Commercial CCR Questions

1. How does your product use or challenge conventions AND how does it represent social groups or issues?

My commercial used many of the common elements within cereal commercials. Bright or warm lighting, for example, was included within the project as well as fantastical elements. In one scene, the cereal bowl within the commercial would move across the table by itself. By including this scene, I was able to include fantasy within my commercial. I also included a child, my brother, as the actor. By doing so, the commercial has a specific target, which is children, as many children often eat cereal. The sound playing in the background of my commercial was bright and cheery as well. The song that I found, played by the US Marine Band, fit well as it is not dark or dreary, and instead is bright, and fits in with similar songs played within commercials. The lighting and setting also fit with the conventions placed, as the lighting is bright and the setting is placed within the kitchen and dining room. In addition, the props used were a cereal bowl, the cereal being advertised, and a spoon, which is shown in many cereal commercials as well. The cereal commercial challenges conventions by using stop motion. Not many commercials use stop motion, and by including that scene, I was able to incorporate the fantastical element in a unique way. The commercial represents social groups by including children. With my brother as the actor, children were represented, allowing for them to see themselves within the commercial. 

 

2. How does your product engage with audiences AND how would it be distributed as a real media text?

My product engages with audiences with the use of stop motion. By adding in elements that are not realistic, viewers are kept wondering what will happen next. If the situation were more realistic, the commercial would not be as interesting, as there would not have been that element of surprise when the cereal bowl moved by itself. This applies to young viewers in particular, because they, on average, have a short attention span and the fantastical elements allow the children to pay more attention to the commercial. This commercial would be distributed as a real media text on children's TV channels, such as PBS kids, from 7:00 in the morning until 10:00 in the morning. Children are normally awake between these hours and have not eaten breakfast yet. By airing the commercial within these hours, the children, who are craving a source of food, will want to buy this product more than if the commercial aired in the afternoon.

3. How did your production skills develop throughout this project?

Throughout this project, my production skills have improved with the editing software I used and with the production of stop motion. Before this project, I had a minimal amount of knowledge on how to adjust volume and apply visual effects. After clicking on several of the buttons and exploring the software, I now have expanded this knowledge and am able to perform each of these tasks without much confusion. In addition, I had not known that the software could apply the fade effect to the video, and now that I have this knowledge, I will most likely use it in future projects. I also learned how to use the stop motion app. Before this project, I did not have any idea about how stop motion works. After following the simple instructions given by the app, I was then able to use it sufficiently and with ease. I also now understand how stop motion is edited together as well.  Overall, this project led to a greater awareness of the editing technique of stop motion as well as the functions of the editing software I used to edit the commercial.

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

The technologies used within my project were my phone, the software OpenShot editor, and the app Stop Motion Studio. The editing software, OpenShot, was used to edit the commercial as a whole. Specifically, it was used to adjust the volume, trim video clips, apply visual effects, and add in each scene to create one single video. There are several buttons on the software, that are easy to navigate, however, after trimming, the software does not allow you to attach the clips together again. This may be my fault as I am not sure how to do so, but after trying to find the buttons to perform this action, I could not find anyway to reattach the clips. The other technologies used were the Stop Motion Studio app and my phone. The phone was used to film the entire commercial, while the stop motion app was used to create the scene of the cereal bowl moving across the table. My phone, as it was a Samsung, did not have the best camera quality, however it produced a video that was able to seen and had quality that was sufficient for this project. The Stop Motion Studio app was easy to use and involved following the instructions given by the app. All that I had to do was perch my phone on a stable surface and set a timer counting down when it would take the photos. After the photos were taken, they were converted into a video that able to be used within my commercial. With this app, I was able to create a unique scene of the stop motion of cereal moving across the table that enhanced my commercial overall.

