And So it Begins...

After completing these workshops of editing, cinematography, and screenwriting, I definitely feel like I have a better grip on how films work. I was excited this week to meet with my group and discuss our ideas for the short film project. This project consists of getting in a small group of about 4 to 5 people and creating a short film. But, like most projects, we have several requirements to fulfill. The film must be 3-5 minutes long and fit into a certain genre that is assigned to each group. In my group, for example, we have to construct a horror film. In addition, each group must have the items of a cheese grater, a guitar, a skull, and a mime/clown. The line, "Why is this happening to me, today of all days" is also required to be in the film. Knowing these limitations and our specified genre, my group began discussing ideas for a horror film.

I believe that our film is headed in a unique direction regarding the horror genre. I do not think it is going to be your cliche, man with a chainsaw scary movie. We discussed making it more of a psychological horror that toys with the audience's mind. (The less gore- the better, in my opinion!) In addition, we discussed making the movie with less actors. Instead of having numerous people in our movie, we thought it might be better to have fewer characters for our audience to focus on and relate to. We did not come up with many ideas, considering two of our members were not present in the class. But I can see that our group is going in a creative direction, and I am ready to start making more detailed plans!

As the director, I am not fully aware of all my responsibilities just yet, but have several ideas for our film. I think that we should use the camera not only as the audience's eye but as a first person perspective as well. I think it would make the film unique and better engage the audience. I believe that with my group, especially since a couple members are highly tech-savvy, we will be able to accomplish an entertaining and impressive short film. Since we have the technology and the people who know how to use it, our horror film should be an event to be excited about!

I believe that our ambition is to create something that is unique. Often times, I see thrillers or horror movies that are far too predictable. In this film, I want something to stand out to the audience and make them say, "Wow, I have never seen a horror movie like that before!" If a movie is unique and different, people tend to remember it more than the films with cliche plots and endings. That, I believe, is our goal. And to achieve it, I think we just need to be creative in how we approach the film-making process, using the skills taught to us in class with an open mind.