AICE Media Studies

 In deciding how I will design my font, I have concluded that no matter what font I use, it will stay the same font for the title as it will for the credits. I am between 3 fonts at the moment. Since this is an opening set in a pre-teen's life, I wanted the font to be funky and fun. All of the following fonts were found on Microsoft Word at no cost. The first option is the Jokerman font. The reason this font called out to me is because it reminds me of bubble letters that I would make on the poster board for every science fair project in middle school. It doesn't have any straight lines and it kind of flows. The next font is Curlz MT. Like the Jokerman font, this too has no straight lines. It also has a lot of swirls that I automatically associate with youth and patterns that they use in clothing and jewelry. The final font is Ravie. This feels like a good mix of both Curlz MT and Jokerman. It doesn't have any straight lines and has a few swirls. This still cultivates a you...

  Props:  To put together the feeling of a pre-teen trying to discover who she is, I will use lip gloss, mascara, dolls, stuffed animals, a phone Costume:  Aligning with the respected characters and their personalities/what they discover, the wardrobe will consist of low-rise jeans, t-shirts, glasses, a suit blazer, a tank top, a scrunchie, jewelry accessories, and sneakers. Schedule:   03/05/23- the storyboard will be finished and turned into a blog post. 03/08/23- the actors will have agreed on where and when we will shoot, and all needed props and wardrobes are packed 03/10/23- the first day of filming, will consist of Annie's monologue 03/12/23- the second day of filming, will consist of me shooting my family member's takes 03/14/23- the third day of filming, will consist of all scenes not including dialogue 03/20/23- I will begin cleaning up individual takes that I know I will use 03/22/23- I will edit together all the scenes that will be used in the final video...

Scene 1 Annie:  When I was young, I loved Barbie movies, the Ninja Turtles, and John Denver. I was named after one of his songs, Annie's Song  to be exact. That's the kind of music I like, mature, old music. Not to make it seem like I know everything, but now that I've officially been in the double digits for 2 years, I feel like my tastes have expanded. Now, I'm obsessed with Starbucks Frappuccinos and Michael Buble. My grandma says that I'm  Grandma:  A romantic! Annie:  But I hate, hate, HATE her using that word, it's not true at all. Every single one of my friends has already had their first kiss, but I've never even had someone be interested in me. At this rate, I'll be graduating without ever holding hands with a guy.  Scene 2 Annie:  Every time my family comes to visit, they say I'm  Relative:  Growing like a sprout! Next thing you know you'll be taller than me! Annie:  I don't really see what they see, I feel like the same p...

 As per the Art of the Title website, The King of Comedy  displays its opening credits over a freeze-frame. In the very beginning, there is a lady screaming at a group of photographers through a car door, so there isn't much happening in the opening. Although we only focus on one shot while the credits roll in, we can tell that this woman is very frustrated and getting angry at the paparazzi. As for setting the tone for the movie, this movie does it in a non-conventional way. Even though this movie is a comedy, this is not shown in a dramatic or expressly funny way. Although there aren't many camera angles or techniques to talk about, there was a POV shot that shows how infuriating it can be for the woman in the car, being bombarded by the paparazzi.

Provided by the Art of the Title website, the opening sequence of Austin Powers  displays James Bond-style credits as well as having a 1960s-inspired font. The sequence isn't focused on one plot point, but rather a culmination of scenes where random and extraordinary things are happening. This can be a parade of music and women around Austin Powers, or in a behind-the-scenes of a Britney Spears music video. These images add to the corny, wacky fun that all Austin Powers movies encapsulate. This film can appeal to any type of audience, as long as the viewer doesn't take themselves too seriously. One of the ways that this movie lets loose in the opening sequence is by challenging Steven Spielberg humorously, a popular and well-known director. By using a wide shot, the movie is able to showcase the entirety of its cast and setting, which is always extra-phenomenal and further pushes its comedy to the audience.

