Film Opening

Now, here is my last post. I hope you enjoy my film opening!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NA6kG_HEPbQ3FcrVxPMAKdEuKuh0tQW_/view?usp=sharing

Creative Critical Reflection

The time has come! I have completed my project, and am now ready to share my creative critical reflection. I've enjoyed posting on this blog, and creating my opening, and I hope you do too. Now, here is my CCR...

Editing

So I have been editing my project over the past 3 days, and I’m glad to say that I am ... ALMOST done. I’ve been using wevideo to get the job done, and I have thankfully added all the necessary clips, and the title sequence. The only real work I have left to do is add two more  sound effects. I plan to be 99% finished with this today. I only am excluding 1% because I know that I will probably be obsessively trying to tweak everything before I absolutely have to post it. I am happy with how it’s coming along, and I’m super excited to share it on this blog! Here is a photograph of me (the shadow looming in the background) at work on the editing..

Filming!

Finally, the day has come and gone, and I have now filmed (hopefully) all the content I need for this project. We headed over to Markham Park at 1:00 today, to try and slam this out, and faced an unexpected obstacle. Where to film? The park is filled with numerous locations that capture the forest vibe that I was looking for, but from the noisy sounds of a model airplane competition to raccoon encounters, it was quite hard to find the perfect place to film. This caused us to have to travel between multiple locations within the park, which took some time away from filming.

Nonetheless, we persevered, and were able to shoot the whole thing within 4 hours. Since, we are all unable to return for re-shoots, I made sure to try and be as meticulous as possible with the shooting, and filmed multiple versions of each section. I am confident in the work that we completed today, and I am also confident in my ability to edit out the errors. I am going to put a colossal amount of effort into editing this opening, to ensure that everything turns out well!

Here are some photos I took while filming:

Kathleen (Chloe) and Andrea (Sarah) in between filming

A trail in which we filmed the majority of the film opening

Screenplay

I finally wrote the "script" for my opening, and have already sent it to my actresses. I used a screenplay creating software called celtx to assist me in using the correct format. Since this is my first time ever writing a script, I know that there were still some things formatted incorrectly, and I am pretty sure I might be missing some important aspects. Nonetheless, I think the purpose of using it as a guideline was not lost. So enough babbling here is my screenplay!

Update!

Hello!! Before I begin, I’d like to apologize for the abrupt nature of this post. I just got my wisdom teeth removed yesterday, and am currently in an immense amount of pain! So today is just going to be a little updat post, as I prepare to film this Sunday. The overall plan is to shoot from late Sunday morning to early evening at Markham Park. I am working hard on perfecting the script before I post it to this blog. I have indeed began writing it, but I’m still putting the finishing touches before I show it to the world.

Last night, I watched Jordan Peele’a new film “Us,” and it greatly inspired me. Now I was not very fond of his first film “Get Out,” but this one pleasantly surprised me as it did the mold of the horror genre better. Watching “Us,” got me motivated again to make my film opening great. I wasn’t necessarily unmotivated, but life has been pretty hectic lately, and I am not afraid to admit that I pushed this into the back of my brain. But now that everything is back on track, I am super excited to film this weekend, and begin to edit this thing!

Costumes

Now that I am set to film this coming weekend, I need to plan out what the actresses are going to wear. Considering that the girls are going to be on a trek/hike of some sort, it would only be logical for them to wear exercise attire. But, I would also like to explore the possibilities of them wearing colors that symbolize something important. I could use a color that foreshadows their death, or maybe one that reflects their personalities. I have a few options that I would like to explore.

When it comes to colors that foreshadow death, I don’t have many to choose from. It basically just comes down to black, and red. Black obviously doesn’t need to be explained, but red is commonly associated with blood, and danger. I’m not sure if I would like the girls to both wear all black, because it may look a bit odd, and not obvious enough when it comes to hints. Red is a more obvious color that represents danger, but it is also a quite bright color, and I wouldn’t want it to distract from the plot.

Now that I have been thinking about this, I think colors that represent their personalities may be the better bet. It’s a more subtle choice, but not too unrecognizable. The Sarah character is supposed to be more preppy, and feminine, so I could possibly use a dull pink for her to wear. I don’t want to use any bright colors, because it would throw off the tone of the film. I could also use a dull yellow for her to represent her vibrant personality. As for the Chloe character, she is supposed to be more reserved, and represent the logical character. For her, I think a dull green, or blue would work perfectly. The blue might work better for the blue though, because I wouldn’t want the green to blend in with the colors of the forest.  I think I’ve come to the conclusion, that the characters will be wearing colors that represent their personalities, but washed out to reflect the somber tone of the film.

