Some Photos I Have Taken

Just because I can... I think I'm gonna go set up a Flickr account now.

Aaaaaand... DONE!

Can you believe it? We are FINISHED with our short film. I honestly can't comprehend it. I'm a little bit thrilled, but at the same time, I know that this is the last time I'll be editing like this, because I am not in BNC next year. So... this is pretty bittersweet.

I am really proud of our film, and I hope everyone likes it! I will post another sneak peek within the next few days. 

COME TO CAP HOLLYWOOD ON MAY 29TH AT 7PM!!!

Highway 19--Almost Done! EEEK

Sneak Peek: The cutest actor in our production-- Hayley!

Highway 19 is in the final stages of production, and it will be completed by next week! Come out to watch the CAP 10 short films on May 29th at 7pm in the MBHS Auditorium! 

Our short film finally has a complete soundtrack, and it is very good (if I do say so myself). We have a country-rock vibe and even some Buddy Holly. Now I know you're dying to see it!

SPOILER ALERT: We need a gun for one very crucial scene in our film, but we are not allowed to bring guns (even fake ones) to school. So this predicament has required some serious thought and innovation. We are going to experiment with the green screen. Let's hope it doesn't turn out to be too cheesy.

On Monday, our editing time was cut seriously short, as the Blair computers were not available for login until 20 minutes before the end of the class. This required me to go in at lunch to accomplish what I needed to get done on Monday. The class time that we lost due to the network errors weren't wasted though. Many of us got in some much-needed review for the Government AP test :) During lunch on Monday I FINALLY fixed the color correction to be perfect in the flashback scene; however, it was changed yet again--to what I hope will be the final-- by Isaiah, our story author and director.

Today, I started to balance the audio levels. It's harder than it sounds. I have to find a good balance for the music that plays in the diner. It has to sound like it is playing in the diner; not like the other parts of the soundtrack that play over the movie.

Next week I hope to finalize the sound levels and fix the credits. I just realized that I forgot to include that our film is based on the short story "Melting Snow" by Isaiah Silvers. OOOPS! Can't forget to give Isaiah his well-deserved credit.

I'm really excited for this event, and I hope we win a lot of awards :) If we don't get best soundtrack, I will be convinced that it was rigged (just kidding... maybe :) )

So please come to CAP Hollywood!!!!

UPDATE--5/18/13

**SEE BELOW FOR MORE SNEAK PEAKS**

A lot has happened with our film in 3 days. I spent about 3 hours on Thursday and Friday each. On Friday, we finally got to shoot (get it?shoot?) with our fake gun. That alone has improved our film by A LOT!!! I am planning to color correct the entire film, and add in a shot of a jukebox. If we have time, I am also going to make fancy opening credits, buuuut we'll see. I am not quite sure how that will turn out. And, oh yeah, I finally found the last addition to our soundtrack. It's another Buddy Holly song :)

Sneak Peek: This one gets no explanation. You'll have to come to CAP Hollywood to find out what it means!

Adapting Melting Snow

Sneak Peak: Our main character as he walks on the side of the highway.

"Melting Snow", a story written by my classmate Isaiah, is now the story that we are adapting into a short film. The story explores what young people do when they feel left out of life.

I am really excited about how the production is going so far. We have already done all of our filming at Tastee Diner and on the side of a highway... Cool, right?

We have been editing for about a week and a half, and we've already made a lot of great progress. I am my group's editor, so the pressure is on, as I try to work out my differences with Final Cut Pro and make this short film look professional.

Here is what we have achieved so far...

Editing Week 1

• Imported all footage into our timeline and laid out a rough rough-cut
• Tried to come up with a new title for the film adaptation (because there isn't any snow...)
• Started color editing the flashback sequence. I have never done color editing before, and it really enhances the effect!
• Found two thirds of the music for our soundtrack
• Finished the credits
• Started working on a movie poster

Editing Week 2 (This week)

• Fixed some of the awkward jump cuts
• Picked out a title font!!! It's getting really professional, guys :)
• Imported all of the music into the timeline; adjusted sound levels for soundtrack and dialogue
• Came up with a production company name: Chicken & Corn Productions
• AAAAND we finally came up with a title. We considered a lot of different title (North, Highway to Hell, and I think at one point: Melted Snow). We finally settled on Highway 19!

While we have made a lot of progress, we still have a lot more to do as a group. We have to finish our movie poster, finalize our flashback music, and record voice overs. I hope to get all of that accomplished by the end of next week. That way, we'll be able to use the last week of production for small adjustments.

