Script For Unit 4 Pitch

Script for unit 4 pitch

Hello my name is Kundai and today I will be presenting to you my short film along with the production company MoonLit productions.
My film is called Bellum – which is a Latin word for ‘war’. I chose the word war not because this is a horror film based on war or a battlefield but ‘war’ between the living and the supernatural, a war of abilities and advantages we have a humans compared the forces that we do not have control over and the main question – who will win?

The idea –
The idea was to create a horror film like no other before. It was to really get under the skin of the viewers and spook them but without too much damage!
My inspiration I got was from my film don’t breathe where the main characters plan and break into a house to steal money from a man whom received insurance from the death of his daughter. After a meticulous and premeditated plan to rob the man, in their minds they are set for the mission and presume the man is fragile and unstable – they are soon welcomed to a surprise.
My idea was very much influenced by this in how easy a decision to go wondering and snooping into an ‘abandoned’ house is so innocent yet intrusive however the details which lie ahead have a far heavier and regret filled meaning than these teens could ever comprehend.

My initial film idea –
My film is about a teenage group of five friends who on one night, decide to casually go out for a few drinks and enjoy their freedom. After taking a walk in attempts to sober up and drinking in the early night – they come across a familiar abandoned manor house and decide to check it out. Feeding their drunk curiosity, they’re soon introduced to a horrific, psychotic and paranormal experience that will end some, distress some and possess some…but may the bravest man win.

What is it? –
I intend to create a new way of thrilling an audience by using experimental camera techniques that will keep viewers at the edge of their seat.
Although this is a short film I think that I can make unpredictable and different ways of scaring my audience.
My target audience –
My target audience is teenager between 15-21 year olds which is the most popular ages for an audience to watch horror films. Often horror films are targeted towards this age range so I will stay within the expected margin as you will find if you make a horror film for people between 30 - 50 years old they aren’t that keen to go as it simply doesn’t appeal to them.
My target audience is not gender specific, however may be watched most likely by boys/ men as they are the biggest thrill seekers -  I have made it feature a good amount of males and females to really even out the proportion or genders.

Distribution –
I intend to distribute my film via the internet on free film and video streaming websites such as YouTube or Vimeo. These are good sites for me to distribute my film on as they are free and they have the ages in my target audience being the biggest and most frequent users.  I can also get it distributed via CD which I can produce myself via Windows Media player and burn my film onto DVD disks and distribute them by hand.
Another way which I can distribute my film is in newsagents, local youth clubs which can be made free or at a low cost such as 50p- £2 or schools/ sixth forms. This way I could possibly gain some profit from the production of my film. The final method of distribution could be via professional DVD or cinema but that would all depend on the success of my short film.

Research –
This helped me by receiving current and up to what opinions from people of my target audience so I have an insight of what is popular now.
I will also be conducting secondary research by using websites such as BARB, IMDb and BoxOfficeMojo wo find out the ratings on films which I have chosen for my examples, the themes and storylines behind the horror films to help me decide what I want my main conflict to be and the best way to produce a horror film within a 10 minute time period.

Another form of research which I undertook a focus group presentation that I held in which I showed the audience my synopsis and gave them a brief idea of what my film is about then showed them two example videos that I have selected. This way I was able to gather the opinions from an audience from already existing short films and see what they enjoyed the most and this way I am able to apply the things which are most enjoyed by an audience and apply them to any skill gaps which I have within my shirt film.
My audience highlighted a few techniques that would be good to in cooperate within my short film.

Gap in the market? –
I think that there is a gap in the market for my short film and this is because I don’t know of any film which has paid attention so much on two separate genres and have gone to successfully convey that through the screenplay.
There is not a major difference within many thrillers and horrors but I want mine to be an unpredictable mix which will leave the viewers truly confused and wanting more.
There is also a possible hybrid between my horror genre and child abuse which can make a strange, hard to predict but truly effective short film. The fact of it being a short film may also work in my favour due to such little time which means you can cram in all the effects and meanings to create a new short film experience altogether.

