In the first confrontation between Principal Duval and the girls, we would use low angle, front-facing zoomed in shots as each different character speaks. The audience would be able to see the tensions and rising arguments that lead to the ultimate fallout scene. This allows a deeper understanding of the cause of the tension buildup and why the characters feel the way they do.  Like in Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing, because of the camera angles, the audience was able to clearly understand just how the tensions got to the point they did. We would use a wide variety of longshots, pans, and zooms so that the angry and fed up explosive emotions of the characters can clearly be seen throughout the duration of the film.

For our conversion we chose to have Big Bird in China directed by Quentin Tarantino. We thought the juxtaposition of a children's film with the grittiness of Tarantino’s style would be both interesting and comical. Quentin Tarantino has a very distinct style, but unlike Wes Anderson, it can be diverse and used differently across many genres. It is hard to pinpoint but you can always tell what is a Tarantino film. Looking closely, many of his films involve long takes, dialogue driven scenes, intense violence, and suspense. Goriness seems to be the end goal of many Tarantino scenes and the suspense acts as the journey there. Tarantino is also very character focused, he takes from the Western film ideal where the characters are larger than life or have extremely unique elements to their persona. In terms of writing, Tarantino uses a lot of dark comedy and multiple storylines. The storylines tend to combine and conflict and reach a large finale. In terms of cinematography, Tarantino uses a lot of long takes, shots of feet, 360 degree shots, and trunk shots. When looking at Tarantino’s films, his core influences come from spaghetti westerns and samurai films. He tends to enjoy intense cultural influence and vibrant camera movements.

For our conversion we chose to have Big Bird in China directed by Quentin Tarantino. We thought the juxtaposition of a children's film with the grittiness of Tarantino’s style would be both interesting and comical. Quentin Tarantino has a very distinct style, but unlike Wes Anderson, it can be diverse and used differently across many genres. It is hard to pinpoint but you can always tell what is a Tarantino film. Looking closely, many of his films involve long takes, dialogue driven scenes, intense violence, and suspense. Goriness seems to be the end goal of many Tarantino scenes and the suspense acts as the journey there. Tarantino is also very character focused, he takes from the Western film ideal where the characters are larger than life or have extremely unique elements to their persona. In terms of writing, Tarantino uses a lot of dark comedy and multiple storylines. The storylines tend to combine and conflict and reach a large finale. In terms of cinematography, Tarantino uses a lot of long takes, shots of feet, 360 degree shots, and trunk shots. When looking at Tarantino’s films, his core influences come from spaghetti westerns and samurai films. He tends to enjoy intense cultural influence and vibrant camera movements.

We decided to convert the Wizard of Oz into a Michael Bay film. In order to do so we changed a lot of camera angles, props, and effects. The types of movies that Bay usually makes is a world away from the classic tale of The Wizard of Oz. Michael Bay is known for his intense action films. In order to incorporate this intensity, we chose to have more camera movement and angles in this conversion. Being made in the late 30’s, the Wizard of Oz simply didn’t have access to the same tech that modern day directors do, making it  a very stationary film. We included more panning to stimulate movement in the film. An abundance of movement in camera work is key in a Michael Bay film, as he focuses a lot on how he can stimulate the feeling of action even if things are stationary. We included many more cuts, whip pans, and zooms even in dialogue heavy scenes in order to keep the viewer attached to the screen, as Bay also does. And, there is no Michael Bay film without a shaky close up and excess explosions during a scene. We took Dorothy’s reaction to the Wicked Witch of the West’s entrance and threats more fearful and dramatized to create this effect.

A major technique Bay is known for is the classic Bay shot. This shot has the camera spinning around the character as the character only moves vertically and often locks their eyes in one direction. The camera also spins upwards, showing the detailed backgrounds and making the character smaller. This is in every Michael Bay film and we felt it was absolutely necessary to include it. This kind of shot is really complex, as an abundance of technology is needed in order to make this shot seamless. This shot is what inspired us to change The Wizard of Oz into a Bay film, as we felt that the incorporating the Bay shot when Dorothy first lands in Oz could really showcase how alone and lost she felt in this empty city. We also made the backgrounds in Munchkinland more detailed in our drawings during this Michael Bay shot.  However, we changed the colorful towers and twisty staircases into more of a hut and village set up to create a different tone for the film. We thought it would be too cheerful if we kept the setting exactly the same, and wouldn’t really convey the same feeling as the rest of Bay’s movies.

And of course, what is a Michael Bay film without excessive explosives. This is a man known for creating movies with such high explosives budgets, which we immediately knew needed to happen. Instead of Glinda descending into a colorful, cheery Munchkinland as a bubble, she blows up in a desolate and eerie city. Dorothy, instead of being the cute basket swinging girl from Kansas, is now a gun slinging badass, determined to get her and her dog back home where they belong.

