Creative Critical Reflection: Finally Here!

  After putting in a lot of time and effort over the past few months, I’m proud to finally share my CCR. I really took the time to reflect on my brief, and I hope you like how it turned out!

CCR 1:

How does your product use or challenges conventions and how does it represent social groups and issues?

For my first CCR, I wanted to do something that I already found fun and engaging. I based it on Pop the Balloon, which is a series I’ve seen a lot on TikTok, YouTube, and other social media platforms. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed watching because of how entertaining and interactive it is. I thought it would be a good idea to use that kind of concept for my own response. CCRs are another way to keep your audience engaged while still answering the question. I liked being able to take something familiar and make it my own in a way that felt creative and different.

CCR 2:

How does your product engage with audiences and would it be distributed as a real media text?

For my second CCR, I wanted to do something natural and relaxed. It worked out perfectly because the weekend before, I had been busy all weekend with a full face of makeup on. I already had a reason to film something like this. I’ve seen a lot of inspiration online of people doing “get ready with me” videos. Because of that, I decided to switch it up and do a “get un-ready with me” instead. I wanted it to feel a little different and not follow the exact same idea. I really liked this approach because it didn’t feel forced and made the process more enjoyable.

CCR 3:

How did your production skills develop throughout this product?

For my third CCR, I wanted to try something more creative instead of just sitting in front of a camera and talking. I turned it into more of an interview-style idea between me and my partner, but with our own twist. The career ladder concept is something people already recognize, especially on social media. I liked using that idea because it made the video more engaging. Instead of doing it in a basic way, we made it more interactive so it wouldn’t feel boring to watch. Overall, I think this made the response more fun while still getting my ideas across clearly.

CCR 4:

How did you integrate technologies - software, hardware, and online- in this project?

For my fourth CCR, I wanted to do something that I personally enjoy watching. I’ve always liked ASMR videos, and whenever one comes up on my feed, I usually end up watching it. They’re really effective at what they do, which is helping people relax and sometimes even fall asleep. Because of that, I thought it would be fun to create something like that myself. I liked being able to take inspiration from that style and turn it into my own version. It made answering the question feel more creative and interesting.

Overall, I can’t believe this entire project is finally done. Looking back, I feel like I’ve improved so much. At the beginning, I had basically no experience at all; I wasn’t in yearbook, journalism, or any type of TV or media class. Everything I was doing was completely new to me. Even though that made things challenging at times, it pushed me to learn and grow. Throughout this process, I became more comfortable with planning, filming, and editing. I also gained a better understanding of how much creativity goes into media production. Overall, I feel like this project has really helped me grow as both a person and a creator, and I’m proud of how far I’ve come!

Final Brief!

 After so many long hours of work, here is the finished and final brief! 

I feel like I have grown so much in this project alone and it made me learn so many valuable things. I am most grateful for what I learned and what my team and I have gone through together. This project has strengthened our bond so much, even during the stressful moments. I'm not sure where my creative mind would've been without this experience. We hope you enjoy "Competitive Much?" as much as we do!

Production: Editing Part 4

 After designing the title card in Canva, we moved on to bringing it into Premiere Pro so it could be used in the final edit. This step seemed simple at first, but it quickly became a major challenge. Importing the title card was critical because it sets the tone at the very beginning of the film, so it had to look exactly how we envisioned.

The Question Mark Design Issue

Originally, we wanted to include a question mark in the title card that incorporated small visual elements to represent both characters. It was meant to make the title more unique and memorable.

However, when we tried to export the Canva design, it would only export as a PDF file. PDFs don’t work in Premiere Pro the same way an image or vector does. This meant we couldn’t adjust the font, resize elements, or customize the question mark design within the program. Even simple edits, like trying to remove or move parts of the design, were impossible. It was frustrating because the design was already complex, and we couldn’t manipulate it the way we needed.

Adapting to a Simpler Design

Adding to the difficulty, we had already spent a lot of time trying to make other visual elements, like the soccer ball concept, work perfectly in the opening sequence. Having a title card that refused to cooperate made the process feel almost impossible. The question mark design, while creative, simply could not function in Premiere Pro in the way we intended. After several attempts and failed exports, we realized it was not practical to continue with that version.

Given these limitations, we decided to simplify the title card. We kept the hot pink color and the bold Norwester font, but removed the question mark embellishments entirely. The result is a strong, simple title that fits rom-com conventions perfectly.

Fortunately, this decision actually worked in our favor. Rom-coms often use bold, clear, and easy-to-read titles, which helps audiences immediately recognize the genre. By keeping the design simple, we maintained a playful and engaging aesthetic while ensuring the title was fully functional in Premiere Pro. The pink color added personality, and the bold font maintained visual impact, making the title both practical and stylish.

