Production: Day 2

Hey blog! Last Sunday my group and I went to Party City to buy props for the next time we film because Party City is going out of business and they are having a huge sale to get rid of inventory so we got everything cheap, only $14! We actually got a decent amount of things too. We purchased the following: 

• Balloons
• Banners 
• Graduation Cap
• Diploma
• Confetti Poppers

 The next time we meet up will be this Sunday and I am so excited because we are going to shoot the graduation party scene we invited people to help us shoot the scene and I feel like it will be a lot of fun.

Production: Day 1

Hey blog!!!! Last Wednesday was the first day of production!! We managed to get quite a few things done in just one day, but not everything turned out like we wanted... It's a good thing that we can always reshoot though, because we definitely need to reshoot some scenes, like when we forgot that Piper needed to walk into the bathroom with her phone...

We have also had a few other inconveniences but this will not stop us, we will continue production until we get it right. After all, it is only day one. Regardless we have had lots of fun during the production of this film opening which will lead to some funny bloopers like this one:

I think we are going to do just fine!

 

Mise-en-scene: Setting & Props

Hi there! Today my group and I went to buy the props that we needed for the film's opening. We went to Party City where we got most of the props because it is closing soon so everything was on sale we only ended up spending $14! We purchased and discussed the following:

Props:

• Phone: The phone that Piper will use to 
• Table: Where the food and drinks will be placed
• Food: Edibal things found at a party
• Drinks: Drinkable things found at a party
• Balloons: Typical decore found in a party
• Banners: Typical decore found in a party
• Graduation Cap: Used to show that Piper graduated
• Diploma: Used to show that Piper graduated
• Confetti Poppers: Will be used as an element of surprise for the party

 Setting: 

The film opening will be filmed in these settings:

• Car: The way Piper will arrive at the graduation party 
• Bedroom: The setting in which the friend group will get ready
• Park: The setting for when the friend group is having fun when Piper looks back on her photo gallery
• Gas Station: The setting where the friend group goes when they sneak out
• Bathroom: The setting in which Piper calms down and has her reminiscent episode 
• Living Room: The setting where the graduation party will be held

Audio

 Hey blog! Today I will tell you guys about the role of audio in my film opening. Sound plays a huge role in filmmaking as it is one of the two senses that can be experienced in a film as of now. The sound in films is broken up into two categories diegetic and non-diegetic. Diegetic audio is every sound that comes from the film world and can be heard by the characters like footsteps, talking, etc. Non-diegetic audio is every sound that is added to the film and cannot be heard by the characters like narration, music, etc. Sound could also be added in post-production to enhance the audio in the film of certain things like footsteps or knocks and is considered as diegetic sound, this type of sound is created in a special sound studio with all types of equipment, the sound is called foley. Non-diegetic sound can be used to add more context to the film or just to fill an empty space with the context.

Incorporating Audio Into Film Opening:

The film will start off with non-diegetic sound as Piper arrives at the party. When she enters the house it will switch from non-diegetic to diegetic sound. The film's opening will stay diegetic until she starts to enter the panic attack-like state in which non-diegetic sound will be incorporated. Then it will switch back to diegetic and then it will switch to a blend of non-diegetic and diegetic sound when Piper is in the bathroom looking through her photo gallery. After this, the rest of the film will be in diegetic audio.

Character Development

 In the opening film sequence, character development helps us understand who the character is. The use of mise-en-scene, cinematography, and sound design help introduce a character's personality. The Coming-of-Age genre shows a lot of character development throughout the film because it shows the audience how the character grows up throughout their adolescence. My film opening will revolve around a high school graduate who is going away to college but the overwhelming reality of her leaving for college soon strikes her.

Character Development in Film Opening:

The name of the main character in the film will be Piper. The film will start off with Piper going to her surprise graduation party. As she starts getting congratulated she starts to get this panic attack-like episode in which she rushes to the bathroom to calm down. After calming down Piper starts scrolling through her photo gallery, reminiscing about the fun times she had with her friends, and decides that she needs to do something with her friends before she goes away so she starts to call them...

Mise-En-Scene Element: Costume

The mise-en-scene costuming involves selecting and designing clothes and accessories that can complement or enhance a character's personality and make their traits stand out. 

