Characters, Props, and Setting

 Characters: 

The main character or protagonist in this case will be played by myself. The story behind the character will be along the lines of a young 15 year old girl named Katerina but everyone calls her Katheryn who just trying to survive through high school and avoid the drama. She will facing a lot of internal conflicts that are caused by the pressure of school and peer acceptance. There will be side characters that will not be shown on screen but will be shown through social media. These side characters will be part of the reason the protagonist has so many internal conflicts and is struggling mentally, in addition to the pressure to do well in school. The main character will be suffering from social issues like anxiety, peer acceptance, and overthinking. I chose these challenges because I felt that they accurately represented what the average high school student struggles with throughout their four years before college. 

Inspiration:

In Raising the Bar the main character is hurt by mean messages she saw online from people she used to know. 

In this film the main character is sounding the world out with their headphones. 

Props:

Props are something that Im not too sure about yet. I haven't really given much thought too it but after some thinking some of the props that will be used include the protagonists cell phone, headphones, a school bag, homework papers, and a coffee cup. This is definitely not all the props that will be used but these are the ones that are 100% making it into the opening. I will definitely be making more blog posts in the future about props but at this moment in time i'm not quite sure what all i'll be using yet. There will definitely be a significant amount of props that will be used to help bring along the story-line. 

Setting: 

The setting will take place at the protagonists house very early in the morning before school. The setting will change as the opening continues. It will move to a few different rooms around the house and then end with the character leaving for school. I thought a lot about the setting and definitely looked at few different places but ended up deciding on just a house. I chose this setting because it will display what the girls morning looks like and how she puts up her walls before heading to school as well as covering her exhaustion. 

Reflection:

Overall I feel pretty good about my choice of characters, setting, and props. I think they will all combine very well to build the story. Going into this post I wasn't really sure what to write about but once I started I felt like I couldn't stop. I am super exited to start planning everything out and putting it all into my script. I really didn't run into any problems with this blog post. It was rather simple and just a general overview of what the film opening will include. 

Script Writing

Getting References: 

I don't know much about writing scripts so this was definitely something that was new to me. I started my research by looking for old scripts from published coming of age dramas that I could reference off of. The first one I came across was for the opening scene of "Stand by Me." I was familiar with this film since I blogged about it in an older post and have watched the film. Some things I did notice which I liked were how the "writer" talked directly to the audience in the beginning of the script. This allowed the audience to see what internal conflicts were going through the main characters head. This is something that I will definitely use in my script for my film opening. I also liked the use of the radio in the background which informed the audience where the story took place and just gave them some general information on the story-line. 

Stand By Me Script: 

Putting It Together: 

After reviewing the script for "Stand By Me" I have started to get a general idea of what I want my script to look like. My script will strongly focus on the internal thoughts going through the protagonists mind with some lines that are said out loud. My goal is to highlight social struggles that the character is struggling with as well as showing how the character puts walls up around herself to make it seem like nothing is wrong when in reality her mind is filled with spiraling thoughts. Going through an already published script was very helpful for me because it allowed me to gain an understanding of what is to be expected when writing a good script. This is definitely something that I will blog about a few times because I feel that this is something that will take me some time. 

Reflection: 

Overall I feel really good about writing my script. I am super exited to start brainstorming lines and putting it all together. After reviewing the "Stand by Me" script I was inspired to use more voiceovers rather than speaking out loud to allow the audience to be able to understand what the protagonist is thinking about and give them an intro into what the rest of the film is going to be about. When starting my research on script writing I was definitely a little worried since I had never done it before but know all those worries are gone and Im actually super exited to get started and let my creativity flow. 

Project Proposal

Introduction:

Hi, my name is Jacquie Biello, and I am creating a coming of age drama film. I chose to create a film opening because it's something that I have worked on in the past and feel very familiar with. I also chose it because I have always loved using my imagination and creativity to create something that was enjoyable and fun to watch. Ever since I was little I have always loved editing and taking inspiration from my surroundings to create something fun. My film opening will target a younger audience of teens between the ages of 13-18. Most coming of age dramas have a similar target audience in this range. It will also target a more feminine audience that can relate to the struggles the protagonist is going through both physically and mentally. 

