Storyboard Blog: Sketches Before Shots

    Hey, I hope you didn't miss me too much! Today we completed our storyboard, which was not too difficult to create being that our script contained the majority of the information we needed to format it. I've explained each scene at length below to ensure that everything has been clearly conveyed.

Scene 1:

    In Scene 1, we will begin with an establishing wide shot that will capture the exterior of the subject's home. We intend for the atmosphere to be gloomy and depressing and for the lawn to have sickly-looking grass. Said dismal setting will be shown with the intent of establishing context within the first few seconds of the opening and allowing the audience to understand that the location in which the subject finds themselves in is not the best, as will be later indicated by other details, which I will highlight in later scenes. At this point in time, the name of our studio will be shown in the sky, directly above the roof of the subject's home, for two to three seconds (as will the rest of the titles in the opening) so that the audience has enough time to read it before we move on to the next scene. As I've said before in a previous blog, all of the text shown on-screen for the entirety of the opening will enter our scenes by flickering in and will exit said scenes by either flickering or fading out, be dark orange in color, and be written in the "Sometimes" font. Unlike what it says in our script, my groupmates and I decided that during the entire scene, eerie, non-diegetic music will begin to play which will serve to set the audience on edge even before the real "action" begins, as opposed to beginning in Scene 3. A cut will then be used to seamlessly transition to the next scene. This will take a total of four seconds.

Scene 2:

    In Scene 2, the audience is greeted by a long, full-body shot that will show the subject as they enter the frame and walk over to take a seat at their dining table. This shot will allow us to ensure that the audience sees the clothes that our subject is wearing, namely a black short-sleeved t-shirt and open-toed sandals of the same color, and grey sweatpants, paired with long, white socks. This outfit was chosen specifically because it not only falls in line with the typical attire that a teenager might wear in the comfort of their home, but it also provides a direct contrast to the suspenseful tension we've already begun to create with the continuation of the creepy non-diegetic music, which will persist throughout the entirety of our opening, as well as the premise of the film that will be revealed as said opening progresses. All throughout the entirety of Scene 2, the diegetic sound of the television playing in the background is heard, which focuses on a news report detailing the scorching hot temperatures outside, quietening down as the two subjects, the main character and his mother speak in conversation, and cutting off at the end of the scene. The television is shown playing in the background; however, it will be blurred out to hint to the audience that we are obscuring information from them and that not everything is as it seems. During this shot, the name of our production company will be shown to the right of the subject once their entire body has entered the frame. Along with the presence of the title on-screen will also be a number of fruit cans scattered about, a nod to the fact the world in which our primary subject resides in is one nearly devoid of fresh food, as is further asserted in the next shot where a cut occurs to a medium close-up shot. Said shot will show the subject seated at the dining table working on their laptop which is placed to their left and focusing in on the items found on the table, which include an odd-looking, discolored apple on a plate found to the left of the subject, and a bowl of miscellaneous items which is seen to their right. The apple serves as another clue that something is not quite in the subject's current society, whilst the bowl upholds the same point, being that you would typically expect it to be filled with fresh fruits as opposed to knickknacks and junk. Regarding the framing of the shot, we decided to go with a medium close-up being that it would allow us to still incorporate and draw attention to the aforementioned props and because it would also give the audience the chance to take note of the subject's emotions, perhaps even empathize and relate to him as most people have been, are, or will be a teenager trying to navigate their emotions and life in an unforgiving world at one point or another.

    Once the audience has had time to take all of the props, background audio, and general set in, the subject will pick up the apple from its plate and exclaim with disgust how repulsive it was. The subject would then pose his mother a question regarding where she obtained the apple from, to which he would receive no reply. What to do after he asked the question was something my groupmates and I mulled over for quite a while. If his mother was to answer the question, then we could provide more context to the situation the subject's family and the rest of the world were in. If she didn't answer the question, then we could this scene as a parallel to compare the subject's frustration with his mother's lack of response to the fear he experiences later on in the opening, when the only thing he wants is to hear his mother's voice and find some sort of familiarity and comfort in what he had assumed to be "home." We ultimately decided that in order to continue to follow the conventions of science fiction thrillers, it would be in our best interest to go with the latter option, as it would give us the opportunity to shroud some details in secrecy, as to pique our audience's interest, and lead our viewers along by forcing them to follow the trail of breadcrumbs we laid out for them, leaving them with just enough information to speculate as we create a cohesive plot and storyline. At this point in time, the subject would then throw out their apple, aiming into a nearby garbage can.

    An action-match-cut will then be used along with a point-of-view shot to capture the moment that the apple "hits" the camera, the force of the impact representing the pent up anger built up inside the angsty teen because of the changes he is experiencing internally and the unwelcoming nature of the world around him. Another clue that gives the audience more background information about the status quo of the world in which the subject resides is the blurred out, but, still readable, electrical bill seen in the trashcan before the apple reaches the camera, which will read that his family has reached their kilowatt limit and will contain an extremely high, unreasonable price that many today could never dream of affording, even someone with such a large house like our subject. This then serves as a clear indication of how difficult things are for him and his family despite their presumedly well-off status.

    As soon as the camera cuts from that shot, a shot-reverse-shot with medium framing will be used to simulate the natural flow of conversation, which is not one-sided this time as his mother actually answers. Therefore, there is no need to focus solely on our subject and his reactions, so the camera can switch between showing the subject behind their laptop with medium close-up shot framing and the empty kitchen with an over-the-shoulder shot behind the subject pointing in the direction of his mother. The absence of his mother from the room and the audible distance heard in her voice is meant to signify the detachment the subject has from his mother, indicating that they may not have the best relationship, perhaps due to the lack of respect, he has as a growing teenager, as is illustrated during their conversation with his inconsiderate remarks, or maybe because she is under the strain of being tight on cash and struggling to pay the bills to support her son and husband (whose existence is revealed in a later scene), who also seems to be working to try to make enough money to keep his family together and afloat, to no avail it seems. This leaves the audience to wonder if the subject's mother and he will ever reconcile, and as will be seen throughout the progression of the opening, the subject will lose his attitude, becoming forlorn when his mother is no longer by his side. Now, as the camera switches back and forth between the two shots, the actors' names will be revealed depending on the direction the camera is facing and essentially who is talking. Once the conversation has ended, the camera will settle for a moment on a close-up medium shot facing the subject from behind their laptop. A cut will then be used to show a stationary over-the-shoulder shot in which the title of the film is shown on the subject's laptop screen as they shut it, grab it, leave the dining table area, and consequently, exit the frame. The entirety of Scene 2 will last for thirty seconds.

Scene 3:

    In Scene 3, a cut will occur to transition to a stationary close-up shot (it being stationary to remain consistent with the previous shot and not thrust the audience directly into motion which may make the shots choppy, something we strongly wish to avoid) of the subject's feet as he walks up the stairs towards his room. Within this shot, the music creator's name will be shown on screen and slant diagonally to fit alongside the wall next to the stairs. Now, while the text will stand out due to its unique font and bold color choice, it won't be jarring due to placement out of the main focus of the shot. This shot is mainly used to give the audience an understanding of the layout of the subject's home and further establish the fact that the subject and his family are likely in the middle class, being that they own a two-story house. Since the shot quickly achieves its purposes, it will only take up three seconds of our total screentime.

