So this marks the beginning of the final big project for this class. It has really been a journey from where I was at the beginning of the school year, and I can truthfully say that I feel that I understand filmmaking techniques more than I ever did before. This blog has come a long way since my first post, and so have I. But still, the task ahead is a bit daunting. Creating my very own film opening. Nevertheless, I will try to go above and beyond for every part of this project as best as I can. I quickly began considering how I was going to approach my Cambridge Portfolio Project.
Ever since we were told about this ending project at the start of the course, I knew exactly which kind of film I would want to do: Fantasy. The fantasy genre opens the door for so many possibilities and ideas, and I see myself as having a very creative mind when given enough time and the freedom to make something like this. I want my final project to represent me and my capabilities, and stories about magic, castles, and mythical creatures were and still are the kind of narrative that is most dear to me. Fantasy was my absolute favorite kind of media when I was younger, and as such my artistic skills grew around that interest and I believe I would excel at creating a film opening for a fantasy.
I know for certain that, above all, I want to make a two-minute sequence that is 2D animated. Drawing has always been my most passionate hobby. Breaking down the dimensions of a real world object or getting imaginative and sketching something unique. Either way, I usually prefer to draw in a more realistic style, even when it’s something that doesn’t exist in real life. Actual fantasy films almost always incorporate technical special effects to create the setting because of course, fantastical elements are not something you can achieve in the real world. This includes the use of CGI and other types of animation, a medium that is not bound by the restrictions of the physical world. Perfect for a fantasy. I have had years of experience with digital art, and I think that I can efficiently craft a short scene as long as I keep things simple, and don’t get too ambitious with the story!
As for my initial ideas for my opening, I have been thinking about this since I began taking this class, and I know I want the scene to involve a big, powerful, mythical creature. I have made myself familiar animal anatomy since being in middle school, when I was always trying to draw different kinds of animals in a realistic way to the best of my abilities. But my love for fantasy still brought me back to fictional creatures. Now, I am exceptionally adept when it comes to drawing animals, even ones from the fairy tales. I think a dragon would be a good fit, a classic antagonistic character, and an icon for fantasy films. They were also a childhood obsession of mine and I spent a lot of time drawing them when I was younger.
I am considering doing some more research on dragons in media texts going forward but for now, I will confirm to develop my concepts. Typically, they are either portrayed as evil and malicious beings that serve as antagonistic forces or helpful allies for the protagonist. Intelligent and powerful beings or simple minded animals. My immediate thought was to do the former, and include a dragon which plays a more villainous and intimidating role. And with that, my idea began to form.
Initial idea for the opening:
This scene is the set up for a story about a man trying to hunt down and kill a dragon out of the need for vengeance.
I want the scene to open on extreme wide shots of a burning medieval town lit up in flames, and the shots would become tighter and tighter until it focuses on a single house that has been destroyed by the fire, one of many. Then it would transition to shots that are inside the house. Close ups on various household items like photographs, beds, dining table, etc (all damaged by the blaze), in order to communicate that a family lived in the house. These would all incorporate slow pans, tilts, and zooms so that nothing feels stagnant. Then we would see a man, implied to be the sole survivor of the fire, injured and scarred, crawling out from the house, with a sorrowful and traumatized expression. All the while, slow, sad music plays in the background (non-diegetic). Immediately afterwards, a shot of a giant, roaring dragon soaring above, indicating the cause of the fire. The man would crouch down to hide as the dragon flies by and away into the distance, after which the man would grieve before seeing a sword lying nearby. He would stand up and limp down to pick it up, and dramatically point the sword in the direction of the dragon, his eyes full of anger and seething with the want for revenge. Finally, he would hobble away in that same direction.
I really like this idea for an opening scene, and I think it accomplishes everything that a film opening should from what we have learned. A medieval inspiration for the design of the burning town as well as the presence of the dragon follow typical conventions of the fantasy genre, taking place in an ancient time and including fantastical elements that would not be possible in the real world. Beginning with a tragic and deeply upsetting event also establishes the tone of the story as well, eluding to the high fantasy epic genre that typically adopts a more gritty and serious tone. I believe it effectively sets up the character and his story line beyond the opening, establishing his goal and his motivations without any words. This clear setup engages the audience. It is vague enough to the point where exactly what happens next is a mystery, but the main character’s journey towards finding and killing the dragon is apparent.
I have also been looking at hand-drawn animations in preparation for this project, because that is of course the style that my film opening will use considering my skill level and resources, as well as what I am used to. I looked at older animated media from Disney (a company that has mastered the medium) for reference, as well as more modern hand-drawn films like those from Studio Ghibli and Cartoon Saloon.
This basic concept, I believe, is a solid concept for a film opening, establishing character, setting, genre, and tone.
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