Malcolm, a middle aged family man has just recently recovered from an aggressive form of cancer. He has been traumatised by the experience and is now having re-occurring nightmares. One night Malcolm is dreaming about the day he recieved the bad news about his cancer scan and breaks down into tears when he then wakes up in a old sweat.
This causes Malcolm to make an appointment with his GP to talk about these dreams. Malcolm's regular GP is unavailable so his health centre refers him to an alternative one. Malcolm is not pleased by this but reluctantly agrees to the appointment. Malcolm awaits patiently in t
Monday, 11 June 2012
Sunday, 30 October 2011
Screenwriting
As I am inexperienced with the screenwriting process , I will need to research it and find useful resources to refer to when developing my idea. I came across a useful forum which is dedicated to screenwriters where you can critique people's work or submit your own screenplays for feedback. The actual website that produced the forum 'writersworkshop.co.uk' also has some useful resources within it however I believe you have to pay a fee to receive some of the tips in the form of a workshop.
Link: http://writing-community.writersworkshop.co.uk/forum/top/11
I also found a webpage which gives screenwriting tips and explains elements to screenwriting such as what makes a good story by looking at ideas such as 'conflict' to make a story line gripping for the audience.
Link: http://www.screenwriting.info/
Here I found the screenplay for the successful film 'Fantastic 4 (http://sfy.ru/?script=fantastic_four_2005). The film was highly successful due to the characters, plot and concept appealing to its target audience effectively. The film has your generic super hero fights villain plot however the characters in the film draw you in due to them all having individual personalities as well as individual powers which make the characters appeal to the audience. The generic superhero fights villain plot is generally aimed at the younger audience and the action packed, fantasy, far fetched plot definitely achieves this but also adults can enjoy the film too. The plot involves the four main characters gaining super powers from radiation exposure and over the film the characters are involved in mini events which all lead up to the dramatic final event where the 'fantastic 4' fight and defeat the main villain. The plot follows 'Todorov's Narrative Theory' in which normality ( characters are NOT super hero's living normal lives) suddenly changes and a disruption occurs ( characters turn into super heros). There is recognition of this change ( Characters form together to make 'Fantastic 4') and attempt to repair the damage ( Defeating the main villain). The story then ends with a re-equilibrium ( Main villain is killed yet they now have super powers). This structure is very common within film ideas and is a good starting point when developing an original screenplay.
Screenwritng Literature
http://escrituraavcontemporaneo.wikispaces.com/file/view/write+%2B+sell+the+hot+screenplay.pdf
I found a PDF link for the screenwriting book; 'Raindance Writers' Lab, Write and Sell The HOT Script. The book has a number of useful chapters which provide hints and information on producing a screenplay, but I have selected one chapter as it fits my situation perfectly , '8, Writing for short film'. The start of the chapter explains these productions are short films, the audience will be more critical and also explains that short films are acknowledged like big feature film productions and provide a gateway into the screenwriting industry. A short film can vary from 30secs to 30minutes but the chapter explains that keeping it under 10 minutes is ideal when submitting it into film festivals, "Remember:you can tell a great story in as little as 30 seconds". A short film should tell the story via visuals while keeping a storyline at it's heart, as the book says about screenwriting's golden rule, "Show, don't tell". The stronger visual your story creates in the viewers head, the smaller role time and logic plays in the journey from beginning to end than in other formats. Short films are not an excuse to 'push all the boundaries', but however is a chance to experiment how far cinematic story telling can go.
Points to consider:
.Simplicity, clarity and economy of the storytelling; the vision of the piece, and the visual images it will create.
. Make your idea coherent (ordered sequence of events through time and space). In-coherent plots can sometimes be an issue in a short film due to limited time.
. Ideas which are too concept driven
. Lack of narrative and story telling techniques
. Lack of engaging characters
. Unecessary use of action and repetition
. How the film will be portrayed to the audience ; Will it have a universal appeal? What will the audience be guessing and when will they know it? What questions will need answering?
