Reserving the filming location

    Reserving the location to shoot my project was extremely challenging. I originally planned to film at the Henry Flagler Musuem train Cart, unfortunately I was not taken seriously and wasn't allowed to film there. Instead, I chose to film at Gold Coast Railroad Musuem. They did not have Henry Flagler's train cart, but they had very similar train carts that would work well for my project. The first time I called them I got some information on the price of the project which seemed to be a little too expensive. The second time I called them I met Kimberly, she was very understanding of what my needs were, and we came to an agreement. It took a lot of talking and working together with different dates, times and prices. We agreed to film in the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) Passenger Coach #136, for 90 minutes. I also managed to get a place reserved on the rail tracks to film some scenes of it being built. Overall, this experience has been very informative and helped me work better with people.

Filming Day 2 (Everglades)

     The second filming day started out with a 30 minute drive to the everglades. I decided to film at the everglades since it would fit Henry Flagler's theme of Florida development. It would also be used as a transition into Henry Flagler's dream. When we first arrived to the everglades, I was surprised that there was no entrance fee. After we went past the gate and got to our filming location we began filming. It was not easy since there was a lot of wind and we had to hold papers. We ended up using a clipboard and then masking it out in premier pro for a smoother look on the shots. We did not need to film many shots apart from the shots of the paper ripping. We simply had to film a shot overlooking Henry Flagler and his assistant which were very easy. After we finished filming it was very hot and al of us got very sweaty. It was a successful filming day nonetheless.

Filming Day 1 (Inside the Train Cart)

 

    Day 1 one filming went well. As I mentioned earlier I was filming at the Florida gold coast railroad museum. We had a 90 minute slot in so we had to film every shot. We first started to film inside the train. They had many tables and chairs so it was difficult to move around them. It was not very easy to shoot inside the train since the reflection on the glass would show many people in the background so we would need to move around a lot. It was eventually completed, not after many trial and error. There was a lot of finicky windows and doors that had to be removed in order to get into the train cart. We proceeded to film outside the train were our actors would be walking and talking. This was much easier to film than the previous scenes. We did have some issues with the dialogue since there was music in the train station. We decided to film the audio using someone's phone and put it into his pocket to record. That solved the problem quite well. The final scene that we had to film was the workers working on the railroad. The scene was a little hard to film since my shadow kept getting in the way. We waited for the clouds to cover up the sun and we could film more easily. We finished right on the 90 minute mark. We finished up filming for the day.

Finding and Creating Props

 Finding props that fit the 1800s aesthetic was not easy. I wanted to create a old timey cinematic look. There were few props that fit this online, I bought a pocket watch and glasses. These two props improve the looks of two of my actors and made it more realistic. Henrys Flagler wore glasses so I felt it was a necessary detail to include.  I bought a map of Florida for Henry Flagler to put onto his desk. This would be used in the opening to give Henry Flagler a place to draw his finger in order to create his vision of Florida. I also Created a picture of young Henry Flagler and his friend. I just put a picture of them into a frame. It felt like a good addition to include since it seemed like my Henry Flagler was very 2 dimensional and this would make him seem more human. I also printed out stock papers and documents from the 1800s which surprisingly printed out very well. These were just used as filler in order to make him seem more important. I also had notebooks that looked like they belonged in the time which were also used to fill up space.

Flaglers desk

This blog post will focus on Henry Flagler's desk in the train, there will be many props. Starting with a map of Florida. This map will be essential to showcasing his importance to Florida.  Another item would be his stock ownings. Then we would have his news articles and his Everglades book these work as transitions and are an important aspect of the sequence.

Audio blog

 For my Portfolio project I will be recording in a railroad museum. There will not be any railroad moving sounds since the train carts are stagnant. I will find these sounds on Pixabay. I will be including music into the dream sequence, it will be upbeat and high tempo to incentivize many cuts and quick transitions. The scene where the railroad workers are hitting the rails will be clinks to show how the railroad is being built. There will be a train horn going on slightly in the background. All the sound will be diegetic outside of the dream sequence. But inside it will all be non-diegetic.

I will be using lavalier mics to record the talking of the people. This will make the audio clear and easy to understand. I will be using an audio box in the back pockets of the people for the audio to be easily understandable and for it to be simple to access. 

Thats all I have for the audio; all of these steps will ensure that I will have a smooth and clear audio for my audience to understand.

Accessories

 For my project I want the viewer to be completely immersed into the project. I will buy a mustache to make my actor look older and more closely resemble Henry Flagler. I will also be creating a newspaper to indicate henry flaggers anger with the post. I will also be creating a book with a cover of the everglades which I will be using as a transition in the project. This picture will turn the movie opening from a two-dimensional film to three dimensions by introducing a new charecter that never appears. These props will make the viewer more engaged in the film and will make it more entertaining.

Henry Flagler Character Development

 Henry Flagler is a very sophisticated individual that requires lots of planning to execute correctly. To create my Henry Flagler, I studied many different sources about his style, Acessories and his pattern of speech.

Henry Flagler dressed to impress, he constantly wore suits and styled his hair with pomade. He also had a large mustache which will make him look older. He will also have a pocket watch to show how he controls time. This all brings together the ultimate Henry Flagler.

The next character is Henry Flagler's assistant. This character will be in one scene notifying Henry Flagler about their arrival. He will be dressed in a nice suit with long hair. He will be viewed as companion to Henry Flagler. 

Another character would be the railroad workers. They would be wearing jeans and a white shirt. They will be viewed as the lower class and will be treated as such. They will be very muscular to show how hard they work on the railroads.

The final character would be John D. Rockefeller in the dream sequence. He will be a tall man similar to Henry Flagler in style and pizazz but more intuitive and not used to the cold since he is from up north.

With all of these characters my project should go smoothly and immerse the viewers into my film

Media Theory

There are many different media theories, but the one I will be focusing on today is the "Uses & Gratifications Theory". This theory states that people watch media for different purposes. Some to learn and some to be entertained. To incorporate this theory I will make the film cinematic and visually engaging. I will do this by including camera filters, quick cuts, and dramatic camera angles. This will engage the audience more and make them want to stick around. Then I will also include historical references such as authentic props. These could be his train cart and newspapers. When I balance the two different purposes that people have of watching I can create a film that is more engaging to watch for people.

Props and costumes for my portfolio project

 I would need many props and costumes for my project. The props that I will need are 1800s newspapers which I am planning to obtain from my sister. I am also planning to get a pocket watch also from my sister. Another object I need will be early coins and money which I have a collection of. There will be many more miscellaneous objects such as books, quills and old photographs. All of these items will be incorporated within Henry Flagler's desk and simply laying around him. This will immerse the viewer into the film and give a realistic touch to it.

This is a similar suit to which Henry Flagler would be wearing in my project. The grey suit with striped lines going down it was very popular during this era. It signifies wealth and power, and Henry Flagler was the epitome of distinguished aura in his time period.

Storyboard

 Storyboards are a very important tool for organizing ideas and making a project come to life. They are valuable in pre-production and during film in order to keep everything organized. A storyboard serves as a guide to maintain focus and tell the story effectively.

Reserving the filming location

     We are going to be filming in the Gold Coast Railroad museum. The Presidential Pullman Passenger Car "Ferdinand Magellan" U.S. Car #1 to be more specific. This used to be the presidents car making it very luxurious. This makes it the perfect candidate for Henry Flagler's train cart.

I called the museum and reserved filming from 4-6 pm on February 22nd. We will be filming the majority of the interior in the Presidential Passenger car. With the rest of the outdoor shots being filmed in the train station. The train track building scene will also be filmed here.

The Breakers scene will be filmed in the breakers. It will only be filmed outside of the hotel. There will be walking around and flinging money around. I have called them and they allowed me to record outside of the hotel. This will be essential as it will allow Henry Flagler to show his power

Credit scenes research

Credits Scene for Henry Flagler

For my portfolio project, I wanted the credit scene to be more than just a list of names. It should feel organic to the film. Instead of using a traditional scrolling format for the credits, I decided they would be set within Henry Flagler's dream to show his vision of Florida's future unfolding as the credits roll. First I did some research on how different films have developed unique credit sequences to tell their story in a different manner.

For example, Inception (2010) concludes with a dreamlike sequence that leaves the audience doubting reality, which reflects the film's themes. The spinning top, important throughout the story, is the final image prior to the credits starting. This extends the intrigue of the film into the credit
sequence.

La La Land (2016), presents another reality in its epilogue-that is, what could have been if the characters had chosen to do something else. This dreamlike montage is deeply emotional and enhances the film's themes of love and ambition.

Another example of this is the (2011) film The Tree of Life, which has infused symbolic and crazy images throughout, confusingly combining memory, dream, and reality. With its unconventional narrative style, even the credits can be captivating as they retell the film's reflective mood.

Applying This to my Project

Through these films, I want to take the audience into Henry Flagler's dream in which he now sees the bright future of Florida, his railroads reaching out into new lands and grand hotels standing high. The credits will develop organically within this dream. The credits may be written on the sky or illuminating through the windows of one of his hotels.

Film Idea

In this blog post I will be going over how the film will be made, what the contents of it will be, and where it would be filmed.


The film would start by showing henry Flagler sitting on a chair in a railcar looking at blueprints and models of Florida. He will become upset and hit the desk. Afterwards he will pick up a newspaper and drift off to sleep. This will be filmed in the Gold Coast Railroad Museum.

When Henry Flagler falls asleep it will show a dream sequence. This sequence will include many different shots. The first scene would be Henry Flagler looking over the everglades.

The next scene will include people working on a railroad. Another will be henry Flagler walking around and being amazed by the Breakers hotel. There will also be a scene of his money multiplying as he is getting richer. The final scene will be henry walking away from the Breakers hotel and he steps on the camera. These scenes will be filmed in the gold coast railroad Museum, the Breakers hotel and the everglades. This scene will also include the credits.





