Yonatan Soler
10/18/2013 01:49:23 am
First of all, for me making movies is a tremendously fun experience. However, I want to make my movie to help students who may be facing certain struggles their first semester of college, as I am facing them myself at times. The tittle of my film is
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Sammie Rodriguez
10/18/2013 02:53:50 am
I like the story and your purpose of it because I think it's something that many people at Emory struggle with due to all the work that's assigned. I also like your title! My suggestion would be to make names for all the characters and edit the spelling in your pitch. Also, specify how you will show his happiness fading.
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Annelise Kowalsky
10/20/2013 05:25:49 am
This is definitely a relatable story for all freshman and a great idea for a film! The only thing I would suggest is to add a little bit more of a conclusion, like showing him having more balance between academics and social life in different ways.
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Shelly Saini
10/18/2013 01:52:57 am
I want to make this film to show the struggles of having a long distance relationship in college. The story begins with the main character, Mary, who just got accepted into the college of her dreams, Emory University. She is presented with numerous activities when she arrives, but in unsure which to choose. Her boyfriend back home, Jake, encourages her to explore her options, but she is afraid of not spending enough time with him. Each night they talk on the phone, and over the weekends they get on Skype and watch Netflix shows together. Mary often lays in bed after they get off the phone, deep in thought, saying to herself, “all I want is to enjoy my college experience, without being held back…”
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Sammie Rodriguez
10/18/2013 02:44:25 am
I really like your story because I think it's something that a lot of people go through in college and it's different than the usual stories about getting out of the box or roommate problems. I would suggest specifying how Mike tries to ruin the friendship between Jane and Mary. Also, you should revise this sentence: "Her constant worry about making Jake happy is getting in the way of her own happiness, that of enjoying her friendships and focusing on studies in college. " Other than that, looks good!
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Nicole Friedman
10/18/2013 02:46:04 am
I agree with Sammie. This looks really good and the story is something I think a lot of people can relate to. Maybe try to add some key shots for the film as well. I think this could be very helpful.
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10/18/2013 11:00:03 am
I feel that this topic is incredibly relatable to many freshman. Does Jane ever tell Mary about Mike? Why doesn't she if she is so concerned?
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Charlie
10/18/2013 01:57:10 pm
It's a very interesting story especially the ending part. But why didn't Mary tell Jake about her new friends in college? And why wouldn't Mary go to Jane for advice since they were bff?
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Yishi Liu( Lydia)
10/20/2013 12:50:54 pm
I really like your topic about the long distance relationship! Actually at first I also wanted to write a script about how the long distance relationship goes on in college, but finally I decided to touch another topic. Your story is very engaging. And there are many twists in the story. However, if I wrote a story like this, I might have written a different ending that Mary and Jack are still together after experiencing all those things, because I think it is unnecessary to break up with each other due to that kind of trouble. Pure and faithful love needs to be taken care of by both sides in a relationship. They can communicate more to keep the relationship healthy. And then this story may give those people who is experiencing long distance relationship confidence and encouragement. But this is just my opinion. The ending you've written is also instructive and intriguing.
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Elaine Zhang
10/20/2013 01:18:33 pm
Your story is so interesting and compelling and I love the ending! But I do agree with Charlie that if Mary and Jane are really good friends, she would definitely go to Jane for help and advice.
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Tyler Nathan
10/18/2013 02:35:13 am
Due to the fact that everyone in our class and our college (and most likely other colleges) can relate to the competition, struggles and triumphs of enrolling in classes before the semester starts, I thought creating a movie about Opus and enrolling would be a fun story that everyone can relate to and appreciate. In High School students were able to get into any class desired, however, in college, it is not an easy and friendly affair, rather it is a challenge, every man for themselves type of affair. Before the enrollment times begin, people tend to create mock schedules for the classes, teachers, and times that would maximize personal happiness. Before the enrolment times, people are eager and excited, but then once enrolling commences, everything changes. It’s a blood bath. Well, not literally, but metaphorically. Everyone is out for his or her own personal gain, whether it is stalking Opus at 3 in the morning or distracting friends. As a freshman, you do not really understand what is going to happen nor are you ready for the turmoil and uneasiness that arises. Fortunately, in the end, most things work out and you laugh about what had transpired.
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Suzanne Lavin (Annie)
10/18/2013 02:43:09 am
You could end it by having the friend get into a good calculus class anyway and say that the moral of the movie is that eventually most freshmen get into the classes they want to during add/drop/swap even though it is very stressful and competitive. I know that most of my friends, along with myself, faced similar situations and it would have been reassuring to know that eventually it does all work out.
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Shelly Saini
10/19/2013 02:34:58 pm
I love your storyline! The line where the SA says that it is the Opus games and it's every man for himself is really funny. I like the action that you put into your pitch, especially when you said "Calculus is open!" The only thing I would suggest is adding some more dialogue.
