Now, the most important part of the research, will it sell well?

Open Arms had many inspirations, but the most prominent influence on my choices came from a video game titled Fire Emblem: Fates. The focus and theme of the Fates series revolves around ideological differences and choice. In the game, the player (who is unknowingly kidnapped) lives their entire life in the Kingdom of Nohr as a prince(ss). However, one day they discover that they are actually a prince(ss) who was kidnapped from the neighboring Kingdom of Hoshido. They are forced to choose: do they side with their birth family or stay with the new family they created in Nohr?

Though this game has a very different plot from my story, the aesthetics of the world and underlying conflicts had a ton of influence on my film.

Here is a photo of the Nohrian Royals:

They are heavily European inspired. The armor, the hairstyles, the scenery (though obviously fantastical and magical looking) has very noticeable medieval european flare. This is especially prevalent when you compare the Nohrians to the Hoshidans.

Hoshidans wear very traditional Japanese clothing and typically have hairstyles to match.  The scenery of Hoshido also very clearly resembles an artistic take on ancient Japan.

These design, scenery, and costume choices make a clear indication to the audience that the two kingdoms have opposing ideas and ideologies, which I want to be very apparent in my film.

How well did this game sell? According to VGChartz, the Fire Emblem: Fates series sold around 1.84 million units and brought a lot of attention to the Fire Emblem franchise. Having to choose between two different sides definitely had a strong effect on audiences everywhere.

Fire Emblem: Fates. Nintendo and Intelligent Systems, 2015. Nintendo 3DS

VGChartz Ltd. "Fire Emblem Fates." VGChartz. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.