How to create an Ankh

A crucial part of my film opening, is when the girls discover the Ankh hanging from the trees. Since production is fast approaching, I need to seriously think about how I am gong to do this. I am far from being a talented (visual) artist, but there are numerous ways in which I can attempt to give this an authentic look.

My thought process on this is, if local/native people are hanging this symbol on trees, it is most likely going to be woven out of some natural material. Like flimsy sticks? I am not exactly sure what the scientific term is for this plant, but for now I am just going to call it tree branches. If I took tree branches, and somehow made the into the shape of an Ankh, I think that would work. I am also thinking about using dark brown yarn to tie around the loop of the Ankh to give off the super natural look that I'm going for.

Not to rip off Blair Witch, but this is the look that I am going for. Except my symbols would be smaller, and (of course) hanging from trees.

The possibilities of how I do this are endless, and I would like to spend some more time researching this further. It's also very important to me that I don't offend anyone with how I make the symbols, so I would also like to look into the practicality of it all. There is still lots of work left to be done, and I am going to get to it the moment I leave Tampa!

Shooting Schedules

Hello world! I am writing to you from the Florida Thespian States competition! Times are busy, and super exciting, but all this commotion is not going to stop me from keeping this blog in check. Since I am currently in Tampa with my two actresses (and rooming with them), I thought this might be a good time to discuss when we can get together.

Sadly, Kathleen said that she is going away for spring break, but luckily, she will be back for the final weekend which is when I wanted to film in the first place. So I am happy to say that I am set to film on March 30, and 31st. I know that I am going to be super sore, and worn out so I’m glad that I am working with a small amount of actresses. I also plan to shoot from the late morning to afternoon, because I would like the park to be well lit, and emptier.

I Found My Second Actress

Hi! So, I am excited to announce that I've found my second, and final actress! Her name is Andrea Tovar, and she is a senior at Cypress Bay. I have been in musical theatre with her since the 8th grade, and she most recently played Donna at the Friday night show of Mamma Mia! I have included a photo of her below.

I am super thrilled to be working with Kathleen, and Andrea because not only do they have a great work ethic, but I know that they are quite talented actresses. This will be super beneficial during my film making process, because I know that they will be adaptable to many situations. Also, since this film opening really does call for a lot of close-ups, I definitely will not be afraid to use them, because my actresses are talented enough to have engaging facial expressions.

My next step, is to create a shooting schedule with the girls, which I think may be the hardest part. I would like to film during spring break as it's the only time that I'm truly available, but I know that they might be going out of town for spring break. The clock is ticking, and I am still quite behind in this project as most of my peers have already begun filming, or plan to film this week. The good thing is, tomorrow the three os us leave to attend thespian (musical theatre) states in Tampa, so I will definitely be discussing how we are going to schedule this thing with them. 

Filming Locations

Now that we are starting to get close to filming this thing, I really need to figure out where I am going to film exactly so I am going to think about some possible filming locations today...

Since I need the location to replicate a forest, the first place I'm considering is Markham Park. Not only is it nearby (which is quite convenient), but it's literally a state park, so there will be no shortage of trees. I don't even think this location has a negative, except maybe mosquitos, but we'll just have to wear bug spray!

Another location I'm thinking about using is Tree Tops park. Now, I have not personally been to this park, but someone referred it to me, and just from viewing photos from google images, this park definitely has the ambience I'm going for. Like Markham Park, Tree Tops is not a far drive, but one thing that Tree Tops has over Markham is the overall look of the park. While, at Markham Park it wouldn't be difficult to make it look like a forest, I would still have to make a bit of an effort in making it have that look. I am (of course) willing to put in some extra work into giving off that illusion, but unfortunately time is working against me and I am going to have 2 days to shoot. So, I want to be able to use that time wisely.

The last location I am considering is my high school itself. This would take some serious creativity skills, but if none of my other filming locations work out, then I may have no choice but to use the school, and try to keep the shots as tight as possible. Now, I sincerely hope it doesn't come to this, but I'm not going to completely ignore this as a possibility. Since, I only have 3 (more like 2) filming locations in mind, I am going to try to visit them before I begin filming so I can get a feel for the look. I am quite confident than 1/3 will work!

