Forming an Idea
After figuring out what genre I want my film to be based on, I started thinking about the idea and content of the film. The idea of making a film about a struggling dancer fighting to rise to the top and overcome many obstacles came to mind. I envisioned the opening scene; a dancer spinning in slow motion with a voice over describing the girl's life and her struggles to become a dancer.
After reviewing multiple dance movies, I couldn't find any that I had envisioned in my head. I still don't know the major theme, content or conflict of my movie, but I have an idea how the scene will start. I chose a dance movie because I love dance, I find them fun and energetic to watch and I am a big fan of movies about dance. I'm amazed how our bodies move, how flexible and bendable we can be. I want to show a different take on how much dancing can impact a person. I know many people who live, breathe, and eat dance. They are always in the studio practicing in their spare time.
Making it in the dance industry is extremely hard, some people work almost 24 hours a day to make their dream a reality. I want my audience to feel like they are part of that journey to the top. To understand the amount of work, sweat and rejection they face on daily basis.
Dance is a language, a way of expressing yourself. Some "professional" dancers show a story through their body movements. I find this very beautiful and interesting, which is why I chose dance as my topic. Dance is expressed in many different ways, by many different people (as seen in these images). In my movie, I not only plan to show the power of dance, but also the internal strength and determination you must have to go the distance.
Why Dance?
As I have previously expressed, dance is a beautiful art form, however I don't believe there are many dance movies that are inspirational and truly show the audience a dancer's true struggles and daily rejection. Most movies like "Step Up" and "Footloose" are centered around people who already know how to dance, or dance competitions.
There are a ton of movies about aspiring singers that try to make it to the top, which is why I chose something different. There are millions of people who can sing, they are mediocre or amazing, but there are not many people who can really dance, in a way that catches peoples attention and tells a story. It is much harder to become a dancer than it is to become a singer or an actor, and lets face it, concerts, movies and plays wouldn't be the same without professional dancers in the background.
Sources:
"The Top 25 Movies That Will Inspire You To Dance." Hollywood.com. N.p., 03 Sept. 2014. Web. 10 Mar. 2016. http://www.hollywood.com/movies/best-dance-movies-57160266/#/ms-235/1
