Possible Locations to Film

One of the most important steps in filming is choosing the right location. I’m fortunate to live in an area with plenty of strong options, from open parking lots to narrow alleyways. Having so many choices made the decision harder at first, because each spot offered something different for our project. After discussing the strengths and weaknesses of all four locations, my group and I eventually agreed on the one that fit our vision the best. Now I’ll walk you through the four options we considered.

One of our potential locations was Regional Park in Weston. This was our first option because my group and I have been there many times before. This place has all the necessities we need as well such as the nature and the space. The setting itself isn’t bad, but it is extremely popular and tends to get crowded quickly. Since most local soccer and baseball games take place there, the parking lot is usually filled with cars, which would have made filming more difficult. This location is our main backup.

Our next potential film location was Tequesta Park, near the turf field and baseball field. Like Regional Park, this area is also heavily used for sports, so it tends to be crowded with people throughout the day. Another drawback is the large number of trees, which we didn’t need for our scene, along with the limited amount of parking available.

Another one of our potential film locations was the back area of Vista Park, near the softball fields. We eliminated this option quickly because filming there would be difficult since it is on school property. The location also lacks the visual elements we needed, as it doesn’t have many trees and offers only a small parking lot. On top of that, it is usually crowded during school hours, which would have made filming even more challenging.

After further consideration, we chose the St. Paul’s Church parking lot as our main filming location. On Saturdays, which is when we plan to film, the area is usually empty, although it becomes crowded on Sundays because of church services. The space itself is wide and open, and the calm environment creates a strong setting that works well for our film. It is also conveniently close to where all of my group members live, making it an efficient choice for my group.

My Storyboard for the Project

Me and my group have created a storyboard to plan out the main shots/scenes for my opening. Making this helped me compare ideas and choose the versions that made the story clearer. Even with simple drawings, the boards gave me a visual guide and made the filming process feel more organized. Now we have a solid plan to follow when I start shooting.

Storyboard is below:

Media Theory Intergration

If there is one media theory that I want to integrate into my portfolio project, it would be the Enigma Code by Roland Barthes. The Enigma Code explains how texts create mystery, suspense, and curiosity by presenting questions that the audience wants answered. These questions can be visual, narrative, or symbolic, and they keep viewers engaged because they want to uncover the truth behind what they are seeing.

Roland Barthes argues that media content specially thriller films uses delayed answers, clues, and withheld information to build tension. This makes the audience more active, constantly trying to interpret what is happening and predict what will happen next.

This theory fits my story perfectly because the Enigma Code is already applied in my opening. The characters are placed into a bag while in a trance, which immediately raises questions for the audience. Viewers start wondering: Who put them there? What is inside the bag? What is going to happen to them? The fact that the audience cannot see inside the bag strengthens the enigma because they only know what the characters know.

                                                                                           

The Ring is a great example of the use of enigma code as it creates a central about the videotape. It raises questions such as "What is it," "Who made it" and how do you stop it" It includes elements such as mysterious tapes, clues and uncertainty.

Project Idea and Major Inspiration

When we were creating our script, we drew major inspiration from two films: Weapons and Talk to Me. We used the horror style from both movies, but we added a stronger thriller element. Our opening isn’t full horror. Instead, it focuses on suspense and moments that keep the audience wanting to know what happens next.

Talk to Me is a supernatural thriller about a group of teens who discover a disturbing party game involving a ceramic embalmed hand that lets them communicate with spirits. What stood out to us was how the teens randomly find a suspicious object and, as a group, become victims of it. We took that idea but changed almost everything else. Instead of the story taking place in a room with a haunted hand, our opening happens in a parking lot, and the m

Weapons also influenced our script, mainly through its dark tone and tense atmosphere. Even though our project is not as intense or violent, we were inspired by how the film builds suspense through mystery and uncertainty. We used that same idea by creating an opening that keeps the audience questioning what is going on and what might happen next. Instead of relying on jump scares, we focused on creating tension through the setting, the characters’ reactions, and the strange object they discover.

Group Meeting Experience #1

In Week 3 of the Portfolio Project, my instructor placed me in a group with seven other students. We each shared our film ideas, discussed our plans, and received feedback. I want to talk about the projects that stood out to me the most.

The first idea came from Manuela, who proposed a thriller about a family that doesn’t realize the child living with them isn’t actually theirs. This raised a lot of questions, like who would play the child and how they would pull off the production. The concept has strong potential, but it still needs more development. Juan’s idea was a thriller‑action film featuring a John Wick–type character who suffers from severe PTSD and a major injury. This injury gives the antagonist a physical advantage. The idea is interesting, but fitting all of that into a two‑minute opening might be challenging.

Andre presented a horror/thriller about someone home alone dealing with strange issues involving their Ring camera. At first, the character thinks it’s a glitch and asks someone for help, but it turns out the problem is connected to paranormal activity happening throughout the city. It’s a strong concept, but again, it may be difficult to fit into a short opening. Taryn’s idea was a sci‑fi, post‑apocalyptic story about two sisters living far from civilization. The idea is solid, but it feels a bit plain right now and raises questions about how they’ll film it.

