Storyboard

These will be filled out as soon as possible and I will post pictures of the finished results.

Release Forms

These will be filled out when I have decided for definite where the filming will take place and who the actors will be.

Writing - select and structure

Plan and Pitch

Who is the main character?
The main characters are Louis and Dan who are brothers. The focus group of Ellie, Vic, Jade, Louis and Dan are very important, along with Kellin and Quinn who are another focus group.

What is their problem?
There's a Tsunami that takes out the city of Christchurch and severely damages and affects the wider Canterbury area. Louis, Dan, Vic, Jade and Ellie are camping in the Cashmere hills when the Tsunami hits so they're safe from the huge wave, although their friends and families fates are uncertain. 

How will the audience recognize the problem?
The audience will recognize the problem easily, because there is a news report that states what it is, and there are certain shots .

What is your characters goal?
Louis and Dan's goal is to keep their friends safe from any kind of harm, and Dan very much wants to keep Ellie safe because he really fancies her a lot.

How will the screenplay begin? What is the opening image?
The film trailer will begin with the green splash screen, then it will go to a series of shots of the city of Christchurch in a warm, summery kind of setting.

How is dialogue used in the text?
Dialogue is used between the characters during conversations with each other, on a TV report and as voice overs.


Selection and structuring

How will the trailer begin?
The trailer will begin with the green splash screen and then will go to shots of the city of Christchurch.

What is the climax of the trailer?
The climax of the trailer is when the Tsunami hits, and the few moments before hand.

How will the trailer end?
The trailer will end with a dramatic, fast montage followed by the title of the movie with the voice over "If we don't look after the planet, why the hell do you think it's going to look after us."


Story Outline

Opening image/scene

How will you hook the reader/viewer?
I will hook the viewer into the film with the light and happy tone of the beginning with the shots of Christchurch, and the catchy music.

How will you establish the setting and introduce the main character(s)?
The setting will be established by using wide shots and pans to show where the main characters are. The main characters will be established by using close ups and mid shots.


Build up

How will you establish the main relationships?
Through conversation between the characters, and also their body language and the way they act around one another. The main relationship(s) is between Louis and Dan and their brother bond, and the romantic attachment between Ellie and Dan.

How will you develop the characters and setting?
I'll develop the characters and setting from different shots (close ups, mid shots and long shots) to show the changes in emotion and reactions, and to show their surroundings.


Problem

How will you introduce the problem?
Through a shot to a separate focus group of Kellin and Quinn who are Oceanographers and have found there are weird temperatures and things going on with the currents, which will lead up to a news report about an immediate evacuation and a Tsunami warning.

Will there be multiple obstacles shown in the trailer?
There will be a couple, but some of them will be kept a secret and surprise so the actual film would be less predictable. One of the obstacles that will be shown is Louis and Dan's parents not knowing if they should evacuate or go to their kids, and end up getting really stuck in traffic and the time slipping away. Another obstacle that will be kind of foreshadowed is Jade's meltdown which would be a lot more serious in the actual film.

How does your character set about dealing with the problem?
Their character flaws start getting in the way and making them handle the problems irresponsibly but it all works out fine in the end. 


Events

What events will you use to show the characters trying to overcome the obstacles?
Louis and Dan's frustrated parents trying to take a different couple of routes because of backed up traffic, and Dan and Vic trying to keep Jade calmed down.

How will the story end? What will be the final image?
The story as a whole will end with a funeral for Louis and Dan's father, and will cause the focus group and others to change, Dan will move to Wellington and begin studying oceanography and Louis will fall behind in school. The story in the trailer will end with a fast paced montage and a short glance at Quinn's face as she says "If we don't look after the planet, why the hell do you think it's going to look after us." The final image of the trailer will be Quinn's face, and will black out to show the title of the film.


Character Profiles

Character Outline
Brainstorm ideas and describe your characters. Avoid generalisations and stereotypes for your character(s).

Protagonist
The protagonist is the main character. Their pursuit of a goal should form the basis of the narrative. Make notes on the protagonist's name, gender, age, physical appearance, temperament, personality, loves, dislikes, fears, desires, goals, habits and quirks.

