Drama Credit Sequences

 

Hello!

My next area of research is relating to the credit sequences in popular drama films. 

Waves is my absolute favorite movie ever, but I don't ever wanna watch it again. I do consider this a drama as well as a romance, since it navigates the struggles of adolescence and domestic violence. With political commentary on the anti-abortion protests and teen pregnancy as well, I think this is a film that everyone should watch at least once in their life. The credits roll as we follow a high school senior boy through moments in his life. As he drives with his girlfriend, the camera spins in a 360 direction, mimicking the euphoric, careless feeling of young love in it's prime. The boy wrestles and goes to the gym, highlighting the toxic masculinity often pushed onto the youth. Shown in tight shots, he is shown under a lot of preassure. This sequence is one of my favorites because in the first 3 minutes alone, every future conflict is touched upon just by following through his daily life, highlighting its fragility.

Although this movie is technically a biopic/crime drama, Catch Me If You Can has a very creative title sequence that I am a huge fan of. With sleuth-y, mystery jazz music in the background, animations of a black suited figure are shown darting around airports, countries, and banks. Highlighting Frank Abagnale Jr.'s whereabouts throughout his years as a con artist, the plot of the movie is entirely given through a different medium. I love how the sneakiness of his character is displayed through movement and sound alone, as the drawing is generally expressionless, almost like his shadow, as the FBI continually let him slip through their fingers. I would not choose this kind of illustrated medium to immitate myself, but I do appreciate how it embodies the energy of the film while also leaving the exact events a mystery.

One of my favorite credit sequences is in Jojo Rabbit. It's a period piece, taking place in Nazi Germany during World War II, and it follows a boy as he runs to a Nazi program for training young soilders. As he races down the street, "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles plays in German, cutting to several montages of Hitler's rallies. I love the usage of music in this sequence and it makes me really want to find a good song to use for my own. Finding something I like that's not copyrighted will be difficult, but it makes all the difference. Especially when considering this film, it clearly affects the mood of the movie right from the start, and it paints this time period in the positive light that this innocent boy sees it as.

Research post- Costuming

 

Hello!

I'm leaning towards a drama for my project, rather than the coming of age, because I feel like I can be more creative and less montage-y with it. The character I am envisioning is very eclectic, very chaotic, and will have a wardrobe that embodies the complete mess that she is. I love how the glittery, train wreck of a party girl vibe translates to a screen, because it can tell so much about a character just through the way that. they dress. I will most likely be playing this girl so that I can embody my own vision as best I can, and I'm sure I can find some interesting pieces between me and my sister's closets that would do this girl justice. Because I am no actress, I expect the outfit to tell the story. The power of costuming is very overlooked, and I want to be able to tell an entire story through visuals alone, as I'm not intending on having any dialogue or particular acting expertise displayed in this project. Here is some inspiration I am sifting through ...

                  

Fur coats. This embodies a classy yet reckless aesthetic. They bring a fun texture and an over-the-top confidence when they're worn. These have come back into style as a campy, wild acessory. Don't know where I'd find one of these but I want to get my hands on something like this for sure.

                        

Euphoria won multiple Emmys for their costuming and makeup. I love the unique textures and movement these outfits have. This show influenced the fashion trends my generation follow now and it caused a culturally significant shift in the way we emulate party culture and self expression through makeup. I love the aesthetic of this series and I want to capture some of its essence for my own project.

I continued my research through these websites and articles. More to follow!

Bivens, H. (2023, April 19). Heidi Bivens on the process and evolution of the costumes of Euphoria. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/article/heidi-bivens-euphoria-fashion-book-interview (Note: Author credited as Vogue/Interviewee Bivens. If citing the interviewer, Christian Allaire, use: Allaire, C. (2023, April 19).)

