With the project ending soon, our group and I have begun researching certain details and information needed to answer our Creative Critical Reflection.
The main categories of research were:
- Details on all software used throughout project
- Details on the possible or theoretical terms of media distribution
- Final research on the genre conventions of our genre, comparing of our project
- Design of the presentation
We used various systems and programs to aid us designing, producing, and finalizing our film opening, thus we had to gather the information of the resources appropriately to properly communicate in our CCR.
The distribution terms are a key element of our CCR as it shows how we could think and apply knowledge and information learned in class. I began researching certain events which focused on mental health, such as NAMI. The National Alliance on Mental Illness hosts a yearly conference where various parties are invited to learn, educate, and collaborate on projects and policies centered around mental illness, I initially thought it would be a good idea to feature our film opening at one of these conferences. After thinking I decided it would be good as other methods would not be appropriate due to the nature of our efforts to not stereotype people with the illness. Our TA is younger and would not be found at this events, yet the manner by which this film presents itself and the genre is crucial for positive reviews from audience members. By featuring this film at a mental illness conference it would spark conversation on the representation of mental illness in film and would address our own efforts on appropriately representing people who have OCD.
I decided to research some final conventions of our genre to compare it to our film opening and decide whether we truly followed the genre conventions. This is crucial to answer the beginning of the first question in the CCR. This also shows the manners in which we used technique and design to follow genre conventions.
Finally, I researched the best way to present my CCR in an engaging manner which is professional. I decided to create a PowerPoint slide presentation with various images time to a voice over script, this ensures I have accompanying images presented professionally and clearly. This presentation will be screen recorded to then be featured on my blog.
Mar 29, 2019
Mar 26, 2019
A Few Thoughts..
Since this week is focused on the post-production and reflect aspects of our project, this has been a time of thinking and reflection on our work through the given timeline of the project.
The beginning of the project went smoothly and was planned out accordingly based on our schedules. This could have worked more efficiently if we also planned and coordinated the date, location, and things to bring, on days we planned to meet (After school, Starbucks, etc.)
I wanted to focus on the group dynamics as well, where some group members where very specific about creative design and planning, where others acted as support, and some as moderators. I personally found myself as a moderator between the strong personalities in the group and support all group members in an appropriate manner that allowed us to work efficiently despite our differences and characteristics.
Throughout the creative process we collaborated and approved large decisions which would affect the main point, design, look, or understanding of the film opening, this included the omission of certain shots, certain set design elements, and narrative details.
Ultimately, the collaboration in our project served to all group members to present an appropriate project which we are all proud of feature our names.
The beginning of the project went smoothly and was planned out accordingly based on our schedules. This could have worked more efficiently if we also planned and coordinated the date, location, and things to bring, on days we planned to meet (After school, Starbucks, etc.)
I wanted to focus on the group dynamics as well, where some group members where very specific about creative design and planning, where others acted as support, and some as moderators. I personally found myself as a moderator between the strong personalities in the group and support all group members in an appropriate manner that allowed us to work efficiently despite our differences and characteristics.
Throughout the creative process we collaborated and approved large decisions which would affect the main point, design, look, or understanding of the film opening, this included the omission of certain shots, certain set design elements, and narrative details.
Ultimately, the collaboration in our project served to all group members to present an appropriate project which we are all proud of feature our names.
Mar 24, 2019
Day 1 Filming review
This past Friday (03/22/19) was our first day filming our film opening. The scene where the main character Elliot is kidnapped and placed in a messy garage was filmed on this day at Elly's garage which hosted a suitable location and set design elements we needed for present the character in a chaotic moment of conflict. This conflict would be juxtaposed with the scene of Elliot's normal morning, suitable for a person with OCD.
On this day I dressed myself in a white button up shirt, khaki chino pants, white shoes, a brown belt, a leather watch, and opaque brown glasses, these costume elements were discussed in an earlier post. These costume elements show the character and allow the audience to understand the situation the character faces as this "posh well dressed" character is placed in a thrilling scenario which is uncomfortable for him. The following scene acts to support the audiences' thoughts on the character and acts to develop the character while presenting the conflict and lens by which the story will be told in later part of the film.
We had certain issues with lightning in this garage due to a yellow/orange light being the only built in source of light, we used a camping lamp and a special camera light to appropriately use light and maintain consistency with the use of lighting throughout the scene.