. Is the audience engaged to the plot?, Is it original?, Can we relate to and in-habit the characters?, Does the world and story have authenticity?.
These points are pivotal when producing a short film idea and even if one of the points is neglected, the audience may leave with a critical view as a short film will be analysed more thoroughly than a feature-length film. It is also important to consider the practicalities of your idea; remember short films are shot on a low budget so the necessity and realistic availability of the resources you need should be considered. A satisfying ending is also important for a successful short film as because of the length, the narrative is limited so concluding the film to a satisfactory manner for the audience is effective.
Gerald Prince (1973) developed a narrative theory in which any story must contain at least 2 events, in which 1 must cause the other. The book uses an example from William Golding's time in the Royal Navy during World War 2:
"The Germans used to have a very long distance plane. And if we were
escorting convoys back across the Atlantic, this plane would come out,
and it would circle the convoy, perhaps five miles away from it, round and
round and it was wirelessing to submarines saying where this convoy is.
So you knew that this plane was sending your position.
I remember one moment at which the captain of the escort got in
touch with the plane. He flashed it up on an Aldis lamp, you see – and
said, ‘Please, will you go round the other way. You are making my head
ache.’ The plane turned round and started going round the other way, like
that, you see. There was this kind of insane contact between people.
It could be argued that causality is in play here, with the British captain’s message as the cause and the reversal of the German pilot’s flight
direction as the effect. But what makes this an interesting story is that
the German pilot chose to fly the other way, and for that matter, that
the British captain chose to contact the pilot, violating wartime protocol
which prohibits frivolous contact with the enemy."
Here the characters are making things happen, not just merely reacting to events they face. Causality flows from the choices the characters make whilst at the same time making the characters more appealing. This can be applied to short film idea by making the characters earn interest from the audience by developing the narrative by their own individual choices and shaping their own story. This is a more effective way of creating an engaging narrative, in which causality overrides or precludes choice rather than flowing from it, and not making the main character too passive or unable the change the outcomes of their story.
Link: http://writing-community.writersworkshop.co.uk/forum/top/11
I also found a webpage which gives screenwriting tips and explains elements to screenwriting such as what makes a good story by looking at ideas such as 'conflict' to make a story line gripping for the audience.
Link: http://www.screenwriting.info/
Here I found the screenplay for the successful film 'Fantastic 4 (http://sfy.ru/?script=fantastic_four_2005). The film was highly successful due to the characters, plot and concept appealing to its target audience effectively. The film has your generic super hero fights villain plot however the characters in the film draw you in due to them all having individual personalities as well as individual powers which make the characters appeal to the audience. The generic superhero fights villain plot is generally aimed at the younger audience and the action packed, fantasy, far fetched plot definitely achieves this but also adults can enjoy the film too. The plot involves the four main characters gaining super powers from radiation exposure and over the film the characters are involved in mini events which all lead up to the dramatic final event where the 'fantastic 4' fight and defeat the main villain. The plot follows 'Todorov's Narrative Theory' in which normality ( characters are NOT super hero's living normal lives) suddenly changes and a disruption occurs ( characters turn into super heros). There is recognition of this change ( Characters form together to make 'Fantastic 4') and attempt to repair the damage ( Defeating the main villain). The story then ends with a re-equilibrium ( Main villain is killed yet they now have super powers). This structure is very common within film ideas and is a good starting point when developing an original screenplay.
Screenwritng Literature
http://escrituraavcontemporaneo.wikispaces.com/file/view/write+%2B+sell+the+hot+screenplay.pdf
I found a PDF link for the screenwriting book; 'Raindance Writers' Lab, Write and Sell The HOT Script. The book has a number of useful chapters which provide hints and information on producing a screenplay, but I have selected one chapter as it fits my situation perfectly , '8, Writing for short film'. The start of the chapter explains these productions are short films, the audience will be more critical and also explains that short films are acknowledged like big feature film productions and provide a gateway into the screenwriting industry. A short film can vary from 30secs to 30minutes but the chapter explains that keeping it under 10 minutes is ideal when submitting it into film festivals, "Remember:you can tell a great story in as little as 30 seconds". A short film should tell the story via visuals while keeping a storyline at it's heart, as the book says about screenwriting's golden rule, "Show, don't tell". The stronger visual your story creates in the viewers head, the smaller role time and logic plays in the journey from beginning to end than in other formats. Short films are not an excuse to 'push all the boundaries', but however is a chance to experiment how far cinematic story telling can go.
