No Idea How to Write a Script

7/28/2019 No Idea How to Write a Script

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Perhaps it would be beneficial for me to provide the forewarning that none of the locations will be

expressly told, that is to say, none of the characters will make reference to or say where they

actually are. Though for the benefit of the marker and to satisfy any curiosities that they may hold I

shall disclose the location of each area in brackets

Scenes and acts may be out of place in parts as I sadly did not fully complete this production design

brief.

*Brief Over-View*

Two students are partners in a media production. One student arrives at his partner’s home, to walk

to school together and discuss ideas for their media production. The student arriving (Character 2) is

carrying a camera in one hand and assumes his partner (Character 1) to have thought up some ideas

for their media production.

After a brief discussion the duo work out that neither of them have any substantial ideas to base a

movie off of, regardless of whether or not it is a feature length movie or short one.

The characters grab their bags and set out to school, Character 1 grabs a piece of food off of his

kitchen table as they set out to leave (this is just so the Character has something to do as he walks

and appears more lifelike and believable).

As the two characters begin their walk to school they discuss what they could potentially do for their

media production.

As the two characters pass an ominous looking laneway Character 1 suggests that perhaps they

could do a zombie film. The imaginings of Character 1 are then shown in what can be presumed to

be his description of his idea to Character 2. Character 2 responds that this film would both be too

corny and too hard to make as they do not have access to the materials required to make their

actors look like zombies or the knowledge of how to make a zombie/slasher film.

Character 1 retorts that if Character 2 has a better idea, he should voice it.

Character 1 and 2 have begun walking again by this point. Character 2 suggests that they could

make a music video for the song “Wake up” by Suicide Silence, as they both like this song and this

band and it would be fairly easy to orchestrate the completion of. A cut to Character 2’s imaginings

occurs, much like with the telling of the Zombie idea.

Character 1 says he does not like this idea as he does not wish to be slapped, throttled or labelled as

a metal-head. Character 2 scoffs at this and asks if Character 1 has any other ideas.

Character 1 stops, finishes his food and replies that they could just do a cheesy spaghetti Western.

Character 2, smiles and asks Character 1 to entertain him with whatever ideas he has. Character 1

begins by saying, why don’t we eliminate any chance of the markers believing us incompetent by

plainly articulating that we’re going to present to them a film that is beyond laughable, a spaghetti

Western where the horses are people and the people don’t even look like cowboys? Character 1then begins to talk Character 2 through his spaghetti Western idea.



The Characters arrive at the entrance to their school just as Character 1 reaches the end of his idea.

They slowly begin a dreary walk up to the main buildings doorway. As Character 2 goes to open the

door, Character 1 grabs his hand, looks at him and asks why they don’t just wag media. Character 2

looks at Character 1 with disbelief and says, yeah, sure why not? YOLO.

The Characters turn around and begin walking back the way they came, as they recede into the

distance the credits roll.

*Act 1*

Ext – Suburbia/House/Study/Bedroom of a house – afternoon/daylight

As the film’s opening credit sequence plays, complete with backing song (The first 20 seconds of

‘London Calling’ by The Clash), a wide angled shot shows a person walking past a fence and up to a

somewhat decrepit house (if this wide-angled shot does not work, I may be forced to use a trackingshot), the person reaches a rusty lead painted gate, opens the gate and proceeds to walk up to and

open the front door and then begin walking down the hallway, video-camera in hand, towards a

bedroom/study area, as we pass one room (kitchen) we see a person with a mask on (perhaps the

mask from Scream) and a sledgehammer in hand, standing stoically still, they then slightly tilt their

head as the camera pans across to the end of the hallway, towards a man dancing very aggressively

(hardcore).

The location for act one is somewhere in undisclosed suburbia (in case the examiner is curious as to

the actual location of the house, it is located in East Brunswick), cars may be able to be heard in the

distance and also the sound of people talking (thought I should list extraneous and perhaps

uncontrollable factors/variables, such as these, I will however do my best to eliminate them)

heard.

The character with the mask on is a character who will be shown to fight zombies with a

sledgehammer later in the story (act 2), the character dancing is one who will also be shown later in

the story as part of a music clip (act 3). Both characters will also feature as the two staple characters

throughout the production.

The character walking down the hallway, reaches a door and with his right hand opens it, (an over

the shoulder mid-shot shall be used). The character can be seen to have an eye drawn upon hishand, his non-camera hand (might take this out, was thinking that it could be a distinguishable

feature of characters to have an identifiable feature as I intend to use as few actors and/or

actresses as possible for the sake of convenience, and thought it might be interesting to have

them identifiable as all characters that they play).