My group and I have decided on the clothing we will be using. Everybody will be wearing light colors and formal attire at the graduation party. The light color formal attire at the graduation party is symbolic of purity, unity, and celebration. The matching outfits will create a clean and classy look symbolizing a fresh start. 

Examples of Graduation Party Attire:

The costume design for the high school videos will be composed of bright colors that represent their rebellious high school lifestyle. The friend group will be wearing trendy comfortable clothing that gives off a fun energetic vibe.

Examples of High School Video Attire:

Storyboard

Back at it again! Storyboarding helped us to organize our ideas and visualize them. This proved to be very helpful because when it comes to the time to start production we will know exactly what shots we want to take and where, making production very fast and simple. Without the storyboard, production can be a very overwhelming experience it can be very easy to forget to shoot a vital scene which will end up extending production even longer.

Our Storyboard:

Project Idea

 Project Idea:

As you probably already know my group and I decided to make our film opening on the genre coming of age. We have yet to come up with an ideal name for our film but we are thinking about something along the lines of "One Last Time" or "The Last Time".

Our film will be based around a recently graduated high schooler going to a celebration party that is being thrown by her parents because she is going away for college in a week, and all the adults start to congratulate our protagonist. This will be the Equilibrium of the protagonist. The protagonist reaches Disruption when all the congratulations start to overwhelm the protagonist which sends her into a panic attack-like state to which she rushes out the event and into a bathroom to try to calm down.

The Recognition is reached when the protagonist manages to calm down and decides to go through her photo gallery on her phone looking back at old memories in a reminiscent manner. After scouring through photos for a bit the protagonist comes to the conclusion that the reason for the panic attack-like event was because they are not ready to leave behind their life. The protagonist misses how much fun they used to have with their friends whenever they would hang out, party, or just do something fun.

The protagonist comes to the conclusion that meeting up with friends and going out with them will solve all their problems. The protagonist makes the Attempt To Repair this by reaching out to their friends and asking to go out one last time before going away to college.

Media Theory Application

Media Theory Application:

If I had to choose one media theory to apply to the film I would pick the Narrative Theory by Tzvetan Todorov as it would fit perfectly with our film opening.

Narrative Theory Rundown:

The Narrative Theory explains how stories are structured. Todorov's theory shows how stories often go from a calm start, through a problem, to a resolution that creates a new normal. Todorov also says that most stories follow five main steps:

• Equilibrium: Everything is normal and balanced at the start.
• Disruption: Something happens that disturbs this balance or normal life.
• Recognition: The characters realize that there is a problem that needs to be fixed.
• Attempt to Repair: The characters try to solve the problem and restore balance.
• New Equilibrium: The story ends with a new normal, which may differ from the beginning.

Integration of Narrative Theory into The Film Opening:

I think the Narrative theory will be a perfect fit for our film opening because the film opening will be structured like this:

• Equilibrium: Our protagonist will make their way to their graduation party normally.
• Disruption: All the congratulations make the protagonist overwhelmed and will starts to have a panic attack-like event which she storms out of the party and into the bathroom
• Recognition: After calming down in the bathroom our protagonist decides to look through old memories on their phone and realizes that the reason they are so stressed about this is because they are not ready to move on and leave their life behind and as they scroll they see how much fun they used to have with their friends.
• Attempt to Repair: The protagonist comes to the conclusion that meeting up with friends and going out again will solve all their problems. In an attempt to rekindle the excitement they once had they start to call friends to go out again.
• New Equilibrium: While the film opening won't fully establish a New Equilibrium, it hints at it by showing how after going out the protagonist feels much better and has come to their senses, and is ready to embrace the new life that awaits them.

Sources:

https://richardedcm2fmpblog.home.blog/2019/04/03/todorov-and-propps-narrative-theory/

https://selinaargyrou.wordpress.com/todorov-theory/

https://media-studies.com/todorov/

Group meeting

For this assignment, we were told to get into our assigned groups, which differed from our project groups. The aim of this assignment was to communicate with our classmates about our ideas for our projects and get a different perspective on them. My group consisted of 4 other people Maiya, Mia, Davis, and Joaquin. We all came to an agreement that we would share a Google doc to share our blog post links and share notes as well.

1. Joaqiun:

Nobody wanted to go first and he surprisingly took charge.

