Control- Creative Critical Reflection

https://youtu.be/wFCkj3CvAys 

Control- Movie Intro

https://youtu.be/kHbeNKEq030

An Artistic Interpretation of The Film Opening

Overall, this movie was created in order to portray the story of the consequences of a terrible incident that was incited by the overuse and abuse of a very violent video game. After the beginning intro of the movie, a team of researchers get together to get to the bottom of what occurred and explore both the psychological and technical aspects and influences that these types of video games both have and pose upon individuals who may be mentally deranged. 

When creating the introduction to the film, I wanted to make it more unique and decided that that I would incorporate some type of symbolism within it. 

From the beginning till the end of the introduction, there is a clear change in the state of things. At first, there is a very calm and serene atmosphere as very aesthetically-appealing shots of the backyard and outside of the house begin to process, and then at the end of the introduction there is just complete chaos. There's the flash of an actual gun, and the cacophony of gunshot sounds from the video game create a sense of intense distress and instability. I wanted to use this dichotomy between these two states to symbolize Rob's own state of mind. At first it is calm, but then unstable. On the outside environment, or the world around him, there is peace and serenity. On the inside of the house, or his head, is when we really get to hear the gunshots of the video game that is taking up his head and consuming his sanity. 

Mental Health and Violence

My entire movie is based on the ideas of video game (and therefore media) violence versus mental health in individuals. 

The user of the video game in the movie is a clearly distressed and mentally deranged boy who has gotten too far into the game. Within the article we can find different explanations and analyzations of the possible correlations between mental health and crime and gun violence among American individuals.

These are the three main point that the article makes:

• " A large majority of people with mental disorders will never engage in violence against others.
• Most violent behavior is due to factors other than mental illness.
• Psychiatric disorders such as depression are strongly implicated in suicide, which accounts for more than half of gun fatalities annually."

In my opinion, due to the correlations between gun violent crimes and mental health, I believe that both the media and the gun laws should step up their awareness. Gun laws should be tighter and strict enough so that they don't fall into the wrong hands, and the media should tone down violence a little bit more because they never know which people in the audience may recreate the violence they simulated.

The Problem of Gun Control

It's a taboo topic in schools, malls, airports, and many other public places. Nobody wants to really talk about it, because the actual happening of such an event is unspeakable. 

Shootings and massacres have occurred throughout the years in the U.S., and most of them are consequential of the very lenient gun control laws. The second amendment of the U.S. constitution is the responsible one in this case, as it states, "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." 

In the article that I linked to this post, there is a list of twelve facts about guns, control, and how they are correlated in the United States to mass shootings.

They're so easy to acquire.

Second Part 

This is how the second part of the opening of "Control" will go.

PLOT FOR PART 2:

After the frightening shot of the somber and dark door at the end of the hallway upstairs in the house, there is a sudden pause and the camera goes inside the room. There is a centered, establishing shot of a boy, who is intensely focused on the game that he is playing on the monitor. The shot should look a little like this, 

(a cool characteristic seen in Wes Anderson movies. I believe that centering the shots really makes the shot more interesting and gives it a hint of quirkiness... something I really want to add to the film to give it a more artistic feel.)

He the shot continues for a few seconds and then it changes to an angled close-up of of his face, focusing on his deranged state of mind. Drops of sweat are running down his red, dimly illuminated face as he continues to play, and his grunts become louder and louder as he gets more and more annoyed and frustrated with the way the game is going. Different shots from different angles depict his anger and frustration, and he begins to heave breaths loudly and spasms and twitches. He realizes someone is knocking on the door. 

Its his girlfriend. She's knocking annoyingly and shouting at him for something. A sinister, diabolical look takes place in his face.

The shot changes to her standing by the door from the outside. She opens the door in a very annoyed way, and walks into the room, closing the door after her. A few seconds pass by, and there is an exchange of emotions as the camera goes from the girlfriend at the door and Rob's annoyed and wild response. The sound of the video game that continued in the background gets even louder as she closes the door, the sounds get more chaotic. The light of an actual shot gun goes off underneath the door. 

The scene ends.

Starting the Editing Process

Editing a film project is both the most difficult and interesting part of the process. It can either make or break a movie. 

My intent in the beginning of the film, or the opening, is to establish a a clear juxtaposition between the calmness of the surroundings of the house with the chaotic inside as the house is filled with various gunshot sounds. I want there to be an idea of what the main character is experiencing within his own head, and how his mental state contrasts from those who surround him. 

There has to be a smooth transition of serene shots in the beginning of the film, in order to achieve that calmness.