof spycraft, realizing how important the information that Novikof collects is. Vetrov's strategy for spywork is partying, womanizing, and being drunk often. Novikof tries to insert himself into Vladimir's spywork, but he's not ready for it. He's also 17. Vladimir cares for Novikof and becomes evermore paranoid and protective over him. His girlfriend sees his personality changing and suspects he is hiding something from her. She confronts him and in the heat of the moment (and through alcohol) he stabs her. He runs to his apartment burning all the information he copies and faxes to Reagan and sending the emergency signal to Novikof that he is finished and he is severing their connection. There will be no further communication between them. Vetrov is taken from his apartment to a prison, where he is shot. 

A description of the environment. Where is your story set? What will the player explore? (1 point)

The overall story is set in 1983, in communist Russia (Moscow). The environments include a library (), Novikof's bedroom (), Novikof's classroom (), a KGB-run ballroom (), a park (), and Vetrov's apartment (). 

At least two sets of choices for the player to make when playing. (1 point)

Set 1:

Choice A: Stab Ludmilla in the heart. Kill her.

Choice B: Stab Ludmilla in the arm. Give her the chance to live.

Set 2:

Choice A: Throw the lit match into the trash can. Only the papers burn. 

Choice B: Throw the lit match onto the floor. The papers and the apartment burn.

CCR (Creative Critical Reflection)

Because Cambridge requires me to answer the 4 questions in 4 different formats, I am incorporating 4 different, creative mediums that all relate directly to Novikof. 

Here is my final CCR:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8O5nAvqU20

2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cpm7tlhlGM

3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFxBzwqJdnk

4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_Vom_p4lzQ

 

Here is the planning of my CCR:

1. Interrogation video

How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?

Answer to question:

The conventions of a spy/Cold War/political thriller movie are political power struggles that are either fictional but believable with real modern countries, or not. Novikof follows a real political era in a real country, which goes along with the genre conventions. Political thrillers sometimes revolve around legal plots and while at the end there is a "trial" of Vetrov, but it is not part of the opening and is not the plot's main focus. There is a political enemy: the communist state. Political thrillers can involve national or international issues and this feature film involves both the US and the USSR, so it is international. Some other common themes in the genre are terrorism and warfare, but Novikof would never resort to violence, so while the main character does not incite terrorism nor warfare, the US, for which he spies, is more violent. Since it was the "Cold" War, there was no overt warfare, but people were certainly killed in the era. Some political thrillers are based on true events, dates, fashion, or people. My feature film has many true events and people such as Ronald Reagan, Vladimir Vetrov, and Ludmilla's stabbing. Sometimes the genre overlaps with conspiracy thriller, but this is not that.

This feature film as also part of the spy thriller genre. Often government agents are put out in the field and might have to take violent actions for a country. While Novikof is not employed officially by any country, be does spy for the US, Vetrov is officially a KGB agent who is employed by the US. Novikof also does not have to do any violence, although Vetrov does. The spy is usually the hero in this genre, which goes along with my movie, as both Novikof and Vetrov are the heroes. Many spy movies have a love story. While Novikof is asexual and has no romantic interests, Vetrov has a girlfriend and there is some drama in the relationship. These movies are often suspenseful as there is the constant worry that the spy is found out or subject to counter espionage.

My opening scene represents youth, especially in the main character, Novikof. The conventional "youth" is rebellious, on their phones or technology, ignorant about the world around them, idealistic, dependent, dangerous, noncommittal, care-free, willing to try new things. Novikof breaks this stereotype by being independent, very knowledgeable about the world around, and being very committed to his purpose. The influences of communist propaganda and messages in school have not touched Novikof, like it does to his peers. This shows that he does not suffer from peer pressure, like most youth would. He does, however, follow the youth stereotype in that he is rebellious and idealistic, looking to his writer idol, Solzhenitsyn to motivate his push from freedom. 

It also represents the asexual community as Novikof is asexual. This group is typically characterized as not understanding romance or sexual relationships and not being able to navigate sensual situations per social norms. An example of this is the BBC Sherlock Holmes. His best friend, John Watson, is heterosexual, but because he himself is asexual, he often finds navigating John's romantic relationships awkward and superfluous. Novikof also finds romantic relationships useless and incomprehensible. His cause against communism is much more important to him. This becomes evident later in the movie when Novikof follows Vetrov and sneaks into a KGB party. There are scantily clad women that seem to distract Vetrov, but not Novikof as he is asexual. 

