The Beginning of the End

    Today in class, we began discussing the steps and processes of the Cambridge Portfolio Project. I'm, admittedly, a bit freaked out. So far in all four years of my high school experience, I have never dedicated so much time on the same project. I'm worried to see how I'll be able to juggle weekly blog posts along with my other schoolwork and activities, but my mind is also racing with different ideas for a film opening. It's also scary to think about how close we are to the end of the school year and how close my time in high school is coming to an end. Within this reflection, I began to recall different projects I have completed over the past few years, and with it, the different media I have consumed. Going over the instructions, I immediately thought back to every movie I have ever watched, both old and new. This made the process suddenly seem exciting a I will be able to express my ideas and knowledge of film in a physical form. Am I going to go for a dystopian genre? I'm not sure my suburban town nor the rest of South Florida would be the best setting for that. Should I tackle sci-fi? I don't think I have the funds.

    Before I get ahead of myself, I need to first examine the different approaches my film opening could utilize. The first idea that I'm inclined to pursue is developing character. I think I will be able to brainstorm many ideas about a complex character and use mise-en-scene elements as well as interactions to develop them. One of the first things that came to mind was a film about a character with schizophrenia. How'd I get here? Well, I recently watched Daniel Kwan's and Daniel Scheinert's Everything Everywhere All At Once, and I remembered how one of the characters would place googly eyes on inanimate objects. The first time it had come up in the movie, I couldn't stop laughing. I started to wonder if I could implement an element of bringing things to life, and a method of doing so could possibly be someone who lives with schizophrenia and how their life is reimagined through different lenses. However, I'm scared of misrepresenting the disease and I would be required to do extensive scientific research in order to get it all right. I'll keep working on that idea.

A24

    Another approach that appeals to me is using my film opening to establish background. Two of my favorite media genres are drama and dystopian, and I was interested in creating something within either genre. Going with either genre would require a detailed background on the situation of both the characters and the world in which they live in. I could possibly make use of my film opening to portray a background for one of these stories. I would have to closely consider all the aspects of my plot and which elements will be helpful to introduce at the beginning of said story. I have a lot of work and brainstorming to do. Once I do come up with an idea, if I choose to establish background, then I'd also have to find the best location for the context of the story. Establishing background also involves the incorporation of scene elements, which requires me to also explore different props I can include.

    I'm excited to start upon this journey and let my mind wander on different ideas and storylines. This blog will also be a mean of gathering my thoughts and reflecting upon my process. Thinking about what lies ahead, I’m excited to use the knowledge and practice I have gained from my past projects, especially when crafting the music video. Though the title of the post seems dismal, it’s actually a start to a thrilling experience of putting everything I’ve learned together into this final project.