Turning Our Outline Into a Script

At this point, I went from plans and outlines into creating the actual script for our film opening. Since we had previously decided on a comedy as our genre, we then came up with an idea that revolved around cars and car culture. A big obstacle was developing the outline into a solid idea that can actually be produced in about 2 minutes.


When creating the script, it was important that humor came from confidence instead of cluelessness in the main character. The character of Paulie has knowledge and understanding of what he wants and how cars work. Therefore, the black-market scene represents a source for receiving unique and rare parts. Exaggeration and dialogue were the source of the comedic aspect of the film.


I paid attention to the pacing as well. The timestamps of each scene were made to help keep the opening from dragging on or feeling rushed. The script's sole purpose for each of these scenes was to introduce the main character, establish some kind of rivalry to Jay, and finish with a strong comedic moment of the car stalling. Therefore, the opening doesn't feel like it is finished and gives opportunity for the story to progress.


Below film opening's script. I made it so that it allows for small adjustments throughout filming but still keeps the project in the direction we want it.

Script

BACK ALLEY – NIGHT

Paulie leans casually against his car, arms crossed. He looks calm, like he’s done this
before. MR. CLUTCH walks up holding a case.


MR. CLUTCH
You Paulie?


PAULIE
Yeah, you got the part?


Mr. Clutch opens the case carefully. Inside is a rare looking performance part.


MR. CLUTCH
Original and imported, took me six months to track it down.


Paulie nods, impressed.


PAULIE
Good, last guy tried selling me a knockoff, I could smell the bullshit from the parking lot.


Mr. Clutch smirks.


MR. CLUTCH
That’s why you don’t shop online.


Paulie hands him cash.


PAULIE


This thing better wake the car up.


MR. CLUTCH
If it doesn’t, something else will break first.


Paulie smiles.


PAULIE
Perfect.


Duration about 20 seconds.

PAULIE’S DRIVEWAY – NIGHT

Paulie tightens the last bolt and closes the hood.


PAULIE
Yeah, that’s gonna piss some people off.


Duration about 5 seconds.


STREET – NIGHT


Paulie drives toward the car meet.


Duration about 10 seconds.

CAR MEET – NIGHT

Paulie pulls in smoothly. Jay, leaning on his 1999 Porsche Boxster, watches closely before
walking over.


JAY
Nice build.
So what are you running?


Paulie steps out calmly.


PAULIE
Enough.


Jay laughs.


JAY
Come on. What’s under the hood?


Paulie smirks.


Duration about 15 seconds.


Paulie leans against his car like a pro.


PAULIE
Custom turbo encubobulator.
Forged mega pistons.
And a fat snail.


Jay stares.


JAY
You’re fucking with me.


PAULIE
Absolutely. But the car isn’t.


Jay shakes his head.


JAY
Whatever, man. Hope it’s faster than your mouth.


PAULIE
It is. My mouth has terrible traction.


Duration about 20 seconds.


Paulie and Jay get into their cars. Someone starts counting.


GUY THAT COUNTS RACE DOWN
Three, two, one, go


Paulie launches.


The car stalls.


Dead silence.


Paulie grips the wheel.


PAULIE
You gotta be fucking kidding me.

Improvement on Film Opening Outline

Since my previous blog update, I have reduced my first outline of the film opening into what we will probably use as an outline for the film opening scene. My first outline had so many ideas that it ended up being way too long and would not realistically fit within the time frame. In order to make sure the project is not at lot longer than 2 minutes, I have redone the start of the story to give the character, genre and tone, an better representation of where the story will go.


I made a big change by concentrating on the story’s set up rather than describing too much of the hole story. I removed a lot of other major components from my original outline to focus on introducing Paulie, his personality, and the comical car culture in which he is part of. I also rewrote the beginning so that it was not as slow so it would feel more like a natural pace for a film opening.


I made a condensed script outline of the complete opening scene and I added timestamps, so I have a reference for how long the opening is and to know where I need to cut things later as well as when I may be able to adjust moments to make sure it fits the time limit.