My Film Brief:

My film brief will address social issues like mental health struggles, peer influence, and the need for support. These social issues will represent the struggles that the average highs school student goes through during their 4 years before graduations. It will highlight both the mental and physical challenges that occur throughout one's high school experience. I plan on using Adobe Premier Pro to edit my film opening. It's an editing software I am very familiar with and have used it various times in the past. I am very comfortable with the software and know how to use the majority of the editing features. Something I definitely want to do more research on is audience appeal. While I know all the film conventions and elements needed I need to figure out the best way to appeal to an audience. My plan is to start by figuring out what location I want to film in, start planning what will happen in my opening, and then start brainstorming a script. I plan on creating a few different rough drafts for my script and then picking through them to find what works for me. 

Brainstorming Ideas

Reviewing What I Know: 

Brainstorming ideas is a very important step when starting your film opening. These ideas will structure your opening and help explain the story. When starting my research I decided to look at more film opening so I could try and get some inspiration. The opening I decided to watch was to the film "Stand by Me." This film focused around the idea of an unbreakable adolescent friendship, facing trauma/fear, maturing as a person, and a few other key ideas. This film helped me strengthen my knowledge of coming of age films, and help get an understanding on how coming of age dramas are structured. In past blog posts I have reviewed a few other film openings and have taken notes on how they're all structured and have noticed that they all share very similar elements but are all a little bit different. While they may seem similar they all have key details that make them unique. Whether that's that character themself, the mood given off the by the film, or the theme that is being portrayed. 

Putting It Together:

After watching a few different coming of age drama openings I now have a pretty good idea of what I want my film opening to look like. It will follow the structure that most coming of age films. This includes  the character maturing both physically and mentally, some kind of traumatic event, a voice-over of the protagonists thoughts to help the audience understand the internal conflicts that are going through the characters mind. All these elements combined will bring the film opening together and give the audience a general idea of the rest of the film is about. They will also engage the audience and make them want to know what happens next. After researching various different openings, I am confident that I can make a very good film opening. It will use a variety of different film elements and conventions to create a meaningful and enjoyable film opening

Reflection: 

This blog post definetely took me a lot longer than all the other ones. I found it very difficult to find the right words to use when talking about brainstorming ideas. Identifying key details in the film "Stand by Me" was rather simple but combining that with the knowledge I have then putting that into creating a film opening was very hard. Overall I feel that I have learned a lot about the structure needed when making coming of age dramas and how important it is to follow the correct conventions or else the opening will fall apart. After doing extensive research on coming of age drama films I believe I am capable of using my imagination and creativity to create an emotional, entertaining, and enjoyable opening.  

Source:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6qEj31Uclw&t=65s

 

Planning my Film Opening

Creating A Film Opening:

When I started this project I didn't know much about creating film opening, but after doing a lot of research I think I can create one that checks all the boxes. I started my research by looking for informative sites that explain the steps that go onto creating a film opening. Finding a good site was not very difficult a I found a very good source within minutes of looking for my research. First it is important to form an idea. Your idea will help shape the rest of your film so it's important that you pick one you can work with. The more complicated the idea, the more things can go wrong. Next, I will have to do even more research on coming of age dramas. This isn't just looking at a few opening at taking notes, it's getting a full understanding of what the task involves by looking at real examples this also includes student examples too. 

Planning:

In addition, planning is the next step in making a successful opening. It is important to go back through all your research blog posts and use the information you learned to help plan out your opening and make sure you use all the key elements and conventions. You don't want to get halfway through your project and then realize you used the wrong conventions. It's important to create a visual plan of what you want the project to look like, and not wait till the camera is in your hand to plan everything. A good way to begin visual planning is to use sticky notes to create a storyboard. This allows the person to be able to move their ideas around to really express creativity. Another important key element is logistics. A good producer needs to have management skills, and plan ahead to think about all the different things that could go wrong. As for location it's important to ensure that you have the location you want at the time you want so that nothing gets in your way while trying to film. 

