First Draft of Script

 

Script by

Hanna-Mariam Chowdhury and Shima Begum

Scene 1: NEW HOME

 

Characters:  Homeless child and child 1

Location: Heron Quays DLR Station

WRLY: Establishing shot- Starts with an establishing shot of the DLR train approaching the platform. The camera will be in level with the train. The train will come to a halt and gradually stop. There will be nothing but diegetic sound of the intercom of the trains, the hustle of bystanders and commuters.

 

A Jump cut will be used and we see ourselves at the front of the door, The door will gradually slide open, and another jump cut will be used and change to a low angle were we see an extreme close-up shot of the protagonists shoe/foot. Another jump cut will be used and we see ourselves face forward at the protagonists feet. With the use of a Tracking shot the camera will move gradually in an upwards motion but stop at the neck where another jump cut is used.

 We are at the left side of the protagonist where she looks just above the camera known as a point of view shot. She seems lost and peers around and the camera seems quite unsteady and a little shaky Handheld shot. This is to show the protagonists uncertainty. This is then followed by another jump cut looking to the right this time in which we see a distinctive plastic medicinal cable attached from her nose, the camera is quite close to her face using a Close-up shot thus adding definition to her face and forming an almost pause or reaction shot for the audience at this point non-diegetic sound will occur, quite sentimental and emotional. Another jump cut forms at a low angle towards her hand where she possesses a small globe in which she holds tightly. The camera is shown facing away from her and at a low angle that is slightly tilted. You see her feet walking away from the camera and a blurred sign saying ‘Way Out’ seen in the distance. She walks into the distance and with a jump cut we are at the foot of the stairs in which a tracking shot is used to follow the protagonist on her journey.

 

With a mixture of tracking shots, low angles, mid shots, long shots with the help of jump cuts we see her walking across searching for a save heaven to live. She finds a large park, filled with grass, trees and a playground. A tracking shot will show the fence of the park and the sign, which says “Sir John McDougal Gardens” so the audience knows where she is residing. She walks into the park and looks around. A close up shot shows her slight relief behind the sorrow and sadness on her face that she has found a place to stay. A wide shot shows her walking to an isolated and desolate place and setting down her box. She crawls inside and begins to weep where a low angle shot will be used at a distance and non-diegetic sound will emerge (sad emotive tone).

 

Scene 2: UNLIKELY FRIENDS

 

Location: at the park where children play, in the background. And a new character enters

Time: The Next morning

WRLY: Child 1 is eating a packet of crisps and sees the box. A wide shot will be used in which she gradually starts to walk towards. A tracking shot shows her cautiously approaching the box. She peers inside and gasps after seeing the homeless Child looking frail, disheveled and dehydrated.

 

Child 1

Wrly: (eating crisps and speaking in an inquiring tone)

 

Dialogue: Hello! ... Are you alright? What’s your name?

 

Homeless Child

Wrly: (stares emptily back at child 1 and moves her gaze to her crisps. The protagonist suddenly snatches her crisps and huddles back to her box) an over the shoulder shot is used looking down at the homeless girl. There is no dialogue from the homeless child apart from heavy breathing as she eats the crisps in order to satisfy her hunger. There is the use of light tension non- diegetic sound

 

Child 1

Wrly: (Cautiously she approaches the box where the homeless child is currently residing and slowly peers into the box)

 

Child 1 Dialogue: Hello... What's your name?

 

Homeless Child

Wrly: (Looks at Child 1 while freezing with a crisp in her mouth. She quickly swallows it and takes a deep breath)

 

Child 1

Wrly: (Sits on the grass and attempts to befriend)

 

Dialogue: My names *Child 1*... how old are you?. Why are you all alone and living in a box?

 

Homeless Child

 

Wrly: (looks wearily at child 1 and faces away from her and a jump cut is used followed by a close up shot at a low angle where we see the child 1 in the distance) she is in a daze and starts to reminisce

 

                   Scene 3: FLASHBACK: Acknowledgment of the illness

 

INT. HOMELESS CHILDS HOME-MIDDAY

Name: HOMELESS CHILD

LOCATION: At the House

 

Wrly: There are distinctive things that will show the homeless girls illness. There will be distinctive objects scattered around the house. A tracking shot will be used to illustrate each item, alongside a series of jump cuts and flashing affects. We will see hospital documents scattered on the kitchen table, different bottles of medicine and fluids.

 

Scene 4: THE HIDDEN LETTER

 

Location: At the House

Name: Homeless Child

 

Wryly: Amongst all, there will be a handwritten letter. The father will come across it and slowly pick it up. A voiceover will begin in the voice of the young homeless child. An over the shoulder shot will be used, a high angle looking down at the letter. Sympathetic Non-diegetic music will begin

 

Dialogue:

Dad...I’m Sorry…

Ever since it happened. I felt empty I wasn’t normal, I felt lost.

I know something was wrong with me and I know it won’t ever go away. I have to live with this heartache and I don’t want you to feel it too.  You gave me So much love and I don’t want it. I don’t deserve so much love when all I am is a Burden. Harry resents me for taking up all your time. I do not want to be the cause of your misery and uptake. I know you are having money problems and I don’t want you to worry for me especially for any treatments. It’s no use I’m not that special anyway. I am going to miss you and the memories we had together. I am going to miss growing up. I have lost so much and yet haven’t seen anything yet. I will love you always. I cannot sit here and watch you slave over me and I have decided to leave. I have taken what’s needed and you will see me no more. Do not come looking for me, as I will run further. I am not worthy I am dying… so what’s the point of me sticking around when I don’t want to cause you grief. I wish you well daddy.