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Halle Schaf
10/18/2013 02:35:59 am
I want to make a film that depicts the class diversity there is at college. It begins with Lexi and Hannah two freshman girls arriving at the dorm to meet each other for the first time. Both Lexi and Hannah were assigned to be each other’s roommate randomly. Lexi comes from the upper east side of NYC and Hannah comes from a small town in Kentucky, both very different backgrounds. On move-in day Lexi arrives with both her parents and two of her help to help her unpack. When she first arrives Hannah is already settled in. Hannah has not even a tenth of the amount of clothing that Lexi brought. When Lexi walks in she screams out of shock of how small the dorm room is. The next scene will take place at the DUC: the dinning room. Both Hannah and Lexi will be sitting at a table, Hannah will be eating her food, enjoying it, on the contrary Lexi will take one bite of the food and spit it out, she will complain the entire meal about how awful the food is, how she could never eat this disgusting food and how she is going to be going out to restaurants every meal. The next scene will take place in the laundry room. Hannah will be doing her laundry mundanely, while Lexi has not a clue what to do. She is baffled that there are no maids in college and can not fathom the fact that she must do her own laundry. The next day both Lexi and Hannah are in their dorm together and Lexi is just talking about all the negative things about college and going off and off about how she should never have went away to college and how she misses being home and her previous life. After listening to Lexi whine for two days, Hannah bursts. Hannah tells Lexi how not everyone is as fortunate financially, as for most people going away to college, especially a private university such as Emory is a privilege not a right. She tells Lexi that she is fortunate to be given this amazing opportunity, and that Lexi isn’t giving anything a chance. After awkward silence, Lexi walks out of the dorm. She is then shown in the study lounge thinking. He thoughts are about how maybe I’m not giving college a fair chance. Maybe I am jumping to conclusions. I guess it could be a lot worst. She then walks back in to the dorm and apologies to Hannah. Hannah explains how she also is sorry; she defends Lexi’s actions telling her that this is a huge transition for her coming from a very wealthy dependent lifestyle to being very independent. Hannah promises to guide Lexi and assist her.
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Nicole Friedman
10/18/2013 02:50:32 am
I think you have a really good idea for a storyline here. You have really thought out your scenes and how it will play out. Maybe try to add some more specific shots and angles you will use throughout the film now that you have the basic plot all figured out. How can you portray these scenes the most effectively? Also, try to include some key quotes instead of just summarizing what they are talking about. Great start!
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Halle Schaf
10/18/2013 04:51:48 am
Thanks! Yes definitely going to do all those things! 10/18/2013 11:11:35 am
I think this is a phenomenal topic and is something that affects many people at this very diverse university. I think it would be interesting if you added Lexi insulting Hannah at the way she lives/behaves. Tremendous start!
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Suzanne Lavin (Annie)
10/18/2013 02:36:13 am
I am thinking of composing a movie about the struggles female roommates may encounter during college life. This topic is interesting to me because I currently live in a single and do not have to worry about the hardships of living with another person, especially someone that I do not know. I have heard stories from my friends about the disgusting things their roommates do, and I thought it would be helpful to create a video that shows students what types of things they could be more considerate about in their rooms. Hopefully after viewing this movie or reading my screenplay, roommates who have disagreements will be able to communicate more effectively and have more success compromising on a solution.
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Tyler Nathan
10/18/2013 02:48:30 am
I really think you thought of a great and realistic movie idea that every college student (with a roommate) can relate. It is a reality many live through but do not always address. In terms of what makes one of the roommates snap I have an idea. When one of the roommates is gossiping to her friends, the other walks by and hears. Then instantly the one who walks by and hears snaps and starts the confrontation/yelling match. Then slowly the friends walk away and it's just the two roommates. Just a thought, but I truly love this movie pitch
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Suzanne Lavin (Annie)
10/18/2013 02:51:04 am
Yes!! I really like that idea! They could just be in the DUC or something and not realize the roommate is sitting at the table behind her. That is a good idea. Thank you!
Halle Schaf
10/18/2013 02:48:33 am
Maybe the jockey roommate can have a midterm on friday and spend the entire week trying to study, but every time she sits down to study something the roommate does is distracting. For example, maybe playing music or talking on the phone. Already annoyed, the party girl roommate can bring back friends after going out on a thursday night at 3am or some ridiculous time. The jock roommate then due to getting no sleep thursday night can oversleep and miss her mid-term.
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Suzanne Lavin (Annie)
10/18/2013 02:53:15 am
That would definitely cause a roommate to snap! I like this idea and I will consider it when writing my screenplay. Thank you!
