Initial Script Idea

Cupid

By Caroline Bates

(Alex brings in Coffee and sits next to Sarah on the sofa)

Alex: Morning Darling

Sarah: Oooh thanks

Alex: And…

(Hands Valentines Card)

Sarah: Hun that’s so sweet

(Opens card)

Sarah: ‘Dear Sarah, Happy Valentine’s Day Love Alex’ Arhhh thanks Al

(They Snuggle together and sip)

Alex: So what do’ you want to do later

Sarah: Well I was thinking we could go for a walk

FLASH FORWARD

Alex: So where do you want to go?

Sarah: Let’s just simply walk through the church and woods

FLASH FORWARD

Alex: Urghhh do we have too. Why don’t we just stay here and find something else to do!

Sarah: Ha no. It’ll be good to get some fresh air

FLASH FORWARD

Alex: Make sure you lock the house this time; we don’t want that weirdo’s getting in!

(They laugh)

FLASH FORWARD

Sarah: Oh and when we get back can we call my mum to tell her the good news

(She rubs her stomach)

FLASH FORWARD



Costume - black gloves

Black Leather Gloves

As well as a practical advantage, gloves will be a key part of the costume of the attacker. As we hope, most of the scenes will be a Point of View Shot. This will allow the audience to only see the hands of the attacker. For this black leather gloves would be perfect. We are trying to hide as much physical features as we can with the gloves but reveal much more about his character.

Costume - Baby Face Mask

For our attacker, he’ll be wearing a mask. To make a link between the titles ‘Cupid,’ it will be a baby face mask. Completely hiding the face creates fear in the victim as it hard to see what the attacker’s thinking which only adds to the fear that anything could happen Clever editing, limited visuals and a mask enables for the audience never to see the attacker which will play on their imagination. This can have a stronger effect than any expensive software.

< 1. Although number one is the most realistic, it may be too realistic. The facial expression is one that is screaming. This wouldn’t be appropriate for the attacker as he needs to have more of a sinister edge.  However number one does keep within the reference of the title more than the others.>

       2. The second mask has an old style to it. The grin is perfect in the sense, like the ‘Alice, Sweet Alice mask’, “the attacker is content with what they’re doing. Due to this, a sense of no-way-out arises as the attacker physiological deranged.”

<3. This mask seeps with stories and tales because of the ancient quality. Visually, this mask is the scariest.

     

  4. Although this again has a sense of realism, it can   be seen as rather comical which would highlight our attacker’s physiological issues.>

Depending on weather we want to go with realism, creepy, scary or comical will determine which mask we choose to look for.

Masks

Deciding on the possibility of our murderer wearing a mask, I must look at over films in which this was their thought process too.

       <1. The Scarecrow (Dark Night of the Scarecrow)

          2.  Leatherface (Texas     Chainsaw Massacre Series)>        

       <3. Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th Series)

      4. Jigsaw Pig Mask (Saw)>

     <5. Michael Myers (Halloween)

       6. Satan (Satan’s Little Helper)>

      <7. The Strangers (The Strangers)

      8. Scream Killers (Scream)>

       <9.  Torso’s Masked Killer (Torso)

     10. Mrs. Tredoni (Alice, Sweet Alice)>  

Having watched over films with masked killers, Mrs. Tredoni in Alice, Sweet Alice is one to take main inspiration from.  The Innocent and not typically scary face gives a physiological twist. On the mask is a fixed smile, this gives a sense that the attacker is content with what they’re doing. Due to this, a sense of no-way-out arises as the attacker physiological deranged. As Alice, Sweet Alice was made in the 70’s, the masked used, was not seen as old fashioned. However having a vintage or worn away mask creates a background story for the killer.   

Story- Storyline

Alex and Sarah are young and happily married. They live ruraly and in a sweet house located next to the very same church they got married in. Apart from the church and creepy graveyard, they are very much isolated.

