Planning - Script

     To start my planning process, the first task that I want to complete is the writing of my script. I want to start with this because the script will be my strategic foundation for my film opening, leading me to decide what characters, setting, and props I want to utilize. Kicking off with a script ensures that my "vision" translates into something that other people can literally see and hear come to life. To do this, I decided to write my script on a Word document so that it can be organized but also easily accessible. 

The First Draft of my Script:

    Although this is the first draft of my script, I think it accurately represents the story that I want my characters to experience. I think the biggest challenge I had when writing the script was taking a leap of faith in writing a narrative that I hadn't visually and physically seen come to life yet. As of right now, the story only exists in my imagination which concerns me because I don't know if everything will translate  effectively to the screen once I start filming. Another struggle I had was making sure the opening scenes can capture the audience's attention and interest immediately, creating a captivating reason to continue watching. To accomplish this, I had to find a balance between clarity and suspense; giving the viewer sufficient information to immerse them into the reality of the scene, while holding back just enough information to generate a 'craving' that only the rest of the film can satisfy. 

    Despite it being a film opening, I still wanted to ensure I established that it is a romantic comedy. While I plan on using the typical colors, clothing, and music that are seen in a rom-com, I wanted to have the first interaction between my characters to be in a creative and unique way. Because of this, I decided to use a meet-cute where both characters reach for the same last item on a shelf. This creates immediate friction and a close physical proximity. It also hints at how the rest of the story is going to play out. 

    Since this is only the first draft of my script, I think it will be very important to show and share this with my friends/classmates so that they can tell me what their opinion is. This will help me revise my story to better fit the conventions of a romantic comedy as well as a film opening, if needed. 

    Overall, I am excited to see my two-minute film opening come to life. However, I still have a lot more tasks to complete before I can start the production process. The next task that I plan on completing is my casting sheets. Choosing my characters will help me decide on the clothing and props that I want to use.