Changes in story
There were significant differences between my original film idea and my current one. Initially, my story was going to be a mystery/thriller that contained darker themes and the typical mystery film tropes of mystery movies of having the narrative revolve around a murder or a kidnapping. However, after researching some films within the mystery/thriller genre I realized that the trope was heavily overused. As a result, I wanted to do something more original that would still engage with the audience.
So I thought that instead of a simple murder case we could do a different type of mystery and do a sort of treasure hunt similar to the movie National Treasure (2004). This inspired me to change it which allowed the opening to include more action/adventure elements, instead of overly relying on the suspense and darker themes. This adjustment allowed the film to appeal to different audiences by interesting the viewers that enjoy intellectual content alongside the more action/adventure viewers by making it more engaging.
Originally, the film opening was supposed to revolve around the protagonists, and using background details like newspaper headlines, theories on sticky notes, and photographs of evidence or traces left by the antagonist to establish the context. However, after discussing our idea with our teacher, she suggested to us that it would more effective to develop the context through the portrayal of the antagonist instead. As a result, the beginning part of the film opening will show the antagonist stealing a MacGuffin, which will immediately establish the conflict, create the mystery, and identify clearly who is the antagonist within the story. It also perfectly aligns with Todorov's narrative theory, where the film heads from equilibrium to disruption. The theft of the Macguffin represents the disruption, and immediately introduces the conflict and pushes the plot forward.
Film Opening 1: National Treasure
The opening of the film begins with a flashback utilizing the "dark and stormy night" trope, where a younger version of the protagonist (Benjamin Franklin Gates) learns about a legendary treasure from his grandfather that was hidden by the Knights Templar/Freemasons. This scene sets up the narrative of the film by notifying both Benjamin and the audience that the six previous generations couldn't find the treasure. This creates the problem that motivates the protagonist.
The film then cuts to a now grown-up Benjamin traversing the Arctic, where there is some light-hearted dialogue and scenes that develop Ben's character as resourceful and intelligent. The opening also clearly establishes who the antagonist is by contrasting Ben's ideals and passion for history with Ian Howe's greed. This follows the Propp narrative theory by immediately defining the dynamic between hero and villain.
Film Opening 2: Sherlock Holmes (2009)
The opening of the film hooks the audience very effectively by having a bunch of unanswered questions. Some examples include, the identity of the guards in the carriage preparing for some sort of confrontation, why is the protagonist (Sherlock Holmes) going after the cult, the purpose of the cult, and several other questions.
The atmosphere being very dark and eerie reinforces the mystery genre and increase the tension within the viewer. Additionally, the opening establishes the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, which highlights their chemistry by showing how in-sync they are. The showcasing of Holmes's ability to analyze his surroundings and predict outcomes with extreme precision establishes his intelligence alongside his and Watson's physical ability to take down multiple men shows that they aren't just intelligent. This establishes exactly who are the protagonists.
Film Opening 3: Knives Out
The opening of the film does a great job of establishing the tone and setting with an establishing shot of the mansion, which appears very dark and isolated with it being surrounded by fog and dark forests. This immediately sets up the mystery narrative. The film also uses props very heavily with the most noticeable one being a mug reading "My house, My Rules, My Coffee!" which foreshadows the type of power structure within the family later on in the film.
The various pieces of unsettling and decor also suggest that the person living here is very wealthy, and that there may be hidden secrets, and encourages the audience to search for any clues. The interactions between the women that seems to be the housekeeper, and Mr. Thrombey establishes a clear power dynamic between them. The opening ends with the revelation of Mr. Thrombey's death, ending on a cliffhanger that encourages and motivates the audience to continue watching the rest of the film to figure out who it was.
Takeaways
I learned many things and got plenty of inspiration from these films. First, after watching National Treasure, I realized I wanted it to have lighter themes and not follow typical mystery tropes. Then, after watching Sherlock Holmes, I realized that I wanted to include more details about the dynamics and relationships between supporting characters. Finally, after watching Knives Out, I realized that alongside simple props, that I wanted to have props that had a deeper meaning behind it as well.
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