Production File

Background/ Concept

At a time of a bad break up and watching a lot of 40s and 50s films such as Casablanca, Gilda and various film noirs such as Sunset Blvd, The Third Man and The Killing, I was thinking to myself “what happened to great films like this”.
So I decided to do something I normally don’t do a romance film (you could say my FMP at college was but it focused on domestic violence but to the point where the character loves her treat much he hurts her) like Gilda or Casablanca, one more on story and one a male audience can watch.
Mixing this with my recent break up (where I did want to still be with the person) my idea came to write about an ex coming to collect some old things and get the characters back together came together.
Two key inspirations to develop this was the book ‘Directing- Film Techniques and Aesthetics’ by Michael P. Rabiger which said to develop things that have happened to you and change it so its not the same and to a story.
The other was Simon Perkins when I had a chat and he explained that the great directors start off with simple ideas when they make shorts and he said what makes a good short is a good scene/Situation.

Preproduction

Instead of writing a synopsis, I actually found myself writing this film, all came together and I just started to write it.
First Script:
(Wide Shot of door)
*Knocking*

^guy goes to door and opens door^

(close up of each character)
Guy-Hey ^small smile^
Girl-Hey ^Small smile^

^guy gestures for her to come in^

(wide shot)
Guy-Your stuff is over there, I’ve boxed it for you.
Girl- Thanks

^guy moves to kitchen area^
(wide shot of kitchen)

Guy-Want a drink?

(Medium Wide)
Girl- Yes please, what do you have?

(cutting between characters)
Guy-Whiskey? Rum?

Girl-Can i have a rum please?

^pouring the drinks^

(wide shot) - keep same shot for awhile to create a sense of awkwardness
^handing the drinks over^
*Silence*

^girl will been having finger gestures on the glass and will slowly drink the drink^
Guy-How you been keeping?
Girl- Ok, been living with my mum.
Guy-How is your mum?
Girl- She’s fine, got a new job as a teacher.
Guy - nice.
(medium close up)
Girl-How about you?
(close up)
Guy - Ok, be better with you.
^guy knocks drinks back walks to refill^

(medium Wide)
Girl- Please

(Wide)
^Refilling Drink^
Guy- What? You think it’s easy for me?

(close up)
Girl-You think it’s easy for me?

^the guy walks to look out the window^
(wide shot with girl in the background)
Guy- Well it was you who walked out

(close up)
Girl - But it was you who was the jerk.

(medium wide)
^Turns around^
Guy- Me... It was you that...

(close up)
Girl - Please can we not argue?

(Wide)
*Silence*
^girl looks around^
(shot of keyboard)

(Medium wide)
Girl - You been playing a lot recently?

(close up)
Guy-Yeah, it’s my only escape.

(medium wide)
Girl- You used to play a lot for me when we first met.

(wide shot)
^rubbing his finger on the keyboard^
Guy – Well, it’s not just my looks that were going to seduce you.

(medium wide)
girl-*laughs* ^smiles^
(close up)
^guy smiles^
(medium wide)
Girl - Play something like you use to.

^guy sits and plays^
^she’s smiling^
(cutting between the two)

^she gets teary^

Girl - I must be leaving.

(medium close up)
^he notices^
Guy-Wait..
^walks to her^

(medium wide)
^looking at each other^

This is where ill have the monologue, i going to write a few these next few days.
^they kiss^

(Fades)
(shot wide of both characters)
^Girl is hugging up to him, smiling^
(camera pans to picture of them together in frame)
(fades)
THE END.

all the credits at the start of the movie homaging classic cinema.

Then after speaking to Jools who gave me some tips, he told me to make the male character more reluctant and not to get them back together at the end and to imply that they do, which goes well with my idea of the credits at the start like 40s and 50s films do.

For a few weeks we worked with a director and actor who help us understand how to use actors and understand our ideas better, I have already had experience with actors from doing Drama at GCSE where I directed a lot of the plays I did.
(second script page
While this was happening I was searching for actors on Starnow.com
I got a reply from a local actor Charlie Osborn who worked in short films before and a feature length film; she also lived locally which made expenses not a problem.
We got in touch via emails and she seemed interested in the project but then one day never got in touch and didn’t answer.

By this time I got in touch with my grandma to film at her house and as the setting suited a dinning room to kitchen.
After knowing that Charlie wasn’t going to act I decided to turn to two friends, one who has done drama and another who hasn’t but is very sarcastic so I thought id try.
With us 3 and my cinematographer we went to the shoot with 2 lights (which the flood didn’t work) one flood and one spot, one Sony VX2000, one tripod, one k6 microphone with pistol and boom and a box for a prop.
Knowing it was going to be for a pilot the idea of this shoot was to film 2 minutes, to use the shoot as a test to know when I do come to film it I know the problems and what to look out for.
My idea is to film it again 3 times, one using VX2000, one using z1 standard DV and another in HDV, in doing this I can choose my favourite version.
My idea is to film it again 3 times, one using VX2000, one using z1 standard DV and another in HDV, in doing this I can choose my favourite version.