Everything was going great. We were all excited to get the majority of our filming done this weekend, as well as the photoshoot, and then the unthinkable happened. Our actors had lives outside of our portfolio project. I know what you're thinking, what kind of "friends" are these right? Well, unfortunately, life happens, and the people you think are your "friends" end up stabbing you in the back (I'm kidding, these are great people who unfortunately had scheduling conflicts).
Despite planning on completing the photoshoot and church shots on Saturday, and filming the main scene and credit sequence on Sunday, our actor for the mother informed us she would unfortunately be busy all day on Saturday, and the actor for Belle would be approximately 3 hours north for all of Sunday. So I don't know if you noticed but these are 2 separate days, both in which one of the actors are missing. If they had been missing on the same day, we could have perhaps crammed filming into one day, but unfortunately that wasn't an option. We failed to account for something like this in our planning, and this is a great learning experience for us. Life happens and we should probably account for it next time.
I feel however Michael Scott felt
Nevertheless, we are aiming to do as much as production as humanly and practically possible this weekend, including the photoshoot of the mother alone, and some shots within the church. Next week, we are all free on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and will be sure to work on and conclude the filming process. In the words of Robert Burns, "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men, gang left agley!" - whatever that means.
We found an actor for the mother! Production is nearing! The first part of production we'll have to knock out is the photoshoot to get pictures of the family for the credit sequence, and we hope to complete this by Saturday. We hope to be able to create a sort of retro/vintage 80s look with the photos to match the time period.
Due to time constraints, we've elected to simplify the costumes, as while our props are scheduled to arrive on schedule, the green dress would take too long (it's also crazy expensive🤑🤑).
Belle will likely wear a sweater and overalls, indicative of her innocence and young age. Christopher will wear a nice button up tucked into some jeans with sneakers, a basic yet effective outfit representative of the time period. The mother, Erica will wear casual clothing in her pictures, like jeans and blank shirts to provide balance with the father's costuming. The actor has also said that they have a bunch of jewelry, which will be a nice trademark to help define the mother's character.
As for the location, we will use my backyard, as it is relatively scenic and pleasant, providing a nice backdrop for the portrait of the mother at the very least.
This mood board is well representative of the time period, vibe, and overall aesthetic of the costumes and pictures we are creating.
Overall, we are excited to begin the production process very shortly and see how things play out!
As much as I would love to incorporate a song I truly love, which I also feel would work well within the opening, like an Elliot Smith song, it turns out that getting permission to use a copyrighted song is more of a headache than I previously understood, so today I'll be deciding on what music to use in my film opening.
(RIP these two bangers)
While scrolling through bensound.com, a royalty-free music database, I discovered this gem:
"Sleepless" by Diffie Bosman captured me when I first heard it. It's ambient, somber, and reflective, and sounds like your listening to it played in a giant dining hall. It honestly reminds me of some of Thom Yorke's solo ambient stuff like "Dawn Chorus".
I can just imagine having this play over the title card after the poem is read, and I know it would work great. Thank you, Mr. Bosman for creating this absolutely beautiful piece of music.
As for the more eerie, sinister sounding music to go over the poem that Belle reads at the very beginning, I believe bensound also has us covered. Me and JD were looking for something unsettling, atmospheric, and dissonant.
"Hollow Eerie Whispers" by FoePound is very atmospheric and unnerving, and it can serve as a template for layering more suspenseful dissonant sounds. For example, samplefocus.com offers a bunch of royalty free suspenseful, fiercing sound effects to layer.
Overall, I feel excited to have finalized our music choices and I can't wait to actually get some footage to edit on top of it! I'm happy with our choices and excited to see how the music and footage clash together later on.
I am by no means a fashion designer, but I have a vision for the two character's costumes, and today I'll share them with you. They might be good, or they might be bad, but I think their good. I'm pretty sure they're good.
Belle will be played by me and JD's friend, who looks like this:
For the opening Belle will wear a dark green dress. This green hue represents her purity and innocence, while the dark tint represents her trauma and depression. We still have to get our hands on this dress, but for now here's what we have in mind:
Belle will also be wearing a cross which her mother gave her, highlighting her relationship with her mother and God at the beginning of the film.
Belle will also wear these slippers I stole from my mother (thanks mom) as they would fit in with the vibe of the outfit perfectly.
Belle's green dress acts as an extension of her internal state, highlighting the clash between her trauma and innocence, and therefore will work well within the opening.
Christopher will be played by another one of me and JD's friends, who looks like this:
Yes, he can grow out a beard and will look much older in the opening. All I really had in mind for Christopher's costume was something mature and professional, like a white dress shirt, slacks, and dress shoes. The white dress shirt highlights his relationship with God, while the blandness simultaneously highlights Christopher's dull life. The dress shirt would likely be wrinkled and not fully buttoned, highlighting his disarrayed and chaotic emotional state. Something like this:
Luckily, the actor has shared that he has clothing which meets this criteria, which greatly saves us the headache of buying clothes and finding his size. Overall, I feel that these costume designs find healthy balance of practical and effective, despite the fact that I'm not a fashion designer. I feel that we are right on track to filming on time due to the completion of the vast majority of our mise-en-scene planning, with my partner focusing on set design. However, we desperately need to take family pictures to frame for the credit sequence, and most importantly FIND AN ACTOR FOR THE MOTHER. Her role is very minor within the opening, but nonetheless we need her for family pictures. JD has already communicated that he has two potential actors he is thinking of, so I'm not too worried, but we still need to get this figured out.
I love Canva, but I also hate Canva. I utilized the program to design 2 potential flyer/pamphlets for the "cult" in the opening, and why the HECK did they have to come out so good? So now I'm tasked with choosing one, and saying goodbye to the other forever :( Come along with me as I try to decide which one I like more.
So right off the bat, there is an obvious difference in the two flyers . The first one, we'll call it "mono", is far less colorful and vibrant than the second one, we'll call it "purple". Mono is far more moody and less warm and inviting than Purple. It's almost sinister and discomforting. Purple kinda feels like it could be an invitation to a karaoke night at a bar, and that's not quite the vibe I'm going for. Additionally, the Mono emphasizes the church, which is a key aspect of the film and tells the viewer everything that we need them to know. The dad is planning to move to a Christian retreat in a far away, remote area. Purple does not do this as effectively as Mono.
While I think the flyer should serve to provide context, I think it should also importantly provide some subtle foreshadowing and establish tone. Mono excels in this aspect as well, as the monochromatic look helps establish a bleak tone early on, and the small size of the church helps to foreshadow Belle's eventual separation from Christianity.
With this in mind, I think it's pretty clear which one to choose. While Purple looks nice and does it's job, I feel that Mono is just so much better and would fit in almost perfectly with the opening, providing much needed context and also establishing tone. Thank you Canva.
Christopher is the father of the protagonist, Belle, within They Lay In a Pool Of Blood That Is Not Their Own!
While the sudden passing of his wife deeply affected Christopher, he elects not to show it and instead tries his hardest to move on. He does this by taking down family pictures, blocking out memories from his mind, and eventually deciding to move to the remote village named Lake Geneva Community of Christ. Christopher thinks the only way his daughter and him move on is by escaping any attachment, instead of mourning. Belle does the opposite, going mute as a result of her mourning, and this very conflict drives the plot of our film and opening.
Christopher is so desperate and motivated on being progressive and moving on, rather than what he considers as regressive, he decides to burn a picture of his wife, epitomizing the idea that his wife ceases to exist in his mind, and he is desperately trying to move on, as he fears what mourning the awful loss will do to him.
Christopher may seem evil and emotionally abusive at first glance. However, in his head, he is protecting his daughter, and doing what is best for his family. As the story develops, Belle becomes a victim in the village, bullied and tormented due to being mute, eventually leading to a resentment towards Christianity. What was supposed to be a trip to get closer to God, led to the exact opposite. As a result, Christopher becomes deeply reflective and regretful, realizing that his ignorant, overprotective, and progressive ways led to the destruction of his family.
