Development

I have decided to stick with my proposal of a short film using split screen. I am wanting my style to be gritty and dark and so have devised a shoot schedule for tomorrows shoot.

Everything seems underway and I am really exited to start this. I was apprehensive at first because I am creating this all alone as opposed to always having worked in a team, however I must admit I do love the fact that it is all my own work and so I can change something if I am not happy about it, instead of being talked over by a team mate and going with an idea they think is worth good grade (which unfortunately has happened many a time before). I am enjoying having free reign on this project and feel it is helping me to become much more confident in using the equipment and eventually when in post production, the editing software I so often shy away from!

I have kindly been given permission to film at my friends house over in Chester (whom is acting in the film) and propose to do so tomorrow morning. I am aware it will be a long day what with making this alone, but I am confident that it will go to plan; having a clear outlined shoot schedule definatly helps with this!

I propose to film as much as possible tomorrow and then head back the following week for any pick up shots I may have missed which I can imagine will be a few as one year olds do not usually conform to what you are asking of them!

Below is a detailed shoot schedule I will be using when filming. I have highlighted the scenes where I will be using the child so that we can get his scenes shot first so as to keep him occupied enough so that he falls asleep, in order for us to shoot the rest of the film. I aim to have many close up shots of both characters so to give the audience that isolated feel. I also want the entire film shot in the house, especially the prostitution scene as I feel this gives the feel of character feeling trapped with no other way out.

Shot List

 Jen -mother

Leo - child

WS – wide shot

CU – close up

MS – mid shot

Shoot for at least 10 seconds at a time

Opening scene:

CU Jen in bed

CU feet twitching

Cu alarm going off

MS Jen waking up sitting edge of bed

CU grabs dressing gown

WS walks into bathroom - from outside bathroom door 

Cut to 

Running bath –

Mid shot using tracker outside bathroom, Jen in dressing gown.

Jenny running a bath

CU tap running

CU jen brushing teeth

CU taps running - use split screen here

CU of jen’s feet, drops dressing gown on floor

Cut to

CU jen wiggling toes

Tracking shot of jen moving down into bath

CU using jib or stedicam over jen – puts head nearly fully immersed in water, slowly closes her eyes. Takes deep breathe

CU pull focus from behind empty bubble bath bottle

CU jen startled, opens eyes!

Complete silence - or use music throughout, determine this in edit. 

CU jens feet getting out of bath

CU grabs towel

Tracking shot of leo in room crying alone

CU water swirling down plug hole

Tracking shot jen walking into leos room, takes him from bed/cot

CU leos face on jens shoulder

Stedi cam follow jen leaving room to go downstairs carrying leo

Stedi cam stay at top of stairs

Tracking shot from bottom of stairs of both coming downstairs

CU leos hands or feet or eyes

Cut to - 

Downstairs scene:

MS places leo down or in high chair, he sits happily

MS jen turns of cartoons

Ext Shot - Split screen

CU of the door number 

MS of post being put through door

CU landing on the floor

CU of jen opening letters worringly

MS walks into kitchen

CU throws letters down

Split screen -  

CU boils kettle pull focus with letters in view

CU putting last piece of bread in toaster

CU putting coffee in cup – not much in jar

CU leo playing happily

CU takes milk from empty fridge nearly used it all

CU pours water into cup

CU jen holding cup to face, sipping staring vacantly outside

Jib shot of jens feet then pans out to her walking into kitchen, leo still in shot

MC opening cupboard to find hardly anything, and fridge

Place camera in one of the cupboards, opens looks sad, closes cupboard.

Rummages through bag for purse CU pull focus with letters in shot

Split screen - 

CU opens purse, few change. – shakes purse

CU takes letters

Tracking shot sits down

CU opens letters

CU eyes reading

CU still of letters overdue, rent electric ect

Cut to

Tracking shot her reading sat there

Over shoulder shot puts down looks over to leo – use jib for this?

Takes papers

CU pan of job pages –do about 4 of these

CU eyes  - sighs

CU marking one job with a question mark

MS pull focus on leo crying jenny walking over to him from behind, picks him up

CU leos face on her sholdour

CU jens face

Cut To

Tracking shot takes him upstairs

CU jens feet

Tracking shot walking into leos room – sits him on her knee

CU his face looking up

CU her face looking down smiling

CU looking for nappies,

MS pull focus behind empty nappie wrapper of jen changing nappie

 Follow with stedi cam down stairs

CU leos face on her sholdour

CU placing leo down

Cut  To

MS goes to kitchen

CU puts leos clothes in washer

CU uses last of washing powder

CU throws in bin

CU getting her own clothes out of laundry basket

CU smells it

CU head popping through t shirt took out of laundry

CU counts change on side in kitchen/table (letters still in focus or empty milk carton ect)

CU her putting on leos shoes

CU putting own shoes on

CU grabs keys

Cut To

Jib shot of jenny couting money from purse

CU counting change left

Ms Leo playing

Tracking shot of this from in front of the table too

CU jen re reading text from before

CU clock at half n hour before text time

MS looks at leo

CU leo happy playing

MS jen sits back in setea

CU looks vacant, hand over face – worried, anxious

WA camera pans out – symmetrical

CU leo swinging legs

CU his eyes smiling

CU jens looking anxious at camera

CU kisses leo on the head

Tracking shot jenny leaving leo goes upstairs

CU feet

CU hands anxious?

MS jen sitting on bed

Cut To prostitution scene

CU painting nails

CU putting on eye make up

CU putting on lipstick

CU leo happy watching cartoon – jib shot him on his own walking about maybe

CU gets condoms out of drawer

MS looks at self in mirror – vacant expression – all done up

Jib shot of full-length jen dressed up looking in mirror or outside?

Tracking shot of door slightly ajar

CU throat gulping

MS Leo playing again

CU in contrast Leo’s happy face

CU Jens anxious face

Finishing shots

Jib shots of leo playing wide angle

Jib shot of jenny going into room and shutting door behind her. Looks at camera.

Zoom out slowly from door.

END.