New list of sources

Here is a list of new resources I have found that will contribute to the Constitution of the film.
- 7 simple ways to make a good story great
- Show and Tell- Charm in Film
- Beginnings Setting a Story in motion
- Directing: The fine arts of blocking
- Composition in Storytelling

How to approach the tone.

Now the tone of a film requires a huge consideration for varying factors of the film making process, such as shot composition, sound, mise-en-scene, editing, etc. Today I would like to discuss establishing tone through composition. The tone that I am aiming for in the film would be a witty dark comedy. There are two difficulties with this. To establish wit, much less good wit, set-up is needed in order to have said wit work. I look towards an article on the writers digest website. But wait, isn't this article covering film, a visual medium. Well writing is the parent to film as narrative trends brought forth by novels have always been present in great films that achieve their purpose. The article discusses how people immediately notice certain aspects of written novels that are either weak narratively or just out of place. One aspect that always seems to be misunderstood is wit. Wit is described as being something that simply astounds readers in a humorous way, something that they could never believe to happen. The proper use of wit would resonate immediately with audiences, while improper use of it would result in confusion and dissolution of interest. Adapting wit to a visual level is something that I will try to adapt to the film opening by simply presenting a very ridiculous yet cruel situation while, swooping in with dark comedy, providing an even crueler set of situations that the characters take in quirky strides, with little exposition. Show don't tell.

Discussion of the Main Character

 For the main character, who we'll call Paul for now, I decided to illustrate him as a man with subliminal hints of OCD and manurisms that typically would make him an outcast. Inspiration for his character would come from the charter of Elliot from Mr. Robot, whose akward manurisms and shy nature make for interesting and enlightening conversations with other characters, and Chigurh from "No Country for Old Men." In that movie Chigurh approaches every kill with precision typical of a man afflicted with OCD. He would either take of his shoes or carefully try and control a situation in order for the opportunity to make a kill clean and quick. I believe this traits add a very charming trait to characters who would typically be scary and downright disturbing to observe as their little manurisms provide for some interesting scenes that could properly imply just what they want to do, which is how I would to approach the charter of Paul in order for the audience to immediately acquire a picture for who exactly he is.

More Research

I have created another list of movies and articles highlighting what I am trying to achieve.
- The Shining(1980)
-Kubirck on Story Structure
- Monogatori (2013)
- Moon Rise Kingdom (2012)
-Dr. Strangelove (1964)

Genre

Movies such as Seven Psychopaths illustrate a very dark sense of humor mixed with quirkiness and some intense moments. For my film I would like to tackle a dark humor/drama blend. This can be seen in films by Wes Anderson such as " The Grand Budapest Hotel" The very controlled environments with unexpected drama occurring to the characters while they seriously beg for their lives elicit a comical tone that is rare to find in other films. Seven Psychopaths is another good example as the drama is typically underscored with a "Just Plain Wrong" gag. Yet these gags engage the audience and engrave the events of the movie straight into their minds, something I would like to do as well.

The Premise....

 The main story revolves around a sociopathic hit man who is just diagnosed with schizophrenia while going through a mid life crisis, until a girl comes into his life. This plot was influenced by 3 major movies. Seven Psychopaths, No Country for Old Men, and Warm Bodies. Before I continue let me give a brief summary of each.
- Seven Psychopaths- Marty, a alcoholic screenwriter, is trying to write his next best screenplay titled "Seven Psychopaths." But as luck would have it he is unable to write a single note down. He turns to his friends/professional dog kidnappers Hans and Billy for some aid until he is wrapped up into a precarious situation.
-No Country for Old Men- Lylwen Moss finds the grimily remains of a failed gang trade where he obtains a huge sum of cash. Believing the cash to be a blessing in disguise he runs with it from hit man Chigurh. Chigurh at the same time is pursued by Sheriff Bell. A dangerous cat and mouse chase ensues.
- Warm Bodies- Unusual Zombie R falls in love with a human survivor of a apocalyptic zombie attack. Unable to fully express his emotions high jinks ensue as he tires to see if he can make this relationship work.
All 3 movies have a very harsh event happening upon the main protagonist. While both involve some form of social conflict that breaks away from societal norms with a quirky sense of humor, I call upon Chigurh's dialogue, Warm Bodies wit, and Seven Psychopaths dark humor. Also, both concer disease, granted Warm Bodies is an extreme case. So WIth that in mind its time to tackle genre next.

Inspiration and Studies

So far I have made a list of media that could serve to inspire and maybe help me find some sort of direction in which I would like to bring the story. The list goes as follows:

     Movies

- No Country For Old Men (2007) directed by Joel & Ethan Coen
- Silence of the Lambs (1991) directed by Jonathan Demme
- Warm Bodies (2013) directed by Jonathan Levine
- The Dark Knight (2008) directed by Christopher Nolan
- Seven Psychopaths (2012) directed by Martin McDonaugh

      Television Series
- Neon Genisis Evangelion (1995-1996)
- Mr. Robot (2015-)

       Other Research
- Documentations on Psychological Disorders
- Debates on societal issues with socialization
- Examples of playful uses of Mise-en-scene

This list includes a wide variety of different Media that will serve as a springboard to help come up with new ideas. More to come.

To Start....

    What is a story? For many a story is simply a nice pass-time to just relax and see or hear something interesting, while for others a story can be a major influence on their everyday lives, one that helps them either achieve a new revelation about life and the world around them or to inspire them to do great things. Creating a great story, while challenging, pays in dividends as the innate satisfaction of possibly achieving the goal of helping others grow is one that is too enticing to back down from.
     However, given the story in this case has to be at most 2 minutes and serve as a strong hook and introduction to a story, the task of creating a strong opening may prove to be difficult.
     The original idea I had for a story followed the day-to-day life of a hitman with sociopathic tendencies as he is diagnosed with schizophrenia during his various escapades to try and ask a girl he likes out on a date. Then we would follow the hitman as he tries to cope with the schizophrenia by immersing himself in his work, initiating a existential crisis in which he truly debates his rationality.
     The problem with this idea is how to execute a strong opening that sets-up this story. More to come soon.
   

Welcome One and All!

Hello nomads of the internet! This website will serve as a documentation for the making of a film opening for AICE Media Studies AS level. I hope that posts on this blog will retain the interest of any who view it while providing some enlightening information about the "process". Stay tuned for more information!