Planning Post #4

For the audio, I recorded the speaker voice separately instead of filming it live. This helped me to control the tone and clarity. I made sure the voice sounded calm and neutral, not dramatic. The more calm it sounds, the more unsettling it feels.

This is my process of fixing the voice and getting it to sound just right for this project.

I made the voice with a voice generator because I want the person behind the speaker to sound like a human but you can tell it's a robotic voice. I want mostly everything in this world to feel artificial and unnatural to make it even more uncomfortable. It could be interpreted as the world being controlled by things other than humans or it simply being a human behind the voice but has some way to distort their voice and make it sound like a robot's.

While editing it, I will adjust the timing of the voice lines so they match the character’s movements. For example, when she pauses, the voice will respond slightly after, which makes it feel like she is being monitored in real time.

The audio process was important because sound carries most of the psychological tension in my opening. Without strong audio, the scene wouldn't feel the same and wouldn't have the same message. This is a way for me to not bring in more actors while making the world feel more isolated, lonely, and fake, which is my goal with this film opening.

Planning Post #3

When I officially begin filming, I'll have to get the right equpmient like tripods and stabilizers to help me get a more professional look with my film.

Since my project depends on control and symmetry, I will rely on a tripod for almost every shot. I will center the character in many frames to make the visuals feel strict and intentional.

It's also necessary to get the lighting right especially since my project requires very intentional lighting. I have already gotten lights for my project and I had to make sure that they were grayer than normal because that's the vibe I want for my project. I will film mostly at night so I can control the light inside the room, using lamps and adjusting the brightness to create a colder tone. Im avoiding warm lighting because I want the space to feel emotionless and artificial.

One challenge I will probably face is making the room look minimal enough. I already removed certain items from the room so it would not look messy or distracting.

Planning Post #2

 For my production company logo, I wanted something simple and minimal that matches my dystopian theme. Since my opening focuses on control and surveillance, I didnt want a bright logo.

I did a name that sounds neutral and professional. Then I designed the logo using a professional looking font and clean lines. I chose a black, white, and gray color palette because it feels serious and controlled, instead of bright colors because they wouldnt match the tone of my film.

When doing the logo animation, I'll keep it very simple. The screen will start black. The logo will fade in slowly with a low sound in the background. There will be no flashy movements or dramatic music. After a few seconds, it'll fade out smoothly before the opening scene begins. I am using the intro of the movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 as inspiration because I've always loved how they set the tone of each movie from the beginning with the logo intro scenes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbWEPqAb3oI

Planning Post #1

In this post, I want to focus on my editing plan and pacing. Since my opening is only 1-2 mins long, editing is very important. Because my project is slow and psychological, I can't rely on fast cuts. Instead, I will use longer takes and controlled pacing to build tension.

A Quiet Place is a great example of using silence to make the viewers feel tense and uncomfortable in a scene. Most of the time you expect something to happen so it creates that tension. This is heavily used in horror movies because of the fear and tension it builds within the viewer.

In the beginning, the shots will be longer and very still. This allows the audience to sit in the discomfort. I want certain moments to feel slightly too long, especially when the character pauses. For example, when the speaker says “Maintain pace,” I'll leave a small silence before she moves again. That silence is important because it builds tension.

As the opening progresses, I might slightly shorten the cuts or tighten the timing of the speaker’s corrections. This will make the control feel more intense without adding action. The editing style will stay clean and simple.

Audio

Audio will be one of the most important elements in my opening. The voice from the speaker needs to sound calm, polite, and emotionless. It should not sound dramatic. The more normal it sounds, the more unsettling it becomes.

There will be very little background music. In the beginning, I plan to use silence and room tone. This will make the space feel empty and tense. Small sounds like footsteps, brushing teeth, or fabric moving will feel louder because of the silence.

As the opening continues, I may slowly introduce a low humming sound or subtle mechanical tone underneath the dialogue. It should not be obvious, but it should create discomfort.

At the very end, when the voice says, “You are being observed,” I might slightly distort the audio or let the sound echo before cutting to black. The goal is to leave the audience with an uneasy feeling that continues even after the screen goes dark.

Mise-en-Scene

Lighting will be cold and slightly blue inside the room. This will make the space feel emotionless and mechanical. I dont want warm, cozy lighting because that would make it feel safe. The lighting should feel flat and controlled.

For cstume, the girl will wear neutral colors like gray, white, or muted tones. Nothing bright or expressive. Her clothes should look simple and repetitive, almost like a uniform. This reinforces the idea of conformity and lack of individuality.

The main prop is the speaker. It should look normal and modern, not futuristic. That makes it more unsettling because it feels realistic. I may also use her phone to show notifications or time limits. The props should feel ordinary but powerful, since they represent control in everyday life.

