Nearly done cutting my clips today (here's a picture of my timeline), but for today's post I would like to deviate from the portfolio project and discuss another topic, my research for CCR Q1: "How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?"
Let's break it down:
How does my project use conventions?
First of all, it's important to understand some of the basic conventions of coming-of-age films, so here are some resources if you aren't yet familiar:
Ok, now that you've got a better idea, lets get started.
1. Following the coming of age genre, I include scenes such as the dream sequence with an extreme close up of Sylvie's eyes transitioning to her staring at the departures board. I use this technique to represent escapism, conveying the feeling visually as well as through voiceover.
Many coming-of-age films, such as "Call Me By Your Name" (2017) use similar themes to reflect the common teenage desire to escape an uncomfortable situation and be independent.
2. My choice to use a non-diegetic voiceover as a sort of "internal monologue" for Sylvie is a common convention in the genre. It helps bring the character and audience together immediately, creating a bond.
For example, Cher's fast-paced voiceover in "Clueless" reflects her racing excitement as a teenager throughout the movie. In my case, the slower-to-natural-paced voiceover shows Sylvie's pensive state.
How does my project challenge conventions?
1. In my film opening, I chose to stay away from the common coming of age genre convention of melodrama towards parents. Instead of including a scene where Sylvie snapped at her parents, I chose to have her express her discontent towards her parents controlling behavior in a more relaxed, annoyed way through her voiceover.
(Ex: Inside Out 2)
2. Although not exactly a genre convention, I challenged the "Florida lifestyle" stereotype. Usually, when people think of Florida they think high-energy or vacation, I chose to depict it as a more regular place, especially as it is very boring in Sylvie's eyes.
How did I represent social groups in my opening?
In my opening, I represent Generation Z in two different ways:
1. In her voiceover, Sylvie talks about how her mom is always pressuring her about her future through her schoolwork. This "pressured student" stigma that revolves around being a high-achieving student having controlling parents is something lots of teenagers can relate to.
2. My choice to have Sylvie use both her laptop and cell phone to browse online, text, and use alarms is an accurate representation of how most teenagers interact with and utilize the digital world daily.
How did I represent social issues in my opening?
1. The most significant social issue I chose to represent in my opening is the "Model Child" issue. As she is an only child, Sylvie represents the burden of having her parent's dreams focused on her, leaving her feeling guilty for not following them. By mentioning this in the voiceover, the opening shows how sometimes loving parents feel live surveillance.
2. In my opening, another theme/social issue I decided to touch on was the internal battle many faces over economic stability vs. following your dreams. Her mother pushing her to pursue a safe job represents society while Sylvie's desire to explore represents human nature wanting and to be free.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my first CCR! I really loved explaining all the details about the conventions and representation I used! Until next week!
After yesterday's editing session, I have come up a couple of edits that I want to make in the coming days to improve my opening overall and I would like to share them with you
1. Adjust the lighting of scenes to reflect the mood of the protagonist in post-production processes
- Scene 1: Make sure that the lighting for each shot matches as closely as possible, resembling a late night.
- Scenes 2 & 3: Make the coloring very bleak and dull, reflecting the dull lens Sylvie sees her hometown in.
- Airport Scene: Adjust the brightness and coloring of the scene to be warmer and more colorful, contrasting the dull atmosphere of Sylvie's home
- Scene 4: Make sure the sky transition is fluid and coloring is consistent, the beach scene should be slightly more colorful but not too much, as she is still in her hometown.
2. Change the color of the shots between the match cuts to a monotone filter to make it clear that these shots haven't occurred yet, but will later on in the film, like another future vision similar to the airport scene.
I definitely underestimated how long it would take to cut my clips and time them for each scene, so I'm still on that step still. For the next couple days, I will be taking it scene be scene and cutting/rearranging clips until I'm happy with the result before I add in the audio (hopefully will be done by tomorrow 🤞). I'll update when I start adding audio and voiceover. For now, here's a picture of my timeline, I'll post one whenever I make significant changes so you can see the progression.
I'm currently in the last stage of creating my opening, editing. As I mentioned before, I am using Adobe Premiere Pro for this step and it's going fairly well. It hasn't been too hard to get a hang of, meaning whenever I don't know how to do something a quick Google search clears it up.
So far, I have imported my clips into the software and am working on cutting each to get the right timing and making it flow better. Here's a picture from what I started today!
In addition to using Premiere Pro, the match cut transition (video example linked in a previous post) I am doing requires some simple photoshop modifications. Thankfully, I was certified in the program this year so what would have been a challenging edit isn't so bad.