It’s Valentines’ morning and Alex is preparing by making coffees and writing in his card for Sarah. When sitting down they discuss the walk there going to go on later that day, completely unaware of the terrors they will endure. While rubbing her stomach, Sarah asks Alex when they get back, if they could call her mum and tell her the ‘good news’.

Later that day Sarah and Alex are coming back from there walk and are nearly home. A stranger in a baby face mask is watching them from the bushes.  He follows them and hides behind a grave stone. Sarah looks behind and catches a glimpse of him. He quickly hides but she is not convinced. Sarah makes Alex go and check it out. By this time the man has hidden round corner and waits for Alex to come towards him so he can grab and kill him. Sarah waits for Alex but is left alone and venerable. She starts to worry and slowly turns around after a hand touches her shoulder. Her last sight is of two piercing eyes shone through a happy baby face mask.

The evening approaches and the attacker is in a large, old and abandoned building.  As he places down his mask next to the melting candles, he picks up and sticks a photo of Alex and Sarah on the wall. Then shackle crossing off a tally, he steps back to admire his work and reveling many more photos of happy couples. Lit up by the dim glow of the candles, photos are surrounded by dark words, tallies and symbols. The sinister attacker murmurs “happy valentine’s day” to complete his disturbing and frightful shrine.  

Film Genres

I chose a group of 50 people to pick their favorite film genre. Out of the 14 main genres, half didn’t get any votes. These included: adventure, historical, disaster, animated, science/fiction, action, and romance.   

Comedy: 8

Drama: 5

Crime: 4

Horror: 13

Musical: 6

Rom/Com: 4

Thriller: 10

Having looked at the results, horror and thriller were the top results. Looking further into this I asked the question “why is horror and thriller your favorite to watch” to those who chose it. Some answered with because they like to be scared. But mostly it was due to the fact a horror film can be watched unanimously in a group of friends. It is a genre in which both sexes roughly can enjoy.

Brainstorming Ideas

When given a brief to film an opening sequence of a film, there are many aspects to consider. Before deciding upon a story, the genre was something to get agree upon. As a group we felt horror would be perfect. I find it the concept of horror interesting in the sense of playing with people’s imagination can be far more effective than what is shown on the screen.

Ideas discussed

·         Times sequence- Juxtaposition of time sequence, morning and afternoon

·         Home and Hell-  Heavy contrast between the home and the attack

·         Filming styles- Point of view shots from attacker and self recording from main characters

·         Couple as main characters- Romance broken

·         Title- ‘Cupid’ instead of creating romance it’s breaking up couples

·         Church or Forest- location for attack as they are isolated

·         Season- Winter, as emphasizes contrast between home and attack
·                  Production team-  who would take control of what

Fresh Meat

Fresh Meat

Not too long ago, the channel 4 sitcom, Fresh Meat finished its first series. However not without bagging a second series due to popular demand from the audience. The show is set at Manchester Medlock University and focuses on the six fresher students (exception of Howard) living in assigned accommodation and the painful truths of being a student. The show focuses on their farcical events, whether it’s drugs, sex, alcohol, money, education, politics and even death. Yes Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain managed to write a script containing all of these typical topics, yet coating them in a contemporary and even witty spin. At the beginning of the show relationships and friendships instantly are formed.

Vod

(Short violet) Vod concentrates on the social lifestyle of university with a result of almost being kicked out of her course. She is incredible independent and strong minded with a unique style and humor. Her thick skin allows her relationship with the other s to differ from normal. In particular Oregon. The subtle bullying and peer pressure gives her the opportunity to feel empowered. This is particular shown in episode five. Otherwise known as student riots. Their friendship is threatened when she finds out about Oregon’s chosen relationship with professor Shale’s. She takes it personally that Oregon has told the affair and therefore ‘persuades’ her to break if off. Overall Vod is a compulsive, aggressive, intimidating, but she is however, streetwise, individual and entertaining.

