As I wrote in my previous post, I filmed the other option for my main interview this morning, and it was GREAT!
At first, the couple and I had a little trouble coming up with the script since, apparently, they've never had any big problem in their relationship. Also, they were a little bit nervous of course and when we started filming, their words weren't coming out natural. But eventually, they thought about an obstacle and we all knew how to manage their nervousness. So at the end, they were speaking freely and I could easily feel the connection between them.
This is a picture of the video, so you can see my little "actors":
Andrea y Santiago, 1 year together
I'm going to talk a little bit about mise-en-scene here. For the interviews, I wasn't really specific with the costume and setting selection. The reason of this is because the interviews are Marcella's friend project, therefore, they shouldn't look that professional because he's not in a Media Class (poor him). Also, Andrea's messy hair and lack of makeup express her personality and at the same time, provides naturality to the video.
By the way:
This interview is in Spanish (I'm going to put subtitles, no panic). I did this because Marcella was born in Venezuela and this can show a little bit about her background. The switch of languages is something that no one is going to expect in the film opening. I believe (and hope) that is an element that is going to make the production stand out since it adds something different to the film since there's going to be a diversity of culture and traditions that are going to be seen through the interviews and the actors.
Now on my checklist, I'm only missing Marcella's scene and the last interview, which is getting harder since I can't find another couple.
This gets more exciting and stressful as time goes by. I'm really looking forward to start editing and give shape to all of this isolated videos, but at the same time I have so many things to do for my other classes that I really need to manage my time.
Two more days until the weekend! Hopefully, I'll come up with everything.
I filmed the interview scenes first because they don't need so much effort and they can be filmed in school.
Remember that I want to put many videos on the screen and then click on one that will be the last scene of the movie? Well, these are some of those interviews:
Macarena and Carlos, 7 months together
Miguel and Valentina, 11 months together.
Juan and Eugenia, 2 months together.
Letty and Philip, 10 months together.
Oh, and I need to emphasize that all these couples are real couples. I took the time to look for real couples and ask them for help because the connection that they have been easily perceived in camera, is something that flows naturally and that they don't have to force.
After this, I made a trial for the screen thing and, even though is going to have more interviews and the video apps will not be shown, this is the idea:
I also filmed the main interview yesterday, the one that goes at the beginning of the film. But, since my friends are not a real couple, I don't see it real, I really feel that there's a spark missing in that scene. So tomorrow, I'm going to film a real couple and I'll see which one is better.
Rocemi stands for Rogelio, Celeste and Milagros, the names of my brother, my mother, and mine. I decided to use that as the production company because I wanted to add something personal to the project.
So on Thursday, I decided to make the presentation for my film company, so I researched differents movie studios and film distributors logos:
All of the presentations are composed of a logo, a text, and a feature music that are made in a way that each element is easily recognizable by the viewer. And obviously, every and each one of the companies has an amazing presentation which I seriously think that is really hard to do since I'm basically a beginner in the animation world.
I also watched this collection of Walt Disney Picture Logos just because I think that is interesting to see how much Disney logos have changed over the years as the technology evolves, and how they adapt their introductions to each of the movies they present.
So I started to look for programs to make my intro. The first one I found is Animaker. After 3 hours of figuring out how the program works and what I wanted to do, I came up with this:
I was really proud of myself because I added some good animations and the fonts connected with the tone of the film since the Rocemi is typed with a stylish and girly style.
BUT when I finished everything and I was ready to download it, this happened:
And since I'm totally against paying $12 just for a 5 seconds video, and because I was confident that there are million of other programs that provide the same tools for free, I closed my this website and I continued looking for others.
So I downloaded this one called Movavi. It really has really nice tools and animations that I could use. So just as a trial to see if I could download the video for free, I created this piece. I was super excited because I could download it for free, but when I opened the video later, I got disappointed:
(You can imagine my face when I watched it)
So I continue my search for an app that could provide me what I needed. Surprisingly for me, every program or website that I could found, didn't have the effects that I was looking for or I had to pay $50 just to download it.
At the end, I came by with Moovly and FINALLY I could make a video without having to pay.
But for some reason, I don't like it enough. I consider that is missing something, although I don't know what; or maybe I just want the video that I did with Animaker. Who knows?