The transition starts with a close up of the doorknob and ends in a circular glass of water, changing locations. In between these shots is a series of travel related images with circular compositions. I chose to take pictures of travel magnets I had laying around as well as some pictures from trips I took myself. Overall, I think this is a fun element hinting that Sylvie will be traveling later on in the film.
Examples of pictures I will include for the transition:
This week, I hope to finish cutting down my clips and adjusting post-production effects so that next week I can work solely on the audio for my opening, including the voiceover, diegetic sounds, and music. I'll keep you posted tomorrow as I continue to edit!
My class met today for our second group meeting. Most of my classmates had already filmed the clips they would use for their opening, while others were still planning and getting their props ready. Here's an overview of what we discussed!
The first person to share their work was Lydia, who is doing a Sci-Fi film about a scientist who created glasses that can see the future 5 days ahead and sees herself dead. She told us that she had already filmed everything and had no issues during production, but wasn't sure what she could do for her CCRs. I suggested that she could try and make it seem like a scientific research log so that she could have it tie into her film's theme.
Next was Emma, who had a surprising amount of work done. She filmed her opening weeks ago for a thriller film and is now on the editing process. She told us that she was learning some additional editing skills as her opening follows a main character who goes crazy and wanted to add in special effects to emphasize this. For her CCR, she told us she planned to tie it into her opening's theme by making it an interrogation with the police officer showed in the film, which I thought was super creative. Overall, it seems like she has everything planned out and while we didn't have much feedback, it was really cool to see what she was working on.
Giovanna's opening is another thriller/mystery film about a scientist working for the FBI and is investigating a murder case when he finds out that the criminal is his daughter. She showed us her costume for the scientist, played by her dad, and told us that she plans to film this weekend. Because she had similar elements as Lydia, I also suggested that she could play into the research science idea for her CCR.
Next, Benjamin showed us his idea for a thriller opening (the thriller theme turned out to be most popular) about a kid whose parents go missing. He receives a call from an unknown person who tells him that he has to do a task to get his parents back. The opening ends on a cliff hanger when the caller tells the protagonist to check his mailbox, and I suggested that in his CCR he could reveal or hint at what was in the mailbox to tie it to his story!
Cristina, like me, is doing a coming of age film about a young DJ who wants to enter a DJ competition but is underage and doesn't meet the competition requirements. She showed us a clip from the scenes she filmed and I really liked the set design, costume and overall positive mood of the opening. She told us about a problem she had encountered while filming a scene in a car with a 360-degree camera because the angle was too low and there was not enough light to see the characters. My group members and I suggested that she filmed somewhere less crammed and better lit to avoid this issue when she reshoots.
Last, Eli showed us some of her behind-the-scenes moments for the production of a psychological thriller about a schizophrenic guy who was accused of murder. She told us that she wasn't really happy with how the filming came out and that she was planning to reshoot, which I could totally relate to. Because her opening has a wolf character, I suggested she could include it in her CCRs as a fun and creative element that would relate to the opening.
For my own opening, I showed them my blog and explained the plot of my story, as well as the last minute mishaps that I had an how I pivoted from the original plan. I had asked for some ideas for my CCR and my group members suggested to do a interview style CCR, but I'm still thinking about how I could make is cohesive for my opening. I myself would like to do something with a travel theme (still thinking about how I could execute this though). Overall, it was cool to see others work and clips, there was so much creativity and I was happy to give feedback and tips!
I'm happy to report that yesterday's filming session was successful! Huge shoutout to my mom, who stepped in to shoot every scene (and put up with my last minute change). Here are some BTS pictures from when we filmed as well as the clips I will be editing together this week on Premier Pro. I plan to record the voiceover once I cut the files to get an idea of how fast/slow I have to speak.
Overall, I think changing the plot was a blessing in disguise, it gave me more creativity to include interesting transitions that are part of Sylvie's representation, and a new perspective on creating media. I realized that being a director is MUCH harder than it seems, and the amount of thought that goes into each clip is insane. For example, I had to explain to my mom what headroom, composition, and camera movements were so that she could get the right shot.
One transition in particular that I'm very excited to add is the bedroom to kitchen one. I thought I could take the opportunity to edit a sequence of match shots, starting with a turning doorknob, followed by a series of different round magnets of different countries (from my dad's magnet board), and ending with a high angle shot of a round glass of water that Sylvie is drinking in the kitchen.
