Brainstorming

 Hello, welcome back to the blog channel!! For our AICE Media Studies final project, our group has been brainstorming different movie ideas that can fit into the two-minute timeframe. So here is a breakdown of the type of movies we are considering!!

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Mystery/Thriller 

One of the ideas we've thought of is making a mystery or thriller that starts with one of us finding a haunted prop in an abandoned place, such as an attic or old park bench (super spooky😜). The note may have a symbol or coordinates that make them curious. The opener follows the characters as they investigate, leading them to creepy events like random doors shutting or mysterious dark figures. We could finish off the video at the climax, showing the character screaming at an unknown object, leaving the audience wanting more. This genre is great for getting the audience's attention, as we can build tension with low-key lighting, scary sound effects, and quick editing (probably jump cuts). The suspense keeps viewers locked in, and the short timeframe works GREATTT for ending on a cliffhanger that leaves them wanting more hehe. However, fitting an intriguing plot twist and clear setuputes may be difficult in JUST two min. We need to be careful with our storyboard, planning out every second to create a balance of mystery and clarity. This is also my favorite genre in movies!!😛

Drama/Emotional 

Another idea we had was to create an emotional drama, showing a meaningful moment in a character's life, such as a moment of reflection, farewell, or maybe even a huge change in a serious relationship. For example, we could film a story focusing on a teenager packing up their childhood room before moving away. We'd show them finding nostalgic objects that trigger flashbacks of their core childhood memories, such as laughing and spending time with friends and family. Incorporating close-ups of the character's expressions would help show their emotions during this life-changing moment. We would end the video at its climax by sending a final text to a special person from their hometown. This genre allows us to focus on charter development with emotional storytelling, which gives the audience a chance to connect with the opener on a more personal level. Our strong performances and carefully chosen soundtrack can help create this moving and dramatic feel. However, this concept heavily relies on the actor's performance, and we only have ourselves...so we would have to try VERY hard to make the acting strong to make the emotions feel more authentic. It may also be harder since there is less focus on other elements such as effects or action. 

Action

We are also excited about the idea of creating an action-packed opener, such as a chase or a fight scene, where the character faces a threat. The video could start with an intro to the chase, such as the character stealing a briefcase. The chase would follow them with tracking shots across various locations, such as alleyways or forests, with quick editing and dramatic music to heighten the intensity. We would include moments of suspense by showing the character tripping and barely escaping before ending in a dramatic escape. Action movies are usually visually dynamic, giving us a chance to work and experiment with creative camera angles, quick-paced editing, and energetic scenes. The intensity and adrenaline of this genre are engaging and would show off the technical skills we've learned and the cinematography! Another reason why this interests us so much is because we loved the "Dare to Thrill" opener that we analyzed in the former student work blog post, which was full of action! The downside is that action movies (or, in our case, openers) can be difficult to make look "professional" on a limited budget and timeframe, and there is a risk of it coming off unconvincing if the editing effects or stunts don't look that real. For example, we would definitely not be able to recreate the picture above... 

Comedy/Sci-Fi = NO

While comedy and sci-fi were fun ideas, we decided NOT to do them for this project. Comedy relies on perfect timing to make it an ACTUAL good joke (we don't want any crickets...), and with only two minutes, it may feel rushed or just awkward if it doesn't connect with the audience. As for sci-fi, while it gave us a chance to show our amazing creativity and storytelling, it usually requires advanced special effects or set designs that we, unfortunately, do not have access to😓. With our limited resources and timeframe, bringing these genres to life would be difficult. Ultimately, we felt other genres better suited our skills and plan for this project.