Budget –
I am currently on a nothing to low budget of £50
Moonlight productions will be using the facilities and equipment and accessories that have been made available for us to use from a sister company free of charge. This way we can knuckle down on any outside costs that we may have and we may also use the equipment whenever we feel necessary and this can help with the efficiency in the production of the film.
Costs will also be kept to a minimum by using cast and crew within my production company.

Copyright –
I will not be using any music which is copyrighted as this will breech the owner’s copyright protection. For sound I can use websites such as freesound.org which enables me to get sounds, theme and mood music which can fit scenes in order to match perfectly with the atmosphere. They have an array of sounds available which are free of copyright and are free to use forever.
I will be producing wavier forms for all of my crew in order for them to read and sign so that they know they and I will be protected against any copyright invasion.
There will be other legal forms which will have to be sent off and signed, such as:
Location permission (permission to film at a particular location)
Filming permission
Permission to film on premises even after risk assessment has been followed through etc.
These are the copyright snd legal procedures which I will have to follow in the production for my short film.

Equipment –
For equipment, my film won't require too much as this film is set in the early evening – late evening and will need a good camera( Panasonic or legria camera) and a few lights to support some of the scenes before they get into the haunted house. We will also require a microphone to project as good of a sound quality as possible.
Other pieces of equipment that I require will be available from a sister company which has allowed Moonlit productions to use their equipment at no extra cost. The sister company has a range of professional and specialised equipment which will be required in the production of my film. Some of these pieces of equipment include a boom pole, which enables sound to be caught and blocks out any wind that may cause a fuzz through the microphone and decrease the sound quality.
Other pieces of equipment I may need are wind shields and waterproof shields if required, as I will be shooting in cold weather.

Equipment contd’
Another is an Apple Mac laptop which can help me edit my film or Avid media editing software using some of its specialist features.
. I will also require a phone camera to use in the production of my film as there will be some scenes that it will be used for to give that live feel to the film and make it seems as though some of the teenagers are recording what they are going through and it makes the film seem more real life.

Cast
These are my 5 friends in my shirt film, and is the group of teenagers which will end up in the haunted house.
All of my cast members are amateur actors and actresses and I have been lucky enough to be able to use them at no cost whatsoever. They will however not come out this empty handed despite doing it for me for free because they will get recognition from my short film as well as they short moment of fame. The skills that I can also teach them will improve them as actors and actresses will also improve their acting ability and knowledge.

MoonLit productions anticipate for the production of my film to take between 10-30 days to ensure all the correct and appropriate scenes are taken, we have enough time for any cancellations, replacements and delays and so that we can produce the best product we can.
An estimate of how long it will take to reach the location is about 10-15 minutes from the meeting point which is the beacon school; this is a good time as we won't waste time on travelling expenses or moving equipment.
I must make sure that all to my crew are available at the same time or flexible times and I have had a discussion with all of them and they are all available at the same time almost every day, and we will be filming 3 times a week to ensure if anything we always remain ahead of schedule.

Resources / equipment
This is a superb quality microphone which could be used for both broadcast and studio use and pics up and delivers exceptional quality of vocal sounds which definitely gives my film a professional quality. I think that this will add production quality to my film and despite it is only a short film – it has qualities of a feature film and will allow the audience to have a much more pleasurable viewing experience.

Constraints for Bellum

Constraints by kay machaka on Scribd

Proposal

Draft proposal 

Content outline/ Synopsis

I will be working with MoonLit productions in the production and development of my film and will be working very closely with the MoonLit team to ensure that we have the utmost clear and accurate results which match my synopsis and outline of my film. 

The genre that i have chosen for my film is Horror. I have chosen this because I think that there is a gap in the market for a new kind of horror film - one that psychologically plays on your mind and genuinely has you frightened to find out what happens next. I plan to make my film awaken your deepest and darkest fears whilst giving you unexpected scary scenes to leave you constantly hung upon the edge of your seat.

My film is about a teenage group of five friends who on one night, decide to casually go out for a few drinks and enjoy their freedom. they go on a walk with an attempt to sober up one of their friends and lose track of where they are until, they come across a familiar abandoned manor house and decide to check it out. Feeding their drunk curiosity which rapidly leads to danger - a horrific, psychotic and paranormal experience that will end some and posses some - but may the bravest man win.

