⤷ Social Media Research ˎˊ˗

1st place - Film Excellence Comedy

Hello blog! 

3rd place - Short Film Division 1

I am back from my competition at the STN convention!! It was SOOO amazing. I placed 3rd in both the categories I competed in (nationally!). And 1st place in a comedy short film I acted in!! Yay! The trip was overall enjoyable and I'm grateful to have shared that time with my peers. I'm still off that high so its all I've been able to think about. Here are some photos: 

3rd place - Crazy 8s News Magazine

Buttttt now that I'm back home, its media studies film lock in time. The competition sucked a week away so I seriously need to sit down with my team and continue following our schedule. 1st thing on our list is to research social media pages made for short films that are of a similar genre as ours (coming of age). I ended up looking at 3 different pages, here are my notes: 

SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE 1:

Media text: "Code Red" -  Short film
Social media tool: Instagram (@codered_film)

Description of types of posts:

• BTS: A handful of posts are dedicated to the behind the scenes of the film. A lot of content like camera setups, crew, and actors in between takes. These posts show the making of the production and the filmmaking process rather than just the final product.
• ADVOCATING: Some posts focus on the issue being addressed by the film, which is period poverty. They include statistics, what you can do to help, and short quotes. This shows the main inspiration for the film apart from its entertainment factor.
• FILM FESTIVAL SELECTIONS: Other posts share screening announcements, and festival nomination graphics, usually over a still or on the poster of the short film. These posts are meant to impress and show prestige.
• ABOUT THE DIRECTOR: There's a couple of posts about the director, including her inspiration and creative vision behind this short film. This emphasizes the issue at hand again while also giving the viewers a chance to connect to the director on a more personal level. 
• SHARE YOUR STORY: Posts sometimes are interactive and include captions that encourage audience engagement (comments) by inviting followers to comment or DM their own period poverty experiences. 
• CAST: Cast and character introductions, photos of upcoming panels, group photos with the whole crew, and zoom Q&A's which spotlight individuals and allows followers to know more about the cast.

Description of how branding is developed (or not):
The branding isn't really that clear. You really see them try in their first 7 posts though. There's a color palette and the fonts are the same. After that the branding gets messier, as the color palette is kind of thrown out the window, and the only cohesive color is red. The posts have variety but are posted in an odd order, and the main photo preview is very repetitive for most posts. The festival posts and advocacy posts feel more cohesive, but visually the feed lacks a signature look. 

Analysis of how you will use this to develop your own social media presence:

I will take inspiration from:

• Advocacy messaging if necessary 

• Audience engagement posts 

• BTS

• Professional festival announcement graphics.

• About the cast 

I would improve their branding by:

• Establishing a consistent color palette with fonts and graphics.

• Introduce layout templates 
  

• Improve image quality 

• Create diversity between post covers

SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE 2:

Media text: "Reply" - Short film

Social media tool: Instagram (@elle.mills)

Description of types of posts: 

• ABOUT THE DIRECTOR: This is the directors personal social media page. They are focused on the director’s background and creative intentions. They include a lot of personality and style compared to "Code Red".
• INFLUENCER TYPE POSTS: Her page is mostly video driven. The videos are often shot with an aesthetic backdrop and has a signature color grading and lighting to it. Trendy captions, a tiny mic in her hand, and chunky subtitles on the bottom of the screen.
• "IMAGINE THIS/QUESTION": A lot of the feed is the director making a statement like "imagine if" and proceeds to recount the plot of the short film. There's also a lot of videos that are questions. For example "Do you ever wonder how ___ song would be like if it were a film". These are definitely very influencer style as well. They get people hooked and encourage audience engagement. All of the videos are shot and edited very professionally. Here is an example of one: 
• ARTICLE POSTS: Screenshots of interviews, reviews, and articles. Gives it a more "pro" look.
• HIGHLIGHT: The highlights are organized by short film, which is really nice since this is a personal Instagram. Is highlight has its own brand which is kept consistent throughout the stories.
  
