Calling Card: Character Development

Development of the Antagonist "Shade"

At first choosing a name for the antagonist was difficult as we wanted to make sure the name was ominous and mysterious. We originally thought of naming the antagonist something like "Phantom" because of the connotations of a ghost and of a phantom thief. However, we rejected this idea because we thought that it was overused in mystery films. Then, I decided to research alternative ghost-like names that were similar such as Poltergeist, Banshee, and Revenant, but ultimately decided to name him Shade.

 We decided on Shade because it symbolically represents darkness, complexity, and anonymity which reinforces the mystery as the identity and motives of the antagonist are unclear throughout the opening. Since the antagonist is mainly going to be mysterious, we aren't going to dive in too deeply with his development. We are mainly going to portray him through the mystery elements, which will make up a majority of his screen time. The main element we are going to focus on will be the props such as his calling cards, as his personality and character will be indirectly developed through the riddles that are going to be inside of the cards. The riddles have the added effect of including the intellectual component of the film. Additionally, his costume design will be decided later as we are unsure if we want the main colors to be either entirely black or a mix of black and purple to be his signature colors.

The antagonist will be shot from various different angles, but we will either shoot him with a mask on or without showing his face. We are choosing to his face for 3 different reasons. First of all, not showing his face will allow us to engage with the audience's imagination as they will try to picture and imagine what he actually looks like and makes him seem more mysterious. Second of all, the mystery aspect of the genre will be emphasized as one of the protagonists' main goals is to find the true identity of the antagonist. Lastly, since all of our actors are teenagers and appear more childish, we decided not to show his face entirely which makes him seem more sinister and intimidating which solves two problems in one. (Example shown below.)

Development of the Protagonists "Matthew" and "Oliver" 

For the names of the protagonists, we were originally going to do simple names like Cade and Dave. But we ultimately decided to put in more effort for at least one of them and decided to include subtle symbolic and religious meanings. We chose the name "Matthew" due to its origins as of the twelve disciples of Jesus. Another reason is because it is a common modern name as we don't want the connection to be blatantly obvious. For the second protagonist's name, we decided to research the most common names and found the name Oliver which is ranked third. To start, we will portray them in the setting of a small and cramped room which is where the entirety of their screen time will take place. We are going to have minimal dialogue between them as to emphasize their obsession and tiredness with the case, which ties back to our original intention of making it clear that they are entirely focused on the case. One of the protagonists will have a lover (undecided if married or not) and have that protagonist leave the room to go and talk with her. We included this element to represent that these are grown adults with an outside life but are still obsessed with their work. This appeals to a specific audience that can relate to this situation.

Additionally, we will have the protagonist's room be very messy and dirty with props like empty ramen cups, empty coffee mugs, and scattered paperwork to further emphasize their obsession and dedication to the case. For costume design we decided to have them in disheveled suits and clothes to make it clear that they stayed up working on this case. In conclusion, the inclusion of all of these mise-en-scene elements have the effect of portraying the protagonists as messy and out-of-tune with the rest of the world as the most important thing on their mind is the case.

Matthew (Disciple of Jesus)

 

Calling Card Lighting Cambridge Project

 Research

Lighting is a very important mise-en-scene element in the world of filming. When it is used properly it can drastically improve the quality of a film. Some effects of using it correctly include establishing the time of a setting, setting up the mood and tone, and enhancing character traits and themes.

One of the main types of lighting that is commonly used in mystery films is low-key lighting because it sets up a dark atmosphere and tone. It is also used to make scenes feel more suspenseful and impactful towards the audience. Another main type of lighting that is used includes practical lighting which is lighting that appears as part of a scene(Ex: Lamps, candles, flashlights, etc.) because it helps ground the film and makes it appear more realistic to the audience and helps immerse them. A technique that is used very often in mystery films are silhouettes which hide the face and create a dark outline of a character (Usually the antagonist) to develop the mystery and make the character appear mysterious and threatening. 

One of the main types of lighting that is commonly used in action films is high-key lighting because it allows the audience to clearly see all of the stunts and choreography of the scene. This helps clarify what is happening so that viewers do not get confused during fights or chase scenes. Another main type of lighting that is used includes natural lighting which is lighting that comes from a natural source (Main ex: Sunlight) and is used to increase immersion by creating a sense of realism and helps ground a film. A technique that is used very often in action films is backlighting(Sometimes called Hero lighting) which is when there is a bright light behind the hero and creates a glowing outline to make the characters appear powerful and iconic.