At this point, my brain has exploded 3 times and I still don't have the intro that I want. So I went back to my research, and I found this article called '65 expert logo design tips' which is a really nice and complete article that, by providing examples of famous logos, it provides all the steps that a designer must follow to compose an appropriate emblem.
Among all the 65 tips, this one is one that I really found interesting since I would never guess that a grid may be useful for the layout of a design. So I followed the advice and I draw a couple of sketches in one grid:
I kept the idea from the 3 logos on the top so I digitalized them with Pixlr Editor. I don't know what I was trying to do when I was doing the sketches with the pencil but thankfully I also did the sketches with the provided fonts. When I finished, I decided to go with the design on the bottom.
Which is this one right here:
With the concept of my logo already made, I decided that since I couldn't found a program that could satisfy my necessities, I would do it on my own.
Now that I had all the elements that I needed, I needed a program to put all these elements together and compose my introduction. I remembered that my teacher from Venezuela used to work with Sony Vegas PRO 13.0, so I downloaded it. I added the logo over the background with the Rocemi Films text and a couple of basic animations. Although I'm still missing the music, I'm very proud and satisfy with the work I did here.
Lastly, after working 3 days on this, I'm very tired. I never could've to imagine that only the intro for my studio company could take me that long. If this is the way it's going to be when it comes the time to edit my video, I don't know how I'm going to survive.
Nevertheless, I really enjoyed doing my own work because the reward is so much greater than if a program does it for you. I hope that I maintain this same idea when I make my film so I don't struggle that much with it.
I'm positive that I'll start with the filming next week since classes will begin again and everyone will come back to Weston.
Chao, Chao!
All the programs and websites mentioned in this post can be found on:
N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016. <http://www.animaker.com/>.
"Our Best Windows Products:." Video Software. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016. <http://www.movavi.com/>.
"Moovly." Moovly. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2016. <https://www.moovly.com/en/login>.
"65 Expert Logo Design Tips." 65 Expert Logo Design Tips. N.p., 10 June 2014. Web. 26 Mar. 2016. <http://www.creativebloq.com/graphic-design/pro-guide-logo-design-21221>.
"Sony Creative Software - Descargar: Vegas Pro 13." Sony Creative Software - Descargar: Vegas Pro 13. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2016. <http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/es/download/trials/vegaspro>.
Videos:
Conradmward. "Best Movie Studio Logos." YouTube. YouTube, 15 Sept. 2012. Web. 24 Mar. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjN7x90Jmvc>.
Http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBehHitrhQcMGjJfeTF3fGQ. "Walt Disney Pictures Intro Logo Collection (All Variations) HD." YouTube. YouTube, 15 Mar. 2015. Web. 24 Mar. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noHhkzBmhRE>.
Since I can't film yet, I decided to do something that I should've done before, my storyboard.
The first scene will be the main interview to a couple that will answer to the questions stated in the following index card.
The camera will start to zoom out to show that the interview is being seen from a laptop. This will be the beginning of the second scene. The purpose of this scene is to introduce the character of Marcella.
This scene will fade to black to the 3rd scene, which is the introduction of the movie. The chosen song "Love someone" by Jason Mraz will play here.
In this scene, the intention is to introduce Marcella's personality and her environment. She's an organized person so she makes annotations in index cards and post-it.
The last shot is a close-up of stickers and papers from the University of California, Berkeley to establish that's where Marcella studies. I chose that university because it is among the top sociology colleges in the country, having a "sociology program that typically ranks among the top programs in the country".
When I decide which my title will be, I'll have a better idea of how I will incorporate it into this scene.
I believe that this will make 2 minutes.
I'm so sorry for the quality of my drawings, I tried my best, but still they're not a masterpiece.
Chao, Chao!
Information used in this post can be located in:
"Top Ranked Colleges for a Major in Sociology." USA TODAY College. Megan Cahill, 27 Dec. 2014. Web. 24 Mar. 2016. <http://college.usatoday.com/2014/12/27/top-ranked-colleges-for-a-major-in-sociology/>.
N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016. <http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/sex-gender-sociology-rankings>.
