Film Opening Concept

 

Introduction

    For this assignment, we had to start planning our film openning. We had 5 steps to help break down how to create this film. The first step was to lock in out concept, in bullet points we had to identify our genre, target audience, core idea, and tone. The next step was to define the purpose of our first two minutes, setting into stone what information would be conveyed, what questions would be raised, and how we are inticing the audience to keep watching. The third step is to make character profiles which had to include the name, age, role, a trait, and how the audience would understand their character without dialogue. The fourth step was how the time, place, props, and costumes will contribute to the opening. The fifth and final step before we start writing is to break down, with time stamps, when each part of the film opening will take place. 

STEP 1: Lock in Your Concept

• Genre: Romantic Comedy

• Target audience: Teenage-Young Adult Females, who love romantic comedies

   that end in heart break, and artistic films.

• Core idea: Expecting someone to be who they aren’t will only result in

  disappointment and pain.

• Tone: Childish and Whimsical

STEP 2: Define the Opening’s Purpose

The first thing I want the audience to notice is the character dynamics. Showing

off the friendship between Izzy and Sara in contrast to the isolation of Ash, this physical

distance will help create the emotional distance that would be conveyed throughout the

film. The mood will be pinnacle of any other romance film, with a whimsical dreamy

mood. The opening will raise the question of where the characters will go from their

dynamics and how they will adapt to a new person or people in their lives. The opening

will hook viewers by drawing them into the familiar comfortability that romantic

comedies have in store and creating dynamic characters that the audience wants to

know more about.

STEP 3: Create Your Characters

Izzy:

• 17

• Main character, protagonist. Goes through man versus self conflict throughout the

movie, constantly having to choose between what if right and what they want,

having to avoid straining their friendship and potential relationship.

• Her character is naturally outgoing, she wants to connect with everyone she meets

and get to know more about what she seems a mysterious. This is vital to the film as

she immediately gets drawn to how closed oE Ash is and wants to know more.

• Izzy will be wearing more vibrant and out there clothing, showing oE her big

authentic personality, and be shown making exaggerated arm movements. This

shows how outgoingness by providing clues to her big personality/ character before

she even starts talking.

Ash:

• 17• Main character, more like an antagonist. Creates problems for the main protagonist

by setting them up for choosing between love and their own growth.

• StandoEish, this will be shown as she is physically isolated and when talked to she

will give very vague answers, almost as though she does not want to let anyone in.

• She will be shown in physical isolation located in a place people would have to go

out of their way to visit in the park. She will be wearing more muted, casual clothing,

showing that she has no desire to be noticed or perceived.

Sara:

• 17

• Main character, side kick/ best friend. She helps Izzy, her best friend through the

struggle.

• Reasoned, through it all she will be the voice of reason for the main character,

helping and guiding her as she struggles throughout the film, always there to fall

back on.

• She will be shown supporting Izzy’s frantic behavior while also gently reminding her

that they are in public, where behavior like this is not appropriate.

STEP 4: Choose the Setting & Mise-en-Scène

For my film opening I am utilizing only one location, a public park called Tree Tops.

want to film about 2 hours before dusk, so around 4:00 and 5:00 in the evening. The

costumes are essential parts to their characters but will also add to the whimsical tone. A

notebook will add to the mystery of the character Ash, and the overall tone. This will be

done by creating a sense that her notebook is its own intimate and secretive world, drawing

Izzy into wanting to know more about this world. This will communicate the romantic

comedy genre by romanticizing mediocre life, and creating meaning and tension between

the two characters from their overall contrast and how it draws them together in this setting

where it feels like just the two of them.

STEP 5: Outline the 2-Minute Structure

• 0:00–0:20 — Establish setting with shots of the park and sky.

• 0:20–1:00 — Introduce main characters Sara and Izzy, showing their friendly

   dynamic between the two.

• 1:00–1:30 — Show Ash, have other character talk about her.

• 1:30–2:00 — Have Izzy and Sara