The five teenagers consist of:

Ally - The notoriously known scaredy-cat, she is the sensible one although clumsy and always ends up in sticky situations. However Ally is smart and witty and has quick thinking when she needs to, but will her fears get the best of her?

James - the cheeky jack-the-lad who's always up for a laugh. James has a likable quirky personality and can always put a smile on your face and doesn't take things too seriously but will he be having a smile on his face by the end of the night?

Craig - The charming yet sensitive one who never really gets out, brought up by fairly strict parents and has just been deprived of his curfew, decides to get out and get loose with friends to experience night life for the first time and take the early stages of adulthood in his stride, however - will this exciting debut of his prove to be worth while?

Rochelle - The active, sporty and bubbly one who shares similar traits to James but knows when to cut the fun and get serious. Rochelle is often misunderstood but always tried her best to help and support people in any way she can. She has a fairly quick reflex but hesitates when under pressure and can sometimes make risky yet smart decisions when nervous but which end of her instincts will we see?

Sean - The most humble individual who takes care of friends and has a good head on his shoulders. Tends to have a short temper when provoked, been in several fights and can be a little silly and reckless but knows how to have a good time and makes people feel at ease with his natural grace. Sean can often be seen standoffish by others, is sometimes the brave boy to save the day however, could his unknown fears get the best of him?

My film will start of with a casual night out with college friends, having a few drinks and just enjoying themselves on a night out. They bar hop and decide after a friend has had one too many that they'll go on a walk and cool off as well as attempt to sober up their drunken companion.
The friends end up on a long back road off the top of the high street and decide to keep walking as they're lost in conversation with one another and plan to call a cab in the next 15 minutes. With 2 out of 5 phones dead, one very low on battery and one temporary phone and another without a strong signal what lies ahead is ultimately beyond their wildest, darkest imagination. 

The truth behind what the stars have aligned for them is inevitable for them to run from and they only get caught up in the web of disaster as it as it begins to strike. 

Once they go into the house, a tale of sinister events starts to happen and the group gets split up and in a whirlwind of fear that they get drawn into hell. One of the teenagers breaks their ankle and cries out in agony, another falls onto a rake as they trip down a short flight of stairs, revealing a ghostly truth. Two of the teenagers team up and try to escape but lose direction in the house and voices that sound like their friends lure them into a room as they try to save as many of them as they can, they end up locked in the room, being horribly teased by the spirits in the house. 

The characters are brave and determined not to die, they all push and fight for each other. They pull together and add all their efforts in to survive from the old manor house but fate has already got a terrifying plan for them despite their courage, this is going to be a heck of an adventure!

Target Audience 

My target audience is for the ages between 15 and 25. During young adulthood you are in the key stages of developing yourselves and learning about the world, you want to try new things and experiment with different emotions and feelings as well as feel surprised and awaken emotions that you have never experienced before.You want to rush into life without being guided and therefore seek all thrill you can get as it liberates and excites you and brings out your risk taking youth. Horror movies give this thrill and can excite the young audience more than an older audience. The young audiences are also less susceptible to being put off the film by violence or unnatural images which may make older audience feel negative or offended by the film and they appeal to younger people as we crave the fear factor in many things we do, purely to receive that adrenaline rush! I have set my target audience similarly to the ages of the characters which star in the film because 

equipment/ location 

For equipment, my film won't require too much as this film is set at night and will need a good camera( Panasonic or legria camera) and a few lights to support some of the scenes before they get into the haunted house. We will also require a microphone to project as good of a sound quality as possible.

The location will be in a dark field where a haunted house is placed and has space and filming. We will be using the Nork Park area to film and we have space to film this and it doesn't require much technology at all.

personnel/ requirements and specialists

MoonLit productions will need to pay for cabs for people there and back home as the filming will be done at night and in the middle of a field.
The production company will need planning permission from the local council to film here as it is on public grounds. We also need to obtain the necessary documents to enable us to film and project the correct scene to our audience. 