Reflection:

Looking back o my research for this blog post, it was a lot more information than my others. I found that researching this topic was a combination of all my other research topics. While I could have added more points that go into planning, I decided to keep my blog a bit shorter and too the point to help focus on the key elements needed to make a good production. This blogpost didn't really give me any problems when it came to researching. I found that finding sources was very easy and they were all very thorough. I learned the importance of all the different steps that go into making a film production. 

Source:

https://mpwasmedia.wordpress.com/film-openings-hints-and-tips-and-examples/

Analyzing Opening Sequences

High School Musical 2 Opening Sequence: 

High School Musical 2 mainly focuses on having a very fun and exciting mood. It accomplishes this by using fun and loud music in the beginning. That then is followed with a zoom and a tilt which helps the audience identify the setting. The use of tracking shots, zooms, and pans also helps the audience learn that the school is very quiet which creates an eerie and alone feeling. Cast member names are then displayed across the bottom of the screen to show who the audience will be seeing in the following scenes. As the films proceeds the setting then moves to the classroom where you can see a room filled with very bored students who very obviously don't want to be there. As the scene progresses the music starts to slowly build back up which tells the audience that something exiting is about to happen. As the music builds, the students began chanting "summer" and then the bell rings which causes the music to increase as the students run out of the classroom for summer break. This film uses a variety of different angles and techniques to portray a fun coming of age film targeted at a younger audience. 

Mean Girls 2004 Opening Sequence: 

Mean Girls (2004) is focused on a young girl starting her first day at a new high school. The film is portrayed as a fun coming of age film but does has some sad/emotional clips. The film starts by displaying the title followed by a long angle, and two shot. The two shot shows Katie's (the main character) parents. They have worried looks on their face which tells the audience that they are worried about their daughters first day of school. The scene is shot outside which allows the use of natural light which help create a calm and comforting feeling. A voice over is used to shows Katies thoughts and how she's feeling about her situation. Multiple different shots and angles are used as she gets to school. Some of them are the long shot, tracking shot, zoom in, standard focus, and another two shots. As her school day progresses it appears that it just keeps getting worse. As Katie approaches her house sad music begins to play quietly in the background which helps the audience identify the mood. 

Reflection: 

After researching both of these opening sequences, I have learned a lot about the different elements that go into creating an opening sequence. One thing I learned was how important opening sequences are for films because they introduce the film to the audience for the first time and set the tone for the rest of the movie. It is very important to capture the audience's attention early in the film to ensure that they keep watching. By watching these openings I have gained new information that I can use for my own project. When starting this research I didn't think that the opening was that important, but after watching two different coming-of-age opening I have discovered that there's a lot more to it. The opening sequence of a film is essential to hook the audience and let them know what the film is going to be about. 

Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4k65ytqPH0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgW2JoZJU7w

Researching Editing Software's

Adobe Premiere Pro: 

 There are many good options when it comes to finding editing software to use for my film opening, but I chose Adobe Premier Pro. This is an editing software that I am very familiar with and have been using for a very long time. Adobe Premiere Pro is an industry-standard video editing software used by millions of editors across the United States. It has also earned the Editor's Choice Award for professional level video editing software. Premiere Pro is a very trusted and well-known editing software that is known for being very reliable and responsive.  

While I am familiar with Adobe Premier Pro, that's not the only reason I chose it to be my editing software. It is known to have a very clear, flexible interface, responsive performance, and fast rendering, an excellent stabilization tool. These tools allow editors to use their creativity and bring their imagination to life. In addition, Adobe Premiere Pro also has unlimited multi-cam angles, many organization and collaboration tools, and auto-transcribing and fast rendering. 

Adobe Premiere Pro was not the only editing software I looked at when deciding which one I wanted to use to edit my film opening. I also decided to take a look at a very well-known editing software called iMovie. While I am not familiar with iMovie, I was open to looking at it to see if it would be good software for me. When conducting my research, I looked for articles on both the Pros and Cons of iMovie. It wasn't long before I found a very informational article on iMovie.  

