Portfolio Planning in Depth

The set genre for my short film is coming-of-age drama. I believe this genre to be the best at delivering realistic characters in realistic settings - specifically throughout contrasting stages of adulthood. In my view, this genre will offer character development and depict an honest story of human struggle.

The main idea of my short film is to depict a young woman as she reminisces on her childhood while facing the struggles of adulthood. This narrative will have a clear focus and will concentrate on revealing the protagonist throughout the five minutes. 

With costumes encoding signs and props revealing information, my short film will try to develop a relationship between the protagonist and her surroundings. Additionally, by using underlying codes and conventions, the narrative will guide the way in which the audience thinks about the character and the events taking place. This will further add depth and allow the audience to pay close attention to the scenes incorporated.

Moreover, I do not plan to have a script as my short-film will not have any dialogue. This is a personal preference as I want to “show, not tell,” which can make for a much more engaging and emotive narrative. I believe that the story will develop in a more natural way around the situations the protagonist finds herself in - it will also make more sense within the world that I am trying to convey.

Lastly, I plan to not use many scenes during the five minutes. By focusing on longer takes with six main scenes, I hope to make use of film-making to convey fluidity in an immersive way. I believe this will further convey the aesthetic I am trying to achieve and be suitable for a coming-of-age drama.

In the process of planning my Advanced Portfolio, I tried to create a filming schedule and mood board with visual elements that could help guide me with making my short-film. With an idea in mind, I expect my mood board to give me direction to strive for a particular consistent look in pre-production, while remaining receptive to new ideas throughout production. My filming schedule, on the other hand, will ensure that all shooting days are planned out properly and that there is enough time to sufficiently complete all the scenes.

Mood board:

Shooting schedule and risk assessment: