THE PITCHKey features essential in production, distribution

and promotion of a short film.

INTRODUCTIONThe main purpose of this PowerPoint presentation is to showcase key features that will be essential in the production, distribution and promotion of the short film I intend to make.

In my pitch I will create- • A mood board- a composition of images that I would like to emulate in my

film. • A target audience profile- the characteristics, wants and interests of an

individual that would be ideally my target market• Film treatment- I will detail; the plot, the locations, characters, filming style

and taglines for my short film. • Endorsement ideals- I will give reason for the corporate companies that I

would preferably like to work with in reference to- distribute, promote and exhibition my film to the highest standard.

• Implementation of theoretical knowledge- I have applied the theories I have studied to my practical work by explaining how my film fits into media concepts and theories.

Ideally I would like to film in a hospital like this one. As the main character is drifting in and out between life and death a hospital is key to communicating the seriousness of her situation.

In case I am unable to film in a hospital I could shoot a hospital beds’ wheel going down a white hallway. This would be a resourceful way to represent being in a hospital without necessarily having to film in one.The close up of the girls eyes will be repeated at the beginning and end of the film to have a lasting impact on the audience.

Family support is a prominent theme in my short film. I would like to included more inventive shots to convey the idea of family support (such as a close up of hands) rather then the conventional medium shot of a family embrace.As the story goes back and forth between the hospital room and Bardo, I would potentially like to film in a hospital room as to make my film as realistic as possible. I would like to emulate a shot like this and add post-production darkness and shadows as to emulate the darkness the girl is experiencing in real life.

The Tibetan word Bardo literally translates as ‘intermediate state’. It is a concept which arose soon after the Buddha's passing. The term "bardo" refers to the state of existence intermediate between two lives on earth. According to Tibetan tradition, after death and before one's next birth, when one's consciousness is not connected with a physical body, one experiences a variety of phenomena.

I have been brainstorming about how I could convey my characters indecisiveness about whether to live or die. ‘Going into the light’ is a concept that could work. The glowing door would present the calling of heaven.

In order for my film not to be too depressing or stagnant I would like to included scene where the girls life flashes before her eyes. It is here that she will see all the happy times of her childhood with her family.

When a person directly addresses the girl in hospital, the girl will get a phone call in Bardo to indicate she is in a distant place.

The mirror is a symbol of physical and spiritual reflection. This is why I plan to include it as a prop in Bardo.

I interpret Bardo to be a cold white room. The furniture will be glass to represent transparency and figment. In a bare room the glowing door will be more noticeable.

An Ipad/Iphone is a medium of communication that is current and it is just the right size for the desk. The idea that the girl has to go on social media to find out what is occurring in the outside world is unique and realistic.

TARGET AUDIENCE

As the main character is female, the target audience also will be females as they will find the film more relatable.

Aged 13-18

Favorite genre is dramas.

Participates in social media. Has Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Goes to the cinema on a regular bases.

Aware of inspirational quotes such as Carpe Diem.

Family orientated.

Active audience- enjoys finding meaning in films.

Enjoys hanging out with her friends and discussing film plots.

Studies creative subjects at school.

Watches trailers on YouTube

Watched a few short film.

Enjoys watching films that tackle problematic and inspirational storylines.Reads film

magazines.

FILM TREATMENT- SYNOPSISThe Plot begins when a teenage girl is rushed into hospital fading in and out of consciousness. Her heart monitor goes flat line and she is enters the transitional state between life and death- Bardo. In a white room she finds and Ipad/Iphone and becomes frustrated when she can not send any messages, there is a glowing door that she walks to, but a sound from the outside world distracts her from going into the light. The Ipad/Iphone pings with a ‘news update’ she reads an article and realises its about herself ‘teenage girls suicide attempt lands her in hospital’. Remembering what happened she starts reading the comments on the news article, they are negative and remind her of why she attempted to commit suicide- cyber bullying. She deceivingly walks to the glowing door for the final time. Before she turns the handle she gets a phone call, her mother is speaking to her in the hospital. Her mother kisses her goodbye and the girl has the lipstick imprint on her cheek. This causes her to turn the iPad off triggering her life to flash before her eyes. Then her eyes flick open as she is lay the hospital bed and she has the epiphany ‘Carpe Diem’.