The media piece also represents political issues as it depicts communism and a censoring totalitarian government. The guard in the piece wears a Soviet secret police hat pin on his ushanka to denote his employment to the Kremlin. He blindly follows orders, watching indifferently from the library, a government institution. He lets citizens in, but must watch for any anti-communist activities like speech and book reading. When Novikof pulls out a anti-communist book, he looks suspicious, as he has to be careful with the censored material. The guard notices this and chases him, calling for reinforcements when Novikof (an energetic youth, parallel with his age group's stereotype) out-runs him. 

Plan:

Sav runs into her room, (make sure it is cleaner than it is now) she hyperventilates and throws open all of her drawers. They are filled with papers. She pulls out a metal bin, strikes match and drops it in, frantically throwing papers into it. 

Her room door slams open and Patton the Soviet Guard enters. 

Soviet accent. “Stop hiding girl. We know who you are.” 

Sav turns around (in hysterics) “You do?” 

Guard: “Yes. You are a filmmaker.”

Close up on Sav’s eyes, wildly scared. She is pulled out of the room as she struggles. She screams. The screen goes black. Her screams are reverb-ed highly and sound like in large room in her head. 

Interrogation Room. Dark, swinging overhead light. Sav is tied to chair at a table. The guard is on the other side. 

Basically, guard questions me about the critic and I answer.

After I “confess” everything about the social groups I guard takes out a walkie talkie (same from opening) and says “she has critically reflected. Get her out of here.” Menacingly, like she has confessed to treason. Come kill her.

Sav yells “WHAT?? No. I-“ 

Guard pushes Sav and she falls unconscience, head roles to side OR on hit, black screen. End.

https://vatican.com/Lamps-Lighting-Vintage-Industrial/

I am trying to find a vintage industrial caged floodlight similar to these. My boyfriend has a similar model, and we will try using that. 

2. Conversation with Reagan from one of the untraceable phones, (like a podcast, as it is an audio file) 

How does your project engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media?

Plan

Use the audio from President Reagan's address to the nation on the Iran-Contra Controversy.

Reagan: "Good Evening." 

Mr. President? You sent a message for me to call? Is everything alright?

Reagan: "I wanted to take this time to talk with you about an extremely sensitive and extremely important matter-" 

Me: Anything. I sent you the recent intelligence-you received it. Didn't you?? Say the code Mr. President. I need to know it's you. 

Reagan: "You know my name."

Me: Of course Mr. President. Yes. Sorry. I was just a bit worried. Things are...stressful here in Moscow. (deep breath) What is it Mr. President? What's important?

Reagan: "The American and world press have been full of reports and rumors about this initiative and these objectives." 

Me: Oh no. It's Cambridge, isn't it? The global education plan from Britain? All they want is for me to answer a question. They mean no harm. 

Reagan: "That initiative was taken for the simplest and best of reasons."

Me: Good. You agree with me. Is the situation bad? They all know?

Reagan: "There's an old saying that nothing spreads so quickly as a rumor, so I thought it was time to speak with you directly."

Me: Alright. Cambridge already provided the question in the syllabus. I'll tell you everything I know and you can sort this out.

The question is this: How does your project engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media?

    This piece engages with history buffs of all ages, as they would know a lot already about the historical context and appreciate the historically accurate ushanka pin. History buffs are also much more likely to be interested in (and understand) the morse code at the end and the use of German Shepherds as attack dogs in Soviet secret police forces. Groups with college educations might have read some of Solzhenitsyn's work and would then be able to relate to Novikof and understand more about his character because of his idol's writings. Linguists, language teachers, interpreters and even the average multilingual, who are interested in English blended languages would be able to engage the work with its use of Runglish and my invention of "Latryllic" (the mixture of the Cyrillic alphabet and the Latin alphabet, shown in the original title graphic). Both the guard and the background noises (dubbed for the extras) in the piece were spoken in Russian, yet the switch between the Cyrillic to the English shows the merge between to two languages. Russian-Americans, found mostly in the "Little Russia" of New York, would be able to connect with this as they either lived through the censorship and totalitarian government that the main character was suffering under or they have older family members who have. Americans aged 45-70 years would also personally relate to the Cold War era's tension and stories of espionage as they lived their early adult and mid-adult years during the 80's in Cold War. My project engages directly with many different audiences dependent on nationality, age, and education level. 

