PRETTY LITTLE MIND
25 word synopsis
Young teen goes missing. One witness, one desperate mother, one schizophrenic case. trapped in her own make believe world, she is haunted by masked men. - all of us
Full synopsis
A young girl, with a troubled past, involving father leaving her mother, and incidents of schizophrenic behaviour. She begins to wonder, haunted by what she believes are real, but only figments of her imagination. She is disconnected with the world, an outsider who spends her time stuck in a make belief world she can no longer control. Her mother struggles to keep up with the rent, knowing full well her daughter suffers because of her past. She imagines masked men watching her, trying to take her, and once she sees them. She can no longer hear or speak. It all stemmed back from when her father used to lock her up in her room for hours of the day, with only old toys and masks to play with. Every time she would put on the mask, she felt invisible. The mask became a second life to her, and her behaviour grew violent. It wasn't until she was diagnosed with schizophrenia that she began to fear the mask. Even though they're not real, they still manage to control her, wanting her to put the mask back on and wanting her to hurt her father for what he did. - LOREN
Casting
Sarah: lonely girl with a dog collar on her wrist (her dog was killed at the age of 5, she never took it off) she gets up early to play in the park, and she sometimes believes she is rewinding time, but it's only a mind trick. She also believes she had powers, or that she can create a world of her own, which anything is possible. She always has a lolly pop in her pocket, and has a scar across her eye, from when she fell off the swing.
Sarah's Mother: Casual smoker, who is constantly on the phone. Her past involves heavy drug taking whilst being pregnant, which brought up the possibility of her daughter having schizophrenia. Her windows are blacked out, because she wants her ex husband to believe she isn't there.
Sarah's Father: Very aggressive, alcoholic, who used to lock Sarah up in her room, during the day. He killed her dog, but she doesn't know that. He used to make masks and other costumes for a living.
The Street Rats: A group of masked people, who appear whenever she is alone, but only she can see them. Their objective is to make her wear the mask, to get revenge for what her father did. They wear all black with white full face masks. - LOREN
Script
EXT. PARK SWINGS
Camera moves around SARAH as she stand in front of the swing. She looks up at the sun. C.U of her face.
Cuts onto her on the swings, camera looking down at her, medium C.U.
Sounds of children laughing is heard and she stops.
Cuts to camera movement from behind the climbing frame (someone is watching her) we can see her from a distance looking around, but still fixed on the swing.
Cuts to behind shot of SARAH with a mysterious figure in the background starring at her. All sound is cut off from this point. His head tilts, and as the camera is still fixed on him, another figure creepy out from behind him. They both stand still.
Sharp cut to extreme close up of SARAH'S hand as she drops the lolly pop. Extreme close up of lolly pop hitting the floor, in slow motion.
Cuts back to both figures, they tilt their head once more.
EXT. PARK CLIMBING FRAME
Medium shot of another figure on the top climbing frame looking at the camera, from SARAH'S pov.
camera follows his movement as he makes his way down, where another figure appears from under the structure.
Sharp cut to another figure hanging from the bar upside down. He makes his way down.
Medium shot of all figures standing at a distance from SARAH.
A COUPLE move across the camera, the camera does not follow them.
C.U of SARAH'S hand grabbing the swing bars tightly, showing her dog collar.
fast forward the figures moving closer to her, as she stays completely still. Long side shot.
They freeze, as one hands her a mask. Extreme close up on mask.
Time rewinds fast, replaying all the shots backwards, as if it didn't happen. No sound.
End with SARAH jumping off the swing, and in the same position she was before. Medium C.U.
Sound of train is heard. End. - all of us
LOCATION STILS
This allowed me to get familiar with the surroundings of the park. I was able to get the shots i wanted, and have some which i did actualy use. Taking the photos of the park established my set, and i could explore what shots i wanted to use and position Sarah in the place i wanted her to be in. Each shot explains why i chose it, but you cant actualy see what is said. LOREN
Here i decided to give the animatic a bit of twist by adding the comic book style transitions. I drew out each shot i wanted, annotating a little bit audio commentary wasn't needed. I knew the animatic could speak for its self, especially with words at the bottom to describe each shot briefly. I managed to zoom into the image and move along the image just as the camera would do so. What i did learn was how the use i movie to edit this, and use different types of media forms and express stories in the form of a animatic. I didn't actually know the term until now, and it was very useful in arranging my shots in a visual way. LOREN
Test Shooting
Me and Sarah, who is the main girl in the film, who stars in the opening visited the actual place of filming a few weeks before. We had the camera and tripod, which allowed me to get familiar with the setting of the park and how i can work out just what shots to do. This also allowed me to then draw up an exact story board of my shots. Of course it all depended on the actual filming day. Problems will occur and i will have to work around them. The main issue i had during test shooting was that i only had one person (Sarah) and not the other characters. I then had to imagine them, and kinda use her as other characters, showing their actions. There was also no people in the park, and so i presumed it would be ok on the real day of filming. However i was wrong, and we had to adjust our framing of the shots in order to avoid people in them, but in the end we couldn't. However i do believe the adding of people gives a touch of reality to it all. I did have the masks already and so i had to see what they would be like on film, and i wanted to show them in the test shooting as well as how i can edit it all. I didn't keep the original shots of the test filming, for the benefit of showing editing. I could fast forward and slow down bits for effect, which i decided not to use in my actual filming. Test shooting helped a lot in preparing me for the real day of filming. LOREN
CHARACTER COSTUME