JP

JP is a private school boy whose higher education took a turn as his lazy and immature attitude terminated his plans of a Cambridge or oxford university life. He considers himself the commander of the household from a result of his money. The link between money and power isn’t discouraged from the others along as their getting something out of it. Despite this, he shows a genuine side in episode six when id father is a victim of fatal heart attack. The choice of actor to play JP is standup comedian and now actor, Jack Whitehall.  Having non actors play roles can be risky and potentially damaging to their other chosen career. However the character was a perfect combination of his acting ability and celebrity status.       

                                                  Kingsley

After years caring for his sick mum in their Essex council flat, Kingsley is excited to be meet and hang around with friends, Kingsley’s ready to embrace life, love, sex and experience. When it comes to the above, he finds it hard to admit his true feelings. As for that Kingsley never seems to be in the right place at the right time.

Oregon

Secretly really named Melissa. Is anxious to appear cool and in doing so adapts her life in order to feel accepted by others. This is shown throughout the series as she consistently lies about her lifestyle, whether it’s wealth, background or even name. This is her way of reinventing herself as she’s terrified of being boring. Imitating Vod is the perfect excuse for her to abandon her middle class upbringing. Yet this comes at the cost of Vod intimidating her into constantly ‘helping’ her out, with education and personal matters.

Howard

How long to determine the length of Howard stay is hard to recognize. He is most defiantly social inept but seems to be content with his niche and quirky lifestyle. Ending the series by defending and standing up for his friends makes him the most lovable character of all.

Josie

Moving from Wales gave Josie the chance to start a fresh and meet new people. She is anxious to embrace student life. Her carful mind puts a strain on her friendships with the others.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/fresh-meat/video/series-1/episode-6/s1-ep6-power-through

Preliminary Scene

When filming each scene, I find it best to create a list of every possible item you may need. This way from the camera shots to location is all covered. The first scene in which we will be filming is a preliminary scene that we may or not use. This will possible be the last scene of the opening sequence.

Scene list

Date and Time:

·         12^th January 2012

·         4:00pm

Actors:

·         David (paperboy and attacker’s hands)

Shots:

·         Paperboy walks up path

·         Delivers paper on doorstep

·         Attacker picks up and reads

Props:  

·         Newspaper

·         Newspaper bag

Costume:

·         Black leather gloves

Location:

·         Alice’s house

Equipment:

·         Camera

·         Batteries

·         Stand

·         Tape 

Pixar

Pixar Website

Pixar is an animation film studio based in California. In their 27 years of production they have made 12 feature films that on average have got 3.6 Oscar nominations each, and 9 wins. Their value has exceeded in the past 20 years as Steve Jobs paid $5 million for Pixar in 1986. Disney paid $7.6 billion for it in 2006.

Pixar gave birth to a completely new and different media of filming and technology. Animation had been done in the past but nothing compared to the computer graphics and software that was first displayed in Toy Story, 1995.  This developed over the years as, computers used in the 2006 Pixar movie Cars were 1,000 times faster than those used for Toy Story eleven years before.

The characters in Pixar films are ones like no other. Each film usually contains a vast amount of different characters, that each plays a vital role in creating the memorable and loveable films, which all ages can appreciate and recognise. What’s different about the characters as such is that they very rarely are humans. In the 12 feature films Pixar have created only 2 films are based around humans (and super humans).They mainly focus of different types of characters, whether it’s machines, animals, toys, bugs or even monsters!   

The dedication in creating every feature film is astonishing. In every feature film, nothing is already created. The animation team builds every single pixel on our screens. In the hit movie Monsters’ Inc, Sulley's fur had over 2,320,413 hairs to be constructed.

"We had to make things look more organic. Every leaf and blade of grass had to be created. We had to give the world a sense of history. So the doors are banged up, the floors have scuffs." – John Lasseter

Outtakes:
A Bug's Life
Toy Story
Monsters Inc