As shown in the Art of the Title website, in this comedy the title is one of the first things to be shown. In the opening sequence, we are given a panning shot of Doc's working space. This allows us to look into the mind of the wacky professor. We also get a bit of foreshadowing when the TV shows that plutonium has been stolen, which is later revealed that Doc stole it. These images perpetuate that Doc is very disorganized and crazy, showing his seemingly unnecessary inventions along with his enormous stereo system. The exaggeration of the setting makes it humorous for the audience since no actual scientists' lab is this messy or blown out of proportion. The panning motion aids in the comedy because it continuously shows what is in Doc's house and how weird it all is.

 As I continued to research title sequences on Google, I came across the Watch the Titles website. There was a section all for title designer interviews, and I chose to read about Kyle Cooper, mostly because he had the Spider-Man title on his thumbnail. Although I had never seen Se7en , I was intrigued to watch the opening credits because of the interviewee said that Cooper's title "is arguably the most imitated main title ever made." Now that I have seen the title sequence that was talked about, I completely agree. The edginess mixed with the short shots sets the tone for what the rest of the movie wants to communicate. Looking through the website's feature film section, I saw Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer . This is a classic movie that I always got excited to see once I saw the opening credits. From such an iconic holiday film, it was an inspiration for future movies like The New Adventures of Pinocchio . To put together this opening, the artists put their arts an...

I am researching title design on the Art of the Title Website. When I opened the website, I saw an article on Michael DeForge, a visual artist. He was being interviewed considering the title sequences he finds most interesting and visually appealing. My personal favorite (and most nostalgic) that he talked about was Alexsandra Korejwo, who used colored salts to create her title sequences, which included the Disney Movie The Wonderful Icecream Suite . Aside from DeForge's interview, I also saw a section on Guillermo del Toro, a stop-motion animator. Toro's crew creates title sequences using CGI rendering to make sure his Cabinet of Curiosities  is portrayed as creepily as the show is. After searching through all the features the website has articles about, I saw Jojo Rabbit , one of my favorite movies. While the main character, a child named Jojo, is going through the streets of Germany, the title sequences are rolling in with him. Once Jojo gets to where he needs to be, the fin...

Elvis  is a movie in the genre of biography that tells the story of the king of rock, Elvis Presley. The film opens with Elvis' humble beginnings. Growing up with his father in jail, and his mother being extremely poor, he lived in a black neighborhood. Here, he is exposed to Black-American cultural music. This is shown to be a mix of soul, rock-and-role, and church gospel music. From then on, he performs to adoring female crowds and the not-so-adoring conservatives. Here steps in Colonel Tom Parker, who becomes his promoter. Although this film is about the rockstar we all know, it doesn't shy away from the untold stories of his abusive mentor that is the Colonel. Overworking him, not paying enough, and using him as a shield for those trying to capture him for not being an American citizen. We see bits of Elvis' personal life with Pricilla and their daughter Lisa-Marie. The audience is also shown his own struggle with playing what he likes, and what the people enjoy hearing...

  Knives Out  is a recent addition to the Murder Mystery genre. Mixing together the cliche and new forms of film conventions. The main character, Marta, is an immigrant who works for a wealthy family. Although the family claims they care about her, they turn on her when they find out that the head of the family has been murdered. The detective on the case, Benoit Blanc, knows that this case doesn't sit right with him. Through a series of flashbacks and clues, the audience learns that there was a mix-up with the medicine doses that Marta supposedly  gave to him. The man Marta takes care of, Harlan, takes it upon himself to perform an act of selflessness and ends his life. This is to ensure that Marta and her family is not deported back to her home country. In the end, Blanc finds out that one of the less senior members of the family, Ransom, switched the medicine in the bottles. This would mean that Marta really did give Harlan the right medicine and doses, but the differe...