Scene 4:

    In Scene 4, the camera will cut once again, to a medium shot this time, and then show the subject from their back left side, keeping the audience from seeing their face, but still making them the central focus of the shot as they will stand out against the blurred background as they hold their laptop in their hand. In doing so, the viewer is tasked with making their own conclusions about the feelings of the subject based upon his tone, actions, speech, and overall disposition before he enters his room. There is, of course, a subtle hint to the fate of our subject in the comment he makes, which is "Man, it sucks living here(!)," being that it foreshadows that the subject will be transported to a place away from"here," getting his unspoken wish. With regards to my previous statement, the subject's attitude is clearly exemplified by the aggressive and angry manner in which he quickly opens and shuts his bedroom door behind himself, with the loud diegetic sound of his door slamming shut being heard to provide emphasis on this point. Once that has happened, the camera will track to the right and focus on the subject's name sign on their door. Now, since the door along with the rest of the background had been blurred when the subject was standing in front of it, this shot will reveal something that the audience has not seen before, the subject's name, which is clearly being shown, but whose purpose is still subtle enough that the viewers may initially believe that the shot was just being used for filler, or to allow the subject's feelings to be fully comprehended. However, they will soon come to find that the prop functions as a Chekhov's gun in the sense that it provides a seemingly minor detail that will later hold significance in the storyline, particularly when the name sign on the subject's door is revealed to be changed to another person's name later in the opening. This entire scene will take around five seconds to complete.

Scene 5:

    In Scene 5, yet another cut will be used to place the audience directly in the subject's room, whereupon they will be shown a wide shot that shows them how it is in complete disarray, having the subject's clothes strewn about his room, with a few posters being up, a guitar leaning against his nightstand, and his bed being lined with satin grey sheets. The point of using this type of shot is to place careful attention to be placed on both the state of the room and the objects, or props, within it because, unbeknownst to the audience, after stepping into their closet, things are about to take an unexpected turn for this teenager (Sound familiar? I hope it does, that was our final pitch!), with everything being completely different when he comes back out. The name of our editor, whose job is essentially to clean up our film, will be shown in the upper, right-hand side of the screen at this time, which is a tad bit ironic since the room is such a mess. Following this, we cut to a high-angle, tracking shot, one of the first moving shots of our opening which is used to mark the beginning of a shift in the pacing of our film. The shot will show the subject as they leave their laptop on their bed and walk towards their closet, where they grab the door handle. All in all, this scene will total six seconds.

Scene 6:

    In Scene 6, an action match-cut is used to transport both the subject and the audience into the closet, where the subject will be shown using a low angle as he walks in and attempts to flick on the light switch. This unfortunately does not work out well in favor of the subject as they are left to search for their jacket in the dark. At the same time, the name of our film's producer will be shown above the subject's head. As I stated earlier, our opening does employ the use of  Chekhov's gun and this scene is no exception. When it comes to the non-functional closet light, the subject will simply conclude that its uselessness lies in the fact that it is broken, as is revealed through the dialogue and the comment he makes about his father's delay in its repair, and, as I said, he will be left to search in the darkness. At this time, since the audience was shown the family's electrical bill and the fact that their limit on electricity had been reached, the viewers will instead assume that the light being "broken" is due to the inability of his parents to pay the hefty bill. Therefore, when the lights flicker outside of the closet, they will believe it is for the same reason and be in for a shock (pun absolutely intended) when they come that there is something else going on entirely. On a more analytical level, this will symbolize how society today chooses to keep the younger generations ignorant about what is happening around them, as is seen with the chaotic world that our subject resides in, and his being completely oblivious to his parents' struggle as is indicated by the electrical bill having been thrown out, in an attempt to keep the subject from potentially catching a glimpse of it, and of course, that fact that he was literally "in the dark" the closet. This leaves the audience to ponder the following questions: "If we keep our children of today in the dark, what does that mean for our future(?)" and "Is ignorance really bliss(?)". Going back to the more literal context of the opening, the subject will then call out to his mother and ask where his jacket is, to which she will reply that it all the way in the back. This will prompt the subject to walk deeper into his closet, and walk over the camera to do so, as a low-angle shot is still being used, creating a smooth transition to a cut that will place the audience outside of the subject's slightly ajar closet door with a medium long-shot that shows as the lights flicker five times (a number that will be important to remember as it will decrease the next time the subject enters the closet) and the subject is distanced from his world, as was the camera from the subject. Once this scene concludes, a total of fifteen seconds will have gone by.

Scene 7:

    In Scene 7, the same medium-long shot will be used to show the subject as they emerge from their closet holding the very same red jacket that they went in search of. At this point in time, the name of the person who devised the premise of our film will be shown in the upper, right-hand area of the screen. The camera will then cut to a point-of-view shot as the subject walks towards the center of their room and stops quite abruptly, almost as if he had been taken aback by what he had seen. Once the camera is positioned in the center of the room, it will begin to pan and tilt around the room using the same point-of-view shot, so that the audience themselves can begin to look around and attempt to determine what it is that shocked the subject so much that they felt the need to stop in their bedroom, a room that they couldn't have cared about it, given its originally messy state and how quickly they had navigated through it to reach their closet. The camera will not pan or tilt too quickly, giving enough time for the viewers to take in their surroundings and notice that the subject's rooms is now clean and organized, their laptop and guitar are missing, they now have white bedsheets, and have a different poster up in their room. The camera will then cut a medium-long shot in which he will per outside of his bedroom door and yell out to his mother, likely hoping to receive an explanation when she replies. This never happens, of course, as when "his mother" does respond, she calls him by an entirely different name, something that surprises both the audience and the subject as they both begin to wonder what's happening. To confirm his suspicions that things aren't as they seem, the subject then leans out of their door and finds that the name on their door has also changed to the very same one that had been called out moments ago. The subject non-verbally expresses his confusion, mouthing, "What is going on(?)," (a change from what we originally had in our script to save time).  

    The camera then cuts back to the subject inside of their room, adopting a medium shot framing this time, as he attempts to consider a possible explanation for his situation and ends up reasoning that heading back into their closet is their best bet. At that point, a tracking shot is used, which illustrates the connection between the audience and the subject, with the viewers simply being the spectators who follow along, trailing behind him and catching on to things once he already has, being either out of step, in front of, or completely behind the subject in their awareness of certain things at times. The tracking shot will stop right outside of the closet door, which the subject will shut as he walks all the way to the back. The name of the film's writer will appear on-screen in front of the closet door. Now, the closed closet door and the obscurity of the subject inside of the closet the last time it was shown (due to its interior being dark), despite it being slightly ajar, leaves the viewers wondering if there may be something that the subject does unintentionally within the closet that caused whatever is going on to happen, or if it all has to do with the number of times the lights flicker, which is three times in this case. As the lights flicker, the non-diegetic music (which has been playing in the background the entire opening and will continue to do so) will quicken. The same shot will be used as the subject exits his closet, still holding onto his red jacket to capture the uncertainty on his face. 

    A cut will then transition the audience to another point-of-view shot that will show the room in its original state, with the subject's laptop also lying on their bed. After what's just happened, it is unsurprising that both the audience and the subject will be cautious of accepting this as their true reality, but that non-diegetic music will soften in an attempt to convince the audience that everything is fine and there is nothing to worry about. However, since the subject can't hear the music (it is non-diegetic after all), he must resort to his own methods of quelling his fears and worries. The camera cuts to a medium shot of the subject still in their bedroom as they call out to their mother and receive no response. At first, the viewers may come to believe that the mother is simply choosing not the answer the same way she had earlier, so while there is no immediate cause for alarm, both the subject and the audience may still feel a bit perturbed, which is the exact feeling that we're going for. The aforementioned medium shot becomes paired with a tracking shot that films the subject from the front as he walks towards his bedroom door. This scene will unfold over the course of forty-one seconds.

Scene 8:

    In Scene 8, the camera will cut to a hallway in the subject's home where the same tracking shot will still be used for continuity purposes as the subject walks towards their living room. Now, although the stairs aren't shown the audience should already be under the impression that the subject is on the first floor being that this scene will feed into the subject arriving into his living room, which is typically found on the first floor of one's home. As the subject reaches the end of the hallway, he will call out for his mother once more as the camera zooms in to adopt a medium-close-up shot of the subject. He will once again receive no reply. It is likely that both the audience and the subject will begin attempting to rationalize possible reasons behind why his mother didn't respond, like that she might've stepped outside to wait for him there, or that she may have chosen to leave without the subject since he had been taking so long, or even that she had gone in search of him in another part of the house after she herself had received no reply from him when he had disappeared from within his closet, which, despite each situation's inherent probability, cannot eliminate the nagging possibility that this may once again not be the subject's real home, which does nothing but increase the overall suspense. All of this happens in about six seconds.

Scene 9:

    In Scene 9, it should come as no surprise that the subject is shown quickly speeding into his living room, using the same tracking shot and medium-close-up framing, where he stops suddenly and seems to notice something horrifying behind the camera, calling out for his mother in a panic one last time, the non-diegetic music having quickened, of course, before the shot quickly fades to black, with the director's name being shown on the screen during the last two seconds of the opening, and a different, more suspenseful non-diegetic sound beginning to play, leaving the audience to soak in everything they have seen and form conjectures of their own that could possibly serve to explain what they'd just seen unfold in front of their very eyes, and wish that they could see more and have their thirst quenched. This scene will take ten seconds.

Film Opening:

In total, we estimate that our film opening will be about 120 seconds long, meaning that it will meet the criteria of being within the two-minute threshold.

Storyboard:

In order for you to see the manner in which we planned each scene out, I've attached an image of our storyboard below:

Clarifications:

• We have had yet to come to an official conclusion regarding the manner in which our titles will be exiting the screen once they've appeared and been shown for around two to three seconds; however, I do believe that that is a decision we will make once we reached the editing phase of our project.
• As I'm sure you've gathered, cuts were our primary transition of choice because we felt as though they prevented the suspense and build-up of tension from being released too early on, although I do believe that our use of sound will serve to support that particular facet.
• Within our storyboard, there are different colored arrows, pink and blue, as well as green rectangles. The pink arrows will represent the movement of the subject within the frame, whilst the blue arrows will indicate the camera movement. The green rectangles are placeholders for our titles. The yellow lines and x with a number, either five or three, are meant to represent the flickering of lights and the number of times that they occur.
• In Scene 7, parts 5 and 7, pink question marks are used to put on emphasis on the confusion that the subject is experiencing, whilst also allowing them to contrast with the black and white background.
• Our storyboard does not have as much color as might've been expecting, given that this time we have a significantly larger amount of panels that we needed to complete. Therefore, as you'll see above, aside from the symbols, which I've already defined, the only things with color are those there are important to the storyline of our opening, including the discolored apple, the subject's name sign, the subject's red jacket, and the actual title of the film.
• When it comes to the lighting in our film, the majority of it will be artificial with the exception of the establishing shot, for which we'd like to utilize natural, overcast lighting.
• Jewelry and make-up will be kept to a minimum or not used at all being that they are not a major focus of our film and would only distract our audience from our central storyline.

Closing Remarks:

After so much planning, all I want to say is "Let's go," no I won't "make no excuses now" because "I'm talking here and now" (Calvin Harris 2012). 

Planning Blog: Title Design- It's in the Details

    Well hello there! We are now going to explain the layout and formatting of the title design for our opening sequence. As of right now, all of the design ideas we have outlined below will likely be those that we will be using going forwards; however, there is still the possibility that we may decide to make changes as our production process continues and we reach the editing stage of our project. After scouring the internet, we found and settled on using the "Sometimes" font, being that it was not as gaudy as some of the others that we encountered online and, as such, would not detract attention away from the film itself, but it would still be able to properly credit each participant. Additionally, said font's use of sharp edges allows it to create a tense feeling that feeds into the thriller aspect of our film. 

    When it comes to ensuring that each of our titles are readable, we will likely not embed all of them into our scenes and run the risk of them blending in a little too well (to the point at which they cannot be seen). We are instead opting to use dark orange, all caps, and bolded lettering, so that titles will contrast with any of our opening's backgrounds and be visible at all times. Moreover, each time the letter "E" is shown during the opening sequence, it appears backward. This creative decision was made being that it relates to the ambiguity of the title itself and represents how the subject's world is about to get turned around, creating a subtle, but still noticeable, sense of uncertainty and unease that reaches the audience. Likewise, in math, a backward "E," is written as ∃ and means "there exists," leaving the audience to wonder what it is that exists. Having said that, my groupmates and I would still like to see the titles conform to the set. To illustrate this concept, I've provided an example of the font and an instance in which it could be used here:

* This image is a stock photo that I found online and not one from a location we plan on using.

    We believe that utilizing the same font and color for the entirety of our film opening will allow us to maintain a consistently suspenseful tone, which is exactly what we're trying to achieve. The sizing of the names and their positions will be the same for each of our titles with the exception of our actual film title. Since we would like for the font to appear embedded on the subject's laptop, whilst still being able to immediately capture the attention of the audience, the "Sometimes" font is perfect because it has its roots in a Times New Roman typeface, making it formal but sinister. Now, since we're so early on into our project, we have not yet settled on an official title for our film; however, we did all agree to use "FLICKER" as our working, and potentially permanent, title for our movie. The inspiration for the film's title came from the fact that the flickering lights seen outside of the closet serve as a major plot device that leaves the audience questioning what's really going on. I've attached an image of the working title below:

    We plan to have the titles enter the screen by "flickering in," which not only relates to the working title of our film, but also the movie's overall concept, as the subject is essentially flickering in and out of his reality to be transported to another, but what that reality is, the past, the future, or an entirely different universe altogether, is not revealed to the audience, keeping them engaged. Therefore, when our titles exit the screen after having been shown for about two to three seconds, they will either fade our flicker out (we have yet to make a final decision), representing how we are keeping our audience in the dark, until the truth eventually comes to light. 

After all the hard work we've done today, I feel that it's fair to say that "I'm so tired" (Troye Sivan and Lauv 2019).

Planning Blog: Additional Information- Ironing Out The Edges

    Hello, I'm glad to see that you've returned for our official planning blog, regarding the way in which we will keep things running smoothly, no matter what challenges we may face. Below you'll find that I've divided our plan up into five different sections so that everything is easier to understand and visualize. 

Participants:

    In order to ensure that the participants and each of their roles for this particular project are clear, I've broken down each of their "positions" below:

*Actors-

• Anthony as "Ronnie"
• Tanya as "Mom"

Filming-

• Jordyn Minnis
• Nicole Kimmick
• Julissa Espinal
• Yaneli Zelaya

Editing-

• Jordyn Minnis

Directing-

• Jordyn Minnis

* Regarding our official actors, our finalizations will be made within the coming week; however, we are currently putting in one of our groupmates' friends as he was interested in the role. When it comes to the role of Mom, one of our teammate's parents has also agreed to play that role. Additionally, for privacy reasons, we've excluded the last names of our actors.

Location:

    At this time, we will likely be filming at one of our candidate's family members' homes, for which we did receive permission to do so. As seen in our script, we will be utilizing the kitchen and living room, as well as one of the home's bedrooms and hallways. We plan on using stairs within our film; however, that will depend entirely on how much time we have and whether or not we are able to fit the scene in. I've attached two pictures of the exterior of their home below:

Filming Schedule:

    To make our filming schedule more digestible and easy to understand, I've divided it up into the dates we need to have certain components of our project started and completed by:

On Monday, February 28th, 2022, my group and I will begin storyboarding for our two-minute long film opening; we will have it finished by Friday, March 4th, 2022. 

On Sunday, March 6th, 2022, my group and I will begin filming for our opening sequence, if we have not started to do so already, and will ensure to have this completed by Monday, March 28th, 2022.

On Monday, March 7th, 2022, my group and I will also begin editing for our opening and have that step of our project done by Sunday, April 10th, 2022 at the latest, to ensure that our final product is complete by April 15th, 2022.

Health and Safety:

    We will ensure to have an adult present at all times who is capable of administering first aid in the case of an emergency. If we need to stand on something in order to obtain a higher shot, we will see to it that the platform is stable and, if not, look for another means of filming the scene. Since our scenes require the utilization of electricity, particularly when it comes to the flickering of the lights, we will be sure to keep all metal items away from any electrical sockets so that we can avoid being shocked. In addition, we will also have a fire extinguisher handy, so we can use it if necessary.

Backup Plan:

    As previously stated, there is the possibility that we may not be able to use a staircase in our film; therefore, if need be, we could refrain from using that shot as one of our scenes and instead use a shot of a hallway, or none at all. Additionally, if one of us is unable to drive to our teammate's family member's home, we will convene at an alternative location, that being a fellow group member's home. Moreover, since we are filming indoors for the majority of our opening, the weather is not one of our major concerns, except for the fact that it may lead to the triggering of loud noises, such as thunder, which may interfere with our film's audio. In the case that this was to occur, we'd need to reschedule to shoot on another day; hence why we created a schedule to provide ourselves with about two weeks of leeway to make up for any filming setbacks. As for what we would do in the case that one of our groupmates were to catch COVID-19, we'd ensure to keep them updated via technological means and simply have another one of our team members fill in for their position.  Furthermore, as with our previous project, the subject of our film will not be any one of the members of our group, so if one of us were to be exposed to the virus, we would not be pushed back when it comes to filming. As for the music in our film, whilst I did reach out to a few artists and their music corporations through various social media accounts, emails, and phone numbers, I have had yet to receive a response. That being the case, my group and I have decided that if we do not receive a response within a month (the lengthy period of time being permissible as the audio would be added during the editing phase of our production), we would either resort to creating our own music with Garageband or using royalty-free music online, or perhaps even a combination of the two.

Concluding Remarks:

    As this blog comes to a close, I'd like to say that there really "Ain't no stoppin' us now, we're on the move; ain't no stoppin' us now, we've got the groove" (McFadden & Whitehead).

Planning Blog: Script- A Blockbuster in the Making

     Welcome back! In today's blog, we've outlined the script for our film opening below to ensure that we have a clear idea of sound cues, the places where we would like to insert editing, the dialogue, and the shots used within our film so that we are able to film more efficiently and not have to worry about coming up with ideas on the spot. With that being said, I hope that our script gives you a detailed and entertaining insight into our upcoming opening. Enjoy! 

Script:

1  EXT. HOUSE - DAY

An establishing wide shot is used to show that the RONNIE's house has dead and sickly-looking grass in its yard, and the weather outside seems to be overcast and gloomy. A dissolve is used to cut to the next scene.

2  INT. KITCHEN - DAY

A long, full-body shot is used to show as RONNIE walks over to and sits down at the dining table. CANNED FRUITS are scattered about the room. A cut then occurs to a medium close-up shot of the dining table upon which a BOWL OF MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS sits to the right of RONNIE and a PLATE with an APPLE lies next to RONNIE'S LAPTOP on the left.  The diegetic sound of television is heard playing in the background. RONNIE is shown wearing casual clothing and sitting in a CHAIR in the middle of the table using his laptop to write an article on Word. RONNIE grabs the APPLE from the PLATE and takes a bite out of it.   

                        RONNIE

                      (disgust)

    Eugh! What's with these nasty fake apples? 

                   (beat)

    Mom, where'd you get these from?

Silence.

RONNIE throws APPLE into the garbage can. A point of view shot is used within the trashcan which shows a blurred-out ELECTRICAL BILL. Once the APPLE falls in, it will "hit" the camera and cut to the next shot. A shot-reverse-shot is used during the first three lines of the following exchange. It begins with a medium close-up shot framing pointing from behind RONNIE's LAPTOP facing him and switches to an over-the-shoulder shot behind RONNIE facing towards the rest of the kitchen. After that, the camera settles on a close-up medium shot framing facing from behind the LAPTOP towards RONNIE.

                         MOM

                   (distant)

Are you ready?

                        RONNIE

                    (irritated)

Ready for what?

                         MOM 

We need to spend some time with your uncle.

                        RONNIE

                (inconsiderate)

Who cares? He's going to die soon anyway!

                        MOM

                     (angry)

Don't say things like that. 

                   (beat)

RONNIE hits the table with his hand in frustration.                       

                       RONNIE

                    (defeated)

Man!

                        MOM

Go get your jacket; we're leaving right now! 

An over-the-shoulder shot is used to show the title of the film on the LAPTOP's screen and RONNIE as he shuts his LAPTOP, grabs it, and leaves the dining table.

3 INT. STAIRS - DAY

A close-up, stationary shot is used to show RONNIE's feet as he walks up the stairs towards his room. The non-diegetic sound of suspenseful music plays in the background and continues to play up until the end of Scene 7.

4 INT. HOUSE - DAY

A medium shot angling from the back towards the left-side of RONNIE's profile is used to show him against a blurred background as he stands in front of his bedroom doorway holding his LAPTOP.

                        RONNIE

                      (annoyed)

Man, it sucks living here!

RONNIE then angrily opens and shuts his bedroom door, where the camera tracks to the right and focuses for a moment on the NAME SIGN on his door. At the same time, the diegetic sound of his bedroom door slamming shut is heard.

5 INT. BEDROOM - DAY

A wide shot is used to show that RONNIE's bedroom is messy, with various articles of clothing littered around the room. There are a few posters up and a guitar leaning against the nightstand. The bed is lined with satin grey sheets. A high-angle, tracking shot is used to show as RONNIE walks into the room, drops his LAPTOP on the bed, and walks towards his closet, where he grabs the door handle. 

6 INT. CLOSET - DAY

An action match-cut showing RONNIE from a low angle as he walks into the closet and tries to turn on the light switch.

                         RONNIE

                       (mutters)

When is dad going to fix this dang light? 

The same low-angle shot is used to show RONNIE as he looks around the closet in search of his RED JACKET.

                                RONNIE (CONT'D)

                       (yells)

Mom! Where is my red jacket?

                         MOM

All the way in the back!

RONNIE moves further into the closet over the camera which is still using a low-angle shot. The camera then cuts to a medium-long shot outside of the closet door where the LIGHTS flicker five times.

7 INT. BEDROOM - DAY

RONNIE then emerges from the closet holding the jacket. The camera then cuts to a point-of-view shot as RONNIE walks into the center of his room. RONNIE stops abruptly and the camera begins to pan and tilt around the room, still using a point-of-view shot. The bedroom is now clean, and lacking a guitar and LAPTOP. Moreover, one of the posters around the room is different and the bed is now covered in white sheets.

                       RONNIE

What the-?

The camera then cuts to RONNIE using a medium-long shot as he opens his bedroom door from the inside and looks out. RONNIE notices that things look different outside of his room as well.

                       RONNIE(CONT'D)

                       (yells)

Mom!

                         MOM 

What RICKY?

RONNIE leans out the door and looks to find that the NAME SIGN has changed to RICKY's name.

                       RONNIE

What in the world is going on?

The camera cuts back to RONNIE in the room using medium-shot framing. RONNIE thinks about his situation for a moment before a tracking shot is used to follow him back to the outside of the closet. The camera stops outside of the closet as RONNIE walks all the way to the back and shuts the door. The LIGHTS flicker three times. The non-diegetic music quickens. RONNIE exits the closet, still holding his jacket, and using another point-of-view shot, he sees that his room has returned back to its usual state, including his LAPTOP being on his bed. The non-diegetic music softens. The camera then cuts to a medium shot with RONNIE still in his bedroom.

                       RONNIE

              (uncertainly)

Mom?

Silence.

A medium shot is used once more alongside a tracking shot as RONNIE walks towards his bedroom door. 

8 INT. HALLWAY - DAY

The camera then cuts to a hallway as he walks towards the living room and the camera is facing him.

                      RONNIE(CONT'D)

                  (unease)

Mom?

The camera zooms in and settles on a medium-close-up shot of RONNIE.

Silence.

9 INT. LIVING ROOM- DAY

RONNIE walks quickly into the living room where the camera is still facing him and where he sees something behind the camera. 

                     RONNIE(CONT'D)

                  (extreme panic)

Mom‽

                                                       FADE OUT

THE END

Closing Remarks:

Overall, I'd say that this script is certainly a great basis for the creation of our opening and that it will certainly be helpful once we get into the hands-on portion of our production process. Hence why I do believe that our opening is sure to be "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" (Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke).

Title Design Research: Science Fiction Thriller- "Strange Days": Virtually Endless Possibilities

     Hi and thank you for joining us as we analyze our fourth, and final, film opening from the 1995 film, “Strange Days,” which we can across on the “Art of the Title” website.

Just like we've done in the past three blogs, I will be answering a series of questions that will provide us with a comprehensive analysis of the film's opening title sequence. 

What titles are displayed during the opening sequences?

    As the movie begins, the title sequence is quite simple and much shorter than the other openings we’ve seen thus far. It begins by introducing the film studio, production company, and the movie’s title, all of which are shown against a blank, black background, fading in and out of the screen and changing from green, to blue, and finally to red whilst doing so. Being that the titles appeared on an empty, black screen, we can say that they were not embedded. 

What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?

    As the opening sequence begins, more text is displayed on-screen, this time in a fully yellow color that shows the time in hours, minutes, and seconds, as well as the date, which is written as day, month, and year. This was done to allow the audience to orient themselves with regards to when the events of the film are taking place. Following this, a blinking eye is showing, one that, once closed, transports the audience to an entirely new location, thereby effectively establishing the primary setting of the opening, that being the back of a car being driven by burglars who the current subject seems to be acquainted with, as evidenced by the fact that the man in the front passage seat secured a mask over his face and that they spoke to the subject as if they were in on this robbery together. During this car scene, the emotions of the burglars in the front of the car as well as the frustration of the primary subject of that scene, which is further demonstrated by the diegetic sound within the scene. After this, the three people in the car (including the primary subject of this scene) all exit it and enter the back entrance of a restaurant. The camera takes special care to show that harmed the workers in the back and in the kitchen, leaving nothing but chaos in their wake. The primary subject and his crew then move into the front of the restaurant where they threaten other employees and patrons with guns, which we earlier came to know aren’t actually loaded and only serve the purpose of inciting fear in the people the men are robbing. There is a slight pause to focus on the measly amount of money that the three men stole, which they still got excited over, likely meaning that they are rather unfamiliar with robberies, followed by that, they are shown forcing the people in the restaurant into a storage closet. They are then shown fleeing from the police who have arrived on the premises by rushing up to the roof where they are being tailed by a helicopter from above, showing just how dire their situation had been. This point is then driven home by the fact that the subject falls from the side of the building they jumped to in an attempt to escape the police, resulting in a camera glitch occurring, likely indicating that this "simulation" had ended. All of these images lead the audience to question what the technology that allowed someone to do that in the first place was, who the technology is used by, and whether or not it's specifically reserved for crimes. 

What connotations do these images carry?

    These images carry a futuristic feel, whilst still being able to make the situation seem familiar to the audience since the opening captures a robbery taking place. I will say that there was a lot of suspense and fear regarding what the fates of the three men would be since we received very minimal information regarding who exactly they are and what their motives were. The shakiness of the camera and the use of point-of-view shots throughout the entire sequence also helped raise tensions and create a subversive plot that served to compel the audience.

How does the film establish a feeling of the genre from the outset?

    The movie connects with the science-fiction thriller genre as its plot is primarily based around the concept of virtual reality and its ability to "transport" people into the past. This fact is conveyed to the audience by the glitch that occurs during the beginning of the opening which is accompanied by the words "Boot it." This, in turn, leads the audience to believe that futuristic technology plays some sort of role in this film, especially since the primary subject in the burglary scenes is shown holding some sort of unfamiliar device when the audience is first placed in the robbers' car. I believe that this was effective in turning something that commonly occurs in real life, a robbery, into something new, captivating, and completely unfamiliar to the audience. When it comes to the thriller aspects of this sequence, I found that during those initial seconds of the opening, there is the inclusion of non-diegetic sound which resembles the beeping sound of machinery, placing the audience in a foreign situation where even the sound conveys no sense of familiarity. Moreover, I discovered that the lack of non-diegetic sound once those few seconds had elapsed was quite effective in creating unease within the audience, as a broader focus was instead placed on loud noises that deviate from what one would expect to hear in the background of a restaurant, being that it is now the site of an ongoing robbery. I also believe that the quick pacing of each scene helped achieve the same effect. 

What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?

    This film is rated R, meaning that it is targeted towards adults. This is exemplified during the opening sequence of the film by the actors' use of vulgar language, violence, and the presence of suggestive content. One can also conclude that it is tailored towards that particular age group as it focuses on the mature themes of corruption, conspiracy, and murder. Moreover, it is based on the concept of virtual reality and the ability to see past memories of the deceased. These are obviously heavier topics that some young children and teenagers may not fully grasp, but which adults can fully comprehend and enjoy a film about, especially with the increasing relevance of technology and virtual reality in society.

How has technology been used effectively with regards to camera angles, transitions, and editing techniques?

    In the opening sequence, we see an extreme close-up at the start, which creates intrigue in the audience and acts as a segue between that scene and the one to follow. To transition between the two scenes, editing is used to make it seem as though a glitch is occurring before the camera finally settles on a point-of-view shot, making the audience feel as though they are active subjects in the film as opposed to disconnected bystanders, which makes the opening more engaging. The shakiness of the camera, which is kept at eye-level, is meant to build up tension as the audience has no choice but to follow along and experience each event as it occurs in real-time. This provides them with a raw experience that gives them the ability to understand the true fear and feelings of one of the subjects on screen, whilst also following right along with the film's theme of virtual reality. The opening used a lot of whip pans and quick tilts, making it seem as though it was comprised of just one, long, continuous shot, simulating the adrenaline rush likely felt by the subject, who was one of the burglars, as he committed the crime. The ending scene drowns the audience in suspense, as they are left wondering what could possibly be next after the camera cuts out and glitches again when the subject falls off the building and, presumably, dies.

Overall, I'd say that examining the opening of this film was a great way to end off our very productive day, but it certainly has me believing that my future will be "...virtual insanity...", especially if the technology shown in the film is brought to life (Jamiroquai 1996).

Title Design Research: Science Fiction Thriller- "Glass": Shattering Expectations

    Good day! Welcome to our third blog on opening sequence analysis where we'll now be looking at the 2019 hit film, "Glass," which we uncovered on the "Art of the Title" website.

We will be answering the same questions as before, which I've outlined below:

What titles are displayed during the opening sequences?

    During the opening sequence, multiple different titles, such as the name of the film studio, its production company, its director, its title, the names of its actors, its music composer and supervisor, its editors, its screenwriters, its photography director, its executive, and non-executive, producers, as well as its costume and production designers, are presented. All of said titles were written in a light, indigo color, given the effect of being shattered as they entered the screen, and not embedded.

What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?

    This film's title sequence begins by featuring the primary subject of the film in a very dark and dingy setting where he taunts his four victims. In the subsequent scene, the audience is placed outside of a laundromat where they are shown two unruly young adults as they harass and punch a man for "fun." In the same scene, a point of view shot is used, although the audience is aware that it is from the perspective of the camera that one of the subjects shown is holding. This, in turn, allowed the audience to understand the adrenaline rush they were feeling through the shakiness of the video camera. A shot of their escape through the subway station is also shown, likely to tell the audience where the events of the film are taking place, that being Philadelphia as indicated by the camera's focus on a sign listing the subways routes. After this, the reactions of the aforementioned subjects are shown as an intruder enters their home, showing how they remain arrogant even in the face of danger. The threatening figure is also captured in the opening sequence, but is hooded in a black cloak and stays hidden in the darkness, making them quite ambiguous and likely meaning that the revealing of their identity will hold some significance within the film. At the end of the opening, a shot of a man entering a home security agency is shown, leaving the audience to ponder what his connection to the plot might be and if he may have had something to do with the attack that had just been shown on-screen, or if he perhaps had some involvement with the kidnapping shown earlier in the sequence. 

What connotations do these images carry?

    Each of the images in the opening carried certain connotations, which I do believe varied on a personal basis for each of my teammates and I. We did come to a general consensus to agree that we felt unsettled by the fact that the man who had kidnapped the four cheerleaders at the beginning of the opening seemed to be dressed in such unconventional clothing and even offered them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, a proposal that was very out of place given the situation at hand. When it came to the two young men attacking an unsuspecting passerby, we were all taken aback by the fact that they could commit such a horrible act and get away with it scotfree, despite being chased, of course, fleeing to the subway for a clean escape. With that being said, when the two men were later attacked in their homes, while we did feel afraid, as is characteristic of a thriller of any sort, we were also glad to see that justice had been served and that they had gotten what they deserved.

How does the film establish a feeling of the genre from the outset?

    While it wasn't clear from the very beginning of the opening, I do believe that the film was able to establish the fact that it was part of the science fiction thriller genre pretty well. When the sequence begins, the audience hears loud footsteps approach through the damp, dark, and seemingly secluded location, which helps build up tension as the mysterious figure approaches, this tension comes to a head when the kidnapped cheerleaders are shown as the audience lies in anticipation of discovering why they were brought there. During the following scene when the two men assault a fellow pedestrian of theirs, we can hear the music quicken for a moment from its almost slow place, and begin to adopt a rapid ticking sound, resembling that of a clock, almost as though their time will soon be up, which we later come to learn it is when they are attacked in their home. Dramatic drumming is also used along with string instruments at this point in the opening, so it becomes apparent to the audience that music is an important aspect of this film when it comes to conveying the thematic elements of tension and suspense, as was further supported by the fact that there were two different music specialists in the titles alone. When the two men are shown in their house, the music remains quiet as the first man is attacked, but grows louder as the threatening figure begins to approach the second man through the dark. When it comes to the science fiction elements that I can pick out from the opening, I would honestly have to say that the hooded figure's seemingly superhuman strength is the only thing I could pick out. 

What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?

    To be able to provide a sufficient response to this question, we must first define the target audience of this film as being best suited for teenagers ages thirteen and older due to its incorporation of mild language and violence. In addition, individuals interested in viewing the struggle between a seemingly normal person, who is in an interminable pursuit of justice, and the threat he faces from someone who has superhuman abilities, are also likely to enjoy this film. Having said that, it makes sense as to why the film leads with predominantly young actors being used as well as some form of violence being showcased from the beginning. In addition, this also explains why there is so much obscurity during the opening as it keeps the audience wanting to learn more and see where exactly these aspects of inhuman and extraordinary abilities come into play, with a small "sneak-peek" being offered when the two young men square off with, or are rather badly beaten, by an intruder in their home.

How has technology been used effectively with regards to camera angles, transitions, and editing techniques?