Sammie Rodriguez
10/18/2013 02:37:12 am
I wanted to write a movie about the struggles of having suitemates because many of my friends and I are in semi suites, so our roommates and we share a bathroom with 2 other people in the next room. The struggle between suitemates is different than the struggle between roommates because you aren’t living together, but rather just using a same commodity. The beginning of my movie starts off with Stacy, the main character, being excited to go to college. She is nervous to meet her roommate and to see how she will get along with her, but it does not cross her how she will get along with her suitemates because she technically isn’t living in the same room with them. She is just excited to meet them. There will be a shot that zooms into Stacy’s face of her walking into Longstreet Means Hall with a suitcase and thinking about all this. Next, Stacy meets her roommate, Michaela, for the first time in her new room while she is unpacking, and finds that they get along really well. On the other hand, when Stacy meets Tara for the first time, Tara is very standoffish and just asks for tape, instead of introducing herself. Stacy and Michaela go to Target to buy bathroom cleaning supplies and a rack for their toiletries. Stacy creates a color-coded schedule of when each set of roommates should clean the bathroom and tapes it on the bathroom door. They were to switch off cleaning the bathroom each weekend. Stacy and Michaela clean the bathroom the first week, but Tara and Cassandra don’t clean the bathroom the second week. Stacy is a very clean, organized person, who likes to be in control of things, but doesn’t like confrontation and wants to give a good impression on her suitemates since they just met and will be living next to each other for the whole year. However, the bathroom is growing filthy throughout the week that the suitemates did not clean it and Tara is very loud when she’s with friends, laughing, talking, and playing music. Stacy feels like Tara is always loud at the most inconvenient times, such as when she is studying or trying to sleep. There will be a close up shot that tours the bathroom and all the filth that is forming, including hair that’s on the walls of the shower, toilet paper and mud that are on the floor, and spilled shampoo and soap everywhere. Then, there will be a scene of Stacy tossing and turning in bed and banging on the wall between her and her suitemates’ room while music is blaring from their room. Stacy blows up one day when she slips and falls in the gross bathroom and Tara is yelling with her friends and blasting music on a Wednesday night. She fights with Tara about how inconsiderate she’s being and how she’s being filthy and such a bad suitemate. Tara denies everything and calls Stacy crazy and psycho. Stacy runs to her bed crying, but the next day Tara comes into Stacy’s room with Stacy’s favorite dessert, apologizes, and they make up. They make a bathroom schedule together that works better for each person and Tara promises to be quieter. The scene fades out with them laughing together.
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Ashraf Patel
10/19/2013 03:38:28 am
I really liked your story. You may want to add some more about the second suite mate (Cassandra).
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10/21/2013 01:01:07 am
You have some very detailed ideas here. The only thing you might want to consider changing is the ending. Instead of the conventional happy ending, you might want to consider making it more dramatic and unexpected.
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xueyin he
10/18/2013 02:43:19 am
For me, one of the most significant changes in my freshmen year experience is to be away from parents and from home. Attending college means stepping out of comfort zones and being completely independence. I want to make a movie about the change in relationship of a freshman at Emory, Jenny, and her mom.
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Halle Schaf
10/18/2013 04:56:44 am
I really like your pitch! I think the message is very relatable, and you did an excellent job at portraying the plot. I love how you used actual quotations that you will use in the film; it really helped give a good representation of your character's traits.
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Charlie
10/20/2013 09:29:27 am
I like this idea because it really raises a good point. And I also like the way that you described it so detailed and made it like real scenes. Also for the last scene how about also showing Jenny celebrating with her friends while texting her mom?
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Ross Mirskin
10/18/2013 02:44:33 am
Why do I want to make a movie about the tour of a prospective student and all the emotions that are swirling around in their head? For anyone who seriously is considering attending a top twenty university and for that matter any university, then they would understand the emotions and competitiveness that goes along with it. Ever since the first day I had a college meeting to the day I got into Emory early decision I had angst and nerves everyday about the process. On the college tour you feel like you want to make a lasting impression, but in reality you can’t do that since around forty thousand kids are trying to do the same thing. All you can think about is the grades, the competition, the extra curricular activities you have, and the other kids on your tour and there resume. I want to explore these emotions since practically everyone applying to college has them and try and relive the feelings I had on my tour as well as many of my peers.
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Suzanne Lavin (Annie)
10/18/2013 03:31:25 am
I think this sounds like a very interesting topic and am looking forward to seeing how it turns out. I like the idea of the student thinking nervously to himself about grades. Having a voice over of his thoughts is unique and intriguing. For your ending, it might be interesting having the student open his acceptance/rejection letter from Emory and either confirm or deny his doubtful thoughts about getting into his reach school. If he does apply ED, then maybe you could have him be deferred, thus confirming his doubts, but then be accepted during regular decision, denying them. The college application process is definitely an emotional roller-coaster and I think capturing those emotions in your movie will make it more engaging to the audience.
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Joseph North
10/21/2013 01:03:33 am
I really like your idea because anyone who has been on a college tour will be able to relate. The only advice that comes to mind: make sure to portray the stress that comes along with a college campus tour, as I believe that will make it very relatable to your audience.
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Hyunkyu Choi
10/18/2013 02:47:45 am
My movie’s title is F.O.B which is an acronym for Fresh Off the Boat. The word FOB is used for mostly international students who are not used to the American culture. Most of the international students have a hard time trying to adjust to the American culture, and many of them are called FOBs. The movie will reach in to the difficult moments the international students have and try to advise them to get use to the American culture. The beginning of the movie will start with an international student coming to Emory and meeting an American roommate. The movie will start with comedy and end with comedy. When the international student meets an American roommate they try to have a nice conversation but an awkward mood feels up the room. For example, American roommate tries to give an ‘American greeting’ with a high five or fist bump but the international students would think he is punching him or something. The middle part of the script will consist of other cultural shocks or difficult times trying to follow the American culture. The main character tries new things in order for him to fit in. For example, he would dress up like a athlete with basketball jerseys or football jerseys and try to act cool with different accents. Later he would realize that it is not working and he made the situation much awkward. One more example is the tip culture here in America, where the international student is confused and tries to argue why he has to pay more than his meal. He finally gets called a FOB and doesn’t know what the meaning is. He tries to Google it and finds out the meaning. After all the struggles he has to face, he gives up and hangs out with people from his own country. He finally identifies himself as a FOB, BUT a friend starts giving him advices. The friend is a guy who also moved from his own country to America during his teenage years. He starts giving advices to him and tries to shadow the international student to help him out. At the end of the story, however, the international student concludes that he is a FOB and is proud with his own cultural identity. He finally finds out how to mingle all the different culture and 2 years later he helps another international student who is identified as a FOB.
