Set preparation

Today I began my production process!!!

Before I started actually filming I had to switch some things around in my room to fit my scene. 

I put trophies and medals around and took out some unnecessary items, here’s what i changed. 

Costume design

Costume design is very important in films. It shows who the character is without using words. It reflects their habits and preferences.

For Zoes costume design I want her to appear messy and worn out. She would wear a lot of dark and dull colors. She would wear a lot of hoodies and and sweatpants, she looks like she puts little to no effort into her outfits. She has smudged makeup and messy hair all the time to show her struggling.

Here is a mood board of what I was thinking:

Storyboard

 After figuring out my plot It is time to create my story board. This will help me visualize my film and help me during the actual filming process. 

Here is a photo of my storyboard, I've highlighted my shot types. 

Media theory research

 My teacher gave us a handout of different media theories and today I will be picking one to integrate into my project! 

After looking over the list I think Todorov’s Narrative Theory of Equilibrium is a good option for me. Todorov’s theory has many parts to it but for my project I will focus on the equilibrium part. It states that the audience is introduced to the characters and beginning of the story. This can be used in my opening scene because I will introduce my main character, the audience will see she's a teenager and she is a dancer. The beginning of the story is also introduced as I will show her struggling with drugs and how she's facing internal conflict.

Credit scenes

I want to find a way to integrate my credit scene in a way that fits with my opening scene. To do this I'm going to get inspiration from some opening credits in movies.

The first film I’m going to look into is Manchester by the sea. You can watch the opening scene here. This opening scene is for a drama movie which is the same genre I plan to use. It uses simple and small font that fades in and out and it also changes color from a pale blue to black. It’s placed on empty areas in the scene in the corner of the screen. I like the simple and small font. It looks clean, and I may take inspiration from this.

The next movie I’m looking at is The Shining. You can watch the opening scene here . The credits are super simple, just a blue font scrolling up the screen. What makes it creepy is the music and the long, slow shots of a car driving through the mountains. Even though nothing scary is actually happening, the whole scene feels unsettling, like something bad is about to go down. I like how it makes you feel uneasy without doing much. I might use a similar approach to create a mood while keeping the credits clean and subtle.

The next movie I’ll look into is Se7en.  The credits in this movie use a font that looks scratched and handwritten and it flickers on the screen. The background is a bunch of close-ups of cutting pages and writing in a journal. It all feels messy and chaotic and gives off an unsettling tone. I like how the text and visuals work together to make you feel uneasy, even though my film is a drama I might use a similar style to make my audience feel something right away.

Works Cited

Franco Seguer. “Manchester by the Sea (2016) - Opening Credits [HD].” YouTube, 25 Feb. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrP1Tl8xuNo. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.

Just The Titles. “Seven (1995) – Opening Title Sequence.” YouTube, 4 Aug. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhDMIaPyOwg. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.

Sandro. “The Shining • First Scene.” YouTube, 13 July 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiV3J_e977Q. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.

Film opening research

 I’ve decided the genre for my film opening will be drama! Today I'll be researching 3 film openings to get inspiration for my own.

 

The first film I'll be looking into is Beautiful Boy (2018).

I’ve watched the whole movie before, and it really impacted me, so I want to take inspiration from the addiction storyline.

      The film begins in the future with the father talking to a doctor asking for all the information he can get on drug addiction, especially crystal meth. The screen then goes black and says, “one year earlier.” The scene then changes to the dad looking for his son in his room, however it's empty showing that he’s left. He then calls a hospital asking if they've seen his son, demonstrating his desperation. The dad lays in bed in the dark and all you can hear are crickets, it's very silent emphasizing how the son is gone. The scene uses dark lighting and silence to add emotion to the scene. I want to utilize these two techniques in my own opening scene since I want my opening scene to be emotional.

 

      The second film is Whiplash (2014)

      The film begins with a black screen and all you hear are drums, it begins slowly and gets faster until it sounds like gunfire then it suddenly stops, and we see the drummer at the end of the hall in dim light. The camera gets closer as he starts drumming again when an instructor walks in, and he stops again, the instructor asks him why he's stopped and he responds by drumming again and once he stops, he gets asked why he began drumming if he never asked. The instructor tests him on his skill then walks out and only returns to grab his jacket. I liked the beginning where the only thing happening with sound, I thought it was very cool. The opening also uses weighted, minimal line of dialogue Again, in this opening I see dim lighting, so this is something I will definitely include in my film opening as it seems to be a common factor in drama film openings.