Points to consider:
.Simplicity, clarity and economy of the storytelling; the vision of the piece, and the visual images it will create.
. Make your idea coherent (ordered sequence of events through time and space). In-coherent plots can sometimes be an issue in a short film due to limited time.
. Ideas which are too concept driven
. Lack of narrative and story telling techniques
. Lack of engaging characters
. Unecessary use of action and repetition
. How the film will be portrayed to the audience ; Will it have a universal appeal? What will the audience be guessing and when will they know it? What questions will need answering?
. Is the audience engaged to the plot?, Is it original?, Can we relate to and in-habit the characters?, Does the world and story have authenticity?.
These points are pivotal when producing a short film idea and even if one of the points is neglected, the audience may leave with a critical view as a short film will be analysed more thoroughly than a feature-length film. It is also important to consider the practicalities of your idea; remember short films are shot on a low budget so the necessity and realistic availability of the resources you need should be considered. A satisfying ending is also important for a successful short film as because of the length, the narrative is limited so concluding the film to a satisfactory manner for the audience is effective.
Gerald Prince (1973) developed a narrative theory in which any story must contain at least 2 events, in which 1 must cause the other. The book uses an example from William Golding's time in the Royal Navy during World War 2:
"The Germans used to have a very long distance plane. And if we were
escorting convoys back across the Atlantic, this plane would come out,
and it would circle the convoy, perhaps five miles away from it, round and
round and it was wirelessing to submarines saying where this convoy is.
So you knew that this plane was sending your position.
I remember one moment at which the captain of the escort got in
touch with the plane. He flashed it up on an Aldis lamp, you see – and
said, ‘Please, will you go round the other way. You are making my head
ache.’ The plane turned round and started going round the other way, like
that, you see. There was this kind of insane contact between people.
It could be argued that causality is in play here, with the British captain’s message as the cause and the reversal of the German pilot’s flight
direction as the effect. But what makes this an interesting story is that
the German pilot chose to fly the other way, and for that matter, that
the British captain chose to contact the pilot, violating wartime protocol
which prohibits frivolous contact with the enemy."
Here the characters are making things happen, not just merely reacting to events they face. Causality flows from the choices the characters make whilst at the same time making the characters more appealing. This can be applied to short film idea by making the characters earn interest from the audience by developing the narrative by their own individual choices and shaping their own story. This is a more effective way of creating an engaging narrative, in which causality overrides or precludes choice rather than flowing from it, and not making the main character too passive or unable the change the outcomes of their story.
Social realism/ conspiracy films
My idea is dominantly a conspiracy type genre but I would like it to have a gritty/ raw feeling which the majority of social realism films produce. A film containing both of these elements which I have recently viewed is called 'Route Irish' which involves a private contractor (Frankie) in Iraq's death and his best friend (Fergus) investigates his death. Due to Fergus originally introducing Frankie to the Private Contractor industry, he has the contacts to investigate the death and discovers some shocking results. The film shows corruption within the military in which an innocent Iraqi family are killed by the Contractors and attempt to cover up the incident which involved killing Frankie to avoid him revealing the truth. The film shows the ugly side to war and corruption within war which is a shocking yet appealing factor, grabbing the audiences attention. The characters in the film all mostly are working class which is a common factor in films portraying social realism.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1528312/
Other films I have seen which strongly portray social realism are 'Kidulthood' and 'This is England'. Each both portray different issues from different races, ages of people yet they are both similar in the sense they contain elements of violence, anger, poverty,characters are working class, frustration being aimed at the wrong people and most importantly they both end on a sad note which is what makes these types of film so powerful and makes them unique to other film genres. I will need to incorporate these elements into my idea to make it as gripping and appealing as possible.