High and Low Key Lighting

Practical Lighting

                                                          Natural Lighting

Silhouette

                                                                 Backlighting (Hero Lighting)

 

Lighting that is going to be used

For our film opening we have decided to incorporate lowkey lighting for the introduction of our antagonist and combine it with a half silhouette to properly set up the fact that he is the antagonist and make him seem like a threat. We have also decided to use a mix of high key lighting and natural lighting for the rest of the opening so that we can make it clear who the protagonists are and what they are doing. Below are the ideas of how we are going to use them.

We are going to have the antagonist seem similar to this except have a mask instead of blackening out his face so it not an entire silhouette but is highly based off of it. 

  We are going to have the light shine through the windows like in the image onto the couch where one of the protagonists is gonna be laying so that the lighting seems natural and increase the realism within the opening.

Calling Card: Storyboard and Script

Storyboard and Script

This blog post will be about the drafts of the storyboard and dialogue for my film opening. Storyboards help provide the visual for the film, no matter how bad you are at drawing. They are incredibly useful in the planning stage of making a film opening as a way to organize your thoughts, and are also useful in the actual production of your film as it can help remind you of what shots you originally thought were good. This way they can serve as an anchor for what shots you should use if you don't know where to go from. Scripts are the written text and dialogue of a scene in a film. There are versions of them where they also include descriptions of the setting, stage directions, character actions, as well as any shots and compostion. They are used to build up and structure the dialogue and other things in the film and are extremely crucial to the makings of a film. For the scripting and screenplay part of my film I need to research more as my current ideas were very limited so in the future I will have a better script than my current one.

Below I have my storyboard and script which are both still works in progress,

Storyboard:

(I will fix the format of the photos)

Script:

Calling Card: Plot and Inspiration

Summary:

Once we finalized our genre and our main plot premise, we then decided to have the plot be centered around the conflict of man vs. man, specifically between the detectives and our antagonist, whose name is still in development. As was previously stated in previous blog posts, our plot idea revolves around an antagonist who steals important relics and artifacts from museums, etc.

We are going to portray the antagonist as a dark and mysterious individual with their identity being the main mystery of the plot. We will not show the identity of the antagonist in the opening to preserve the mystery. A very important plot detail will be the use of "calling cards". The cards will be left behind by the antagonist after each heist. These calling cards will contain riddles that act as clues, which will be given to the protagonists to advance in their case and predict where the antagonist will strike next.

In contrast, the protagonists are going to be portrayed in an extremely messy, environment to emphasize their obsession, dedication, and commitment to solving the case. It also helps the film opening feel more realistic. The protagonists will be able to use the riddles that are left behind to piece together the movements and intentions of the antagonist, by using their intellect and their teamwork. Character development will be done differently on each side, as the antagonist will be developed through only his actions without the use of dialogue, while the protagonists will be developed through the use of dialogue, as well as their relationship with each other.

Inspiration:

Several different films inspired the making of my film opening. One of them would be Sherlock Holmes (2009), which is one of the most iconic and well-known detective movies of all time that had a unique take on films in the mystery genre. The way it showed the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson by highlighting the chemistry between them that is supported by their use of humor and light-hearted dialogue, inspired me to focus more on the relationships between of each of the characters instead of just the plot.

Another main source of inspiration would be National Treasure (2004) which inspired the more treasure hunt component of my film opening. After I realized that my original idea followed the overused trope of murder or kidnapping cases, National Treasure inspired me to change the mystery format and follow a more treasure hunt and adventurous plot. However, I didn't want for my idea to become too similar to that of National treasure and me realize that I needed to add my own unique twist to the film.

This led me to my final inspiration that came not from a movie but from two characters from different franchises, one being Joker from Persona 5 and The Riddler from DC Comics. Joker's use of calling cards in Persona 5 inspired me to include a similar component within my own film opening. However, I felt that there was a lack of  mystery or intellectual content to be included by doing just this, so I combined the idea with The Riddler's use of cryptic riddles. By combing these two ideas, I made it so that the antagonist's calling cards contained confusing riddles that challenge the protagonist and encourages audience engagement as the audiences tries to solve the riddles themselves.

 In summary, all of these films helped inspire my film opening that combines mystery, action, and hopefully audience engagement, while still being an original concept.

Joker from Persona 5                                                         Ridder from Fox's Gotham

Research Post Media Theory Cambridge Project

Research

I researched many different media theories that are commonly used in mystery and action films. After researching, I decided to integrate Roland Barthes' Narrative Codes theory, which is the use of signs that either move the plot and narrative forward or have another connotation behind it. 

