Pre-Production - New Idea: Condemned

New Idea: Condemned

The Last Idea

Having pitched the last idea to Andrea, Simon and the rest of the class, we were told that the idea was not feasible and would be too dialogue heavy to work as a short. Although it was inevitably up to us as a group whether we would like to continue on with the idea or not, it was recommended that we came up with something new, something that would be easier to work with. We decided to begin working on a new idea, something that we would have to get together by our next tutorial.

The New Idea

So as aforementioned, we were tasked with creating a new idea to work with. This new idea needed more focus on the visual aspect of the film and less on the dialogue, something that the last idea failed to provide.

Short Synopsis - Having been locked away for over 40 years for the murder of his wife, a murder he’d never committed, David is finally set free when new evidence revealing he was not the killer. He meets with an old friend, Stephen, in an attempt to rekindle their friendship. However, he is met with the news that Stephen is tragically ill and does not have long left for the world. What he does not know is that Stephen holds a dark secret about his wives untimely death.

Characters

David - Recently released from prison for the murder of his wife, David is an introverted character who gets walked over by society but accepts it. Kind at heart, people have a tendency of taking advantage of his kindness for their own personal benefit.

Stephen - Stephen can be described as a chatty, extroverted character who was once very outgoing. Now that he is terminally ill, Stephen has become more and more introverted and snappy over time.

Points to think about

Does David kill Stephen or allow him to die at his own accord?

Does David serve the full 40 year sentence? Does his crime warrant a 40 year sentence?

Consider his temperament when thinking about his sentence.

Drunken spat between Stephen and the wife, that's how she dies?

Play on the fact that David and Stephen were best friends before prison.

David remembers Stephen and contacts him through details he finds in the yellow pages.

David is being rehabilitated into this whole new world - he discovers new things everywhere.

40 years would have to be a brutal murder

Never protested the conviction - so wound up and quiet

Blames himself despite not remembering the crime. Convinced himself he's the murderer?

Think about a third character. A daughter? He's never met her. Could also be Stephen's daughter(?)

How do we find out Stephen is dying?

Would a day release apply to this crime?

Stephen's terminally ill state leaves him with his own 'life sentence'.

Dramatic irony at the end

Keep it visual, not too much dialogue, don't tell it, show it

Killed wife because she's pregnant?

Maybe David kills Stephen as a form of redemption for himself as opposed to revenge.

Set it up that David is innocent, the reveal he isn't