I found My First Actress

Now that I know my plot, I decided that it's time I pick my actresses from now, so we can begin to create some sort of filming schedule. I would like to film some time during spring break (which is going to be hard since I am having my wisdom teeth pulled) because it seems likes the most practical time to get everyone together. Since I am in musical theatre, I have tons of actresses at my disposal, so I knew that it wouldn't be too hard to find one.

So, I am thrilled to introduce my first actress, Kathleen Valent, who is going to play the role of Chloe.  She is a junior at Cypress Bay, and has been acting for 9 years. I've included an (elaborate) photo of her below, to put a face to the name. While the actresses are not the focal point of this project, I believe that they do hold a strong level of significance to the production, as found footage films are typically quite plot, and acting driven. I am still in the hunt for an actress to portray Sarah, but I plan to have one in the next 24 hours. Then .. on to scheduling!

How do you make a found footage film anyways?

Lately, I have been questioning how found footage films are even made. Do the actors just film the entire thing, or are there people holding the cameras for them as if they were the actors themselves, like a Kim Kardashian selfie? Also, how do I avoid including cheesy, and unrealistic cuts. If the footage was truly found, wouldn't the entire film be one gigantic master shot? Today, I am going to delve deeper into the production side of found footage films as I start to get closer to beginning the filming process on my opening.

The first step is within the dialogue. When watching found footage films I commonly question why the main characters continue to film such traumatic events. If a demon was attacking me, the last thing I'd be worried about is documenting the events. This is where a lot of these films go wrong. I would like to try and justify these actions by having the characters question this as well. If the character "Sarah," is chasing after the camera after her stumble on the ground, I would like to have Chloe tell her to leave the camera behind, but Sarah have some logical reason to continue filming. I'd have to create some superficial personality trait within the character in which maybe her camera was expensive so she didn't want to leave it, or maybe she wanted the world to see what they were experiencing. I will have to think about this deeper, but I would like the dialogue to explain some things that would otherwise come off as illogical.

In the midst of my research, I stumbled upon this article. https://www.fastcompany.com/3038769/8-killer-tips-for-making-found-footage-horror-movies-from-the-v-h-s-series-dire It has inspired me to explore multiple options within filming, and another way to justify why they would continue to film. If Sarah suddenly disappears, its hard to believe that her best friend Chloe would continue to film on her camera. It would make sense for the scene to abruptly cut to Chloe hiding behind a tree filming on her phone camera now, to say goodbye to her family. I think I am going to film both outcomes, and I will choose the more logical one in the editing process. The more options the better!

As for "how" to physically film a found footage film, I am still unsure on the details. I've viewed a few behind the scenes videos from some films, but they were all quite useless in answering my questions. I am going to continue trying to search for answers, but it seems that there is no "correct," way to shoot a found footage film. I think each director has their own strategy to creating these, and I might have to use my own as well, and hope for the best. But let's see what else I can found out first.. 

Storyboard

Do you ever spend two hours creating a storyboard only to find out that he website you're using only allows you to save it if you pay for a premium membership? This is the drama I faced last night after I put a lot of time and effort into creating my storyboard. Due to this hiccup, I have decided to give up on using storyboard creating software's, and I am going to make my storyboard on google slides instead. While this approach is not ideal, I think it is enough to get the point across. The moral of the story is stay away from the website "theplot.io."The link to my "storyboard" is below.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1I2PjjxbIy7UiXWRrtvrDgQgSKQa9LEVTMORLHEGDX5Y/edit?usp=sharing

So this storyboard is a VERY basic outline of what I would like to do. I kept it vague, and this weekend I would like to spend some quality time writing a script, and making an exact outline of what shots, angles, and techniques I would like to use for the film. At the moment, it is very close up heavy which is somewhat inevitable for the style of film this is, but as I mentioned in a previous post, I would like to challenge typical horror conventions. I need to think of creative ways to convey this story to avoid falling in to the boring horror cliches.

Ancient Symbol Searching

A huge part of my film opening relies on the ancient symbol that the main characters discover in the forest (or beach). So today, I am going to be conducting some deep research on some "evil" ancient symbols that I can use. I must add that it is important to me that I do not curse myself in any sort of way by using these symbols, so I am going to try to find as much information as possible.