There are five types of narrative codes in the Barthes' theory. The first is the Hermeneutic (Enigma) Code, which is when a narrative withholds information in order to develop the  mystery or leave the audience with unanswered questions. Films in the mystery genre commonly use this narrative code to engage with the audience and encourage them to continue watching the film in order to uncover the truth.

The second is the Proairetic (Action) Code which is when there are actions or events that suggest that further actions will follow. Films in the action genre typically use this code in situations like chases or conflicts to build up anticipation and move the plot forward.

Barthes also identifies that there are Semantic and Symbolic Codes. Semantic codes are signs within a production that carry connotative meanings beyond their literal use, while symbolic codes are signs or symbols that represent oppositions or contrasts, such as good versus evil. A good example of the use of a semantic code can be found in Alfred Hitcock's Psycho (1960), where Marion Crane tears up a paper and flushes it down the toilet which signifies the importance of the information and her need to hide it.

Finally, Cultural Codes which refer to concepts outside of the production, and include historical, social, literary, or even pop culture references. An example of this can be seen in Deadpool, where there are frequent uses of pop culture references and fourth wall breaks to speak to the audience directly. However, the effectiveness of the use of cultural codes depends on if the target audience recognizes and understands the references.

Integration

After choosing Barthes' Narrative Codes theory, I considered on how to integrate the codes into my film opening. I will integrate enigma codes by withholding information about the antagonist's identity, motivations, and what is their ultimate goal. 

I will incorporate semantic and symbolic codes by tying in a deeper meaning behind the necklace which will be more significant than just a stolen object. The design and importance of the necklace could suggest that it matters more than just an antiquity. I could also subtly include cultural codes by referencing other pieces of media through background details, such as book titles or visual references, to add on more meaning and reward the more attentive viewers.

Group Meeting #1 Review

 Group Meeting #1

On Monday my teacher divided the class up into groups to set up our first group meeting. The main goal of the meeting was to share each of our story ideas, receive feedback from the other students, and learn from each other's ideas and approaches. I was placed in a group with the following students that are listed below, with each member presenting their story in that exact order.

Group Members and Story Feedback

Manuella - Genre: Psychological Thriller

Manuella was the first one in our group to present her idea, which followed a story about a family that is having dinner with their son, despite the fact that their son died in an accident. This story fit well within the psychological thriller genre as it was extremely unsettling. She was a little unsure on how to clearly portray that the son was dead, so different members of the group offered suggestions. I suggested showing a framed photograph of the son being placed face down or include some white flowers near the framed photo to signify and symbolically represent that he had died. 

Andreina - Genre: Horror/Thriller

Andreina's story was about a teenage girl who's experiencing supernatural events in her home. that are caused by a ghost/entity. I initially didn't understand, but she clarified that the paranormal occurrences were intentional and that she was going to link it to an unknown motive. I believed her plot to already be strong, so the main suggestion I gave was for her to focus on developing the entity's backstory and motive for its actions.

Andres(Me) -Genre: Mystery/Action

I presented my idea after Andreina and explained my story to the rest of the group and told them that I was struggling with the setting for the antagonist's introduction. My original idea involved it taking place in a museum, where the antagonist would steal a necklace that would act as a MacGuffin for the story, but the location was unideal. One group member suggested changing the setting to a house, which would make it more realistic and a lot easier to film. This also solved another issue I had, as the necklace could be stored inside a safe or a jewelry box instead of being displayed on a mannequin.

Left image was my original idea for setting but much darker and had a glowing stand at the end that had the image on the right inside of it.

Sebas - Genre: Horror/Thriller

Sebas shared his story to the rest of the group that was about one or more characters inside a parking lot stumbling upon a mysterious bag that contained an object or entity that places them into a trance and would make them seemingly disappear. I suggested that he make it so that only one person gets placed into a trance as it would make more sense narratively and easier to portray to the audience.

Julia - Genre: Drama

Julia presented and explained her idea to the rest of the group. She didn't have a full idea but she did know that it was going to be about a woman experiencing grief. Although, she didn't know over whether to have stem from the loss of a family member or a lover. The group helped her clarify her idea, and I suggested to her to represent the death of the woman's lover/family through a picture frame and white flowers to represent the loss without the use of dialogue.

