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!

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!**