Before filming we should have investigated the space/set beforehand to note certain issues we may have ran into, and we could have planed accordingly.
Ultimately, our first day of filming was quite successful with a great amount of footage ready to be exported and to be edited. We had quite some fun filming, below are pictures of our group behind the scenes.
On this day I dressed myself in a white button up shirt, khaki chino pants, white shoes, a brown belt, a leather watch, and opaque brown glasses, these costume elements were discussed in an earlier post. These costume elements show the character and allow the audience to understand the situation the character faces as this "posh well dressed" character is placed in a thrilling scenario which is uncomfortable for him. The following scene acts to support the audiences' thoughts on the character and acts to develop the character while presenting the conflict and lens by which the story will be told in later part of the film.
We had certain issues with lightning in this garage due to a yellow/orange light being the only built in source of light, we used a camping lamp and a special camera light to appropriately use light and maintain consistency with the use of lighting throughout the scene.
Before filming we should have investigated the space/set beforehand to note certain issues we may have ran into, and we could have planed accordingly.
Ultimately, our first day of filming was quite successful with a great amount of footage ready to be exported and to be edited. We had quite some fun filming, below are pictures of our group behind the scenes.
Mar 22, 2019
Final actor
Previously I have noted our dilemma in finding an actor with a congruent schedule for our filming schedule. We ultimately faced too many issues with the drama club at our school due to a state competition where many potential actors will be leaving, thus leaving us with few options.
We also had many friends and classmates who offered to act in our production, yet the timetables did not match and would interfere with our schedule and possible hold us back.
We settled on using myself as the main actor as I will be on set to direct regardless, and our timetables work perfectly. This seems similar to Quentin Tarantino as he has acted in a film where he acted as director.
I am personally not a great actor but I have been trying to improve my acting skills and I will put in the effort to truly work with the character and explore how the character could be conceptualized and place characteristics I deem fit for the character and the situations Elliot will face in the film opening.
Ultimately, the scheduling is crucial to have an appropriate actor portray the character in an effective manner which allows for a connection with audiences.
We also had many friends and classmates who offered to act in our production, yet the timetables did not match and would interfere with our schedule and possible hold us back.
We settled on using myself as the main actor as I will be on set to direct regardless, and our timetables work perfectly. This seems similar to Quentin Tarantino as he has acted in a film where he acted as director.
I am personally not a great actor but I have been trying to improve my acting skills and I will put in the effort to truly work with the character and explore how the character could be conceptualized and place characteristics I deem fit for the character and the situations Elliot will face in the film opening.
Ultimately, the scheduling is crucial to have an appropriate actor portray the character in an effective manner which allows for a connection with audiences.
Mar 21, 2019
Coming up with a name
Since our film opening is based on the personal conflict of the character as well as their mental disorder, we decided to personalize the situation and the character.
We decided to come up with a name for our main character, after discussing with peers we decided to use the name Elliot. By using a name we hope to add a personal "layer" which the actor portraying the character, can use to develop the character. By allowing the character to truly interact with the fictional character we hope this results in the actor associating with the character and properly acting and showing the emotions needed to convey the message of conflict and character development.
We initially had many names:
-Adam
-Alvin
-Theodore
-June
-Simon
-Gerald
-Elliot
We chose Elliot due to the friendly nature of the name and the association with lovable characters in cinema such as Elliot the Dragon from "Pete's Dragon"(1977). This lovable name will hopefully resonate with audiences and allow for a connection with the character and engage the audience.
We decided to come up with a name for our main character, after discussing with peers we decided to use the name Elliot. By using a name we hope to add a personal "layer" which the actor portraying the character, can use to develop the character. By allowing the character to truly interact with the fictional character we hope this results in the actor associating with the character and properly acting and showing the emotions needed to convey the message of conflict and character development.
We initially had many names:
-Adam
-Alvin
-Theodore
-June
-Simon
-Gerald
-Elliot
We chose Elliot due to the friendly nature of the name and the association with lovable characters in cinema such as Elliot the Dragon from "Pete's Dragon"(1977). This lovable name will hopefully resonate with audiences and allow for a connection with the character and engage the audience.
Mar 19, 2019
Changing our storyboard
Since planning our film opening we have been committed to ensuring a great story is relayed through visuals which are appropriate for the situation and exemplify our knowledge on production techniques.
