Research Project- 3 Possible ideas

Idea 1) Short film - Cautious as Serpents, Innocent as Doves

My first and most prominent idea for my college FMP (final major project) has to be a short film which I hope to use to sell a larger concept in the future. The idea is that the film would serve as part of a pitch for a TV show that I have created. It would give an idea of the style and tone of the show, as well as reveal some of the characters.

The film its self follows two characters as misfortune brings them together on a cold winters night in the middle of no where. The first character, referred to as the old man in the film, is driving illegal goods across country after being blackmailed by a self proclaimed criminal king-pin. The second character finds himself in the trunk of the old mans pick-up, after escaping from a different group of pycos, looking to kill him.

The film would have a very Coan brother esk feel to it, giving it more of a cinematic look rather than a TV one. Stylistically, it would also lean towards the Coan brothers, gleaning from films like True Grit and No country for old men. (look at images for visual ideas from Coan Brother films)

The film would last around the 10 minute mark. The biggest problem with the project comes from getting the production look we want, that being professional and not amateur. Another issue will be getting the right casting. No matter how pretty we can make it look, if the characters aren't played right then the whole project will fall down.

Idea 2) Documentary - Little voice (Loulé)

The second Idea is for a documentary based around the disability known now as Kleefstray syndrome. Extremely rare, it effects certain chromizones in the brain causing a variety of different health and learning difficulties. The are only a couple of hundred reported cases in the world making it extremely rare. The reason I have an interested in this is because my little sister, Loulé was born with it.

My goal for the film would be to open peoples eyes to disability and to change the way they look at people with disabilities. Lets face, when we are out shopping or going to a movie and we see someone who is acting in a very old way we naturally shy away. Even when we know that they can't help it. Having a disabled sister changes that. You don't care that we're making loud noises or making unnaturally because you have sympathy. You that they are human too, not animals. They feel the same way we do. I hope to make people not so scared of those with mental or physical disabilities but huminiazing them.

The film would focus around my sister and her day to day life. Showing her doing the things she loves, singing dancing, chatting and playing. But I also what the audience to feel what she feels. The world is a scary place at the best of times, imagine not being able to understand any of it. Loulé gets scared easily and by the most simple of things. By showing people what it's like to live in a world where you don't understand whats happening, hopefully I can change how they look at those with disability.

Idea 3) Short film- model family

My third Idea is much simpler than the others. A model family is a short film based around a dolls house and the family of dolls that live inside. It is also the only idea I have completed a reasonably substantial treatment for.

Overview: The film looks at your typical nuclear family, Mum dad sister and brother. The family goes about its normal business. This pre existing concept of a perfect family is soon destroyed as their demons creep from the wood work. The mother's alcohol and drug addiction, the brothers self-hatred, the father's outbursts and his wandering hands, the broken glass, the bloody water, the empty bottles and hollow eyes.

The point: The point of the short is an experience in not simply believing what you first see and that there simply doesn’t exist a “model family”. Even through on the outside things seem happy and each member is content, the reality behind closed doors is much different. When the door shuts and the sun goes down, that’s when the dragons come out to play.

Mood and feel: I want the beginning of the short to feel quite bright and vibrant. Similar to sitcoms or children's TV shows. This puts across the idea of happiness and safety. However, as things start to reveal themselves, the colour pallet changes to murky, grey and bleak colours as the reality of the situation is shown.

Viewpoint- The audience is taken through the story with the two children. If the children don’t see it happening then the audience doesn’t. Acts off screen will be played out by sound effects and foley. The view point jumps between the two siblings as the film progresses.

Style- The style of the short can best be described as stop motion without the motion. each scene is locked in time and the camera relieves what happened. This works for two reasons. The first is practical. Stop-motion takes a long time to shoot and an even longer time to get right. Plus, bad stop motion looks terrible. The second refers back to the view point. We are seeing things through the eyes of two children. How they see things is almost like it’s frozen in time. A singular moment seems to last forever in the mind of a child as they try to comprehend what they are seeing or feeling.    

Cinematography- As there is little to no dialogue, explain through movement will be key. For example, a scene where the little boy has slit his wrists in the bathtub could start innocently, hiding the grim details at first before revealing what has happened.

Close-ups of a scene will be key in a project like this. Focusing on objects that have fallen onto the floor during a struggle builds suspense as the audience wonders how they got there. This will be used throughout the short, as a scene is slowly revealed, until the full picture is given to the audience.  

A huge part of getting across the emotional tone that we want to hit will be having lighting perfect for each scene. The biggest problem we will face is getting wooden dolls with one facial expression to have a sea of different emotions. We can do what we can with placement and position but even with those two elements we are limited. Having atmospheric lighting will be key. A character that is struggling with inner-turmoil, half his face in shadow half in light. A character who feels ashamed of what has just happened has the shadow of the window Muntins obstruction parts of her face.

Soundtrack- I want the soundtrack to be simply, reflecting on the progression of the story, getting more and more dark and manic as the household descends. Maybe just a piano of just a guitar.

Shot/situation Ideas

• Typical family meal
• Mum cooking with daughter
• Family watching TV
• Mum and dad in bed reading
• Kids playing
• Kids brushing their teeth
• Parents cuddling on sofa

Takes turn

• Little girl knocks over plant - dad beats with belt

• Mum and dad sleeping together- then facing opposite ways
• Mum drinking
• Parents arguing - kids in bed
• Mum drinking again
• Dad looking at inappropriate stuff
• Beats little girl with belt again - no reason
• Parents arguing - dad beats mum - Little girl watching
• Dad touches little girl - Brother on top bunk doesn’t know what to do
• Brother hates himself
• Dad continues to do it
• Brother looks at self in mirror - starts self harming
• Mum now taking more and more pills
• Dad continues - brother slits wrists in bath
• Girl sees mum kill dad in kitchen
• Door closes - little girl playing with dolls house - man standing over her with belt