Project idea

Our idea is that it starts with a teenage boy relaxing at home by himself wondering where his parents are then all of a sudden he gets a call from a random guy saying he has his parents and if he ever wants to see them again he has to do whatever the guy tells and him and from there the kid is just shocked and in disbelief.

For our inspiration we didn't really have much we were at first thinking stalker but didn't wanna do a stalker one so we found something similar and we landed on this idea that we came up with and we had got some inspiration and tips from our teacher helping guide us and we took her suggestions and modified them to how we wanted it, but she was the biggest other than her we didn't get much inspiration from many people or anything from online.

Group meeting #1 Reflection

Today I had a group meeting where we were in groups of 7 to 8 with people from our class and we got in a circle and talked about our project ideas and what we have so far. In my group I had Brianna, Brennen, Amilia, Abriel, Jade, and Sofia, the going around hearing what everyone was doing helped me get a better idea of what I wanted to do and at the time I wasn't to sure about my ideas and they were able to give me some good suggestions that I will actually use like how I should use a scary sound that build suspense like the sound from the jaws movie and gave me some ideas for some shots saying on how this bloody scene I'm gonna do I should get a close up of the person's hand and their reaction to further affirm how the person is feeling in that moment.

This is how my planning and process should go if everything goes according to plan which it will.

Week 1

-Research

-Think of ideas

Week 2
-More research

Week 3
-Production
-Create story board

Week 4
-Research about lighting
-Research on audio
-Start filming

Week 5
-Editing
-Make a company logo

Week 6

-Have most of the editing done

Week 7
-Final touches on editing make sure it came out good

Week 8

-If not done we finish this week
-All of it should be done so we can relax the last week

Key Camera Shots and Angles

These are some of the techniques i studies and research on so i could get a good understanding on which shots will be important to have for each type of scene, shots makes the biggest difference and its important to know how to use them properly so my film opening can be the best i can make it.

Low-Angle Shot

The camera is positioned below the subject and looks upward. This makes characters—especially antagonists—appear larger, more powerful, and intimidating.

High-Angle Shot

The camera is placed above the subject and looks downward. This makes characters seem smaller, vulnerable, or powerless, often used to emphasize danger or isolation.

Dutch Angle (Tilted Angle)

The camera is deliberately tilted to one side, creating a slanted horizon line. This technique conveys disorientation, psychological instability, or that something is seriously wrong.

Close-Up Shot

The camera frames a character’s face or a small detail very tightly. Close-ups reveal subtle emotions such as fear, realization, or shock, heightening personal tension and intimacy.

Point-of-View (POV) Shot

The camera shows exactly what a character is seeing. This places the audience directly in the character’s perspective, increasing immersion—especially during pursuit scenes or moments of discovery.

Over-the-Shoulder Shot

The camera looks past a character’s shoulder toward what they are observing. This framing builds suspense by partially hiding potential threats (such as a figure in the background or a reflection in a mirror) until the right moment.

Three credit sequences from Thriller

 Se7en (1995)

The credit sequence in Se7en is really creepy and memorable. It shows close-up shots of someone cutting pictures, writing in notebooks, and doing strange things. The screen is dark and the editing is messy, which makes it uncomfortable to watch.

This works because it already makes the audience feel uneasy before the movie even begins. You don’t know who the killer is yet, but the credits show how dark and serious the movie is going to be. It pulls you into the thriller atmosphere right away.

Jaws (1975)

The opening credits of Jaws are simple but very effective. The camera moves underwater while the famous music slowly plays. Nothing scary actually happens during the credits, but the music alone makes you feel tense.

This credit sequence works because it builds suspense without showing the danger. The underwater shots make it feel like something dangerous is hiding nearby. It prepares the audience for the fear that comes later in the movie.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

The credit sequence in Glass Onion is more stylish and mysterious. It uses creative visuals, symbols, and upbeat but dramatic music. The credits feel playful but also confusing, which matches the mystery of the story.

This works because it hints that the movie will be about puzzles, secrets, and twists. Even though it’s not super scary, the credits still make the audience curious and ready to figure things out. It sets up the mystery-thriller vibe really well.

Three film openings from Thriller

Se7en (1995)

The opening of Se7en is really creepy and kind of uncomfortable to watch. Instead of starting with the main characters talking, it shows close-up shots of someone writing in notebooks, cutting things, and doing strange stuff. The music is scary and the editing is messy, which makes it feel unsettling.

This opening works because it makes the audience feel like something bad is coming, but you don’t know exactly what. It puts you inside the mind of the killer without actually showing who they are. That mystery is what makes it a good thriller opening.                      

Jaws (1975)

Jaws starts off on a beach at night with people having fun. A girl goes swimming in the ocean, and everything seems calm at first. Then suddenly she gets attacked by something under the water, even though you never actually see the shark.

This scene is scary because you don’t know what’s attacking her. The camera goes underwater, which makes it feel like you are the shark watching her. This opening shows one of the main ideas of thrillers—fear of the unknown.

The Dark Knight (2008)

The opening scene of The Dark Knight is a bank robbery, and it’s intense right from the start. The robbers keep talking about a boss they’ve never met, and one by one they end up betraying each other. At the end, it’s revealed that the Joker was behind everything.

This opening is exciting and tense because you never know what’s going to happen next. It also shows how dangerous and smart the villain is, which makes the audience interested in seeing what he’ll do later in the movie.

Transitioning into the Portfolio Project

Hello, my name is Sebastian and starting this week I will be beginning one of the biggest project or actually the biggest project I have ever done through my high school years even though i am just a sophomore, I am certain that this will be one of my most challenging and fun projects i will do for many years to come. Although this is a very big and complex task, and is a little intimidating because of the amount of creativity and not knowing if what your doing is good I believe out of every project which i usually half ass or don't put my all into, this will be the one i truly put my all into the filming and the work, just everything because for once this is a project i will like to see completed and come out good so once I finish I know I will have something I can be proud of doing and know all the work i put into it was not just simply for a grade but for myself seeing what i can accomplish.

From now on i will be posting 3 to 4 blogs every week giving updates to my project while also doing further research to become as knowledgeable as possible for my project so I can make sure it come out good and doesn't end up all being for nothing. At this moment me and my partner named Benjamin have decided on the thriller genre because we both like genres with suspense and think it would be very fun to work with, we might change our genre we will know for sure by next week and it should be stated in my blog but i am very confident we will probably stick with thriller.