Plot Idea

 For my portfolio project, I've came to a decision to focus on both the mental and physical challenges of running. I went far into researching and exploring how this sport can be draining and consuming in an individual's life, showing the character pushing themselves through confinement and fatigue. My goal is capturing the sensation of this persistance, instead of making it competitive or about school.

My opening will begin during the middle of the character's run, using sound and visual elements to publicize the burden and severity. I'll be reinforcing close ups, long shots, and flashbacks to affirm both physical effort and mental stress. Basic dialogue will involve the audience to experience the emotional and momentum through my cinematography and sound design, creating an immersive and exciting sequence. Also, I'm planning to experiment with the pacing in editing to repercuss the flow of the run and the weariness building up over time, allowing the viewers to sense the physical and mental weight.

My inspiration origins from sports films and indie psychological dramas, like Peaceful Warrior (2006), that focus on endurance, compulsion, and mental conflict. I'm interested into utilizing realistic lighting, handheld shots, and dutch angles to present intensity, and I want to make the opening feel like it's the beginning of a film rather than a standalone 2 minute film. By concentrating on visual storytelling, I can analyze slight emotional clues - like the tension on posture, rhythm of breathing, or the way the environment can feel depressing. For example, while he's running, he's looking back at his old self where he used to look healthier and earn metals for the way he used to endure his runs. Therefore, this makes the audience sympathize with the protagonists journey. I will be printing out images of the pins/papers runners wear on their shirt and looking for metals that can truly emphasize he is looking back at his past-ambitious self.

Here's a costume design from the movie Race (2016) that inspired my idea:

Watch race online. Prime Video. (n.d.). https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Race/0GUT92HF2X7ZP2VZXLC09Z3E53

By deciding on running as a both authentic and significant struggle, I can show a character vs. self, displaying the themes of loneliness, strength, and determination. Also, this opening provides me to practice sound design and editing techniques to strengthen emotional distress and pressure. Overall, this approach gives a strong structure for my script and storyboard, letting me frame a visually and emotionally interesting film that hooks the audience in, understanding the experience of the protagnist from the very first minute.