Given feedback from peers, we have decided to change the way which we present our film title, our first concept was to feature the title within a shot which is of a table and has rulers on it. We have decided to change it to the title on a black screen instead, where the title would be differentiated from the composition and aids in the separation of the two scenes in the concept we have developed to show a partial climatic scene followed by a scene which develops the character and conflict experienced throughout the film.
We also thought of possibly tying the character in the garage/kidnapping scene as it would emphasize the intense situation. After thinking over and trying to conceptualize the scene, we decided to forego this decision as it would inhibit the character from interacting in the messy space and would not allow for the development of conflict in the story. This decision would also be an issue in continuity as the scene would continue and would force us to explain greater details with a limited time-frame of our two minutes, we would have to sacrifice parts of the other scene.
Through changes in our storyboard we have addressed the issues and perspectives brought up by peers and will aid in developing a great film opening, this will allow our opening to flow between scenes and create distinction between the situation the character faces versus the situation the character idolizes, which is key for developing the conflict present throughout the film.
*The actual storyboard shots were erased and we edited it by writing that the background is black, we also drew a shot of tied up hands, this shot was later erased
Given feedback from peers, we have decided to change the way which we present our film title, our first concept was to feature the title within a shot which is of a table and has rulers on it. We have decided to change it to the title on a black screen instead, where the title would be differentiated from the composition and aids in the separation of the two scenes in the concept we have developed to show a partial climatic scene followed by a scene which develops the character and conflict experienced throughout the film.
We also thought of possibly tying the character in the garage/kidnapping scene as it would emphasize the intense situation. After thinking over and trying to conceptualize the scene, we decided to forego this decision as it would inhibit the character from interacting in the messy space and would not allow for the development of conflict in the story. This decision would also be an issue in continuity as the scene would continue and would force us to explain greater details with a limited time-frame of our two minutes, we would have to sacrifice parts of the other scene.
Through changes in our storyboard we have addressed the issues and perspectives brought up by peers and will aid in developing a great film opening, this will allow our opening to flow between scenes and create distinction between the situation the character faces versus the situation the character idolizes, which is key for developing the conflict present throughout the film.
*The actual storyboard shots were erased and we edited it by writing that the background is black, we also drew a shot of tied up hands, this shot was later erased
Mar 16, 2019
Actor/ Filming dates
With the film opening being formulated and our film dates approaching, we have found ourselves trying to find actors who can film the specific dates we request.
Our group will be filming 03/22, 03/23, 03/24, 03/25
As these dates are at the beginning of our Spring Beak in Broward County, we have resorted to thinking broadly for actors. We may even have use myself as the main actor, as the main actor was decided as a male character due to the nature of masculinity and its presentation with post-modernist society, where masculinity and its effects are seen and are broken.
For the actors, we want a male teenager (16-18 y/o), who can act well and convey expressive facial motions and feelings.
As the actor plays a crucial role in the opening with no dialogue, we are determined to find the proper actor for the role.
Our group identified possible solutions:
- Making a casting call
- Finding actors who are part of our school's drama program
- Using group members
Ultimately, we will find an actor as we request even with this dilemma as we are determined to find the appropriate actor for the character.
Our group will be filming 03/22, 03/23, 03/24, 03/25
As these dates are at the beginning of our Spring Beak in Broward County, we have resorted to thinking broadly for actors. We may even have use myself as the main actor, as the main actor was decided as a male character due to the nature of masculinity and its presentation with post-modernist society, where masculinity and its effects are seen and are broken.
For the actors, we want a male teenager (16-18 y/o), who can act well and convey expressive facial motions and feelings.
As the actor plays a crucial role in the opening with no dialogue, we are determined to find the proper actor for the role.
Our group identified possible solutions:
- Making a casting call
- Finding actors who are part of our school's drama program
- Using group members
Ultimately, we will find an actor as we request even with this dilemma as we are determined to find the appropriate actor for the character.
Mar 15, 2019
Group Critiques
Today in class we held group critique sessions, similar to the critiques we engaged in during the planning of our projects.
With new groups and fresh minds we all presented the content and ideas we had, which mostly drew discourse and suggestions.