My Commercial

As this was my first filming project with different camera angles, shots, and a storyboard, there were several mishaps, but overall I am proud of how my commercial turned out. I learned a large amount about filming throughout the process of creating the commercial and am sure that with this knowledge the projects coming up will be even better. When filming the commercial, I also learned about the importance of reading through the rubric and making sure that the plan is correct before beginning filming. After I had finished filming each of the scenes, I realized that I had forgotten to include a variety of camera angles. I had to refilm the first scene so that it included a low angle, and as a result, filming went on for another day, disrupting the schedule of my brother, the actor, and leading to a large amount of time wasted. Looking back I would have been more proactive as well and scheduled my time better. Although I made a plan specifying when to film, edit, and storyboard in the beginning stages of this project, I believe that I should have picked earlier dates. If I had done so, I would not have been as stressed. Additionally, I learned more about different camera shots. Previously I had only known about mid-shots, wide shots, long shots, and a few other types of camera shots. I now know about medium shots, full body shots, cowboy shots and more. Several of the shots that I learned about can be seen within my commercial, such as medium shots and full shots. I also learned how to use the editing software OpenShot editor. Before this project, I had a basic understanding of how the software works. I now know how to lower and raise the volume much better, trim videos, and apply the fade effect to the video. Throughout the process of creating the commercial, I learned how to create a simple stop motion video as well. I downloaded an app and was able to create stop motion by following the simple instructions shown. As a result, I was able to understand more about other types of work, this being stop motion. The video also provided some individuality to the commercial, which could be used in future projects. Overall, I feel as though I have learned quite a bit about filming and enjoyed the process of creating the commercial.

Editing Blog: Trimming, Adding Sound, and Creating Stop Motion

 While editing, I mainly used the software OpenShot editor. I began the editing process while filming the commercial during the fourth scene. This scene used stop motion, and to create it I downloaded an app called Stop Motion Studio. The app was on a timer and would count down, telling me when to move the bowl of cereal. Once the app finished taking pictures of the cereal, it was able to convert the photos into a stop motion video. After filming, I then decided to add in the scenes from my camera onto my computer. I used Google Photos as a middle ground for the two devices, would upload each video onto Google Photos, and then download the scenes onto my computer. I was then able to add in the scenes onto the editing software OpenShot. After I did this, I trimmed each of the scenes down to make sure that the scenes were within the time frame of 30 seconds and also made sure that no unwanted footage was included in the commercial. After I did this, I reviewed the video to see how it looked and trimmed any remaining scenes that were not correct. I then added in a voice over of me saying the catchphrase, "Honey O's, the cereal for you!" I did this by opening the voice recorder app on my computer. Next, I recorded the catchphrase, and when I finished recording, it automatically downloaded onto my computer. I then transferred the downloaded file onto the editing software and placed the recording near the end where I thought it would fit best. After adding in the voice recording, I looked for music to include in the commercial. I had a difficult time finding music to add, as many of the songs sounded too upbeat and were not the correct sound I was looking for. I searched for happy instrumental music, and other key words, but found nothing. Once I found the piece I was looking for, I converted the song into an mp3 download and added it into my commercial. Next, I trimmed the music so that it would correspond with what was happening in the video. This included trimming the video down to see which parts of the song would fit best and lowering or raising the volume. Each time my brother, the actor, talked, I would lower the volume so that his voice was able to be heard over the music. I also made the music fade when the commercial started and ended, making the sound fit in with the commercial.

