Short Film: Pitch

Heather

TA

• The results from my primary research showed that people aged between 15 and 25 were the main audience of short films. A lot of them also said that they enjoyed watching teen dramas presumably because they are young, but as my TA will be teens I will base my story around issues that teens are facing today.

Synopsis

• Sahara, Norah, Lizzie and Rachel have been best friends since they started high school. They do everything together and are always happy and lively around each other. They all seem to look happy and fun on the outside, but little do each of them know that behind closed doors lies deep, dark secrets.

5 minutes…• The film begins with Sahara, who wakes up and stretches. She is happy it’s her friends birthday

and she is wrapping the gift for her. Suddenly she smells breakfast and begins to feel nauseous, she runs to her bathroom and vomits. The camera will then cut to the next character who is Lizzie, it’s her birthday today, she looks at her calendar and crosses off the date, she skips to her kitchen and hopes to be greeted by presents but instead, she sees her alcoholic mother who has got a hangover from the previous night, she tries to get her mother’s attention but she just ignores her. She picks up some toast off her moms plate and leaves to meet her friends as her mom attends to an aspirin. The next character we see is Rachel, she writes a note telling her mother that she is running away with her boyfriend, and tells her not to come looking for her. She is packing a small bag and puts two photos in the bag, one is of her parents. The last character is Norah and she begins her morning putting on layers of clothing in order to hide the fact that she is pregnant, in the background her parents can be heard arguing.

Theorists and theories• Claude Levi Strauss(binary opposition) – Sara and Amy are

opposites as Sara is more confident and outgoing, where as Amy is shy and introverted.

• Perkins - Rethinking stereotypes

• Tzvetan Todorov• The element of equilibrium – Sara wakes up and smiles• The disruption of equilibrium – She begins to get morning sickness

and doesn’t feel herself• The recognition – She thinks she is pregnant and tells her boyfriend• The attempt to restore equilibrium – He tells her not to worry, but

she takes a test• Return to equilibrium – Amy tells Sara it will be alright and she will

stick by her.

Music and Sound• The results of my primary research shows that

audiences would prefer to hear dramatic and upbeat music. This will add to the tension building atmosphere of the main character Sara not knowing whether she is pregnant or not.

Character profiles…

• Sahara – She is the main characters. She is an outgoing and confident character. She is very social and taking risks. She many friends, but only one she truly trusts which is Amy and she tells her everything.

• Norah – Amy is Sara’s best friend, she is shy and introverted. She is always telling Amy not to take the risks that she takes, but at the end of the day she is always there for her

• Rachel– Dan is Sara’s boyfriend, but he is just as carefree as she is. He is very domineering and can persuade her to do all the wrong things.

• Rachel–

Ancillary tasks: Film Poster and review

Locations• Location – 3 bedrooms, Street, bathroom, kitchen.

Props• Props – Pregnancy test, apple, cake, candles,

mobile phone, pills, rucksack, photos, Birthday cards and birthday badge.

Crew members and equipment

• 5 actors• 2 camera workers.• 1 make up artist• 1 costume stylist • 1 tracker

I hope you enjoyed my pitch