Here are the links to my Film Opening and my two CCR's im really excited to share the final product as the production was a journey!! :)

Film Opening: https://browardcountyschools-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/0620021719_my_browardschools_com/IgBE2-HFyNqgQ5_gGeXq_xwBAZnOpKV_O2T5YLNn9qLekW8?e=4GpdZe

CCR #1:  https://browardcountyschools-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/r/personal/0620021719_my_browardschools_com/Documents/Videos/Clipchamp/CCR%20%231?csf=1&web=1&e=3nFdbz

CCR #2:  https://browardcountyschools-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/r/personal/0620021719_my_browardschools_com/Documents/Videos/Clipchamp/CCR%20%232?csf=1&web=1&e=Vf14oh

Developing Carlos

    When trying to come with a name for a character that not only fit the actor that will be playing our character but also fell in line with what we wanted it was definitely a struggle. Since I will be portraying our character in the opening and I come from Mexican heritage it helped to narrow down the choices to mostly Hispanic names. At first I went through my contacts and talked to the mostly Hispanic student body at my school to try to find common names but was not happy with the most common before coming to the realization that I could just use the original name  my parents planned to give me, being Carlos. I also found this to be somewhat fitting for my character as being named Carlos is such a simple decision could've happened to me in a very not so distant timeline just as any person including me could go through the same hardships as our character through spur of the moment actions or decisions.

(Donnie Darko 2001)

    After giving Carlos a name and a face I wanted to add more to his character than just what the story would tell us about him. One element I want to show about Carlos is that even though he may be going through a rough spot in his life that he like most people in similar situations have support systems by showing picture strips of him and his friends or adding unanswered texts from friends on his phone. I also want to show that while our character is doing bad things or committing big mistakes that he's not a bad person rather a misguided one. I can make this evident by showing flashbacks or showing pictures of friends and family with the character being happy before his eventual spiral into depression and problems.

Ideas and Inspiration

    This blog is going to delve into the final idea that me and my partner have developed for our film opening and some major inspirations that contributed to our ideas. The idea that my partner and I have come up with is an opening that will focus on a teenager that has been struggling with mental health and life at home deciding to a "escape" from his problems and sneak out from home in the middle of the night and only bring what they need leaving everything else behind. The message that we wanna portray to the audience is that even though the character is going through a rough patch in his life and everything is looking down for him the answer to fixing problems isn't just abandoning your problems and rather fixing them at the root to truly find closure and grow as a person. We also felt it was appropriate to make our project based on experiences and feelings that our group and many teens are all too familiar with as not only can we provide a deeper understanding to our characters actions, but there's also a connection that many audience members can feel.

  The other significant source of inspiration to our project is the other coming of age movies that dwell on the inner battle teenagers face and the way this inner conflict contributes to their development. Most of these movies feature characters who have to grapple with a sense of isolation, disorientation, or stress in the surrounding world which is what we were hoping to capture in our story. Through these types of films we intend on inspiring to create an opening that does not only establish the character and his state but also the emotional quality of the rest of the story and give the viewer a clue as to why the character feels he even needs to get away in the first place.

Media Theory

    For my project I want to try to incorporate some theories that have already been established in the media sphere to try to give it more established concepts. One I think can definitely fit into my story as well as relate to my character is the cultivation theory from George Gerbner and how it relates to the development of common views to my advantage. The theory states that widespread views and public opinions are developed in the minds of people when exposure to media is repeated over longer periods of time. A common example that derives from this theory is the development of stereotypes or certain behaviors of different character races, genders, or cultures when specifics tropes are repeated by characters that represent these groups.

    While this building of stereotypes can create stigma and occasionally build negative views over certain groups of individuals I plan  to use already existing tropes and stereotypes to build and show the audience the character of my protagonist without using dialogue. In my project my protagonist is a troubled teenager that is struggling with both physical and mental problems causing them to leave home, as it is the source of their trouble so I can use many aspects to show the audience this without having my character speak at an inappropriate time. One element I can employ is the use of mise-en-scene by using all black colors and rugged or alternate style of clothing to dress my character as it has become a common trope to have more disturbed or depressed characters wear this in media. Additionally I could use elements of sound like emo or gothic music playing from headphones to again play on the stereotype commonly seen by these characters listening to this type of music.

Credit Scenes

 The study of Credit Sequences in Coming-of-Age Movies.

As I stated in my last post, the opening of a film is crucial, as it provides the first impression of the story's tone, characters, and overall mood. The other important element of a film's opening is the credit sequence; it acknowledges the individuals who assisted in producing the film and establishes the atmosphere intended for viewers. I looked up a number of credit sequences in films of the coming-of-age genre before I could sort out how I want to structure the credits to include in my own project. This helped me to observe how various filmmakers can incorporate credits without distracting from the story.

Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

The credit sequence in Napoleon Dynamite is very innovative. The names are written on various common items, such as food items, notebooks, and cassette tapes, on a table instead of being displayed

over the film scenes. This is effective as it gives the film an awkward and bizarre tone immediately. The ordinary items represent the small-town life of the protagonist, and at the same time, the credits are also very appealing, without the necessity of complex images.