Juan - Genre: Action/Thriller

Juan stated that he wanted to incorporate a fight scene and a flashback, but he did not have the narrative of the story. He initially, was going to start with the flashback, but I suggested that he start with the fight scene and transition it into the flashback later, I used the opening of Deadpool as an example. This would help provide clearer context and avoid any confusion about what was happening. I also suggested that he clearly identifies who the antagonist is during the fight scene.

Camilla - Genre: Drama

Camilla's story was about a girl in her bedroom hallucinating her dead sister. She struggled on how to reveal that the girl wasn't real. I suggested using a panning shot that shows both of the sisters together at the start, then reveals that the protagonist is alone as the camera moves behind her, which would confirm the fact that she is hallucinating.

Taryn - Genre: Sci-fi

Taryn's idea was centered around two sisters surviving in a forest on a post-apocalyptic world. She acknowledged the fact that creating a film in this genre was going to be difficult but that she would try.  One of her issues was that she was unsure on how to show that an apocalypse had occurred and that there were few survivors. I suggested using props like a skeleton to imply death and a lack of survivors, although she mentioned that she might explore any alternative methods as well.

Film Credits Cambridge Project

 Initial Idea

Originally, my partner Marat and I wanted to incorporate the credits by placing them on the sticky notes displayed on the investigation board. We thought it would be a cool and creative way to include the credits while reinforcing the mystery genre. However, after discussing this idea with our teacher, we were strongly advised that we should change the location of the credits due to several problems.

 First of all, it would be very challenging to accomplish with our current skill level. Second of all, the audiences typically expect for sticky notes in films for the mystery genre to contain clues and details instead of production credits. By including the credits in this format, it could break immersion and confuse the viewers, which would ruin the effectiveness of the opening. Finally, later on we decided to change the beginning of the film opening to shift the focus towards the antagonist instead of the protagonist, which made the sticky notes and investigation board to be less applicable.

As a result, we instead decided to include our credits during the introduction of the antagonist. While the antagonist steals the MacGuffin, we will have the credits appear as white text coming out from the darkness. However, before finalizing this idea, we did research on how other films in the mystery genre did their credit sequences.

Research

The main purpose of credit scenes is to acknowledge the key staff members involved in the making of the film, often including directors, producers, writers, editors, lead actors, and cinematographers. However, filmmakers take various different stylistic approaches when it comes to presenting the credits. Some films use simple and subtle credit sequences so that it doesn't distract the audience from the actual film. While, other films use unique visuals, stylized fonts, and special effects to represent the film's themes and tone.

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Sherlock Holmes does not present the credits in the opening, instead showing them at the end of the film. The end credits use very artistic illustrations and representations of iconic scenes in the movie. This creates a visually pleasing recap of the iconic moments in the film, which allow the audience to engage and recall on the moments they enjoyed. Because the credits appear only after the film has concluded, the visuals can be extravagant and elaborate without taking away anything from the story itself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr2uPF83-m0

Knives Out (2019)

Likewise, Knives out doesn't have the credits in the opening, but instead has them at the end of the film. For most of the credits, the credits are shown as just white text on a black background. This approach creates a sense of irony on the film itself by having the simple white text contrast with the complexity of the mystery. However, when the credits for the main cast appear, they are placed in illustrated portraits that copy the visual styles of artwork seen in the film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb3AXc51BmM

National Treasure (2004)

Similarly again, the film doesn't show the credits in the opening, but shows them at the end of the film. The credits take a very historic aesthetic, displaying various overlapping layers of historical text and visuals. The main credits are in a bright white to clarify that they are the real credits, while the background visuals relate back to the importance of historical events and writings within the narrative. An energetic soundtrack is played alongside the credits which leaves the audience feeling content and satisfied after watching the film. 

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

After completing our research, Marat and I decided to continue our plan of introducing the credits during the antagonist's scene. Our research supported the idea that the credits should enhance the tone of the film while being subtle to not distract the audience. By incorporating the credits moderately during the theft of the MacGuffin, we can preserve the immersion while still having it be visually engaging and appropriate for the genre. However, we also accepted the fact that further research into additional films would help us clarify this idea even more.

Film Openings Research Cambridge Project

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. 

Research Blog Cambridge Project

Research: Props (Mystery Genre)

When I was doing research to find inspiration for my film opening, I came up with some ideas for the plot of my own film opening. After finishing up the main premise of the opening I realized that I would have to gather and use props in the production of the film as props play a very important role in communicating parts of the story to the audience. So after I realized this I went and researched props that are commonly used often in mystery films in order see examples of how mystery movies use props to help create meaning. The research provided a few common examples like newspapers, investigation boards, magnifying glasses, and flashlights just to name a few, all of which are often used to convey clues and build up the mystery.

