Group Meeting

     Yesterday, I met with my other classmates and we discussed our projects. Many of us had a bit of trouble including/excluding something from our original stories. I wrote down notes on everyone's projects and what they were working on/what they had recently finished. Most of us had finished our storyboards (though after our meeting, most of us were considering changing ours) and some had started or finished their scripts. One thing that I noticed was the trouble that everyone had with making at least one decision related to their project, which made me feel more secure, as I knew we were all pretty much on the same page. Hearing my group offer suggestions and hearing everyone else's ideas really helped with my own ideas, because some of the suggestions given could be applied to my own project. For example, one of my group mates mentioned how their project would be about someone being interrogated, and we suggested that he research how real criminals react when being interrogated. This is an important point, as I may consider this when fully developing my characters in order to make them more realistic. 

    My group discussed our storyboards and scripts (for those of us that had them). We offered suggestions on certain elements (sound, editing, mise-en-scene) that we could put in some parts of our project based on our storyboards. One thing that I noticed is that some of us were planning on changing our storyboards a bit, including me. One of my group mates was planning on doing a story including a stalker, and we all offered critiques to change his project and make it more unique and easier for him to do. Another group mate had trouble planning how she was going to establish character. The genre she chose was action and she wanted to add a car crash into her project, so we offered ways she could solve both of these issues at once by editing in scenes of a group of friends before they get into the crash (establishing character) and using both editing and sound to imply a crash.

    This group meeting really helped me with my own project as well. One thing I was worried about was that I wanted one of my characters to be really sick. I wanted to establish this through mise-en-scene, using makeup and props. For props, I was planning on showing a row of pill bottles, but I didn't want it to make it seem like the character was an addict. I wasn't sure how to clarify this through dialogue, but my group suggested that instead of talking to another person, my character could be "vlogging" and documenting her sickness. I thought this was a great idea, as not only would it be easier to write dialogue for one character rather than two, but it would make more sense for the setting of my story, as it takes place in the future where Earth is less populated, so it would make sense for my character to be more lonely rather than with a friend. I also talked about my initial idea of starting off with certain shots that establish the setting, including a shot of a light flickering. After telling my group this, they confirmed that it was a good idea and also suggested adding in the sound of sirens or faking the effect of an earthquake to further establish the situation. During this meeting, I also realized that while my genre is sci-fi, it's definitely leaning towards dystopian as well. 

My target audience

     The target audience of sci-fi movies tends to be younger people, aged 18-24. They tend to be interested in science and technology and are often male. One reason this audience is drawn to this genre is because it gives them an "escape" from the real world. Sci-fi movies are often an exaggerated version of our real world, giving them this escape. However, audiences still want to be able to relate to characters to an extent. While the audience may not be able to relate to the conflict the character faces, they'll still be able to relate to the emotions and motivations of the character. Take, for example, Tris from "Divergent". The audience cannot relate to being in a dystopian society on the brink of a war, but they may be able to relate to being/feeling different from everyone else, wanting to fit in, and/or wanting to do the right thing for themselves and those around them. Audiences are also engage through being inspired by characters. Though Tris is different from the rest of society, she is courageous and uses her uniqueness to her advantage.

    For my film opening, the main character is going to be facing health issues and is in a bad economic position. This may be relatable to an extent, but these issues will be exaggerated to the point where most people won't relate to it, given that it's taking place in the future where advancements in technology and space travel exist. But I plan to make this character relatable with their motivations. Their strive to get themselves in a better position and persevere through their current state will engage my target audience. I also plan to integrate elements of technology in my film opening that go along with the characteristics of this genre. Though I may be quite limited, I can utilize mise-en-scene elements to achieve this. Or, I could imply these elements of science and tech through dialogue. 

    

Finishing my Storyboard

     Today, I finished storyboarding my project. While storyboarding, I took into account the location of each part of the scene. For part of my project, I wanted to get a shot of a hospital, whether it be inside or outside. I'm not completely sure if I want to go through with this, as getting a shot inside would include people that likely won't want to be filmed. If I get a shot of a hospital from the outside, it will still show people on the inside, but won't show their faces or any details. I could also try to film an emptier part of a hospital. Either way, I plan to get permission to film first. Even if I ultimately won't be able to get this shot, I still included it in my storyboard. 

    Additionally, for part of my opening, I wanted to get a shot of more barren-looking land. I'm not entirely sure where I could film this yet. I remember seeing an area near me that could work, but I don't really remember where it was. I may ask my friends for suggestions. If I can't find a spot that would work, I could use an editing software during the editing process to make a shot of normal looking land look less lively. Overall, I already have a pretty solid idea of how to make my storyboard come to life. I also included props that I'll use in my storyboard, but I want to take more time to plan out the costumes and makeup that I'll use.