Starting with pros, iMovie is known to be extremely easy to use with a very short ramp-up time, is streamlined for seamless use with other Mac devices, steps on how to use transitions, record voice-overs, color correction, and some basic visual effects. It is also designed to make it easy to export and share content to different social media platforms. While it does have many pros, there are also some cons. iMovie is limited in functions and controls, as well as can be tricky to open and share file. The limited function can make it very hard to progress in your editing journey. 

Reflection: 
After looking at both Adobe Premier Pro and iMovie I decided to use Adobe Premier Pro instead for iMovie because of its advanced editing features and advanced performance. While iMovie is a good editing software that could be used to make a film opening, it doesn't have the features I'm looking for. Adobe Premier Pro will provide me with a better end result and help me create a clear and visually appealing film opening. When first starting my research on editing software's I had a pretty good idea of which one I wanted to use but wanted to be open to different options. I learned many different features that are provided by other editing software's and narrowed it down to iMovie and Adobe Premier Pro. In the end I went with my original choice of Premier Pro as it is a reliable editing software that I am very familiar with. 

Source:

https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/adobe-premiere-pro?test_uuid=04IpBmWGZleS0I0J3epvMrC&test_variant=B

https://www.soundstripe.com/blogs/imovie-vs-final-cut-pro?utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=&utm_campaign=2074477609&utm_source=google&utm_content=619273636723&utm_adgroup=146313363088&d=c&utm_term=&utm_campaign=PaidSearch_google_PR_NonBrand_DSA_GBL&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_grp=146313363088&hsa_ver=3&hsa_src=g&hsa_kw=&hsa_acc=8299718124&hsa_mt=&hsa_tgt=dsa-1753254083880&hsa_cam=2074477609&hsa_ad=619273636723&hsa_net=adwords&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=2074477609&gbraid=0AAAAADf_HbKUx3azaoPQ3RWBglUFtxPAU&gclid=Cj0KCQiAy6vMBhDCARIsAK8rOglzBOppOilnIHFbs63_3Z1PHS9Xreyuw2bPhBHzxbNVcaHSjqTR0FUaAtLrEALw_wcB

Target Audience and Color Theory

Target audience: 

In most coming-of-age films, the typical audience is mainly teenagers. Ages can range anywhere from 12 to 18. Most producers take this angle because they believe that most teenagers can relate to these films because they are also in that stage of growing up and both physically and mentally maturing. Research shows that most coming of age films are designed to appeal to a more feminine audience and the characters usually have a more down to earth and "normal teenage girl" fashion. These types of films also typically include the usual hobbies like writing, dance, shopping, hanging with friends, music, etc... Adding to the feminine appeal, most coming-of-age dramas also usually include romance as a sub-genre which also adds to the intended teenage audience. 

Color Theory: 

I started my research by just searching for articles on color theory, but what I found didn’t really help me. All the articles I looked at focused on the colors themselves rather than how they affected the film. Moving forward, I decided to try and research how color theory effect different kinds of films. This gave me access to a variety of different articles with usable information. The first thing i learned was how filmmakers use color choices to enhance storytelling, develop characters, and help create an immersive atmosphere.  

Each individual color has its own associations with connotations that influence the viewers' perception. For example, the color “red” has many different meanings including anger, passion, rage, desire, excitement, energy, strength, violence, and many more. Every color has a different meaning like yellow which can represent wisdom and knowledge while pink represents love and innocence.   

 

Reflection: 

After reflecting my research I have realized how much I have actually learned. Starting this project I didn't now anything about color theory, and didn't know much on how to reach your target audience. I have also learned that I need to focus on researching a deeper question rather than trying to find information on a very broad one. Overall I have learned so much that will benefit me in the future and assist me in creating my film opening. When I start filming for my project I will make sure to take into consideration the different aspects of color theory and how to properly reach my target audience. 

Sources:

https://prezi.com/u-mzr7kqffc7/target-audience-research/

https://nofilmschool.com/color-psychology-in-film