Okay so finding symbols is a bit harder than I thought it was going to be. But, I have found a few so far. The first one being the "othala." Othala is the rune of ancestral spiritual power, divine inheritance, and earthly estate. I think this symbol could work for a number of reasons. First of all, since it represents the home of some spiritual being, that could mean that the girls had wandered into the home of an ancient being that doesn't like to be bothered which prompted them to be murdered. Another reason the othala could work is that the symbol itself doesn't look incredibly hard to make. Unfortunately, I have just uncovered a major red flag with the othala. It seems to be loosely associated with Nazi, and socialist groups so it may not be the best option for this project.

Another option I have, as basic as it seems is the Antichrist symbol (Upside Down Cross). Its technical name is the Cross of Saint Peter. I am honestly a little worried about using this one, because I know that its meant to offend Catholicism, and Christianity. Now, I am not a very religious person, but I am not trying to mess with anything. I am actually so worried about this one that I am not going to include a photo of it in the post (I have not included the othala either because of its Nazi affiliation). So, I guess the general consensus is a no to this one.

My fear of awakening some dark evil spirit from the depths of hell is starting to kick in, and I am now considering using a symbol that represents good instead of evil. Let's say I find a symbol that represents protection, it would make sense if it was hung up all throughout a cursed forest because maybe people native to the are want protection from a dark being that resides there. This is starting to sound like a better idea to me, so I think I am going to go with that instead.

After some more research, I have now come across the Ankh symbol. It is an ancient Egpytian symbol resembling a cross, and representing life. It was sometimes used to revive human souls in the afterlife, which could work out perfectly for my film opening. Maybe the symbols could've been hung to revive the victims of the evil spirit that resides in the forest. I definitely feel more comfortable using the Ankh symbol than the evil ones. I am going to continue searching for some more symbols, but I am definitely going to keep the Ankh in mind.

I Have a Plot-ish

It is the end of week 3 working on this project, and I am feeling a little behind. Unlike some of my peers, I have failed to outline a plot, create a storyboard, or establish and sort of schedule. But today, things are a little different because now I feel like I finally have a more clear idea of the plot. While, nothing is finalized, and I am convinced that I am going to revise so many things from now to April, but I feel ready to state my main idea for the plot.

I am still working on deciding character names, and developing character personalities so for now let's refer to the characters as 'girl', and 'girls friend'. I want the opening to be about 2 best friends who are going away on trip together as their last hoorah before leaving for college. So the film would start with them documenting their best friend "extravaganza." I want them to be in a secluded area, so maybe a secret beach, or forest. Some place that people don't usually go to, and they stumble upon symbols carved into the sand, or (forest) hanging from all the trees. Of course, from there I would like to show them running from danger, and the opening end with their death but in a non-gory way. I would like death to be implied, but not shown to keep this project school friendly. This would also all be caught on camera in the "found footage" fashion.

Now this plot is not definite, but I think this is the direction I would like to take my film opening. The next thing I really want to work on is establishing a location, writing a script, creating a storyboard, developing the characters, and conduct some more research. I have a lot of hard work left to do, but I am super excited to complete this project.

Contemplative

Lately, I have been really trying to think of the plot of what I would like the plot of my film opening to be, and I have been struggling on settling on a singular idea. It flip flops every day! I am also now thinking of doing a horror film opening instead of a thriller at this point. The only thing I am (sort of) sure on, is that I want the viewers to have the sensation that they are seeing something that they totally shouldn't be. Not in a weird, illegal way, but in the way that would leave audiences feeling disturbed. I guess there is no way to verbally say this without sounding like a total creep. But I promise I am not some psycho, I just want to replicate the way I felt when watching some of my favorite horror films.

Take the film Hereditary for example, it challenges the conventions of typical horror films in a few ways. Now, I don't plan on turning this post in to an analysis on Hereditary, so I won't go in to too much depth, but it is rare that a horror film actually evokes a sense discomfort from me, and that's what it did. When a film just sticks to the book, and doesn't even attempt to do something unpredictable, I find it quite boring. How many times are Sally, and Johnny going to follow the alarming noise in to the depths of the forest? I want to shake things up a bit, or "break the wheel" as Daenerys Targaryen would say. You could say I am a bit excited for the final season of Game of Thrones...

Anyways, I want to analyze my favorite horror flicks some further to draw inspiration on how they do, what they do. Is it within the plot? Technique? Or are the directors just a touch of genius?  Whatever it is, I know that I need to hurry up, because the clock is ticking, and I still am unsure on what direction I am going to take this film. But, I am quite excited!