Notes on Joaqiun:

• Psychological drama - wakes up naked and everything is a mess, hears big bang on the door, sees excited guy, breakup - Guy is a drug addict and a loser, based a little bit on Breaking Bad

Everybody was a little confused about the plot and whatnot but we had a minor understanding of what he was trying to say. When he started talking about the guy waking up naked we kept joking around with him about it asking who was going to be the valiant actor to be depicted nude on camera. After, messing around for a minute or two he proceeded to end his story by saying how the main character just got broken up with and his friend came to check up on him and said that he needed help and all that. It was a little confusing but Maiya asked a few questions that helped me understand the plot a little bit better.

2. Mia:

• Gambler trying to get over her addiction - starts with her putting clothes in at laundromat, puts in coin, and it’s a flashback to her putting a coin in the slot machine. Suffering from withdrawal symptoms from gambling, everyday things are hard for her. She’s pregnant and that’s the reason she wants to quit, drama

• Idea for the title: “Getting” but she’s unsure about the name

Mia said she was working alone on her portfolio project which is a bold move as there is a lot of filming and editing to be done especially if being worked on alone. She is more than capable of doing it as she was very knowledgeable and already knews most of the places and things she wants to film. I think the idea she had for her project was ingenuous, simple, and straight to the point. She then started talking about wanting to film in a casino which raised an alarm for me as that would be very complicated and probably not be permitted by the casino. But, she explained that she would only be recording herself from the chest up, but then again I have no clue how she would get a shot of her playing on the slot machine. At the end of her film opening, she said that she is going to reveal that she is pregnant and that is the reason she is trying to quit her habit. I very much liked this idea and thought it was very entertaining and I can not wait to see the end product.

3. Maiya:

• Time loop - sci-fi - This girl is in therapy and it’s confusing - Starts at the end of the session, girl leaves, takes her meds, realizes she only has one left, takes it, goes through her car and gets in it. She realizes she’s back in therapy and realizes she’s in the middle of a time loop

• She should play with colors more, but she wants the colors to be neutral

This was a very interesting idea and I loved it, it reminded me of the 1993 film "Groundhog Day" which also involved a time loop and whatnot. I feel like her project has a lot of potential and could be very entertaining. Although I do think she should play with colors a little bit more, she did emphasize how she wanted to mainly focus on neutral colors. When we asked questions I think she got a little wrapped up and confused which made us a little more confused but she tried her best and actually was able to decently give us answers.

4. Davis:

• Drama/coming of age - two people talking in a cafe because one is moving away and they talk about it, start looking at places to move into, universities, etc.

• Not using specific colors

• They meet at the beginning and in the end, they find themselves back together and the movie title could be “See you again” or something along those lines

Davis idea was very simple but effective which I liked a lot, but, it is very mainstream and predictable and could even be a little minimalistic as they are only filming in one location and one day. Davis said he wanted to focus mainly on dialogue which I think doesn't make much sense because if there is nothing visually entertaining people can get very bored, very easily. He didn't know much about what his plot was going to be and Maiya gave him a great idea about the two characters finding each other toward the end and the title could be "See You Again".

Last but not least.

5. Me- Christian:

• Theme - Coming of age

• Group of teenagers who always go out whenever they want and vlog everything, the day before they leave to college, they all meet up at someone’s house and someone runs late and they’re vlogging, they finally get to the house. They start talking and they look at the vlogs they have together as the camera zooms in, cuts to everything they did together (i.e. parties, hanging out, having fun, doing dumb shit, etc.) this makes the motivated and they go out again one last time, it’s them saying goodbye and going off to college

I liked my idea I thought it was very fun and would be fairly easy to film as it would involve fun things to do and whatnot, but, the group was very concerned about how much time that would take and strongly advised me to make it like 20 seconds. Maiya gave me a very good idea about using a 4-way split-screen format to show the clips. I wanted to name the movie "One Last Time" or something along the line and they explained to me that it wouldn't be a good idea as a movie doesn't get its name solely from the first free minutes of the movie, which made perfect sense. I ended up meeting with my portfolio project group after this and we tweaked the movie and the plot a little bit making it a little better but that is for another blog post.

Overall, I really enjoyed this assignment and I feel like I learned a lot from my peers. It was a fun experience getting to know my classmates a little more.

Picture we took:

We also took a timelapse of us talking but I don't have it, I will update the blop post if I receive it.