Outlining my plot

     I've been brainstorming exactly what I want for my plot for a while now, I and I finally have an exact plan for it. I've outlined the progression of my film opening, writing down how long I expect each part of the opening to be in order to make sure my ideas fit within the 2 minute time limit. This outline may change slightly later on once I begin filming. Throughout this process, I've been taking inspiration from other film openings, for example, I plan to start out with shots that establish the setting. I plan to make this part of the opening only a couple of seconds. I'm thinking about props that I may use to achieve this purpose. 

    The next steps I plan to take are finishing my script and storyboarding. I've already begun researching how to write a script and I'm thinking about how I can approach this aspect of my project. Dialogue will be an important part of my project, so it's really important that I can write my script as best as possible. I have no experience with this, so I'm trying to learn as much as possible from other sources. I have already started my storyboard, so I plan to finish that very soon. Though my storyboard is coming along, I'm still thinking about certain locations that I can film in. 

Lighting in Sci-fi

     In sci-fi, lighting is usually an important component. Often, cool toned lighting is used, as it can create a sense of unease. The use of this lighting can also make the film more visually engaging.The absence of light can also be used to create more mystery. For part of my project, I plan to film in a darker area for this purpose. Having a dimmer lighting can also help me establish setting. The lighting in this area will also likely be more cool-toned, since warmer lighting would be too "inviting".

   Many sci-fi films also have darker scenes. I'm willing to incorporate this aspect into my project, as it will fit with the tone and setting of my film opening. I can also use lighting from different sources to ensure that the scene isn't too dark and the lighting remains realistic. I can use lamps and flashlights if needed to get the desired effect for the tone of the scene. During the editing process, I can also change the darkness and exposure if needed. 

Researching Film Openings

     Earlier this week, I began researching openings of popular sci-fi films to get inspiration for my own project and get a better understanding of the genre as a whole. I made a couple of notes as I watched these openings. I watched the openings to The Matrix, Blade Runner, and Dune, and I noticed a couple similarities within them all. One thing I noticed was the inclusion of the setting right from the start. For instance, in Dune, the viewer is immediately introduced to the setting, a vast desert, while a voiceover plays during the scene. In Blade Runner, the viewer is introduced to the setting with an aerial view of a city while multiple explosions are seen throughout. Both of these openings create setting while also establishing the tone of the film and engaging the audience. The explosions throughout the opening scene of Blade Runner set a more serious tone while also engaging the audience, as they start to wonder why so many explosions are going off. In Dune, the shots of the setting and some of the characters also creates this serious tone, and the voiceover introduces conflict that engages the audience and makes them more interested in watching the rest of the film to understand this conflict better and see how it may be resolved. Additionally, shots throughout the remainder of the opening scene show the conflict being described in the voiceover. 

 

    The Matrix also uses these elements throughout the film's opening. The scene opens with a computer screen and a call between two characters that establishes conflict, as one character mentions how they are planning to kill someone. The tone of the scene is set through the dark atmosphere, with the only sources of light being from green flashlights. Mystery and suspense is present throughout mainly through the use of sound and the high action within the scene. The dialogue throughout is vague, leaving the viewer confused. All of these elements are used to engaged the audience. The viewer is thrown into the middle of an action sequence with little context, leaving them interested in learning more. 

    Overall, these openings seem to focus on establishing tone and setting. I'm not entirely sure how I'll be able to establish the setting in my own opening the way these films do, but I can definitely establish tone through the use of lighting, like in The Matrix. If I decide to establish setting as well, I can look into using Photoshop to make my surroundings look different and fit with the theme of my film. Other elements within these opening will definitely be easier to incorporate, such as how Blade Runner immediately starts with the location and the date that the film takes place in. This would be great to add into my own film opening, as it will take place sometime in the future. Additionally I can use dialogue to create interest similar to how dialogue is used in Blade Runner and The Matrix. In Blade Runner, dialogue is used for a comedic effect while also drawing the viewer into the plot. And as already mentioned, the dialogue in The Matrix is vague and leaves many questions to be answered.

Works Cited

“Blade Runner - Opening Scene (HDR - 4K - 5.1).” Www.youtube.com, youtu.be/P1jXmJmmj3o?si=mBhO3Cvj_GSMLZjn. Accessed 19 Feb. 2024.

“Dune - Opening Scene - (HDR - 4K - 5.1).” Www.youtube.com, youtu.be/tzqYZGTC2H8?si=7C2mhT7Jmk2Q-aBT. Accessed 19 Feb. 2024.

