Opening Credits (Blog #30) PLANNING /RESEARCH

Despite already researching title sequences and their different styles and importance, in class we recently viewed a few students' film openings from past years, and what really caught my attention was exactly what the opening credits of and how they all included different elements. Confused and curious, I asked my media studies teacher for guidance on what exactly I’m supposed to include, and she suggested researching older movies in the same genre as my film to see what they included. That’s when I realized I missed a pretty important part of research, opening credits. So back to research we go….. fun. 

The opening of Dead Poets Society had a big influence on how I planned my own film opening, particularly in the way it uses credits to set the tone and introduce characters. When I first looked at this film back on Blog #19, I noticed that the sequence felt calm, traditional , and very controlled, instantly reflecting the strict academic environment of Welton Academy. What stood out to me most is  how the opening credits communicate so much without any dialogue. The film uses visuals, music, and pacing to create a mood and hint as its themes rather than explaining them outright. Overall, it shows that opening credits can feel like a natural part of the film rather than something separate from the story. 

The opening credits of Dead Poets Society include: 

• Production Company Logo
• Film Title 
• Director Credit 
• Producer Credit 
• Writing Credit 
• Music Credit 
• Cinematography Credit 
• Film Editing Credit 
• Casting Credit 
• Main Cast Credit 

My original idea 

“For my two-minute film opening, I want the credits to appear throughout various different pieces of schoolwork and study materials to show how deeply the main character’s life revolves around her academics. The story follows a hardworking student who always believed that getting good grades is a big element of her possible future success, so I want every element of the opening to reflect her dedication and overall obsessive mindset that she has towards her studies. Instead of placing the text onto the story with a plain background, I want the credits to appear naturally like its a part of her everyday life, to have the audience dive into her world even with the credits by having them appear within school-related visuals like a teacher’s feedback on red ink on a written assignment as it often is in real life, handwritten notes with words underlined, flashcards spread across a desk, or a project covered in annotations. The names of the cast and crew would blend into these classroom materials, as if they were part of the characters' everyday life. I want the credits to blend into the story in a unique way and not force them onto the story despite them not connecting to the main plot and character. The replacement of text and fonts for my credits will be natural handwriting, resembling a student’s neat but tired penmanship, and the color scheme would be muted with tones of paper, ink, and highlighter marks. This approach will highlight how consumed she is by school and how every part of her life always connects back to her studies. The sequence would end as she receives a college letter in the mail, setting up a cliffhanger and leaving the audience wondering if all her hard work truly paid off.” - Blog #14 (Title Sequences)

After researching exactly what opening credits consist of within the coming-of-age drama genre, I began to question whether I wanted to include my opening credits directly in the film or add them in later during editing. I wasn’t sure because I didn’t want to distract from the story by adding credits into the schoolwork or study materials. To figure out what works best, I plan to film the same twice. First without any credits, leaving it ready for post-production, and a second time with credits integrated into worksheets, flashcards, and other classroom visuals. At the end, I’ll gather feedback and decide which version works best for the project.

My project’s opening credits will include: 

• Director Credit 
• Producer Credit 
• Writing Credit 
• Cinematography Credit 
• Main Cast Credit 
• Music Credit (depending on what I decide for the audio) 

The credits for my project and a production as big as Dead Poets Society will naturally be somewhat different, as many elements in their credits weren’t needed for mine. Still, I drew a lot of inspiration from their sequence when deciding what to include. 

SOURCES 

My own past blogs (#14 and #19) 

https://youtu.be/z8d3ElPKpB8?si=juelkFgMiXkA3qWU

To do list update 

Practicing Camera Angles (Blog #29) PLANNING

 

After setting up my room as the set for my film opening, I finally started practicing different camera angles. I focused mainly on close-up shots such as writing, highlighting and other small details that were important for showing the character’s perfectionist mindset. I had spent so much time planning and visualizing these shots, so I was excited to finally bring them to life. 

(All the practice clips)

Unfortunately, things didn’t go as smoothly as I had hoped. The camera’s focus became my biggest challenge, it just wouldn’t cooperate no matter what I tried. The entire hour I dedicated to practicing quickly turned into an overwhelming and frustrating experience. After all the research, planning, and preparation I had done, seeing footage that didn’t meet my expectations was incredibly discouraging. I found myself overthinking everything, my choices, my skills and even whether I could pull this whole project off. At one point, I got so frustrated that I nearly cried. It was a mix of stress, disappointment, and the pressure I had put on myself to make this project look as best as possible. 

(Shot on the Sony camera)

To determine whether the problem was the camera itself or something else, like lighting or the type of shot, I switched to my iPhone 12 Pro. The footage improved slightly regarding the focus, but it still took a lot of extra time and effort to properly focus. It was a reminder that technical challenges are just part of filmmaking, and sometimes the best approach is to adapt rather than get stuck. 

