Storytime

 Finally we reach the point where I have to write the script for the film opening. Before this, I need to think of what the overall plot of the movie would be. I've came up with a brief summary that goes as follows:

The Plot

 Todd is a timid young man from the Midwest who has an intense fear of germs and getting sick. One summer, he reluctantly agrees to go with his girlfriend, Ellie, on a trip down south to Florida, where the two will stay in a rental house by an Everglades tourist park. Part of the purpose of the trip is to held Todd get over his fear, as advised by his therapist. Things take a dark turn however when a rare species of mosquitos begin to emerge, biting victims at the park and infecting them with a deadly toxin. When the park refuses to shut down, it becomes up to Todd and Ellie to stop the swarm, teaming up with a local entomologist named Mike and the park's down on his luck gator wrestler named Dan.

Approach to the Opening

 In the first two minutes of this film, I want to establish the threat of the mosquitos and character of Todd, highlighting his specific phobia. The opening will begin with static shots of the Everglades park. The idea is to use these shots to create a feeling of curiosity, as the shots being static encourages the viewer to scan the frame, trying to fins something out of place. It's a technique used by two of my favorite directors, Ari Aster and M. Night Shyamalan, as well is in the film Paranormal Activity directed by Oren Peli. Here I have some photos that I've taken that will inspire me for the introductory shots:

 While this is happening, a voice over of a weather report will be heard, describing record breaking high summer temperatures. This helps to establish the film's primary setting, and the description of the extreme heat creates a sense of discomfort. After these first few shots, there will be a shot of a person sitting on the bench, possibly reading or listening to music. Whatever they're doing, it makes them oblivious to what's about to happen. The camera switches to the point of view of a mosquito. A buzzing sound is heard as the camera flies through the air, approaching the individual. It lands on them, waiting for a bit before delivering the bite. Once the audience is shown the bite, the scene immediately transitions to long shot, with the person still sitting on the bench. Then they close their eyes and fall over, before the title card appears. The idea here is to use the normal looking wide shot to give the viewer a sense of hopelessness and powerlessness, as this initial death is treated like a normal occurrence that can't be impacted. In the last shot of the opening, we would be introduced to the protagonist, Todd. At the moment I'm not quite sure what he will be doing when introduced, but I want it to establish his germaphobia without it being super obvious or generic, like having him washing his hands.