Louis Waters

- 17 year old male

- Average build with scruffy dark hair and a warm smile

- He's a very happy and outgoing person, he is also very adventurous and is keen to try just about anything. He is quite intelligent and thinks highly of himself without being an arrogant snob.

- Loves: Adventure, hanging out with his friends, playing soccer and basketball

- Dislikes: Being controlled and told what to do

- Fears: Injury, sharks and losing his brother Dan

- Desires/goals: Anything adventurous, he wants to live a life that he has a lot of control over 

- Habits: Eating 


Dan Waters

- 22 year old male

- Tall and quite well toned with dark hair and a huge smile

- He's a joyful, outgoing person and is very caring and protective over people that he loves. He is intelligent and very easy to get along with

- Loves: Helping people, his volunteer job as a firefighter, hanging out with his friends and his younger brother Louis, listening to music, surfing and nature

- Dislikes: Smoking and when his loved ones are put in a dangerous situation

- Fears: His loved ones dying or getting hurt, not being able to be a fire fighter

- Desires/goals: To become a full time firefighter or get trained in medicine

- Habits: Sleeping in


Supporting characters

Character(s)	Function
Elli, Vic and Jade - Louis' best friends	They go on the camping trip with Louis and Dan, making up the focus group. Vic is who keeps Louis quite grounded and is always someone he can joke around with. Jade is newer to the group of friends because she's Vic's girlfriend, but she is also a big part of why Louis is such a cheery person. Ellie and Louis are like brother and sister and they share everything with each other, which is why Louis is never suffering with a huge weight on his shoulders.
Kellin and Quinn	They are Oceanographers in Wellington and they are the reason that we know about the Tsunami because they announce it on a breaking news report.
Louis and Dan's parents, dad and Aimee	To make the family bond seem stronger and a lot more important. They are also an added factor in the tension and stress with their reactions to the news of the incoming Tsunami.

Draft and Development

First Draft

Opening

Splash screen.

Christchurch, New Zealand. We see a series of shots of the city and the people that inhabit it, and it seems like a warm, happy and safe place to be and live. The people of the city all smile at one another and are very polite, and it gives the city a generally peaceful kind of atmosphere.

LOUIS (Voice Over)

Psst, Vic

A High school in Christchurch, in an English classroom where a handful of the students are goofing off while others are doing there work. The teacher isn't in the room. Vic unfolds the piece of paper that Louis handed him earlier.

VIC

(a little sarcastically, remembering the last one Louis tried to plan.)

A camping trip? Seriously?

JADE

(excited)

Camping? I'm in

ELLIE

As long as it's not at a cemetery, I'm in too

LOUIS

It's not at a cemetery

VIC

(not overly enthused, only going because Jade is.)

That's what you said last time, when it was at a cemetery. But sure, I'm up for it.

Build Up

Institute of Oceanography in Wellington, New Zealand, the break room where Quinn is looking through papers and drinking tea. Kellin rushes into the room looking panicked and carrying a stack of papers.

KELLIN

Quinn, there's something you need to take a look at, right now

QUINN 

I'm on my break, Kellin

KELLIN

Canterbury is going to be taken out by a thirty meter high wave in less than three hours, but you're on your break, so-

Quinn gets up quickly and follows Kellin out of the break room.

Louis and Dan's house, their parents watching something on television when it is suddenly interrupted by a breaking news report.

Reporter

Interrupting your viewing this morning to bring you the latest in breaking news. Head Oceanographer at the Wellington institute of Oceanography has declared an immediate evacuation of the Canterbury region.

Broadcast continues as a voice over as we see Louis, Vic, Jade, Ellie and Dan at their campsite, unaware of what's happening down among the quiet city.

Reporter (Voice Over)

There is a time estimation of two hours before Canterbury will be swimming from a nearly thirty foot wave heading quickly for the shorelines. If you are in the Canterbury region, you need to evacuate no closer than Geraldine.

Mum (Voice Over)

(panicked)

We won't have enough time if we try to reach the kids

Dad

(Demanding, a little nervous)

Get in the car, now, just do it Aimee

Emergency evacuation alarm sounds across the city. Dad gets Kermit the family dog and the emergency kit from the cupboard before getting in car and driving up to the hills where the kids are.