(Shot on iPhone)

After a lot of trial and error and a few tears, I realized that the best solution was to split the work between the two cameras. The Sony camera, while high-quality, wasn’t suitable for every shot as I had originally expected. For the scenes it struggled with, I decided to simply use my phone instead. This approach will hopefully allow me to keep moving forward without letting the camera be my technical difficulty that derails my project. Although it was a frustrating experience, it taught me a valuable lesson about patience, problem-solving, and the importance of flexibility in filmmaking which I know are all important skills to have for this project. I’m thankful I decided to practice using the camera and the camera angles before the actual shooting of the opening so I wouldn’t have to deal with this issue when filming. 

To do list update 

Transforming The Set (Blog #28) PLANNING

 While developing my film opening, I knew that I needed to make my room into the set. Working with a familiar space pushed me to be more creative and helped me understand how setting plays a key role in storytelling. 

The transformation 

I began by adjusting the layout of my room so it reflected my character’s mental state, especially the desk. Since the film centers on a student under constant academic pressure with a strong drive for perfection, I wanted the room to feel more structured and restrictive rather than comfortable. Rearranging my entire desk setup made the space feel crowded, messy, and overwhelming, which visually shows how her mindset is overall. It highlights how school dominates the character’s life. 

I was careful with the props I included in the set. Pens, pencils, pens, highlights, sticky notes and papers were all placed intentionally to show how focused the character is on her work. I made sure to make the space messy so the audience could get a clear picture of how the character's mindset is. 

Lighting was another important factor in changing the mood of the room. Instead of using natural light, I’m going to rely on a single desk lamp and keep the blinds closed to create a bright and lifeless environment. 

Overall, this experience showed me that effective filmmaking doesn’t require expensive locations or professional studios. With creativity and planning, an everyday space like a bedroom can be turned into a meaningful and cinematic setting. 

To do list update 

Acting- Interview (Blog #27) PLANNING/ RESEARCH

 Since I have no acting experience whatsoever and I’m taking on such an emotion-heavy role, I knew I needed some support. My best friend, Jianna, has been a thespian for over three years. She’s performed in multiple productions and has been on many stages. I’ve even had the chance to watch one of her shows from the audience, and it’s clear to me that she knows what she’s doing so she’s the perfect person to help me with this project. 

Originally, I hoped she could play the main character in my film opening, but since some scenes have to filmed at my school and we don’t attend the same one, that wasn’t possible. Even though Jianna has only ever performed on stage and never in front of a camera, I actually think that works to my advantage. This past summer, I took an FLVS class called “Theater, Film, and Cinema Production”, where we studied the difference between stage acting and film acting. Stage actors rely on bigger expressions, movements, and body language so their emotions reach the audience, even those sitting all the way in the back. Film acting is more subtle since cameras can capture small details, allow retakes, and rely on specific angles to help convey emotion. 

Since my character only has one spoken line in the entire opening, getting advice from someone who specializes in expressive, physical storytelling makes perfect sense. I also took theater for three years in middle school as an elective so I’m confident I can handle delivering that single line. What I really need help with is communicating my character’s heavy emotions through my body language and facial expressions, something stage actors do naturally and constantly. 

Now that I’ve fully written my character and the plot, I’ve put together a list of questions to ask Jianna so I can learn how to portray those emotions more authentically. Fortunately, she’s more than willing to let me interview her. 

The questions 

1. How do you prepare yourself emotionally before acting out an intense scene?

2. What helps you access strong emotions without forcing them?

3. How do you make emotional acting look natural and not exaggerated?

4. Do you use personal memories to create emotions, or do you stay fully in the character’s mindset?

5. How do you stay in the emotional headspace of a scene during multiple takes?

6. How do you handle emotional scenes that you can’t personally relate to?

7. How do you practice facial expressions and emotional range?

8. What’s one common mistake beginners make when acting emotional?

The interview video

After finishing the interview, I walked away with a better understanding of how to approach my future performance. Some of the key takeaways for me were: 

• To get ready for emotional or intense scenes, it’s important to fully understand the character’s mindset and imagine myself in their situation. 
• Putting myself in the character’s shoes allows emotions to come through more naturally, rather than feeling forced or exaggerated. 
• Emotional performances are strongest when they come from real feelings instead of pretending, even if I haven’t gone through the same experience as the character.
• Using personal memoirs is one of the best ways to connect with a character and express their emotions in an honest way. 
• It’s important to keep a clear boundary between myself and the character, especially when portraying someone in a toxic or unhealthy state. This is a role, not who I am. 
• Finding personal moments that bring out the same emotions the character is feeling helps make the performance more believable. 
• Practicing different facial expressions and understanding how emotions show physically is an important part of acting. 
• Overdoing natural behaviors, like breathing, can pull the audience out of the scene, so keeping things subtle is key. 

To do list update:

Equipment Breakdown (Blog #26) PLANNING

 The equipment I will be using to create my film opening is shown in the photo below.

