Media Studies - Film Opening Concept Development

This blogpost features the development for the initial ideas we had for our film opening, and features 3 different developed concepts. All screenplays, opening notes, and synopsis' however were written by me (Maxi)

This post includes the 3 different movie ideas (Lovesick, Moonlight Sonata, and Mr Fahrenheit) we thought of and discussed about. The movie we chose to produce in the end was Moonlight Sonata, due to it being the most realistic option to film, while also being the concept that allowed us to include the most amount of media aspects and allowed us to tell a story through cinematography and through the camera, instead of through words and dialogue.

STAGE 1: INITIAL CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

CONCEPT 1

LOVESICK

Note: This initial concept has been inspired by openings such as Whiplash (2014) and The Dark Knight (2008), the Dark Knight specifically led us to making one of the most climatic sequences of the film be put at the very beginning, while Whiplash inspired the confrontational style meeting between the 2 main characters at the very start of the film.

Synopsis

Adam (Arjuna Nakao) is a shell of a man. After a devastating breakup with his girlfriend of 2 years Jess (Jasmine Riadi), it seems like Adam’s life has spiraled into a dark abyss. The hole in his heart creates an unending void, and as he tries to fill that void with a life of debauchery and excess, his life slowly begins to lose meaning. That is until a woman named Alex unexpectedly barges into his life. 

Lovesick is a story of heartbreak, depression, pain, but most importantly; it is a story of how one’s struggles are not forever - it is a story of recovery.

Opening Note

The goal of this opening scene is to introduce the audience to the character of Adam, and to illustrate the effects this initial breakup had on him. This will leave the audience with a conceptual idea in their minds as to the type of man Adam is, but will also try to build sympathy for his character. This opening acts as a precursor as to what's to come in the rest of the movie, as the opening explores the huge hit of sorrow that comes with heartbreak, while the rest of the film explores the ongoing struggles of forgetting someone you’ve loved for so long, even when equally as “great” opportunities may present themselves.

OPENING CREDITS (2 MINUTES TOTAL) - SCREENPLAY

SCENE 1:

SETTING: Empty room in an office building

COSTUME(s): Semi formal - work attire

STORY BOARD & SCRIPT: 

[words in bold are used to convey emphasis, hyphens(-) are used to show where the talent has been cut off]

Shot 1

Scene starts with a close up of Adam’s face and eyes; with sweat running down his face and a nervous expression taking over his being. It is clear he’s done something wrong

Shot 2

Scene cuts to a medium-close up shot from behind of Jess walking frantically down a hallway, while camera tracks her, from behind. Then cuts to a shot of her face, still walking, while camera is still tracking, however more shakily (to convey the unsteady state of mind she is currently in). It's clear she's angry, 

Shot 3

Scene cuts to a medium close up of Jess from behind as she slams open the door to Adam’s room, tracking her as she goes in. Then cuts to a shot of her from inside the room - as she continues to walk towards Adam’s desk, with the camera still tracking her. Shot cuts to a still close up of Adam with his head looking towards the ground, leaning against the side of a wall. Cuts back to over the shoulder shot of Jess, as she yells at Adam.

JESS: 

Who the HELL do you think you are? Firstly, you lie to me, secondly you cheat on me with SARAH  WALKER OF ALL PEOPLE, and NOW you’re saying that YOU’RE the one breaking up with ME?

Cuts to over the shoulder shot of Adam

ADAM:

 Look, Jess, please, let me explain-

Cuts to over the shoulder shot of Jess

JESS: 

No I'm not gonna let you say anything-

[Adam, now screaming]

Cuts to over the shoulder shot of Adam

ADAM: 

NO YOU LISTEN HERE, IM FED UP WITH THIS RELATIONSHIP, YES I DID SLEEP WITH SARAH. YES I ADMIT IT. BUT IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE COMPLETELY INNOCENT IN THIS SITUATION TOO, ARE YOU?

Cuts to over the shoulder shot of Jess

JESS: 

Jesus Christ Adam that was MONTHS AGO HAVE WE NOT GONE OVER THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN? [rubs hand over her face in frustration] YOU ARE THE BIGGEST ASSHOLE IVE EVER MET!

Cuts to over the shoulder shot of Adam

ADAM:

 SO I'M THE ASSHOLE NOW? WOW [scoffs sarcastically] I'M THE ASSHOLE? YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH JESS YOU JUST DON'T. HOW MANY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS IVE HAD, HOW MANY COUNTLESS TIMES IVE WANTED TO DIE - TO END IT ALL - BECAUSE OF YOUR BULLSHIT?

Cuts to over the shoulder shot of Jess

JESS: 

God please Adam for once in your life WHY CAN'T YOU EVER ADMIT THAT YOU WERE IN THE WRONG?

Cuts to over the shoulder shot of Adam

[Adam, now tearing up]

ADAM: 

BECAUSE I JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND ME. I WANT YOU TO SEE HOW I FUCKING FEEL DAMNIT-

Cuts to over the shoulder shot of Jess

JESS:

 ALL THIS TIME THATS WHAT IVE BEEN TRYING TO DO BUT YOU ADAM, YOU ARE SUCH AN INSUFFERABLE [pauses], EVIL, [pauses again as tears start to run down her face], JOKE OF A MAN. THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE. I'M THROUGH WITH YOU. I AM THROUGH WITH YOU. NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. WE’RE DONE.