FILM TREATMENTThe Camera Style- The movie will be filmed to mirror the conventional filming style used in dramas. I will use an number of shots and camera angles to create suspense and convey the story. With this I aim to create a cinematically diverse film. Through the use of a mainstream narrative structure the film will be told following recognisable technical conventions as to visually capture the atmosphere the two worlds represent- reality and inner state. The hospital will be filmed in a clean cut clinical way in contrast Bardo will be filmed with a dim light to achieve the haunting and ghostly atmosphere. Being inspired by the ghost whisper I will emulate the filming style of quick cuts and faded frames to communicate that Bardo is a spiritual place between life and death.

Another style I will include is extreme close ups when displaying information on digital devices as to connect what is happening online with the real life events. This will also give a personal perspective from the characters’ point of view making the audience feel more involved and emotionally invested.

FILM TREATMENTThe Locations will be a white room (to represent Bardo) and a hospital corridor and room (representing the real world).

Locations Hospital

A hospital corridor would be ideal for the opening scene

A hospital room would also be ideal for having a location to cut too and from Bardo.

Bardo

In order to represent the transitional state of Bardo I will need to film in a cold white room.

FILM TREATMENTThe Characters will be-

Characters

For the younger sister I would like to find an actress that is between the ages of 10-13. The actress should be sweet and endearing in order to pull at the audiences heart strings.

For the main character I will cast a strong female lead between the ages of 15-18. She to have an ordinary look so audiences can relate.

The mother should be played by an attractive 40-50 years old. The type of mother who would wear lipstick.

For the father I will cast a man who is 45-50 years old. He will need to look like a business man so audiences can assume he puts his work before his family.

FILM TREATMENTThe Budget- The production of most short films are low budget and many inspiring directors rely on their creativity and inventions rather than expensive equipment props or locations. Using ready available video equipment such as a tripod and improvised objects if necessary, I will try to create the effects of pan, tilt and tracking shots.

My films budget will be limited to the bare minimum. I will be getting help with my visual effects off of ‘Crater training center’ for free. During my preproduction search I have negotiated access so a location of a medical environment that doesn’t require specific authorisation or financial compensation. The actors I will audition will be unprofessional (friends and family) therefore unpaid.

The only expenses will be-• Transportation (car fuel, tram tickets)• Editing software

FILM TREATMENT

TaglinesStay a little longer.

Live for now or die forever

Seize the moment.

Live each day as if it were your last.

The ultimate life choice.

Life is a choice. Death is an option.

Live in the moment for death is but a heart beat. Everyone dies but not

everyone lives.

Too early to die, too late to live.

Once you go into the light, there's no going back How to save a life.

The future depends on what you do today.

Yesterday is gone tomorrow is yet to come.

An outer body experience.

You don’t know what life is until your faced with death.

Last chances can not be made twice.

To be or not to be?

Is this where you give it all up?

One girl. One life. One choice.

Death is but a flat line.

TARGETING THE AUDIENCEThe Target audience- Now that I know what motivates my target audience (and where they find out about/ watch short films) I need to formulate strategy's to ensure they see my short film, thus successfully marketing my movie. My target audience are aged from 14-18 who have an interest in dramas. Based on my questionnaire results, I will target my audience through-• Social media (making a page for my film and sharing the trailer online)• Uploading the trailer to YouTube• Writing an press release of the film with an analytical feedback (reviews in newspapers of

magazines is popular with my target audience)• I will create a company webpage that will host products produced by the company such as this short

film.• I will use different print media formats such as; billboards, posters, post cards to raise awareness

and to encourage people to watch the film.

Aged 13-18

Use social media

Watches dramas

Family orientated

Emotive towards piano pieces.