When I presented my group's ideas and current state we generally received positive reinforcement on our ideas and current content, with the exception of our scheduling. The group was concerned about the time we had to edit and film, they suggested we overshoot the days that we will be filming as we may not have too much time to reshoot and edit.
Overall I provided suggestions and constructive criticism for the other group's projects, from advice on costume design, mice-en-scene, dilemmas, acting, and storyboard development.
The process of the group critiques is quite beneficial as all parties benefit with the reinforcement of the positive aspects of one's project, while receiving advice from people who have never seen the project before.
Ultimately, our group will hold a meeting before our film dates so we can organize ourselves based on the suggestions given by the groups and find the similarities and discrepancies identified.
With new groups and fresh minds we all presented the content and ideas we had, which mostly drew discourse and suggestions.
When I presented my group's ideas and current state we generally received positive reinforcement on our ideas and current content, with the exception of our scheduling. The group was concerned about the time we had to edit and film, they suggested we overshoot the days that we will be filming as we may not have too much time to reshoot and edit.
Overall I provided suggestions and constructive criticism for the other group's projects, from advice on costume design, mice-en-scene, dilemmas, acting, and storyboard development.
The process of the group critiques is quite beneficial as all parties benefit with the reinforcement of the positive aspects of one's project, while receiving advice from people who have never seen the project before.
Ultimately, our group will hold a meeting before our film dates so we can organize ourselves based on the suggestions given by the groups and find the similarities and discrepancies identified.
Mar 13, 2019
Costume design
With previous posts on the mice-en-scene elements of our film opening, we have decided to address the costume for our main actor (the person depicted with OCD).
Given advice from our critique groups, the mice-en-scene of our production will follow the conventions exhibited by people with OCD and would be featured as an association with the mental disorder, these conventions would be a clean, tidy, white shirt, grey/khaki pants, a black/brown belt, and clean shoes.
We wanted to use this costume design as it is clean, modern, yet professional all personal aspects held by our character, we also want to character's appearance and actions to juxtapose the surroundings in the scene before the title of our film opening.
The scene after the title, the character will wake up in their clean white room as they wore white pajamas to bed and the bed sheets are neatly folded and done.
All of these attributes will contribute as they will show the character and his appeals which will be juxtaposition with the scene where he is forced into a situation he dislikes, and the featuring of a clean white room will be his bedroom which shows the environment he likes and thus will convey the message of OCD to the audience so they can understand the character and be introduced to the character and the part of the conflict they will face as the movie/story progresses.
Below I have added sketches done to show the costume design, this will likely be amended to the actor we use and specifications such as the use of glasses or sizes of clothes the actor can fit in.
Given advice from our critique groups, the mice-en-scene of our production will follow the conventions exhibited by people with OCD and would be featured as an association with the mental disorder, these conventions would be a clean, tidy, white shirt, grey/khaki pants, a black/brown belt, and clean shoes.
We wanted to use this costume design as it is clean, modern, yet professional all personal aspects held by our character, we also want to character's appearance and actions to juxtapose the surroundings in the scene before the title of our film opening.
The scene after the title, the character will wake up in their clean white room as they wore white pajamas to bed and the bed sheets are neatly folded and done.
All of these attributes will contribute as they will show the character and his appeals which will be juxtaposition with the scene where he is forced into a situation he dislikes, and the featuring of a clean white room will be his bedroom which shows the environment he likes and thus will convey the message of OCD to the audience so they can understand the character and be introduced to the character and the part of the conflict they will face as the movie/story progresses.
Below I have added sketches done to show the costume design, this will likely be amended to the actor we use and specifications such as the use of glasses or sizes of clothes the actor can fit in.
Mar 12, 2019
Group Member roles
For our project we are fortunate to have four people as part of our team, the four of us have many skills and attributes which we can bring to the design, production, and reflection of this film opening.
Since we all have various skills we have decided to enlist roles to later give credit during the film opening, these credits will be; Director, Videographer, Editor, Writer, and main actors.
Throughout the design and production of our film opening we have all collaborated and worked together to address certain issues, to think creatively, and to prompt actions. Since we are asked to place credits for the work done we have decided to give credit as follows:
Together we have worked together and will continue to work together to present an a great film opening!
Since we all have various skills we have decided to enlist roles to later give credit during the film opening, these credits will be; Director, Videographer, Editor, Writer, and main actors.
