Pre-Production - Initial idea & feedback

Initial Idea & Feedback

Project Brief

Whether I will be working on my own or in a group, the unit is set to test my ability in a set role that could potentially align with a potential career, the aim being to create a package for an original production, whether it be a hypothetical idea or something that I will go on to create in the following unit. Just some of the possible options for the pre-production unit include:

Professional Pre-Production

A large scale idea with the aim of competing with what is currently on television. This idea will be set up to be commissioned to a broadcasting company (e.g. BBC, ITV, HBO). As this idea will not actually be created in the following unit and is therefore not restricted to any budget.

Major Project Pre-Production

This option will see us, the students, creating a pre-production package for a project that we will then take forward into the production unit after Christmas. This could take the form of a short film, a documentary, a live production or anything that is achievable in a space of up to 20 minutes (our maximum guideline running time) on a student sized budget. This plan must therefore be very detailed.

Major Project - Screenplay Option

The screenplay option allows those who wish to get into screenwriting the opportunity to plan for either a television series or a feature length film with specific focus on screenwriting. This will involve writing up treatments, a synopsis and plenty of research points.

 Having chose one of these options, I must then choose a role to fill...

My Role and Ideas

For this unit I have chosen to take up the Major Project Pre-Production option, with the aim of producing and writing a short film alongside Josh Bayly, who will be the director. My role as the producer will involve creating the concept idea for this short film, bringing together and collaborating frequently with cast and crew, potentially sourcing locations and budgeting for the film. I will be tested on my integrity as both a team leader and co-worker and must understand when to say yes and when to say no, but must always remain open to suggestions.

My initial ideas involved creating a thrilling short that would allow for plenty of room for creativity from all roles. Potential ideas involved murder mystery's, drug busts and even horror. While my interest in film varies, a good number of my favourites included gang story's, mafia, or any sort of criminal activity (Reservoir Dogs, Fight Club and The Godfather are examples). While I was not looking to recreate and replicate these films, I did feel that a number of the ideas drafted were somewhat inspired by some of my favourite films.

The idea of telling the story of a bank robbery AFTER the incident in Reservoir Dogs intrigued me and I looked at how I could base a story around an incident without showing the incident itself. So one idea Josh and I had was to follow a drug dealer after a drug run gone wrong. The concept of the idea was relatively brief at this point.

Feedback

The issue with our idea is that there was too much focus on the plot of the film and not enough on the story itself. As a result, the idea didn't seem to really go anywhere, and while the visuals for out short could have potentially been very gripping and interesting, the story itself perhaps would not have worked as well as it perhaps should.

Another issue is that our knowledge on drugs and crime is limited to what we have seen on TV and on the big screen, it's not authentic to us. Simon suggested going for an idea that is more personal to us or go for an idea that is more relatable to an audience.

Leaving the meeting with Simon, I will look towards creating an idea that I can identify with. I will also change my approach to finding and finalising my idea, by crafting the story BEFORE looking at the plot, what's the purpose of this film?