Reasons why props are important

Props are essential in mystery movies because they help provide crucial clues and evidence that move the narrative forward and encourages audience interaction by persuading them to try and solve the mystery themselves. They often help guide and attract the audience's attention towards important details while still keeping the suspense and secrecy. Filmmakers in the genre can create hidden codes or correlations that keep the viewers engaged and wondering about what is happening.

In addition, they also contribute to things like character development and setting. For example, simple everyday objects can reveal things like a character's personality and lifestyle even if there is no dialogue.  People may not realize this at first just like I how didn’t realize when I was first beginning this class but after taking this course I do realize that they help do all of this and much more. They can also carry a deeper meaning and representation that can help support the themes within the story. A good example of this can be seen in Alfred Hitcock’s Psycho (1960) where the female character(Marion Crane) was flushing down the toilet torn paper which contained evidence of money that she had stolen and emphasizes her guilt and increased the tension within the audience. The prop makes a very short appearance but in the short time it was made very clear that it was important and added onto the mystery (Spoiler) when she died shortly afterwards which subverted audience's expectations. This also showed how props can be used to mislead viewers and dramatize certain events.

Ideas for Props

Below are some of the original ideas for props that we had before conducting our research. Props shown in brackets were removed due to cost, practically, and other limitations.

• Envelopes - (Similar to coded messages in other media like the Riddler in DC media that would provide clues to push the investigation forwards, while leaving an iconic symbol like the cards in the video game and series Persona 5)
• Newspapers - (Feaurting headlines related to the antagonist, providing additional context about previous events)
• Sticky notes - (Used to contain recorded discoveries and theories related to the antagonist)
• {Moving whiteboard} - (Originally intended to organize the clues but removed due to practicality)
• Half-Empty coffee mugs And Empty Ramen Cups(Used to imply the protagonist’s character by showing his lifestyle and obsession with the case)

Below are some of the ideas for props that we came up with after the research

• Photographs(Used to show some physical evidence the protagonist has so far as well as to allow the audience to visually assess and understand the investigation.)
• Blackboard( A location to display the photographs and sticky notes, to reinforce the investigation-board trope commonly used in mystery films.)
• Necklace(Acts as part of the MacGuffin that gets stolen and is what drives the protagonist forward which follows Propp’s Narrative Theory (1928) that also sets up the main antagonist of the film)

Below are some potential ideas that we may or may not use.

• Eviction papers/Unpaid bills(Could be used to develop the protagonist’s character by showing his financial situation and could provide an additional motivation for the case)
• Mask(Could be used to make the mystery about what is the antagonist’s identity more intriguing and apply to the costume design of the characters)

Cambridge Project Schedule

Designing a Timeline

Making a timeline for this large project is one of the best things you can do as it allows you to organize and schedule your time clearly and makes it clear what to do and when to do it. I've learned the importance from this class as it would be to terrible to be scrambling to finish work every week and stressing out over it. So making the timeline first is the most efficient method of staying on track to finish this project.

Establishing Phases of Project

We will be splitting up the project into different sections where we will do different tasks in each one.

1. Research

• Research, view, and analyze examples of film openings within the genre I selected to find inspiration for my project

• Research, view, and analyze examples of the plots of films within the genre I selected to find inspiration for my project.

2. Planning

• Come up with the main premise of my project

• Write the script for the film opening

• Find any music if necessary

• Create a storyboard

• Find actors/production members to participate in the project

• Select date and location for filming

3. Production

• Film Scenes for film opening

• Record Foley Sounds if necessary

• Record Voiceover if necessary

4. Editing

• Edit all of the footage together

• Add the title and credits of the film opening

• Adjust Foley sounds and Voiceover if necessary

5. Reviewing

• Review and analyze the current state of the video

• Make revisions if needed

6. Creative Critical Reflection

• Research information required for the reflection

• Create the reflection

• Edit and Review CCR

There are 7 weeks remaining from the point I finish this post until the deadline. It was heavily recommended to us to have a buffer week in case of any problems or errors that may occur.

Timeline

(Same list but breaking it down based on week)

Week 1 (1/16-1/23)

• Research
• Start planning for the opening and come up with potential ideas
•  Plan Ideas for the plot
• Start creating a script

Week 2 (1/26-2/1)

• Finish planning
• Create a Storyboard 
• Find a location and time to film at
• Find actors
• Set filming days

• Possibly start filming

Week 3 (2/2-2/8)

• Start Producing
• Continue filming
• Record Voiceovers if necessary
• Start recording foley if necessary

Week 4 (2/9-2/15)

• Begin Editing

Week 5 (2/16-2/22)

• Continue editing
• Analyze how it is going
• Review every part of it

Week 6 (2/23-3/1)

•  Add any revisions that are necessary
• Creative Critical Reflection
• Research information relating to the reflection.
• Create the reflection.
• Edit and review CCR.