The film opening would be distributed as real media through the film industry's path as a corporate video. This means that it would be very successful, reaching a wide range of theaters including AMC Theaters, America's highest grossing movie theater company. Financing is not an issue with corporate videos, as their companies make such high revenues. Warner Brothers, for example, made 119 million dollars in 2020 alone from box office revenue according to statistica.com. This would mean that the production company for Novikof could afford highly paid, famous, and skilled actors like Eddie Redmayne. The film would not only be distributed to movie theaters on the release date and about a month after, but would also be available on streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime. Audience could then watch it whenever, wherever, and on whatever device they want, like their computer, smart TV, or smartphone. They could add subtitles if they wanted and in many languages (including Russian) and could pause it infinitely. During the COVID-19 pandemic, viewers have largely stopped coming to movie theaters for fear of the spread, and viewership on streaming services has skyrockets, according to Accenture. These distribution methods of the piece if it were distributed as real media would increase viewership. 

I used home phone foley I recorded at my friend's house to ensure that the sound effects were original. 

I cut together the Reagan lines with a bit of space between each so I could pause and then say my line. 

I imported that full recording to audition, added a low pass so the audio sounded like it was on the phone for both of us to better blend both and further indicate with audio that I am on the phone. 

3. Pages of Novikof's Complete Works of Solzhenitsyn as Power Point-like slides, video looks like Novikof is up late and writing a plan in his "diary," and writing in the margins, the audio sounds like it is coming from inside his head as he thinks. 

How did your production skills develop throughout this project?

Planning:

My level of organization and preparedness: calling locations way ahead of time and filling out film permits, reaching out to drama departments to recruit actors, planning what the characters were like in detail (mostly Novikof), checklists, work timeline, shot list, on location shot planning, volunteer sheets pre-filled out. 

I also organized the names of my foley and the PNGs of the cut out letters 

I developed the habit of exporting little bits of the full project from Premiere using the "in" (I) and "out" (O) to check small parts that are difficult for Premiere to render and play within the program. One can see exactly how a file-heavy effect will look in real time. 

I learned how to convert files automatically through a "watch" folder on Adobe Media Encoder.

I learned how to smart export from Adobe Premiere and Media Encoder using the proper sequence settings, match settings, and use previews. 

My direction: I often dread directing even though it is a key skill for filmmaking. I would much rather be behind a computer, editing the already recorded videos and audio. I am often fearful that some groups I am filming with will get bored or feel annoyed that I am not constantly tending to them if I have to set things up or work with another actor. I also feel that I am not very good at communicating the images I have in my head into words that direct others well. This project gave me more confidence in directing because I was more prepared and there wasn't as much dead time between shots. It was also easier for my actors to know what to do, as I had sent them the shot list video weeks before shoot day. 

After Effects animation: moving the letters and keying their scale and rotation

Lighting: Cove lighting, how to use a reflector

Drone Work: how to pilot a drone and all the interesting things my drone specifically can do and its parts. Draw this as a sketch, as that is aesthetically pleasing. I also learned the acceptable outside conditions (no rain or not much wind, although some is acceptable, like on film day) 

Principles of Graphic Design: Discuss the first poster idea and how I got feedback on it. The composition didn't draw the eyes to the main title and the visual hierarchy was confusing, so I made a second version. Discuss compositional changes. 

Parametric Equalizer and how to change the direction of audio with the Russian speech

I used varying camera movements and angles, developing skills on when to use each: Ex- "shaky-cam," or handheld, tripod, pans, canted angle, low angle, arch shot, tracking shot (crab shot), dolly. 