Turning Red  is the perfect example of a coming-of-age film. Released in 2022 and directed by Domee Shi, Turning Red  focuses on a 13-year-old girl named Mei going through magical puberty. She turns into a giant red panda when any exuberant emotion comes her way. Fortunately, her closest friends stick by her side when this happens and aid in making Mei more comfortable in her new body. Her mother, on the other hand, wants nothing more than for her little girl to stay her little girl. Throughout this movie, we see an uphill battle that Mei faces when she is learning how to balance her newfound interests and her child-likeness. Although there are many awkward scenes in this movie, they are not there to make the audience uncomfortable. Instead, they exist to laugh at and make it more relatable. For example, when Mei's mom finds out she has a crush on a boy, Mei feels complete and utter guilt for even feeling that way. Looking at this from a bit of an older perspective, I find it ...

 After looking through all the genre blogs I have made, I have decided to do a coming-of-age film from Pitch 1. I can most identify with the story since I find myself laughing at these types of movies at how much I remember it being similar to my middle school experience. In my opening, I hope to emulate how fresh, yet scary the world looks at the fragile pre-teen years. The quirkiness that the protagonists have will be worked into the script as well as the score. While I will still be keeping the opening more slice-of-life than anything else, I am already brainstorming elements that will catch the audience off guard.

The final pitch is in the genre of a biography. These tell the story of someone who has impacted the world even through all the hardships they had faced. While not always done with musicians, the most popular ones made recently are. These movies aim to seal an icon's legacy by dedicating their triumphs and defeats to a single piece of media. In turn, younger generations will learn about someone who may have gone unnoticed previously. Done correctly, these films fill us with a sense of hope, knowing that no matter what we may face in life, we will always be able to expedite through it.

 Pitch 2 is the quintessential murder mystery genre. As opposed to other genres, murder mysteries keep the viewer in the dark as to what is going on as much as they do the characters in the film. Because of this unique viewing experience, there is a sense that we are going along for the ride and are aiding in finding the solution to the murder hunt. These genres can sometimes be mixed with horror or thriller, but some murder mysteries focus more on the psychological aspect of why  the murderer would commit such a heinous act. To keep the audience on our toes, good  mysteries never single out a single suspect or make it obvious who the culprit is. A good "who dunnit" can make any rainy day more interesting.

The first genre would be a coming-of-age genre. These stories center around an adolescent going through changes in their life. Sometimes this is puberty or an obstacle that they need to overcome. They tend to focus more on the mundane awkwardness that is a packaged deal with growing up. The protagonist is always relatable and has a certain charm that may seem 'cringe' to others. Overall, these films serve as a reminder that the growing pains we go through are only meant to serve us and teach us in the long term.

  Pitch 1:  A pre-teen girl who is full of awkwardness and affection, is struggling to find a balance between her childhood and her teen years. Pitch 2:  A woman trying to find her missing friend discovers her dead body, only to be met with more questions. Pitch 3:  A singer is preparing to put on a performance of a lifetime while battling her own emotional turmoil. If I were to choose Pitch 1, it would be because I can relate to it. In middle school, I was a very timid and quiet person. I was always confused about what I wanted to do and what I should be doing. Pitch 1 would be a more mellow project compared to the last pitch. It would most likely cater to conventions surrounding the younger crowd. If I were to choose Pitch 2, it would be because the story would be more interesting. I would be able to put together puzzle pieces as to how the murder took place. This would require more planning, as well as prop and set design. The level of gore that I might be comfort...

 In the past two projects, I have worked once with a partner and once by myself. Because of this, I feel I have the knowledge to now know I am most comfortable working by myself. This will allow me to have full creative control of the opening of my film.

Since the music video, I've been anticipating my next project. I am excited to make an opening sequence of a movie. I always hate when I'm late to the beginning of a movie showing, since that is when the tone for the rest of the movie is set. I specifically love when the director sets the tone with music, and not as much dialogue. I feel like music can conjure up emotions that words sometimes can't. Throughout the Media Studies course, I have been realizing more about film than I had previously. At the beginning of the school year, I was convinced that I wanted to be a director as a career. As I continued through the year and gained more knowledge I realized that I still want to work in film, but probably not as a director. I've considered becoming a film critic, but as of this moment, I am debating being a historical advisor. For period pieces, a historical advisor is commonly called to ensure the validity of the film. This could be as specific as a fashion historian, ...