Throughout the design and production of our film opening we have all collaborated and worked together to address certain issues, to think creatively, and to prompt actions. Since we are asked to place credits for the work done we have decided to give credit as follows:
- Writer - Elizabeth Jaimes
- Editor - Eugenia Scheuren
- Videographer - Rhea Thomas
- Director - Gabriel Quiros (me)
Together we have worked together and will continue to work together to present an a great film opening!
Mar 10, 2019
Accurate Depiction of Mental Illness - Story Board
As our story and film opening will depict a character with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), we ensured to accurately show the disorder through visuals.
Since we had to design proper visuals which show this disorder, we had to design our storyboard around the composition of the frames and scenes.
We began our storyboard with a scene of our main character being thrown into a garage by a stranger, this is meant to show a forced situation like a kidnapping. This is followed by scenes of the character looking around the room at various objects which seem imperfect. Additionally the fast paced editing and camera movements would aid in developing the tense situation's tone.
As the film opening develops, one will see the character fixing these "imperfect items", this is significant as the character's actions and appeal will juxtapose the messy and cluttered garage which seems to affect his emotional stability, a common occurrence in people with OCD.
The film title will then be shown, followed by the character laying in bed where they will get up in a white, clean, and organized room, which is very specific to how a person with OCD may decide to live. This scene will place a greater emphasis on the situation which happened beforehand and will show how this character has OCD, as the scene following the title will withhold fast paced editing and certain sounds.
Below are pictures of our initial concepts and sketches!
Group Meeting
Having our storyboard developed and needing to figure out the logistical aspects of our film opening, our group decided to hold a meeting and discuss certain parts of our project.
The main discussions were on:
- Equipment
- Storyboard edits
- Editing
- Logo
- Production company logo
- Actors needed
Overall the meeting went smoothly and was able to provide the required time not given in class to prepare for filming the opening.
The equipment is discussed in a separate blog posting along with props.
The storyboard was also seen in another posting and features pictures and descriptions of the scenes.
During the meeting we established the logo and design of the production company name, which we decided we would be the first letters of the group member's names. This name would be GEER and would feature a gear design around the G or separate. We decided to feature a production company as it would add to the authenticity of our film opening and would represent the group members who participated in its creation. This design concept can be seen in a picture below!
During the meeting we made sure to talk about the need for two actors, one main and another one who is used for one scene. We need to find an actor who has the proper time for our filming dates and can truly portray the character. We decided to use a friend who said they would be available, in the case of the actor not being able to film, we decided we would use of ourselves (group members) as the actors.
Ultimately, the meeting was very important for our group to communicate past texts and short periods of time during class. The logistics and heart of the film opening were discussed and the preparations for filming are in place, in the meantime we will refine certain aspects such as the storyboard and acting situation.
The main discussions were on:
- Equipment
- Storyboard edits
- Editing
- Logo
- Production company logo
- Actors needed
Overall the meeting went smoothly and was able to provide the required time not given in class to prepare for filming the opening.
The equipment is discussed in a separate blog posting along with props.
The storyboard was also seen in another posting and features pictures and descriptions of the scenes.
During the meeting we established the logo and design of the production company name, which we decided we would be the first letters of the group member's names. This name would be GEER and would feature a gear design around the G or separate. We decided to feature a production company as it would add to the authenticity of our film opening and would represent the group members who participated in its creation. This design concept can be seen in a picture below!
During the meeting we made sure to talk about the need for two actors, one main and another one who is used for one scene. We need to find an actor who has the proper time for our filming dates and can truly portray the character. We decided to use a friend who said they would be available, in the case of the actor not being able to film, we decided we would use of ourselves (group members) as the actors.
Ultimately, the meeting was very important for our group to communicate past texts and short periods of time during class. The logistics and heart of the film opening were discussed and the preparations for filming are in place, in the meantime we will refine certain aspects such as the storyboard and acting situation.
Mar 7, 2019
Font Design/ Title
The title for any film is imperative to design and marketing purposes, thus our team has emphasized this process as any other production would.
The use of the title can add to the mise-en-scene element which can be attributed and associated with the mental disorder we have chosen to feature, OCD. Since we have chosen OCD, we decided to have a clean, simple, and modern font choice for the title of our film, as these are the traits exerted by people with OCD, and would follow the appropriate conventions associated with such disorder.