I thought the magnets could be a nice touch, once again reinforcing Sylvie's desire to travel and even foreshadowing that she will later on in the continuation of the film (Essentially a glimpse of the future).
Here's the tutorial that I found to learn how to edit these takes together smoothly.
I'm feeling much more confident about the content I will include in my opening and feel that there is so much more representation for the main character, avoiding distractions. Stay tuned to see how my opening comes together on the screen tomorrow as I start to edit!
Today was filming day so my friends, parents, and I went to film on location at the beach and the airport However, it's currently 10pm and as I'm writing this post and going over the footage, I don't really think my vision played out the way I thought it would. We had encountered some logistical issues while filming (we arrived at the beach too late and my bike didn't fit in the car) that really just made me want to tweak the plot, so that's what I'm gonna do because I would rather rethink and produce something I'm proud of than regret not having made the changes.
The overall theme of the film is staying the same, but I feel that having so many characters introduced in the first two minutes of an opening can be confusing, especially with the set changes I had planned for. I will be keeping most of the footage from scene 1 and the airport scene, but I have decided to cut out most of the beach scene, leaving just the transition/title sequence.
This time, I will focus heavily on the developing Sylvie, using a voiceover and having her be the only character shown on screen during the opening. Instead of relying so much on facial expressions and other elements to tell her feelings, why not just say them? I will hint at her mom in the note and mention her during Sylvie's voiceover, but not too much for the opening.
I didn't have time to draft a full script/storyboard because this was so last minute, but I did draft a outline with all the shots, movements, and dialogue that will be included in the new version of my opening:
On a more positive note however, here's the footage from the successful airport shoot today! My friend Anna Paula, who had come with us to be one of Sylvie's friends, helped my film what will still be the final take of my opening.
(I will be changing the lighting so that it is not so bright, warmer)
Even though I won't be using most of the content we shot today, I don't think it was a complete loss at all. I was able to spend the day with my friends, and my parents loved being a part of the production process. Most importantly however, I learned that I should always trust my gut feeling, and if I'm not 100% confident in my work, to make the changes before its too late.
(A couple pictures from our filming flop that was filled with laughter and smiles. This is your reminder to always think positive!)
I will film these tomorrow and post the results for Monday's blog! Have a great weekend!
Since I started visualizing what I wanted my project to look like, I have had the idea for a cool transition that leads into my title sequence. I wanted it to be unsuspecting yet cool and original.
Today, I worked on making the title animation (shown below) to get some other elements ready before filming the remaining scenes this weekend.
I made sure that it has a green screen as it will be displayed over a transition from scene 2 to scene 3, where the camera tilts up from Sylvie biking away from her house, and tilts down when she reaches the beach. This way, I am able to represent her biking to the beach without actually showing it, saving some time. For the font, I chose a simple one and made each letter a different color, as the film deals with self-expression and finding your true colors. Last, when I add the clips in the background, I will most likely add the sound of an airplane to act as a sound bridge between the two scenes and make it flow nicely.
Here's the tutorial the I will be following when I film/edit the transition!
Finally, here's a still shot of what the moment when the title shows will look like:
That's all for today, I hope you liked my idea for a nice transition. I won't be posting at my usual time tomorrow, but check back on Sunday to see how the on-location filming went at the beach and airport! See you later!
After school today, I went straight to setting up my room for shooting the first scene (it took a while because my room was a mess...) so that when my mom got home we could start to film.
First, I set up Sylvie's travel mood board using different travel post cards and souvenirs that I have collected from my own travels, and borrowed some from my dad, who has his own travel mood board
(He travels a lot for work and has collected these over the years, his board inspired me!)
To make it look like Sylvie wasn't the one who collected them (she has never gone far from her hometown) I took some pieces of paper and wrote to/from on each to make it clear that she has been receiving them.
I borrowed my equipment from my dad, who lent me some props as well as his a lots from my dad (don't worry he got paid in hugs). Like for filming, he lent me his handheld camera stabilizer along with his tripod.
Here's how the final set turned out:
When my mom finally got home at around 6:30, we waited a little for it to be pitch black outside so that no light would shine through my blinds and I could give the impression that it was very late for the scene. In the meantime, I had her read over her two lines and made sure her expressions were right (this part took a while for both of us, we both really appreciate actors now) and we both changed into our costume/outfits.
My dad is a pretty decent camera man and helped me film these scenes. However, we ran into a bit of an issue with my camera stabilizer, which wasn't working properly, and had film without it, instead relying on guidelines.