After finishing the storyboard last week, we decided our first course of action was completing the script that would accompany the shots we framed, so here it is!
Here's a quick showing of the storyboard my partner JD and I developed for our two minute film opening entitled They Lay in a Pool of Blood That Is Not Their Own!
This truly helped bring the sequence to life in our minds and we're excited to further develop our planning through mise-en-scene elements and eventually film!
After 3 weeks of brainstorming with JD and yelling at each other and ripping each other's faces off (metaphorically), we have come to a final decision about our project. Here's the rundown.
Place yourself in an 80's suburban neighborhood. This narrative, called They Lay in a Pool of Blood That Is Not Their Own! follows a father named Christopher and his daughter, Belle as they navigate through the unexpected loss of the mother, Erica. After the traumatic experience, Belle has gone mute and desperately clings on to anything that attaches her to her mother, whether it be pictures or necklaces. The father has done the opposite. The family has long practiced Christianity and to run away from attachment to his deceased wife, the father has decided to move to remote village in which a Christian cult-like society dominates, after seeing an ad in the newspaper. The mute daughter who refuses to show any passion in Christianity is immediately exiled and excluded upon arrival. This exclusion increases as time moves on, and eventually leads to the daughter developing a hatred and resentment towards Christianity, and burning down the village in which she was raised.
The opening will highlight the last moments of the daughter and father in their longtime home before moving. The excerpt will start with a poem being shown on notebook paper, with eerie, atmospheric nondiegetic sound in the background - in which the last line is: They Lay in a Pool of Blood That Is Not Their Own! A credit sequence will follow over a montage of pictures of the family before the mother's death, with the transition I discussed previously linking the montage to the present moment through a zoom out. The processes of the daughter and father packing up will be illustrated, and the dad's glancing at an old picture of his wife will make it clear that he still holds an attachment to her, and a showing of the cult's pamphlet titled Embrace Christ - Start a New Life will hint towards where the film will end up in the future.
Overall, through many trials and tribulations we have a finalized concept that we are happy with and can't wait to get to planning and filming!
Levi Strauss' Binary Opposition Theory refers to the idea that conflicts between two opposing ideologies or beliefs create meaning and determine our understanding of the world.
Some of the best examples of this theory are within Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) as the conflict between Luke Skywalker and his father, Darth Vader simply represent the ideologies of good vs evil. However, this theory can also represent more thematic conflictions as well, for example in The Casino Royale (2006), James Bond can represent order and the law, while Le Chiffre represents the opposition, being chaos, anarchy, and terrorism. Clearly, there are several ways in which a media text can encapsulate the meaning of the Binary Opposition Theory.
Furthermore, this theory can even represent conflicting governmental ideologies. Free Guy (2021), a seemingly lighthearted film detailing a man who wishes to break free from his discovered role as an NPC in a videogame, has many different interpretations. At surface level, it seems that Guy can simply represent good, while the evil mastermind Antwan can represent, well, evil. That's kind of a boring way to break it down though, don't you think? Guy has been oppressed and deceived into being a puppet his entire life and had never thought anything of it, until he discovered that he wanted to be the protagonist of his own life. In this way, the film can be interpreted of representing individuality vs conformity. To a new extreme, Guy can be interpreted to represent freedom and democracy, while Antwan can be interpreted to represent totalitarianism and extreme oppression.
In practically any media text, the conflicting ideologies have an unlimited amount of interpretations, and I will purpose to incorporate this element into my original film idea, as not only can it allow for messages to be more clearly delivered, but it also helps drive narratives and dialogue, as I have learned in my past research.
Insider, M. (2021, November 21). What is Binary Opposition?. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO0O8IyMCBU
MyTutor. (n.d.). What is Levi Strauss’ theory of binary opposites? https://www.mytutor.co.uk/answers/8161/A-Level/Media-Studies/What-is-Levi-Strauss-Theory-of-Binary-Opposites/
Today we had our first group meeting. I was in a group with 5 other students, and we all shared our blogs and unique film ideas with one another.