Once we record voice overs, I have to put them into the movie. I also have to put in opening and closing music, as the music I originally found, isn't the best. I also hope to come up with a cool intro and add more cutaway shots of the diner (which I may need to get more shots of).

And, oh yeah. We need a pistol for one really crucial scene in our film, and we don't have one. What to do, what to do?

***Come see our short film and others at the CAP Hollywood awards event on Wednesday, May 29!***

Many Notes Lead to Sweet, Symphonic Ending

A trip to Café Cullen* will bring your palette many delights. The one-day-only restaurant is a buffet style service, and it features many different kinds of food. This small, but homey restaurant offers a wide variety of appetizers, main courses, sides, and desserts.
The highlight of the appetizer menu is by far the sambusa. This pastry, generally found in East Asia, was perfectly made at Café Cullen. The outer pastry was fried to a crisp, and each one was shaped in a two-bite triangle. The inside was filled with spicy shredded beef and seasonings that complemented one another well. While the pastry was well made, it left something to be desired as far as a dipping sauce or chutney. The dish would have been complete with more acidity.
The cranberry orzo pasta salad was the star of the entire meal. Orzo is, in my opinion, pasta that is not used hardly enough in cooking. You will find this rice-shaped pasta to be cooked at an al-dente that any Italian grandmother would praise. The dish hit every part of the palette. A bite consisted of an explosion of flavors—mint, almonds, dried cranberries, and a light drizzle of olive oil.

A close second to the orzo was the potato salad. This was not a simple potato salad one would happen upon at a family picnic, but a well-composed dish. One can clearly taste the thought put into its making. The hearty sized potatoes were complimented by occasional bites of crunchy asparagus, green pepper, and red onion. The flavors were married together with the acidity of red wine vinegar.
A four bean salad, more cleverly composed than its name were next on the menu. While this dish left many raving of the flavors, I found its seasonings to be slightly overbearing. The oregano left an aftertaste that let me reaching for my glass of lemonade. Overall, the ingredients were well cooked, but the execution and flavor pairing needs more thought.

Desserts made up nearly half of the menu at Café Cullen. There were a variety; lemon cake, almond cupcakes, brownies, cake pops, hot milk cake, and many more. The lemon cake was perfect. It had a moist cake and a tart and creamy lemon icing. Lemon zest was added to both the cake and icing, not leaving anything to be desired flavor-wise. The almond cupcakes with a simple vanilla buttercream were delicious. The almond flavor was, again, reminiscent of Italy. The cake in this dessert was also fluffy.

The brownies were some of the most delectable I have ever tasted at a restaurant. They were chewy, but not too. They were fudgy; sweet, but rich in chocolate. A rival to any homemade version, though they would have been better with walnuts.

The cake pops—not usually something that would appear on a restaurant menu so much as Starbucks—brought the restaurant from three stars to two. Cake pops as a culinary invention are despicable. Their gooey insides make you believe you are consuming raw batter, though it is really cake smashed together with any old icing. The mashed up mess was, at Café Cullen, coated in a far too thick shell of milk chocolate. These are meant to be a sort of desert amuse-bouche, yet a one-bit consumption would leave one in a desperate search of something to wash it down.

The hot milk cake was the dessert menu’s savior. What other deserts lacked in presentation, texture, and taste were forgotten in this piece of cake. The sponge cake was made with milk, flour, hints of vanilla, and love. A light dusting of powdered sugar was all it needed to be exceptional.

Overall, my trip to Café Cullen was successful, and it took me around to world and back to my own kitchen. The menu is vast, and the flavors leave nothing to be desired at the end of a meal; unless you order the cake pops.

*Cafe Cullen is the name of my Journalism teacher's fictional restaurant for our introduction to restaurant reviews.

My New Camera

I got a Nikon D3100 for my birthday! I'm so excited that I now have a DSLR. Now maybe I can try out some of the cool techniques featured in The Berger Weekly! I have only had it for one day, and I have taken quite a motley (English vocab word) collection of pictures. Expect to see some more pictures in the future.

My short film group will also be using this camera to shoot. We are already thinking of some great new cinematic techniques :)

Here are some of my pictures:

My grandpa

Oh say can you see...

Orchids

Hyacinths

Poinsettia plant

My handy wrapping skills on a birthday present for my uncle. I made the bow myself.

Family game night playing Ticket to Ride: EUROPE.