'Kidulthood' represents issues all young people may be exposed to but specifically the film concentrates on young people living in an urban environment. It covers issues such as violence, teen pregnancy and drugs. These issues are highlighted and relevant in real life society which increases the appeal of the film. The idea uses slang and vocabulary used by young people living in an urban environment in the script which increases the authenticity of the film and produces an accurate account of this way of life. Portraying an accurate, un-bias account of these social experiences and events is pivotal in the idea being developed and becoming successful as an inaccurate and bias idea could be seen as offensive to members of the public and may cause controversy. An example of this occurred in the film 'K.I.D.S' (1995) in which strong, shocking scenes of under age sex were included which was condemned as inappropriate which cause an off-the-shelf company was formed to distribute the film.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1528312/
Other films I have seen which strongly portray social realism are 'Kidulthood' and 'This is England'. Each both portray different issues from different races, ages of people yet they are both similar in the sense they contain elements of violence, anger, poverty,characters are working class, frustration being aimed at the wrong people and most importantly they both end on a sad note which is what makes these types of film so powerful and makes them unique to other film genres. I will need to incorporate these elements into my idea to make it as gripping and appealing as possible.
'Kidulthood' represents issues all young people may be exposed to but specifically the film concentrates on young people living in an urban environment. It covers issues such as violence, teen pregnancy and drugs. These issues are highlighted and relevant in real life society which increases the appeal of the film. The idea uses slang and vocabulary used by young people living in an urban environment in the script which increases the authenticity of the film and produces an accurate account of this way of life. Portraying an accurate, un-bias account of these social experiences and events is pivotal in the idea being developed and becoming successful as an inaccurate and bias idea could be seen as offensive to members of the public and may cause controversy. An example of this occurred in the film 'K.I.D.S' (1995) in which strong, shocking scenes of under age sex were included which was condemned as inappropriate which cause an off-the-shelf company was formed to distribute the film.
Thursday, 27 October 2011
The Cancer Conspiracy
My film will be based on an alleged 'cancer conspiracy' which suggests a cure for many forms of cancer was discovered around the 1950's but due to the government generating millions of pounds from treating patients with the disease, the cure had been kept secret or used in other medicines. I have found a couple of useful links and videos explaining the idea in more depth.
http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/keyfacts/
http://www.worldwithoutcancer.org.uk/aboutb17.html
A similar theory linked with this is that a vitamin named B-17 which can be found in apricot seeds and other substances can prevent cancer developing or can even cure it for victims suffering from it. There is a theory that this supplement has been banned for distribution by government by claiming it as a 'new unsafe drug'. The reason behind this is that the Government and pharmacists would lose out on money in the form of treatments and donations made by the public for research.
Understanding the illness
Due to the sensitivity of the disease and the large amount of people who suffer from it, it is important to understand the illness and portray an accurate account of someone who may suffer from it.
There are over 200 types of cancer all with an individual name and treatment. 1 in 3 people are likely to develop the disease which is based on the statistic that every death in the UK in 1999 showed that 220,000 people - some 35% of the 630,000 total deaths - had previously been found to have the disease. The rise of people developing the disease (thought to be increasing by 3.2% every year) is thought to have been a factor of an ageing population, increase in obesity and it developing in later life with people who smoke. From 2008, over 2 million people were living with cancer however the number is expected to double to 4 million in the next 20 years. However due to advances in technology, the survival rate is increasing too.
The most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide are lung, breast and colorectal (bowel) cancers. The most common causes of cancer death are lung, stomach and liver cancers. The disease involves abnormal cells dividing without control and invade other tissues. Cancerous cells can spread to other parts of the body via the blood or lymph ( "clear fluid that travels through the lymphatic system which fights disease or infections") - 'National Cancer Institute'.