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Marcus Johnson
10/18/2013 08:00:12 am
I like the pitch. The constructive question I have is is there any underlying goal that the international student is trying to achieve.
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xueyin he
10/18/2013 02:03:00 pm
I like your story about international student's struggles to survive in freshmen year, and I think it will be an interesting topic to talk about. What I really like about your pitch is that it looks very true. Instead of having that student totally convert to the image of a American college student, he becomes more confident in himself and proud of his own cultural identity. I think the ending is very good.
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Rehat Singh
10/19/2013 08:09:46 am
I really like your idea I can actually visualize the fist bump scene happening. Its just a suggestion but maybe you can cut down on the ending and make it a bit better. Overall I love the script.
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Ashraf Ptael
10/18/2013 02:50:50 am
For my movie, I’d like to create something that is beneficial to students not only at Emory, but also all over the world. The movie will be about students that are struggling with time management, adjusting to college, and how they face and tackle such problems. The title of the movie will be “Struggling Students.”
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Tyler Nathan
10/21/2013 02:25:08 am
I like your plot and idea, but to make your story a little more complex and give another twist to the story, you can have the kids parents insist that their son not give up any of the extra-curriculars.
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Marcus
10/18/2013 02:51:13 am
Why make this movie? Freshman year of college is a big adjusting period during a student’s life. One of the biggest adjustments comes with getting acclimated to college teaching and grading. For most students, the style of teaching and grading in college is very different from what the style they received while in high school. One key difference between the two is the numbers of grades you receive. In high school, your grade in a course is a lot more rigid. This is because there is a much higher quantity of graded assignments. One bad grade will probably not even dent your grade in the course.In college, it is not out of place for your whole semester grade to only consist of 3 tests and a final . This situation places a high importance of each of the few graded assignments you may receive for the semester. With this high level of importance also comes a high level of stress. Additionally, majority of college students of achieved a high level of academic success their whole life. Receiving a bad test grade can be foreign territory for some. My goal of the movie is to represent the idea that one bad grade will not ruin a semester and definitely will not ruin your college career.
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Ashraf Patel
10/19/2013 03:43:23 am
I see that you haven't completed your screenplay yet, but I really like your idea. I can definitely relate to this story very well and can't wait to see it. I think you're going to need to add specifics for anyone to further critique it.
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Chris Young
10/20/2013 04:18:56 pm
I think this is a really interesting and engaging plot, and would make for an entertaining film. However, I think it may be a bit complex for a five-minute time period. You may want/need to simplify it a little to ensure that it tells a complete story without it seeming like the plot action rushed.
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Annelise Kowalsky
10/18/2013 03:14:29 am
I wanted to create a movie that was relatable to my audience and exciting to watch. This is why I chose to write about a college student’s worst day ever. This movie is meant to give us all a little bit of perspective on how stressful situations can help us learn to stay positive and not get bogged down by school.
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Yishi Liu( Lydia)
10/20/2013 01:03:52 pm
I do believe you will make the shots very well when you try to show the your protagonist's emotions. But I think the ending can be more expanded, like on the second day Ellen has got the campus job she previously applied for or the man she has a crush on invites her to have dinner...That may make the story more dramatic.
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10/21/2013 12:17:27 am
I think that you have some solid ideas here. The only thing that I would expand upon is the resolution at the end. I think that emphasizing why Ellen realizes that her day is not so bad after all is important. It can give the audience a new perspective on their own experiences and help them stay positive.
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Ethan Arbiser
10/18/2013 03:31:03 am
I want to make this movie because recently my bike was stolen outside my dorm during Fall Break and I have been fantasizing about rediscovering it somewhere on campus.
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Marcus
10/18/2013 07:53:13 am
hope you end up finding your bike. I like the story. What genre are you going for? Maybe a slight twist to make it less sad to happy.
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10/18/2013 10:48:36 am
I have decided to write about college for freshman that have grown up in a strict, sheltered environment but are abruptly given total freedom upon arriving at college.
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Ethan Arbiser
10/20/2013 03:04:04 am
I really like the story. I feel that this story can/is a very realistic story for many college students at any university. You also might want to put a big emphasis on the ending and see how Cameron regains decent grades.
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Joseph North
10/18/2013 10:57:29 am
As a college freshman who has not yet decided on a major, I would like to use my film to depict the stress and frustration that comes with being undecided. My movie begins with alternating shots of two lost Emory freshmen, Shane and Greg, who are trying to find their way back to their dorm rooms in Harris Hall. Both students struggle to read the campus map and shortly run into each other, literally.