Project schedule

MoonLit productions estimate the production of my film to take between 5-10 days to ensure all the correct and appropriate scenes are taken, we have enough time for any cancellations, replacements and delays and so that we can try  to produce the best product we can given our equipment. The estimate of how long the location will take to about 10-15 minutes to reach from the meeting point which is the beacon school; this is a good time as we won't waste time on travelling expenses or handling.

Resources

For equipment, my film won't require too much as this film is set at night and will need a good camera( Panasonic or legria camera) and a few lights to support some of the scenes before they get into the haunted house. We will also require a microphone to project as good of a sound quality as possible.

Other pieces of equipment that I require will be available at school as the filming media department has a range of professional specialised equipment which will be required in the production of my film. Some of these pieces of equipment include a boom pole, which enables sound to be caught and blocks out any wind that may cause a fuzz through the microphone. Another is an Apple Mac laptop which can help me edit my film using some of its specialist features. A Panasonic AVCCAM AG-AC160AEJ 2.2 MP Camcorder - 1080p, which is a camcorder camera that we have available in the media department which is available for us to use to film with. I will also require a phone camera to use in the production of my film as there will be some scenes that it will be use for to give that live feel to the film and make it seems as though some of the teenagers are recording what they are going through and it makes the film seem more real life.

My other pieces of equipment that i will require are boom pole wind shields, as i will be shooting in cold weather, it will be crucial to carry around these extra pieces of equipment just in case of any weather surprises etc. 

Location

The location will be in a dark field where a haunted house is placed and has space and filming. We will be using the Nork area to film and we have space to film this and it doesn't require much technology at all.

Props

I wont require using many props on the first scenes of my film but will require some props to fill the haunted house to make it appear old and some props will be needed for some of the scenes that I set where they may be something in particular set up to fall from the ceiling or to fall down a flight of stairs to emphasize the feel and terror of the film.

Budget

My budget for my film is approximately is £0-£50
For my short film, my budget is a low - nothing budget as we have;t many costs for equipment of resources.

Horror film example clips - BELLUM

This is an extract from the movie 'the eye', which shows how silence in a horror film can be just as if not even more effective than too much narrative and screenplay. It shows the simplicity in a scene using a very small amount of music in the scene, it shows how much tension is built up by the silence as you are waiting for the point in which you'll jump and be shocked. The screenplay is effective in how it makes us wait for what is to come...


 Often in movies when the villain is a zombie or gory character, they place a man in the role, rather than a female which plays the ghost or the possessed character. Here is a scene from Nightmare on elm street, where a creepy burnt man is after another male, ready to kill with his blade like fingers.

  
Here we see an animal (Shark), which isn't after one specific person or small group of people like we usually see in movies, but is just ready to attack all. This builds suspense effectively for the audience as it is less predictable and explicitly portrays the fight and strength of man vs animal.

 
 Here we see a female being portrayed as the villain, the opposite of exactly what she should be, a demonic, scary, horrifying beings whom used to be, now back here for revenge.

location background - BELLUM

LOCTIONS

Here are some images of locations which are close to my house, the Epsom/ Banstead area which i think is appropriate for the genre of my film. I think that these images are somewhat effective in portraying the genre of my film without words, its just simple images for you to think about what the situation may be, what kind of villain may be involved whether that be a zombie, ghost, murderer, axe-man, deceased girl/woman (these have a tendency to be used in films as the female character is usually the innocent, elegant one, so to use a woman contradicts the stereotype) and/ or animals. 

Film Genres - Pros and cons

Film Genres

Horror mood board

Horror mood board

This is a mood board which fits the genre of my choice and projects the different kinds of horror movies that are out there which include children, adults, adults with child minds and each of them have a specific target audience which they aim at. My target audience is teenagers as my film will be teenager horror and this is the most popular genre of horror films as its the most watched type of horror film and receives the highest number of audiences. The teenage audience is also very influenced by horror and scary scenes as they are thrill seeking, adventurous and spontaneous - they are the ones seeking new experiences and that's what i would hope to give then through watching my film. i hope that they would experience by having a new, unexpected way of making the scared, having unpredictable scenes which would make the, jump and having a creative plot twist to seal the deal.