Believes in the transitional state between life and deathEnjoys to be

challenged by films

ENDORSEMENTS• Film distributor- Entertainment One Distribution is the home media manufacturing and distribution arm

of Entertainment One Ltd. With the re-branding of Entertainment One in 2010, the company was renamed "Entertainment One Distribution. eOne Films acquires film content rights and distributes these across multiple territories including Canada, the UK, Spin, the Benelux, Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Distribution channels include theatrical distribution, home entertainment through DVD/Blu-ray rental and retail, television, and digital downloading service. They have produced intense and exciting movies like- Divergent and the Hunger Games which are films that my target audience would watch, thus if Entertainment One were to distribute my film it would attract the right market and suggest a certain level of professionalism.

• Type of magazine- The film magazine ‘Empire’ would be my ideal representative for my short film. Empire is a British film magazine published monthly by Bauer Consumer Media. Having issued more than 145,117 copies worldwide, Empire would be the optimal film magazine to represent my movie not to an international market but also to a broader age group. Empire’s target audience is 16-30 year olds therefore the readers they produce for, roughly fall into the age group I'm trying to appeal to. The brand image of Empire is prestigious and trusted which would go in good favour if they were to write about my film.

• Exhibitor- to present my film to the public I will post it on social media sites and YouTube (to target the majority of my target market). The official exhibitor I would use is ‘Short Film Corner’. Organized by the Festival de Cannes, the Short Film Corner is the essential promoters for filmmakers. Since 2004, short film producers and directors have chosen the Short Film Corner as the place to present their films, make meetings reality and take decisive steps for their future careers. I would choose this exhibitor as it exclusively shows short films, this would allow my film to reach the niche proportion of my target audience that are short film enthusiasts.

HOW MY FILM FITS INTO MEDIA CONCEPTS AND THEORIES

Tzvetan Todorov's narrative theory suggests that all narratives follow a three part structure where they begin with equilibrium, where everything is balanced, progress as something comes along to disrupt that equilibrium, and finally reach a resolution, when equilibrium is restored. My storyline complies with this theory as there are three conflicts (that causes her to walk towards the light) before the final climax (where she realises her life is worth living). The Todorov theory should be implemented when making (any length) film as it follows a simple story structure that results in an engaging film. This theory is extremely valuable in making an effective short film as in order for the film to be compelling there needs to be a simple story structure with conflict before the final resolution.

Generic Conventions are the features shown by film texts that allow them to be put into a specific genre. For example dramas are conventionally filmed in ‘everyday’ locations as to convey in-depth development of realistic characters who must deal with realistic emotional struggles. Abiding by this, my film will be shot in a hospital which is the realistic place where my story could happen. Another generic convention will be the use of the ‘beaten down teen’ this stereotypical character is used in a number of dramas aimed at14-18 year olds and will allow the audience to sympathies and relate with the protagonist. Generic conventions are very useful to producers and audiences alike. Producers can attract a specific target audience by making it very explicit what genre the text falls into. Audiences can easily identify a genre of text and choose to consume it or not.

The theory of active and passive audiences suggests that there are two types of viewers. Complying with the hyperdermic syringe theory passive audiences are- easily manipulated, compliant and controlled. Where as active viewers are engaging, involved and responsive. With this in mind I plan for my film to be aimed at active audiences as they have to work out subtle aspects of the film such as- to understand that the girl is in a transitional state, the outside world music bleeds through, when someone directly speaks to her the phone rings and in todays society we use technology to communicate therefore the iPad represents an extension of how the girl has contact with the outside world. They will also have to have some background knowledge such as what the quote ‘Carpe Diem’ embodies.

EVALUATIONThrough the creation of this PowerPoint presentation I aimed to showcase key features that will be essential in the production, distribution and promotion of my short film. I was able to provide a clear summary of my short film idea and its potential to desirable investors, institutions and audiences. During the process I was able to visualise how my final film will look and what production stages I have to complete in order to achieve desired outcome. The feedback from my pitch presentation and information from survey are crucial in the further development of my short film in the preproduction stage of script and storyboard development. Later on in post production and promotional stage I will use primary and secondary research findings to create advertising campaign which will successfully promote my film and attract desired audience.