    When it came to this film's opening sequence, I believe that it used medium long shot framing effectively in the first scene to create an unnerving feeling as an unfamiliar figure approached the audience, ultimately confirming the audience's feelings of unease as a cutaway to a long shot of four tied up cheerleaders occurs, before returning back to focus on their captor. When the cut to black occurs with the film studio, production company, director, and film title being presented, the dramatic music is first introduced and begins to help set the overall mood of the rest of the introduction. In the following scene, a tracking shot occurs of a man which lags a bit behind him despite being at his side, so when the young attacker appears, the audience is just as startled as the man, especially with the pitch up in the music. As the camera switches to a medium shot, the audience can see the brashness of the two young men, which is reinforced once more by the use of a slow-motion close-up that follows them as they fight the flow of "traffic", walking the wrong way down a flight of stairs at the subways station to personify their rebellious nature. 

    A wide shot is then used to show them in their home, with a long shot being applied when they first hear their intruder enter to create a foreign perspective and show how unfamiliar the situation is to both the audience and the two men. A medium close-up is then used to focus on one of the young men's faces to highlight their fear, and whilst it is shared by the audience, they cannot really identify or sympathize with them because of the heinous act they committed earlier, which I thought was a very interesting choice for the director to make since we have yet to truly settle on who the protagonists of the film would be. A dolly shot is then used as the threat approaches one of them to create this feeling of inevitable, impending doom. After this scene, a tracking shot is used, with a tilt-up to the sign of the man's shop occurring, followed by a medium close-up shot as he looks around and surveys his surrounding before entering, which I believe effectively introduces a new character to the audience whilst simultaneously conveying his cautious nature.

All in all, breaking down this opening sequence was quite interesting because there was just so much information for me to dissect, just "...like a surgeon..." (Ciara 2009).

Title Design Research: Science Fiction Thriller- "Code 8": What Makes This Film Great

    Hello again! In this blog, we will be reviewing the title sequence for the 2019 film, "Code 8," which we obtained from the "Art of the Title" website.

We will be responding to six questions to help us analyze this movie's opening below:

What titles are displayed during the opening sequences?

As the title sequence plays, they credit the companies and people who were involved in the creation of the film. This includes the main studio company and its associates, as well as other film companies that were involved in the production process. It displays the names of the executive producers and non-executive producers, along with the names of the designers for costumes, music, story, photography, and visual effects, and, of course, the editors. The names of the main cast members are also presented on screen and, at the end, the director's name and the film's title are shown. These titles were not embedded and were written in white, changing to adopt a new set of names with a glitch effect as it moved around the screen.

What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?

The images used are put together in a montage-like format, with a large compilation of news reports that display the effect that people with superhuman abilities have on society as a whole. Some of the most notable examples of this included the destruction being caused in the city, the arrests of individuals with superhuman abilities, people fleeing from the city and running around in panic, and emergency responders rushing in to provide aid wherever necessary. There were also flashes of seemingly random images, which the audience would soon come to learn, contribute to the plotline, such as eye drops being dripped into someone's eye or laboratory testing taking place.

What connotations do these images carry?

 When these clips are put together, it gives the opening an appalling, “shocking news” type of feeling. Since the clips are relatively short and quickly change to show different events occurring, it gives the audience the impression that a lot is happening at once, which makes sense as it would imply that the people with superhuman abilities are likely fed up with their mistreatment and are beginning to act out. At the end of the sequence, the montage of clips is abruptly interrupted by the title of the film. This leaves the audience in suspense and gives them a moment to think about what they had just seen on screen, allowing them to take it all in without feeling overwhelmed because they have a break, something that the people within the film aren't given the luxury of having. This, in turn, encourages the audience to continue watching the entirety of the film to answer the many burning questions that the opening left them with.

How does the film establish a feeling of the genre from the outset?

    The science fiction thriller genre is evidenced during the entire opening. The thriller aspect of the genre is created by the slow and pounding non-diegetic music in the background, whereas the science fiction aspect of the film is brought to life with the actual visuals of the film, particularly with the news reports. One example of this is a clip where a woman is holding a baby that is making objects levitate, presumably through telekineses. During the news report montage, there are also numerous people who spoke up to complain about people with otherworldly abilities. That is not to say that the use of visuals was used solely for the purpose of putting a science-fiction twist on the film, being that they also helped move along the thriller genre, like when some of the clips showed the people with superpowers growing violent and causing destruction and chaos in public, something that aims to engross the audience.

What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?

The target audience of the movie would primarily be people who are interested in films about individuals who possess supernatural abilities, but would rather see a fresher take on the subject by having a darker twist this time, as the protagonist turns to a life of crime rather than one of selflessness and good deeds. This movie has violence and harsh language, meaning that its best suited for a mature and older audience. To ensure that this specific audience is engaged, the director chose to base his opening around the news, something that typical adults watch on a daily basis. Seeing the subtle differences that slowly grow to be more noticeable as more reports of individuals with powers arise is something that intrigues any audience. As I've mentioned before, this film relies of both visuals and sound to make it as immersive as possible, by using fast-paced clips to keep the audience on their toes and reinforcing the information they may have missed in the videos with slower dialogue.

How has technology been used effectively with regards to camera angles, transitions, and editing techniques?

Technology was used a lot for this opening sequence because of the editing and transitions that were so prominent within it. Camera angles and shots were hard to point out and decipher because of the short screen time for each clip. However, I will say that I did notice a huge difference in the shots, with them having started as medium close-ups and then gradually shifting to long shots, which represents how individuals with superpowers had gone from being respected members of society to gradually being treated as the scum of the earth after having been pushed so far away from any sense of community they had, that they were no longer even being considered real people. Between each title and each clip, a glitching editing effect was used, which allowed the audience to distinguish between different aspects of the opening, and also gave the clips a vintage look, almost as though the audience were looking back on these past events as if they had occurred decades, years, and months ago as the videos progressed. Given the number of clips shown and the rapid pace they were displayed at, the audience begins to find that for people in this universe, it was almost as if time had blurred by. 

To end things off, I'd like to say that it's "...closing time..." for this blog, see you in the next one (Semisonic 1998)!

Title Design Research: Science Fiction Thriller- "Outbreak": An Infectious Introduction

    Hello! Today we started to look at specific films within our genre and the elements of their opening sequences. To truly see how the beginning of the film is so effective in setting the mood for the rest of the movie, we'll be analyzing four opening sequences, beginning first with the 1995 film, "Outbreak," which we retrieved from the "Art of the Title" website. 

I've listed the questions we answered to conduct said analysis below.

What titles are displayed during the opening sequences?

    During the opening sequence, the names of actors, the title of the film, the casting directors, the costume designer, the music composer, its co-producers, the film editors, the production designer, the photography director, the executive producers, the film's scriptwriters, the film's producers, and the film's director at the end are all displayed. These titles were not embedded within each scene and were written in a bright teal blue, outlined in black so that they popped out against the shots.

What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?

