Song Update and Changes

So right now I am finally getting around to getting permission to use the instrumental of Mac Miller's song "2009" I really am hoping that I can get permission to use this song, not only because I really like his music but because I feel like an opening to a film would be amazing with this song. I feel like it would give the opening a sophisticated feel and when the beat switches I can transition easily from the credits. I also found that there is going to be a problem with the blind date idea because it would be difficult to get all the people from the dates into a restaurant or a coffee shop. Along with that, it would also be hard to film in that setting because there would be so much stuff going on around us. So as of right now, I am thinking of an alternative to the blind date but I am still going to shoot the part of the couple breaking up at the diner since it will be easy considering that waffle house is open for 24 hours meaning that not many people would be there very late at night making it easy to film. So as of now, I am getting permission for the song, most likely getting rid of the blind date idea, and keeping the couple breaking up.

Production Process

Changes

While sitting in class I felt that my idea was a little boring. So I felt that there should be a storyline. So I think that if I open the film at a diner (maybe Waffle House) and add an element of conflict, it would make it more engaging. My idea is that the couple breaks up in the first scene while eating waffles. The reason why they break up is that the girl believes that he is not ambitious enough and has no drive to do anything in his life. Then after that, there is a flashback to when they loved each other and how they met. I am still on the fence of whether or not the blind date part of the film will be a part of this opening just because I feel as if it might be too cliche. But at the same time, I do think that the blind date would advance the plot the only problem would be getting a bunch of people to be a part of the video. At the end of the day I feel like whichever way I go with this decision, I will be able to make it the best I can.

Outline

Ideas
So far I've thought of filming at a ballroom. But my back up plan is to film in a house in the living room. I will have two people dancing while there is music playing in the background, if I choose to film at the house then I will have a vinyl playing but if we are at the ballroom then there will be no need for the vinyl. The reason to which why I want them dancing together is to show the viewer that the two people are in love with each other and that the scene is very intimate. After the beat changes in the song then I will show that two people at different times in there lives when they don't know each other. I will have them meeting other people that they could potentially have a close connection to but it will be apparent to the audience that they don't like those other people and eventually when they meet the audience will automatically know that the two really like each other. 

Planning

Planning
So as of right now, I am going to attempt to get the permission of Warner Bros Records to use the instrumental for the song 2009 by Mac Miller. I feel that it will be challenging to get permission to use the song due to the fact that Mac Miller passed away a year and a half ago. But the reason why I want to use this song is that it's such a calm and soothing song that I can easily see being used in an opening to a film especially to a romantic film. But if they don't give me permission I will have to find a back-up song that is similar. I've already thought of ideas of how that 2 minute opening for the romantic film will start. As the violins are being played there will be a couple slow dancing (might be in a ballroom or privately) and the opening credits will be shown. As the beat in the song changes then it will transition to the two people in their own world before they knew each other, almost like in 500 Days of Summer in which the movie starts out with the two individuals next to each other but then they get shown in their own life.

Research

Romance Research

When it comes to the Romance genre it is important to note that the vast majority of the viewers will be females. 77% of  Romance viewers are women, so it is very important to cater more towards the women than the men considering that they make up such a big chunk of the audience. New York-based psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert said the popularity of these super-sad romances could be chemical as well as emotional. Watching them can release stress hormones that calm viewers, and allow people to feel a range of deep emotions in the comfort of a theater.  There are also psychological reasons that we love the branch of romantic comedies, especially for young girls who may not have yet experienced love. "Younger folks may be drawn to these movies because they can emotionally relate to them—even if they haven't fully experienced the full emotional turmoil of romance, they can still relate to the two main figures and what could happen down the road," clinical psychologist Dr. Bart Rossi has said.











https://www.southernliving.com/culture/why-we-love-romantic-comedies

Film Openings

Openings
Openings to Romantic films can go in all different directions. Some movies begin with a back story of the main characters. Others such as 500 Days of Summer, open with the ending of the film in order to show the audience a glimpse of what the film has in store. The opening is important when it comes to the pacing and/or tone of the film, it gives the audience a sense of how the film will move along. There is also a lot of symbolism that is used in order to set the tone for the entire film, it is the most important part for keeping the audience engaged and wanting to invest themselves in the movie.

The Last Song
(31) The Last Song - First Scene - YouTube
The Last Song opens with a firey scene that appears to be chaotic but because it's in slow motion it does not catch the audience off guard. The up-close camera shots of the fire mainly depict a fire that is occurring at a church and shows firefighters rescuing an individual. The color of the set lets the audience understand that there is something wrong but that it is under control and that everyone is safe. The thing that I don't like about this opening is that there is not an indication of love in the scene.

The Notebook


The opening for the Notebook is a calming and soothing visual of the vast landscape. The warm colors make the audience feel comfortable while watching. Nothing out of the ordinary is going on as the opening credits are being shown. I feel like an older audience would gravitate more towards this opening than the opening for The Last Song due to how it's so nicely put together.

Genre

Romance

The genre of Romance captures the love between two individuals. The love could be mutual or it can be one way. In the instance the love is one way, the movie tends to be sad and follows someone's heartbreak. But if the love is mutual the movie tends to be more of a happy movie in which the audience watches the two individuals grow and live their lives together. The Romance genre resonates with just about every single person which allows these types of movies to be relatable. Many people put themselves into the movie as compare their lives to the lives of the people that they are watching on screen. The success of movies such as The Notebook, 500 Days of Summer, and Love Story can be primarily attributed to the fact that these movies are so relatable and they all bring out emotion from the audience that makes them feel attached to the main characters.

Music

Alternative Rock is enjoyed by a demographic that is primarily majority male, age range: 15-25 years old. 40% of 20-24-year-olds listen to alternative rock.

Marketing

-Emphasis on word of mouth marketing so that Sam Fulton keeps a deep connection with his fans and supporters. (authenticity)

-Website as an outlet for the particulars such as music, concerts, social media accounts, and merchandise. We intended for the website to be a site in which a fan could find everything that pertains to Sam Fulton.

-The selling of merchandise and albums the fans buy are ways to show their continued support.


Development:
The development of Sam Fulton will be done primarily with his presence on social media. The fact that his audience uses his music to escape from reality, relieve stress and anger, relate to the lyrics, and they consider the artist a role model allows for Sam to grow a deep connection to his fans. This will more than likely lead to his fans to share his on social media. Since his demographic is more centered on college students, his shows at college campuses will also lead to more success.



Products:


We felt the all of these clothing items are used a lot by college students and we made them affordable so that they are easily accessible to all of our fans.

Reflection:
After going through the process of creating a new artist and figuring out a marketing plan, my partners and I found out how all of the decisions must be tailor towards the target audience in order for the artist to grow. Things such as social media, concerts at college venues, and affordable clothing allow for a deeper connection between the artist and the fans.
During the production, from the very start, we knew for sure that we wanted to have a female as one of the main characters due to females so that other females could find the music more relatable and enjoyable. I learned how important it is for each of the shots are used to matching what the song is saying. The editing process was also important because if we were to add one more video clip to the video a whole new verse would have started so we had to ensure that during the editing process that the video did not run long.