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Rehat Singh
10/19/2013 07:50:01 am
I really like your idea since its relatable and most of the freshman are going through the struggle of figuring out their major.I don't know if you have already thought about it but Its just a suggestion if you wanted to use humor to depict the two characters in the movie as they struggle to figure out what they want to major in.
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Adriana Stivers
10/20/2013 08:23:09 am
I think this is a really cool issue that many of the undergraduate population can relate to. I like what you have!
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Sheridan Rice
10/21/2013 01:21:42 am
I like this idea because of its relatability. Many freshmen, including myself, don't know exactly what they want to do yet and are waiting for the moment they figure it out. I like the quote at the end where Greg says, "Everything always works out in the end." This would be a great comedy.
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Kali Allen
10/18/2013 11:59:53 am
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Sheridan Rice
10/21/2013 01:28:33 am
I like the plot twist and how the roommate helps the stalker by making him seem impressive in front of the girl. It's a unique idea.
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Brian Hernandez
10/22/2013 11:45:34 pm
I love this idea of a film. Very creative. I think that the ending could be a bit better. Since you are playing against the typical predictable action, you can try having the "stalker" "save" the girl, yet the girl falls for the "thief" ironically.
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Charlie
10/18/2013 01:05:50 pm
I want to present a fact that students whose first language is not English can have really hard time adjusting themselves to the current lives so they have to push themselves. The reason why I was motivated to write this script is that I sometimes feel the same way as the main character in it does.
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xueyin he
10/18/2013 02:08:17 pm
I like your story because sometimes I feel the same way as Alex in the pitch. However, I think it will be hard to picture all those inner thought of Alex. I also think it will also be not so interesting if the story focuses only on Alex's mind struggles because it will be hard for most of the audience to feel the same way as Alex. Also, the turning point in the last part of the story is a little dramatic.
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Charlie
10/18/2013 02:31:42 pm
For Alex's inner thoughts, the fear part I am thinking about the scenes of imaginations, that is a special scene derived from Alex's imaginations.
Adriana Stivers
10/20/2013 08:18:45 am
I really enjoy this topic, especially because it raises a point of view that I don't think many would take the time to put into consideration when in situations like the one listed above. Similar to what Xueyin said, however, I think it will be hard to convey Alex's mental thoughts and feelings while shooting physical scenes.
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Yen Doan
10/18/2013 01:09:27 pm
I want to make a film about the freshman 15, because it is a common and relatable issue faced by freshmen in colleges everywhere. Although everyone may not gain the dreaded freshman 15, the fear and anxiety of it has crossed everyone’s mind at least once since they’ve arrived on campus. My film tells the story of one main character, Jane, and her worst fears of gaining the freshman 15 becoming a reality.
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Kali Allen
10/20/2013 02:07:13 am
Yen, I love how detailed the beginning was! It was easy to visualize so I know you have a clear idea how you will execute it. The freshmen 15 is definitely something I know myself and a lot of other freshmen stress about so that is a really great idea.
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Tamer Avci
10/20/2013 05:15:17 am
I really liked the topic and the fact that we are working on the same topic! Also, the climax idea sounds really good. I think you'll have to execute the dream scene very well to make it more effective.
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Annelise Kowalsky
10/20/2013 05:22:32 am
I like how relatable this idea is for everyone in the class. I also like how you had slow falling action. It seems very well-planned!
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Nicole Friedman
10/19/2013 07:22:59 am
From my own experience, and from what I have heard and observed from other freshman here at Emory, one struggle or conflict that students have is balancing new friends they have made here and also keeping in touch with old friends from home. College is a time of huge transition. Students are branching out in many ways. They are leaving home, living on their own for the first time. Also, they are now attending a new school, with new teachers, and much higher expectations. One of the greatest struggles for students is leaving behind the friends that have been such a huge part of their life up until now. Balancing new and old friends can be a challenge. Especially when communicating with old friends that are at far away distances and are also going through a time of extreme transition. As everyone settles into their new homes and schools, relationships can change and it can be hard to remain as close as you once were. My film is going to focus around this idea of struggling to maintain old friendships, while adjusting into life at college and the affects that this can have on students. My story will focus around a main character, Molly, who has just arrived at college. As she settles into her dorm room, she is continuously sending pictures to her two best friends from home. Her first night, she talks to them on the phone for an hour giving detailed descriptions of everything she has done so far and all the people she has met. But as she begins to make new friends at school, she starts spending all of her time with them. The calls become scarce and she texts with her friends in between classes or when she finds time in the evenings. The conversations are mostly small talk though, consisting of basic questions on how their classes are, or their roommates, or how the weather is there. Molly is enjoying herself immensely, but she starts to worry that her friendships are fading away. She doesn’t really know how her friends are doing and what they are doing for fun or whom they hang out with. As she begins to worry more, she starts to wonder what it will be like to see them again. Will it be awkward? Will it feel like it did before? Or will things be different now that they have all moved on and started different lives. But when Molly goes home for Fall Break, she is reunited with her best friends. Despite her worries, it is as if nothing has changed. They pick up right where they left off and she has a great time. She realizes, that even though things are different and their relationship may not be the same with talking every day, they are still able to catch up on breaks and have fun. Relationships may change, but they are not gone and while she has new friends at school, her lifetime friends will always be an important part of her life.
