Pre-screening 3-28

Today we present our most completed cut to date in class for workshop. At this point, we have completed the visual edit with credits and have progressed with our sound design. There is still touch-up work to be done with minor audio clipping, general room ambiance, and possibly working some more score into the film.

As of now, I am leaning toward utilizing only diagetic sound (no score) until the final moment where a swelling, contemplative score highlights the final tone of the film. I feel that "The Basement" would benefit from heavy incorporation of vacant room tone and some atmospheric wind and things of that nature in order to depart from any reliance on a drowning score.

Beyond that, I am interested to hear what the class has to say after this screening. Christina and I will have about a week to take their suggestions (as well as the things we know we need to work on) and incorporate them into our "First Final Cut" to submit to Reel Teal Film Festival. Though we will likely continue to make changes as we prepare the film for a festival run, I think that Reel Teal is an appropriate place to premiere the film and I think we will essentially have our finished film, with the exception of a few tweaks down the road.

Finessing the Edit

At this stage, Christina and I have completed the film in terms of narrative coherance.... now comes the time to delve a bit more intricately into each edit and make sure everything is working. Additionally we will have to take out 21.5 minute film and chop it down to a more manageable 15-17ish mins.

There are a few scenes that drag out a bit and some moments that could be shown a little more concisely so I think the first couple minutes we have to cut wont be too difficult. Beyond that, it could become tough to part ways with 'our babies' in order to bring the film to our eventual minimized duration.

However, the most important part from here on out will be the sound edit. Right now, we have a rough sound edit with roomtone, sound bridges, and fade in-fadeouts masking some of the sound glitches. But much more needs to be done. There are an infinite amount of ways we can add atmosphere with foleyed breathing, footsteps, and various basement sounds. Through playing with our audio tracks we can bring out many new elements into our film that could not exist soley in the visual edit. Im excited to see how these last few weeks progress as we guide our film toward a festival run.