Today I was supposed to film the interview scenes. I asked my friend Larissa to participate in the project and to call one of her friends to be her boyfriend in the movie and she said yes; I was super excited. I prepared everything: the location, the camera, and the script.
For some reason, I knew that the guy wouldn't go, so Larissa and I started to look through our contacts on our smartphones to check if anyone could help us. We texted every close friend, but they all said no, because they either are out of town, sick, or are super camera shy and don't like to appear in films, so they can't act even for 5 seconds. Apparently everyone has a better social life than us, and no one is available to help me.
Anyways, we were supposed to film at 6:00 pm with Larissa's friend and at 7:00 pm he let us know that he went to the beach so he couldn't do it (thanks, buddy) . As you can imagine I was pretty angry with the guy because of his irresponsibility.
I seriously wanted to start filming today so everything else would flow easier. I wanted to make the first step of the beginning of the project, to feel that it is actually something concrete. But no, friends can't help other friends even if they're begging.
Tomorrow I'll meet with Larissa again and with Isabella to see what we can do and if any other friends can help. If we don't find a solution, I guess I'll have to wait until Spring Break is over and everyone comes back to Weston.
I'll just keep hoping that everything happens for a reason and that the Universe is working with me and for me so I can find the correct actors (be positive, Cele).
I decided that I'm not going to put live music in my film opening since the main scene and the interview don't need background songs. Nevertheless, since these two elements are not going to make 2 minutes, I'm going to do a little intro to the theme of the movie, which will need music.
So I decided for a song in English and a song in Spanish:
Love someone - Jason Mraz and Ojos color sol - Calle 13
I'm going to use the one that I receive permission first.
Hopefully, the answers will arrive soon.
Chao, Chao! OMG UPDATE: The publisher from Jason Mraz answered so fast. I'm so excited that I have a song already. I feel that my project is taking shape now.
"I Need This More than You Know" Lyrics - Chase Coy." YouTube. YouTube,n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk81VGJpudw>.
"Ed Sheeran - Lego House Lyrics." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU4wxPw6t_g>.
"ColdplayLife In Technicolor Ii Official Instrumental." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF7zwzfatpo>.
"Jason Mraz - LOVE SOMEONE - LYRICS." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2016 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21mEkH3usQ4>
"Daniel Huen - Olas Del Mar (Cover Audio) /Música Nueva 2016." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iecn0WyC_0w>.
"Calle 13 - Ojos Color Sol Feat. Silvio Rodríguez (NoVocal)." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38MlqUk9R1g>.
"P!nk - The Truth About Love (Official Lyric Video)." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMwm2xwoQjg>.
According to the poll on my blog, people prefer that my character falls in love at the end of the movie (shocking, right?). So I have a few ideas to show this event on the film opening. Oh, and thank you to the little fellow that decided to vote 'neither' and didn't put any comment so I cracked my brain trying to figure out which other endings it could have, like just kill my protagonist.
Answering some questions from a previous post, I started to develop my character's personality:
Name
Marcella. Italian given name, the feminine form of Marcello, ultimately derived from Marcellus. Marcellus originates in the Latin language. As a Roman family name, it is originally diminutive of Marcus, derived from Mars, the Roman god of war [1].
Career
Major in Sociology because she always has been observant and patient. She has also been curious about people’s behavior and the reasons for their actions. She’s planning to work in the public policy field [2].
Typical emotional characteristics associated with personality
Marcella is loyal to her friends and listens to them in all of their problems. She is a volunteer in many organizations. At the same time, she is very cynical, she confront situations by being sassy and sarcastic. Since she was little, she has been strong and independent.
Characteristics associated with socioeconomic status
Medium class, enough to pay a good college and a nice car.
Where was your character born? What was his/her childhood like? What environmental factors contribute to your character’s personality?
Marcella was born in Venezuela with Italian grandparents (that’s where her name comes from). When she was 9 years old, she had to move to the United States due to her dad’s job. Marcella’s father died when she was 14 years old from cancer and her mother never married again. Since her mom was devastated after Marcella’s dad death, Marcella began to develop restrictions against love; she understood that no matter what, one of the involved is going to be hurt. Apart from that, she always had a lot of friends and she easily adapted to her new life in the USA.