Character 2 has arrived at Character 1’s house. Character 2 is Character 1’s partner in a media

project which requires them to plan and film a media production (much like the production VCE unit

3 students are required to do, except with the difference/peculiarity that these students may work

with a partner). Character 2 may be perceived to have an obsession with filming everything around

them (I felt I needed justification for why Character 2 carries a video camera, though as this plotpoint will remain unexplored perhaps I should erase it) though the viewer is left with ambiguity



regarding this question of why Character 2 has a video-camera in hand, could it be that they are

engaging in an infantile obsession (as previously suggested) , a curiosity that has been stimulated by

being a media student/a willingness to learn how the camera works or will the viewer merely

disregard any deep notions regarding the reasoning behind the Character’s carrying of said camera

and allow the story to be told/unfold? Character 2 proceeds to enter the study room of Character 1,

(mid over the shoulder POV semi-neutral angle shot) says hello (mid neutral angle shot of Character

1 sitting in a chair at a desk typing on a laptop) and then proceeds to walk over to and sit down on a

chair, Character 2 proceeds to film Character 1 after sitting down and then asks what Character 1 is

doing(wide or mid shot with neutral angle, which is it?). Character 1 throws his hands up (wide or

mid shot with neutral angle, which is it?) and then covers his face in a very animated way and

replies that he is having tremendous trouble thinking of an idea for his media project (close-up of

character one, neutral angled shot), which is due in a few days. Character 2 asks Character 1 if he

has thought of any ideas as its paramount that he completes his work (cut-back to a wide or mid

shot with neutral angle, which is it?). Character 1 then begins to go through his ideas for the media

production (two-shot, wide shot, neutral angle, both characters are visible in this shot).

*Script For Act 1*

Character 2: Hey bro

*Character 2 sits down*

Character 1: Hey man

Character 2: What’s up bro?

Character 1: Trying to do this (are expletives allowed?) media work, the write up is due in a couple

of days

Character 2: *laughs* man, we’re screwed, but hey got any ideas yet? Maybe we can quickly work

something out.

Character 1: Yeah I got a couple, though I doubt good enough to base an entire film off of

Character 2: Don’t care, tell me anyway

*This is the end of act 1, may act 2 begin*

***



*Act 2*

Ext – Laneway

Location:

A weather shot shows a cluster of grey, ominous looking clouds above. The camera then pans down

to a laneway where Character 1 can be seen to have a sledgehammer slung over his right shoulder,

Character’s 2 and 3 can be seen in the distance, and are identifiable as zombies due to posture,

ripped clothing and blood spatters across both their clothing and body (will one character be

wearing the scream mask or not? Probably not, ey?). The camera then cuts to a mid-shot of

Character 1’s right profile side, then cuts again to a front mid-shot of Character 1 and finally cuts

again to a left profile mid-shot of Character 1, before cutting to a wide shot of Character’s 2 and 3

ambling towards Character 1 (Character 1 has now adopted a stance that makes him appear ready

for combat/conflict). Cut in to a two-shot close up of the zombies, arms raised in typical zombie

fashion, both making zombie type noises (gurgling, spluttering, etc). Cut to a POV shot (from

Character 1’s perspective) of Character 1 hitting Character 2 with a sledgehammer (unsure how to

actually achieve this without injuring anyone, tips?). Pan out to a mid-shot of Character 1 hitting

Character 2 in the head again and then another mid-shot of Character 2 falling over and Character 1

(in slow motion) smashing their head, close-up of a watermelon being smashed (Character 2’s head

has been replaced with a watermelon, which is now being smashed by Character 1), close up of

Character 2’s face, they facial expression shows that they are now deceased. Pan out to a mid-shot

of Character 1 raising his sledgehammer and charging towards Character 3 (jumps over the dead

Character 2). Characters 1 and 3 become locked in a battle (mid-shot) for the sledgehammer;Character 3 backs/shoves Character 1 into a wall and begins trying to bite him…

*Act 3*

Ext – Garage

This act will more or less be a shot for shot homage to “Wake up” by Suicide Silence.

An extreme close-up shot shows a person’s neck (Character 2) and begins to slowly pan out to show

their entire face, the camera then pans back into their face and then back out to a close-up of the

person covering their face. The colour involved in this early setting of the act will alternate betweena psychedelic red and blue and then into a deep midnight blue as the camera pans out into the mid-

shot. A midnight blue tint will remain as the camera cuts to a mid-shot of a person (Character 1)

sitting slouched back on a stool, and then pan in as a man begins slapping and throttling the person

slouched on the chair (slapping them on the cheek). The colour scheme will then transform to a

jumbled mix of psychedelic colours as the camera cuts to a medium-close-up shot of the man

(Character 1) who had previously been slapping the slouched character (Character 2), waving his

finger in front of the camera before a cut to a man (Character 3) playing guitar and head banging

occurs. The camera will then pan in to a close-up shot of Character 2 covering his face and then cut

to a medium shot of Character 2 doing the Mitch Lucker stomp.