Everything visually should support the theme of surveillance and restriction.

Mise-en-Scene

The setting is extremely important because it reflects the dystopian control. Most of the opening takes place in her bedroom. The room will look clean, organized, and almost too perfect. I want it to feel symmetrical and slightly empty.

The walls will not have many decorations. If there are posters or photos, they will be minimal and neutral. The furniture will be simple. This will make the space feel controlled and repetitive. Nothing should look messy or personal because that would suggest individuality.

If I include the exterior street scene, it will be filmed at night under one streetlight. The street should look empty and quiet. The emptiness will emphasize isolation and the illusion of freedom. Even though she is outside, the space should still feel controlled and monitored.

The goal is for the environment itself to communicate the dystopian theme without needing explanation.

Character Development

Even though my opening is only about one to two minutes, character development is still important. The main character is a teenage girl living in a controlled dystopian society. She is not dramatic or expressive. Instead, her personality is shown through small reactions and subtle hesitation.

She is someone who has grown up in this system, so she is used to following instructions. That is why she does not immediately panic when the voice speaks to her. However, I want the audience to see small cracks in her obedience. For example, when the voice says “Maintain pace,” she pauses slightly. When it says “Hesitation recorded,” she becomes more aware. These tiny reactions show that she is thinking, even if she is not openly rebelling.

Her character is meant to represent loss of individuality. She does not speak much in the opening because her world does not encourage self-expression. Most of her emotions will be shown through facial expressions and body language instead of dialogue. By the end, when she realizes she is being observed, the audience should feel her discomfort without her having to explain it.

Film Opening Script

This is how I want my film opening to be. The details need to be figured out still, but this is what I'm thinking so far for it.

The opening begins in complete silence. A dark screen holds for a few seconds before we slowly fade into a wide shot of a bedroom. The room is clean, minimal, and slightly cold in tone. The girl is asleep in the center of the frame. Before an alarm goes off, a soft mechanical voice comes from what seems like a speaker on her wall but it is not shown.

"Good morning."

There is a short pause. No music yet.

"You have eight minutes to begin your day."

She opens her eyes slowly. The camera cuts to a close-up of her face. She looks calm but slightly tense.

"Please sit up."

She sits up. The camera remains steady and controlled. The movements are slow. Cut to a medium shot of her brushing her teeth. The lighting is pale and slightly blue.

"Maitain pace."

She pauses for half a second. Very small, but noticeable.

"Hesitation recorded."

There is still no background music. Only room tone and her small movements. Cut to a close-up of her hands choosing clothes from a closet that only has neutral colors. Everything looks repetitive and uniform.

"Approved."

The camera lingers slightly too long on her face. She looks toward the speaker but says nothing.

At this point, I may cut to a short exterior scene. A gloomy street at night. She is walking alone under a streetlight. The frame is wide and empty around her. The sound of the voice slightly echoes again, even though the speaker is not visible.

"You are within acceptable range."

This moment shows the illusion of freedom. She is outside, but she is still being watched.

The final shot returns to a close-up of her in her room. The voice speaks one last time.

"You are being observed."

Cuts to black. Silence and then film credits/title.

The scenes would be dragged out and I would probably spend more time on one scene instead of cutting and showing multiple, but these are some ideas for what I can do.

It focuses on slow pacing, controlled framing, and tension through silence. I am not relying on action or jump scares. Instead, the structure builds discomfort through the invasiveness of this world. Every shot is intentional and clean to reflect control. The goal is to make the audience feel uneasy without fully understanding why until the final line, which reveals what the viewer may have been asking themselves. I also need the character's facial expressions to suggest that this is normal for her and there is nothing odd about the fact that someone is watching her.

Project Idea and Major Inspiration

My project is a psychological dystopian horror opening that focuses on control, surveillance, and loss of individuality. The opening will show a girl waking up in her room while a calm voice from a speaker gives her instructions. The voice sounds polite and helpful, but it is actually monitoring and correcting her behavior. The horror does not come from jump scares or violence. It comes from the feeling of being constantly watched and managed. Since this is only the opening of a film, I will focus on building the dystopian atmosphere instead of developing a full storyline.

The structure will be simple but intentional. The girl wakes up. The speaker greets her and tells her how long she has to complete certain tasks. As she follows her routine, the voice begins to correct her pace and record her hesitation. Small pauses and moments of silence will be meant to build tension and show her hesitation. By the end of the opening, it becomes clear that she is not just being guided, but also observed. That realization is what shifts the tone from normal to disturbing.

