The Research

My last post I promised I would mention my decisions and the research behind it in this post. Let's get right to it.

The video starts with a sequence of "memories" from the main character. I wanted to give a glimpse into the character's life and make the audience feel what he was feeling. I needed to place memories of a typical white teenage boy. According to Quora.com, most white teenagers actually do attend high school. So throwing a couple scenes from a classroom and cafeteria makes sense. Also, all teenagers have the ability to get a driver's license, with all states except New Jersey allowing 14-16 year olds to get a license, per Verywell.com. This means I'll also have a a scene of him driving (of course in a safe area like outside my house). I also have a scene where the boy throws his phone. Oregonlive.com says over 80% of all teenagers have phones, so it makes sense for this character to have one.

On to the "Present-day" portion of the film. The boy wakes up and is clearly confused as he can hear the voice in his head out loud. My goal is to make the voice slightly echo to show that it is a strange voice, whereas when the character's talks there are no sound effects. I got the echo idea from the show "Legends of Tomorrow" (pictured below) when two characters enter the mind of another character. In the episode, every time they talk their voices echo because they are in someone's mind and not in real life. I wanted the character to hear himself think not just to represent a strange new place, but so the audience can fully understand what the character is thinking. I could just have the character speak out loud, but personally I hate when character's do that because no one really talks out loud when they are alone; they think it.

I included the part of the boy asking where his parents are because most kids' first reaction when they are unsure of something is to ask their parents. My parents are the most important figures in my life and I always look to them for guidance, as does the character in this. According to kidshealth.org, 79% of kids say they feel close to their parents, and this character is one if them.

One of my biggest decisions is to make the clock say 13:00. I needed the character to realize the time and that it is different, suggesting that this "place" is not what it seemed. I chose the number 13 because of its symbolism of death and unluckiness. Ridingthebeast.com says 13 "symbolizes the death to the matter or to oneself."

As for the title of the film, I am still thinking about it. I want a title that is symbolic of isolation or survival. I want a title that gets people wondering about what the movie is about. I don't want something straightforward like "Last Man Alive" or "The Final Human". I'll keep updating my hunt for a title on my blog.

Davidson, JD. "What Is the Life of Teenagers like These Days in the United States?" Quora. N.p., 9 Apr. 2016. Web.

Witmer, Denise. "Here's How Old Your Teen Needs to Be to Drive in Each State." Verywell. N.p., 31 Jan. 2017. Web.

"Survey Results: How Do Parents and Kids Get Along?" KidsHealth. Ed. D'Arcy Lyness. The Nemours Foundation, 9 Mar. 2016. Web.

"Properties of the Number 13." Number 13 Symbolism, 13 Meaning and Numerology. N.p., 19 Dec. 1998. Web.