As he walks over the camera his assistant is saying “Wake up Mr. Flagler we are here”. They will have arrived at their destination and Henry looks outside and sees the station. There will be a low angle two shots of his assistant standing and Henry Flagler sitting down. The title will be shown in bold yellow letters. “Visioner”. Then they will proceed outside of the train cart and will begin walking and discussing Henry's plan for building the hotel or railroads.

 Establishing a Timeline

I’ve learned that creating and sticking to a timeline as early as possible is key to staying on track with long-term projects. This approach will help keep things organized and ensure my project is completed on time

Week 1 (1/29-2/2)

• Conduct research and initial planning.
• Draft the movie plot.
• Begin scripting.

Week 2 (2/3-2/9)

• Finalize planning.
• Create storyboards.
• Find filming locations and actors.
• Set filming dates.
• Begin production 

Week 3 (2/10-2/16)

• Continue filming.
• Start recording foley sounds

Week 4 (2/17-2/23)

• Begin editing the first cut.

Week 5 (2/24-3/2)

• Analyze and review the first edit.
• Re-edit the project if necessary, exploring different directions.

Week 6 (3/3-3/9)

• Finalize revisions and creative reflection.
• Research and write the reflection.
• Edit and review the CCR.

Week 7 (3/10-3/16)

Buffer week to accommodate any delays.

Film opening

 I have been researching film openings in my chosen genre in order to create the best possible film that I can create. I have chosen to research three movies Titanic 1997, Joyeux Noel 2005, and Dunkirk 2017. 

Titanic

The Titanic movie opening features shots from the original titanic. This allows the audience to remember that this is a historical event and actually happened. The opening also featured the credits. They were in a basic white font in order not to take away from the shots of the titanic.

The opening transitions to the ocean at night. This allows for a smooth transition into the name of the film. The last part of the opening is a submarine going under the water, this prepares the viewer for the rest of the movie.

Titanic movie title

The music in the movie opening resembles something from a church. Its holy in order to show a theme throughout the rest of the movie. Past the title the submarines fade down into the bottom of the ocean. This indicates the movie opening ending and the actual movie beginning.

Joyeux Noel

The Joyeux Noel movie opening starts off with a French boy narrating how a certain population needs to be wiped out. The further scenes also feature an English and a German boy. All of these boys are talking about there countries military projects. The children may indicate how the military is being childish. 

The transition from the German boy to the ocean is very creative. This movie opening displays 3 sides of conflict.  This is followed by an abrupt transition to the harsh realities of the battlefield, immersing the audience in the impersonal nature of World War I while setting the stage for the film’s central theme of shared humanity.

Dunkirk

The movie starts off with the main character and his troopmates walking along the streets with flyers coming from the sky. They seem calm for the most part. There are scenes of black with text to show the context. The main character picks up a flyer that shows they are being surrounded. Then they start getting shot at and all of his troopmates die except him. He runs away and eventually meets some English soldiers. Then he heads to the beach and sees military camped there.

The reason that this way of opening the movie is effective because it showcases where its happening, what is happening and how it is happening. The cinematography is done well and the shots cut slowly during the less intense parts and more during the more intense parts they cut faster.

The lack of dialogue and intense sound effects make the audience feel the fear and chaos of war.

Results

Historical genre movies often use their openings to set the time period and key themes of the story. They may include realistic settings, costumes, and props to make the audience feel like they are in the past. Some films start with action or dramatic events to immediately grab attention. The others use narration, text, or historical footage to provide background information. The music and cinematography also help create the right mood. These openings prepare viewers for the historical world they are about to experience.

I've decided to go with a Historic/drama genre. I chose this genre because I feel it would most accurately illustrate my story  in the most historical way possible. While Henry Flagler was a very serious individual it would not be a good movie without drama, therefor I will be adding some dramatic twists to the story. Here is what I have learned from my research to make a good film.

(Oppenheimer - 2023)

Oppenheimer is a great example of a historical fiction as it focuses on the original story while adding in some new scenes that really enhance the story for viewers. To appeal to a larger audience the film will include more visual scenes that tell the story on their own. Such as a train riding scene or a dream sequence.

Characteristics of the Historical genre

The Historical genre focuses on real events but putting a spin on them to make them more entertaining. Whether this is done through an additional scene or a new character, it will make sure that the story is more interesting for the viewers. A story cannot be too complex or too simple. There needs to be a perfect balance of seriousness and simplicity in order for the film to turn out well.

Characteristics of the Drama genre

The Drama genre focuses on real-life situations, emphaszing emotions and character development to create a compelling story. Whether this is done through an intense conflict or a heartfelt moment, it ensures that the audience connects with the characters on a deeper level. A story cannot be too exaggerated or too uneventful. There needs to be a perfect balance of realism and emotional weight in order for the film to turn out well.