Outline Idea condensed:


Credits (15 sec)


Paulie (Main character) buys new car performance parts from the black market (he talks to a car part dealer whose name is Mr. Clutch) ( 20 sec).Paulie closing the hood of the car showing that he has installed the part ( 5 sec). Then he is on the way to the car meet/race spot ( 10 sec) . Once he gets to the car meet/ race spot, he finds Jay this cocky guy with a 1999 Porche Boxter. When Paulie parks Jay comes up to him asking what's under da hood (15 sec). Then we say some goofy names for the car pats instead of the actual names (20 sec). Then they get ready to race, and Paulie stalls his car and looking dumb(15 sec).


This version of the outline is a lot more realistic for the project. It establishes the comedy genre, main character, and car theme. In further updates I will continue to improve the scenes, possibly cut even more time or add more stuff if possible, and work to keep the film opening from feeling too rushed.

Progression on Film Opening

My group and I have done some progression in our film opening project, my group and I have determined what direction we want to take with our project. Through our research in genre, we decided comedy was the best genre for what we wanted to create. This was because of the amount of freedom that a comedy allowed for creativity and fun in terms of coming up with ideas. We also decided to create a project based on car culture because there was an abundance of material which we could use to turn into jokes.


Our concept is a comedy that is about street racing culture and automotive enthusiasm instead of taking the approach of creating a very violent movie like those found in the action genre. Our goal is to take comedic advantage of the ridiculousness of the situations within the context of street racing and auto racing in general, by making them based on exaggerated characteristics of the people in the film, creating awkward moments and embarrassing instances. The protagonist, Paulie, is designed to be an overzealous yet clueless character who fits perfectly with comedic elements. Most of the comedy derives from viewing how it's important to Paulie in his mind versus how silly the situation actually is.


The text below is an outline we in the process of developing the film. Also, I know that there is a lot on content and that what we have in the outline won't all fit into the film opening. Currently, the outline is mainly for us to capture all our thoughts rather than making a plan for the final version. I am also aware that a big portion of what we have made in this outline will need to be removed or cut down to fit into the film, and identifying those things will be the focus of the next progression post.


Rough Outline:


Paulie, the main character, buys a new car. After that, there is a montage of him modifying it. Once he is finished, he is shown being really happy and proud of the car. He then says something like “I’m ready for the streets now.” After this, Paulie drives to a car meet or race spot. On the way there, one of those people who wash car windows at traffic lights starts cleaning his windshield. Paulie gets mad because he just washed the car and decides to fight the guy. When Paulie finally gets to the car meet or race spot, he meets Jay, a cocky character who drives a 1999 Porsche Boxster. When Paulie parks, Jay walks up to him and asks what is under the hood. Paulie responds by using goofy and fake names for car parts instead of the real ones. They then get ready to race, but Paulie stalls his car at the start and looks dumb. The race is not over though, because the super duper cool big fat snail modifications he added give him just enough speed to win. Right after he wins, the cops pull up and Paulie gets arrested. Later on, he gets bailed out and receives a call from a secret race organizer. The organizer says he saw the race and wants Paulie to compete in the biggest race of all, the race across America. He also says that he will bail Paulie out if Paulie agrees to do it.


There is a bunch going on in the outline but the outline is just a beginning point. With the final film opening, we only want to focus on the best and funniest parts that best set up the character, the genre, and the entire idea. In the next post, I will be reviewing this and cutting it down. My goal is to determine which parts will remain in order for the opening to convey clarity and to be humorous, rather than rushed.

Portfolio Project Genre #2

Comedy 

Im also thinking about comedy as a genre I might want to use for my portfolio project since comedies usually use humor and relatable situations to entertain their audience. This genre has many fans because it creates an enjoyable environment for the audience. When researching comedy I looked into the target audience of comedy genre, conventions associated with this style, how institutions work within this genre, and productions that have successfully used the comedy genre.



The field of comedy has become increasingly popular with a large numbers of both male and female viewers of all ages. Depending on the style, younger generations generally prefer exaggerated humor while older generations prefer irreverent humor such as dialogue based comedy. Comedy can serve to show a comedic view of common everyday life events, as well as how we all experience them. It connects audiences with the actual events and personalities.