• OFFICIAL SELECTION: Festival graphics are all branded and consistent
• BTS: Fewer posts are BTS, but they have variety and fit the theme.

Description of how branding is developed (or not):
Branding is present but at the same time it isn't. All of these posts would look so amazing if the director created a separate Instagram instead of promoting on her personal account. But taking into account only the posts focused on the film, the branding is super on point. From color palette to fonts, it is cohesive. Its visually nice to look at and it really represents what the film is about while also being conscious about algorithm and engagement.

Analysis of how you will use this to develop your own social media presence:
I will take inspiration from:

• Organized Instagram highlights.
  
  
• Consistent color grading.
  
  
• Create engaging video form content like “Imagine if…”
  
  
• Share press and festival nominations 
  
  

I would improve their branding by:

• Creating a page only for the short film 

SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE 3:

Media text: "Tape of  '25" - Short film

Social media tool: Instagram (@tapeof25)

Description of types of posts:

• FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEMENTS: Posts promote festival screenings and nominations
• PROJECT UPDATES: The account shares production and post production updates like “After a successful NYC festival run, it’s out now for you to watch,” and "filming is wrapped" showing its journey.
• COLLABORATIONS: Announces co screenings with other projects like "Dream Addicts Anonymous", another short film.
• STILLS: Very aesthetic photos and videos that include stills from the film. 

Description of how branding is developed (or not):
Branding is developed but there are still things that could be done better, for example having more posts. A part from that the branding is consistent with an aesthetic set by the first couple of posts. The posts are more on informational content (festival screens, showtimes), establishing more of a professional promotional page rather than adding personal pizzaz or creative an interactive space.

Analysis of how you will use this to develop your own social media presence:

Analysis of how you will use this to develop your own social media presence:

I will take inspiration from:

• Consistent color grading.
  
  
• Aesthetic branding 
  
  
• Share festival nominations and screenings 
  
  

I would improve their branding by:

• Having different highlights instead of having a bunch of highlights that say BTS
  
  
• Have more posts 
  
  
• Create more user engaging content

Research (3/3)₊˚✧

3# 

⋆Genre for this blog: Coming of Age⋆

"The Edge of Seventeen" 2016

"The Edge of Seventeen" follows Nadine, a socially awkward high school junior, who feels isolated after her best friend starts dating her older brother. The film uses humor to portray the intense emotions of the teenage years, while exploring insecurity, jealousy, and self esteem.

As stated in my genre research blog, the coming of age genre is typically an internal conflict, in this case this is shown through Nadine’s struggle which is largely psychological. She perceives herself as misunderstood and inferior, and much of the film centers on learning accountability and self awareness.

I really like how linear this film is, and how is shows Nadine's progression into maturity, which we should keep in mind when creating our film.

"Moonlight" 2016

"Moonlight" presents a more distinct coming of age story. The film is divided into three chapters  “Little,” “Chiron,” and “Black”. They each represent a different stage on the protagonist’s life.

"Moonlight" uses little dialogue and relies more on visual symbolism (yay houseplant) to explore identity. The coming of age in this film is mainly focused on Chiron’s struggle with masculinity, sexuality, and vulnerability. His character development is shaped not only by internal conflict but also by economic and community expectations.

This film uses a lot of color symbolism, which I think could be a fantastic addition. I should in depth study color theory, and discuss my finding s with my group. This is all for now blog!

Sources⋆˚࿔

IMDb. (n.d.). The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1878870/

IMDb. (n.d.). Moonlight (2016). https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4975722/ 

 

Research (2/3)❀⋆.

 Hi blog!

2# 

⋆Genre for this blog: Drama⋆

 

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" 2012

This film is based on the novel "The Perks of Being a Wallflower"! It follows Charlie, an anti social high school freshman, as he navigates friendship, trauma, and identity. It is structured through Charlie’s voiceover letters, which position the audience directly inside his mind, a technique very common within dramas, as it centers subjectivity and emotional vulnerability.