 I am very grateful for the chance to borrow a professional camera from my church, the Sony A7 III. This camera feels like the right choice for my project because I have been using it for photography and videography almost every Sunday for the past five years. Because of this experience, I am very comfortable and confident with the camera and working with it. While I may not be an expert, I have a solid understanding of the camera and am able to know what ISO, aperture, and shutter speed all are and do for a camera. However, I still took the extra time to research certain settings to make sure I could use it to its full potential. 

https://youtu.be/2bs926mKu3s?si=vI9U-yTj1SpUcIhq

The lens I use will be just as important as the camera itself, as they help shape how the story is visually presented. For this project, I will be using three different lenses, each chosen for specific types of shots. The E 4.5–6.3/70–350 G OSS lens will mainly be used for extreme close-ups that focus on small but meaningful details. Shots such as Clare shutting off her alarm, a test paper hitting the desk, or a close-up of a B+ grade are moments where this lens highlights the tension within the story being told. It will also be used during the montage to capture quick, detailed shots that reflect Clare’s pressure and determination. 

The 28–75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD lens will mostly be used for medium shots that show Clare within her everyday surroundings. These scenes include her eating cold leftovers while studying, her wall covered in sticky notes and schoolwork, and the moment she closes an empty destroyed sketchbook. These shots help the audience understand both her routine and the environment she is constantly immersed in. 

The FE 1.8/50 lens will be used for wider shots throughout the opening sequence. This includes the establishing shot of the outside of Clare’s house, school hallway scenes, and wider shots of Clare studying. These wider angles help set the tone of the film and give the audience a stronger sense of space and isolation. 

Overall, the Sony A7 III and the selected lenses will allow me to create a visually balanced film opening that supports both the narrative and emotional tone of the story. I will also have my iPhone 12 Pro as a backup camera, a tripod to have maintained a stable camera throughout the film and will be using a studio light for certain scenes as well as a desk lamp for my main sources of lighting throughout the entirety of the film opening. 

To make my life a little easier during the filming days, I went ahead and printed out my shot list and color coded each shot so I know which shots need to be done with which camera lens. 

To do list update

Mise-en-scène (Consumed) (Blog #25) PLANNING

When I first started working on the research for my film opening, I realized how much the visuals could say on their own. My character is someone who constantly pushes herself with school, so I wanted her environment to feel just as heavy as she does. The messy desk, the dim lighting, and even the way she moves around her space all help show the pressure she's under. To fully explain and explore the visual decisions I made and how they help tell her story here’s a list of my mise-en-scène choices; 

Setting 

The setting of my film opening is designed to reflect the main character’s overwhelming academic lifestyle. Most scenes take place in her bedroom or study area, which is small, filled with school materials. This tight space helps show how consumed she is by her work and how little room she has for anything else. Even when she is shown at school, the hallways and classrooms are loud and packed while she is isolated and disconnected from the people around her. 

Props 

The props play a major role in revealing her mindset. Her desk is covered with textbooks, planners, sticky notes, and folders to show her need for control. Piles of flashcards hint at the amount of work she constantly manages. Small details like crumpled papers help express her exhaustion, stress, and perfectionism when it comes to her schoolwork. Crumbled up empty water bottles hint at her always being in her desk and never even having time to clean up after herself. All these objects work together to visually communicate how overwhelmed she is without needing any dialogue. 

Costume and Makeup 

Her costume is kept simple and realistic to match her character. She wears plain and simple clothing like hoodies, t-shirts, and jeans. Nothing she wears is too colorful or flashy, her clothing represents her and she thinks spending time on picking out the “right outfit” is a waste of time. The oversized hoodies and heavy backpack emphasize how weighted down she feels, both physically and mentally. Her makeup is very minimal, with slight under-eye darkness to show lack of sleep and the toll her academic routines take on her. 

Lighting and Color Palette 

Lighting is one of the most important parts of the mise-en-scène. Most scenes use dim, low-key lighting to create a tired and tense atmosphere. A harsh desk lamp is often the main light source, isolating her from everything else in the frame and emphasizing her focus on work. The overall color palette is muted, with cool tones like blues, greys and soft neutrals to reflect her emotional exhaustion and seriousness. Even the few bright pops of color, like highlighters or sticky notes are used to show how chaotic and overloaded her mind feels. 

Acting 

The character’s movements and facial expressions are a reflection of how she feels. She studies with repetitive motions such as tapping her pencil, filling flashcards quickly, or rewriting the same sentence over and over again. Small gestures like sighing, rubbing her eyes, or staring blankly at her work all help communicate her frustration. These micro-expressions make her stress feel more authentic and help the audience understand her emotional state without her saying a single word. 

After thinking about how the elements of my film opening’s mise-en-scène could show the story, character, and emotions without dialogue, I was able to put together a list of the key elements  that will help shape the story. 

To do list update