This simplified title card became our final touch and marks the end of our long-awaited portfolio. Even though the outcome wasn’t exactly what we originally envisioned, it’s still consistent with our earlier rough drafts and captures the playful, bold style we wanted. It successfully fulfills rom-com conventions while remaining visually engaging, and overall, I’m happy with the result. Seeing it in the final edit gives a satisfying sense of closure to all the work we’ve put into this project.

Production: Editing Part 3

 After finishing filming and most of the editing, we moved on to creating the title card for our film. This was a key part of the project because the title card is one of the first things the audience sees. It helps set the tone and gives a memorable first impression. Instead of designing it directly in Adobe Premiere Pro, we chose to use Canva. Canva allowed us more flexibility to experiment with different fonts, colors, and design elements before bringing it into the film.

Font Selection and Challenges

From our earlier research, we knew that we wanted a bold, hot pink title for Competitive Much. This choice was intentional because it reflects the rom-com genre. Bright colors and bold fonts are often used in romantic comedies to create a fun, playful, and slightly dramatic tone that immediately attracts attention.

However, we ran into a challenge when designing the title in Canva. The fonts we originally found during our research were not available on the platform. This meant we had to spend time exploring different font options that could still match the style we were aiming for.

After testing multiple fonts, we decided to use the Norwester font. This font worked well because it had a strong, bold appearance without being too exaggerated or overly stylized. It was not too italicized, which helped keep the title clean and readable. At the same time, it still had enough presence to stand out on screen. Choosing this font was important because it balanced professionalism with the playful tone we wanted for the film.

Developing Visual Ideas

Once the font was chosen, we started thinking about how to make the title more visually interesting and memorable. We didn’t just want plain text on the screen. We wanted something that would stand out and connect to the film itself.

At first, we considered adding simple visual elements, such as a soccer ball or a pair of glasses. These ideas related to different aspects of the film and its characters, but we felt they were too basic and did not add enough personality to the title.

Because of this, we continued brainstorming and looked for a more creative solution that would feel unique.

The Soccer Ball Idea

The soccer ball was an idea we seriously considered because it plays a major role in the film’s opening. Even though it doesn’t represent the characters’ personalities directly, it’s central to the story.

We thought about replacing the “O” in Competitive Much with a soccer ball. However, the Norwester font presented a challenge: the Os were very slim and narrow. Since we chose Norwester specifically for its bold, clean look, we didn’t want to change the font. Fitting a soccer ball into such a skinny O proved extremely difficult.

We even tried drawing black marks on the pink O to make it look like a soccer ball, but it came out poorly and looked messy. In the end, we decided to scrap the soccer ball idea entirely. While it was a creative attempt to connect the title to the film’s opening, the practical difficulties and visual issues made it unworkable.

Incorporating Character Representation

Eventually, we came up with the idea of modifying the question mark in Competitive Much to represent both characters. Instead of using a standard symbol, we experimented with turning it into a combination of objects, such as books and a hockey stick. These elements were chosen because they reflect different traits and personalities within the film.

This idea stood out more than our earlier options because it made the title feel more connected to the story. Rather than just being decorative, the design actually represented the characters and added meaning to the title card. It also made the overall design feel more creative and personalized.

The goal of the title card was to create something bold, fun, and memorable while subtly hinting at the story. Choosing the hot pink Norwester font and experimenting with visual elements allowed us to establish a strong rom-com vibe.

Production: Editing Part 2

 After finishing the editing process, including rearranging clips and adjusting the lighting and color grading to match our intended look, the next step was sound design and music. This stage was extremely important because it brought everything together and made the film feel complete. While visuals establish the story, sound is what enhances emotion and makes the overall experience more immersive. Once we added sound, the opening felt much more polished and aligned with the rom-com genre.

Finding the Music

From the beginning, we knew we wanted a soft indie instrumental for the opening. The goal was to create something warm, calm, and slightly romantic without making it feel too obvious or overdone. We originally wanted to use music from Clairo because her style is very soft and relaxed, and we felt that it matched Audrey’s character really well.

However, this created a major challenge. Because of copyright restrictions, we were not able to use that type of music in Adobe Premiere Pro. The audio either would not import correctly, would fail to download, or would interfere with other audio in the timeline. This made it clear that using copyrighted music was not a realistic option for our project.

To solve this issue, we switched to using royalty-free music instead. Even though it was not exactly what we originally planned, we were able to find an indie-style track that still created a similar mood. The track we chose had a light and contemporary feel, and it built naturally toward the title card without needing heavy editing. Overall, it still supported the tone of the film and helped establish the genre effectively.

We wanted to use Slow Dance by Clairo because it was the perfect mix of up-beat and relaxing: Great for the very beginning of our film opening.