My main inspiration is 1984. While reading it, I felt kind of a sense of dread and hopelessness. The fear in that story comes from surveillance and the loss of personal freedom. That emotional tone is what I want to recreate. I do not have the resources to build a large dystopian world, so I will focus on one controlled space. The room itself will feel clean, symmetrical, and almost empty. This will reflect how controlled her life is. I am also thinking of doing a scene out on a gloomy street at night which will show her isolation and the fact that she has the illusion of freedom but is still constantly being watched.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four

1984 by George Orwell                1984 movie (1984)

Tone will be my strongest tool. I will rely on framing, lighting, and sound design instead of action or multiple characters. Cold lighting can make the room feel emotionless. Symmetrical shots can make everything feel strict and controlled. The speaker’s calm voice will contrast with the unsettling meaning behind it. I want the audience to slowly realize that something is wrong, even though nothing dramatic is happening. The goal is to create quiet tension that stays with the viewer even after the opening ends.

Media Theory in Project

The media theory I want to integrate into my project is Stuart Hall’s Encoding/Decoding theory.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encoding/decoding_model_of_communication

This theory explains that media producers put meanings into a text, but audiences can interpret those meanings in different ways. Hall says there are three main audience readings: dominant, negotiated, and oppositional.

A dominant reading occurs when the audience accepts the message as the creator intended. A negotiated reading is when the audience partly agrees with the reading but questions some parts. An oppositional reading is when the audience completely rejects the intended meaning and interprets it differently.

This theory connects really well to my dystopian opening. In my film, the government voice saying things like “Compliance keeps you safe” is meant to convey a calm, protective tone. On the surface, it sounds like it is helping citizens. However, the way I phrase it will change the meaning from safe to threatening. I am encoding it in a way that does not actually feel safe. The lighting, silence, and slow shots will make the audience feel uncomfortable and uneasy rather than safe.

An oppositional reading might be that someone thinks the system is necessary to maintain order. A negotiated reading might be someone thinking the rules are extreme but understandable. A dominant reading would be someone clearly seeing the government as manipulative and controlling.

I like this theory because my project depends heavily on mood and subtle meaning. There is little dialogue or action, so the audience has to interpret what is happening through visuals, sound, and tone. This makes encoding/decoding very important, because the meaning is not directly explained.

By intentionally applying this theory, I can carefully encode fear, control, and psychological pressure into small details such as lighting, framing, and sound design. Even if the character says very little, the audience will still decode a larger message about power and authority.

This theory helps me think more about how my opening will communicate meaning without directly explaining everything.

Group Meeting #1 Reflection

During our first group meeting, everyone presented their portfolio ideas and explained their inspirations.

Gus is planning a James Bond-style action scene, while also getting a lot of inspiration from other action movies like Bullet Train. He's thinking of filming it in a diner near us but filming the outside scenes outside a restaurant, where the street is prettier and would go better with the style of film he wants. He wants strong music and a dramatic tone similar to spy films.

Bullet Train Action Scene

Bullet Train (2022)

Sebas is working on a car-based comedy, inspired by one of the past projects we saw from our school. He's planning on using tripods, drones, and creative movement to get cool overhead and side-by-side shots of the car.

Another one of my peers, Ishaan, is planning something similar to The Hangover but with Bollywood influence, which has exaggerated comedy and energy. He has a pretty good idea of what he wants to do but is still figuring out other aspects like the script and where to film.

The Hangover (2009)

Vitor’s idea is inspired by Whiplash and Uncut Gems, focusing on a failing band that goes to extreme lengths to succeed. He wants there to be an intense fight scene in the opening to add to the intensity of it. He has a very developed story regarding the background of the characters but is still figuring out where he could film, though he already has some actors in mind and wants to get them from the school's band but switch their instruments so they don't actually know how to play well and for it to look more convincing.

Whiplash (2014)

Lina is creating a coming-of-age story inspired by Juno and Lady Bird, focusing on imagination, humor, and a personal tone. She's still between ideas but has some movies she would like to use to inspire her film opening.

Juno (2007) Lady Bird (2017)

Listening to everyone helped me reflect on how different genres use different types of energy. Most of the ideas in the room were intense, fast, or comedic. Mine is the opposite. My psychological/dystopian horror opening is slow, controlled, and subtle in the beginning. Since it is just the opening, I will mostly concentrate on the dystopian aspect of it since I won't be developing a full story where it gets more intense. I realize that tone will be my strongest tool to convey my idea well. I won’t rely on action or multiple characters. Instead, I will rely on framing, pacing, lighting, and sound. The meeting also helped me understand the importance of adapting inspiration to available resources. I don't have much movie inspiration for my opening besides the 1984 book because while reading it, it gives a sense of dread and hopelessness that I want to convey in my project, but because of my limited resources, I wanted something that is powerful but doable for me.

Seeing everyone else’s ideas also made me think more seriously about finding actors (if needed), the script, and the filming location.