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For this project we decided to do scene-redo of Get Out with Spike Lee as the director. We chose the scene where Chris is getting a nervous about staying with her family and started to notice a lot of sketchy things going on in the house. The maid seemed programmed and the guests were asking a lot of invasive questions, so Chris asked Rose for the keys to leave the house. This is where the film takes a turn--for the worst.

As one of the most powerful and memorable scenes in the movie, it shows Peele’s masterful storytelling at work: suspense, twists, magical realism; etc. With such a serious and thrilling scene, we thought it would be an interesting choice to reimagine it through Spike Lee’s lens; arguably one of the most iconic faces of the ‘movement’. Lee never hesitates to use his art to shed light on issues under the umbrella of social justice, and Get Out also points the finger at such topics. Spike Lee and Jordan Peele tell very similar stories, just in two very different ways. We thought blending the two styles, both cinematically and theatrically would create a unique body of work that paid homage to both iconic styles of film.

We decided to create a scene redo, but rather than capturing the scene picture by picture, we took short 3-second clips in Spike Lee’s artistic style: bright colors, dramatic camera movements, and the breaking of the fourth wall. We thought it would give a more upbeat vibe to the scene that is usually known for being serious and quite dark. The music is also reminiscent of Spike Lee’s auteur style, because he is known for pairing ‘free jazz’ with many of his most well-known scenes. The element of black culture that he makes a point to have magnified in his films is something that we figured would be a great addition to this scene, where Chris’ ‘blackness’ is being tested to an extent.

Get Out has a dark eerie feel to it, such a stark difference from Spike Lee’s usual style of film. Lee always takes advantage of color, primary colors specifically. His characters are usually dressed in the most vibrant prints that makes you feel more excited watching the film. Compared to Get Out where the characters are dressed in cool tones all the time. The way the film is edited with not a lot of saturation. This is why we incorporated both movies elements in the scene re-do. Get Out is also has a very serious undertone, this is fitting for the horror flick. We thought it funny to include a bit of humor throughout the video. Doing this allowed us to mix horror and comedy together, catering to both of the original movies.  

Throughout this project we were specific in choosing the elements we wanted to include. It was an eye-opening experience to take two different types of film, that have similar undertones, racism, and put them together. We feel as though if a director were to do the same thing we did, it would be a movie worth seeing!

For our fourth quarter benchmark we decided to convert the hit musical Singin’ in the Rain into a terrifying horror film that will scare you right out of your socks. In order to accomplish this goal, we had to first learn from the best. Starting from all your favorite halloween specials and fright night films, we looked for all the cinematic elements that really made us jump. All the different types of coloring, dark lighting, camera angles, underexposure, distorted music, etc. really pull the film together and keeps the audience interested. While still using the original clips from the film we tried to highlight the below eye level angles, creepy facial expressions, and scenes where the movements played well into the storyline we’re trying to create.

Just like how Alfred Hitchcock's used the technique of knowledge for the audience during Psycho. You need to give the audience information to create great suspense throughout your film. This is something we are trying to incorporate during our trailer but in a different way. We put in clips that would tell the story but not give away what exactly is happening. You seem to understand who the main focus is on and can begin to put your own storyline together.

Along with worrying about what makes a great horror film, we had to find what elements would make a great trailer. Should we focus more on the pop up aspects like The Conjuring , follow a normal life of the people that just suddenly turns bad like in Texas Chainsaw Massacre, or walk the audience through every important location like in the Psycho trailer? After looking at each and deciding whether or not we would actually watch the films. We decided to do a happy energetic scene to start off and allow the trailer to get more and more horrifying over time. This way you aren’t just bombarded with scary things popping out but more so a story that just doesn’t end so well.

One of the main things we focused on in this converted trailer is the music. We wanted to continue to use music from the actual soundtrack and just flip it to more distorted scary sounds that will play throughout the film. This way we aren’t pulling too far away from the theme of the movie but still adding that creepy aspect. Also, we included many dissolving edits between the scenes that will allow the images to play through quickly, allowing the audience to be exposed to little parts of the shot.

Most of the shots are either eye level or below eye level. Even through these were scenes from the actual movie, we actually did try to focus on the scenes where the camera was leveled or lower because it creates this thought that the audience is little and the actor is more powerful making it seem scarier. It also plays into the theme that you do not have the power which is usually a common theme in horror films.

Overall, adding all these little changes and touches to this film, I feel we did a great job not only converting it into a horror film but creating a trailer the audience would love to watch.

21 Jump Street, a 2012 film by directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, follows two undercover cops in modern day high school trying to bust a drug ring. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum play a hilarious duo who help each other out during police training and beyond. They are eventually paired together to go undercover at a high school. Their assignment is to find who has been selling this new street drug, and to find the supply. Jenko and Schmidt are now brothers, Brad and Doug McQuaid. Their journey is full with shooting scenes, cars on fire, and intense chases. It is humorous, and action packed simultaneously.