Problem

LOUIS

What the hell is that noise?

DAN

(shocked)

The Tsunami evacuation alarm

JADE

(hysterical)

We have to go!

DAN

No

ELLIE

Dan!

DAN

NO! You can't outrun a Tsunami, if we try we'll be dead or trapped for sure.

LOUIS

What do we do?

DAN

Get higher, that's all we can do.

They don't bother packing up the campsite and get in the car, driving to the very top of the hills where they stay and wait. 

Title - THIS SUMMER

Jade sees the wave coming in first, and points it out to the others who watch in shock as it bowls through the city, destroying everything in its path.

Title - EVERYTHING WILL CHANGE

Events

Jade screams, Vic tries to calm her down but she's hysterical. 

Kellin and Quinn rushing around at the Oceanographers institute in Wellington. 

Louis and Dan's parents and family dog trying to get to safety. 

People in the water rushing through the streets - trapped, injured, dead. 

News broadcasts across the country and other parts of the world. 

Louis running. 

Ellie crying. 

Dan with his head in his hands. 

Vic yelling/screaming.

Kellin having a break down.

Jade running.

Dan yelling.

Jade in the water.

Ellie looking terrified.

Survivors in the water.

QUINN (first half Voice Over)

If we don't look after the planet, why the hell do you think it's going to look after us.

Title appears on screen.

Credits roll quickly.

___________________

Feedback

Reread your script, think about:

-Does it tell the story clearly?

- Does it sell your film?

- Does the dialogue sound natural?

- Have you included enough genre features to make this clearly a disaster film? Have you used this well?

- Have you included enough trailer conventions? Have you used these well?

- What else could be included to assist any of the things above?

- What can be removed to make it clearer? 

My feedback;

I believe that my trailer tells the story clearly, and that it sells my film. The dialogue sounds natural to me, although other people might not think it flows quite right but it can always be edited and the actors may do it in a way that makes it sound more natural anyway.

I've used a lot of disaster genre features such as a disaster, sacrifice, heroism, a scenario in which the normal equilibrium of life is disrupted etc. and I believe that I have used them well. I've used some trailer conventions, but I think I will add and change some of the ones I've included in my second draft. The script may not be crystal clear, but I think mixed with the visual effects it will be clear to see and understand what is going on. I think that it'll work out well.

__________________________________________________

Detailed Storyboard; I haven't got around to doing this at this time.

Detailed notes about possible sets/locations including:

- Camera positions

- Available or potential lighting 

- Potential safety hazards

- Other aspects that could affect your production.

Possible set locations:

The High School and English classroom -

I am hoping that it will be possible to film these at Riccarton in one of the classrooms during a lunch time or something, otherwise possibly the library. The lighting will be natural with a little unnatural lights (florescent) as that's the usual lighting in classrooms, but if the unnatural lighting doesn't look so good on camera we can work around that. There won't be any safety hazards as nothing dangerous will be happening for this part. It will be easy to film, and we can work around any possible obstacles. 

Break Room at the Institution -

One of the learning centers in the library if it's possible, because it has the calm kind of setting I want the break room to have, and they have dull walls and no overwhelming colours or anything, but if that's not possible I have a study at my house that would work equally well. The lighting will be natural and florescent (the overhead lights) but if the unnatural lighting doesn't work we can change that aspect. There are no safety hazards, and it will be easy to film this part.

Louis and Dan's house -

This will most likely be filmed at my house, or otherwise it wouldn't be difficult to find somebody whose house we could use. The lighting will be natural as it's reasonably early in the morning. Again there will be no safety hazards, and it will be easy to film here.

The campsite -

Crosbie park or the reserve beside my house, it's a lot easier to access these places, especially in the near-dark, and if neither of these places are available we could use someones back yard or a different park. The lighting will be all natural as they're outside camping, and we want it to have a very natural feel. There will be no safety hazards unless some people aren't careful with putting up the tent that will be used, but we will take precautions and only get people that know what they're doing to put it up. It will be a challenge filming this part, as the lighting, weather and foot traffic needs to be just right, so I want to be prepared to film this part at any moment, if the lighting and weather are perfect.