I developed my color grading skills by correcting a lot of the too bright or too blue (too many kelvins) areas. I also developed my skills using the HSL Secondary tool in Adobe Premiere. I increased the intensity of reds (to accentuate the accent color) and often improved skin tones using this tool. 

I practiced determining where in the shot and what shots should have a gaussian blur on them and how to key the blur's animated movement throughout the shot.

My script: (To sound like voice in Novikof's head, although it is mine and I am a female) 

Gah. (Nat sound: Runs fingers through hair) (Nat sound: Pacing back and forth) 

I've done so much. So much for the cause. I just have to... answer the question...

(Hand enters the scene. Trembles) (Nat Sound - Breathing uneasy) Come on... There has to be something in here... (Quick flip movement across the pages in the book.) Solzhenitsyn would never leave me helpless... Ahah! (Slams journal open to first page.) 

Creative Critical Reflection. Oh course! How did your project skills develop throughout this project? Well (deep breath) That's easy. I learned a lot actually. For one, I was incredibly prepared, much more so than for my previous projects. I made sure to call ahead to many, many locations to shoot there, like the Parkland library, the Helen B. Hoffman private library, Tamarac library- all of their directors. I finally got a response from the director of the Alvin Sherman Library, but the permit request I sent in was never accepted because I am just a student without any film insurance or a real production studio of my own. Luckily, the room request I filled out from South Florida Bible college's Sylvester Memorial College was accepted and that's where I filmed the bulk of it. 

I contacted plenty of school's drama departments like Marjory Stoneman Douglas High's, Calvary Christian Academy's, and Coral Springs Charter School's. I secured actors from there, tried to get a police officer as my guard and contacted many students who fit the role of Novikof. 

I developed my characters broadly, learning that research is included in preparedness for production. I read Edward E. Ericson's A Moral Vision, which summarizes and analyzes all of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's works. This is Novikof's idol after all and in order to fully direct his movements and determine his moves and past (for the flashbacks) I had to understand his thought processes. 

I created checklists like a list of all the gear, props, costumes- I needed to bring on shoot day. I created a work timeline to ensure I would have this project finished and well prepared for by its due date. 

I also created a shot list video, with the score and text describing each shot on a black screen. This way, I can be sure of timing, send my video to actors and on shoot day, be sure I got every shot the way I envisioned it during the pre-production stage. 

I went to the shoot location a few days before shoot day to be sure I was prepared the take the shots I needed on shoot day in the least amount of time possible. 

I printed many extra volunteer sheets for my extras and signed them beforehand and had my AICE Media teacher approve them before shoot day so I could pass them out when I needed to. 

I learned to follow all of these careful steps to ensure I was prepared for the shoot. 

I was also sure to be prepared for post-production, organizing all of my files such as the PNGs of each Cyrillic and English letter on the book so that editing in Adobe After Effects would be simple. My foley was also named by the title of the sound. I also gained the habit of exporting small parts of my full project. This way, I can watch over the heavy files that Premiere can't play through in real time within the program. I just hit I for in and O for out on either side of the clip and export through H264. 

I developed skills in Adobe Media Encoder including converting files automatically within a "watch" folder. I open Adobe Media Encoder, create a folder entitled "watch" on my desktop, link it to the Media Encoder, and anything I place into the folder in Media Encoder's "watch folders" to the right of the queue, will automatically convert to whatever resolution and where ever I set the output to. 

I also developed the very useful skill of "smart exporting." I just have to set the project (before I start, or this will reset all of my preview renders) to one of the many smart export sequence settings. I have set the editing mode to UNxHR HD, the timebase to 29.97 frames per second, the frame size to 3840 by 2160, and the preview file format to QuickTime, but this is only really useful for large projects, so my film opening was definitely included. When exporting the full piece, check match to sequence settings at the top and then check use previews. Then export. It should take a lot less time and although it will produce a many-gigabyte-sized file, I learned to put the large size into the watch folder and then use a codec that produces a lower file size. 

Now. I have always had trouble with directing. I feel like actors can get bored or annoyed if I'm not working fast enough, if I'm not tending to them all of the time in the case that I'm working with another actor, that I'm being to picky. I also fear that I communicate the images I have in my head to the actors poorly, so they might want to help, but they don't know how to. This project allowed me to develop my directing skills during production as I was prepared, as discussed earlier, and my actors were more prepared as I sent them the shot list video weeks before shoot day. 