The conventions of comedy express an interest in humour rather than risking serious conflict. The usual plotlines are normally from misunderstandings or awkward social interactions and use exaggerations of day to day concerns. In the genre of comedy, the characters are also typically over the top. For example, they might have flaws, in addition to acting awkwardly towards other characters or having exaggerated characteristics.



Editing is intended to complement timing in comedy. Editing is typically used to improve punchlines and reactions by creating visual sequences or by timing cuts according to laughter or other audience reactions. For example close ups on facial expressions can show awkwardness. Sound effects and music and often used to highlight jokes, and background lighting supports the mood. The camera's movement is usually very straightforward so that the audience can pay attention to both dialogue and interactions between characters.



Comedy films are generally produced with much lower budgets than action movies created by institutions due to their reliance on the writing of the script and performances of the actors rather than the use of special effects. The narrative image of comedy is based on the enjoyment of the audience. When promoting comedy films, the common marketing methods are trailers of the funniest parts of a film and promotions on social media with short video clips or memes. Comedy films are typically rated as either G , PG, PG-13, or R depending on the amount of language content and other elements.



Superbad and Step Brothers both show the comedy genre very well. Superbad is a teen comedy that has humorous scenarios that are often unrealistic awkward interactions and issues that all teenagers face at some time in their life. Superbad is primarily made to connect with teenagers. Step Brothers takes the role of adult characters behaving in a childish manner. The film’s straightforward camera work as well as its focus on dialogue are indicates of the comedic film genre.

To summarise, I think comedy genre could be a good fit for my portfolio project because this genre allows for creative story telling and connection between audiences and performers through humour. I think I could follow the conventions and practices of comedy that would let me to produce a work that is enjoyable.

Portfolio Project Genre #1

Action

For my Cambridge portfolio project, one of the genres I am considering producing is action. Action films are known for their fast pace and intense physical conflict. This genre is popular worldwide and usually combines excitement with strong characters and dramatic storylines. When I was doing research, I explored the target audience, genre conventions, institutional conventions, and examples of action films that represent this genre.


The target audience for action movies are teenagers and young adults around 15–35. This audience likes fast paced entertainment with visually entertaining scenes like fight sequences and explosions. Action films also appeal more to male audiences. Many viewers like action films as an escape from reality because they offer excitement and heroism which are situations that are not part of everyday life.



Actions movies have lots of genre conventions with content. Usually there will be a hero or a protagonist that will face a big obstacle or a enemy. Also there is a clear villan or a opposing force. In most of these movies there will be big conflicts like survival, revenge, justice, and freedom involved in the plot. Most of the time there will be fight and chase scenes to add towards the action aspect of the movie. These conventions keep audiences engaged with tension and momentum in the movie.


Technical conventions are used to increase the intensity in movies. Many of the most intense action movies sequences use fast paced editing techniques. The use of dynamic camera movement techniques help pulling the audience into a more engaging experience. Sound design has a lot of impact on the film's overall tone. With the use of loud sound effects, intense score music, or silence can help create suspense. Special effects are primarily created using CGI, which gives a sense of reality to the audience and producing an good experience for them.


Action movies are usually created by bigger studios with a large budget because of the expense of stunts, special effects, and having to shoot in many different places. As an example, the action film narrative images are based on the image of power, strength, and a hero. As a promotional technique a film company might make a number of trailers that highlight the most exciting scene, posters that illustrate the main character's dominant position, and employ well known actors to get people exited to see the action movies in theatres. The action movies' ratings are often PG 13 or R ratings based on the level of violence and language, this also helps determine the movie's target audience.


The Dark Knight and Gladiator are two examples of the Action genre. While The Dark Knight features the genre’s superhero aspect with elements of crime and psychological thriller, it also has an intense fighting style with a "hero vs villain" structure. Gladiator takes place during ancient times with a focus on revenge and honor. The action scenes are a great focal point for the story. These films have the traditional conventions of the action genre.

Because the action genre has clear conventions, and a good audience, I think that action would be a possible genre for the portfolio project. Since I will be able to use existing techniques for action films and be working within ideas of what an action film should look like and feel like for the audience, I think I can make a good production for an action film.