We finished shooting scene 1 at around 9:00 and my dad to sent me the clips (we filmed on his iPhone 16). I have some behind the scenes planning clips of what I roughly wanted some shots to look like (basically just playing with angles and movement) as well as some of the clips that I will edit for my opening.
I will be filming at the beach and airport this weekend, so my production posts might be delayed, but it will for sure be worth it and i'll make sure to show you what i've been working on!
Overall, It was an exciting experience to have complete control over the camera. Can't wait for this weekend! See you guys soon!
I officially started working on production for my film today! First things first, I created my production company name, logo, and planned how I would like to show it during my opening.
When thinking of a name for the company, I wanted to keep it simple, relevant, and catchy. After brainstorming for a while, I thought of a great one! I decided to call my company "Snapshot Productions", reflecting my goals to capture the emotions and message of my opening through various shots, each being a "snapshot".
Here's some pictures of the editing process!
I used Canva's video editing software to produce my logo, but for the hardcore editing of my opening, I plan to use Adobe Premiere Pro. Here is the short and sweet company logo I created:
I added the sound of a camera shutter as a little audio hook to get the viewer's attention before the opening begins, so I will obviously show it first thing, as is customary with production company logos.
After it plays, the logo will slowly fade into the first shot of the opening along with the soundscape, in order to have a smooth and clear transition into the start of my opening.
I hope you're as excited as I am to start filming! I will most likely film the nighttime scene tomorrow with my mom and start editing, so stay tuned for an awesome post!
Soundscapes are one of my favorite parts of developing a film. Yes, it's true that they're time consuming and a pain to edit sometimes, but they really do tie everything together. I mean, could you imagine watching a horror or romantic movie without sound? It wouldn't have the same effect at all!
For this reason, today I will be taking you through my own soundscape! I have gathered some of the music and sound I will be using and made sure they are all royalty-free. For scene I, I linked some of my tracks to give you guys a sneak peek! Here it is!
Scene I:
As I was thinking about what I wanted to create with my soundscape, I had a cool idea that I will be starting my opening with!
1. Some nice happy, pleasant music (Non-Diegetic) will play as the camera pans down to show Sylvie. Before her mom enters, she has headphones in (signaling that she's listening to music) as she's doing her thing.
2. When her mom enters however, the music will transition to diegetic (like you're hearing it through her headphones) and a doorknob noise will be barely detectable. I had to do some research on how to execute this sound effect, and I found this great tutorial!
3. When Sylvie realizes that her mom is calling for her, she gets startled and turns off the music abruptly.
4. (Dialogue between Sylvie and her mom)
5. After Sylvie rolls her eyes, she slams her laptop closed (I want to make sure that is exaggerated to end the scene and really portray Sylvie's annoyance.
1. The sound of a buzzing cellphone fades in to full volume following the dark screen. This acts as a sound bridge and helps the flow of the opening.
2. Soft footsteps (diegetic) as Sylvie walks to the kitchen with a tracking shot
3. Paper crumbling noise as Sylvie picks up the college flyer left on the table
4. A silverware clink when Sylvie drops her utensil and decides to meet her friends, this louder, sudden noise is meant to help add a dramatic effect to the "rebellious" or even "aha" moment that Sylvie experiences.
5. The sound of a bike moving away as Sylvie rides off from her house to the beach.
6. (Still Tentative) I would like to include a short jingle or tune as the title sequence plays, as many movies do these days to add an uplifting effect.
Scene III:
1. Sound fades back in to Sylvie's bike (another sound bridge) that takes us to the beach setting as she arrives.
2. Beach soundscape playing faintly in the background (diegetic sounds of seagulls, waves crashing, people clamoring).
3. Dialogue of Sylvie's friends slowly fades out to silence when she turns away and closes her eyes, giving the impression that she's "tuning them out" as she starts to daydream rather that listen to their "nonsense".
Scene IV:
1. Airport soundscape (loud and exaggerated to show the contrast between the much quieter beach environment to the crowded airport). Soundscape will include: suitcases rolling, fast-paced footsteps, people talking, and random beeping from security checkpoints.
Thank you for reading about my soundscape planning, I loved making it as it made me think about a lot of dynamics that I need to work with when creating my opening and gave me lots of inspiration. I hope your ears will like what they hear when I post the final product!
Setting/set design is without a doubt one of the most important parts of an immersive film (along with a soundscape of course). As I have mentioned before, I intend for my opening to look somewhat artistic and play with different colors, lighting, and props. Here's a scene-by-scene breakdown of what I will be including as far as set design and location!