I also developed my visual effects skills further in Adobe After Effects. I learned that the paths in the program that can be keyed for animation can easily turn into paths with handles and anchors like that with the pen tool so I can drag a curve, add a key frame, and then add another curved further in the timeline, therefore making multiple movements of each separate PNG with minimal effort. 

 I did also develop my content aware filling for video skills. I had heard about this capability of Adobe After Effects in recent updates, but I had not tried it before. Of course it does have its limits, as does most programs and tools, but it worked for what I was using it for as both the background to the attack dog and the book without text on it. 

I developed my lighting skills, learning about how cove lighting, using a bounce as well as the regular three-point lighting set up is best used for moving subjects. I learned that the Rembrandt triangle on faces makes them particularly attractive, and chose not to use it for my actors, as their attractiveness was not important to their characters.  I had never used a reflector before, but since there was already lighting set up in my locations that I could not remove, I had an assistance ensure my actor was properly lit with this reflector as I moved around him. 

I developed my drone piloting skills and overall understanding while preparing for this project, learning how to start the blades, connect the drone to my phone's app (Ophelia GO), connect it to the GPS, remove and replace the battery, manipulate where the drone goes, set it to move around me or "follow me," and record video on it's SD card and on my phone. I also learned the parts of the drone including all four propellers (A-D), HD camera, lights, and the transmitter with its GPS Mode Switch, Camera Angle Adjustment, handles, and joysticks. 

I developed my graphic design skills by creating a movie poster for Novikof. After feedback from a few people, it was evident that my visual hierarchy, telling which parts of the poster were most important (the title) and which were least (the quote from CTV2), I needed to revise. I decided to use the actor for Novikof himself and then work out where the text was to go. This totally improved the composition, and made visual rhythm less confusing. 

I also developed my audio production skills by working with the parametric equalizer. When I made the recordings of Novikof's dad getting punched and crying out and child Novikof call out "Papa!" I had to increase the wetness. When I made it sound like the Russian murmuring from both outside and inside the library (and when the guard called out "Hey, you there! Stop!" I used the parametric equalizer to make the recording sound distant or close up. Here is a sketch of some of the curves I used. I also learned to change the direction of the audio from equally distributed sound between the left ear and the right ear to some sounds coming more from the left and others more from the right, giving the headphone wearers (or surround sound speaker users) a more realistic and immersive experience. Knowing when to use this method or have a foley or audio come from one specific location around my omni-directional microphone is a skill I developed over this project. 

There were various camera movements and angles that I developed the skills to know when to use respectively, such as shaky cam (also known as hand-held) during the slow motion running scenes to communicate urgency and tri-pod to allow a symmetrical framing with no movement to better display the title graphic and have the audience focus on the movement (and then lack there of) of the actors. I also used pans, such as the shot across the page with the Cyrillic handwriting. The shot transitioning from the elevator to the bookshelves was a tracking shot, also known as a crab shot as it was moving directly from left to right. I used canted angle when showing Novikof running The shot moving around the book as it was opened is a part of an arch shot. 

I developed my skills in color correcting and color grading by taking out the overly bright areas of the shots with a mask and lowering the exposure of them and them feathering them out, keying their movement when necessary. I also used the HSL Secondary tool on Adobe Premiere to single out certain colors and change them, such as when I wanted the make the reds more intense, the whites more yellow, and the skin tones either warmer or cooler. 

Some shots look more cinematic when the backgrounds are blurred and the subjects are sharp, so I developed my skills using the gaussian blur and animating its movement with key frames. 

4. Musical Parody of the Instrumental Song Using the Soundtrack (It's My Life by Talk Talk)

How did you integrate technologies - software, hardware, and online - in this project?

Directly relates to Novikof as it is a parody of one of the songs from my soundtrack. 

