Hi, so I've realized that I may have rushed into analyzing film openings without truly researching the genre as a whole. In the past, I have researched horror, and I found that by just simply discovering common conventions of the genre, I am able to comprehend most plots and scenes.
One thing I have noted is the infamous meet-cute. This is arguably the most important part of the film. Luckily for me, the meet-cute tends to take place in the film opening. It must be romantic and quirky, while also not being too cliché. Romantic comedies are intended for both males and females, as they include a little romance and a little laughter. My goal is to make sure my meet-cute is not too cringy and become more of a romance than a comedy.
One meet-cute that I particularly enjoy is from the film About Time. The two characters are meeting for the first time on a blind date. Everything about the scene just felt perfect and meant to be. The use of dim lighting creates a romantic setting, and when the male character first sees the woman walk through the door, a little bit of high-key lighting shows through and gives her an ethereal look. The use of piano music also began to play as soon as they saw each other. This music was something I had noted in my previous blog about another film opening. Clearly, it is a common aspect to include when creating an intimate scene, and this makes me want to further look into adding it in my own film opening. The director's use of over-the-shoulder close-ups also added to the mood of the film, as it emphasized their expressions and viewers could clearly see they are already smitten with one another. I find this tactic to be successful as it gives viewers a more vulnerable and personal look into the interaction. I am not sure if I would want to create such a passionate scene for the start of my film, as I do not want to come on too strong. However, I do plan on creating an amorous mood since it is a romance.
This clip of the meet-cute was from YouTube. It is seen below.
Another form of a meet-cute could be not so cute at all. In 10 Things I Hate About You, for instance, the two characters only interacted with one another because the male lead was acting on a deal. Essentially, if he took her out on a date, he would be paid. The actual meeting of the two characters, however, was not as romantic as it was for the film About Time. Instead, the scene is just a soccer field and the medium shot of them walking side by side should create a sort of bond between them, but instead does the opposite. While the girl is wearing a bright yellow jersey, the boy is dressed in black and gray. The stark contrast between the two seen side by side allows the audience to infer that they are not actually interested in each other. This is further shown through dialogue in which the girl does not want to go out with him and is walking away from him as he is speaking. The form of the meeting is not cute, but it does establish the plot and engages the viewer more than your average cliche scene. This is something I want to discuss with my group members, as I am sure that a different approach to the norm could be seen as more original/authentic for our film opening. I also believe that this type of rom-com caters to younger generations more, and so is the type of film that we see in theaters today. I would want to create a similar stand-offish energy between my two leads, so viewers could be anticipating what happens next, instead of having them fall in love in the first minute of the scene (seems anticlimactic to me).
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