The Found Footage Film ...

Today, I am conducting some more genre research, but on found footage films in specific. Since, I am almost 100% positive that this is the route I am heading for my portfolio project, I thought that delving deep in to this sub-genre would be quite beneficial.


The basis of found footage films is quite self-explanatory, the audience is supposed to be watching "discovered" tapes, but in reality everything is just as carefully made as any feature film. The only difference being that the film must give the illusion of being amateur shot, which can deem itself tricky during more complex scenes. Like most horror movies, found footage films are usually set in forests, or abandoned buildings. Except in these films, the setting usually plays a very important role in creating the tension.





When it comes to camera angles/shots, close ups, and hand held shots are most commonly used. In fact, there are rare situations in which hand held shots wouldn't be used. For example, in the film Paranormal Activity, "security cameras" were used to show what was happening on screen. While creative, and effective, for found footage films it would really have to depend on the plot. Music for these films are usually tense, and low-key lighting is commonly used. Some great examples of found footage films in the horror, and non-horror genre include; The Blair Witch Project, Chronicle, Project X, and The Gallows.

Chronicle

We are now getting to my last "official" week of research, so I really would like to focus on some more film examples. While, I am certain I am going to be endlessly researching the details that go in to film making, this week really feels like ... it.

Today, I am going to be visiting some found footage films. I have seen many already, and I think it would be most beneficial to observe ones that I have already seen but from a different perspective. Most found footage films are thrillers, so I won't have to search too hard for a film that has a similar ambience to what I am looking for in my opening.

So, I rewatched the 2012 film 'Chronicle.' I had seen it a few times, but only watched for the purposes of entertainment, and never had attempted to look past the surface. While the film as a whole is interesting, I put a lot of focus on the opening scene, of course.

After viewing the first minute of the film, I found it interesting how the first thing we hear -- other than the clattering of the camera -- was conflict. We immediately discover that the boy in the mirror, Andrew, has some unfortunate issues with his father. Not only is his father drunk at 7 AM, but from simply the tone of the actors voices, we know that they have a toxic relationship with each other. Andrew even warns his father that he's filming everything from now on, which is enough to get his father to leave. Within this minute, Andrew's father is never shown. So, a lot happens in this short opening, that holds a lot of significance. It can be assumed that the protagonist (Andrew) is a child of neglect, and his father, the antagonist of the scene was not shown at all which is a typical technique used in thriller films. It keeps a sense of mystery within the audience. Andrew also addresses why he is recording, which would explain why the film takes place from this point of view.

The way this opening was set up genuinely has me questioning how I would like to structure my opening. I was thinking of a more generic opening, but now I might go a little more abstract. I would like to stick to the book, and have an opening that introduces some aspect of the film in a way, but 'Chronicle,' did not stick to that narrative and the basis of the film was not lost. This definitely has me considering some more things, but I believe viewing this opening was quite beneficial. I will be observing films all week!

What is a thriller?

Since I now have a genre for my film opening, I decided that I should probably do some more genre research on thrillers. While I already did research on horror films, thrillers are basically a subdivision of that, and to get a deeper understanding of what I will be doing, I wanted to learn some more.


In order to begin, it's important to understand the purpose of a thriller, which is to keep the audience at the edge of their seat. While horror films' objective is to scare you, a thriller will keep you nervous the entire time. Some common conventions of a thriller include low key lighting, quick cuts, and tense music. Based off of just life experience of watching thriller/horror movies, I know that music does often play a huge role in building that tension. For instance, the infamous shower murder scene in Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho," imagine that without music! Watch the clip one time with sound, and the next without. https://youtu.be/s22lNU5jXM4 While there are many silent films within the thriller genre that exist, and are well made, this scene just wouldn't have been the same. Hitchcock is a fantastic director and does a lot more than rely on music to make the scene interesting of course, but it most likely would have had to be completely reimagined if it was a silent film. It is just interesting how music can change the dynamic of an entire scene. It is also interesting to see how much silence can change things as well. The film "A Quiet Place," reinvented how a thriller can be told, by playing with silence, and how much silence can leave a viewer feeling even more nervous. We are used to the eerie music telling us something is about to happen, so we almost expect it. But when that music is taken away, it leaves our brains confused, and can give a film a new type of edge.