We converted 21 Jump Street to the western genre. The genre is full of tropes that force westerns to stand out. They both share guns, violence, chase sequences, various conflicts, and the good and bad guys. Along with the shared theatrical elements, there are cinematographic traits they both share. These two films rely heavily on tracking, establishing, close up, and extreme close up shots. 21 Jump Street is easy to adapt to a western because of their similar compositions: different plots, but same features.

The scene we chose to adapt was a sequence where Schmidt and Jenko

are bored on bike patrol in a quiet park, until they spot bikers smoking marijuana illegally. When they confront the bikers, they deny everything and run away, initiating a chase scene. When brainstorming for our storyboard, we decided to keep the characters the same. Jenko and Schmidt are now two cowboys who ride horses instead of bikes. We switched their bike helmets for cowboy hats. Instead of a quiet park, their setting is a desert day time scene with mountains in the far distance. Schmidt and Jenko still carry guns in holsters, but their uniforms are now long coats and cowboy boots.

The camera shots and angles are key elements that ensure western films stand out. Landscape, close up, and extreme close up shots are all heavily incorporated into these movies. These were easily convertible to 21 Jump Street. For the intense scenes, we used extreme close up/close up shots to display the violent nature that was about to occur. Tracking shots were used for chase scenes that needed to keep up with the characters on foot or riding horses. Landscape shots are important: they establish the setting which gives clues to the upcoming events.

21 Jump Street and the western genre collide well. The action packed films keep viewers on their toes with dramatic shots and angles. Contrary to usual westerns, we decided that our adaptation should be more colorful. Westerns have neutral tone settings due to the desert setting. We included cacti and a beautiful montainrange in the distance in our desert. We wanted the liviness of 21 Jump Street incorporated into the storyboard. We emphasized the tropes like cowboy boots, horses, and cacti by coloring them brightly. We still didn’t lose the plot of 21 Jump Street within this because the genre plots of dramatic suspense fit well.

For this project, we decided to convert Notting Hill into a thriller film. Notting Hill (1999) is a romantic drama by Roger Michell, starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. According to IMDb, Notting Hill tells the story of “The life of a simple bookshop owner [who] changes when he meets the most famous film star in the world.”

Like most genres, thrillers have a signature style. Thrillers are identified by the “thrills” a viewer feels and they often overlap with Horror and Science Fiction genres. Thrillers focus on action since they’re more defined by their plot. They excite their audiences by being fast-paced, having frequent location changes, and by being laced with tension and suspense.

In our version of Notting Hill, we will incorporate elements of thrillers and adjust cinematographic and theatrical components to transform this classic film. Our main take is that Anna is an obsessive stalker and William is her victim.

The components that we are keeping the same will be framing. We will continue to use two-shots, shot-reverse-shots, and eye level angles to keep a section of the characters’ conversation relaxed and natural.

The minor shifts we will change to convert this film will be the camera angles and acting choices. Throughout the scene, low angles will be used for shots of Anna and high angles will be for William. A low angle shot is a result of the camera being placed below Anna with the lens pointing up. This causes Anna to appear large and menacing, a dangerous stalker. A high angle shot happens when the camera is placed above William with the lens pointing down. This makes William appear small and vulnerable, allowing the audience to be scared for him.

The change in action choices will also be minor. Anna will smile widely more often, a freakish action. She will also move slowly (recognized by the sound of her footsteps to be addressed later) which will paint her as a monster. William, on the other hand, is casual at first, making the audience relaxed and unaware. When Anna’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic and violent, then he freaks out.

Our major shifts to Notting Hill will be camera movement, lighting, sound, costumes, and props. Our main change in camera movement will be a dolly zoom onto Anna’s face while William is waiting for her response to his rejection.  This dolly zoom is achieved by zooming the camera’s lens while the camera dollies (moves) forward Anna’s face. This effect distorts the audience’s perception of the shot since the background appears to change size. This distorting will make Anna creepier, therefore thrilling the audience with the possibility of violence.

For lighting, we will include flickering and darker lighting, to add a sense of foreboding. The flickering lighting will be used with Anna in the frame, adding to the idea that she is unnatural and monstrous.

In terms of sound, we will have diegetic noises (sounds made by objects in the story and heard by the characters) and non-diegetic music (sound effects added for dramatic effect). As mentioned earlier, the diegetic sound of Anna’s slow and careful footsteps will be pronounced, making the audience think that she’s creeping around. We will add non-diegetic music (creepy strings) that are a typical horror/thriller element and will explicitly paint Anna as nightmarish.

The costume changes will dress Anna in a fiery red dress and William in simple blue pants. This contrast of color temperatures will foreshadow their character - Anna being hot-tempered and William being cool.

Finally, a prop will be added to our conversion of this scene. Throughout this thriller version of Notting Hill, the audience has been waiting to see if Anna’s concerning actions will lead to violence. When she pulls out a knife, the audience is as scared as William is and completes Anna’s career as a villain.