Cuts to a full shot where a majority of the office and both Jess and Adam can be seen, as Jess turns her back on Adam and storms out the door. Adam does not move - he is just looking at Jess, as she leaves, sorrowingly, as he wipes the stream of tears off his face.

Then cuts to a close up from a high angle of his face looking up, still while crying, as he yells out, to no one but himself.

ADAM: 

GOD DAMMIT.

--------------------------------------------------END OF SCENE 1-------------------------------------------------------

SCENE 2:

SETTING: Bedroom/House - 1 week later in the morning

COSTUME: 

Shot 1

Scene begins with a close up shot of Adams face as he sleeps. Shot then switches to close up of Adam's alarm ringing, and then switches to a medium close up of him from his bed, lifting his arm up and turning off the alarm. Camera then shows him waking up from bed, from a low angle, from the foot of his bed. He rubs his eyes as he slowly gets out and sits down on the edge of the bed. Shot then cuts to a close up of his face, as he puts his head in his hands.

Shot 2

Adam gets up and begins to walk out of his room. Camera tracks him & pans to reveal bottles of alcohol, cartons of cigarettes, clothes, and more lying around messily in his room. Adam then leaves and shuts the door behind the camera

Shot 3

Shot starts with a medium close up of Adam from the other side of the door. Camera then tracks him as he sluggishly walks to the kitchen and makes a cup of coffee, Adam then turns around and looks down. Shot switches to close up of Adam's face looking down from a low angle. Adam puts his hand on his forehead as he proceeds to mumble to himself.

ADAM:

(regretfully) God… what have I done…

Shot 4

Adam picks up his cup coffee and starts to drink it as camera starts to dolly towards him. He then looks down, dissatisfied. After this, a series of jump cuts are used to portray Adam showering, brushing his teeth, clothing himself, and getting ready to go to work.

CONCEPT 2

MOONLIGHT SONATA

Note: This opening has been influenced by openings from movies like 500 Days of Summer (2009). Specifically, the movie's use of storytelling and hermeneutic code that pull the audience in as to what the main character will do, and what’s going to happen next. The handheld camera scene that portrays the main character when he was a child comes from the movie as well.

10 Possible Names

• Liebestraume
• Harmony
• A Reignited Harmony
• Reignite
• Perfect Imperfections
• A Musical Match
• The First Verse
• The Duet
• Two Halves Make a Whole
• Moonlight Sonata

These titles all convey a sense of passion, connoting romance, and also incorporate subtle hints that music will play a role in the film. Moonlight sonata was our final choice; we chose this as our title as moonlight is commonly connoted with subjects of love and romance. While a sonata often is a long song that tells a story. Furthermore Moonlight Sonata is a well known song that may attract audiences that have interest in music/more specifically, classical music

What will be included in credits:

• Production Company

• Regents Media Production

• Distribution company

• 20th Century Studios

• Production Team 

• Producers: Timothy Sulaeman, Maximilian Gehlen, Sharon Tan, Nayana Sumaniaka

• Director: Timothy Sulaeman

• Screenwriter: Maximilian Gehlen

• Creative Designer: Sharon Tan

• Casting Director: Nayana Sumaniaka

• Cast

• Young Hazel: Timothy Mulia

• Mother: Hawila Eva

• Adolescent Hazel: Mathew Tan

• Present Hazel: Danny Budiada

• Teacher: Benjamin Whitaker

• Harmony: Jasmine Riadi

List of locations

• Regents Secondary School Bali

• Jalan Belanjong No. 14

Synopsis

Hazel (Danny Budiada) has been captivated by the piano ever since he was 4 years old. What originally started as a burning passion however, slowly turned into a repetitive chore and nothing less than a burden. The blame lies on his mother (Hawila Eva), who took advantage of Hazel's natural talent and used him as a cash grab. Hazel’s life takes a turn however when she meets Harmony (Jasmine Riadi), the girl that had just transferred to Hazel's school, who reignites Hazel's passion for the instrument.

Opening Note

The aim of Moonlight Sonata's opening is to introduce the audience to our 2 main characters, Hazel and Harmony. Hazel's story is told by illustrating his love for the key plot point of the film, the piano. The main conflict can also be interpreted from the opening, which is, how he has lost all passion and joy in playing the instrument he once used to love, and how he will regain it. This hooks the audience in and allows them to speculate whats going to happen in the future with Hazel and Harmony. (hermeneutic code).

The opening features clips from hand recorded videos that Dylan's mom took of him playing piano when he was younger. His joy-filled face slowly regresses as his mom’s greed begins to cloud her vision and tries to turn her son into a piano-playing machine. His passion dies out until a girl named Harmony joins his school's music club, and begins to reignite Hazel's flame.

OPENING CREDITS (2 MINUTES TOTAL) - SCREENPLAY SCENE 1: SETTING: Hazel’s home COSTUME(s): Casual Clothes

SONG USED (plays throughout the entire scene as non diegetic sound): Liebesträume - Franz Liszt (00:00 - 1:04) SCREENPLAY:

Shot 1

Movie starts off with a black screen as non diegetic piano music starts off slow and low, and builds up slowly.

Shot 2

Scene then cuts to footage of a 8 year old Hazel from a handheld camera recorded by his mother of him as a small kid playing piano. Non diegetic piano music continues to play in the background while his mom talks over his playing with positive, reinforcing messages.

Shot 3

Time skip - 3 years later, match cut is used to show Hazel now playing the piano again, this time with a less joyful expression on his face, as we can now see that he has 4 more trophies on his piano, and the picture on the wall now displays both Hazel and his mother holding the trophy together.

Shot 4

Time skip - present day - mothers footage now shows Hazel playing the piano with dozens of trophies on his piano, and the picture on the wall now displays only his mother holding the trophy, with Hazel merely standing behind her.

Shot 5

Cuts to POV shot of Hazel from the point of view of one of the piano keys. Hazels is shown almost in tears and in great fright as his mother screams at him for making a mistake while playing a song.

MOTHER:

Do better! I know you can do better! Play faster or I'll get the ruler Hazel!

--------------------------------------------------------END OF SCENE 1--------------------------------------------------------

SCENE 2: SETTING: Hazel’s School

COSTUME(s): School uniform

SOUND USED: Liebesträume - Franz Liszt (1:04 - 1:15) for shots 7 & 8, [diegetic sound played by Hazel] - (1:50 - 2:20) for shots 13 until 18 [non diegetic sound].

Shot 6

Match cut is used to show Hazel’s face from the same POV shot as shot 6, this time in a different setting, at his school’s music room, on his school’s piano. Hazel’s expression is now just of sorrow, with no tears. He continues to play the piano, with an unfulfilled look on his face.

Shot 7

Cuts to a close up of Hazel playing from the side, he is fully focussed on playing as when the teacher begins to call his name, he isn’t hearing it. TEACHER: Hazel… Hazel [louder] … Hazel [yelling]!

Shot 8

Hazel then jumps back to reality and looks towards the teacher.

Shot 9

Cuts to a medium close up shot of the teacher as she tells Hazel to get back to his seat. TEACHER: Get back to your seat, Hazel.

Shot 10

Cuts to shot of Hazel sitting down at his desk, as he puts his chin on his hand and looks sadly into the distance.

Shot 11

Cuts to a medium close up of the teacher at the front of the classroom, beginning the music club meeting, talking about the club's new member.

TEACHER:

Good morning everyone! Today we have a new student joining our Music club!

[teacher waves her hand in a “come in” motion towards Harmony]

Shot 12

Piano music begins to fade back in quietly and builds up throughout the rest of the scene. Cuts to a close up dolly shot of Harmony’s shoes, as she walks inside the classroom, and stops as she reaches the front of the class.

Shot 13

Cuts to a close up shot of Harmony’s neck, up until her mouth, as she begins to introduce herself.

HARMONY:

Hello everyone! My name is Harmony, and it's a pleasure to meet you all! Some things I like to do are reading and uhm… [pause]

Shot 14

Cuts back to a close up shot of Hazel in the same position as before, still staring into the distance, not paying attention to Harmony.

Shot 15

Cuts back to the same shot of harmony as in shot 13, and continues after her pause.

HARMONY:

I love playing piano!

Shot 16

Piano music reaches a crescendo. Cuts to an extreme close up shot of Hazel's eyes as his pupils swing widely towards Harmony, in the front of the class.

Shot 17

Cuts to a black screen. Text displayed: MOONLIGHT SONATA

CONCEPT 3

MR. FAHRENHEIT

Note: This opening has been inspired by openings of movies such as Baby Driver (2017), with its fast paced editing, swift cinematography, and heavy use of narrative codes.

Synopsis

Dylan Fahrenheit’s highschool life started out as any other teen’s. After his parents divorced though, everything took a turn for the worse. Dylan now enjoys a life of drug abuse and addiction, as he seems to have lost every single friend he’s ever known. However while contemplating suicide, an unfamiliar face asks him the question he's been yearning for someone to ask him all his life, “How are you?”.

Dylan used to be someone who loved life

Now he has fallen into a deep drug addiction that has ruined his life

He doesn't care about life or anything at all for that matter

But suddenly, a girl comes into his life, he makes him think that it might be worth living after all

Opening Note

Mr. Fahrenheit’s opening is a fast paced opening featuring rapid cuts between shots of Dylan driving his car down the highway at super high speeds, while he's singing his lungs out to the Queen song he's blasting on the speakers. This opening tries to convey Dylan's overall carelessness for life, with subtle hints of his drug addiction being portrayed as well, with pills and syringes lying around the back of his car. He lives his life like he's prepared to die, and that's what we want the audience to feel. Hermeneutic code is applied and hooks the audience in by making them wonder who this character even is, as his name is not revealed, why he's driving down the highway super fast with music blasting, and what led him to this drug addiction. This pushes viewers to continue watching on.