Movie Opener Brainstorming & Research
Rise
The student-made film opening film was really exciting and upbeat. Through the opening film and creative choices, the audience could feel the high energy of the opening. I think the music choice was an amazing choice and was used perfectly! Not only did the music match the feel of the opening but as the action picked up so did the music. This use of music helped to create this overall feeling of energy and drive. The makers of the opening didn't just use music to fill a silence but they used the music to elevate and add to their film. I also noticed jump cuts and other faced paced cuts were used in the fill to pick up the pace and make the scene feel more energetic. The opening also had various and varying shots from close-ups to over-the-shoulder shots, making the opening feel more dynamic. At the end of the film, the makers made an interesting choice of having two characters stare intensely into one another's eyes. This created mystery and left the audience eager to figure out the character's relationship and why there seems to be animosity between the two. The opening gives the viewer enough information to guess that the two may be rivals or have some type of issue, but also leaver the audience curious to know more! Moreover, even the camera quality added a level of appreciation and respect. Furthermore, the camera movement was also clean and efficient which elevated the opening and made it feel like a real movie! Each choice in the opening was selective and added to the success of the film.
Dear Lover
This opening film took a completely opposite approach from the one I watched previously to. This video was calmer, slower, and emotional as opposed to energetic, fast-paced, and upbeat. There are no jump cuts, quick pacing, or dramatically varying cuts, instead, the opening fill uses still shots often and this creates a slower and more intimate feel. Dear lover utilized a voice-over for the majority of the opening film. This proved useful as the opening film was now truly able to allow the viewer to know what the movie was about. From the voice over the viewer was able to gauge that the movie is about a tarnished relationship between daughter and mother, and the romance between the daughter and her girlfriend. The viewer is also able to get background knowledge and dive into the mind of the main character. The music, once again, proved to add to the movie as it set the tone even from the initial shots. The tone developed from the music was more serious and melancholy.
Dare to Thrill
This opening film was exciting, unexpected, fun, nerve-wracking and all the emotions in between. Thus far this one has been my favorite. The filmmaker used editing to put this modern game-like text which really helped in making the film feel professional. Furthermore, as we saw with "Rise", the use of multiple and varying shots helps in creating this high energy feel. The whole time watching the movie was engaged and present. The opening was fun and exciting and kept the audience on the edge of their seats as they watched these teenagers drive wildly and recklessly. The opening takes an obvious shift to serious, intense, and unsettling. The way the filmmaker transitioned from differing tones was actually quite creative. The filmmaker hinted towards the shift, by lowering th4e background music, and by symbolically suggesting something bad is going t happen when the film showcased that the teenagers had lowered the music in the car. These creative cues are definitely something I'll take note of. They were subtle but very effective as the audience felt the dramatic change and was hooked on every second of the film. The opening ended on a perfect note since the teenagers opened the trunk and they all seemed shocked and disgusted. This left the viewer wondering what happened? what's wrong? What's going to happen next?
Always Watching
Well, this one was a doozy! The opening film was unsettling and uneasy which seemed to be the intent so definitely a success. The storytelling is impeccable! The storyline is very clear and easy to follow along. The opening film tells of two best friends, one of which is overwhelmed with jealously and rage, so much so he feels compelled to murder his best friend. The film switches between the friend stalking his counterpart and the friend taking therapy classes. This method helps develop the storyline and also sets the tone as creepy and disturbing. From the therapy side, the audience is able to get an understanding of the main character and all his unsettling thoughts and from the stalking perspective, the audience is left feeling uneasy as they witness stalking occur on screen. The dual perspective was a successful method and makes me take into consideration what filming technique I would want to use. Although this was a great film opening, I think paying attention to greater detail would have elevated the film. For example, seemingly minor details such as steady camera movement or light helping in making a movie seem professional and high quality. The opening didn't have great lighting or clear quality. Nevertheless, the opening film was great!