The drama does not stem from external action, but from internal action, in this case psychologically. Charlie struggles with depression, trauma, and feeling alone. His friendships with Sam and Patrick act as character growth, while also introducing complications with feelings like love, jealousy, and self esteem.

We can definitely take these phycological conflicts and incorporate them when deciding who we want out main character to be.

"Here" 2024

Okay I’m going to be honest I didn’t love this movie. It was pretty okay, it was my Dads pick for our family movie night (he will watch anything involving Tom Hanks). What I did really like is the style. It is super unique, I’ve never seen a film like this before. The entirety of the film unfolds from a single camera angle inside a home, showing the different generations who lived there over time.

As a drama it touches on more topics that connect to all ages, not just teens. It’s observing different peoples ordinary lives unfold through marriages, arguments, births, aging, and death, all in the same space. 

I really enjoyed how the buildup grew over the film, and most importantly the way it was shot. We have discussed filming the entire film from the point of view of the plant (kinda), as we are trying to show the plants growth no matter what obstacles are thrown its way. 

Sources⋆˚࿔

Chaffins, A. (2024, October 31). Review: 'Here' is a Technical Marvel with a Hollow Heart. Screen Scene. https://alisechaffins.substack.com/p/here-review-tom-hanks-robert-zemeckis-2024-movie

Chang, J. (2024, October 31). Review: In ‘Here,’ Tom Hanks and Robin Wright are de-aged and stuck in one place. It’s a gimmick that wears thin. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-10-31/here-review-tom-hanks-robin-wright-robert-zemeckis

MetroFamily Magazine. (n.d.). Movie Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower. https://www.metrofamilymagazine.com/movie-revew-the-perks-of-being-a-wallflower/

Mulderig, J. (2024, October 31). Film Review: ‘Here’ is a beautiful, if flawed, look at the passage of time. Angelus News. https://angelusnews.com/arts-culture/here-movie-tom-hanks/

Sony Pictures. (2024). Here. https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/here

Research (1/3) ࿔*:･

Hi Blog! 

Sooo the next three posts will be dedicated to researching media texts of the same genre! Even though our genre is pretty set (coming of age), there are a lot of sub genres that fall under that so I want to explore them! 

1# 

⋆Genre for this blog: Comedy/Drama⋆

 "Win or Lose" 2025

I remember getting a lot of advertising for this film last year and thinking "wow this looks so bad". I went hate watch it and I actually really liked it. Pixar's has been reheating their own nachos for sooo long, it was refreshing to watch something original. "Win or Lose" is Pixar Animation Studios’ first original long form series (not a short) produced specifically for Disney+. The series follows the players of a middle school softball team, the Pickles, during the week leading up to their big championship game. Each of the eight episodes focus on a different character’s perspective throughout the same week.
What I thought was super interesting is how the show balanced comedy and drama. The series uses light humor and sort a of  fantasy over exaggeration to show childhood anxieties , like for example one player’s overthinking and anxiety is shown visually as a giant ball of sweat, only visible to her. I thought that was one of the best parts of the show because it makes it easy to understand the emotions and struggles of each character through a visualization and symbolism. A part from that the humor also touches on serious emotions like pressure from parents, identity, and failure, reflecting the drama side of the genre. 

My group wanted to show symbolism in a similar way, through the houseplant. So I think we can definitely take inspiration from "Win or Lose" in that way. 

"Lady Bird" 2017

#IloveGretaGerwig
Lady Bird is a coming of age comedy/drama written and directed by Greta Gerwig. It follows Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson during her very rocky senior year of high school, focusing on her relationships, especially with her mom, and her efforts to gain independence.

This film roots from universal awkward teen moments, using character depth as a strength instead of relying on exaggerated and obnoxious jokes, it takes from realistic human moments (like uncomfortable family dinners or teen romance), making the drama feel grounded and relatable! 