Scene I:
Set -
For this scene, I will be filming in my room. To establish the idea that it is late, I will be sure that the room is dark (filming at nighttime with blinds closed) and that there is only subtle light coming from Sylvie's desk lamp. The atmosphere should make the viewer feel the tiredness that Sylvie is experiencing in the moment that is what causes her to want to wander away from her schoolwork.
(Something like this)
Props -
1. Cork board with pins, postcards, and travel maps will be hung on the wall (shown in the initial shot) that symbolizes her love and longing to see the world.
2. Textbooks will be placed on her desk, alongside a pile of "homework" to represent that she is meant to be studying (I will most likely rent some SAT practice books from the library).
3. Obviously, a laptop will be used in the scene, which Sylvie uses to scroll on Travel + Leisure.
Scene II:
Set -
The scene begins in Sylvie's bedroom again, but this time with bright, high key lighting that is associated with morning light. Filming around 8:00am will help achieve this look, as my room and house gets the best natural light at this time. A tracking shot then follows Sylvie shifts the setting to the kitchen, where it is also very bright with morning light. The scene is a contrast to the previous as Sylvie feels refreshed from taking a study break and getting some rest, seeing the world in a slightly brighter way than at night, when she was overwhelmed.
(Natural lighting examples)
Props -
1. Sylvie uses her cell phone in this scene when her friends text her to meet them for a beach day, it's a common device that teenagers have today and the fact that the scene includes friends spamming in a group chat represents a frequent and recognized part of teenage life (from personal experience).
2. When she goes to the kitchen, Sylvie notices a pile of college flyers that her mom left her to look at, along with a note. I will be designing these myself, making them look realistic and relevant to the story. This prop is meant to evoke a feeling of annoyance for Sylvie, who upon seeing them rolls her eyes.
3. Next to the pile of college flyers, I would like there to be a breakfast plate that Sylvie's mom left her. To me, this is an important element to make it clear that Sylvie's mom is not a "bad mom", she still cares for her daughter, but simply like many parents, has a path mapped out for her that isn't ideal for Sylvie. Also, because her mom was painted in a negative light in the first scene, I intend for this detail to make her seem more neutral.
4. After Sylvie texts her friends, agreeing to meet them at the beach, she grabs her bike, bathing suit, and sunscreen before bolting out the door. These props don't really have any alternate meaning, but rather make it evident that she is in fact going to the beach.
Scene III:
Set -
For the beach scene, I would like the atmosphere to feel nature-connected, reflecting Sylvie feeling calmer away from school and college nonsense. To get the brightest daylight, I will be filming around noon when the sun is at its peak. If you're wondering what beach location I will be filming at, I have two options! The first is Ft. Lauderdale By-The-Sea and the other is Miami Beach. On filming day, I will choose which of the two I would like to film at depending on which is less crowded. However, both are great options because they have nice boardwalk areas and there's always some secluded spots that would be perfect to film at!
(Miami Beach)
(Ft. Lauderdale By-The-Sea)
Props -
1. When they sit on the sand to chat and relax, I will make sure to include props such as beach towels, a novel, beach bags, and classic beach snacks like watermelon. As a girl, when I go to the beach with my friends, this is exactly the type of setup we have and I would like the props in this scene to mimic that of a group of teenage girls from my own experiences!
Scene IV:
Set -
Finally, for the "daydream" scene, I would like to film at Miami International Airport. However, I know that airports are usually very crowded, so this take will be very short, with only one shot, simply showing Sylvie at the airport looking at the departures board to show her desire to leave her hometown and explore the world.
(A very accurate representation of what the shot will look like!)
Props -
1. For this scene, Sylvie is going to have a suitcase in her hand (of course) as well as a boarding pass (having parents who keep old documents pays off!).
I hope today's post helped you get a brief idea of the visuals I will be including in my film opening and how I intend to execute them! Get excited because next up: audio design!
As promised, today I will be showing my official costume design for my opening, aligning with the plan I discussed in my previous post. I will start with the protagonist, Sylvie, and then the supporting characters: Caroline, Ellie, and Violet.
Sylvie, Scenes I & II
For scenes I and II, Sylvie is wearing an arguably boring outfit, nothing special. As I mentioned before, this choice reflects her feeling bored as she is expected to be doing homework (which she doesn't particularly enjoy).