Planning: 

Software:

Adobe Premiere - shot list video, editing all media together, audio cleaning and adding reverb, parametric equalizer, color correcting and grading, gaussian blur, speed ramping, changing and equalizing decibel level 

DaVinci Resolve 16 - slowing down running shots with speed warp

Adobe Photoshop - movie posters, original title graphic, production company graphic, cut out separate png for each letter on books

Adobe Illustrator - vector version of the original title graphic, production company graphic

Adobe Audition - changing direction of sound of the Russian murmuring

Adobe After Effects - attack dog rotoscoping and content aware fill, animate movement and scale of letters on the book

Adobe Media Encoder - exporting matched with the sequence settings for smart export 

PlayMemories Home - imported files from camera

iMessage and Notes - easily transfer checklist of what to bring for shoot day AND request and communicate with actors, send shot list video to phone for convenience

Hardware:

MacBook Pro 13" 

iPhone 6S

iPhone 11

chair (as a dolly)

WD Easy Store 2 TB external hard drive

Insignia mouse

Insignia USB-c to USB adapter

Insignia USB hub

SD card 

SD card USB-c adapter

MacBook Pro USB-c charger

RODE Shotgun Mic

9 volt battery

shotgun mic extension cord

boom mic pole

Sony Handycam FDR-AX53 4K Camera

Shotgun mic adapter

Sony noise canceling stereo headset

SunPak 5858DLX tripod

Philips Smart Wifi LED bulb

Ottlite lamp

Neewer Reflector

Neewer RGD LED lights

Holy Stone HS105 drone

Online:

ytmp3.cc (instrumental music and morse code sounds)

YouTube How-To videos (ex- Cinecom - how to export videos faster and Indy Mogul - cinematic lighting)

Research on (KGB recording methods, genre movie - Hunt for Red October, documentary on Vladimir Vetrov and Ronald Reagan)

Lyrics:

(Mom's voice in Russian accent) "How did you integrate technologies - software, hardware, and online - in this project?" 

(Music starts)

(6 background parts with 5 syllables each)

Adobe Premiere - shot list slide show, com-pile med-ia, co-lor grading, blur speed ram-ping, got it DONE.

DaVinci Resolve 16 - shot with too few fps, had to slow the running, shots with Davinci's

speed WARP.

Adobe Photoshop - movie posters, title graphic, production company, cut out each letter PNG. 

Adobe Illustrator - vector version of title graphic, and production graphic, used image trace object exPAND. 

Adobe Audition - change direction of Russian murmurs, re-verb mental tortures, by the dog and floodlight triGGERS. 

Adobe After Effects - roto-scoping and content aware fill-ing, animating movement'n scale of the letters on the BOOK

Chorus:

You ask me now. What tech have I used? Well I'll tell you now. I used tech! Don't you forget! I used tech! List never ends. It never ends!

Adobe Media Encoder - match the sequence settings, smart export and convert, to shrink the file size, H264 is best for YouTUBE. 

iMessage and Notes - ease transfer checklist, actors I request, shot list on my phone, group chats for communicaTION.  

Now the hardware. There's a lot of hardware. My MacBook Pro, Apple iPhone 6S, and iPhone 11.

We used a chair as a dolly, I store files on a hard drive. Used an SD Card for the camera. 

Chorus: a Sony Handycam FDR-AX53

that's my camera. 

See? I use tech! Don't you forget. I use tech! List never ends, it never ends. 

shot gun mic and an adapter 

Boom mic pole and a yellow cord

bat-ter-y and a black tripod 

Holy stone is my drone

this headset, LEDs

 Reflector and an Ott-lite lamp

USBs, and a plug-in mouse

chargers for my cam-er-a. 

Now YouTube, watched videos.

Like Indy Mogul and Cinecom. Film Riot, Petter McKinnon, Video Co- pilot, all of them 

CHORUS: All of my online technology 

You can't deny that

I use tech! Don't you forget! I use tech! List never ends. It never ends. 

Then I looked up the KGB, 

history documentaries, 

books and books that helped me see, 

How deep Vetrov can really be. 

Hunt for Red October it helped me, 

with electric typewriter foley, 

stop right there and bend the knee, 

Cause is used so much technology. 

(Improv ooo's and eh's)

Here is my set up for this piece:

This was in my parent's closet. 

In these screenshots, I add (through legacy titles) a "ticker" or text that crawls left across the screen in time with what is said (or in this case, sung).