Day 1 of production!

We were able to begin production today, and it went pretty well. But that doesn't mean we didn't encounter some struggles along the way.

We started off with the beginning scene, which is the main character, played by my partner Brady, being awoken by an alarm clock. We had the idea to do a slow zoom on the clock, and found that it was much more effective to slowly move the camera closer rather than zoom in on the phone.

One key element that was going to be a challenge in production, was finding a way to get bruises on Brady's arm. But with the help of his mom, we were able to use makeup to create very realistic bruises needed for our close up shot.

Brady's Mom helping out

The results

Moving from here, we headed upstairs to film another tough series: the mirror shots. As the camera man, it was challenging to get a good shot of Brady in the mirror, without appearing in the shot myself. But after a few attempts, I was able to fully capture Brady, without appearing myself in the frame.

Overcoming the mirror shot

It was a very successful first shoot day, that had some struggles but showed we are able to overcome them. We plan to shoot the end shots where the bully returns home next, before filming the car shots and school shots later.

Color Schemes in our Film Opening

 In all projects and films, color schemes play a very important and diverse role in establishing the tone, mood and audience perception. In out film opening, we will use color to establish the emotional depth of our protagonist and create a contrast between the different settings. By carefully utilizing a diverse pallet, we can discretely communicate themes of aggression, isolation, and vulnerability, which we hope will further expand upon the viewing experience as a whole.

For the school environment, we are going to focus on more neutral tones, such as cool blues and grays. This will emphasize the protagonists struggle with fitting into the school hierarchy. On the other hand, the house portion will feature a more dark, desaturated color pallett featuring shadows, and cold whites to fully get the depressed mood. Subtle spurts of warm, bright colors reflect the protagonist's personality with the light shining through the dark.

Example of light shining into dark room

By meticulously developing our film opening color scheme we can lead the audience viewing experience how we want, and develop the storytelling. This ensures that every frame reinforces the theme of the story as a whole.

The Role of Sound in Our Project

 Sound design is a vital yet often underestimated element that can easily help to shape the audiences connection to the project. In out film opening, sound will play a crucial piece in presenting the protagonist's internal dilemmas as well as creating the atmosphere. By carefully using both diegetic and non-diegetic sounds, we can create an immersive experience that further enhances the story beyond just relying on visuals.

We hope to use a consistent variation of ambient noise, dialogue as well as emotional music, inserted throughout reflecting the struggles of our main character. At school, we will utilize distant chatter and the soft hum of the ceiling lights to create a tense demeanor surrounding the protagonist. Attached is an example of the type of background noises we are looking for.

In contrast, at the main character's home, the environment will be more eerie and quiet. Creaky floorboards or muffled conversations can create a tense, unstable environment. The music in these scenes will switch between heavy tones and softer more melancholy like melodies. 

By carefully and deliberately designing the film's soundscape, we can create additional depth to our story, ensuring that there are contributions coming from every sound we produce throughout. The sounds need to further develop and enhance the characters as well as the world around them. This can hopefully perfect the immersive qualities of the film and strengthen the impact of it as well. 

How To Incorporate Mise en Scene Part 2: Costumes

 Costume design is a very important feature that can communicate to the audience many concepts such as emotions, traits and themes. In out film opening, costume choices will be vital in creating and developing our main character. with him being framed as a high school bully, we can display that, while also hinting at his inner struggles. We can develop and contrast his rough exterior with his vulnerability that lies underneath. This adds depth to his character and the film as a whole, without having to rely heavily on dialogue.

The main characters wardrobe will mostly consist of dark clothing, specifically oversized hoodies, jeans, and darker shoes. These are designed to display a sort of dominance and intimidation given off by the character. 

Jeans:

Oversized black hoodie:

These choices align with the stereotypical bully, helping set him up initially with that role. On top of that, the clothes serve as a metaphorical type of armor, shielding him from the outside world. If possible, we would like to add signs of wear and tear to the clothes as well, reflecting the neglect our character receives at home. 

We also will aim to dress the other students at the school i brighter clothing, juxtaposing our main characters dark attire. 

By thoughtfully selecting our main character's wardrobe, we can enhance the storytelling process by offering affirming visuals in regard to the perceptions the audience initially picks up about the bully. This ensures that costume design will play a very meaningful and powerful role in shaping the audiences view on our project as well as deepening their emotional investment. 

How to Incorporate Mise en scene: Part 1- Lighting

Lighting is one of the most important devices in mise-en-scene, shaping the vibe and mood to guide audience interpretations and reinforce the theme of the project. In our film opening, we plan to utilize lighting to express the protagonist's internal struggles, as a misunderstood high school bully who is impacted by his poor home life. We can carefully design the lighting to subtly hint towards the contrasting emotions of our main character, and show off his public persona at the same time.

One way to do this, we will utilize cold and dim lighting in the scenes at his home to emphasize the antagonizing atmosphere. We plan to use lots of dark shadows, to create a sense of isolation and depression, while small bits of light seep in. This could be done through a cracked door or bright TV. This symbolizes slight moments of encouraging signs and vulnerability. 

To contrast the home scenes, the school will feature harsh, fluorescent lighting to create an impersonal, sharp environment, reinforcing our main characters struggle to continue his tough exterior. These intentional lighting contrasts can help us elevate the storytelling and further impact audience engagement.

By prioritizing lighting as a key element of mise-en-scene, we can make sure that each frame serves a key purpose in building the environment of the film to further audience understanding of the protagonist. This approach enhances the storytelling while minimizing reliance on a dialogue heavy script.

Character Creation Process

 When it comes to storytelling, character development can be a crucial and vital tool, specifically when it comes to short films (like our film opening). Every detail must help develop the audiences understanding of the world, and the participants in the world. 

Our character, who initially comes off as a prototypical high school aged bully, is framed as a one dimensional terrorizer, yet his actions stem from his own home and experiences that are caused by the abusive environment he endures. By examining him further, we can see he is a more nuanced and emotional figure than what meets the eye. He is not a villain but he is just a product of the poor hand he was dealt. This complexity can add further depth to our project by beginning to present the main character in a different light through visual storytelling.

In our opening sequence, we plan to immediately display the bully's outward appearance and image, likely by having him act aggressive towards another student. However, using careful shots, and contrasting sound and music, we can reveal small instances of his vulnerability.  A brief hesitation before attacking, feelings of remorse afterwards, and the partially hidden bruised arms can all serve as visual storytelling elements that foreshadow and hint out the deeper struggles he has. 

An idea for the characters bruised arms

These details draw in the audience, giving them an emotional attachment to the character and the film as a whole.

By carefully creating our main characters story and persona, our film opening will go beyond stereotypes and instead provide an emotionally challenging exploration of how personal struggles develop behavior. This approach ensures a more in depth, engaging experience for the audience.

 

Storyboard

 This week, we completed the storyboard for our project, we hope this will help us further envision the project. 

We don’t have a title picked yet, so that’s why it isn’t pictured in the title sequence slide.