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Ethan Arbiser
10/20/2013 03:31:50 am
I really like the message of your story, especially with a happy ending. I' m sure most freshmen at Emory can relate to this story. You may want to put a lot of stress on the ending and how they reunite and "pick up right where they left off" because you could really use it to your advantage when you try concluding your story.
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Rehat Singh
10/19/2013 07:42:49 am
I want to make this movie to show the contrast in the mode of communication in today’s generation to that in the olden times when social networking sites were not heard of. Also I wanted to highlight that today’s generation is living in a bubble that needs to be popped so they can look beyond the trivial problems they have like how many friends liked their picture on Facebook.
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Shelly Saini
10/19/2013 02:38:41 pm
I like the topic you chose since it is an eye opener for our communication problems in modern society. I enjoyed the different shots you used in composing your pitch. I would add more dialogue to make it a bit more interesting though.
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Kali Allen
10/20/2013 02:13:40 am
I love your topic! It's so creative and it definitely is a pressing issue. Maybe you can go into depth with the "withdrawal symptoms" that show external influences that make them tempted to use their phones. For example you have have friends go up to them and ask "Dude why havent you been messaging me back" or a girl giving a guy her instagram name. Overall really cool idea!!
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Brian Hernandez
10/22/2013 11:49:29 pm
Great idea. Not only does this provide entertainment and poke fun at us and our generation, but it is also a real issue with us. We don't know how to communicate verbally or in person because of the new technologies. Maybe for the ending, you can have them having an actual conversation at the DUC, and then as they leave, they all update their twitter/facebook/etc about what an awesome time they had.
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Yishi Liu
10/19/2013 08:00:34 am
I want to make a short film about the care and encouragement given by a stranger. This is a story about a college girl who always finds a note with encouraging words left by someone on her desk when she is overwhelmed by her workload in the library. And those words on the anonymous note indeed really encourage her and give her more confidence and energy to do her work. So she tries to find the person who always leaves a note to her... The idea of the film is drawn from a real experience of receiving an anonymous note from a person unknown, but the story in the film is an expanded version. It goes far beyond the real experience. And the main point I want to express in the film is care is all round. Some little things of kindness you do for others will encourage and help them a lot. Let’s be caring and friendly!
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Sang Xayasouk
10/23/2013 01:44:49 pm
I think this is such a cute story! You should go with it!
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10/20/2013 03:59:45 am
My inspiration for this movie are my personal experiences. Though what is going on in my life is not as dramatic as the events I will portray in the movie, I think that dramatizing will make for a far more enjoyable viewing experience for the audience. I would like to make a movie about the struggles of a main character who is a first-year college student (Johnny) that goes off to college far away from home, but wants to continue to uphold relationships back home. I will start the movie off with a scene (April 2013) where the Johnny is excited about getting into Emory University not only because it is a great school, but also because he will be able to get far away from the hometown that he is so sick and tired of. I will then show a scene (August 2013) where Johnny is about to take off for college but looks depressed and is going through a mental struggle in which he regrets choosing a school so far from home. He and his close friends are pictured promising each other that they will stay in contact and will not let their relationships fade away. He reminisces about how much stronger his relationships with his friends had grown over the summer (seemingly such a short time) and how he wishes he didn’t have to leave those people behind (accompanied by flashbacks of having many great times with those people). The mental struggle continues while Johnny is pictured arriving at college. Everyone around him seems to be having a great time making new friends. Though he socializes with those around him, he doesn’t feel that he can be friends with any of the new people. He also can’t help but wonder whether or not he will be able to uphold his relationships back home now that everything has become so real. As time goes by, Johnny is pictured being busy with student orientation and classes. He is overwhelmed by all of his responsibilities and has difficulty finding time to talk to his friends back home. When he does talk to friends back home, new people around him ask him to go out with them. Johnny has difficulty figuring out how to balance his old and new relationships. By choosing to talk to his friends at home rather than going out with new people, Johnny compromises his ability to form new relationships, which leads to negative emotional repercussions. Eventually, Johnny figures out how he can make new friends and maintain his older relationships. He decides to spend one half of his time talking to old friends and the other half on making new friends. ENDING: This proves to be a very good way to go about the situation. Johnny hangs out with new people and therefore has many new things to talk about with his old friends. As a result, Johnny makes new friends at Emory and also strengthens his old relationships back home. ...ALTERNATIVE ENDING: Johnny spends so much time with new people that he compromises his old relationships. He no longer enjoys talking to people who are so far away from him and decides to stick only to his new friends. Johnny is happy, but his old friends feel mistreated.
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Tamer Avci
10/20/2013 05:11:44 am
I really like your topic! I believe most of us can relate to it very easily. The one thing I want to ask is that how are you going to display the mental struggle that Johnny is going through? Dialogues between him and his frends making promises? It might be a bit hard to display his mental struggle without verbal communication.
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Tamer Avci
10/20/2013 05:03:21 am
I want to make a film about Freshman 15 and meal plans in general and how they can mess up a college freshman’s academic and daily life. I think that’s something we can all more or less relate after starting college since I believe most of us changed our eating habits.