Sidetracked - We may or may not have spent the last 20 minutes of class debating the most disturbing movies we could think of (Tusk, Terrifier, Human Centipede), but other than that we were very productive and effective in terms of exchanging ideas and inspiration.
Surprisingly, the majority of my group members (Ana, L, G, and B) seemed to have their openings figured out, and the most we could do was really just talk through some potential difficulties or weak points. For example, Ana was planning on kicking off the opening with a verbally violent diatribe from a father to a daughter, and we discussed how it would be more effective to introduce us to the characters or even establish the setting before taking such a violent turn. This way, the piece would flow more cohesively in the long run, and it wouldn't feel like she was trying to cram all of her ideas into a 2 minute timeframe. There would also be practically no room for a credit sequence within a 2 minute time frame.
Initially, we helped our classmate 'O-dog' resolve his internal conflict of choosing between a Gangster/Mafia opening and a romance/drama. We discussed the potential difficulties of creating an opening within the former such as finding an actor, costume design, and special effects. He seemed to be perceptive and we got into discussing the romance/drama option, explaining how it would be much more practical as it can really follow any age and any setting. However, he seemed to have a deep desire pulling him towards the Gangster opening, and we found it. The opening would follow a rich mafia man who was relaxing in his home. Nothing crazy or impractical had to happen, he would just purpose to develop the character as a family man who did not appear to have any violent/criminal intentions. He could be doing something as simple as eating dinner with his family This would serve to be juxtaposed with his true ways of living later on. For practicality's sake, we determined this would be the best way of approaching the opening.
For my opening, I had a pretty complete idea of what I wanted to include, but my groupmates were pretty helpful at offering valuable input. I shared my idea of starting the opening off with credits over a short montage of family pictures on a wall, and then transitioning into a father and daughter packing up and preparing to leave to an undisclosed location. This would be hinted at with a pamphlet that would be shown briefly for a religious group in a remote village (a cult) with a slogan - something along the lines of "Embrace Christ, Start a New Life" - something that made it clear that the pamphlet advertised a far away Christian group, and that the family was attempting to get away from something. My groupmate, L, had the brilliant idea of transitioning out of the credit sequence with a zoom out, revealing the daughter to be looking at one of the framed pictures being shown. I think this idea is great and would aid in creating a smooth, flowing opening scene. It really helped me envision how I would transition from the credits in my mind, and I can easily establish the rather detached relationship between the father and daughter after the transition. Thanks, L!
Overall, despite getting sidetracked a teeny bit, this group meeting was very effective in helping us further along the planning process for our openings, and I believe we are all on the right track to developing film openings that we would be proud of.
So I'm not normally super planned out with things like this (I'm ashamed to admit) but I manned up and tried my best. Here's the schedule for me and my partner, JD.
Put simply, I am a complete NOOB at writing dialogue. Any time I've tried to write dialogue for past projects of mine, or even in short stories, it always feels overbearingly corny. Come along with me as I learn how to write better dialogue and try to suck less.
CONFLICT
All of the best examples of dialogue one can think of are likely motivated by conflict: the clashing of ideologies/beliefs/positions.
This example from The Silence of the Lambs (1991) demonstrates a perfect example of the power of conflict. Clarice, the protagonist (representing good), engages in a mind-bending, odd conversation with the infamous Hannibal Lecter (representing evil). The obvious conflict between the two builds tension, and makes the conversation feel forced, yet natural. The audience knows both characters must possess their own individual motivations, drawing close attention to and amplifying the impact of their words. The shot/countershot technique also allows the conversation to flow easily. This entire concept of conflict is suggestive of Levi Strauss' Binary Opposition Theory, stating that stories are driven by the conflict of opposition. Conflict is a very useful tool in getting inspiration to write dialogue, and enhancing the impact of a character's words.
