Title Ideas

     Now, I know, I've realized that I've been putting this off. Weather subconsciously or not, I have definitely been avoiding coming up with a darn title for this project. But can you blame me? This stuff is hard. I feel like the title is such a pivotal part of the opening since it has to fit well with the tone, the mood, the VIBE of the film opening. I've always hated making titles for anything, it's like a phobia. On my poems, drawings, essays, film projects... relationships... ANYWAY, I've been brainstorming some ideas for possible titles and I think I'm close. 

1. Memento - It fits with the whole theme of looking back and hating happy old memories because one feels miserable in comparison. "Memento" works since there is a physical object that reminds Arlo of when they were happy. 

2. Vain/ Futile - This one leans more toward the depressing aspect of the film opening, conveying how Arlo feels that life has no meaning anymore and how it's all useless. Arlo feels that their life has amounted to nothing. 

3. Looking Back/ Nostalgia/ Retrospect - Kind of piggybacking off the memento idea but a little more simple. Also apparently Christopher Nolan already made a movie called memento... he's lucky he's one of my favorite directors because OH MY-! So these are just some alternatives that I think could still fit pretty well. I do have to admit however, Nostalgia is really cringe. 

Costuming

     Oh, I almost forgot to post this before, but another aspect I put generous amounts of though into was Arlo's outfit. What would they be wearing throughout the opening. I though long and hard about this and came up with many ideas. I though of a red hoodie and a blue shirt to convey both saddness and anger, but though it would look too unnatural and cartoonish. I though about just going with an all black outfit, but that felt to simple, and Arlo would just fade into the background that way, they needed to stick out somehow. 

    I wanted something realistic and simple, but would still help to express how Arlo feels and make them the focal point of the opening, which they are. So I settled on black joggers, a black shirt with some red in it, and a red zip-up hoodie. I thought the black and baggy outfit could represent Arlos depression as well as fitting well and realistically with a non-bianary characters clothing. The red zip-up then representing the anger and disdain they feel, wearing it as a protective shell of sorts. 

Set #1

     OK, I got a rough draft per say together of what the set will look like for inicial filming tomorrow. There is still defenitely more I can and probably will add to it as well as some tweaks here and there. However, I just really needed to see something to try and invision how this will actually go. There are also already some deveations and changes I made from my original plan, some were voluntary and other weren't. 

    Firstly, during actual filming, this all will be a lot darker, I want to keep the lighting to a mínimum to add to the depressing tone of my opening. Some light will be coming from the computer, some from an outside source, and I'm still debating adding a lama in there. Also, the papers, I decided that the set needed something more, and I though papers were the perfect addition that could give it that sense of frantic disorder that reflecta Arlo's mental state. 

Prepping

    My room had to go through some pretty big changes for this idea of mine to work. As it existed before, the space was too small for anything to be done with it. And, seeing as I wanted "Arlo's room" to be one of the two locations in which my opening was filmed, I had to do something about that. So I did! It didn't take as much as I though it would, just slightly rearranging some things. 

    Here's a time-lapse. Enjoy me struggling to move my huge bed: 

    Now, there's a ton of space in between my bed and desk to decorate, or 'dress' the set, WOO! I've always loved set design and I'm really hoping to do my very best on the mise-en-scene elements, of course with whatever is available to me. It's not going to be Hollywood movie level, but I just wish to make something I can be proud of. 

Storyboarding

    Now here is the real way I plan for this project to go. The Plan B (Plan Better). The plan to end all plans. Excuse my non-existent drawing skills. 

    There in the beginning is some examples of the kind of shots that I would put between the shutter effect that I've been meaning to try out for the credits. It's very probable that I'll do more than what is shown. Also, the transition with the eye-close up going from night to day, simultaneously changing setting and scene. 

    It's clear from this storyboard that I am a very big fan of transitions, smooth ones more specifically (what can I say? I'm a smooth crimial ;) lol). Not only does the picture frame trigger Arlo, but they're also shown watching an old video of them as a baby, which only adds fuel to the fire. 

Some overall notes: 

    - Most shots will be dragged out, they will be long and still. Done to convey depressed and static tone/mood. 

    - The jump cuts toward the end illustrates Arlo's quick shift in attitude. Arlo becomes anxious, panicked, and frustrated. 

    - The shutter effect at the very beginning almost hints at/foreshadows how frantic and trapped Arlo feels. 

    - Scenes constantly change from day to night so the audience isn't really sure of the timeline or when these events are taking place. Done to show how Arlo feels they have no control over their own life and the days are all melting together (no concept of time). 

Orginal Plan

    As I mentioned before, I've actually been thinking and coming up with ideas for this project since second quarter. So there's been a lot of thought put into this, and surprisingly, my concept has not changed that much. I began with an emotionally caged and frustrated character, in their room, and it's evident that they are losing it. Here's a picture of my pas plan (very well drawn out might I add): 

    My original plan however had a scene of my character writing "WHERE DREAMS COME TO DIE" really big on the walls of their room, trying to express how they feel in some way, and then walking out of the room, of screen, ending the opening. I asked my mother if I could write on my bedroom door, and she promptly responded no, which is fair. So, I had to come up with something else. This is how I came to the hallway/photograph/memories idea. I though it'd be good to have a nice change of scenery after the credits to establish that distinction. 

    I still am grateful to past me for coming up with this and fleshing it out pretty well despite not knowing what this project had in store. Thank you past me! 

Shooting Schedule

    Unfortunately, due to school competition, I am not able to start filming this week for my project. So, I decided that it would be best to stay as productive as possible and clearly define my shooting schedule.  I'll be specifying what scenes need to be done by when and when would be most ideal to shoot them. Spring break will also be interrupting a lot of the time that I would otherwise have for filming, meaning I have to plan accordingly to be able to get all my filming done in the little time I have. My way of tackling this is that the more prepared I am, the faster I can shoot my scenes and have everything go smoother. 

Primary filming will be done on Saturday, Sunday being used as a catch all, of next week. The rest of the week beforehand will be used to get everything in order, materials, set décor, setup, etc. This is how I'm splitting it:

Saturday: (early morning) photograph scene in the hallway. Washed out bright, but soft, lighting through curtains. 

                    (late at night) credits scene of different flickering cuts, "flashback" scene of Arlo looking at old footage - film reaction. 

Sunday: any corrections that need to be done + additional footage needed