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Adriana Stivers
10/20/2013 08:07:01 am
I want to make my movie about a zombie apocalypse at Emory. My inspiration arose from my love of horror movies coupled with my best friend’s contagious obsession with zombies. Even better, I recently learned that Emory is right next door to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), making Emory the prime location to be attacked if there ever was a zombie apocalypse. I think that this would be a very fun film to shoot since it would entail the creativity of zombie makeup and acting. Every good zombie story includes a theory of how the epidemic broke out. My story centers on a formula that was developed by a mad scientist working in the CDC. The scientist is fueled by grandiose delusions of being omnipotent, which is an actual mental illness. His ultimate plan is to create a zombie army and cleanse the Earth of its inhabitants, starting with the areas in and around Emory. Basically the formula not only prompts an autoimmune disease giving the infected zombie-like qualities, but also alters the mind, switching off the part of the brain where humanity and morality stem from in my story. The result is an army of smarter-than-your-average-zombies. From here, the movie can take one of two directions. The first would be to focus the film around the initial outbreak of the epidemic spreading from the CDC to the Emory community. The second approach would be to have the zombie outbreak already happen and focus the short film around the characters’ general survival at Emory and their lifestyle during the hard times. In both cases, the main protagonists would be a group of around four or five students, with one cast as the story’s narrator. The ending of the short film would be tragic, of course, with all the main characters taken out in the end. However, this is only after a climactic battle between the mad scientist and the rest of the resistance, resulting in the demise of the antagonist. The zombies win in the end due to pure numbers and ruthless energy.
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Adriana Stivers
10/20/2013 08:12:29 am
The movie will end as follows:
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Elaine Zhang
10/20/2013 01:14:22 pm
My movie is about drinking in college, especially due to peer pressure. Because I do have some friends who had trouble before and I believe it’s a problem that everyone should be aware of.
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Sydney Pergament
10/20/2013 01:15:00 pm
I want to make this movie because college relationships do not always go as planned. One person does not always have the same intentions as the other person. The movie will start off with the boy waking up. The first thing he does is text both of the girls he has recently been seeing “Morning babe.” He gets up, gets ready, and leaves for class. Girl #1 wakes up from the vibration of her phone. She checks the text and smiles. She goes back to sleep. The next scene starts with the boy waiting for girl #2 outside of class. He kindly walks her back to her dorm. The rest of the film basically shows the balance he tries to make with his time to be with two girls at once. Neither girl has any idea that he is seeing the other girl. He takes one on a date one night and the other another night. One day he is hanging out with one of his friends in his room playing Xbox. He accidentally call girl #1 without realizing. He is telling his friend how slick he is. “Yeah it’s amazing, neither girl has ANY idea. I think I’m totally getting away with it. There’s no way I’ll ever get caught” the boy says. “I’d be careful. You wouldn’t want this to turn into a huge mess” his friend responds. “Both of the girls are way to oblivious to ever notice. I’m golden bro don’t worry” the boy says. On the other size of the phone girl #1 goes into shock. The camera zooms up on her face as if she is frozen and then she breaks down crying. They finish playing, the boy grabs his phone and they exit the room. Girl #1 and girl #2 walk to class, separately. They take seats next to one another and start making small talk. The professor assigns a project where they have to work in groups of two. They decide to be partners and that they’ll meet after class. They walk to girl #2’s room and start planning their project. Girl #1’s phone starts ringing and it’s the boy. “Hi (his name) I can’t talk I am doing a project we’ll meet up later” she says. Girl #2 thinks nothing of it. There are TONS of people with the name (his name) at the school. The boy walks to girl #2’s room not knowing who is in the room. He knocks on the door and she opens it. Girl #1 and the boy make eye contact. “What are you doing here?” she says. Girl #2 goes “Oh this is my boyfriend (his name), (his name) meet girl #1.” “This must be a joke. He is MY boyfriend” she storms out. “Leave” girl #2 says. “I can explain” he responds. “LEAVE I SAID!”
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Chris Young
10/20/2013 04:30:51 pm
I enjoyed reading the synopsis! I think it's a fun and relatable plot, and would result in an entertaining short film. I'm not exactly sure how you could end it, but I think you have a really strong start to everything!
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Clinton Onwu
10/20/2013 03:59:08 pm
The reason I want to make this movie is to make Christians in college or any level of school understand that praying to God is not enough, they need to also have faith and believe in what they're praying for and also put maximum effort into their work.
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Chris Young
10/20/2013 04:14:57 pm
This short film is currently untitled, but I am thinking of potential names for it. I want to make it because I think it’s fun, playful, and engaging, and it is simple enough to tell a complete story in a five-minute time frame. I took film classes for two years in high school, and made many film pieces, covering all aspects of filmmaking. I think my experience would be an advantage in the making of this project, and it would result in a very entertaining and well-made short film.
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Joseph North
10/21/2013 12:58:56 am
I really like your idea. I picture the visions and daydream sequences featured in your film as mini-movies within the film itself and find it to be very creative.