Troubles and experiences while filming my cereal commercial

Filming the cereal commercial was slightly difficult, but turned out well. I asked my brother to be the actor throughout the commercial, and he politely obliged. I was the director throughout the commercial, and filmed the commercial along with telling the actor what to say, what to do, how to say each line, and prepping each scene. Filming began on 10/31/20, and was filmed in chronological order of each scene. The first scene, of the actor opening the refrigerator door, went smoothly and was shot in about 5 takes. I had to figure out where my brother, the actor, should start from when walking towards the fridge, and when I did, the scene turned out well. The second scene included my brother looking inside of the refrigerator. To shoot this scene, I put the camera within the fridge and then ran out of sight and told my brother when to start acting. Filming this scene was difficult because the camera would fall out of the fridge at times, as it was perched precariously on one of the shelves. I would then have to pick up the camera and make sure that it was set appropriately before continuing the filming. The third scene, where the actor expresses how disappointed they were that no food was within the fridge, was more difficult than the previous scenes, as this was the first time that the actor could be seen speaking. The scene was shot over the span of two days, as it looked odd when looking back over the clip. I then directed my brother on how to look and what to say within this scene, and by doing so the scene looked much better afterwards. The fourth scene used the technique of stop-motion to show the cereal moving towards the actor. While preparing for this scene I poured the cereal into a bowl, straightened the table cloth out, and made sure that everything was set up correctly. After I shot this scene on 10/31/20, I realized, while watching a video explaining stop motion in a more detailed way, that I had shot the scene incorrectly and had to film it again. Previously, I had stood on top of a chair and held the camera with my arms, but after watching the video I found that putting the camera on a stable surface, such as a shelf, would make the scene look more professional. I found a way around this by using a "selfie stick." I propped the stick, with the camera, on a chair and used a software to film the rest of the scene. Throughout this scene I would move the bowl of cereal inch by inch across the table until the bowl had reached the end of the table. The fifth, sixth, and seventh scene, that was projected on my storyboard, ended up being filmed in one shot. I prepped for these scenes by making sure that the tablecloth was straightened, the cereal box was set so that the audience could see the brand, and placed the spoon straight next to the cereal. I also had to direct the actor on which facial expressions to use while filming, how to say the lines, and wrote the script. These scenes went smoothly and without much interruption, but had to be filmed the next day, as I had forgotten to use the tilt camera movement while filming. In addition to this slip-up, I realized, after looking at the rubric for the commercial, that I had forgotten to include different camera angles and shots. Therefore, some scenes must be reshot in order to include a variety of camera angles and shots. Overall, the filming had several hiccups and had to be shot several times over the course of two days that lasted about 2.5 hours altogether.

Planning storyboard for my cereal commercial

 First Scene

In the first scene the actor will open the door of the fridge. This will establish the commercial and allow the audience to earn an idea of where the commercial is set and of what is to come. In addition, the refrigerator is located within the kitchen of the home where the commercial is being filmed. This scene will be a wide shot, as the audience will be able to see the actor fully and what it is that they are doing.

Second Scene

During the second scene, the actor will be looking for food within the refrigerator. The camera will be set inside of the refrigerator, which is inside the kitchen of the home, so that the audience can see the actor's face and emotions while scanning through the contents of the fridge. The actor will close the refrigerator doors once they are done thinking. By doing so, this signifies an end to the scene and prepares the audience for the next scene where the actor will be in a different location. This scene will be a mid-shot, so that, again, the audience is able to see the actor's face and emotions.

Third Scene

The third scene will include the actor pondering what to eat while at the table within the dining room. The actor will say a line that shows that they are thinking about what they should eat. The scene will be a wide shot.

Fourth Scene

The fourth scene will be of cereal in a bowl. The bowl will be moving towards the subject, however the actor will not be shown throughout the scene. In order to make the bowl look as though it is moving by itself, the technique of stop-motion will be used. In addition, the scene will be a mid-shot and filmed in the same location as the previous scene, the dining room.

Fifth Scene

During the fifth scene the cereal box that is starring in the commercial, Honey O's, a spoon, and the cereal bowl that had been moving toward the actor in the previous scene will be on the table in front of the actor. The camera will tilt moderately fast from the objects laid out on the dining room table to the actor. The actor will then look at the cereal and spoon in amazement, as they were not in the previous scene, before settling on the cereal bowl. The actor will then say a line about how the cereal is their favorite and state some of the healthy nutrition facts within the cereal. By doing so, the audience is given motivation to buy this cereal. This scene will be a wide shot and will, again, be filmed in the dining room.

Sixth Scene

The sixth scene will be of the actor eating the cereal. The actor will be doing so enthusiastically, but not in a way that seems unnatural. This scene will be a wide shot as well and filmed in the dining room.

Seventh Scene

The last scene will be of the actor giving a thumbs up to the camera. There will also be a voiceover in the background giving a catchphrase for the cereal that will stick in the audience's head while they are at the grocery store. This scene will be a wide shot and filmed in the dining room of the house.

*There will be music playing in the background of the commercial as well.