For our film we would love to incorporate raw moments like those to really highlight our protagonist navigating being a teen.

Sources⋆˚࿔

IMDb. (n.d.). Win or Lose (TV Series 2024– ). https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13624052/
Guttmann, G. (2024, December 18). Win or Lose review: Pixar’s first original series is a home run. Screen Rant. https://screenrant.com/win-or-lose-tv-review/
Wikipedia contributors. (2024, February 25). Lady Bird (film). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Bird_%28film%29

*:･Genre Research ₊˚⊹ ᰔ

 Hi blog! 

My group met over the weekend (2/22) to brainstorm story ideas for the film (we are so productive yay). We discussed what we wanted our message to be, since to us that is the most valuable part of the film. We decided that our message should be:

Even through fears and stress, you keep growing. 

I'm really happy with our message! I would say the three of us can connect to it well hahaha. It's also a message that almost everyone can learn something from. We feel like sometimes everyone needs a reminder that even when it feels like we are stuck in a hole of stress, we keep growing, changing, and working towards the better. We each took turns discussing our own ideas and our final project was a blend of what everyone wanted. So far the story is still loose, but we know we want our genre to be coming of age (which is my favorite genre along with dystopian). We want it to follow a main character through the perspective of a house plant. The plant is there through all her ups and downs in a moment of her life. And also is a metaphor for the future, in the way that progress is being made every day. 

So, lets get into researching this genre!!

What is "Coming of Age"?
Okay so I always start with a basic definition! From the Cambridge dictionary, the phrase means: "Relating to or describing the time when someone changes from a child into an adult". 

Before anything else, I also want to share this video I came across on the YouTube channel Studio Binder that explained "coming of age" in filmmaking clearly. I also checked out their article on it. 

Studio Binder Article - "What is Coming of Age?"

One thing I learned is that you don't necessarily need a huge, crazy story to show a character "coming into age". Many of the powerful beats can take place in a room or building.

This works for us perfectly because (1) its practical. It allows us to keep the filming location simple (just the room with the plant) which allows us to go through with our plan without needing a crazy budget (which we never had in the first place LOL). (2) We can make it intimate. It'll allow the character's growth to feel more personal. If the plant is the only other thing there, then the character will be able to be her most authentic/vulnerable self.

STORY WISE

 In most genres (outside coming of age), the protagonist or hero has to go on an a journey, fight an epic battle of sorts, and the defeat the evil guy. In the coming of age genre, the "epic battle" is almost entirely inside the protagonists head. This is perfect for our plant story (sorry the title is still a work in progress) because while the character might just be sitting in her room throughout the whole film, a lot of things are at play internally (which we get to witness from the plants POV).

RECAP
Coming of age is basically the process of confronting the realization that the world is bigger (and even sometimes scarier) than expected. Wow as a teenager I get that. It’s all about moving into a more "grown" understanding of the world. You can’t go back to being a "kid" (sadly).  

Sources⋆˚࿔

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/coming-of-age

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT1e6GITCs0

Scheduling⋆˚꩜｡

I LOVE PREPLANNING!!!!

I feel like I'm the only person that uses the agendas our school provides for us (for free too). Absolutely everything is in my agenda (even if its not an assignment haha). If I don't write something down in my agenda, I will not do it because my memory is not the best.

 Anyway, this project is extensive and important so we need to use our time wisely. Kenna, Renn, and I have a lot of things happening in our own personal lives, so we decided to create a shared google calendar to break up how we want to use our time, and write in days that we know we are busy (for example I'm going to be out all of spring break). Renn and I are also going to be out next week competing at the Student Television Network convention in Tampa with our TV production club! 

