Final Product

     Below is the final version of my project's opening scene.

Creative Critical Reflection

 Below is the creative critical reflection of my project. This contains a few of my thoughts throughout the project as well as a breakdown of some basic questions.

New plan

     So I've decided to change the premise of my project. It is a decision that I did not make lightly especially considering the time left before the due date. I ultimately decided that my original concept was not original enough in addition to not being fully thought out. As a result, I knew that the end product would not be up to my standards and thus, it would be in my best interest to move onto a new idea. However, I knew that if I wanted to change my idea that it would need to be soon. The "aha" moment came to me during a meeting with other people in which we discussed our projects. Talking with other people about their concepts and processes just got my creative juices flowing and out came an idea I plan to stick by.

    The film is about a teenager named Neal. Neal, after suffering a childhood trauma, has developed a condition in which he lacks a distinct personality. Instead, he almost "imprints" on others and mimics their personalities. The teenager often has to move due to his father's work and as a result, his various personalities are showcased. In one town, he may depict himself as a confident jock, while in another school he may be perceived as a shy nerd. His parents become desensitized to the concept and tell themselves that is it harmless. However, this becomes untrue. Problems arise as the family move to the town of Talpa . The town is home to a recent string of murders. The culprit is caught soon after the family arrive in town. The small town is not used to such violent and gruesome acts and as a result, it starts a media craze in the area. One product of this is that an interview with the murderer is showcased across almost all local news stations. Neal, is at his new home watching TV when the interview starts playing. It soon becomes clear that Neal has found a new personality. 

    The meaning behind the name of the town is that in Latin it means "chameleon". This represents how Neal's forced ability to change with his surroundings. In addition, his name is a play on the Latin word "nihil" which means nothing. Neal embodies this as he lacks his own personality. 

    I have already thought of various aspects of the opening scene such as certain shots I want to use. I plan on making a storyboard of the opening scene soon.

Scheduling

     Since the beginning of the project, I have focused most of my time into research. However, I think that it is time to move on from only research. The plot of my production hasn't had as much consideration put into it as it should. So, in the next following days I plan on hammering out all the details of the story. Then, during the week of 2/29 I plan on working on the storyboard for the project. In my storyboard, I hope to apply the research I have gathered on opening scenes. 

    After finishing my storyboard, I will have to consider casting and shooting. I have plenty of people who would consider being a part of my project which is much to my own benefit. However, when I think of the setting I am not sure I have an adequate location yet. I am considering creating a partially artificial scene with props to help make the production look less home-made and more cinematic. If all things go as planned, I can start shooting next week.

Editing and software

     Editing a film is similar to plating a food dish. It can help accentuate certain themes and polish the finished product. While my editing skills are limited, I hope to learn some techniques and apply them to my own film. In order to do this, I need to find an adequate editing software. 

    Throughout the course, I have been using the Openshot editing application. Personally, I found it to be not the most user-friendly software. Certain options like importing video and audio were difficult, editing options were not easy to find, and my overall experience with it left me wanting more. My only other experience is with Imovie. However, my desktop is not a mac so the only way I could use it would be on my phone. Using my phone as my sole editing device is most certainly possible, but I think it would be too tedious. 

    The most popular free editing software I found was Blender. Blender is available on Windows, Mac, and Linux which makes it easily accessible. I have asked a few other classmates about the software and they said it was pretty easy to use and that they would recommend it. I plan on downloading the software and experimenting with it myself and might use it form my project if I like it.

Titles

    The title of a film is one of the first things the audience sees. This first impression is very important so it should quickly and efficiently convey the overall tone or theme of the film. Certain stylistic decisions may help reinforce a certain tone or attract the audience's attention. One aspect that can be changed to have varying reactions is the font of the title. The font of a title is similar to the accent of someone's speech. Font can be used to portray a unique tone and or feeling. In Moonlight Kingdom, a playful yellow font is displayed with a shot of a nice and calm house. 

    In the opening sequence of Catch Me if You Can, the title and credits are played with in a sense that the words blend with and interact with a dynamic background. This clever concept is visually appealing and keeps the audience visually engaged.

    While the font and presentation of a title does not have to serve a specific purpose, it can be a useful tool that should be thought about. I plan on applying this thought and consideration in my own project.

    

Incorporating credits

     No one likes watching a dragged out title sequence that serves no purpose other than showing the credits. I hope to avoid this in my own project and as such I have done some research on the topic. I noticed that in the past such opening credits were typical. For example, the 1931 film The Public Enemy, uses an opening credits scene that has no deeper meaning but to list the cast and crew. The credits are simply placed on a background that does not really change and does not engage the audience. 

    However, opening credits eventually evolved as demonstrated by the 007 James Bond films. The 1962 production Dr. No uses a combination of color, music, and a dynamic background to engage the audience. The anticipation-building music and vivid colors create excitement. The mysterious visuals add to the tone of a spy movie.

 

    

    I hope to apply the use of the proper music to reinforce the tone of my opening scene. Unfortunately, my ability to create visuals similar to the piece is limited, but I can use color to offset this.