After using production technologies, we gained more knowledge on all of the abilities these devices had. The iPhone 11 Pro Max camera had so many different options Jackie and I could choose from while shooting our film. The quality was great and the movements were smooth while Jackie was recording. The iPhone camera also adjusted the lighting itself if the sun was shining and it was too bright, or the lighting was dark because we were in the shade. It also has a really great zoom and the quality remains the same when the camera is zoomed in all the way. The quality of the iPhone we used is just as great as an actual camera. Jackie and I learned through filming more options on the phone camera than we even knew it could perform. Just by messing with the different settings, we were able to record the great quality film we desired.

To edit, Jackie and I both used Youtube and watched tutorials on the different settings the iPhone 11 Pro Max camera had. For example, we learned that the camera had a 0.5 zoom out which allowed us to get a larger shot of the whole park. As for my laptop, we used iMovie to edit so we had to play around with some of the settings to fully figure out how to use the different options to edit. We did also use Youtube to figure out more options that are on iMovie to edit. Overall, I learned quite a bit from the use of these technologies along with the use of other sources to help me out as well.

To film our movie, Jackie and I used an iPhone 11 Pro Max. We knew that this was the best iPhone with the best quality. Jackie and I wanted our film to have nice quality so it was perfectly clear and easy to see. Using this phone allowed the picture to be crisp the whole time. As seen in the picture below, this was the exact iPhone we used. There are three cameras which made the zooming better as well as the smoothness of camera movements. This iPhone is the best out of all other iPhones because it has more features with the camera which will allowed more flexibility when we filmed.

To edit, we transferred all of the clips and shots we took to my MacBook Pro in which we used the iMovie app to form our film. We decided to use my computer because it was easier to see the film on a larger screen versus trying to edit on the iPhone.

This is the exact MacBook Pro that we used in order to edit our film. This laptop has Retina display which allows the best viewing experience while using it. This allows us to edit the film easier because the display is clearer and crisp. For it being an Apple product along with the iPhone, we were able to do more with having both Apple devices. They work much better together compared to an Apple device with a non- Apple device.

Here is a screenshot of me using iMovie to edit the film. As you can see, the audio starts at the beginning, and the credits are introduced as well.

In order to begin shooting we will obviously need a device that will record our shots for us. Luckily, Jackie has the iPhone 11 Pro Max that has the best camera quality out of all the iPhones. There are so many options we can choose on her phone while shooting which will ensure that we have decent shots. Since we are not using any background noises actually at the park, we will not need any other technology to record these sounds separately. However, we will plan to use my MacBook Pro laptop in order to incorporate the foley sounds. Jackie and I actually recorded some test shots in my house to see how her phone camera would perform zooming and movement. We found that her iPhone really smoothed out the movement so that the shots were not shaky. It almost looked like it was shot on an actual camera because the picture and movement was so clear and smooth. It will be simple to use Jackie’s phone to shoot our film because it is easy to carry around and it will be easier to import onto my computer when we are ready to start editing.

This is the exact iPhone we will be using to shoot the opening scene of our film “The Vanished”. As you can see, there are three separate cameras on the phone that all work together for zoom, quality, and movement. These are all ideal for us in order to receive the video we desire. This phone is unique because it is the best out of all iPhones. This will ensure that our film will not be grainy or shaky with movement.

We are done filming guys! Here is the rough cut of our film. This video is just all of our shots in order put into one. There is also no audio because we have not began editing yet. Jackie and I are so happy that we were able to film on a nice day, as well as getting Amzie (Sawyer in film) to finally cooperate.

Jackie and I plan to shoot during the mid-afternoon just because we would like it to be a little sunny out, but not too bright. Also, this would allow better lighting for when we begin to shoot. We also chose this time of day because not a lot of people are at the park and it will not be as busy. Usually there are a good amount of people walking around and kids on the playground earlier in the day. We want Sawyer to be the only child playing on the playground which adds to the uneasiness. My partner and I also plan to coordinate with each other on a time that works best for us as well as our actors participating in the film. For example, my brother Travis works long ours weekly and usually has an extremely tight schedule. Luckily, the time we picked to begin filming was during a week he took off from work. This will allow us flexibility and we will able to shoot more if we need to.

Jackie and I also discussed that we will be filming on the weekend because this is when her and I are the most free. We obviously do have school Monday through Friday which does not really provide any flexibility in our schedules. We want to set aside a great amount of time for this project in order to receive the content we desire.

This is our storyboard for “The Vanished”. It shows everything that happens in the opening scene. As seen in the pictures, Sawyer is playing on the playground the whole time. Her mom is not really paying attention to her and is on her phone. A strange man shows up and begins to stalk Sawyer as she is playing by herself. Sawyer walks up to him voluntarily and takes her hand and begins to walk away. Grace is still not paying attention and does not see what is going on. The truck pulls away and leaves the parking lot.