Link of copyright free music:

https://pixabay.com/music/search/indie/

Use of Music and Transitions

Another important decision we made was how and when to introduce the music. At first, we considered playing the music while Audrey was still speaking. However, we realized that this would take away from her moment and make the dialogue feel less personal. We wanted the audience to focus fully on what she was saying without any distractions.

There were also some technical challenges when trying to layer the music under dialogue in Adobe Premiere Pro, especially when balancing volume levels in a way that sounded natural. Because of this, we decided on a different approach that felt more effective both creatively and technically.

Instead of overlapping the audio, we used a fade-out on Audrey’s voice once she finished speaking. As her dialogue fades, the music gradually fades in. This creates a smooth transition from her personal moment into the running sequence. It almost feels like a shift from her internal world into the beginning of something new, which supports the narrative.

The music is then reintroduced more clearly during the moment when the two characters come together. This helps emphasize the emotional significance of that scene and makes it feel more impactful. By controlling when the music appears and disappears, we were able to guide the audience’s focus and strengthen the overall storytelling.

Adding the voice over on Premiere Pro

Using Sound Effects to Enhance the Scene

Another important part of the sound design was using sound effects to improve certain moments, especially the collision scene. When the characters first crash into each other, the raw footage felt slightly awkward and unnatural. This was mainly because real-life movement does not always translate smoothly on camera, and without any added sound, the moment lacked impact.

To fix this, we decided to include subtle sound effects to make the interaction feel more natural and less uncomfortable for the audience. Instead of leaving the moment completely silent or relying only on the original audio, we added a light impact sound when they collide, along with the sound of the ball and headphones hitting the ground.

These additions helped “soften” the awkwardness of the moment and made it feel more intentional. The sound effects also added a slight comedic tone, which fits the rom-com genre. Rather than the scene feeling stiff or accidental, it comes across as playful and engaging.

Overall, this showed how sound design is not just about realism, but also about shaping how the audience perceives a moment. By carefully choosing what sounds to include, we were able to improve the flow of the scene and make it feel more natural within the story.

Link of sound effects: 

                       https://www.pixabay.com/sound-effects/search/sudden-stop/ 

The Audio Cleanup

One of the biggest technical challenges was dealing with wind noise from the park scenes. Because the filming was done outdoors, there were sections where the audio quality was affected.

To improve this, I used tools in Premiere Pro such as Enhanced Speech to make the dialogue clearer. I also made manual adjustments by lowering certain frequencies to reduce the harshness caused by wind. At the same time, I had to be careful not to over-edit the audio, since that can make voices sound unnatural. The goal was to make it sound as if it had been recorded cleanly in the first place.

Sound Design Details

Beyond dialogue and music, small sound effects were added to give the scenes more realism. For example, ambient park noise was included during the running sequence to make the setting feel more natural. The sound of the headphones being knocked out during the collision and the ball rolling on the ground were also emphasized.

These details may seem minor, but they help ground the film in a believable environment. Without them, the scenes would feel empty or artificial. Adding these layers of sound made the world feel more complete and immersive.

Production: Editing Part 1

 After so many days of filming and preparation, production finally came to an end, and we were able to move into the editing stage. This felt like a major shift in the process, because everything we had planned and filmed now had to come together into a final product. Editing quickly became its own challenge, separate from everything that came before it. Having footage is very different from having a finished film, and the gap between those two stages is where most creative decisions are made. 

Importing and Organizing

The first step was importing everything into Adobe Premiere Pro and organizing it in a way that made the editing process manageable. The footage came from multiple filming days across two locations: Nadia’s house and the park. Within each location, there were multiple scenes, several takes, and different camera angles.

Creating a clear folder structure before editing was essential. Each scene was labeled and grouped, which made it easier to locate clips and compare takes. This step showed me that organization is not optional in editing. Taking time to set up the project properly made the rest of the process much smoother and more efficient.

Building the Rough Cut

The rough cut stage revealed what footage actually worked. Some shots that looked strong during filming did not work in context. In some cases, the pacing felt off. In others, the transition between angles felt unnatural.

The argument scene required the most revision. Dialogue editing depends heavily on timing and performance rather than movement. Because of this, I had to carefully adjust cuts so they matched the rhythm of the actors’ delivery. This took multiple versions before it felt natural.

The opening montage was one of the most interesting parts to edit. It relied entirely on visuals and music rather than dialogue. This meant the focus was on pacing and rhythm. I had to experiment with the length of each shot to keep the sequence engaging without making it feel rushed.

I also made a purposeful editing and color decision in the running sequence before the characters collide. I kept the tones more muted and slightly grey during these shots. This created a visual contrast so that when they finally bump into each other, the scene feels warmer and more alive. That shift makes the moment feel more romantic and significant without needing dialogue.

