Representation

 In our film opener, we centered the story around real high school experiences, especially the pressures tied to gender, growing up, and emotional vulnerability. We wanted the visuals to feel honest and unpolished, rather than the glossy style that most teen dramas use. The film follows girls who are trying to survive a tense social environment, and instead of focusing on the popular crowd, we highlight the students who usually fade into the background.

 The two main characters represent different responses to trauma. One shows her pain through visible distress, while the other tries to hold everything in. Even though the “bully and victim” setup is familiar, our version avoids clichés by paying more attention to what happens afterward, emotionally, rather than the bullying itself. A lot of teen media either turns victims into revenge-driven characters or makes them bounce back instantly, but we wanted something more grounded.

We also pushed back against typical teen portrayals in two ways. First, instead of bright, high‑definition visuals that make school look glamorous, we use a lo‑fi digital style to keep the story rooted in reality. Second, we move away from the usual “mean girl” trope by showing moments of connection and support, not just cruelty. The split screen in frame five, for example, shows that pain is something both characters share

To strengthen the representation even more, I would adjust a few details. In the first frame, when the bully enters, the girls’ reactions could feel less like fear and more like tired frustration, as if this is something they’ve dealt with before. I would also add more personal details to the characters and their belongings, so they feel like fully developed individuals rather than just “the victims.”