During production, Jackie and I are not planning on recording any ambient sound. We plan to use nature sound effects for the whole film so the audio is more crisp. As for the title sequence, I used the sound effects from iMovie to create a suspenseful title opening. We did not want to have to go through the process of getting any other technology or materials while recording sound when we were actually shooting. We wanted to keep it simple, but the sounds will sound pretty accurate going with our film. Also, because we are not including any dialogue, this will make it easier to incorporate these ‘artificial’ sound effects. Some sound effects we are going to include in our film are trees blowing, since it is outside and will most likely be a bit windy. We will also include traffic sounds because there are cars driving by due to the park being near a main road. Also, since there were no other kids playing on the playground with Sawyer, we did not have to insert any sounds of kids playing which would have been a little bit more difficult crossing the nature sounds with kids yelling and playing.

When the man dressed in black takes Sawyer, Jackie and I plan to insert a suspenseful background noise which will add uneasiness for the audience. This will hopefully make them want to watch the rest of our film. Having these sounds is important because it is one of the main factors that adds to the overall tone/feel of the film. Background noises and sound provides context for the viewers/listeners.

Since our film is a dramatic thriller, we plan on relaying a more eerie and uneasy feeling back to the audience to add suspense. This will play the role of having a thrilling plot and setting. As for coloring and lighting, we will be shooting mid to later in the day so it is not too bright out. The coloring of the picture will be a cooler tone which will give a darker effect. Many dramatic thrillers are edited to be cooler toned for this purpose as well. As for sound, Jackie and I plan to add background music to enhance the mood of our film. The music will only be played in certain scenes just to emphasize them and increase the intensity. The background sounds are going to be slow but upbeat with intense noises that gives a mysterious effect. We want our viewers to get a feeling of uneasiness while watching our film due to its purpose of being a thriller.

As for acting, I will be acting as the mom of the child. I will be keeping my name as Grace as well. My three year old niece, Amzie, will be playing the role as Sawyer who is the daughter of Grace. Jackie and I both got permission from her mother to let her act in our movie due to the genre of our film. The man stalking Sawyer will be played by her dad so she is familiar with him and it is not someone she isn’t comfortable with. Before Jackie and I start production, we will consider that we are using a young child so she may not behave as well for us as we shoot. However, since we chose the park and playground as our location, she should be able to act accordingly. As for scheduling, we will have to shoot when our actors are available, obviously. We will most likely shoot on the weekend because this would be the best time for our actors. We will also have our actors practice their parts many times before we start shooting so they know exactly what they are going to do during this two minute opening sequence. Jackie and I will also have the chance to critique each other as well as our actors during this practicing process just so we do not have any mess-ups during production and shooting.

For our film, we will be shooting in a large park in Zephyrhills, Florida. This is the only location we will be shooting at. Since our opening sequence is only two minutes long, we do not want include that much location change so we kept it simple and just stuck to the same location. My partner Jackie and I felt that a park would be a perfect place for the plot of our film. Many movies that all under the dramatic thriller genre are usually shot in locations that are in public or can even be shot in rural areas. Usually movies with kidnappings are shot in parks because that’s where most kids go and can get lost easily if not watched. Jackie and I wanted to follow this idea just because it would not be difficult to shoot there. However, Jackie and I are planning on shooting when there is no one else at the park. We did this because we felt that it would add a spookier effect to the movie due to the fact that the mom and the daughter are the “only ones there.”

These pictures were taken from Zephyr Park in Zephyrhills, Florida. This is the exact park in which we will be filming at. Since Zephyrhills is a smaller town in Florida, there are not many people who go there. This is perfect for us because there will most likely not be any kids playing on the playground while we are shooting. We chose this specific location because we live right by it so it would not be a long drive if by any chance we had to reshoot. Jackie and I have also been to this park many times so we are familiar with the surroundings.

As for distribution, the 2013 dramatic thriller “Prisoners”, directed by Denis Villeneuve, was distributed by Warner Bros. which is a large and popular American entertainment company. This film was able to make a large profit due to the fact that they were distributed by a well-known company. I believe that Warner Bros. would be a great match for “The Vanished” because we would be able to get the film out into the public easier. Since Warner Bros. is one of the most popular entertainment companies, they have more availability to be able to get the films they distribute in a wider range of theaters so they can be viewed by more people.

Moving on to exhibition, our film will be exhibited in various cinemas, on DVDs, and hopefully on other streaming websites such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. Cinemas allow our movie to be shown to the public which can increase the profit that we make from our movie. Making and selling DVDs will allow our movie to be purchased from stores which will also increase the profit we make from our film. As for the streaming websites, they have been getting more popular as the years go by because it is getting easier for people to just purchase a movie on their T.V. and watch it at home. Or, they can just subscribe to a streaming website, for example Netflix, where they pay for it monthly and they can watch a wide range of movies for free. If we added our film to these websites, we can definitely have the advantage of our film becoming more advertised and hopefully increase popularity which will again, increase the amount of money we make from creating the film.