Planning for my cereal commercial

Props

I plan on using a bowl containing cereal and milk, a spoon, the cereal box starring in the commercial, and an assortment of other randomly-picked foods within my refrigerator as props. The cereal being advertised within the commercial will be the Trader Joe's "Honey Nut O's" cereal. 

Costumes

The clothes worn throughout filming will be casual everyday clothes, as the clothes are not meant to draw attention away from the cereal or scenes being shown. These clothes will include plain shorts and plain sweatshirts/shirts with minimal images. Shoes will not be worn, as the commercial is being shot within my home, and will instead be replaced with socks. 

Schedule

On 10/22/20, research on the conventions used within cereal commercials will take place.

On 10/23/20, a plan for the commercial will be made, including the props, costumes, schedule, set, location, and backup plan.

On 10/27/20, the storyboard for the commercial will be drawn, including details for each scene. The storyboard will include several hand-drawn pictures, and will be completed with the intent of lasting 30 seconds. 

On 10/31/20, the commercial for the Honey Nut O's cereal will be shot at about 4 pm.

On 11/1/20, editing for the commercial will be completed using the software, "OpenShot" editor, and any problems that occurred within the commercial will be fixed.

Set

The refrigerator within my kitchen will be organized neatly and cleanly with an array of foods in preparation for filming. There will also be a dining table with four chairs around it where I will be sitting for a portion of the commercial as well.

Location

The commercial will be filmed in the dining room at my father's home, with the living room partially being shown in the background. The kitchen will also be included in certain scenes throughout the commercial.

Backup Plan

If the weather is cloudy, dark, raining, or unsuitable, the location of the commercial will be moved to my mother's house. The dining room at my father's home has two glass doors and a window looking out to my backyard, allowing for cloudy weather to cast the room with dark shadows. The dining room at my mother's house, however, does not have as many windows and allows for better lighting. If any technical difficulties occur while filming, I will use my father's phone to film the commercial. My dog may bark or cause disturbances during the filming process as well. If this happens, she will be let outside into my backyard until I have finished.

Research Blog: Commercial Conventions

     For the upcoming commercial project, I plan on doing a cereal commercial. These commercials often include several shots of the food being shown, in addition to implementing bright colors or children, as cereal is traditionally a breakfast cereal eaten by children. Many cereal commercials also use cartoon characters as spokespeople for the product being shown. This character will appear throughout the brand's commercials. The use of animated characters within commercials can be seen in cereals such as Twix, Lucky Charms, and Honey Nut Cheerios. As stated before, cereal is mainly targeted at children, therefore many cereal companies will use actors to pose as families as well. Companies will also produce situations or characters that correlate with the brand's name. "Lucky Charms," for example, uses a leprechaun as the main character in each of its commercials. The situations that actors or figures within cereal commercials are involved in vary, but many commercials will put the actors in a situation where the child does not want to eat. When the child then sees the advertised cereal brand, they will suddenly want to eat the cereal being shown. This situation is used for foods of all types, but it applies to cereal commercials as well. Other brands of cereal that contain less sugar or are more healthy, might use adults as actors within commercials. These cereal companies can contain commercials where the actor eats the brand of cereal being advertised. The commercials will then proceed to show various activities the person goes through, such as carrying heavy items. By doing so, the cereal brand is trying to prove that the advertised cereal is so filling or healthy, that the actor can do all of the activities being shown successfully. When using animated characters, however, companies will include adventures or journeys that the characters must complete in order to receive the cereal. As a result, the companies show that the cereal is so good, exploring an underground cavern, for example, is worth trying the cereal. Companies using animated characters will also put those characters in situations where they speak to an adult or child actor about the appealing elements of the cereal as well. Props within cereal commercials include a bowl of cereal, with the cereal being advertised in the bowl, milk, a glass, a spoon, and the box of cereal. The setting within this type of commercial is often in homes, specifically in the dining room of those homes. Reoccurring themes in cereal commercials include fantastical elements, such as magic or unicorns, as well as bright or cheery moods. Scores playing within the background are cheery as well, as cereal companies will include whistling or upbeat music.