PURPOSE
Every single fluid ounce of dialogue should, at the bare minimum, do at least one thing: serve a purpose. There is no limit on how many different purposes one piece of dialogue can ser-actually its like 674, but for the sake of this argument lets pretend its infinite. Dialogue can serve countless purposes, but it always must serve at least one, to prevent it from sounding inauthentic, unmotivated, or dare I say... corny.
Here's a few different purposes dialogue can serve:
-Make the audience laugh
-Characterize
-Further a relationship
-Advance the plot
This clip from The Room (2003) is a great example of horrible dialogue. Aside from the absolutely atrocious acting, the dialogue throughout this movie is boring, and fails to serve purpose. Even a touch of humor, or reference to the ongoing plot of the movie would've improved this scene by so much.
Aside from having a weird obsession with feet(!?), Quentin Tarantino is the undisputed G.O.A.T. of crafting purposeful dialogue. His dialogue never fails to flow smoothly and naturally, and even if at surface level it seems purposeless at times, it always ends up revealing itself to serve some larger role in the end.
Take for example this scene from Pulp Fiction (1994). The dialogue in this scene is so natural you almost forget that you're watching a movie. While the dialogue may originally seem to serve no purpose at all, it truly serves too many purposes to count on one hand (unless you have more than 5 fingers). The dialogue characterizes the hitmen as brothers, makes the audience laugh, establishes the lighthearted mood of the scene, and creates juxtaposition with the upcoming violence that will unfold, just to name a few. It seems as if the secret to writing good dialogue is remaining true to your characters, and all the hidden purposes will come naturally.
SUBTEXT
Another way I can take my dialogue to the next level is through the use of subtext, or the incorporation of hidden, underlying themes. Audiences are intelligent (for the most part), and they don't need all information spoon fed to them.
This scene from Whiplash (2014) captures the concept of subtext perfectly. At first glance, it seems as if Fletcher's purpose is to welcome Andrew into the ensemble and learn more about him. He comes across as warm, kind, and approachable. However, it is soon revealed that his underlying purpose was to manipulate sensitive information out of Andrew to leverage and humiliate him in front of his bandmates.Fletcher never outright told Andrew to give him sensitive information about himself so that he can take advantage of it and cause Andrew emotional turmoil, but he instead had a hidden agenda, which in retrospect greatly amplifies the meaning and effect of his words. He is also characterized as an evil, manipulative figure who will prove to be an insurmountable obstacle throughout the duration of the film.
Overall, I feel this research has greatly enhanced my understanding of how to go about crafting impactful and meaningful dialogue, through the use of conflict, purpose, and subtext. Instead of crafting characters out of thin air, I am basically meeting them for the first and bringing them to life. I can't wait to implement all this new knowledge into my film opening.
Sources:
Look, C. (2019). How to Write Great Dialogue. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9ilXLsz0KE
Berke, T. (2025). How to Write Freakishly Good Dialogue. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9ICVrx5PKo
What's up blog viewers! Today I'll research and discuss three film openings of psychological thrillers.
Fight Club (1999)
F**** C*** has a very unique opening sequence which works to establish it perfectly as a psychological thriller. The very first shot is taken from the last scene of the film, following the convention of non-linear storytelling. The opening utilizes a blend of two approaches: developing mystery and introducing the characters. We are immediately introduced to the unnamed protagonist through the close up shot of him being held at gunpoint, accompanied by a voiceover (Narrating 'I') in which the protagonist gives a very chaotic and nonsensical exposition. This characterizes him as irrational and rather unreliable as a narrator, foreshadowing the plot's eventual twist. The opening jumps rapidly across three different timelines, creating unease and setting the rather nihilistic and cynical tone for the film. The opening uses a copious amount of close ups which feel invasive and claustrophobic. Notably, the hues shift from cool and dark, creating a melancholic sense, to neutral tones creating sterility and blandness, finally to a green tint creating a feeling of sickness and ennui. Mystery is created through references the audience does not yet understand such as Tyler Durden, Marla, and Project Doomsday. Overall, this opening is one of my personal favorites and serves as a perfect exposition to this film. I would love to find a way to implement some aspects like foreshadowing and jumping between timelines into my original opening.
