Costuming

One way I'm going to represent the contrast of disorder and order is through the physical appearance of my character. 

In the beginning of the opening, when we first see the girl, I want her to look very put together. Her hair will be back and want her to wear jewelry. This is because she is someone who should look like they put a lot of work into looking "put together". I plan to have her wear a light blue robe with light green pants. According to my color research in one of my prior posts, these two color choices are meant to communicate tranquility and peace which is what the girl wants to project to other people.

However, I want to foreshadow the underlying “mess” she feels so I’m thinking that even in the beginning of the opening, she should wear a red accessory. So far I'm in between a red bracelet or nail polish. Both are good since her hands will be clearly visible in many of the shots (lots of closeups, POV shots, etc. Whatever it is, it needs to be red (represents chaos, passion,etc.). 

As the pacing picks up, and the character becomes more immersed in her work, I would also like her neat image to transform into a messier look. Thus, I would like her hair to be somewhat disheveled in appearance. As for clothes, I would like her robe to open more and more throughout the subsequent shots to show a red shirt underneath. I plan to use this change in wardrobe as an unveiling of her “true” persona and to represent the internal/emotional conflict that will characterize the girl for the rest of the film. 

Outfit & Accessories

     

Storyboarding

I’ve finished storyboarding the entirety of my opening. I included basic elements like angles/shots but I also included small directional details that will help me remember exactly what I want my actor to be expressing in each shot. Remember, her expressions are going to be essential to getting this storyline across since there is no dialogue. By doing this, I can remember exactly what I intended for each scene and communicate that to my actress.


I decided to hand draw my shots because I wanted to represent everything as close to my ideas as possible. I also included cues for where to incorporate my sound layers, Foley, and titles.


In terms of my shot choices, as action rose, I relied more heavily on POV shots, close ups, and a few medium shots so that I could keep the audience wondering what the character was doing. Towards the end, I utilized long shots to show the character and her work. I did this not to display her project, but rather, to expose the mess that she has accumulated in the process. I did this so that the viewer can put together the underlying theme of the film and be clued in on main character's internal struggles. 


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I'm pretty sure I've made this storyboard very detailed so filming should definitely run smoothly. Also, the details should help my actress and I be on the same page. Besides building props, I think I am pretty much ready to film. The sooner I can finish filming the better because I know editing will be a challenge. My main concern is that this storyboard will exceed the two minute time limit but I will only be able to tell once I start filming.

Locations: Bedroom #1 vs. Bedroom #2

 When coming up with the story for my opening, I imagined that it would take place in my main character’s bedroom. I thought this place would be best since I want her personality to make a strong impression. Since a person’s bedroom is so personal, her identity could be revealed by its decor, color, etc. My house has two bedrooms that I could use to film so I decided to do some research to help me narrow down my choices. 

After reading, “Location Scouting Guide: How to Scout Locations for a Film” I have determined the two most important ways to determine which room I will film in.  

1. Aesthetic: Does the space match the description and my vision for the opening?

2. Environment: Examine natural light/interior light/and any ambient sound that can interfere with the audio of my filming. 

The way the article recommended I find these things is by taking photos and videos from all angles of the room. 

Room #1

      

     

• This room has a window on the far side of the desk so while the sun is out, there is no glare. Overall, the natural lighting is good. 

• The room also has many of the colors I wanted to incorporate into my character’s color scheme. 

• There are also multiple lamps in addition to an overhead light fixture. 

• There is a desk and a bookshelf which I imagined being present in the opening. 

• There is no noise from the front of the house. 

• Fits the simple vibe I wanted more than room #2.

  
  

  
  

Room #2

   

• The room has really strong natural light but there will be a slight glare as the desk is right next to the window

• Does not really fit the organized/minimalist vibe I want. 

• There is no overhead light fixture but there are two lamps for artificial light. 

• There is a desk and a bookshelf which I had imagined to be present in the opening. 

• The room is on the back of the house so there is sometimes noise from the neighbor’s kids playing.

The second room seems to have more cons than pros so I have decided to use room #1 as my filming location.

Sources:

MasterClass. “Location Scouting Guide: How to Scout Locations for a Film - 2022.”     

MasterClass, MasterClass, 7 Sept. 2021, 

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-scout-locations-for-a-film#7-tips-for-location-scouting.

Casting

 I don’t really have any dialogue written for my opening. I did this intentionally with the goal of having my main character convey their thoughts/emotions through their expressions and actions. According to an article by StageMilk, “The goal of casting is to find the right people to tell a story” the article then goes on to explain the casting process and the role of a casting director. 

After reading the article, I decided I had to play the casting director with my group of friends. Following advice from my research I was looking for three things:

1. Acting skill.

2. Physical resemblance of the character. 

3. Availability. 

Acting Skill

As I mentioned before, I chose not to incorporate much dialogue into the opening. Since I am forcing myself to be so reliant on the actor to tell my story, I need someone who can clearly convey emotions with their body language and facial expressions.  

In this clip of I, Tonya, actress Margo Robbie is able to convey her character’s emotions of frustration without ever having to say a word. From her facial expressions and actions alone, we know what she is feeling and that she is attempting but failing to cover it up. In some ways, I think my character is similar to Margo Robbie’s in this particular scene so I really would like someone who I think could be as clear and expressive as she was here. 

Physical resemblance of the character. 

I feel that so often when I see shows or movies depicting high-school students the actors themselves are adults. This is troublesome considering that a major pillar of the coming-of-age genre is relatability. I need to cast an actual teen as my character because my target audience (teens) need to actually be able to see themselves in her. 

Therefore, the person I need to cast is a teen girl. 

Availability 

From my research, I also found that the goal of a casting director is to find actors who fit the part but also help the filming go smoother. As such, I decided that I need to find someone who I can rely on to be available for filming. I don’t want to be pressured to rush my filming because of scheduling difficulties with the actor. 

Taking all of these casting tips/requirements into account, I have decided I want my friend Sophia to be the main character of my movie opening.

1. TEEN GIRL

2. Member of drama club/Very expressive. 

3. Does not have a job so no conflict with work schedule. 

4. Has access to her own car. 

5. Agreed to be in the opening. 

   
   

   Sources:

   Team, Written by StageMilk, et al. “What Is Casting?: What Does Casting Actually Mean.” StageMilk, 4 Aug. 2017, https://www.stagemilk.com/what-is-casting/. 

   “What Do Casting Directors Look for in Auditions? (Its 6 Things!).” Method Acting for Me, 3 Sept. 2021, https://methodactingforme.com/what-do-casting-directors-look-for-in-auditions-its-6-things/. 

Technical elements: Sound & Editing

As I’ve stated before, representing the main character is major for coming-of-age openings as the genre is based on the emotional growth of that specific character. The problem I want to represent in my character is that she is someone who struggles with desiring an image of simplicity and order that she cannot always maintain. I plan to utilize technical elements of  editing and audio layering as storytelling devices within my opening. 

Editing

To represent my character and the story,  I want to start out with slow-paced editing and as the opening progresses, speed up the pace of the editing. I knew I wanted to do this to juxtapose calm and chaos but I also wanted to have more info on how exactly this would impact viewers. 

I found this article with a lot of great information:

https://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=2233986

To sum it up, the article reaffirmed the effect that I was hoping this manipulation of editing pace would have: 

Slow pacing can represent calm but can also create feelings of anticipation. This will also convey the tension that is associated with the character trying to keep up her facade. 

Rapid Pacing represents intensity and gives the viewer almost no time to think. This will emphasize the chaotic actions that the character does without even realizing she has dropped her facade. In a way, the faster pace will show how absorbed the character is in her work.  

Audio Layering

To represent my character through sound, I want to start the opening with quiet and then have the character's inner thoughts slowly increase as she works. Eventually, I want to have different thoughts of hers overlap over each other to give a jumbled and disordered vibe (I’m so sorry I said “vibe” I can’t think of another way to communicate this). 

I’ve watched Youtube videos on how to add/adjust audio layers and make audio all the same volume on adobe premiere pro (which is what I will be using) and so far it seems like this idea is possible. 

Here are the links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yKgrxEYxds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAQbLnz3F3k

I will have to experiment with this plan more but as of right now that is my idea. My back up plan if the audio does not work is to use music and either increase the volume progressively or find a song that builds in intensity. 

Sources:

How to Make All Voices and Audio Same Level ... - Youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yKgrxEYxds. 

Peachpit, https://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=2233986. 

Premiere pro - Adding and Adjusting Audio Layers - Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAQbLnz3F3k. 