Billboard Staff. (2011, March 1). Kesha’s 10 most outrageous outfits. Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/photos/kehas-10-most-outrageous-outfits/

Eads, C. (2024, April 30). The party girl aesthetic, Saltburn, and the 20s urge to go crazy. Garb Berkeley. https://www.berkeleygarb.com/blog-1/saltburn

Loane, D. (2022, March 1). Your guide to the most elite makeup looks on ‘Euphoria’. Beauty Crew. https://www.beautycrew.com.au/best-euphoria-makeup-looks

Portfolio Project- Schedule

 

Portfolio Project Schedule

Week 1: Jan 16- 23

• 3 blog posts
• Begin brainstorming

Week 2: Jan 26- Feb 1

• 4 blog posts
• Continue research of genres
• Create schedule (done!)

Week 3: Feb 2- 8

• 4 blog posts
• Finalize idea
• Create storyboard/shotlist
• Find/purchase any props or costumes needed

Week 4: Feb 9- 15

• 4 blog posts
• Completely plan out
• Research and ceate company logo
• FILM ‼‼‼‼‼❗🎥 💥

Week 5: Feb 16- 22

• 4 blog posts
• Have completely finished company logo
• Have completely wrapped up filming
• Begin editing
• Begin research for CCR

Week 6: Feb 23- Mar 1

• 4 blog posts
• Continue/finish editing
• Fnalize research for CCR

Week 7: Mar 2- 8

• 4 blog posts
• Complete CCR

Week 8: Mar 9- 17

• Finish and SUBMIT project
• Finish and SUBMIT CCR
• Good job!!! 🎉🎉🎉

Drama Film Openings

Hello!

I am researching different opening scenes from Drama films. Although I am thinking of a specific approach, I appreciate how Knives Out, Moonrise Kingdom, and Uptown Girls navigate their introductions into their narrative worlds each in unique ways.

Knives Out highlights specific items through the house of Harlan Thrombey. These objects have a certain creepy quality and mystery to them and are paired with classical music. This creates a strange tension before showing Thrombey's suicide when walked in on by a housekeeper or a maid. This throws the audience directly into the story as they witness a crime scene and a mystery within the first few minutes.

  

Similarly, Moonrise Kingdom also highlights the setting. By panning around a large, dull, empty house, the audience sees the main character's household through her eyes and establishes the disconnect between the girl and the rest of her family, emphasizing her quirks and sullen nature.

 

Uptown Girls uses a more fun approach, utilizing a voice over of a fairytale to throw the audience into the main character's magical and "perfect" lifestyle. As she gets ready after taking a nap, the luxury of her life is demonstrated through her style and the carelessness of the state of her apartment. 

    

All of these approaches rely heavily on setting and costuming to characterize the protagonists within the first 2-5 minutes. I definitely want to adopt some of these strategies to use for my own film. Here are the links to each of the film openings so that you can view them yourself. Updates to follow!

Knives out- 

ENT 4U. (2020, June 2). OPENING SCENE | KNIVES OUT [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1CW6zMlZaI

Moonrise Kingdom-

Blanco, I. H. (2014, June 1). Moonrise Kingdom Intro FFM [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkv8ipgsmfU       

Uptown Girls-

KinoCheck. (2020, January 13). THE UPTOWN GIRLS Movie (2020) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WybszDOC3tQ

Portfolio Project Genre #2

Hello!

I am considering doing a drama for my portfolio project. Here is my research on it!

The primary target audience for drama films are typically adults and young adults, as these films can show the more mature and complex aspects of life and navigating the real world struggles of adulthood. The protagonist can vary in age but is usually thrown into a severe conflict or a moral struggle. It can contain themes of hardship, resillience, social injustice, and chaos. There is usually a bigger takeaway by the end of the film and it acts as a message to carry with you through your own life, like hope, hard work, or trusting yourself.

Although it is a genre in itself, there are also many subgenres that can drastically differ one drama from another. Under this wide umbrella, I am considering either a comedy drama or a coming of age drama, which would create a possibility of combining my two ideas for this project into one. This would make my project more lighthearted while also containing more mature themes I could not consider with a coming of age story.

