Music: Elton John - Funeral For a Friend (Love Lies Bleeding)

This is the music that I am going to use in my movie opening. It is perfect for what I want because the instrumental is so dramatic and builds up to the meaning of the song. It is clearly a romance song; but it's about losing love rather than finding it. This is the message that I want to create during the opening. The song is incredibly long, so I am going to cut it up so that it suits the visual pace but still works up to the lyrics.


It has also inspired me to adapt the opening scene in terms of its setting, so that it still resembles my original plan but is in a style far more fitting to the storyline and the movement of the movie. I am still going to create a scene using a range of props; arranging themselves to set up a romantic but slightly broken image - however, instead of a picnic I have chosen to create it inside an empty room. Although the set will have changed, I will still be sticking closely to my storyboard, as it represents important aspects such as the camera angles and the movement of the scene which will remain the same. Camera angles are vital for my idea to work because I need to make sure that the images are clear and interesting to the viewer. Close-up shots need to vary so that it does not become repetitive and boring. This gives me the chance to create something unique, as well as solving many disputes that I had with the original plan, which had lots of impracticalities...


- I can use only artificial lighting, allowing me to work at any point in the day. Working outside would mean that I would be restricted by the amount of hours I would be able to spend animating. It will not be cold and my actors will therefore be able to wear the costumes that I have chosen for them. I can film on any day and not have to worry about the weather. 


- Setting out the scene will be easier and quicker as I can finish animating one section and leave the arrangement as I set out other objects. I have a room in my house that I am able to use, which means that I can keep everything set up during the weeks of filming. This will generally be a lot more efficient, more manageable - and I will not have to worry about re-setting the scene and maintaining the accuracy of the image each time I film!


- Gives me the opportunity to be more imaginative, as I will have more choice over props and will not be restricted by what I can use without the fear of getting it damaged. I want to create an incredibly dramatic set as it is all based on imagination. 


Parts of the set that are remaining the same...


- Still focused on one main prop: instead of a basket, a record player. The music plays 'from' the record. The concept is that the setting of the dream world emerges from a specific item, which inspires the props - like thoughts and emotions - to collide and come together. It's all set off from an initial instinct and idea in the main characters' head.


- Combination of close-ups and distant shots of the props moving. Some will appear instantly whilst others will create and move themselves. I can focus on some of the smaller details of the set in order to draw meaning and attention towards them. Many of the props in my initial design will be the same (eg. flowers, artist mannequin, indoor as opposed to outdoor lanterns) but I will also small furniture to lay props on as this will give the space more dimension. This is just like my original idea in that I was going to use the tree to bring objects down from another level to create alternative ways of arranging and presenting the objects in the scene.


- The wine glasses and bottle will still be placed in the scene rather than appear like the rest of the items. This makes them more distinctive and draws the audience's attention to them. It also acts as a way of slowing the scene down a bit and creates the transition from the stop frame animation to the filmed characters dancing.