We drew inspiration from the film "First Man"(2018), which features a clean and simple title which is representative of space and futurists styles.
With this design, we decided to emulate a similar clean and simple font choice for our own film title. Using a font in Adobe Illustrator CC 2018, we identified a similar font to "First Man".
Below is an image our title!
Image source:
“First Man Opening Card.” Electric Bento , www.electricbento.com/movies/first-man-is-an-emotionally-charged-
story-to-get-to-the-moon.
The use of the title can add to the mise-en-scene element which can be attributed and associated with the mental disorder we have chosen to feature, OCD. Since we have chosen OCD, we decided to have a clean, simple, and modern font choice for the title of our film, as these are the traits exerted by people with OCD, and would follow the appropriate conventions associated with such disorder.
We drew inspiration from the film "First Man"(2018), which features a clean and simple title which is representative of space and futurists styles.
With this design, we decided to emulate a similar clean and simple font choice for our own film title. Using a font in Adobe Illustrator CC 2018, we identified a similar font to "First Man".
Below is an image our title!
Although the styles look a slightly different, they both hold the same characteristics which distinguish both titles, aid in conveying certain elements of mine-en-scne such as the style of production. The use of the straight lines is a stereotypical but normally accurate representation of the style embodies by people with OCD.
“First Man Opening Card.” Electric Bento , www.electricbento.com/movies/first-man-is-an-emotionally-charged-
story-to-get-to-the-moon.
Mar 5, 2019
Equipment/ Prop use
With our filming dates approaching, our group has decided to have a proper discussion about the equipment needed for filming to take place.
The main equipment would be:
-Cameras
-Lighting equipment
-Sound equipment/ editing
-Props
-Editing softwares.
For the cameras we will be using a Canon T7i. We have access to this camera through some of our group members being part of a television production program at our school, where we will also have access to sound equipment and lighting.
In regards to editing we have access to Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2018, which is a great editing software which all of our group members have experience using.
For props, we will likely buy certain items we may not have, but overall we will be using mostly household items.
We will also be using Adobe Illustrator CC 2018 and Adobe Photoshop CC 2018, which I am personally familiar with, these will be used to design our film title and the production company logos.
Picture sources:
“EOS Rebel T7i EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM Lens Kit.” EOS Rebel T7i EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM Lens Kit,
Canon USA, shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/eos-rebel-t7i-ef-s-18-55-is-stm-kit-digital-slr.
“Adobe Creative Cloud .” TechSoup CANADA, www.techsoupcanada.ca/en/adobe-cloud/product/adobe-creative-
all-apps-plan-1-year-individual-membership-—-access-to-discounted.
The main equipment would be:
-Cameras
-Lighting equipment
-Sound equipment/ editing
-Props
-Editing softwares.
For the cameras we will be using a Canon T7i. We have access to this camera through some of our group members being part of a television production program at our school, where we will also have access to sound equipment and lighting.
In regards to editing we have access to Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2018, which is a great editing software which all of our group members have experience using.
For props, we will likely buy certain items we may not have, but overall we will be using mostly household items.
We will also be using Adobe Illustrator CC 2018 and Adobe Photoshop CC 2018, which I am personally familiar with, these will be used to design our film title and the production company logos.
“EOS Rebel T7i EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM Lens Kit.” EOS Rebel T7i EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM Lens Kit,
Canon USA, shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/eos-rebel-t7i-ef-s-18-55-is-stm-kit-digital-slr.
“Adobe Creative Cloud .” TechSoup CANADA, www.techsoupcanada.ca/en/adobe-cloud/product/adobe-creative-
all-apps-plan-1-year-individual-membership-—-access-to-discounted.
Mar 3, 2019
Examples of genre conventions
Having established our genre and identified certain conventions of such genre, I have decided to view certain examples where these conventions are present, and how we could use them in our film opening.
- "Orphan" (2009) -
This psychological thriller is based on an orphan girl who is adopted by a family in the United States, she is originally from a mental ward for children in the Ukraine. This film focuses on the metal health issues this orphan faces and her journey with assimilating with her adopting family. The tone of the film is dark and mysterious, similar to the actions and appearance of the orphan girl.