During the beach scene, Sylvie wears something slightly less grey and boring, her shorts are light yellow (a color that is often used to symbolize enlightenment, which is fitting as she has a daydream/"aha moment" following this scene). Essentially, it is a slow progression out of her previous boring mindset. (PS Sylvie and her friends will likely wear plain, neutral colored swimsuits under their outfits, barely visible, that are cohesive with the beach atmosphere).
Finally, Sylvie's final outfit is brighter and includes pops of color. The pink shirt she wears is meant to symbolize the femininity, youth, and calmness that she feels in the moment. (PS She will wear some sneakers as well, not barefoot in an airport!). She also has a suitcase as a prop during this scene, to really make it obvious that she dreams of traveling.
Sylvie's mom, Caroline, also has a pretty basic outfit in Scene I. However, the color dark blue is often attributed to a feeling authority. So, I chose for her to wear this color as Sylvie, as any daughter would, sees her mom as a figure of power over her. (PS these aren't the exact clothing items she will wear, as they are pieces my mom, who will play Caroline, already has. But, the overall look will be the same).
Not surprisingly, Ellie and Violet's outfits consist of neutral, light colors. I intend for white/grey-ish tones to show their cluelessness of the world beyond their small town, as during the scene they discuss their excitement to grow old there. They are pretty much wearing the same type of outfit, a choice I made that reflects their twin-like vibe (I would like them to seem weirdly in tune with each other's ideas, like a duo in a trio that ultimately makes Sylvie feel left out at times).
Overall, the outfit choices I made for each character rely heavily on color symbolism, a topic we discussed in class at the beginning of the year and I found quite interesting. I hope you enjoyed reading about my costume design! More mise-en-scène to come!
To start off this Monday strong, I decided to work on developing my main character Sylvie. Because she's a teenager, I found it somewhat challenging to really show all her emotions, as teenagers typically have a variety, making them that much more complex.
To break it down into pieces, I took a double-sided approach to her personality, taking inspiration from Riley's character in "Inside Out". On one side, the character is annoyed at her life situation, which is common for most teens during puberty and adolescence (For example, Riley being constantly annoyed by her parents) while on another, she is longing for something. However, this is where the character slightly differs from Riley. The protagonist in "Inside Out" is longing to have her old life back, where she was younger and found familiarity comforting, Sylvie on the other hand, is yearning grow up, be independent, and discover new things (by traveling the world.
How will I reflect these traits?
1. Costume
As I briefly mentioned in a previous post, thanks to the group meeting from last week, I was given an idea to use costume elements to show the progression of emotions throughout my opening. (Next post I will show my official ideas!) In scene 1, Sylvie will wear something very boring and colorless because she's supposed to be doing tasks that are boring to her (studying/college applications). However, when she meets with her friends, she'll wear something a little more interesting, maybe some white and pastel colors to symbolize innocence and even a little bit of holding back her true colors and emotions. Finally, the last scene will show Sylvie in a colorful, bright, and cheerful outfit (reflecting what she believes traveling the world will feel like).
2. Facial Expressions and Body Language
Notice how it is obvious that Riley is annoyed through her facial expressions? In my first scene, I would like to include something similar, such as an eye roll, that shows that Sylvie is irritated by the conversation with her mother.
3. Lighting
Using lower-key lighting in the beginning scenes and transitioning to bright, high-key lighting at the end, I am able to once again show the emotional journey Sylvie goes through (less-lit scenes being more negative, and well-lit scenes being positive).
4. Audio
I would also like to include audio elements, specifically music, to symbolize different emotions and add a more dramatic yet subtle effect. As included in my script, the very first scene in my opening starts with happy, calming music. This is meant to show moments where Sylvie is "in the zone" or daydreaming. Subtle and abrupt stops in the music (such as when her mom walks in) are meant to show her "snapping out of it" and being brought back to the reality she finds boring.
Here are two examples of sudden music shifts that change the mood in a film:
In this scene of "Lost in Translation", the first song during the karaoke is upbeat and energetic while the second is more sad and depressing. The second is cut off by another scene with no music at all, like an expectation vs. reality moment.
In this scene of "The Graduate" (1967), the characters are happy and cheerful before they sit down in their seats and realize that the situation is serious, when their facial expressions shift, "The Sound of Silence" by Paul Simon plays (a sad song) and a momentous mood is created.
Essentially, there are infinite ways that a director or writer could show a character's emotions in a film, but after my research I feel that these would be the most relevant in my opening! That's all for today folks, but stay tuned for next post to see my costume design!
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