 

Love,

*Homeless child*

 

EXT.CHILD LEAVES THE HOUSE-DUSK

Name: HOMELESS CHILD

 

Wryly: The homeless child quietly creeps out of the house through the window at this moment the child is seen with quite a lot of bruises and blood whilst trying to get out of the house, she walks towards the end of the road and gives one last look at the house before she sets in to the unknown world before her. She has a small globe and a rucksack in her hand.

 

Scene 6: BACK TO REALITY

 

EXT. RIVERSIDE (OCEAN WHARF)-MIDDAY

 

HOMELESS CHILD

 

Wrly:   In a daze, but feeling quite uneasy and sick. The camera is at a low angle facing up towards the child in which blood spews out of her mouth after relentless amount of coughing. She is found crying and sobbing in pain aware that she is terribly sick and has no one to turn to.

 

Dialogue: None

 

HOMELESS CHILD

 

Wrly:   She gets up slowly looks around if there are any bystanders and slowly walks up towards the river looks blankly at it and drags herself closer to the river and sits near the river bank. And takes time to think and look back at her life.

 

                             SCENE 7: LOST AND FOUND

 

EXT.PLAYGROUND-NOON

 

Child 2

 

Wryly: The child walks up to the box where the homeless child lives. And is worried when the homeless child is not there using a Tracking shot. She looks all around the playground a tracking shot is used at a fast pace in a circular motion around child 2 where she hopelessly looks for the homeless child. Tension music starts to arise, Non-diegetic Sound. She begins to avert her eye to the riverside near the playground. She feels the need to run and is out of breath at her arrival a hand held shot is used. Child 2 tries to look around and walks towards the riverside as if there is something in the distance. An extreme close up shot is used just on child 2’s eyes showing the tension she has. Child 2 walks closer and stumbles across something on the floor a tracking shot from travels in a downward motion to the floor. She sees the small globe in which the girl had all broken in pieces and is in shock vast loads of jump cuts are used. She picks it up with much sorrow and looks back at the riverside and has as she has acknowledged that the homeless child has committed suicide, killed herself by drowning at sea. 

                                   

                                                THE END.

Interview Evidence with Adam (Filmaker)

Reece

There were a few locations that I had suggested to my partner on where to film. The locations that I had  visited had some potential benefits as well as some drawbacks.

The first location: Electric House Courtyard 

This location is a communal garden for residents who live in the building. The courtyard is mainly used so children can utilise it and play. There were many key attributes that could be beneficial for our film.

The communal garden had many benefits...  

Narrative

Interview with an experienced film maker

Transport for London-Location Permission

Myself and Hanna had emailed TFL, asking permission if we could use Heron Quays Platform as the opening scene of our film. 

Here below is their response.

An Audience Survey using 'Whatsapp' (Primary Research)

I had asked my target audience a few question, in regards to what they commonly find in dramas, what they like about them and which out of the scenarios they prefer. This research was to help me understand what my audience look for in films and what I should incorporate in my film to meet these demands.












My Responses 

Audience Profile

Creativity

Review of a Short Film

Paper Hearts Review

By Shima Begum

Director: Rob Brown

Genre: Drama

Location: South East

A distorted relationship between a father and son has left dents in their relationship. An absent father failing to bond with his son. And a son struggling to embrace his father, as he is nothing more than a stranger. The scene starts off with the beauty of sound. A pitch black screen with the hustle and bustle of London and distinctive breathing almost as if a chase was in order. We see a young boy trying to flee from an older mid-thirties man. We immediately assume the worst. With the help of a bystander we found out that the man was in fact his dad. The narrative of the film, using the enigma code was well choreographed and managed. As it kept the audiences alert and open to many questions.

The use of dialogue from the boy showed his humiliation towards his father. The opening scene explicitly shows his negativity towards his father. His use of body language and facial expressions are all evident. The father’s expressions emote clearly that his own son felt ashamed and disappointed in him. The use of non-diegetic sound helped elevate the scene even further. The use of slow, sad music illustrated the cracks they have in their relationship. As the scene progresses we find out why the boy was running away. The atmosphere seems calmer and a gradual bond is starting to develop amongst the two. During this scene we hear the father speak for the first time and judging by his accent (Liverpudlian) we know that there is a distant relationship particularly in location as they are from two different parts of the UK.

When you think their relationship is on a mend a confrontation occurs when the boy becomes irritable. During this scene you see the young boy trail behind the father. You do not see them walking together. This technique helped show the mass remoteness between them. The idea that there is nothing common between them despite having the strongest relationship, by name.  The father tries to console the young boy and offer to buy a bag that he had lost. The father feels helpless as he seems short of cash, little did he know that was the least of his problems as the young boy discovers a horrible truth about his dad. The use of a reaction shot explains the boy’s confusion and despair. Despite learning an ugly truth he becomes more understanding of his father and his situation that he is more accepting of him and quotes ‘You will always be my dad.’   

The good use of narrative and effective camera shots and editing techniques such as the reaction shot allowed viewers to take an interest towards the film but also keep them glued to the screen.

Fan Sites and Audience Appeal

BBFC

Source- http://www.bbfc.co.uk/about-bbfc