The working title for my semester video project is Could you Change the Coffee? My title is relevant not only to the narrative, but it also was a frequent request I received at my previous job. The message I want my audience to take away from the video is to remain confident in the choices they make toward self-improvement instead of being swayed to change themselves to please others. The theme of this video came about as I reflected upon the inner transformation I’ve undergone as I began my first year of college.
A short synopsis of the video may help clarify the title. A man frowns at his favorite coffee drink delivered to his table. When he tries to tell the barista the beverage isn’t what he ordered, the familiar voice of the man’s former supervisor tells him he ordered it for him. This is one of the many tactics the supervisor uses to beg the man to come back to work for his company. The man is steadfast in his decision to leave and recounts to his former supervisor all the reasons why he cannot return. I intend for the dialogue between the two characters to seem like the two were in a previous romantic relationship. I worded the sentences as if one character is trying to get back together with the other character after a breakup. Therefore, the end of the video reveals this synopsis. The barista calls out to the man with his proper coffee order. As the man drinks his coffee, a flashback in the form of a montage reflects upon the past three years of being business partners with his supervisor.
Although this is a fictional scenario, I based the dialogue upon the way I felt during my past romantic and work relationships. I want this video to be a statement, which showcases the character’s strength and courage to break free from the sources causing his inner rage. The supervisor’s dialogue contains a lot of “you” language and manipulative phrases/techniques. On the other hand, the man uses more “I” language as he explains his feeling of being trapped and why he couldn’t express who he truly is. Now that the man is free from a toxic environment, he can seek a greater purpose in life to pursue what makes him happy.
I believe this video will challenge my creative expression. Since my previous video projects have been works of nonfiction, this blend of personal experience in a fictional scenario will be a good transition for me. Although the majority of the video will showcase two people talking to each other, I want to experiment with reaction and over the shoulder shots as well as varying the camera’s point of view to keep the video visually interesting for the audience. I am also thinking to have the characters raise their voice during the argument, which will attract the attention of other people in the café to capture a varying shot of the conversation. A montage at the end of the video will display the past good times transitioning to the present downturn revealing why the employee cannot return to work for his former supervisor.