    Within the opening sequence, a number of different images are prioritized. At the beginning of the opening, the audience is shown as a bomb is shown landing and exploding at a military base, with a full shot being used to show as one unsuspecting soldier is, for lack of a better word, disintegrated, with multiple shots showing how merciless the attack had been and capturing the extent of the damage caused by said explosion. The primary location of the film's opening is also highlighted, with that being the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) in Ft. Detrick, Maryland. The interior of said facility is also shown, with the audience first being led through the area populated mainly with enlisted military personnel and then later shifting to show areas with higher levels of restriction, moving from different levels of danger posed by the pathogens being studied by the scientists, ranging from Biosafety Level 1 to Level 4. This served to establish the context of the film as well as to foreshadow later events and their relation to certain locations from earlier on in the movie.

What connotations do these images carry?

    The general connotation of the images was that they were rather horrifying, just knowing that a bomb could loom on the horizon or that an infectious disease could begin to spread so easily (well that truth may not be all that difficult to grapple with given the recent pandemic) despite having no idea of what had caused it. The images in the facility were pretty standard on their own; however, I do believe that the music and text seen on-screen during those scenes is what really made them as dramatic and captivating as they were, being that I wouldn't have been aware of how dangerous the pathogens in each room were had I not been provided with said information. On a more general note, I found that the laboratory seemed to exude a serious and sterile feel, whereas the final scene of the opening seemed to act in direct contrast to what the audience had just been shown, being more lighthearted as it was just showing a man washing his dogs in his bath.

How does the film establish a feeling of the genre from the outset?

    From the film's opening sequence alone I was able to determine that it was part of the science fiction thriller genre. The very first shot of the film was a bomb being dropped, which placed the audience directly into the action, and likely acted as a parallel to the virus that would soon follow, an immediate threat from which there would be no escape. Admittedly, this was a bit shocking at first since my groupmates expected some kind of exposition prior to such a major event transpiring; however, I do believe it was both necessary and effective in raising questions that will later be explained, making the plot relatively unpredictable, a key ingredient associated with the genre. In addition, I do believe that the title of the film itself, "Outbreak," when shown during the title sequence, was able to hint towards the fact that the film would be in the vein of science fiction thrillers, being that the term has such a negative connotation. Moreover, when the term is shown on screen a couple monkeys are shown scuttling by, which may lead the audience to believe that the disease may be the product of some sort of inter-species transmittance, especially since a later scene sets the location of the film as being a governmental infectious disease research facility, both of which are common trope used in such films. Additionally, I found that the non-diegetic music contributed to apprehension carried throughout each scene, which made the opening all the more compelling.

What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?

    First and foremost, the target audience of this film was comprised of adults being that it was rated R. The film concerned a deadly infectious outbreak, which is obviously more age-appropriate for older, mature audiences as opposed to young children. Having said that, it makes sense as to why clips of the bomb exploding, brief images of the injuries sustained from the bombing, and older, grown adults are shown in the scenes. Additionally, the director chose to include text to supplement the information shown on screen, something that adults may appreciate more because they aren't solely immersed in the action of the film, but the storyline as a whole, so for them, any and all context is appreciated to avoid plot holes. 

How has technology been used effectively with regards to camera angles, transitions, and editing techniques?

    In this film's title sequence, various camera angles, transitions, and editing techniques are used. In the first scene of the opening, an establishing aerial shot is used to paint an image of the relatively peaceful military camp as a bomb approaches the unsuspecting soldiers, building up a quickly released tension as the audience watches as the bomb makes contact with the ground. When this occurs, editing is used to make it seem as though an explosion has actually occurred. Full, aerial, and long shots are then used to capture the magnitude of the attack. By use of a medium shot in the next scene, a military plane is then shown leaving the site, which lies in smoke in the distance, effectively leaving the audience questioning the reasoning behind the attack and who was able to flee the disaster. In the following scene, a wide shot is used to show how the bomb decimated the camp and left it as a pile of firey rubble with no life left in sight, before cutting to a medium close-up shot of monkeys fleeing the site. A brief fade out to black is then used, with the words "Present Day" appearing on screen before promptly fading out, with a point of view shot in the next scene being paired with the words "United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) Ft. Detrick, Maryland" as to establish context for the film with regards to location and its premise. In the next scene, a point of view shot is used before quickly becoming a tracking shot of military personnel, a Staff Sergeant to be precise. As this individual passes through a restricted doorway, the camera begins to follow another subject, this time a scientist as indicated by their lab wear as well as the text on-screen which reads "BIOSAFETY LEVEL 1 Minimal biohazard. Study of low risk infectious agents: Pneumoccous, Salmonella." 

    As a panning shot occurs of the whole room, the idea that the pathogens being studied in the room aren't dangerous is reestablished as none of the scientists are wearing masks or gloves for protection. In the next part of the opening, a tracking shot is used once more as the camera follows one of said scientists out of the room and into the hall before switching to an area in which the scientists are wearing protective eyewear and heavy-duty masks as they are now working within a "BIOSAFETY LEVEL 2 Moderate biohazard. Infectious agents: Hepatitis, Lyme Disease, Influenza." area, as the text on-screen indicates. A dolly shot is then used for a quick-paced transition to a room where the audience learns information about the research that occurs at this high-security facility, thereby piquing their interest and leaving them wondering at what level they will hear about the so-called "Outbreak" that this film's title warned them about. A tracking shot is then used once more, leading the audience through a short corridor and into another laboratory, where a "through the wall" transition is used to move to another room from which a scientist is exiting. If you hadn't guessed it by now, yet another tracking shot was used, this time following a different scientist into a room where full-body hazmat suits fitted with air-purifying respirators are worn, as the text shows that this is an even more dangerous zone, a place with a "BIOSAFETY LEVEL 3 High biohazard. Multiple vaccinated required. Infectious agents: Antrax, Typhus, H.I.V.", whilst the camera gradually through the scene. 

    And while the audience may have believed that this would be the end of the opening, they are in for a surprise when yet another tracking shot occurs, leading the audience into a high-clearance area, in which numerous doors must be unlocked before entering the "BIOSAFETY LEVEL 4 Extreme biohazard. Maximum security. Infectious agents: Ebola, Lassa, Hanta viruses." area, where the subjects wear light blue hazmat suits that cover their entire head and which are hooked up to an oxygen tank before they enter another room. The text then disappears and is replaced with the words: "Highly virulent. No known cures or vaccines." just to show how terrifying the virus being studied is and likely answer the audience's burning question of why they needed to go so deep within the facility to find this disease. A medium long-shot is then used as the camera, which has now adopted a point of view shot, remains in the doorway, almost as if it wishes the audience to understand how dangerous it is to enter said area and how reluctant they should be to do so, with it being much safer for them to remain as observers from afar. A cut then occurs which places the audience within the kitchen of a house before a dolly shot is used to show a casually dressed man who is washing his dogs. This creates a noticeable contrast between his disposition and that of the stern men and women at the infectious disease facility, leaving the audience to question if he will be the unlikely protagonist of this film, as the shot fades to black. I would like to note that cuts were used for the majority of the transitions in the film, and if not, I made sure to highlight that above.

After being able to examine the opening sequence of this film at such great length, I must say that my excitement might be a bit "...too contagious..." (Kiana Ledé and Safe 2022).