Cure
Chemotherapy: This involves curing the disease by taking cell killing (cytotoxic) drugs to remove the harmful cancerous cells. The number and dosage of chemotherapy drugs varies on the individual situation. The chemotherapy can be taken during other treatments such as radio therapy or hormonal therapy. The treatment can cause side effects such as hair loss, sickness and loss of appetite. It can also cause long term side effects such as heart,lung or sexual reproductive organ damge depending on the dose and amount of time you use the treatment. The treatment can also in extreme cases cause cancer to return in later years.
Radiotherapy: This involves using high energy radiation waves (X-rays, gamma rays) to shrink and kill tumours. It can be exposed to the body externally by a machine (external beam radiation) or can be exposed internally using radio active material bening placed near cancerous cells (internal radiation therapy). The therapy works by killing the DNA of the cancerous cells. If the DNA is damaged beyond repair it will stop dividing or die.
Here is a link which shows the potential side effects from radiotherapy: http://cancerhelp.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/radiotherapy/side-effects/general/
Surgery: Surgery may be needed to remove cancerous lumps from the body. A biopsy is needed 1st which is a sample of the potential cancerous body tissue which is analysed to see if it contains cancerous cells and from here the surgeons can decide on what the next course of action will be.
As well as researching the disease in terms of science and statistics, it is also equally if not more important to research how cancer effects people first hand and how it effects the people around them. I myself experienced my Grandfather live and eventually pass away from the illness which gives me an insight to how characters may react to this situation in the film. I have also found a short documentary of a man living with testicular cancer and shows his personal feelings and how it effects him, but also gains the families feelings and emotions and shows how it effects them.
References and Useful Links
http://www.worldwithoutcancer.org.uk/ultimateconspiracy.htmlhttp://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/keyfacts/
http://www.worldwithoutcancer.org.uk/aboutb17.html
A similar theory linked with this is that a vitamin named B-17 which can be found in apricot seeds and other substances can prevent cancer developing or can even cure it for victims suffering from it. There is a theory that this supplement has been banned for distribution by government by claiming it as a 'new unsafe drug'. The reason behind this is that the Government and pharmacists would lose out on money in the form of treatments and donations made by the public for research.
Understanding the illness
Due to the sensitivity of the disease and the large amount of people who suffer from it, it is important to understand the illness and portray an accurate account of someone who may suffer from it.
There are over 200 types of cancer all with an individual name and treatment. 1 in 3 people are likely to develop the disease which is based on the statistic that every death in the UK in 1999 showed that 220,000 people - some 35% of the 630,000 total deaths - had previously been found to have the disease. The rise of people developing the disease (thought to be increasing by 3.2% every year) is thought to have been a factor of an ageing population, increase in obesity and it developing in later life with people who smoke. From 2008, over 2 million people were living with cancer however the number is expected to double to 4 million in the next 20 years. However due to advances in technology, the survival rate is increasing too.
The most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide are lung, breast and colorectal (bowel) cancers. The most common causes of cancer death are lung, stomach and liver cancers. The disease involves abnormal cells dividing without control and invade other tissues. Cancerous cells can spread to other parts of the body via the blood or lymph ( "clear fluid that travels through the lymphatic system which fights disease or infections") - 'National Cancer Institute'.
Cure
Chemotherapy: This involves curing the disease by taking cell killing (cytotoxic) drugs to remove the harmful cancerous cells. The number and dosage of chemotherapy drugs varies on the individual situation. The chemotherapy can be taken during other treatments such as radio therapy or hormonal therapy. The treatment can cause side effects such as hair loss, sickness and loss of appetite. It can also cause long term side effects such as heart,lung or sexual reproductive organ damge depending on the dose and amount of time you use the treatment. The treatment can also in extreme cases cause cancer to return in later years.
Radiotherapy: This involves using high energy radiation waves (X-rays, gamma rays) to shrink and kill tumours. It can be exposed to the body externally by a machine (external beam radiation) or can be exposed internally using radio active material bening placed near cancerous cells (internal radiation therapy). The therapy works by killing the DNA of the cancerous cells. If the DNA is damaged beyond repair it will stop dividing or die.