Flooded city - 

The water at the beach. Lighting will be all natural. There are a few safety hazards for this location, as people are going to be in the water, but we will take extra caution here and not do anything outside of peoples comfort zones. We'll make sure any people that are at the beach are aware that we're filming. This part could be very difficult to film, but I think if everything is planned out before hand and everybody is aware of what needs to be done, it won't be as hard as it could have been.

Institute of Oceanography -

If it's possible, B1 or another computer room at school so it has that office-like feel and a lot of things to do with the ocean are recorded on computers so it will make a lot of sense. If that's not possible, the study at my house could be used. The lighting will be unnatural overhead lights, and if I can find a flashing red light there will be one of those used to. There are no safety hazards for this location, and there will be little to no complications.

Detailed description of:

- Cast

- Costumes 

- Props

Cast -

I don't know who will be used for the cast as of right now, but I know a couple of people that would be willing to play some of the parts, and I can find a few others, friends and family, that can be extras and/or the main characters.

Possible cast (people I have in mind):

- Jacob as Dan

- Annie as Ellie or Jade

- Garry as Louis and Dan's father

Costumes -

For the High School scene, the main four will need to be wearing uniform, but there is also the possibility of it being a casual dress day at school, I'm undecided yet. Everything else will be casual wear apart from Kellin and Quinn who will be dressed neatly as they work in a very high up place in science, and the TV reporter will be wearing something formal. All of this is very easy to get hold of, either from the actors or I can supply things that are needed.

Props-

A tent, which I could get from a friend or dig one out of the garage.

There aren't a lot of other things necessary  but I can easily get what is needed, and if not they're cheap to buy from the $2 shop or something.

Details of specific:

Music- 

I have a couple of songs in mind for the beginning, the kind of warm and happier part of the trailer, and I'm thinking about the kind of songs that are popular in summer.

Possible song choices - Only To Be, The Other Side.

Sound effects-

As of right now, I will only be using the sound of a huge wave crashing, which I can find online.

Stills-

I won't be using stills.

Stock footage-

I'm uncertain if I'm going to use stock footage right now, I may use it to show the disaster but I may not want to show the actual destruction from the disaster so I'm unsure.

All location and talent releases and copyright clearances necessary for your production-

I'm not one-hundred percent on locations and cast as of yet, so these aren't filled out.

Treatment

Trailer Conventions

- Splash Screen/Classification advice

So the viewer is aware of the appropriate audience for the film.

- Music

To create a tense atmosphere which will be contrasted with one-liners from characters and climatic music for the most dramatic parts of the trailer.

- Titles

Dramatic and quick to add to the tension, and the words in the titles will give the audience something to think about after the trailer's finished.

- Montage

To highlight the fast-paced, intense and dramatic parts of the film. The beginning of the trailer will be a little slower, showing the important aspects of the film, then will build up into an incredibly fast-paced montage which will end with a relevant (and possibly funny) one-liner from one of the main characters. 

Stylistic Details

In the beginning, light and fun with the characters laughing a lot and showing the highs of their relationships and the good things in their personalities - when it cuts to Kellin and Quinn the tone will become very serious. Cut back to the main characters before/during/after the disaster and it will become very tense, emotional (anxiety, worry, nerves) and serious, and the lows of their relationships and personalities will come out. I want the middle to end of the trailer to look and feel tense and urgent.

Justification

My trailer appeals to students of a year 12 Media Studies class because the plot line contains romance, a disaster and its aftermath, and also touches on things people that age experience in their every day lives. The main characters are your average high school students that have their ups and downs and very teenage issues that they deal with, making them easy to relate to. There's a range of different relationships which people can connect to and almost kind of root for, like the boy who's going after the girl that doesn't like him in return. The disaster is also realistic, because global warming is occurring and it is possible for a Tsunami to hit Christchurch. There have been a number of Tsunami's around the world that have killed and affected a large number of people. 
The trailer fits the initial brief as there are only a small amount of places needed for filming, it's possible to film, and will fit the time frame.