Juno (2007)

The opening credits of Juno are based on a hand-drawn animation style that traces the main character as he strolls in her neighborhood. The animated sequence is accompanied by the lively indie music that suits the character of the movie. It is such a credit flow that contributes to shaping the tone of the film since the style of animation is immature and imaginative. It also corresponds to the character of the protagonist, demonstrating that the movie is going to revolve around a teenager who has a peculiar approach to life.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

The film Spider-Man: Homecoming starts with a video of Peter Parker talking in a vlog on his phone at the beginning of the events that happened in the Captain America: Civil War film. Although the film features classic credits, this introduction serves as an innovative approach to the presentation of the character and the story. This is a good style of presentation since it would be natural for a teenage character to record his adventures using video. It instantly reveals Peter's excitement and personality and also sets a light-hearted atmosphere for the film.

Conclusion

Having studied these sequences of credits, I realized that a lot of coming-of-age movies involve imaginative shots that indicate the character or the atmosphere of the narration. Filmmakers do not just place text onto random scenes but, in most cases, create the credits in such a way that they appear to be related to the themes of the film. In my own project, I would prefer the credit sequence to include a sense of naturalness and connection with the story, maybe using objects near the character during the scene or making the credits fit in with the environment. This will enable the credits to be on the screen without diverting the audience at the beginning of the movie.

Film Openings

 Writing a Catchy Movie Introduction to the Coming-of-Age Film.

As I stated previously in my post, my project will deal with the coming-of-age genre, which is characterized by a young hero (or heroine) going through the process of personal growth, self-discovery, and struggles in order to enter adult life. Since the opening scene is the first impression of the audience about the story, it is an influential part of the introduction of the character, tone, and main motifs of the movie. Before making my decision on how I would like to form the opening of my own project, I went ahead and did some research on the openings of some famous coming-of-age movies to understand what tricks they apply and how they establish the story.

Research

Most of the coming-of-age movies start with the setting of the main character and their emotional state. These introductions usually depict daily life, school environment, or scenes that allude to the things that the lead character is going to undergo during the movie.

The Breakfast Club (1985)

At the beginning of The Breakfast Club, the five main characters are presented when they are heading to school to receive detention on a Saturday. The scene depicts that every student is being dropped off by their parents, and at the very beginning of the scene, it is clear that the personalities and family orders are different. As an illustration, some parents are tough and confrontational, whereas other parents appear remote or indifferent.

This introduction is effective since it immediately forms the stereotypes that each of the characters displays, being the athlete, the nerd, the princess, the rebel, and the outcast. Meanwhile, it is a clue that the movie will be a more profound exploration of the issue of identity and misconceptions between adolescents and adults.

Lady Bird (2017)

The opening of Lady Bird starts with the protagonist, Christine Lady Bird, driving with the mother, who has just been to a college campus. The quiet scene soon changes into a situation of arguing about the future of Lady Bird and her wish to escape her hometown.

This introductory line is successful since it directly presents the main conflict of the book: Lady Bird and her family struggle with the issue of independence and her connection with her parents. The scene was also helpful to establish the emotional atmosphere of the movie, as it revealed some comedy and tension between the characters.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012).

The Perks of Being a Wallflower starts with Charlie writing letters about his life, where he is looking forward to entering high school. This narration is an introduction to his ideas and feelings, alongside depicting his solitude and worry.

This is a strong opening since the reader finds himself right inside the mind of the main character. Listening to the inner monologue of Charlie, there is no need to explain to the viewers that it is the story of his personal development, his friends, and his identity issues.

Conclusion

Having read about these openings, I have observed that most coming-of-age films revolve around bringing the personal conflicts of the main character to the forefront, be it in family conflicts, the school setting, or a narration of the character. These introductions enable the viewer to grasp the character and the issues that they will encounter fast. In my own project, I would also prefer the first pages to set the emotional state and environment of the main character in a natural manner, like Lady Bird and The Perks of Being a Wallflower do with their characters. Meanwhile, I would like the scene to give subtle foreshadowing to the personal journey that the character will have in the film.

Drama Genre

     In addition to coming-of-age, me and my partner also wanted to research a genre that goes hand in hand with it, being drama. We chose this drama as it allows the emotional weight that is a heavy theme in the story to feel serious and grounded with reality. Even though by nature I'm not a very dramatic person by nature and am not very good at putting on a dramatic show, however my partner assured me that she could help. Additionally many of my friends that agreed to help me are from the drama department at my school and they agreed to give me advice and examples of how to act in a way that feels both fictional but realistic. To make sure i have an understanding of drama as a genre and how i can make it properly fit into my story I have done research on it and some popular instances of drama in media.

Genre Research                                                                                (The Shawshank Redemption 1994)

Drama works by making emotional stakes a central point of the story and rather than rely on exaggerated humor commonly found in movies that disconnects it from reality. Since were trying to create a more serious film it can allow the audience to get immersed with the internal battles that the character must deal with rather then seeing them as just common teenage problems that are minor. The conflict in drama can come from both internal and external factors as they can deal with mental problems like insecurity, self-doubt, or guilt and outside issues with friends and family which will both present in the story we create. Mise-en-scene elements often employed in drama media are intimate framing and close-up shots that create tension and allow the audience to really capture emotional shifts and natural lighting to keep the setting authentic and in the moment.

(Good Will Hunting 1997)

What really ensures that a drama is made well are the emotions and how they develop throughout the film, as the stakes being placed must feel important to the audience. Without an important conflict or if it feels unrealistic from exaggeration it weakens the emotional impact. The pacing of the film also contributes a lot to the genre as they often take slower approaches to progression which creates downtime in which the story can stick with the audience. Most importantly to make a drama that is not only good but impactful to an audience is by making them feel emotions as if the story were real whether it be negative emotions like sadness or anger as well as positive ones like hope. A mix of both allows the story to feel well rounded and like a real journey through emotions.