Color Grading

Color grading was done using Lumetri Color in Premiere Pro, and it ended up being one of the most detailed parts of post-production. At first, I focused on understanding the basic tools, such as exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, and white balance. These adjustments helped correct the footage and make sure everything looked consistent before applying any stylistic choices.

After correcting the footage, I started working on creating the overall look of the film. The goal was to achieve a warm, romantic tone that fits the rom-com genre. To do this, I increased the temperature slightly to bring out warmer tones, especially in skin tones, while also adjusting the tint to avoid making the image look too orange. I lifted the shadows slightly to create a softer look and reduced harsh contrast so the image felt more natural and less dramatic.

Saturation also played an important role. Instead of increasing it across the entire image, I adjusted specific colors to enhance warmth without making the footage look unrealistic. For example, I slightly boosted reds and oranges while keeping other tones balanced. This helped create a cohesive color palette that felt intentional.

The park footage was used as the base for the overall look because it had natural golden lighting. From there, I matched the house footage to that same tone. The house scenes originally had cooler lighting due to natural window light, so I warmed them up in post-production to maintain consistency. This process required small adjustments rather than extreme changes, since even slight shifts in color grading can affect the entire image.

Overall, color grading was not just about making the footage look better, but about reinforcing the mood and tone of the film. It helped create a consistent visual style while also supporting the emotional moments within each scene.

Purposeful Visual Choices

Throughout the editing and color grading process, we made several intentional decisions to enhance the storytelling. The muted, grey tones in the running sequence create a calmer and more neutral mood before the characters meet. When the color becomes warmer after they collide, it emphasizes the emotional shift and makes the moment feel more meaningful. The faster pacing in the montage helps build energy at the start of the film, while the more controlled cuts in the argument scene allow the dialogue to feel natural. The consistent warm tones across different locations help unify the film visually, even though the lighting conditions were different during filming.

Before collision

After collision

I also had to keep in mind that this is a rom-com, so the film needed an overall more playful and light tone. Because of this, I made sure the color grading stayed warm and inviting rather than dark or overly dramatic. At the same time, I used slightly different looks in certain scenes to reflect the mood of each moment, which helped differentiate them while still keeping the film visually consistent.

Production: Falling Romantically Scene

 This is the final scene that was recorded for our project. The reason this was filmed last is because the ball scene, which helps establish the argument and overall dynamic between Audrey and Mathias, was recorded beforehand. This means that the falling moment directly follows the buildup of their argument, acting as a continuation of their interaction and bringing the sequence toward the end of our opening. As the last part of what will be shown, this moment plays a key role in leaving an impression on the audience. It combines elements of tension, humor, and subtle romance, which helps create a strong and engaging ending that captures attention and reflects the overall tone of our film.

Personalities:

In this scene, the moment where Audrey falls onto Mathias was carefully designed to strike a balance between realism, comedy, and subtle romantic tension. The goal was not to make the fall overly dramatic or exaggerated, but also not to lean too heavily into a typical romantic comedy style where the moment feels overly staged or predictable. Instead, we wanted it to feel natural, slightly messy, and true to Audrey’s personality.

At the beginning of the film, Audrey is shown as someone who does not fit the “perfect” or overly polite character stereotype. For example, when she bumps into Mathias earlier in the story, she does not respond with a soft apology or a calm reaction. Instead, she reacts with frustration and intensity, immediately questioning the situation. This establishes her as someone who breaks the “Miss Perfect” expectation, which is important because it influences how this falling moment is presented. If she were to fall in a graceful or overly romantic way, it would contradict the personality we have already established for her.

Because of this, the decision to have her fall somewhat abruptly onto Mathias was intentional. The slightly sudden and uncontrolled nature of the fall adds a layer of comedy, making the moment feel more spontaneous and less rehearsed. It avoids the typical polished “romantic fall” and instead leans into a more realistic, slightly awkward physical interaction. This helps maintain the grounded tone of the characters while still allowing the scene to be light and entertaining.

New Addition:

At the same time, the addition of the close moment where Audrey looks up at Mathias adds an important shift in tone. After the initial physical impact, this pause creates a moment of stillness that contrasts with the abruptness of the fall itself. In this moment, the confusion in Audrey’s expression becomes the focus, which adds depth to the scene. It shows that even though the situation is comedic on the surface, there is still a sense of uncertainty and emotional complexity underneath.

This combination of an abrupt fall followed by a quieter, more intimate reaction creates a balance between comedy and romance. The comedy comes from the unexpected and slightly chaotic nature of the fall, while the romantic undertone is introduced through their physical closeness and eye contact. By blending these two elements, the scene avoids being purely one or the other, and instead creates a more layered moment that reflects both the tone of the story and the personalities of the characters.

Overall, this moment works because it stays consistent with Audrey’s character while also allowing space for both humor and subtle emotional connection. The result is a scene that feels natural, slightly imperfect, and more engaging because of that balance.