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Nikita Sogoloff
10/20/2013 11:42:38 pm
My film idea is inspired by my stay at Emory Campus over the fall break. Since the DUC and every other eating facility was closed, the unlucky few of us were forced to choose between starvation and desperate snacking. Surviving on one large take-out meal and massive amounts of candy-like snacks per day began to take its toll on both our digestive systems and mental abilities. This minor struggle was only shared by those who remained, and when any one of us attempted to describe the difficulty we had attempting to maintain a healthy diet to a peer, our tale would be met with a failed attempt at commiseration and several despaired sighs. It is with this interaction between those who left and those who stayed that I want to explore. The film would begin with a roommate returning to his room after the break only to find his room in a disheveled state, (discarded boxes, clothing strewn everywhere, chairs overturned, etc.) with his roommate living in a near savage state. As the returnee asks what in the world happened while he was gone, the roommate who stayed begins to tell the story. (Fade from scene to scene). He begins by saying that during the first hours of the break, everyone underestimated the difficulty they would have of finding free and good food. Hubris prevailed then, but it would soon come to destroy those who wielded it. (CUT: where over-confident students are saying they do not need to eat) Soon, as people realized that not only could they not get 5 meals at the DUC, but also the midnight snack at Woodruff and the 3AM meal at Zayas were unavailable.(CUT: panic sets onto the crowd) The roommate then goes on to tell his roommate several, increasingly preposterous stories of how their mutual friends managed, or failed, to make it through the break. (CUT TO): One student, in a Gandi-esque fashion decided to meditate his way through the hunger, and reach nirvana. (CUT TO): Another decided that his athletic figure was not worth saving, and gained massive amount of weight by constantly eating junk food. (CUT TO): The roommate then goes on to explain that many students formed tribes, which at first lived peacefully scavenging in Lullwater, Emory restaurant dumpsters, and friends’ fridges. However, their coexistence devolved as competition increased and the amount of food decreased. The campus was overrun and is not divided into several territories which are controlled by the several student tribes. (Show map of divided campus) Horrified, the returned roommate asks how the roommate managed to survive. The savage roommate nonchalantly pulls out dozens of Dominos boxes and frankly claims that he ordered in.
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10/21/2013 01:09:36 am
Pitch
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Sheridan Rice
10/21/2013 01:16:48 am
There are many issues that college students face during their transition to a more independent lifestyle—one being the freshman fifteen. The term is often joked about, yet I know of many people who are worried about gaining weigh and struggle to resist the unlimited supply of food at the DUC. For my movie, I want to portray this struggle in a comedic way that ridicules the issue but also shows the impact it has on the lives of students. My movie will be about a student named Hannah who arrives to college excited and ready to explore her newly achieved freedom. One of the best things about college for her so far is the food, especially the chocolate chip cookies and ice cream machine at the DUC. As she makes friends, they begin to gather at the cafeteria and the statement the text messages “DUC in 10?” and “Wanna go to the DUC?” are quite common. When her school workload increases, she begins to stress eat even more, indulges in midnight snacks, and makes poor dietary choices. Weeks go by and Hannah starts noticing a change in her body. She becomes self-conscious and avoids mirrors in denial. The physical changes continue, however, and she feels sluggish and sleeps too much from lack of nutrition—ultimately affecting her mind and schoolwork. One day, Hannah picks up a cookie and the food morphs into a face saying, “Eat me!” and “Don’t eat me!” These voices show her internal struggle of knowing something is wrong but being unable to make a change. The same battle of her conscience occurs when she is getting ready for school one day and her pants barely fit. She looks in the mirror and hears conflicting voices encouraging her to change saying, “Go to the gym, fatty!” and “You’re beautiful just the way you are!” After a brief state of depression, the pivotal part of the movie occurs: Hannah decides to change her lifestyle. She begins to exercise every day and eat healthier, more balanced meals. Weeks of hard work later, Hannah loses the weight she had gained and becomes a fitter and happier person. She even scores herself a date with a hot soccer guy she meets at the gym in the end of the movie. The last scene is her walking off with the guy for the night feeling confident and like a new woman.
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Sang Xayasouk
10/22/2013 03:50:22 pm
Inspired by the freshman orientation’s skit of the stereotypes and discriminations, I want to write a story about a freshman going into Emory that is a very discriminating/racist person. I want a more comical spin to it with the classic ending of a lesson that we should accept the people as they are and not as we portray them to be.
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Alvin Choi
11/11/2013 12:08:08 am
I derived inspiration for this movie script from my personal experience. Coming to the States for college after spending a majority of my life abroad, I underwent many unfamiliar but interesting experience rooming with a student who is very different from me. Although I went to an international school taught in American pedagogics, my experience outside the school revolved around Korean lifestyle. After coming to Emory, I encountered a new type of “culture shock” - different food, lifestyle, and outlook. The movie “Different People on the Same Boat” occurs over the span of early college life. Chris gets into Emory University, his dream school. He lives in Shanghai, China and has been raised by a Korean household his whole life. Kirby, on the other hand, comes from an ordinary White family in Massachusetts. Kirby has never left the state his entire life and is looking for a different experience in college. Chris and Kirby meet online, and they agree to room together for the freshman year. On the move-in day, the roommates converse about their lifestyles and find out how different they are. Chris is not used to the school food just yet, and longs for authentic comfort food. They also find out that have different lifestyles. While amused, Chris and Kirby, who are both Economics majors, know that they are on the same boat when it comes to their academic pursuit. Despite the cultural differences they hold, their passion and purpose are similar - being able to fulfil their dreams in college.
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