“The Matrix - Opening Scene (HDR - 4K - 5.1).” Www.youtube.com, youtu.be/GVYTd4dH0Uc?si=2-hSmO10zAbm2P5D. Accessed 19 Feb. 2024.

Choosing my Genre

     For my project, I've been considering many genres, mainly horror, mystery, and science fiction. I'm most heavily leaning towards science fiction, as it interests me the most out of those three and I feel like it would be very enjoyable to create. I've researched the genre a bit more to get a better understanding of it and make sure that I want to commit to it. One thing that stood out to me the most was the mise-en-scene elements within science fiction. Depending on the story within the film itself, these elements can be more apparent. For example, in Dune the costume design is very representative of a futuristic, more serious setting. The costumes in particular make it obvious the film takes place during a war. In contrast, Back to the Future has less extreme elements. Though the mise-en-scene elements later in the film are used to represent the 1950's, they're not as bold as the elements used in Dune. 

 

 

    The primary conventions in science fiction movies includes futuristic elements, time travel, intergalactic travel, advancements in technology, and much more. I do want to create a story that takes place in the future, but in a context that doesn't require an incredibly high-tech setting. I think if I focus more on elements such as certain advancements in tech or intergalactic travel, I may be able to focus more on makeup and some props. Costume design and setting will still be important to the story, but they definetley won't be as prominent as they are in Dune, for instance. I think focusing on makeup and props is much more manageable and would make the creation of this project very interesting. 

Music Marketing #2

    To begin our music marketing project, my group and I began researching the genre we were assigned, which was alternative. We not only researched the genre as a whole, but we took an in depth look at the marketing and distribution practices of four popular artists within this genre. Because of this, we were able to gain a broader understanding of how this genre was generally marketed, which was very beneficial for the remainder of our project. 

    After researching the genre and choosing our song, we looked up the lyrics of the song in order to dissect the meaning. Our group discussed what the overall message of the song was, which made it easier to plan out what we wanted our music video to be based on. Once we understood what the song meant, we began to brainstorm a story for a music video that somewhat aligns with this message. We then created a storyboard based on the basic story we had brainstormed. Not only did we discuss our story, but we decided which editing techniques we would try to use in the post-production process. After our storyboard was done, we planned a date to film our video.

    In the meantime, we began to start outlining the plans we had for marketing and distributing our band's music. We looked back on the original genre research we had done to get ideas on common practices within the alternative genre. Afterwards, our group discussed marketing and distribution plans that would not only make sense within our genre, but help build our brand identity. We created a rough draft of our ideas in a Powerpoint presentation. 

    Then, we began filming. We filmed in multiple locations, taking advantage of our natural surroundings. For example, one of our locations that we filmed at was outside near a lake. It had a bridge, which we took advantage of by filming on it and making it a significant spot in our music video. Additionally, we filmed in an arcade. We took the opportunity to film the bright, flashing lights and make them an important part of our video. While we filmed, we would film any scenes that we thought would be useful later, even if we didn't end up using them. We also filmed our scenes in longer clips, to capture everything that happened between our 'actors', instead of filming many small clips. 

 

    Afterwards, my group and I decided which clips to use out of the ones we had filmed. After making this decision, we split our project into two - two of us would work on editing while the other two would work on the rest of presentation. While working on the presentation with another group member, we found a nice template that we felt fit with our brand. We also finalized our decisions on marketing and distribution, and added a couple more slides as well. We focused a bit more on clearly defining our brand identity and made examples of our marketing plans. After we finished our presentation for the most part and had a clear idea of the way we would edit our video, we began recording the voiceovers for our presentation slides. At home, we each contributed to putting the finishing touches on our presentation and finalizing our music video.

    Overall, this project has allowed me to understand the importance of research and planning within the pre-production process. While we did conduct research on marketing and distribution and referenced our initial research on the genre, our group should've done more thorough research on the convergence practices we used, specific merchandise/marketing examples, and a detailed explanation of our music video. Because we lacked this in pre-production, we had to make up for it in post-production. In the future, I'll be able to recognize certain things that need to be thoroughly planned out in order for the rest of the project to run smoothly. One thing I think my group did great with was our discussions. We had really productive and interesting discussions about our topic, and I felt that the most progress we made was when the whole group was together to discuss our project. Additionally, this project has allowed me to use the techniques learned throughout the school year and use them to create one cohesive project. I think having both experience in planning a bigger project and putting techniques that we've previously learned into practice will help me a lot with my Cambridge portfolio in the future.