Character Development in the Story

As we started planning our opening, we realized that the boys’ personalities needed to come through even before we show them the suspension of the bag. Unfortunantely, they do not have official names yet, but we focused on how each one behaves and reacts at the moment. Every action shows who is confident, who is quieter, and who tends to follow the group.

Once they arrive at the park, their reactions begin to separate. One boy is more curious and willing to explore, another is unsure and hangs back, and another tries to act brave even though he is clearly nervous. These differences help shape their identities without needing dialogue. The tension in the scene comes from how each boy responds to something they do not understand, and those reactions reveal more about them than anything they could say.

The fourth friend’s moment is important because it shows how he feels about the group. When he arrives and realizes something is wrong, his confusion and worry help the audience connect with him. He becomes the emotional link between the boys and the viewer. His reaction shows how close they all are and sets the tone for the mystery that follows. Even though the characters are not named yet, their personalities come through clearly through their behavior and the way they handle the situation.

The Outfits in the Movie Opening

In our film opening, the actors will subtly show that they’ve just come back from a party. Instead of directly showing the event, we plan to use cues like the music they’re listening to, their energetic vibe, and the overall energy they bring into the scene. These details help the audience understand what happened before the camera starts rolling.

During our brainstorming session, my group agreed that the actors should wear casual clothing that realistically matches what teenagers look like after leaving a party. Clothes like graphic tees, ripped jeans and joggers (carefree appearance) help explain their hyper energy and make the moment feel more believable. Their clothing, combined with the music and their behavior, reinforces the idea that they’ve been out having fun.

To assist in this, I will provide several examples of outfit styles the actors could wear. These examples will help guide our wardrobe choices and make sure the characters visually match the tone and context of the scene.

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.