This tone is achieved with set design, costume design, and editing. The dark monochromatic color scheme present in the set and costumes can be juxtaposed, and therefore are emphasized in contrast with lighter colors and lighting as seen outdoors, in the hospital scenes, and in the car.
This juxtaposition is also evident with the dark "filter" used by editing the film and having a darker look, specifically when showing the orphan girl, particularly towards the ending of the film when darker subjects arise.
Our team looks forward to incorporating these techniques when producing our film opening as it will aid in the development of our tone and subsequently, the story. We plan on using close-ups, low-key lighting, fast paced editing, dark monochromatic color schemes, and a specific design for costumes.
- "Toc Toc" (2017)
"Toc Toc" is a Spanish film based on OCD, potentially the disorder our story will focus on. This film is quite different from a thriller, as it is comedic but overall has a unique way in presenting this psychological disorder.
The opening of the film features a montage of a character's OCD fixations as they are arriving to a clinic for therapy. As more characters arrive in a waiting room, each get to know each other and finally work together to figure out and disrupt their fixations. This lighthearted film introduces the mental disorder by the details of a person's fixations, while contributing to the storyline.
On the artistic attributes this film maintains an orange-brown and blue monochromatic color scheme which is symbolic of the situation the characters find themselves including the environments and acts to emphasize certain character's details on fixations.
This film also features many close-ups to the characters and small details which draw attention and are used for symbolism. Although the reasoning for the technical use is to serve a separate type of film, the same technique along with set design and other elements of mise-en-scene can act to draw attention to certain details, act for symbolism, and aid in introducing certain elements of storytelling, specifically as we are attempting to introduce the conflict a character faces with their own mental disorder.
Ultimately, we can utilize elements of costume design, color, set design, and camera movements to aid in the presentation of our mental disorder in a manner which follows genre conventions, and act centripetally to our storyline.
- "Orphan" (2009) -
This psychological thriller is based on an orphan girl who is adopted by a family in the United States, she is originally from a mental ward for children in the Ukraine. This film focuses on the metal health issues this orphan faces and her journey with assimilating with her adopting family. The tone of the film is dark and mysterious, similar to the actions and appearance of the orphan girl.
This tone is achieved with set design, costume design, and editing. The dark monochromatic color scheme present in the set and costumes can be juxtaposed, and therefore are emphasized in contrast with lighter colors and lighting as seen outdoors, in the hospital scenes, and in the car.
This juxtaposition is also evident with the dark "filter" used by editing the film and having a darker look, specifically when showing the orphan girl, particularly towards the ending of the film when darker subjects arise.
Our team looks forward to incorporating these techniques when producing our film opening as it will aid in the development of our tone and subsequently, the story. We plan on using close-ups, low-key lighting, fast paced editing, dark monochromatic color schemes, and a specific design for costumes.
- "Toc Toc" (2017)
"Toc Toc" is a Spanish film based on OCD, potentially the disorder our story will focus on. This film is quite different from a thriller, as it is comedic but overall has a unique way in presenting this psychological disorder.
The opening of the film features a montage of a character's OCD fixations as they are arriving to a clinic for therapy. As more characters arrive in a waiting room, each get to know each other and finally work together to figure out and disrupt their fixations. This lighthearted film introduces the mental disorder by the details of a person's fixations, while contributing to the storyline.
On the artistic attributes this film maintains an orange-brown and blue monochromatic color scheme which is symbolic of the situation the characters find themselves including the environments and acts to emphasize certain character's details on fixations.
This film also features many close-ups to the characters and small details which draw attention and are used for symbolism. Although the reasoning for the technical use is to serve a separate type of film, the same technique along with set design and other elements of mise-en-scene can act to draw attention to certain details, act for symbolism, and aid in introducing certain elements of storytelling, specifically as we are attempting to introduce the conflict a character faces with their own mental disorder.
Ultimately, we can utilize elements of costume design, color, set design, and camera movements to aid in the presentation of our mental disorder in a manner which follows genre conventions, and act centripetally to our storyline.
Conventions of a Psych Thriller
After being able to get in groups and receive constructive criticisms on our project, a reoccurring subject of discourse was the mise-en-scene elements within the film opening.
Many of the critique group members mentioned how the psychological disorder we chose, should be aligned with the tone of the film and the complexities within storytelling. One way we could develop this tone is through the set design, lighting, color use, and costume. This could be integrated to add to a darker and mysterious tone which is common in psychological thrillers.