Coming-of-age Target audience

Coming-of-age Target audience

The genre coming of age is a very common genre found in books and films. It focuses on the personal growth and development of the main characters during their teenage years. It primarily targets teens and young adults, usually around the ages of 13-25, who enjoy the nostalgic feeling, personal growth, and self-discovery. The genre attracts all types of people, including people of all economic levels, ethnic groups, and genders (Ex. Hispanic teenage female). The genre coming of age can be used in multiple formats including novels, films, TV series, graphic novels, etc.

Recent trends in the coming-of-age genre are more diverse audiences, increased mental health awareness, digital natives, mixing coming-of-age with other genres, interactive experiences, and an emphasis on real-life situations. These trends include diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. The genre is also mixing with other genres, such as fantasy and horror.

To support this analysis, sources for further research include books, articles, and social media trends. These sources offer ideas about popular themes and stories that connect with readers through relatable characters and realistic views of growing up.

"The Breakfast Club" (1985): Targets teenagers and young adults dealing with issues with social identity, peer pressure, and expectations from their parents.   

"Boyz n the Hood" (1991): Focuses on young Black men growing up in a challenging environment, appealing to audiences interested in social insight and diverse representation.   

"Lady Bird" (2017): Focuses on a young woman navigating her senior year of high school and her relationship with her mother, connecting with young women and those interested in family issues.   

"Moonlight" (2016): Looks at the life of a young Black man coming to terms with his sexuality, attracting LGBTQ+ audiences and people looking for different detailed stories.

https://thesixthformreview.wordpress.com/coming-of-age-films/

https://otago.shorthandstories.com/the-evolution-of-the-coming-of-age-film/index.html

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/coming-of-age-movies

https://chsprowl.org/3782/op-ed/the-unfortunate-tale-of-the-coming-of-age-genre/

Project Timeline

 My Schedule

I always like to schedule my projects ahead of time and I think it is key to always have it done around a week before the due date just in case something goes wrong or we have to reshoot a scene. Scheduling everything ahead of time also helps with order and efficiency.

Breakdown:

1. Research

• Researching and analyzing film openings and plots within my chosen genre.
• Researching and analyzing components that make my genre that genre.

2. Planning

• Plot
• Script
• Storyboard
• Filming dates
• Production members
• Actors
• Location
• Music

3. Filming

• Film scenes
• Do any retakes if needed
• Record foley

4. Editing

• Edit footage together
• Edit in music, sounds, and foley
• Edit title and credits

5. Review

• Review the film opening and make sure it is good
• Make adjustments if needed

6. Critical Creative Reflection

• Research information that relates to the reflection
• Create the reflection
• Edit and review it

Timeline:

This is the final schedule that I will use!

Credit Scene Analysis

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Credit Scene Analysis

Research: 

The reason credit scenes exist is to give recognition to the cast and crew members who worked in unison to see the production through. Credit scenes can be portrayed in many different ways. Some productions want a credit scene that will add to the film, while others might want something a little more natural to blend in with the film.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012):

The opening title sequence effectively establishes the film's introspective tone and focuses on the protagonist. The sequence begins with our protagonist sitting at his desk writing, it then cuts to him sitting at a lunch table all by himself looking sad, alone, and embarrassed, highlighting his loneliness and mental sensitivity. The sequence also symbolizes our protagonist's journey towards self-expression, highlighting the importance of overcoming personal trauma.

Juno (2007):

The film features a 2D animated montage of Juno walking through her neighborhood, resembling doodles in a notebook. The credits are in a box handwritten font with colorful text. The color palette is saturated with vivid oranges, yellows, and pinks, creating a vintage look. The camera follows Juno in a continuous movement, symbolizing her transition from carefree teen to adult responsibilities

The Edge of Seventeen (2017):

The film's opening title sequence, featuring fast-paced editing, vibrant color palette, and bold typography, establishes the film's tone and themes. The upbeat soundtrack captures teenage rebellion, while the mise-en-scène is rich with details reflecting the high school environment. The sequence employs symbolic imagery to highlight the protagonist's feelings of loneliness and the challenges of fitting in. Overall, the film's opening title sequence is a lively and engaging introduction to the emotional journey of self-discovery and growth.