Investigation/Inspiration

Shaun Of The Dead – A film that did not take itself too seriously (I do understand that it is a comedy

and my zombie film is not) and also managed to captivate and enthral me as a viewer. Through its

comical style zombies and entertaining tale, I would rank it as the main zombie film that produced in

me the wish to create my own zombie film, even if my own was intended to be even more comical in

the nature and dress of the zombies and lack any solid and quantifiable tale.

The main films/music videos/short films that influenced me in this production were those of;

“Welcome to Team Respawn!” – A short film that was produced in December 2012 by theMachinima affiliates, Team Respawn. It is a short spaghetti Western type film with the usual twist

of mockery, pretentiousness and humour that Team Respawn are known for. It is a comical piece of

short cinema and helped me to think of the idea of a spaghetti Western playing a key role in my

media production.



The music video “Wake Up” by Suicide Silence – A song I continue to remain ignorant as to the

meaning of, though regardless still view as a very moving and engaging piece of music and cinema

(combined). The mix and use of ubiquitous psychedelic colours captivated me as a viewer and

pushed me to want to attempt to recreate in as close a respect as possible the feeling of isolationand urgency conveyed in the original video.

Statement of intention

I intend to produce a short film about two characters, discussing their ideas for a media project.

Using digital media as medium (digital film) – The film will go for no longer than 12 minutes post-

production (editing should bring it down to 5-12 minutes) and will include an enthralling and

somewhat meta-pretentious storyline, two staple characters shall be used with a third appearing inselect scenes, the imaginations of the characters will be the method used to convey their ideas

regarding the film they plan on making. The film will create tension, humour, fear and mystery, all of

which are attributes of the intended genres used. Because some of the film can be classified as

horror, the film’s audience is aimed at people who like horror film or ‘gory films’, which would

primarily be a teenage audience. The film will also include a spaghetti Western and music video

theme along with the two students’ journey to media class which means that the film will actually

appeal to a larger audience than previously thought.

Media form and genre: Approximatelik9y 5-12 minutes, short film, unsure what specific genre this

media production will fall under as it shall contain many different ideas and themes – ranging from azombie/horror/slasher style type scene in the second act, a short scene of a music video (Wake Up

by Suicide Silence) in the third act and a Western style scene in the fourth act. I am unsure of the

genre of the filler type scenes, the first being the scene which will set up the second, third and fourth

scenes whilst the fifth scene being the conclusion to the media project.

Concept and purpose: The synopsis of my film is the telling of the ideas one student (Character 1)

has for his media project to another student (Character 2). The ideas range from a zombie film,

short music video (just one scene) to Western style film/scene. All these ideas will be told to the

friend (Character 2) who shall after hearing all the ideas will provide Character 1 with his thoughts

on the ideas and then as he begins to explain what his friend (Character 1) should do, he dies… Or

something interrupts him (haven’t really thought of the conclusion yet). The purpose of this piece



will be to both entertain the audience (markers of the subject and the PHSC student base), and to

attain a high mark (hopefully).

Subject matter: The film will focus on the conversation between two friends (Characters 1 and 2) as

to what one of them should do for his media project and the film shall also focus on the ideas

Character 1 has for his film, zombie film, music video, etc.

Target audience: The film is intended for the cohort of PHSC and the markers of media. I do not

know the age of markers, however the age of the PHSC cohort is most likely that of 12-19 years of

age (however my film’s audience will cater mainly to that of the year 11 and 12 students who are

16-19 years of age). The gender of the audience will be mixed. The socio-economic and cultural

background of viewers will mostly be middle-urban class, as that is the socio-economic and cultural

background of the majority of the PHSC cohort (unsure what the cultural background of PHSC

students is, I presume Anglo-Saxon).

Production techniques: Still thinking this one over…

The Talent

Name: James Maddocks

Age: 17

Height: Above average

Weight: Average

Distinct features: Height, fair skin tone, medium length hair (fringe)

Explanation: I have chosen James to be Character 1 in my story



Name: Anthony Verrocchi

Age: 17

Height: Average

Weight: Average

Distinct features: Olive skin tone, medium length hair/fringe, brown eyes

Explanation:

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No Idea How to Write a Script