I found a helpful guide which shows and discusses the conventions of a psychological thriller, could can access a page to download it from here.
This guide focuses on the use of:
Mirrors as elements of set design used for "horror" elements or narrative development of character's "self", a common theme in psychological thrillers
Additionally, the use of fast paced editing of certain scenes can aid in the development of chaos, also a common theme in psych thrillers, specifically related to a mental disorder or the development of story and character.
Flashbacks are also common ways to introduce information about a character, this is quite specific to psychological thrillers as it could include relevant information in a quick time period.
Low-key lightning is known as effective when showing a personal moment, specifically when directed to a subject character, this technique can also be used throughout the production and adds a mysterious look to the composition of the film. The low-key lighting is seen throughout many films, it adds to the set design and can be incorporated to our film opening to add a mysterious and ominous tone and look to our opening.
Ultimately, the use of technical elements such as editing, flashbacks, mirrors, and low-key lighting can attribute the tone desired for our film opening, which affects the manner in which we present our story.
Many of the critique group members mentioned how the psychological disorder we chose, should be aligned with the tone of the film and the complexities within storytelling. One way we could develop this tone is through the set design, lighting, color use, and costume. This could be integrated to add to a darker and mysterious tone which is common in psychological thrillers.
I found a helpful guide which shows and discusses the conventions of a psychological thriller, could can access a page to download it from here.
This guide focuses on the use of:
Mirrors as elements of set design used for "horror" elements or narrative development of character's "self", a common theme in psychological thrillers
Additionally, the use of fast paced editing of certain scenes can aid in the development of chaos, also a common theme in psych thrillers, specifically related to a mental disorder or the development of story and character.
Flashbacks are also common ways to introduce information about a character, this is quite specific to psychological thrillers as it could include relevant information in a quick time period.
Low-key lightning is known as effective when showing a personal moment, specifically when directed to a subject character, this technique can also be used throughout the production and adds a mysterious look to the composition of the film. The low-key lighting is seen throughout many films, it adds to the set design and can be incorporated to our film opening to add a mysterious and ominous tone and look to our opening.
Ultimately, the use of technical elements such as editing, flashbacks, mirrors, and low-key lighting can attribute the tone desired for our film opening, which affects the manner in which we present our story.
Mar 2, 2019
Making changes!
With deciding our portfolio project genre; Psychological-Thriller, we have identified certain concepts we want to emphasis. When developing our story, we decided to centripetally use a mental disorder to allow for character development and acts as conflict within our story, once again using conventions of drama.
We met in groups to discuss our progress on the portfolio projects, during this process we viewed each others work and ideas to provide constructive criticism. When presenting the ideas of our group, the team members identified certain discrepancies within the development of our story and details of our film opening.
Suggestions included:
- Appropriately identifying and portraying a mental disorder
- Using mise-en-scene to appropriately
-Formulating our entire story of conflict around the pressure or personal issue with having the disease
This third point could be reflective of films such as "The Fault in Our Stars" (2014) or "Love Simon" (2018), where one film focuses on a physical disorder, while the other focuses on the struggle of a teenage boy who is gay and is on his experience in coming of age. While these films are not truly on the basis for our film as references, they can allow us to hold examples of character/conflict development, which is a crucial element in the entirety of our story.
By developing our story, we can then decide on ways we could introduce such story in a creative and effect manner, parallel with the message we want relayed to the viewer.
We met in groups to discuss our progress on the portfolio projects, during this process we viewed each others work and ideas to provide constructive criticism. When presenting the ideas of our group, the team members identified certain discrepancies within the development of our story and details of our film opening.
Suggestions included:
- Appropriately identifying and portraying a mental disorder
- Using mise-en-scene to appropriately
-Formulating our entire story of conflict around the pressure or personal issue with having the disease
This third point could be reflective of films such as "The Fault in Our Stars" (2014) or "Love Simon" (2018), where one film focuses on a physical disorder, while the other focuses on the struggle of a teenage boy who is gay and is on his experience in coming of age. While these films are not truly on the basis for our film as references, they can allow us to hold examples of character/conflict development, which is a crucial element in the entirety of our story.
By developing our story, we can then decide on ways we could introduce such story in a creative and effect manner, parallel with the message we want relayed to the viewer.
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