My opening begins with a group of three to four friends driving home from a party after getting something to eat. They stop in a parking lot to finish their food when one of them notices a random bag on the ground. One friend checks it out, opens it, and immediately falls into a trance. The others rush over to help, only to fall into the same trance. A final friend arrives, sees them frozen and staring at the bag, and is shocked by what they’re looking at. That’s all I have for now since it’s still a rough draft.

After presenting my idea, the main suggestion I received was to include camera shots from inside the bag. Overall, I really enjoyed this assignment and appreciated hearing everyone’s ideas as well as the feedback on my own project.

Research, Analyze and Discuss Credit Sequences

Credit scenes are made to acknowledge the people who brought a film to life. This includes directors, actors, producers, writers, cinematographer and more. Some are easily and simply done, and some can be different such as one that adds on to the film and theme.

Initially, I wanted to incorporate the credit sequence by using elements from the environment around us. I thought this approach would be efficient and visually impressive, especially since it’s a technique often praised in the film industry. However, after further discussion it with my group, we realized it would be too difficult to execute efficiently. Because of that, we decided to use a more traditional style simple text-based credit. We’ll choose a font and size that match the tone of our opening, so the credits feel aligned

Call Me by Your Name

This film opens with a series of still‑life shots showing Italian architecture, old photographs, and warm summer interiors. The credits appear in a yellow font that blends naturally with the visuals. The strength of this opening comes from its calm, observational style, as the camera lingers on objects that represent the characters’ world and help establish a strong sense of place before the story even begins. 

The credits stay minimal and traditional, allowing the viewer to focus on the environment without distraction. This simplicity supports the film’s nostalgic and reflective tone, making the visuals feel even more meaningful.

Se7en (1995) title sequence

Although Se7en is known for its gritty style, the credit sequence itself uses small, simple white text placed over close‑up shots of notebooks, photographs, and unsettling handwritten notes. The font stays clean and straightforward, while the editing and visuals create most of the tension. The credits don’t try to stand out they sit quietly on top of the imagery, allowing the disturbing details to shape the mood. This approach keeps the focus on the film’s dark atmosphere while still using a traditional, text‑based credit style.

Gone Girl opening

Gone Girl opens with calm, wide shots of a quiet suburban neighborhood at dawn. The credits appear in a simple white calming font that fades in and out, matching the film’s controlled and serious tone. The text stays minimal and doesn’t pull attention away from the scene, letting the viewer focus on the stillness of the neighborhood. As the shots continue, the visuals slowly create a feeling that something isn’t right the empty streets and soft lighting suggest that there’s more going on beneath the surface. The simple credit style helps support this mood by staying subtile and letting the atmosphere build the tension. This keeps the focus on the film’s mystery while still using a traditional credit sequence.

Researching, Analyzing and Discussing Three Film Openings

As I mentioned in my previous genre post, my team and I realized that our earlier mock draft actually fit a different genre better than we expected. Because of that, we decided to shift our project in that direction. Our goal now is to create an opening that feels efficient, well‑crafted, and strong enough to grab the audience’s attention right from the start.

To help shape our ideas, I looked at several pieces of media and focused on three film openings that really influenced the direction of our project. These examples stood out because of how they use suspense, pacing, and visual storytelling, and we want to bring those same qualities into our own work

Se7en

Se7en Intro Credits

The opening of Se7en creates a dark, unsettling mood right away with fast cuts, close‑ups, and disturbing visuals that keep the audience tense. Instead of showing the killer’s face, the scene focuses on their hands as they write in notebooks, cut photos, and prepare strange materials, which makes the viewer feel curious and uneasy. The editing is quick and jumpy, and the harsh, scratchy sounds in the background make everything feel even more intense.

Even without any dialogue, the opening shows the film’s themes of obsession, secrecy, and danger through its visuals. It grabs the audience immediately and makes it clear that something is very wrong, which is exactly what a strong Thriller opening aims to do.

The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight (2008) - Opening Scene [4K] - YouTube

The Dark Knight opens with a sharp crime‑thriller sequence that immediately creates tension, chaos, and moral uncertainty. The Joker’s bank heist is paced carefully, with each masked robber taking out the one before him, which builds a sense of unpredictability and psychological danger instead of relying on anything supernatural. T

he scene mixes action with classic thriller elements, like rising stakes, shifting power, and a villain who controls the situation through manipulation rather than force. This opening makes it clear that the film is an action‑crime thriller with psychological depth, setting a darkker and more realistic tone than most superhero movies

Final Destination: Bloodlines

Space Needle Collapse (2025) Opening Scene - Final Destination: Bloodlines Movie Clip | 4K Blu-ray - YouTube

The opening of Final Destination: Bloodlines starts with a group of friends having a fun, carefree night, not realizing anything bad is coming. Bright lighting, upbeat music, and quick shots of them laughing and dancing create a relaxed, energetic vibe. As the scene goes on, small hints of tension appear through uneasy camera angles and close‑ups that make it feel like something isn’t right.

Everything changes fast once the first sign of danger hits. The mood shifts from fun to frightening in seconds. When the disaster begins, the editing becomes chaotic, with fast cuts, loud sounds, and panicked reactions that make the moment feel unpredictable able and overwhelming. Even before the characters understand what’s happening, the opening already shows the film’s themes of fate, fear, and sudden tragedy. It immediately pulls the audience in and sets up a story filled with suspense and shocking moments.