✩The Last 5 Years Redux ft. Opening Thoughts

Welcome back to the blog!! In my last post, I talked about the musical adaptation of “The Last 5 Years” and I really enjoyed the musical as a whole. So, I wanted to see if/how I could incorporate elements of this story into my film opening.


I really enjoy how the musical utilizes its two actors to independently tell the story. The method of distribution (musical) helps make this format of storytelling possible, and a movie is very similar to a musical. So, seeing how successful the reverse timeline is displayed in The Last 5 Years, maybe I could use this method to tell my film opening? In my last blog post, I talked about what my plans for my film could be. With what I have in mind, I initially thought that the story would only show the story through character One’s point of view so that the audience, nor the main character, gets the full story. This allows for fans to have multiple theories about what the truth of the story is.


Although, if I plan on using the idea for the film opening that I described a few posts ago (it would be shots of Two at locations that One would be seen at later in the film), I’m not sure how I would incorporate seeing things from both characters perspectives, primarily because I didn’t want to delve too deeply into Two’s motivations and reasons for being in One’s world. Although, in theory, I don’t have to worry too much about this, since my film opening is only 2 minutes, which is not nearly enough time to switch perspectives between the two main characters.


I will say, as much as I love the prospect of switching characters, for simplicity’s sake, I’ll likely keep the story from One’s perspective. This way, I don’t have to worry about trying to include any foreshadowing in the opening or worry about a change in either aesthetic or tone of the film alternates between One and Twos perspective.


After deciding that I won’t switch perspectives, I did want to throw out that I don’t know which type of film opening I want to go for. I’ve been thinking for a while now that perhaps I want to start off the film similar to a coming of age or slice of life film. This way, when One suddenly interacts with Two, we are just as lost as One is. (Somewhat unrelated, but I really need to come up with my characters so I don’t just refer to them as One and Two, I think that's what my next blog post will be about but shh! Spoilers!) I think that starting my film as a “coming of age” or at least one that details One’s simple, plain life (at least before Two is introduced) would make the integration of fantasy that much more impactful for the audience.


Maybe I’ll go back and watch the first Harry Potter movie to gain some inspiration for my opening, so I can start planning my shots and prepare for filming.


Later gators, see you soon :)