The Blue Boar
This film was definitely different from the rest. It was cool to hear music more deeply incorporated into the opening film. Typically music is used to add to the film by adding emphasis or building suspense or energy, but in this case, the music was provided by the main character as she sang. This was a fun take and helped in developing a liberating and playful feel. The main character seems to be freeing herself from the limitations and restrictions of her mother and this is conveyed through not only song by the use of symbolism. As the main character let her hair lose she was figurative and literally loosening the restrains in life and letting go! Although this opening was definitely worth watching I don't think my group and I will take the same approach since none of us are really adamant singers and don't think that a musical would be appropriate for the emotional and serious direction of our own film opening. Nevertheless seeing this opening film widened my perspective and allowed me to see how different techniques and methods affect a film.
White Coat
Uniquely so, this opening film, most obvious to the naked eye, used filters and a clear color scheme. This creative choice helped in making the feel and look more professional. Using a filter and or color scheme is definitely something my group and I have to discuss since it adds a level of professionalism to the screen. Moreover, the opening film seemed to indicate that some sort of scientist has kidnapped a patient and is conducting experiments. The opening film is ominous and unsettling. These moods were created as the opening film showcases the ambiance and atmosphere of the environment. Although the opening was cool and interesting, I personally didn't like that there was no dialogue or much noise. I know this choice was likely made in order to create a creepy feeling, but instead, it left me a little disappointed and underwhelmed. The lack of dialogue or any type of engaging noises or words made the opening feel like it was missing something or unfinished.
Stalker
Well, personally this wasn't one of my favorite opening films. The film is about a teenage girl that has a stalker that seems to finally get a hold of her at the end. The idea was interesting but I think there were some issues with the film opening. The biggest issue for me was the loud, instantaneously, and dramatic music that would play which make the long periods of silence throughout the opening all the more awkward. Background music could have easily fixed this problem. Moreover, the storyline seems a bit predictable and slow. With a topic of a stalker, I feel that the story had the potential to be really cool and intricate, but the opportunity was missed. There were no interesting cuts used to build the suspense or tension of the film which would add a creepy and unsettling feeling. Overall the opening felt dull and lifeless.
Nostalgia
Overall, the film opening seemed slow and boring to me. The opening seemed to have no intriguing points or hooks. Even the music was steady throughout the whole opening which made it feel dull and unexciting. The long-drawn-out title sequence and the display were also a turn-off from the entirety of the opening. Although this opening film was not for me, it has some interesting components, such as the images displayed on the screen. These images seem significant because with each one you were able to grasp a deeper understanding and background. From this, I realized that when I make my own opening film my group and I have to make sure that each image we focus on isn't just taking the time on our video but is actually adding dimension or something beneficial to our opening.
Brainstorm
After watching all these student-made film openings I have a way better understanding and knowledge of what I do and don't want in my group's video. I DO want the perfect music! In each opening film music was a vital component whether it was the perfectly fitted ominous music to match the crepy tones of the opening or the misuse of music to disadvantage the film making it boring or awkward. I DO want to make our opening look professional. When my group and I discussed our film we wanted to make sure that we tried our best to make the opening seem like it belonged in a real movie. After watching examples of others' openings we found that the best way to do this would be to A) Try and pick a color scheme B)Use a good quality camera C) Be intentional with the camera movements, so no shaky hands! I DO want to create a clear storyline and make sure the opening depicts a broad idea of what the movie would be about. Openings are supposed to give the audience a feel for what the movie will be like, so my group and I decided the best way to execute a clear portrayal would be to plan, plan, plan. Some of the examples looked rushed, so this is something we would want to avoid. I DO want to pay attention to detail. If these examples taught me anything it's that the smallest things make the biggest differences, whether it be symbolism or lighting, everything matters! I DON'T want our film to be boring so there will not be any monotone or dull music! I DONT want our film to lack creativity so I will be taking into consideration all the different methods, strategies, and camera angles my group and I can use to really make our film a big success!!!
Comments
Post a Comment