Production: Scene 1(Alarm)

 At the beginning of our film, we wanted to establish a strong and clear introduction to Audrey’s character. One of the first sequences centers around her daily routine, including a moment where she prepares a salad. This choice was intentional. It reflects her commitment to discipline, balance, and self control, not just academically but in her lifestyle as well. From the start, we aimed to show that Audrey is someone who is put together, health conscious, and purposeful in her decisions. Because of this, it became important to build an introduction that would reinforce these traits in subtle but effective ways.

Thinking:

One of the most deceptively simple yet meaningful moments appears through a close look at Audrey’s phone. This short scene, where an alarm wakes her at around 4:00 PM after a brief nap, works as a quiet but intentional extension of that introduction and continues to develop who she is as a character.

At first, the moment seems ordinary. However, the detail of setting an alarm for a nap reveals something much deeper. Audrey does not fall asleep randomly or risk losing control of her schedule. She allows herself to recharge, but only in a way that fits within the structure she has created for herself. This small action reflects a larger pattern in her personality. She is balanced, intentional, and consistently working toward her goals. The timing of the alarm adds another layer to this idea. Waking up at 4:00 PM suggests that she is making full use of her time after school. Rather than letting the afternoon slip away, she resets briefly and continues being productive. This reinforces her dedication and helps establish why her pursuit of academic recognition matters so much to her. This scene also supports her voiceover introduction. As Audrey begins to describe herself, the audience has already seen proof of what she is saying. 

Technological Aspects:

From a technical perspective, filming this shot came with its own challenges. The original plan was to physically zoom in on the phone using the camera in order to highlight the alarm. However, when this was attempted, the result was noticeably shaky and unstable. Without a tripod or steady support, the movement did not look clean and became distracting rather than effective.

Here is a video of our attempt to zoom in and create a more cinematic effect. After watching it, it became very clear how noticeable the shakiness was and how much it affected the quality of the shot. Seeing the footage in real time helped us make our decision. Before filming, we were unsure whether we should rely on a physical zoom or handle it during editing. However, after reviewing this clip, it solidified our choice. The instability made it clear that using the physical zoom would not achieve the polished look we wanted, so we decided it would be safer and more effective to create the zoom during editing instead.

Because of this, the decision was made to create the zoom during editing instead. Using Premiere Pro allowed for a smoother and more controlled result. This approach made it possible to keep the focus on the phone without introducing visual distractions. Although the original footage clearly shows the shakiness of the physical zoom, and could be useful for comparison, the edited version better supports the tone of the scene.