TITLE - 2/22/23

         As the past couple of weeks has passed, I have developed my plot, settings, characters, etc. However, one main component is missing... the title! In one of my first blog posts, I discussed a couple of options that crossed my mind: Mess., 11:59, The Mess, The Stress, and others that weren't quite as good.

      Now, most people would ask, "why does a title even matter?" The title actually matters a lot. The title sets the premise for the film. It sets the tone, and mood, and helps the viewer understand a bit about what they're watching before they watch it. In one word, the title creates meaning, the meaning of the story. It also supports the genre of the story. 

      For example, the movie titled IT. at first glance If you've never heard of "IT" before, you would be so confused. What's "IT"? Is "IT" a person? If so, who is "IT?" This title causes a stir within those who've heard of the movie. The title causes confusion among viewers, which actually helps with marketing. The title is short and sweet, yet provides so much meaning. It also helps with marketing and promotion as the stir causes lots of talk. The title goes hand in hand with its genre: Horror/Suspense. The title actually creates suspense within the viewers. They question what "IT" is for days, weeks, and even months leading up to its premiere. This can cause things as little as tweets on social media apps like Twitter or things as big as hundreds of thousands of people buying tickets to see the film because they're that intrigued. 

Now, my film opening is about stress. Taylor is all over the place which we see in the opening. We have different clips of her messy room and papers; however, she always pulls through in the end. We know this because of all the medals and awards she has on her walls for her grades. As I thought about what my plot truly meant, I knew exactly which title I would choose.

 

DRUMROLL PLEASE......

The title is called: 11:59

Why is the title called 11:59?

11:59 actually relates to a lot of things. The most known one is that most high school teenagers have their homework assignments due at, you guessed it... 11:59. This causes so much stress for these students since some could have up to 7 other classes in the same situation. These students happen to be my target audience: teenagers around ages 15-25! 11:59 symbolizes the feeling of clutter, mess, and disarray. That's everything that Taylor is, we see that in the clips we see in the film opening. It doesn't only relate to school and having assignments not being turned in, but it relates to the overall sense of mess. Teenagers are depicted as messy and all over the place, not caring about school; that is what this film symbolizes. But, Taylor is meant to break the barrier and show how although she's depicted as a mess for the way she carries herself, she's actually a very good student who turns everything in on time and does very well in school. I currently have a ton of assignments due on different dates at 11:59, and it stresses me out like crazy. I am one of those people in so many difficult classes that it tends to overwhelm me sometimes, so I understand what people like Taylor go through.

I'll talk to you guys later. Signing off!

- Amanda Margulies