Formulating the Intro: Getting Inspiration

On my last post, I outlined the genre my two minute film opening would entail: Drama. In addition to that specification, I described a couple of movies I planned on studying in order to gain inspiration in order to begin formulating my project. On this post, I will go more in-depth into the films I previously mentioned and will study which aspects I wish to incorporate into my own opening.

Firstly, the movie Black Swan, directed by Darren Aronofsky, starring Natalie Portman. This film follows a ballerina's struggle to succeed and the impacts that journey takes on her mental health. The opening scene to Black Swan comprises of the ballerina dancing to a slow, classical song. This intro does a fantastic job of utilizing a variety of technical aspects to foreshadow the storyline in the rest of the film. Not only does the music intensity change throughout the dance, representing the hectic journey the character takes to succeed, but the lighting in this scene also varies from low-key to high-key, reflecting on the idea that her path has ups and downs. I deeply admire how this scene is able to capture the essence of Black Swan, preparing viewers for what is to come in their watching experience; I believe this is a fantastic route to travel down for an effective plot-building opening scene. 

Secondly, Steven Spielberg's most recent film, The Fabelmans. Unfortunately, I could not find the clip online; however, I recently watched this movie and was absolutely enthralled by Spielberg's technique and storytelling abilities. More specifically, I was amazed at how his opening constructed the perfect reasoning for later plots within the film. Surrounding a young man fascinated with movie-making, The Fabelmans begins with a small boy viewing his first ever movie in a cinema. It demonstrates the child's captivation with the experience and illustrates how his love for film commenced. This opening scene perfectly set the base for the rest of the movie, providing viewers with the right amount of background knowledge needed for their experience. 

Both Black Swan and The Fabelmans, in my opinion, are perfect examples of how an opening scene can preface a film effectively and beautifully; I greatly admire the films' storytelling abilities. Whether through symbolic manners, such as Black Swan, or literal background, like in The Fabelmans, I hope to provide my project with a suitable base for the film I have in mind with inspiration from both these pieces. 

Movieclips. (2015, December 8). Black Swan (2010)-A Nightmarish Dance Scene (1/5) [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd-81VRVQXw