What does your character enjoy doing?
Marcella reads a lot of books, either physically or digitally, although she prefers to read hardcover books. She also enjoys being outside, in contact with nature. Marcella likes hanging out with her friends. Her favorite places are theaters, movie theaters, concerts, and cafés. Every time she’s in public spaces, she enjoys analyzing and observing other people’s conducts and attitude.
What defining events have occurred in his/her life?
The death of Marcella’s father didn’t affect that much because she understands that death is a natural thing that happens and everyone is going to die at some moment in life, so everything happens for a reason. Nevertheless, the consequence of his death affected her perspective towards love and marriage since her mother didn’t want to be with someone else after that.
How would your character spend a free day?
A free day for Marcella means a new opportunity to go to a park or a forest where she can read and be in contact with the Earth. Although she enjoys being with her friends, she also likes to be alone and connect with herself.
What values or morals does your character possess?
Marcella has always been a Human Rights Activist, she’s against dictatorships, censorship, and violation of any right; she believes that every human is born as equal. Her dream has always been to go to the poorest places in Africa and America to provide those communities with supplies and show them that someone cares about them.
Marcella doesn’t believe in love or in couples. Once she read a book (The Mortal Instruments) that ‘To love is to destroy and to be loved is to be destroyed’ and after that she became conscious of her environment and she observed that many of her friends’ parents are divorced or one of them has died. She doesn’t want to be involved in all of that because she doesn’t consider that one can truly love someone and be faithful to that person for all his life.
After doing this, developing the story was easier for me. Basically, the production is going to be about this girl that doesn't believe in love and she's happy with not having a partner in her life. The climax of the movie will be when a new guy enrolls in one of her classes and through many events she starts to like him. But at the end of the movie, he breaks her heart and her negative perspective about love is being reinforced.
When we did the group feedback thing in class, we had to show to our peers two pictures related to our work. I decided to show one picture from When Harry Met Sally because I really like the idea of the interviews. Rob Reiner (director of the movie) introduced this documentary-like scenes because he noticed how a man lit up and came alive as he told the story of when he met his wife [3].
So I want to do something similar for my story, but instead of doing when elderly people met their couples, as in When Harry Met Sally, my idea is to show interviews with couples in different stages of love. So, for example, the first one would be a couple in their first year together, then an engaged couple, a just married, one with a kid, and an elderly one. They would be introduced as a project made by one of Marcella's peers as a project for one of his classes. The question to each of them would be to relate an obstacle that they've had in their relationship and how they had overcome it, so it'll foreshadow Marcella's view towards love.
My second picture was one from Casablanca because I want the music to be diegetic to make more realistic the scene and add something artistic as well, as in most of the scenes from the famous classic. But now that the opening is clearer in my head, I'm not sure if I'm going to need music. Any case, I'd need to find a musician friend and decide if he can compose a little piece of music or if I have to ask the companies if I can use their song. Since my artist is going to be foreign, I'm not sure if the song should be in Spanish or French, I'll have to research some romantic songs on those languages and see if one of them matches.
The location for the interview can be any place since it's just an interview for a couple. I really want it to be on a sofa, but if I can't film it there, it doesn't matter. Now, for the part with the girl. I was thinking of doing it in a place with nature since she feels comfortable in there. So it could be the Markham Park, Regional Park or any other park in Weston. There, she can be watching the interview through an Ipad or a phone since her friend is showing it to her to get feedback on it.
I need:
Marcella
Marcella's friend that is making the project
A couple for the interview
Musician (optional)
2 different locations
1 for the interview
1 for the girl when she is watching the video
Hopefully, I'll be able to film it next week.
Chao, Chao!
To get more knowledge about what has been exposed here, visit:
[1] "Marcella- Young Warrior, Rendered to Mars, Mahr-SEH-lə/mahr-CHEH-lə, Latin on BellyBallot." Marcella- Young Warrior, Rendered to Mars, Mahr-SEH-lə/mahr-CHEH-lə, Latin on BellyBallot. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2016. <http://babynames.net/names/marcella>.
[2] "Become a Sociologist - Careers - The College Board." Become a Sociologist - Careers - The College Board. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2016. <https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/careers/social-science-sociologists>.
[3] "When Harry Met Sally." Turner Classic Movies. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2016. <http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/21366%7C0/When-Harry-Met-Sally.html>.
Images:
"25 Things You Never Knew About 'When Harry Met Sally...'" Zimbio. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2016 <http://www.zimbio.com/Beyond+the+Box+Office/articles/bjI3wpN7dhf/25+Things+Never+Knew+Harry+Met+Sally>.
Barron, James. "‘Casablanca’ Piano Sells for $3.4 Million at Bonhams." The New York Times. The New York Times, 24 Nov. 2014. Web. 19 Mar. 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/25/nyregion/casablanca-piano-to-be-auctioned-at-bonhams.html?_r=0>.
AsMrs. Stoklosa suggested on Monday, I focused more on the development of my main character than in the story of the film. We talked that day is that the character could be someone that is not in love but she wants to.
But after watching 'I'm here' (2010) by Spike Jonze, I understood that I don't want my protagonist to feel the need to fall in love. I want her to be strong and independent. The main characteristic that I want her to have is that she understands that she doesn't need a man to find happiness.
Small parenthesis to talk about the short film. So far I've loved Jonze productions, although I've only seen Her (2013) and this short film. I really liked the bright on the robot's eyes, it reinforces the idea that they have feelings even though they're machines. I wish It could be that easy to transplant an organ to someone one loves but I seriously would think it twice before my boyfriend transplant an organ to me or vice-versa because imagine if we broke up and I have to carry his arm for the rest of my life, oh my god, no.
Going back to the purpose of this post, there's a Venezuelan singer called Lasso, who posts videos in Snapchat sometimes. Casually, today he was talking about the haters in social media, and his conclusion was that no one should put priority on the bad comments that unimportant people have towards one and that one should understand that one's true love is oneself, and when people understand that principle, one can live a life full of happiness. While I was writing this post I remembered that comment, and as a matter of fact, I want my character to infuse that principle in herself and demonstrate that she is auto-sufficient, while expressing that she doesn't close to the chances of falling in love.
So to follow on this character development, I decided to focus my research on two characters that adopt the same guidelines of my character. The first one is Summer Finn from 500 Days of Summer (2009). In the opening scene of the movie the narrator introduces the main characters, Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel) and Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), while he contrasts their personalities. The narrator explains that Summer doesn't believe in love due to her parents' divorce, which produced conflict and pain.
Some people believe that Summer was the 'evil' character in the production, but I believe that she's an actual representation of real life people. She believes that"relationships are messy and feelings get hurt. Who needs all that?" [1]. Maybe it sounds too cynical, but I totally agree with this statement; I don't know if it's because I've been surrounded by divorces and dysfunctional couples, or is it because I don't believe in what conventional romantic movies transmit, but I think that love is pretty unique and only some people can obtain it with the person they choose, so the rest of the relationships are just a rollercoaster of emotions and disappointment. And that's exactly what happens at some point in the movie, Summe realizes that she doesn't love Tom and she inevitably will hurt him. Nevertheless, the viewer may think that Summer is mean to Tom because the movie is made from Tom's perspective, but Summer always had reasons for her actions.
What I also love about this movie is that since the beginning it's explained that the production is 'a story about a girl and a boy, but it's not a love story', which is also reinforced by this artsy poster.
My second researched character is Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) from 10 Things I Hate About You (1999). Kat's first appearance demonstrates her rebellious and sassy personality through the song and her attitude towards the other girls.
Kat's character radiates feminism throughout all the movie. What I admire from her is that she decided to create her own destiny regardless of what her dad wanted or what her peers thought about it. She didn't let anyone to step upon her either and she always understood that her priorities were above everyone else [2].
The image to the left is one of my favorite quotes from the movie, and it reinforces Kat's feministic beliefs towards men.
Nevertheless, although Kat is introduced as a non-romantic character, the development of her relationship with Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger), changes her perspective about love.
Both movies have similar female characters but with different endings. One shows that individuals don't always belong to the person that they love and the other one demonstrates that love can change people.
Conclusion:
I want my character to follow this wave of not believing in love at the beginning. I'm not clear about her reasons to do it yet if it is because of a past relationship, parents' divorce, false expectations, but I still have time to figure it out.
I don't know how to end the story either. I have two choices, I can either make her fall in love with some outstanding guy or I can make like she's going to fall in love but was just an illusion and she stays as she was in the beginning. That's why I decided to run a poll in my blog to see what the audience prefers and then I could decide.
Chao, Chao!
For further information:
[1] "Half-Blaked: Character Study: Summer Finn." Half-Blaked: Character Study: Summer Finn. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2016. <http://halfblaked.blogspot.com/2010/08/character-study-summer-finn.html>.
[2]"Community Post: 10 Reasons Kat Stratford Should Still Be Your #1 Heroine." BuzzFeed Community. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2016. <http://www.buzzfeed.com/fangirlingdaily/10-reasons-why-kat-stratford-should-still-be-your-ioqb#.ec0G76Qooe>.
Videos
"I'm Here" 2010 a Short Film by Spike Jonze FULL." YouTube. YouTube, 30 Mar. 2011. Web. 16 Mar. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OY1EXZt4ok>.
"(500) Days of Summer - Intro." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zn0HdZs3Fs>.
"Bad Reputation in 10 Things - Kat Intro Scene." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaIWHB-m_yY>
Images
N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2016. <https://www.pinterest.com/pin/113997434292165643/>.
N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2016. <https://www.pinterest.com/pin/346425396317928756/>.
I pretty liked the whole story. As a difference from modern movies, Casablanca doesn't focus on the romance between the characters, but mostly on the War and how that even has affected people's lives. While I was watching it, I feel that romance was just an extra ingredient that complements the story, just to add personal experiences while the director showed the reality of the Nazi invasion. To elaborate this romantic tone, there are some scenes that exposure a little on the struggle of couples during the armed conflict. Once they showed the struggle of a just married couple without money that was trying to reach America; while they also showed and elderly couple that had been married for a long time and they do have the money to flight to America. And then there's also the story between Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) and Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) that breaks out all the conventionalisms of romance films. One may think that at the end of the movie they're going to be together because that is what 'happy endings' are, but instead the characters decide to do the correct thing for everybody. And this difference on the plot that shows that love is not only to be with the loved person but to do what is best for her is what highlights the movie from others of the same genre.
As I wrote in a previous post, I love the sound techniques that are present throughout the movie. Most of the sound are diegetic as the songs are played by Sam (Dooley Wilson), and they symbolize or reflect a feeling and an event to the protagonists, Ilsa and Rick. I consider that this practice makes more realistic the movie and it shows that a good production doesn't need special effects in order to promote a tone and demonstrate symbolisms to their audience.
There's also a shot that I think is one of my favorites. It's from when Rick is waiting for Ilsa at the train station and Sam brings him a letter from her.
I love the way they played with the rain and the ink on the letter. It symbolizes Rick's tears and sadness. It makes the viewer feel the sorrow and melancholy he's feeling in that moment, At the same time, it establishes that her words need to be forgotten since she's no longer in Rick's life, therefore his tears are erasing all that Ilsa said in the past. It's a simple close-up to a letter, but it can reflect a lot of meaning.
Last comment:
Although I haven't researched about the Drama genre, the movie is convincing me to go for a Romantic production because it showed me that romance doesn't need to be the main focus of the story but a complement to it.
While I was watching Casablanca, numerous ideas for the development of a story came to my mind, I'll share them in a future post.
Update:
Yesterday I met with Mrs. Stoklosa to share my ideas. She suggested to focus more in the character development that in the story, which I'll do in the next couple of days,
She also encouraged me to continue with the Romantic genre if it is my preference and don't care about the modern conventionalisms of the genre so it could be different from what is being produced now.
I feel that I have a clearer idea of what I want to do than I had last week. I still need to figure out who my protagonist is and what she wants (yes, it's a she), so I will concentrate on it this week and hopefully I will start filming in spring break.
Wish me luck,
Chao, chao!
Information about the characters on Casablanca was found on:
Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casablanca_(film)>.
Image:
"Photo by I-O."Photobucket. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2016. <http://s190.photobucket.com/user/IanTheCool/media/casa45vi6.jpg.html>.