Here is a link which shows the potential side effects from radiotherapy: http://cancerhelp.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/radiotherapy/side-effects/general/
Surgery: Surgery may be needed to remove cancerous lumps from the body. A biopsy is needed 1st which is a sample of the potential cancerous body tissue which is analysed to see if it contains cancerous cells and from here the surgeons can decide on what the next course of action will be.
As well as researching the disease in terms of science and statistics, it is also equally if not more important to research how cancer effects people first hand and how it effects the people around them. I myself experienced my Grandfather live and eventually pass away from the illness which gives me an insight to how characters may react to this situation in the film. I have also found a short documentary of a man living with testicular cancer and shows his personal feelings and how it effects him, but also gains the families feelings and emotions and shows how it effects them.
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Research Plan
I will conduct both primary (research conducted by me) and secondary(research already available to you e.g internet, books T.V etc) research when developing my screenplay.
The primary research I will need to do will include interviews with people asking questions such as what elements they want to see in a drama, conspiracy type film. I will conduct this interview whilst with my friends and I will ask them detailed questions and gain their opinions to add to and evolve my idea. I will conduct my primary research first as it can be very time consuming so I will get it finished as early as possible.
I will also produce a questionnaire to collect personal information which can not be collected anywhere else such as the internet. I will ask a variety of people from different ages, backgrounds etc to gain their opinion and add validity to my results and the higher number of people I ask will make my research more representative. Also due to my grandfather recently dying of the disease, I observed someone first hand who suffers with the disease and I know first hand how it feels to have someone you love suffer from it which I can apply to my idea to make it more authentic. Interviewing a doctor who is experienced with treating cancer patients and has knowledge of the disease would be extremely insightful aswell. Otherwise methods of primary research include focus groups, pilot studies, participant and non-participant obsevation and group interviews. The primary research I gain will add valuable, personal opinions which can not be found anywhere else. These opinions will benefit my screenplay as I will include their preferences when evolving the idea.
I will also conduct secondary research which is available to me in a variety of forms, e.g. internet, books, videos, documentations,T.V etc. My idea is based on an alleged conspiracy of cancer treatment so I will need to reserach the disease to understand more about it and make my short film more gripping and accurate. I could go about this by looking at medical websites online, reading books from the library, and watching documentaries. Also as I am highly unexperinced with the screenwriting process, I will need to read screenplays available to me on the internet to gain an insight on what a successful screenplay looks like and what elements it includes to be a successful screenplay. Linking to this I will read books about screenwriting to gain hints and tips of how to write a successful screenplay. Such books include 'Reading for a Living' and 'Raindance Writers lab write + sell the hot screenplay'. This books can be ordered online or there are copies available in the school library. Also reading literature from other drama, conspiracy genres will benefit me as it will give me an idea of the type of elements and ideas involved in this certain genre. Also watching films from the drama and conspiracy type genres will make it easier to as what elements my screenplay should include.
Schedule (All published on my blog)
Step one: Insert an entry outlining an original idea for a short film.
Step two: Publish a research plan explaining how I will conduct both primary and secondary research and how it will be utilised.
Step three: Post an entry on your collated research and comment on it and explain how it will be integrated within your short film idea.
Step four: Read and analyse existing screenplays and explain how this will benefit your idea.
Step five: Read literature on screenwriting and explain how this has benefited your understanding of writing a screenplay.
Step six: Go back to your original idea and evolve it using your collated research whilst remembering your research never stops and will continually grow.
The primary research I will need to do will include interviews with people asking questions such as what elements they want to see in a drama, conspiracy type film. I will conduct this interview whilst with my friends and I will ask them detailed questions and gain their opinions to add to and evolve my idea. I will conduct my primary research first as it can be very time consuming so I will get it finished as early as possible.
