Post for March 26

This week I really focused on writing my script. My script began as a word document where I just put down what I wanted to have narrated and the different sections I wanted to have. After attending Dr. Holmevik’s Visual Communication class before Spring Break, I downloaded a program called Celtx, which is a script writing program. This program enables you to have scene headings, write down the action you want in each scene and the dialog for each scene. Celtx also formats the pages so it is clear what each section is. This was very helpful in getting my ideas out of my head and on paper.
For the first draft of my script I copy and pasted what I had in the word document, but I also began thinking about what I wanted each scene to look like, which is what goes into the action part of the script. My first draft did not have a lot of information in the action part, so on my first revision, I had to go back and put more information into it. The RCID student who spoke during Dr. Holmevik’s class told us that pre-production is very important and writing the script is included in pre-production. The more detailed your action is in the script, the easier it will be during production and post-production.
I met with Dr. Holmevik this past Tuesday and he told me to trim some of the dialog in various parts of my script and transcribe the interviews I will include and put the transcriptions into the dialog sections of my script. Having these transcriptions is helpful for me when I am timing my script. As it stands right now I have nine and a half minutes of script, but I am still missing two to three interviews. As my schedule states, I am planning to get those interviews the week of April 27.
I also met with Dr. Holmevik earlier today and he said a scene in my script was very lengthy, so he asked me to break it up into different scenes, which I have done and will take to his Visual Communication class I am attending tonight. The class tonight is on post-production, so I am hoping to learn some tips that will help me when my post-production time comes in the next couple of months.
My next task is to find music for the documentary. I have been looking on iTunes and the internet for music, but have been having trouble finding the right sound. I am looking for old country (not like Alan Jackson country, but like deep south country from the early 1920s), spiritual, jazz/blues type music. I will continue to search for the right sound. I have also been looking for pictures and have been given the use of a picture of Rosenwald I found on Sears’ website. I am still searching for pictures of Booker T. Washington, Rosenwald, and Hope.
Once this draft of my script is approved by Dr. Holmevik I will send it to Jay Hope to approve and will move on from there. I am hoping to get my script to Jay Hope this weekend or early next week. I am planning on mailing it to him, which was suggested by Dr. Holmevik.
I am looking forward to having a completed script and getting going with Final Cut Pro. I am going to go to the MATRF tomorrow to work with Final Cut Pro and am hoping to place some of the stills I have and possibly start storyboarding. I realize that I may have to move some things around, but I think getting something down will help.

Project Schedule

Pre-Production
Week of March 16-Work on script
Week of March 23-Work on and edit script; Contact Ron Knorr about interview for film
March 24-Meet with Dr. Holmevik and discuss script
March 26-Meet with Dr. Holmevik about changes made to script; Post to blog about script writing; Send copy of script to Jay Hope for approval and ask about recording narration the week of April 27; Attend Dr. Holmevik’s class about post-production
March 27-Go to MATRF and work with Final Cut Pro
Week of March 30-Make revisions to script that Dr. Holmevik and Jay Hope suggest
March 31-Meet with Dr. Holmevik and other students about what a defense entails/Discuss revisions of script afterwards
April 2-Post to blog about revisions and script writing
April 3-Go to MATRF and work with Final Cut Pro
Week of April 6-Make any final revisions and complete script
April 7-Meet with Dr. Holmevik about final script
April 9-Post to blog about completing script
April 10-Go to MATRF and work with Final Cut Pro
Week of April 13-Organize footage and stills I already have to determine what I will need when I go to Pomaria; Contact Ron Hope and pastor of the church about interviews the week of April 27
April 14-Meet with Dr. Holmevik about interviews
April 16-Post to blog about interviews
April 17-Go to MATRF and work with Final Cut Pro
Week of April 20-Work on project paper (this week the college that I have my assistantship in holds a faculty forum and I will be assisting them with set up, the forum itself, and take down)
April 21-Meet with Dr. Holmevik to discuss project paper
April 23-Post to blog about project paper

Production
Week of April 27-Record narration with Jay Hope; Interview Ron Knorr; Interview Ron Hope; Interview pastor of church; Get any extra footage and stills that I will need; Meet with Dr. Holmevik to discuss production; Post to blog about production

Post-Production
Week of May 4-Continue work with Final Cut Pro and building the film; Complete a draft
May 5-Meet with Dr. Holmevik about building film
May 7-Post to blog about building film
Week of May 11-I will be in Maryland for the first part of the week, but will work on my project paper
May 15-Draft of project to Jay Hope
Week of May 18-Implement revisions from Jay Hope
May 21-Post to blog about revisions
Week of May 25-Finalize all revisions
May 28-Post to blog about revisions
Week of June 1-Final cut of project to Jay Hope and my Committee
June 4-Post to blog about final cut
Week of June 8-Work on final project paper and any revisions that have been recommended
Week of June 15-Finalize all aspects of project
Week of June 22-Defend project

Update

I have decided to graduate in August and attend the first summer session in order to finish my project. This means that I will have more time to complete my project and it will be of better quality. The schedule I have posted reflects this.
This past week was Spring Break and I began work on my script and have five pages at this point. I will be meeting with Dr. Holmevik today and continue revising my script throughout this week and next. During Spring Break I hit a few walls with writing, so I actually began some work on my project paper. Also, I will begin to actually post every Thursday. I apologize for not having consistent updates, but this will change beginning this week.

Update on my computer and a few plans for moving forward

I was able to get my computer back yesterday, so I began reconstructing my storyboard last night. I was able to look at all of the stills and video I had gotten from Ron Knorr. I made a list of the possible pieces of interviews I could include in the documentary and pulled aside the stills I think I can use.
Tonight I will be attending Dr. Holmevik's Visual Communication class because he has a speaker coming who will talk about speech writing for film. I am hoping to get some helpful tips on writing the narrator/voice over parts of the speech.
Jay Hope has offered to help me with narration, which I think will help create ethos since he is a member of the committee who is rebuilding The Hope School and a relative of the family who deeded the land where The Hope School now stands. I had originally wanted a James Earl Jones-esque voice, but I think that a member of the Hope family will have a bigger impact on the audience.
Beginning next week I will spend at least 7-10 hours a week in the MATRF working with Final Cut Pro and putting together my project.
I also have plans to go to Pomaria over my Spring Break. I am hoping to get my own stills and meet Ron Hope. It is possible that I can get an interview out of him to put into the documentary as well.
After I attend Dr. Holmevik's class this evening I am hoping to come up with a project timeline, which I will post as soon as it is complete.

Post for February 27

Last week, I took my Oral exam. I also spoke with Dr. Holmevik and we have decided to meet once a week, most likely on Tuesdays. We are going to work to create a more detailed schedule and I will post it here. Now I will begin intensive work on my project and plan to make a trip to Pomaria very soon. Every week I will have some sort of deliverable to show him and my blogs will be much more detailed.
My harddrive failed in my computer, but it is being fixed as we speak. I was able to get a loaner until my computer will be fixed, so I will be able to do some work this week. Also, the storyboard that I created was not saved anywhere besides my harddrive, so I lost that, but I do have my script saved to my flash drive. From now on I will save everything to either my flash drive, external harddrive, or both.