When it comes to common characters in a thriller, there isn't really a unique aspect. There is usually a protagonist, and usually an antagonist. When it comes to the mise-en-scene elements, it usually varies based on production. Maybe there is a villain with a specific hairstyle, or the setting has to be based in a medieval castle in Russia. There isn't a common theme in mise-en-scene because there are really all sorts of thrillers out there. It is quite common to use low key lighting, or black, and white, as it sets a somber, and nerve-wracking tone for the film. Plot wise, some sort of event usually takes place, and there is usually violence. Odd shots, and angles are also usually played with in order to make viewers unsettled. These angles are especially used on the protagonist, because their identity is usually typically hidden from the audience. So this can force a directors to think creatively in letting us in on who the protagonist is without revealing their identity. While this is a TV show, I think Pretty Little Liars is a good example at keeping the protagonist from the viewers. The protagonist also has a signature costume look, being its black hoodie.

Overall, the thriller is a pretty simple genre that relies heavily on setting the tone. For my project, I will definitely be considering how I can properly, and interestingly set the tone within a 2 minute time frame. I also, am quite interested in conducting more research on thrillers, found footage films, and watching some good examples that maybe I had not already seen, or films that I have seen, but from a  different perspective. Below are some of the sites I drew facts from for this post.

https://www.slideshare.net/JasonsA2Media/codes-and-conventions-of-the-thriller-genre
https://prezi.com/_bkrwwzfisyh/codes-and-conventions-of-the-thriller-genre/
https://www.mindmeister.com/685037204/conventions-of-the-thriller-genre

Becoming Prepared to Write a Screenplay

I've been seriously thinking more, and more about what I want this film opening to be like, and the ideas just won't stop flowing. I guess I am feeling inspired to say the least. I am not sure that I am completely ready to begin writing a screenplay, but when I am ready, I'd like to make sure that I know what I'm doing. So, I've begun doing some research on how to do so.

Now, as a theatre kid I am not completely oblivious to the concept of scripts. I have a basic understanding of how they should look, and how they are formatted. But, I still would like to have a well written one, so on to the research.

I never realized all of the detail that went into this process. While, I was aware that some screenplays are so good that they receive Academy Awards, I never thought twice about all the tiny aspects that go into them. For example, there are some things that should always be capped, but then others that should never be, or else it's "frowned upon." By whom exactly, I am not sure, but I trust Google. Script writing also goes into such detail in which there is a certain way to bind it. So, the moral of the story is that this is going to take a lot more than one day of research. The way I see it, the best things take time. 

Below are two sites that I drew from, and a youtube video that helped breakdown the whole process to me. These were all quite helpful in showing me both the creative, and technical sides of script writing.

 

 

https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/the-10-steps-how-i-write-a-script-571d2852b555

https://www.writersstore.com/how-to-write-a-screenplay-a-guide-to-scriptwriting/

Thinking of a plot...

So, now that I finally have a more clear idea on what I am going to do for this project, I have spent some quality time considering the plot. I think I have some sort of concept in mind, and without revealing the entire thing, I'd like to share what I am thinking of doing.

I really like the idea of having a girl being interviewed by her friend on camera, but then as she is being interviewed something terrible occurs. Now what that terrible thing would be exactly, I am still not sure of. I am considering an alien invasion, a murderer, or some sort of monster vibe. I'm trying to consider the practicality of those villains, because I know that an alien invasion, and monster storyline would require a lot of interesting folly sounds. I am up for that challenge, but I would like to avoid anything sounding too cheesy, so that's something to think about.

Since the villain wouldn't appear till the end of the opening, I plan to attempt to write the beginning of the script this weekend. Now I don't know much about writing scripts, or any sort of narrative story for that matter, as the schooling stopped having us do that in middle school. But, I have faith in my creative skills ... and Youtube. Sounds like it's time to search, "How to write a Screenplay."

I Picked A Genre!!

So, less than 24 hours later of being completely lost on what direction to take this project, I am finally starting to get an idea on what I would like to do. Something about the Dunkirk film opening awakened something within me, and has inspired me to create a film opening that sets a tone. I have also decided that instead of choosing between horror, and drama … why not do both? Although I know there is no real genre that merges horror and drama, but to me that’s basically what a thriller is.

