PORTFOLIO PROJECT: IT BEGINS

At last, we arrive at the moment everyone's been waiting for: the Cambridge Portfolio Project. I will admit, I have been thinking about the film opening project for some time now (and I am very excited about it), but I still don't have a very clear idea in mind. Hopefully, as the weeks go on and I actively invest in research, I will be able to obtain a more concrete idea. As for now, I will tell what I have.

A theme that always piques my interest is the good old descent into madness. The anguish at seeing a character become obsessed to such an extent that it takes over their lives is almost unbearable; still, there is something cathartic about being able to pin all your worries and anxieties on someone else - someone fictional - and watch as they attempt to grapple with them. It is quite grim, but none can deny the relief they feel after watching the movie: "thank God that's not me." And, of course, it's always fun to watch movies that elicit strong feelings.

For that reason, I intend to go in a somewhat similar direction, telling a story of obsession and ruin, venturing the realms of thriller, drama, or suspense - the particular genre is still to be decided. What I do know, however, is what I want to avoid: supernatural conflicts and schizoaffective disorders. The former simply for taking the attention away from the psychological aspects I plan to focus on, and the latter because it is not my story to tell. Being that I do not experience any type of delusion, I feel that it is not my place to tell the story of someone who does - not to mention, portrayals of mental illness in the media often come across as offensive, or propagate misconceptions. So I will keep away from that.

For the time being, I am working on compiling a list of films that could help me get a better notion of the genre (pictured below).

some movies that relate to the concept I was discussing earlier. Watching and taking notes on how the genre portrays the characters' rise and fall can help me get a better idea of how I can communicate a similar story in a fitting style. In addition to that, watching films that follow a storyline I do not want to follow also helps me understand what I want to avoid.