And I won :)

Our Documentary!!!

Finally exported our documentary about Silver Chips, Blair's newspaper! I had so much fun making this with Ceci, Leila, and Vu! Hope you like it :)

Sixteen Candles

It's 10:27 on Tuesday, April 2. I am going back to school tomorrow after spring break. I should be asleep. I don't have any last minute work to finish, seeing as it is the start of a new quarter. No. The reason I am still awake is because tomorrow marks the end of my 16th year. I feel like I am 7-years-old again. Anxiously awaiting the clock, and beaming with joy that I will finally be caught up to my older classmates. The only difference now is that I am not beaming with joy. I am sitting in bed typing this post on my phone. I am taking a break from reading The Princess Bride. I am 15 years and 364 days old. And I don't feel particularly different or extra special.

What I have come to accept over the years is that each day is new, different, and special. I learn and grow from my daily experiences and not by an annual date on the calendar.

I do, however, feel very different from when I was in this place last year. Over the past year, I have faced the toughest and most life changing experiences ever. I guess you feel that way every year (or at least you do when you are a kid). With in a certain year you could learn a completely new skill, start a new hobby, or make a new friend. I have done all of these and much more.

So tomorrow I will be sixteen. I will have experienced 16 years worth of life-changing experiences, and I still have a life's worth of growing ahead of me.

#nerves

The four SMOB candidates.

I keep thinking in hashtags now. I blame Twitter. Actually, I blame my friends for saying, "Hashtag..." in person.

This post is called #nerves due to Thursday's ominous event. Just kidding. I'm looking forward to SMOB Nominating Convention. If you didn't know, NomCon is how the candidates get lowered down to the final two. Delegates from almost every middle school and high school in MCPS are in attendance to listen to speeches and ask burning questions about better cafeteria food and cell phone use.

It really does cover more serious topics than food and phones, but I couldn't resist the urge to use another cliche. You know me...

I am really looking forward to Nominating Convention. Though many are calling this year's a "bloodbath," I know that all of the candidates are trying very hard. This gives me some reassurance that--even if I don't win-- someone great will be in this position (but I really do want to win).

Please feel free to ask me any questions about my campaign. Looking forward to this very busy/stressful/exciting/fantabulous week.

116 Unashamed

Last week I participated in an Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Diversity Workshop at school. I found all of the activities incredibly deep, especially because they were run by other students. I learned that our Communication Arts Program is much more diverse in ways of thinking than I would have ever guessed. This experience was very eye-opening, and it also challenged a lot of my preconceived notions of different people. However, I realized how much I can easily offend people by making a simple joke. This brought me back to James 1:19 (ESV):

"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger."

Many of my classmates opened up about experiences that happened 5+ years ago that still taunt them. I didn't realize until the workshop that I dwell on many of my my past experiences as well. This reminded me of another Bible verse; Isaiah 43:18 (NIV):

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past."

Because...

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future'" (Jeremiah 29:11).

This experience also challenged me to "'Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation'" (Mark 16:15). I have not been doing this at school, and the Diversity Workshop reminded me that I should not be afraid or ashamed of my beliefs.

**Stay tuned for my media group's documentary about MBHS's Pacemaker-winning student newspaper Silver Chips!**

Living the American Dream

So I haven't posted in awhile... Very very busy with play rehearsals.

My British student, Rachel, arrived on Saturday!!!!

Here's what we've done so far...

• Watched "cool American movies"
• Eaten fried chicken
• Watched the Super Bowl (and the commercials :) )
• Had brunch (complete with chocolate chip pancakes)
• Gone to my favorite boutique
• Gone to the mall. We visited
• Forever 21
• J. Crew
• Hollister
• Abercrombie
• Vera Bradley
• Auntie Anne's 
• THE FOOD COURT
• Gone on "A YELLOW AMERICAN SCHOOL BUS!!!!!"
• School
• Dinner at Macaroni Grill with all the Brits
• Eaten "Real American Hamburgers"
• Learned new words (including "chuffed")
• Rachel met The Amazing One*
• Rachel talked to The Amazing One
• 
  

*This is what Rachel has taken to calling a certain "attractive" American boy.

Dear Rachel...

Here is my most recent independent video project! This time I tried something a little bit different: I shot and edited on my iPhone. I took Mr. Mayo's advice, I bought iMovie. It turned out to be very user friendly. It was much easier to use than WeVideo, and I suggest buying it to anyone who has an iPhone (It's $4.99).

The song I used in the video is the Modern Theme Song from iMovie. This is not one of the most professional-looking videos I've ever done, but I was just getting used to the app. I also wanted to make it less professional because this particular video is for my British student who is coming in 6 days!!! I wanted this video to be very playful and upbeat. It's very cheesy, I know. Enjoy!

The Un-Jewelry Box

The narrators of Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close write in extremely specific detail. I tried to do the same. I am incredibly bad at it, but here it is:

For my birthday, she gave me a box. It was small, the kind of box you put jewelry in. The wrapping paper was thin, like newspaper, and covered in hand-drawn hearts. I tore it open carefully, not trying to save the paper, but because I did not want to show her that I wanted to tear the wrapping. I wanted to rip it away. I contained my anticipation. The box was black and velveteen. I opened it slowly, my eyes trained on the edge, where the hinge would open to disclose the beauty inside. A small piece of college-ruled paper slipped out. It was the size that someone tears out of a notebook to spit a used piece of chewing gum in before putting it with the other rubbish. On the paper, written in her round script, were three words. "I luv u!" it read. I read it over and over, slightly disappointed that the box did not contain what it was crafted for. "I love you too," I said.

Looking back on it, five years later, I have learned to appreciate my friend's gift. It wasn't jewelry. I couldn't wear a pair of sparkly earrings that would make my eyes light up. I couldn't receive complements on them as I walked through the hallways at school. But I could wear it. I could wear her "I luv u" in my face. I could wear her "I luv u" in my eyes. I could wear her "I luv u" in my smile. I could wear her "I luv u" every day in my heart. I could keep with me the the sense of love and acceptance. Somebody luved me.

They say the best things come in small packages. It's a cliché, I know. It's a cliché, which I hate. But life is full of clichés, which are actually just wisdom contained in a tiny phrase. A phrase you're likely to hear a googolplex times (notice the reference?). Repeated wisdom, that takes an instant to understand. Because that small package might have changed my life.

This Year I Will...

Today my friend Leigh asked me if I had made any new year's resolutions. I've never made any, or at least I had never taken the opportunity to document them in some way. I sat down and typed out 23 resolutions that I am pretty proud of. I tried to stay away from the clichés, but a few of them snuck their way onto the list. Here are my resolutions (in no order of importance):

1. Do all of my homework the day it is assigned. This is one that I always plan to follow through with, and it hasn't ever happened. However, this year with all of the craziness in my life (and the craziness that is sure to be added), I have decided that I will finally stick with it.
2. Go in for math help at least once a week. I have been struggling in Honors Precalculus and not giving it the attention is deserves.
3. Become SMOB. I am running for Student Member of the Board of Education. Visit my website, like my Facebook page, and follow me on Twitter!
4. Get a lead in a school musical/ play.
5. Keep my room clean. I have been organizing and cleaning this break. Fingers crossed it will continue!
6. Bring a friend from school to church.
7. Pray every day.
8. Further develop my relationship with Jesus Christ.
9. Start writing music again. I am happiest when I have an outlet. Music is very close to my heart, and since I have stopped writing, I haven't been as happy. Not making any promises, but some of my music could end up on this blog :)
10. Be more spontaneous. NOT risky. I don't want to be too impulsive, and do something I might regret, I just want to be able to say what needs to be said, and not hold my tongue.
11.  ...
12. Learn how to knit. This is the latest CAP obsession... I must admit, people are making some pretty amazing things. I got needles and yarn from my Girl Scout Secret Santa, so here's to being crafty!
13. Lose 15 lbs. I am not dissatisfied with my body. I just set this goal to encourage me to exercise and eat healthily (something that definitely was the last thing on the list during the holidays).
14. Make my 17th year great. April 3rd. I turn 16.
15. Start looking at colleges.
16. Decide what I want to do in college.
17. Read at least 25 books outside of school.
18. Read more classics (starting with Les Mis which I got for Christmas)!
19. Tell my dad how I feel about things with him.
20. Impact someone's life in a BIG (and positive) way.
21. Start dressing nice for school. NOT exam days. Those have to be chill. 
22. Be a better person. What does this mean? Truth is, I don't know. Just in general. Maybe become a philanthropist (Henry David Thoreau would hate me...).
23. Be levelheaded and not react poorly to things. This almost counteracts #10, but whatever. I like it.

It's a mix of goofy, serious, difficult, and easy. I'm not saying everything will happen, but it never hurts to set goals. It gives me purpose.