I would like to use teenagers as my actors in my opening, because not only would it be more convenient for me casting wise, but he TED talk we viewed in class from the Pixar director Andrew Stanton (I will include down below), he mentioned that we should create what we know. Teenage life is what I know! Since, the ideas have now begun whirling in my mind, I am pretty sure that my plan for the film is going to change about 700 times from now until April (or May). But, at the moment I am pretty set on doing a found footage type of opening. Now what that entails exactly, I am not sure, but it’s progress!

The next step in research will be watching as many found footage, and thriller films as possible. While my main focus will be on the openings, I think it would be beneficial to view the whole film and observe how the opening sets up the rest. I am excited to see what I come up with in the next few months. So stay tuned for some research!!

Still conflicted .. but hopeful !!

After researching some horror film openings, today I am going to be looking at some drama film openings. From a more logical, and practical stand point I believe a drama opening would probably be easiest. The genre is more flexible, and leaves room for more opportunity plot wise. Unfortunately, the horror fanatic side of me is pulling me down in this process. Not only am I up for the challenge of doing a horror film opening, I think it might be more fun to do. Before I decide, I must observe some more drama film openings. Since there are so many types of drama films, I am going to try to cover a lot of different types of films. (All trailers are included at the end!!)

After viewing these trailers, I am still conflicted on what genre to do, but I think I would like to do a trailer that sets the tone for the film. Since the internet was being stubborn I was unable to include the opening for Dunkirk, but I really like how Hans Zimmer sets the tense tone for the film in the first few seconds. I am a huge fan of his work, and am definitely going to turn to some more of his films for inspiration. While I am not ending my research here, here are some of the openings I viewed. I included the openings for Titanic, The Pianist, Call Me By Your Name, and Pride & Prejudice.

Research, Research, & More Research

It’s been a few months since I became made aware of this project, and I am still quite unsure on the genre, and storyline of my film opening.  Every time I think about it my mind seems to flip flop from horror, to drama. I am more conflicted than ever, and with that comes… more research! In order to gain some inspiration, I am going to binge watch as many horror, and drama film openings as possible, and start to think about the logistics of it all. Let the binge fest begin!

I am beginning with horror, and my next post will be focusing on drama film openings. So stay tuned for that. For my research, I am going to turn to some films that I have already seen, with themes/vibes similar to the ones that I am considering. I’ve always loved horror, but within horror I love a good psychological thriller, so let’s start with that. In order from top to bottom, we have the opening of Goodnight Mommy, Donnie Darko, then Black Swan.

Now for some non-thought provoking horror films. In order from top to bottom, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween, and IT.

After watching, and observing these I am now starting to more deeply consider the difficulties of filming a horror opening. With a budget of $0, I need to start thinking more practical on what type of film opening I can produce. So, observing these openings was definitely beneficial in this process, as I am now considering many different possibilities!!

Music Marketing

In Media Studies, our latest project was to create a music marketing campaign for a brand new artist. That included making a music video, outlining, and creating a marketing plan for the artist. We worked in groups of three which was helpful in the brainstorming process, and allowed for greater productivity.

The first portion of this project involved researching common marketing practices completed by record labels for similar recording artists. We did research on Warner Bros. Records who had worked with successful alternative rock artists, Foals, and The Black Keys. The research we conducted guided us on how we wanted to structure the marketing campaign for our artist. For example, the Black Keys focused on performing at multiple music festivals, so we made sure to have our band, S.O.L.E., perform at as many venues as possible.

Our campaign focused heavily on social media promotion, and basic distribution patterns. While the marketing plan was quite ordinary, we did what we know works best for rising artists. The main portion of the outline, was our website. https://reemhabbal3.wixsite.com/solemusic It has a “meet the band” feature, concert tickets, the music video, and even merchandise available. A lot of time was spent manufacturing the website, and music video was that was what we valued the most. The social media accounts were also quite crucial, and included a twitter, and instagram. Both accounts were quite active, and attempted to build a intimate connection with the fans, and the band members.

In general, this project was pretty challenging to complete, but in a positive way. It encouraged me to try and think outside of the box more, and to conduct more research on a topic in order to fully grasp the concepts. I plan to apply this knowledge in my portfolio project in numerous ways. For starters, in order to have a decent film opening, it has to be something brand new, that draws audiences in from the first second. I am definitely going to have to be super creative. I also had never really thought about the fact that I am going to have to do some more genre research before doing the portfolio. It would’ve been crazy to have gone in to that completely blind, and I’m glad that this opened my eyes to that. On top of that, I got to improve on my editing skills, which is always a plus! Our music video is down below!!!