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.
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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.
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