Get Out (2018)
Get Out (2018) has an incredibly effective opening which builds and capitalizes on suspense proficiently. Most importantly, the entire opening sequence is a master shot, which immerses the audience into the events on screen and makes them feel far more realistic and believable. The opening misleads the audience, as the man in the beginning is inferred to be the protagonist, but as he is violently subdued and abducted the audience discovers that the film has much more to uncover. Mystery is created through the use of low key lighting which obscures most of the victim's background and the appearance of the aggressor. The audience feels compelled and forced to continue watching. Perhaps most effectively, the use of "Run Rabbit Run", a seemingly lighthearted song from the 1930's is used in accompaniment with the events on screen, creating juxtaposition and unease to the point of uncanniness. Clearly, there many factors at play which add to the overall suspense and horror of this opening.
The Shining (1980)
The opening to The Shining relies solely on the unsettling score to set the unsettling tone for this film. Without the score, the audience would be captivated by the stunning cinematography. However, the score creates a sinister sense, implying that something is not right, and a feeling of impending doom is created. The opening establishes the setting, drawing close attention to how isolated the environment is. The extreme long shots and long shots of the yellow vehicle emphasize how small the protagonists of the film are, foreshadowing how they will inevitably be targeted and victimized. The camera is almost like an evil spirit, following Danny and Wendy from above, adding to the sense of impending doom. Ultimately, while there are very few techniques at play here, the select few are very effective at creating a sinister mood and setting the tone for the rest of the film. In my opening, I would love to experiment with different music to develop tone.
Overall, the openings to psychological thrillers seem to have very few guidelines, but all work to develop the tone from the very first shot. Every choice is intentional, and some of the most effective I have found are foreshadowing and the use of a sinister/unsettling soundtrack.
Hello everyone! Today I'll be viewing, analyzing, and discussing some psychological thriller film opening credit sequences.
Silence of the Lambs (1991)
The credit sequence of this film is displayed over a series of shots of Clarisse on an FBI training run, and follow her into the facility. The credits are displayed in a black, obnoxious bold font, occupying the majority of the screen, and crediting the starring actors, director, cinematographer, and more. The credits are accompanied with a cinematic, fraught score building anticipation for the upcoming events of the film. This credit sequence has taught me that credit sequences generally don't require anything flashy to be effective, and if done properly can feel anticipating rather than tedious and boring.
Seven (1995)
I have no idea how the credit sequence to Seven manages to do it, but it manages to unsettle the audience with just the names of people on a screen. Actually that's a lie I do know how. These names are layered upon unsettling visuals like a hand holding a razorblade, and mysterious sketches in a notebook. Additionally, these visuals are paired with unsettling nondiegetic sound, like high frequencies and frightful shrieks further unsettling the audience. The white, hand-drawn looking font is also very unique and easy to associate with the film. The credit sequence also managed to create a really cool effect with the credited names, as the words appear to be shaking on screen, further creating a feeling of chaos and disarray. The quick cuts are also edited in sync with the background music, which creates a cool effect and makes the sequence even more disturbing. This credit sequence is very unique and shows just how much creative freedom is involved with the crafting of credit sequences. I would love to incorporate a unique effect like the shaky font into my opening, as it contributes to the chaotic mood of the piece greatly.
Black Phone (2021)
This credit sequence is profoundly disturbing. in large thanks to the soundtrack. The low thumps mimicking a rushing heartbeat strike fear into the audience, and the screeching high pitches act as punctuation on this already established fear. The fast paced editing throughout this credit sequence further creates a disturbing/unsettling mood. The shaky, handheld shots and vintage aesthetic make the opening feel almost uncanny and deeply off-putting. The credits are shown in a plain, white font in random locations over the screen. This credit sequence serves as proof that editing can carry a credit sequence from tedious to unsettling and disturbing. Also, one thing that stood out in both this sequence and Seven is that the credit sequences stand separate from the rest of the film, rather than being hidden on screen. This shows that credit sequences can be very effective tools for setting the tone for a piece, and not treated as an afterthought.