Analyzing Film Openings

Analyzing Film Openings

1. Stand By Me (1986)

The movie starts with an establishing shot of a vast field with mountains in the background and a car on the road. It then cuts to a guy sitting in the car who looks worried and stares at a newspaper. The sad music in the background adds to the mood. Then some kids on bikes pass by him and he starts to say, “I was 12 going on 13 the first time I saw a dead human being.” Then it flashes to a kid picking out a magazine that he buys he then starts to walk away. He finds himself in some tall grass where he climbs up a tree knocks on a door and enters the tree house. The screen then shows three kids playing cards, smoking, listening to music, telling jokes, and acting tough. When their friend comes along out of breath and says that he has a secret but they keep interrupting him by singing and dancing. The smoking and swearing tell us that the kids are rebels and think they are grown up which also helps us understand why they are playing cards. But interrupting their friend for that matter tells that they are immature despite this habit they have.

2. Juno (2007)

The first thing we see is an establishing shot of a house and Juno stands on the lawn looking at a chair. As she is staring at this chair she is drinking orange juice and looks lost in thought when we hear her voice say "It started with a chair". We then start to hear music and we can clearly see her underwear fall down and a naked man sitting on a chair similar to the one on the lawn. This small cut hinted that the reason for her reminiscent thought is of a time when she had relations on a reclinable chair. The thought is then interrupted by her dog barking. She yells at her dog, takes a look at the chair, and says "This is the most magnificent discarded living room set I've ever seen", and takes a sip of the orange juice. She proceeds to take a walk while drinking the orange juice when all of a sudden there is a transition to doodles of her walking. The opening scene is bright and colorful, with drawings of the scenery and Juno and a quirky guitar song playing. The camera uses a tracking shot to follow Juno as she drinks a giant bottle of orange juice. The scene is full of quirky details (like a dented lawn chair) that make the town feel quirky and lived-in. The colors are very saturated making everything feel doodly and fun.

3. Eighth Grade (2018)

The film starts with a teenage girl being woken by her alarm then it cuts to looking at herself in the mirror and applying makeup as she listens to a tutorial on youtube. It cuts to her walking into a room stiff laying down and taking pictures on snapchat to upload trying to look for attention. It cuts to a hand held camera following the teenaged girl into school we get back and forth cuts between her and other students doing weird things. The final part we see is her with other students in sex ed in which a student gets called out for "pleasuring himself".

The camera work in this film is very good. The director uses an array of shots to create a sense of intimacy and suspense. For example, there are many close-ups of the girls face, allowing us to see her emotions clearly. There are also many shots of her from behind, which create a sense of lonleyness. The editing is also very good. The cuts are clean and help to keep the pace of the production moving.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6qEj31Uclw

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JEwSi_TjXI

Deciding The Genre

Genre Research

Genre:

I've decided to research drama and coming of age as it would fit perfectly with my film opening idea. The film's opening would be about a teen who is moving into an apartment in Miami and is starting college soon at the University of Miami. The story will progress as a typical coming-of-age film by showcasing character development by adjusting to college life. The story could also include drama as it will be a typical college experience.

Characteristics of Coming of Age:

(The Perks of Being a Wallflower - 2012)

Coming-of-age movies are all about characters growing up and figuring out life. They usually focus on teens or young adults dealing with things like first love, friendship drama, family problems, or just trying to find their place in the world. These stories are relatable because they’re about the awkward, emotional, and sometimes funny moments of growing up.

Analysis of Coming of Age:

(Lady Bird - 2017)

A good coming-of-age movie should have an authentic mise-en-scène, including lighting, costumes, set design, well-developed characters, cinematography, tone, soundtrack, and natural dialogue. The film should balance humor and heartfelt moments, capturing the ups and downs of growing up. The soundtrack is key as well, using music to enhance emotions and make scenes memorable. The dialogue should showcase meaningful messages about self-discovery or acceptance.

Characteristics of Drama:

(The Pursuit of Happyness - 2006)

Drama movies are serious and emotional. They dive into real-life struggles, like heartbreak, family issues, or tough decisions. The goal is to make you feel something, whether it’s sadness, hope, or inspiration. They’re not usually action-packed or super funny, but they’re really impactful

Analysis of Drama: 

(The Nest - 2020)

A successful drama movie requires strong screenplay, emotional storytelling, good acting, a skilled director, cinematography, well-chosen soundtracks, and good editing. These elements work together to create an unforgettable experience for the audience, ensuring the story is well-paced and emotionally impactful.