Drama: The basis

Hi, my name is Maria and I am officially commencing my Cambridge Portfolio Project! Over the course of the next two months (roughly), I will dedicate this blog to depicting my process working on the two minute film opening I will create, and it all begins now.

Lights, camera, blog!

When introduced to the premise of the task, my mind wandered to a variety of possibilities. Being a visual thinker, I began imagining all the possibilities of what could come about due to this project, of what I could create. One thing, however, was for certain: I would depict an aspect realistic and familiar to my personal life. Whether that be through school-related themes, or even more personal plots, I hope to represent my emotions through my work, making my experiences purposeful, heard. With this in mind, I know for certain what genre my film opening will characterize. 

Drama encapsulates the world's serious, emotional undertones and addresses a plethora of topics that may be extremely prevalent in the lives of many. As a genre, it has hooked the artistic realm and all of those fascinated by it, with iconic films such as Forrest Gump and The Shawshank Redemption becoming fan-favorites. The drama genre clasps life's dramatic events and twists them, turning what may be a devastating occasion into magical, illustrative storytelling. Thus, it is perfectly fitting for the story I hope to tell in my film opening. 

Since the assigning of this project, I have been researching possible approaches to my vision. Wishing to depict a story representative of mental health struggles, I have been looking into drama films that do the same. I have watched the opening to Black Swan and revisited one of my favorite films: A Beautiful Mind. Being a Steven Spielberg fan, I have also admired some of his genre pieces. In fact, I recently watched The Fabelmans and have taken inspiration from how Spielberg is able to depict the essence of his stories in the few minutes that comprise an introduction. 

I am exhilarated to begin this process. Although realizing that at times the journey may be overwhelming and stressful, I am delighted that my many ideas will have a chance at coming to life, and that I am receiving a chance to dive into my dream career: directing. 

"Stories don't have a middle or an end anymore. They usually have a beginning that never stops beginning" -Steven Spielberg. 

Yo Quotes. (n.d.). Steven Spielberg Quotes. Pinterest. Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/792492865650310073/