It's common for most dramas to utilize dramatic low key lighting, close ups to depict emotion, long shots to capture movement, and handheld camerawork to add realism or chaos to certain moments. 

These films target a general audience of adults, usually utilizing R&B, classical, or generally intense soundtracks. The posters are colored darkly while also correlating to the subgenre like in these examples- Whiplash with a dangerous red and black, Waves with a sad blue and romantic pink, and Moonlight with a dull gray and an ambitious purple. Dramas are marketed with serious trailers and give off a vibe of being relatable or important. They usually do not hold big events or get promoted by other creators or companies, usually relying through word of mouth after its release.

Moonlight, Whiplash, andWaves all represent this genre through their coloring, themes, and overall larger messages, like to trust yourself or question the cost of ambition.

              

Sources:

MasterClass. (2021, September 3). Guide to movie subgenres: 21 popular film subgenres. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/guide-to-movie-subgenres

The Knowledge Academy. (2024, May 22). What are filmmaking techniques? A comprehensive guide. https://www.theknowledgeacademy.com/blog/filmmaking-techniques/

Hellerman, J. (2023, November 28). How to use color psychology in film. No Film School. https://nofilmschool.com/color-psychology-in-film

Ebiri, B. (2022, October 28). Damien Chazelle sees Whiplash as a twisted sort of ‘origin story’. SlashFilm. https://www.slashfilm.com/1076916/damien-chazelle-sees-whiplash-as-a-twisted-sort-of-origin-story/

Portfolio Project Genre #1

Hello!

I'm considering creating a coming of age film opening for my portfolio project. Here is my research on it:

The primary target audience for coming of age films are typically teenagers and young adults, as it typically documents relatable and important moments in growing up and discovering yourself. It usually stars a young protagonist who faces changes and conflicts, and through self-discovery and gradual character development they become matured and more confident in themselves. It contains themes of feeling misunderstood, friendship, identity, and parental or romantic love. A lot of times this genre commonly contains techniques that relate their audience to the character, like voice overs, POV shots, two shots, and montages that show the passing of time. 

These films mainly target the youth prior to their release, coloring the movie trailers or posters with aesthetic color palates and popular soundtracks. They also hire or make deals with influencers that appeal to teenagers on social media, farther pushing the film and advertising it directly to their audience through other platforms, like in Eigth Grade (2017) with Jenna Gribbon creating alternative posters to promote the movie's release. 

Eighth Grade, Coming of Age, and Boyhood all represent this genre through their posters, coloring, cast, storylines, and similar themes of self-discovery, growing up, and the fading of childhood into adulthood.

            

Sources:

O’Connor, J. (n.d.). Casual film fan or a cinema connoisseur? Fresh Issue 4. Ciit Media. https://issuu.com/ciitmedia/docs/fresh_issue_4/s/19943370

A24. (2019, August 5). The art of Eighth Grade. https://a24films.com/notes/2019/08/the-art-of-eighth-grade

Kemp, S. (2002, August 1). How to market the teen movie. The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/teen-movie-marketing-138425/

Indroduction to Portfolio Project

Hello!

I have not yet begun the research for the movie intro project yet, but I have a few ideas I am considering so far.

I am envisioning a coming of age story. It is possible that I will ask my sisters to be in my production because I'm thinking of themes of sisterhood and comfort in femininity. This would require a simple set, just one of our rooms most likely, but I would also need to align my filming schedule with when they would both be home, which could be diffucult to do.

I am also considering a kind of messy, more specific intro, similar to those scenes in movies where the main character is introduced by getting kicked out of somewhere, or wandering the streets after a night out. That idea would be fun to make but could also get difficult to expand on. It acts as a cool intro to both the setting and personality of the character, however, so I am willing to look farther into it. I do think that this kind of approach would form more of a story rather than just a sentimental scene like the other idea I am considering. I will begin my research and finalize my approach soon. Will keep you updated!