Rationalizing the Opening

Before I created a fully fledged storyboard, I wanted to break down how I will attack the two-minute time frame of my opening.  I think that I only have time for two concrete scenes and perhaps a small scene bridging them together.

I was thinking that there could be a scene with the boy in the back seat with his parents driving him to school. This would allow the excerpt to showcase some of the interactions between the main character and his parents, establishing that communication and conversation are essential for the story, being the solution to the majority of the problems that come the boy's way.

When the boy gets out of the car, I can use the iconic shot of the boy's feet stepping out of the car, then follow the boy navigating throughout his school.  These shots would consist of mainly analyzing the boy's attitude about school and the people (or potentially lack of people) around him.  Then the character would enter a classroom and be greeted by his teacher.

I'm still unsure what gender the teacher will be, but they will likely be happy to see the boy come into class.  I can explore whether I want this teacher-student relationship to have some pre-establishment already or if this friendship is brand new.  I think the student would be coming to the teacher for advice, but the conversation would shift to the main character's powers.

For the boy to open up to the teacher about his powers in the opening,

there definitely has to be a pre-existing relationship between the characters

if there isn't, then it's odd that the student just showed the teacher that he 

randomly has powers.

Perhaps there is an event that occurred prior to the time that the film occurs where the boy discovers his powers, and he is excited to share this new discovery with his close confidant! 

Maybe I could take this a step further and have the boy start out being secretive with his parents and visibly bothered by something; when the boy goes in to speak to the teacher, he is very expressive and talkative and willing to share everything about the new power he discovered he had.

The main point that I need to establish in this excerpt is the importance of opening up and speaking from the heart; having an honest conversation and being truthful about one's feelings will lead to a positive solution.

I really like how this brainstorming session went; I'm glad I have a rough idea of how my two minutes will be structured and am excited to flesh out more of my characters in my next posting :).

                                      - Jake

TODAY'S HERO: SHAZAM (another alias is: CAPTAIN MARVEL) (Billy Batson)

Back Story: 

Fifteen-year-old Billy Batson was granted by a wizard the ability to use his power whenever he requested it.  Whenever Billy says "Shazam" (the name of the Wizard), Billy transforms into a superhero with superhuman abilities.

Powers:

Shazam has the ability of super speed, strength, flight, stamina, wisdom, magic/spell resistance,  and the manipulation of electricity.

Other: 

- SHAZAM is an acronym for the "six immortal elders": Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, Mercury

- Billy is actually a foster kid whose closest companion is his foster brother, Freddy Freeman

- Shazam has another alias: Captain Marvel (not as commonly used in modern day because of Marvel's character of the same name)

Comic Book Origin: 

- First appeared in Whiz Comics #2 (1940)

Movie History: 

- First appeared in 1941's Adventures of Captain Marvel starring Tom Tyler as Shazam and Frank Coghlan Jr. as Billy Batson

- Shazam will return to the big screen in 2019 in the film Shazam! starring Zachary Levi as Captain Marvel and Asher Angel as Billy Batson