Group Meetings

In class today, we were told to have group meetings with our assigned group and group members. We had to help each other out by giving each of our group members ideas for our film opening. Our group members, Fatima, Julian, Me, Clemence, and Noah. Fatima- Drama, Me and Julian - Horror/Drama, and Noah will be doing horror/thriller.

Fatima, who's doing drama, is playing a depressed girl during the summer. She is super lonely and has suicidal thoughts. Clemence, psychological drama, is playing a person that's in a toxic relationship. The opening scene will show the abuse in the relationship. Then it will cut to the protagonist walking through the party and seeing her partner. When she sees him there will be flashbacks and then it will come back to the party and they will hug each other . All sets up the drama and context for the rest of the plot. Noah, who is doing horror/thriller, doesn't seem to have the plot decided yet. Me and Julian are doing maybe a thriller of an innocent person put to the death row has one last chance to clear their name, or a horror of some video game coming to life.

Overall, I think this group meeting was a good way of understanding/sharing each other's ideas. While we didn't have ideas yet, the group meeting helped us brainstorm different ideas, discuss and eventually come up with one. I look forward to having more group meetings in this class.

Left : Julian, Fatima

Middle : Noah

Right: Aneesh (Me), Clemence

Film Opening Schedule

 Before we start filming/editing anything, we have created a schedule for ourselves below.

Breakdown

Let's start with breaking down this assignment into it's major components.

1. Initial Research 
• Research of my chosen genres and film examples
• Researching plot and opening examples 
2. Planning
• Brainstorming and finalizing an idea
• Scrips
• Music downloading 
• Storyboarding
• Finding actors and roles
• Choosing location and date for filming.
3. Production
• Filming Scenes
• Adding Music/Sound Effects
• Trimming if needed
4. Editing
• Edit all footage at once
• Title and credits add
• Adjust some sounds 
5. Revisions
• Review current version of vid
• Make changes or corrections if necessary
6. Critical Creative Reflection
• Reasearch for the reflections
• Reflection
• Produce a CCR

Credit Sequences

Casino Royale 2006

This is a great example of using animation and graphics to create a really stylish and exciting credit sequence. It consists of a series of playing cards, guns, and other spy-related imagery set to a driving soundtrack. The opening credit sequence is available on YouTube

Watchmen 2009

This opening is a great example of how to use slow motion and historical imagery to create a dramatic and thought-provoking credit sequence. It features a series of iconic images from American history, all set to a haunting soundtrack. You can find the opening credit sequence on YouTube.

Drive (2011)

The beginning is a nice example of using music and atmosphere to create an awesome and stylish credit sequence: a series of shots of nighttime Los Angeles with a catchy synth-pop song blaring. One can find this opening credit on YouTube.

Drama - Three Film Openings Research

We are now into week 2 of our portfolio project!! We are going to be filming a drama thriller opening. Here are three film openings we have researched on based on the same genre, which are great examples of our genre drama thriller: 

The Social Network (2010)

This opening is a solid example of using dialogue to create conflict. It begins with a conversation between Mark and Erica. It is full of sexual tension.    

La La Land (2016)

The opening is a great example of how to use music and dancing to create a sense of atmostphere in audience and the film. It is full of catchy songs, and has vibrant colors in specific scenes.

Memento (2000)

 This opening is famous for its use of reverse chronology. The film is told in reverse order, so the opening scene is actually the end of the story. You can find the opening scene on YouTube.

Approaching Cambridge Portfolio

 Hello Everyone! From now on most of the posts will be on the Cambridge Portfolio Project. All posts from this point on will help me in traversing through different approaches/topics to bring out the best of my film. With that being said, me and our class were introduced to film openings, purpose, topic ideas, and approaches.

The approach I would consider the most is Mise-en-scene, as it mainly refers to everything happening online that contributes to visual storytelling. Mise-en-scene develops character and establishes mood and tone. It conveys the story only by using color, lighting and composition. It highlights what the characters wear and how they look, and react to the environment surrounding them. By carefully controlling what the audience sees and how its presented, I can make the audience curious therefore, making them want to know more.

Genre Choices/Research

GENRES

Hello! I would like my project to be on a Drama/Horror genre. I chose these genres as I am familiar with them and watched multiple films based on them. Horror typically deals with the unknown, the paranormal, and the darker sides of humanity. Any audience that engages with horror-related content is intended to be disturbed, frightened, or frightened. Both the genres provide suspense, keeping the audience engaged and willing to know what will happen next. 

HORROR :

Horror films tend to evoke fear and suspense in audiences. Most of them feature dark themes such as violence, death, and unknown. Sudden silences, unnerving sound effects, and sudden silences can create a sense of unease and tension. Horror films also feature visuals containing shadows, distorted images/objects, and/blood. Audience mainly watch horror to confront their fears, or for distraction. 

In Smile 2, the movie plays a trick on your mind by blurring the lines between what's real and your imagination and jump scares like awkward silence then a monster like creature appearing closely on the screen when least excpected. The main protagonist, Skye Riley experiences hallucinations too. The film builds tension, then delivers scares that catches the audience off guard.

Still from Smile 2 (2024)

DRAMA: 

Drama genre mainly emphasizes on human relationships, emotional depth, and conflict. Most films mainly feature the connections between people, family, love, friendship and how they change overtime. They also contain life lessons/themes about the connections between people too. 

Still from La La Land (2016)

In La La Land, the film is a romantic relation ship between two protagonists, exploring joys, dreams, and challenges. They are passionate and journey driven. It also incorporates themes such as sacrifices of love and pursuit of dreams.

Something From Nothing - Music video BTS

 BEHIND THE SCENES!! 

 First, we planned everything out, creating the PowerPoint and storyboard. During the stage, we had to really get a feel for our brand, so we made logos and mood boards, websites, and posters. After that was finished, we went to Markham Park's Nature Trail to film. We made sure to get a variety of different shots and takes. That night, we filmed a ton of shots for the flame cutaways. It was a struggle to light the matches, but I think it worked out in the end, and we got a few cool shots. We edited it all together and added it to the project, and then we were finished. Overall, this was a really fun project to do, and we all definitely learned a lot from the experience.