 

      The third film is Manchester by the sea (2016)

      Manchester by the Sea starts with calm shots of the ocean, then shows a man and a boy on a boat fishing and joking around. The lighting is soft and natural, making the scene feel peaceful and real. There’s no intense music, just the sounds of the water and their voices, which makes it feel more personal. I want to use these techniques in my own opening by having quiet, simple moments that show emotion without needing a lot of action or dramatic music.

Works Cited

AcademyAwardClips. “Whiplash Opening Scene | Whiplash (2014) | 1080p HD.” YouTube, 19 Dec. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMDZa5WRczI. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.

Franco Seguer. “Manchester by the Sea (2016) - Opening Credits [HD].” YouTube, 25 Feb. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrP1Tl8xuNo. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.

mclovin456. “Timothée Chalamet Beautiful Boy Opening Scene.” YouTube, 30 June 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBt8RVLNo4w. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.

Portfolio genre research

 GENRE

I’m trying to decide between drama and mystery/thriller for my portfolio project. Both genres are really interesting and would make my film more engaging. Drama would focus more on emotions and personal struggles, while mystery/thriller would make the audience curious and keep them on edge. I think either one could work well, so I did some research on both.

CHARACTERISTICS OF DRAMA

 

(Beautiful Boy - 2018)

Drama movies are all about emotions and real-life problems. They usually focus on relationships, family, or personal struggles. The way they are filmed is pretty simple, with a lot of close-up shots to show emotions and soft lighting to make things feel more personal. Drama movies usually take their time telling a story so the audience can really connect with the characters.

WHAT MAKES A DRAMA GOOD?

A drama movie needs strong characters and a good emotional story. If the audience doesn’t care about what’s happening, the movie won’t be interesting. Acting is super important because if the emotions don’t feel real, the whole thing falls apart. The dialogue also has to sound natural, or it can feel forced. A good drama makes people feel something, whether it’s happy, sad, or even frustrated.

(Manchester by the Sea - 2016)

This movie is a good example of drama done right. The story is really emotional, and the characters feel like real people. It doesn’t have crazy twists or action—it just focuses on how the characters deal with their problems, which makes it super powerful.

CHARACTERISTICS OF MYSTERY/THRILLER

(Gone Girl - 2014)

Mystery/thriller movies are all about keeping the audience guessing. They usually start with a big question or something weird happening, and then more clues come in as the story goes on. These movies use darker lighting and creepy music to make things feel more intense. The pacing is usually faster than drama because it needs to keep people hooked.

WHAT MAKES A MYSTERY/THRILLER GOOD?

A good mystery/thriller needs to keep the audience interested and not give everything away too fast. If people can guess the ending right away, it’s not fun to watch. These movies should have little hints that make sense later on but don’t reveal too much at once. Editing and music also help a lot—quick cuts and creepy sounds can make things feel more intense.

(Prisoners - 2013)

This movie is a great example of a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The story slowly reveals more and more clues, making you wonder what’s going to happen next. It also looks really dark and intense, which adds to the suspense.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Both of these genres are really cool, and I like that they can be mixed together. A drama can have mystery, and a thriller can have emotional moments. I’m still deciding which one to go with, but either way, I want my film to be interesting and make people feel something.

 

Works Cited

Franco Seguer. “Manchester by the Sea (2016) - Opening Credits [HD].” YouTube, 25 Feb. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrP1Tl8xuNo. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

JoBlo Movie Clips. “GONE GIRL Opening Scene (2014) David Fincher.” YouTube, 28 Aug. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Khzdkne_fPc. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

Jos Vermeulen. “Prisoners (2013) Intro.” YouTube, 15 Nov. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_VJvwnlHVI. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

mclovin456. “Timothée Chalamet Beautiful Boy Opening Scene.” YouTube, 30 June 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBt8RVLNo4w. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

Transitioning to portfolio project!

 Today is the day I start developing my portfolio project!! Everything i've learned in class so far has led up to this so I feel that i'm ready, however i'm still nervous to begin.To transition into the project my class had a lesson on film openings.This really helped me better understand them and get a better understanding of what I need to do for the project.

 

One of the ways i’d like to start my opening scene is by establishing character. I think introducing a strong character right away makes the audience care about the story. Instead of just telling people about them, I can show who they are through things like their clothes, actions, and surroundings.

However, I also like establishing mystery because I was thinking of doing my opening scene with the mystery genre so I feel that it would tie well together. Also,  starting with mystery would make people ask questions and keep watching. By adding mystery, I can make the audience curious about what is going on without giving everything away too soon. This can be done with little details or even the way scenes are filmed.