Here's what our shared google calendar looks like so far:

˙⋆✮ It can look confusing, so here is our schedule broken down (in detail) ˙⋆✮

˗ˏˋ2/18-2/23ˎˊ˗

Brainstorming, brainstorming, and more brainstorming! We want to take time to come up with our own ideas to then meet up and discuss everything together and decide a beginning, middle, and end to our story so Renn can start the script (we will all help but he will be the main writer). We will be meeting up on Sunday (2/22) to do that. 

˗ˏˋ 2/24 - 3/04ˎˊ˗

Renn and I will be out at STN from the Feb 26th - March 3rd! Kenna will be working on the set design and looking at the social media while Renn writes the script with my assistance. We will also stay in contact with Kenna for updates.

˗ˏˋ3/05 - 3/13ˎˊ˗

Filminggg!!! We are planning on getting it done before spring break for two reasons. One: we are all away. Two: break will become extra cushion time for anything we need since we can fully focus on this without worrying about school. Filming wont take all of those days but we need an open time frame since we all have super busy schedules. My prediction is 2-4 actual filming days. We also need a day to decorate our "set".

˗ˏˋ3/14 - 3/27ˎˊ˗ 

Post production time. Mostly consists of editing and creating graphics for Renn, while Kenna and I finish up the Instagram and the postcard. We are all nitpicky and slow editors so we want to take our time and not be rushed.

˗ˏˋ3/28 - 4/10ˎˊ˗

Final edits, andddd our critical reflections (which are thankfully not a video). This is mostly just a super cushion week in case anything goes wrong and we have to push things back. We also talked about using this time for peer review on the film, social media, and postcard! And that's what the next 8 weeks will look like!

** For reference here is the sample schedule we were provided: 

Week One:
-choose project genre
-begin developing full film plot
-research genre and story ideas
-post to blog
 
Week Two:

-continue research/plan project components
-continue to develop story
-land on final ideas
-post to blog 

Week Three:
-continue to research/project components (digital/print)
-develop script or outline
-develop filming/editing schedule
-reach out to any people possibly needed for filming
-create shot list/storyboard
-create social media tool

 
Week Four:
-continue to research/project components
-begin production of video component
-document production process (for social media and blog)
-post to social media
-post to blog
 
Week Five:
-continue to research/plan project components
-continue production of video component
-start edit video component
-begin planning print component
-post to social media
-post to blog
 
Week Six:
-continue post-production of video component
-continue planning of print component
-post to social media
-post to blog
 
Week Seven:
-research information relating to Critical Reflection
-finalize video component
- work on print/digital components
-post to social media
-post to blog
 
Week Eight:
-research information relating to Critical Reflection
-finalize video component
- work on print/digital components
-post to social media
-post to blog
 
Week Nine:
-create Critical Reflection
-finalize print component
-post to social media
-post to blog
 
Week Ten:
-create final, overall project reflection
-post all project components to blog
-Post Critical Reflection to blog

Portfolio Project˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀

Hi blog!! Happy new year!!

We started portfolio projects today, whoop whoop! 

I've been pondering this project over the past month. I started reaching out to people last week to figure out who I wanted to work with. I of course wanted to work with Kenna again because I loved working with them on our documentary project (as I posted about earlier on the blog). And I also wanted to work with my close friend Renn! Luckily they both weren't in a group yet so YAY (drumroll) I introduce our super awesome trio: 

I love this group :)

After we sat down together we got straight to deciding what we wanted portfolio project to be. Straight away we all agreed we did not want to create a documentary package or a film promotion package. That left us with short film and music promo. After a lot of back and forths we decided to create a pros and cons list to help us decide. 

After more discussion we ended up choosing the short film package! I'm personally super hyped and I cant wait to see what we create! We all agreed we wanted to create a story that captures our current, high school selves and honestly the short film is the easiest way to do that!! 

Sources⋆˚࿔

Bluemoji. (n.d.). Impressed with stars in eyes [Emoji design]. Retrieved February 18, 2026, from https://bluemoji.io/emoji/impressed-with-stars-in-eyes