Overall, there are many ways to spice up a credit sequence, making it more engaging and mood-driven. I will strive to incorporate unique elements, such as a shaky font or unique/potentially unsettling visuals, into my credit sequence as opposed to treating it as a waste of space.
So I have a dilemma. I'm stuck between two possible genres for my film opening: Psychological Thriller and Dramedy. I know what you're thinking. How on earth is this guy stuck between these two very, VERY different genres? And the answer is I don't know. I love each of these genres for what they stand for and the brilliant movies that have come forth from under these umbrellas. Let's delve into each of these genres and hopefully I can learn more about which one takes the edge for me along the way.
Psychological Thrillers:
I LOVE this genre. Why? I can't remember the last time I've gotten through a psychological thriller and felt remotely good about life afterwards. I mean the entire premise of movies in the genre are to effectively wiggle their way into your mind, altering your brain chemistry and making you question what's real and what isn't. It's great.
Some of my favorites from this genre include:
Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Midsommar (2019)
Fight Club (1999)
In terms of what this genre entails, some key things to look out for are unreliable narrators, suspenseful sound design, non-linear storytelling and themes of isolation, paranoia, and descent into madness.
The opening to Midsommar is one of my favorites. It does an excellent job at establishing the cynical tone of the film, as well as the uncomfortable, suspenseful mood - as made clear through the sinister violins mimicking the sound of sirens, making your ears beg you to lower the volume.
Perhaps the holy grail of psychological thriller tropes, the plot twist, epitomizes everything this genre stands for. Messing with your head. If done right, plot twists can stick with audiences forever and practically immortalize a film. Some of my personal favorite mind-bending twists are Oldboy (2003) and Fight Club (1999).
Dramedy:
Dramedies are characterized by a mysterious psychotic killer chasing down victims with a weapon of choice. Wait. Wrong genre. Sorry. Dramedies are what they sound like. A film that balances dramatic elements with comedic elements perfectly. 50/50. Make sure you don't incorporate too much humor or too much drama because something bad will happen probably. Be careful.
One thing I love about this genre is it's flexibility. Dramedies can just as easily leave you feeling fulfilled as they can empty. They rely so much on making the audience latch onto and connect with the characters, that the emotions and thoughts of the characters are often reflected upon the audience.
Some key conventions to look out for in dramedies are: realistic situations/circumstances reflective of everyday life; down to earth, relatable characters; and character driven plots.
Some of my favorite dramedies:
La La Land (2016)
Garden State (2004)
High Fidelity (2000)
That Thing You Do! (1996)
What I admire most about this genre is the crucial role the soundtrack plays in each film. YOU COULD EVEN SAY ITS INSTRUMENTAL (sorry). Seriously, I am a longtime lover of music and have always admired the effect choosing just the right song can have on a specific scene. Even if I don't end up choosing this genre, I would love to see how I can implement some of my own personal music taste into my opening. I even have a playlist of songs on Spotify that I would love to include in a movie one day if I ever make one, including my favorite artists like Wilco, Elliot Smith, and New Order.
I love this scene from the film That Thing You Do! (1996). The girlfriend of the singer of fictional 60's band The Wonders has just heard their new song on the radio, and runs to find the other band members, share the news, and spread her excitement. This scene is profoundly uplifting and exciting, in large thanks to the soundtrack. Fun Fact: The song in question - "That Thing You Do" was written by Adam Schlesinger, the bassist and songwriter for American alternative band Fountains Of Wayne.
Overall, I think I'm leaning more towards the psychological thriller genre, mostly because I'm scared of what might happen if I have too much drama and not enough comedy in my opening, or vice versa. In all seriousness, I don't know how to explain it. I've always been fascinated by how psychological thriller writers think of such intricate, encapsulating plots. I feel as if I'll be greater inspired when creating an opening within this genre, but I'm considering a variety of elements from many different genres which I would like to include.