Character Representation: Set Design

Another way I want to represent my character’s personality is through set design. Since I’ve decided that the opening will take place in her bedroom, it seems important that this location be reflective of her personality/inner thoughts. 

For inspiration, I looked up the bedrooms of iconic movies to see how they were used to  represent characters/give insight. 

For example, 

Troy Bolton's room from High School Musical reflects his interests in basketball and tells viewers that being an athlete has major significance in his life. As such, his room is able to work as a storytelling device since his basketball career plays a role in the movie's conflict.

Devi’s room from Never Have I Ever reflects a blend of more traditionally Indian details (bright colors, patterns, etc.) and modern western elements (unicorn dabbing, dreamcatcher, etc.) elements. This blend is central to Devi’s character as she is someone who struggles with embracing or rejecting her culture. 

Seeing how the set design can be used to propel storytelling and represent my character I have brainstormed some things that I think I will incorporate into my set design. 

My character is someone who is trying to project this “put-together” image. Due to this, I want her room to be simple and clean. I also think that I should place objects such as self-help books and essential oils/diffusers in her room. I believe these objects will imply to viewers that this peaceful and neat image is inauthentic and purposefully constructed. I think this should be emphasized by posters with quotes that promote her intended lifestyle. In doing so, I think I will be able to communicate that this “image” is not real but a goal. I plan to brainstorm other ways I can represent this juxtaposition in the upcoming weeks.

Sources: 

Colussi, Mary. “24 Teen TV and Movie Bedrooms Ranked from ‘Eh’ to ‘I Would Live Here as an Adult.’” BuzzFeed, BuzzFeed, 2 Aug. 2021, https://www.buzzfeed.com/marycolussi/tv-and-movie-teen-bedrooms-ranked. 

Mendelsohn, Hadley. “The 20 Most Unforgettable Teen Bedrooms in Movies and TV.” House Beautiful, House Beautiful, 3 Mar. 2021, https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/g33012624/best-teen-bedrooms-in-movies-and-tv/. 

Character Representation: Color Research

 Since my genre focuses so deeply on the main character, I established in my last post that they need to make a strong impression of who they are in the opening. One of the ways I decided to present this through color. 

Color Research 

For my story it is essential for me to juxtapose order and calm with passion and disorder in order to represent my character. I want her to be someone who desires to have this tranquil and peaceful image but underneath is a bit all over the place. Since I want to show this right off the bat in the opening I need subtle ways to display her mental state/emotions. I decided a perfect way to subtly but firmly unveil this characteristic is through the use of color. 

According to “The Psychology of Color in Film” by No Film School, one of the best ways to get an emotion to resonate with your audience is to pick and present a color that associates with that color. This technique is used as a key plot element in many movies and is especially popular in director Wes Anderson’s productions. 

If you want to read more from the article:

https://nofilmschool.com/2016/06/watch-psychology-color-film

I watched this video on how Wes Anderson uses color in his productions here is the link (I recommend skipping to 4:40, everything before that is mostly summary): 

https://youtu.be/XOgFEEqhWgM

Here are some more specific examples from the video that represent what I aim to do with color:

Sam in Moonrise Kingdom shown in Yellow to display the anxiety, insecurity, and naiveness associated with his character.

Chas Tenenbaum from The Royal Tenenbaums shown in red to display his erratic and intense nature.

Now that I have an understanding of how to utilize color, I have selected which colors I think I will utilize to convey the persona of my own character. 

For the facade of tranquility, I will utilize the colors of light blue and light green. From my research on color (the video and article), I have found that these colors can be used to represent calmness, peace, and health. These characteristics are what my character wants to project. I will incorporate these colors into what the character is wearing and heavily into her room’s decorations/colors. However, I want to show the antithesis of these characteristics as the opening progresses to represent the sort of ‘unveiling’ of her true self. 

This ‘true self’ will be represented by the colors of red and yellow. Red will represent her passionate and intense nature and yellow will represent her obsessiveness and give a slight aura of madness. I will begin to introduce these colors slowly through the character’s appearance and the props she begins to interact with (hairclip, shirt color underneath jacket, scissors, string, pens).

Sources:

Fusco, Jon. “The Psychology of Color in Film (with Examples).” No Film School, No Film School, 27 Mar. 2019, https://nofilmschool.com/2016/06/watch-psychology-color-film.