Week 7 (3/2-3/8)

• Buffer week.
• In case any problems arise

Conclusion

Im going to try my hardest to follow and stick to my schedule and correct it if any problems occur. In past projects I have done terribly with scheduling and organizing my time to work on them, but this time I will do my utmost effort to stick to it and I will hold myself accountable now so I can have a better result.

Portfolio Project Genre #2

Type of Genre                           

I've decided to do a film opening with the thriller genre. I chose this genre because it seems like a very interesting genre to try and make a film opening of.

Characteristics of Genre

Films in the thriller genre tend to use the colors red, black, and deep blue to represent and evoke a sense of danger, fear, and coldness within the mise-en-scene to make it feel unsettling within the films to make people be aware of the "high-stakes" of the situation. The usual types of lighting and visual techniques used in thrillers include low-key lighting and high-contrast lighting which work together to create a dramatic and sinister effect, dark shadows/silhouettes to hide a character's facial features to create a feeling of anonymity, mystery, and danger, and spotlighting and motivated lighting to make the frame feel claustrophobic to make the audience feel trapped, increasing their tension. Most films in the thriller genre are focused around a race against time, a feeling of suspense and anticipation, and mostly feature a protagonist overcoming threats and obstacles placed or sent by the antagonist which follows Vladmir Propp's Character Theory where there are 7 types of characters two of them being the hero who is the protagonist and the villain being the antagonist who obstructs the hero and works against them.

  

Typical Target Audience

The typical audiences of films in the thriller genre had ages range from as young as 15 to around 50 although the core demographic consisted mostly of people who are between 15 and 35 years old. Movies in the thriller genre tend to appeal to people who are drawn to suspense, psychological tension, or in other cases violent or intellectual content. The different sub-genres have different demographic with more mature audiences viewing more psychological or romantic thrillers, while younger (mostly male) audiences view more action/crime thrillers.

Friends(1994-2004)

Genre Conventions with Content

The content usually shown in thriller movies tend to consist of a serious threat whether it would be a killer, or a conspiracy, or just a ticking clock which will often put the protagonist in danger and put them
in situations that are high-stakes with the protagonist fighting for their safety and survival. Films also tend to have a fast-moving plot with a constant stream of obstacles either by the antagonist or for other reasons. They typically show themes of fear, survival, power and control, and psychological instability

Genre Conventions with Techniques

Techniques that are often used in the mystery genre include some visual techniques like having dark color palettes and the use of handheld shots to heighten the emotional stakes and make it seem more realistic. Some sound techniques like the use of loud and suspenseful music to "amp the stakes" and make a scene more climatic and sudden sound cues like jump scares to spike the audience's adrenaline and increase engagement. Some editing techniques like having a fast pacing and rapid cuts during action scenes to heighten the tension, accelerate the pacing, and to mask the limitations of actors or stunts. Some narrative techniques like cliff-hangers to keep the audience wondering, red herrings to distract the audience and protagonist, and flashbacks to reveal the truth behind certain events.

Insidious(2010)

Institutional Conventions

Some techniques that are used for the marketing of films in the thriller genres are the showing of trailers that emphasize danger and urgency on social media with media convergence on platforms like Youtube or others like X, TikTok, and Instagram alongside posters in places like theaters, bus-stops, or billboards that show things that give off an intense and dark narrative image alongside symbolic items or objects. Some techniques that are used for the distribution of films in the thriller genre such as playing it in theaters and following that up with a rapid and wide-reaching upload to digital streaming platforms so people can access it freely.

Shutter Island(2010)

Films in Genre

Now You See Me(2013)

Movie about an FBI agent and Interpol detective tracking down and attempting to bring to justice a team of magicians who pull off bank heists and robberies.

Adam Project(2022)

Movie about a time-traveling fighter Pilot that teams up with his 12-year-old self for a mission to save the future after unintentionally crash landing in 2022.

The Dark Knight(2008)

Movie about Batman alongside allies like Lt. Jim Gordon and DA Harvey Dent fighting a new criminal who calls himself the Joker who forces Batman to tread the line between heroism and vigilantism.