1. Final Production
2. About Production
Brief Description:
A political candidate on the cusp of a loss struggles to come up with a concession speech. As he finishes writing it, however, he discovers that he actually won the election.
Creative Problem:
How do you make a story about politics relatable and entertaining?
Solution to the Problem:
I made it relatable by making the main character struggle with writing, in a similar way how a student struggles with handing in an essay, and the euphoria that comes with it.
3. Title/Role: Director & Editor
4. Process & Development
Treatment & Script
My first step was to create a script and treatment that set the stage for a funny and silly political skit. I tried to make it outlandish, but not so much that it devolves into absurdity. The film discreetly touches on topical issues, primarily the 2024 Presidential Election, with nods to controversies related to Donald Trump.
With no budget and time constraints, this project had to be done with few actors and small spaces. To address this, I chose to only explicitly show the higher-ups in the presidential campaign, along with his opponent and a news reporter. This made the world feel bigger than it actually was.
Storyboard
This required a deep understanding of filmmaking techniques, physical space, and what is practically possible. It also required balancing when to use a close-up, wide, or moving shot and figuring out if it made sense for the story.
Shoot
The shoot required extensive planning, including location, camera, and lighting plans, shot lists, and call sheets. Small details required attention, and they took a while to complete. However, even on the shoot, I had to be prepared for whatever came up and make many decisions on the fly.
Editing
Editing involved a lot of knowing exactly where to cut. It required a lot of experience for me to get to the point where I knew exactly where a cut made sense or didn’t. It also meant a lot of careful balancing of sound, colour correction and grading, graphics, music, and sound effects.
5. Applications & Results
This acts as an internet skit or short film to be posted on YouTube during an American Presidential election.
6. Credits
Keir Patrick (as Sam Whitman)
Marilyn Conti (as Chloe)
James Robinson (Lighting)
Michael El-Hashwa (Camera)
Priscilla Castro Sanchez (Assistant Director)
Shane Opinaldo (Audio)
Dr. Gary Gould (Professor)
Marilyn Conti (as Chloe)
James Robinson (Lighting)
Michael El-Hashwa (Camera)
Priscilla Castro Sanchez (Assistant Director)
Shane Opinaldo (Audio)
Dr. Gary Gould (Professor)
