Group Meeting #2 - Developing the 2 Minute Film Idea

This week, we met for the second time as a group to discuss how we could adapt Chris' idea for the main brief into the 2 minute character study film. We all agreed that the most viable part of the film to do for this character study was the flashback sequence, where we could be experimental and create a solid character portfolio in just 2 minutes, whilst also using it as a springboard for our final film. Chris once again lead the way in this as he had already written a smaller synopsis for this 2 minute idea, adapted from the larger film.

Character Study Synopsis

A man awakens in a dark empty space, the room is pitch black apart from a succession of spotlights, punctuating the darkness with pools of fluorescent light. He appears dazed and afraid as he glances nervously around his surroundings. A flickering spotlight grabs his attention and draws him in. As he approaches tentatively he realises the light is illuminating a record player. He plays the record (Elgar’s Enigma Variations) which resounds clearly with a few crackles, echoing slightly across the room. He stands listening to the record, closes his eyes and begins breathing deeply; the music is clearly soothing him. It is not long however, before the record slips jarringly causing him to jump and open his eyes. He looks down and reels slightly in shock as he sees that the record is slowly becoming entangled in black string. As he backs away the record begins to sound more and more tinny and begins skipping, creating an uncomfortable, eerie soundtrack to his surreal experience.

It is not long before a second spotlight begins flickering, forcing our protagonist to investigate. This time the light is illuminating a bedside table laying perch to a handful of teddy bears and children’s toys. As he gets closer he sees that they are already covered in a thin layer of black string. He reaches the table and picks up a teddy, it is wet and dishevelled with one eye missing. As he examines it he begins to fight back tears (captured in close up). Suddenly he hears a noise that echoes across the room forcing him to quickly turn. He sees nothing so turns back to the table which is now completely engulfed in black string. When he looks down he sees that the teddy in his hand has transformed to a pile of wool that is slipping through his fingers like water.

Forcing back tears he hears a young girls voice cry, he looks around and sees that a new spotlight has emerged, flickering more than any previous. He squints and sees in the distance a blurred outline of a little girl, causing him to begin crying as he moves closer. His footsteps begin to create the sound of splashing water, upon looking down he sees that he is walking through a puddle. Our protagonist runs towards the girl who stands vacantly, holding the teddy from before at her side with one hand. She has wet hair and looks pale and ill. He reaches her and bends down to hug here. As he wraps his arms round her she remains motionless and still. We see an extreme close up of the man’s face as he cries and holds his dead daughter.

After a while the camera cuts to a wide shot, revealing that the daughter has disappeared and the man is now holding a mass of white string in his arms which begins to slip away and fall to the floor while he cries. The film ends on a long shot of the man on his knees surrounded by white and black string. 

 

We all agreed that this was a solid idea and would let us experiment with both sound, camera techniques, editing styles and set design to create an original and powerful film. We went away from the meeting with Chris going to write a script for the short film, with help from Ellen formatting it.