I will also produce a questionnaire to collect personal information which can not be collected anywhere else such as the internet. I will ask a variety of people from different ages, backgrounds etc to gain their opinion and add validity to my results and the higher number of people I ask will make my research more representative. Also due to my grandfather recently dying of the disease, I observed someone first hand who suffers with the disease and I know first hand how it feels to have someone you love suffer from it which I can apply to my idea to make it more authentic. Interviewing a doctor who is experienced with treating cancer patients and has knowledge of the disease would be extremely insightful aswell. Otherwise methods of primary research include focus groups, pilot studies, participant and non-participant obsevation and group interviews. The primary research I gain will add valuable, personal opinions which can not be found anywhere else. These opinions will benefit my screenplay as I will include their preferences when evolving the idea.
I will also conduct secondary research which is available to me in a variety of forms, e.g. internet, books, videos, documentations,T.V etc. My idea is based on an alleged conspiracy of cancer treatment so I will need to reserach the disease to understand more about it and make my short film more gripping and accurate. I could go about this by looking at medical websites online, reading books from the library, and watching documentaries. Also as I am highly unexperinced with the screenwriting process, I will need to read screenplays available to me on the internet to gain an insight on what a successful screenplay looks like and what elements it includes to be a successful screenplay. Linking to this I will read books about screenwriting to gain hints and tips of how to write a successful screenplay. Such books include 'Reading for a Living' and 'Raindance Writers lab write + sell the hot screenplay'. This books can be ordered online or there are copies available in the school library. Also reading literature from other drama, conspiracy genres will benefit me as it will give me an idea of the type of elements and ideas involved in this certain genre. Also watching films from the drama and conspiracy type genres will make it easier to as what elements my screenplay should include.
Schedule (All published on my blog)
Step one: Insert an entry outlining an original idea for a short film.
Step two: Publish a research plan explaining how I will conduct both primary and secondary research and how it will be utilised.
Step three: Post an entry on your collated research and comment on it and explain how it will be integrated within your short film idea.
Step four: Read and analyse existing screenplays and explain how this will benefit your idea.
Step five: Read literature on screenwriting and explain how this has benefited your understanding of writing a screenplay.
Step six: Go back to your original idea and evolve it using your collated research whilst remembering your research never stops and will continually grow.
Short film Idea
Conspiracy, drama. A middle aged man/woman suffers from an incurable disease(e.g. cancer,AIDS) and will eventually die. (S)he has given up hope and has resorted to drugs to hide his/her reality. (S)he will stop at nothing to get a high and stubles upon a substance from the back of a pharmacitucal factory which improves his/her disease. He/she continues to take this drug and eventually it cures their disease. Emphatic about the fact (s)he has discovered a cure for a terminal illnes, the main character goes about in gaining exposure of this miracolous substance. The government however, go about in assasinating the main character due to the fact they do not want the cure being exposed as cancer generates billions of pounds.
Research
Produce an original idea for a screenplay
. Research existing products (copyright)
.Plan how you will go about your research (primary and secondary)
. Conduct research (reading existing screenplays, conduct surveys, read screen writing books, interviews etc.
. Develop your original idea based on your research
Idea 1
A drama documentary following a group of teenagers through everyday life and the issues they face. 2 best friends (males) like the same girl. The girl, knowing fully well that they both like her, arranges to meet both of them at a certain loacation at the same time. The boys not knowing they are they are being set-up both turn up and the girl is not at the location, instead she has set them up and a group of thugs try and kill the 2 boys.
Idea 2
Conspiracy drama. A middle aged man/woman suffers from an incurable (e.g. cancer,AIDS) disease and will eventually die. (S)he has given up hope and has resorted to drugs to hide his/her reality. (S)he will stop at nothing to get a high and stubles upon a substance from the back of a pharmacitucal factory which improves his/her disease. He/she continues to take this drug and cures their disease. Emphatic about the fact (s)he has discovered a cure for a terminal illnes, the main character goes about in gaining exposure of this miracolous substance. The government however, go about in assasinating the main character due to the fact they do not want the cure being exposed as cancer generates billions of pounds.
Id
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