The costume of the main character (Sarah) was considered quite a lot. We wanted to portray a young innocent girl, but we also wanted to create mystery. She was suppose to be younger then she actually is (18). she had two coats which both had different qualities to them. The red coat, similar to her dress at the time could suggest something devilish, but with the use of the prop which was either going to be a lolly pop or a doll (innocence) would make her seem too young. The other outfit was a leather jacket. Now this gave off the impression of rebellious attitudes, which in way worked perfectly in showing how she tends not to always obey her mother. In contrast with the use of the doll, this gave off completely different impressions which we wanted. We want the audience to want to be surprised by the way she's dressed and want to know more about her situation. As we know she doesn't appear to be your normal teenager (holding onto a toy doll), so it defiantly suggests there are some psychological links. we want to create a character you wouldn't expect from your typical horror films. Usually you will get teenagers who wear revealing clothes, or women in their 20s with typical clothing that then goes on to show heroic features. In this film our character is a teenager, who does relate to any horror characters. She lacks a lot of confidence in her self, and lacks ability to defend her self. She also lacks a motive. With other horror of psychological films there usually is a motive for a main character, but in this film you see she becomes the victim and we then go on to see the progression of other characters trying to find her, and issues relating at home. She is the main character, only through flash backs. We don't have a progression for her, only the events that lead to her being missing. LOREN
MASKED MEN
As this is a psychological thriller/ independent horror, we want to show the villains as more disturbing then horrific and gory (for example in the horror films that include masked villains; Halloween, chain saw massacre). i decided we need masks for sure, as it covers the faces of the individuals, actually then removing their individual, and making them into 'things' other then people. I had to research masks that had great effects and were also cheap to buy. I then found a number of white plan masks for a very cheap price and automatically knew these were the masks. In contrast to the black clothing which they were asked to wear, it works very well in creating a sense of haunting. They look like ghosts, in a unusual setting of a park. the black trousers, other then using black skirts for the girls shows there are no genders, which goes well with the disturbance of the reality. I didn't want to show they were people, and so i gave them the directions of turning there heads in sync, and then walking slowly towards the camera in sight of the audience, and so they acknowledge the characters. LOREN
SETTING
I chose the setting of the park mainly because its a place where the character would go when feeling troubled and that, that would be her place of interest and where she feels the most able to be her self. In the case of shooting the actual film, we had to make sure we had typed letters informing any one to confronted us that we were filming for our school project. No one had actually asked us to leave. we presumed since we were there on a Sunday morning, that no one would be there, but unfortunately that seemed to be the best place to take your children. We had to work our way around it by framing the camera to avoid people in the shot, but in a way it helped give reality to the opening. having people there that weren't fully aware of us gave a sense of detachment for the our maincharacter with the world around her. We were asked a few times what we were doing but only out of keen interest and with no intention to stop us filming. The park allowed us to use many climbing frames which the masked characters could emerge out of (see animatic for original ideas). LOREN
PROPS
We were going to use a lolly pop to show innocence of our main character. On the actual day of filming we didn't have time to buy one, and we didn't pre plan the idea of using a prop before. I knew there had to be one, otherwise there wouldn't be anything to drop in shock as she sees the masked characters. In the test shooting we used a purse to see how this would show the reaction and it worked perfectly, especially when we then go on to rewind that clip towards the end to show the story is then flashing back to what happened before she went missing. On that day of filming we happened to come across a toy doll left at the park, and we thought this would be perfect, because of the fact it didn't make sense. It was a spontaneous act which still i cannot fully explain, but all i can say is it shows a slight innocence which we wanted to portray, and the fact she still remains in a child like state in link to psychological issues surrounding the main plot, her and her family, in twine with the events were trying to create.
COSTUMES
The cotumes that we picked for the figures were very simple and effective for the role. We put alot of thought into the costume as we didn't want it to be in to much detail by creating or making them as the characters are presented as illusuions of the main character Sarah.Therefore we had decided to dress them all in black with a white mask, as masks are seen for being very effective in creating the horrer side of the story. The black costumes were thought to appear misteriuos. the black colour costumes of the charcters is used to make the audence eger to find out who they are, and also helps create a fear aswell as giving the audence the message that they were sarah's illusion, that seemed real.One of the reason that we thought all black costume would be right for this as it explains the genre and also via many physchological/ horror films black is commenly used to create the atmosephere for this genre.
CHANDNI
LETTER TO THE COUNCIL
Dear
sir/ madam
Hello I am a 6th form student at brentford school for girls, and i am writing to attain permision by the council to permite me to use the chiswick park ground on Sunday the 5th December as a part of the project we are working on for our AS media. where we would like to be carrying out a shoot for about 3 to 4 hours on that very day. I hope you take out some time to consider this and give me the permision for this activity.
Thank you
Regards
Producer : Chandni Grover
RISK ASSESSMENTS: The risk that we had to consider for the shoot were
- Weather- we had to be prepared for the unexpected weather conditions such snow since it was December that the shoot took place and it had been snowing quite often during that period of time.In the preparation we should have carried things to help prevent damage to equipment while filming.This could also raise some issues with the actors as the whether may effect there health. to prevent this we had checked the weather in advance also advised the actors to come prepared.
- Camera safety- As a group we were all responsible for taking well care of using equipment to prevent it from dropping or being damaged we had to practice handling the camera and be safe at all times. we all had to make sure while we have the camera and equipment that we are not around any danger places for example not being to close to the swing while filming.
- Test- it was the responsibility of the group to make sure our actors are safe and are not harmed during the recording period, to do this we had to test out the swings, climbing frame, bench and other properties in the park that may be used in the film to be reassured that they are safe.
PERSONAL RELEASE:
In consideration of your permitting me to appear in the theatrical motion picture now entitled
_______________________ (the "Picture") and for good and valuable consideration (the receipt and
sufficiency of which I hereby acknowledge), I hereby grant to you the universal and perpetual right to use,
and to grant others the right to use, my actual or simulated likeness, photograph, voice, personal
characteristics and other personal identification in all manner and media whatsoever in, and in connection
with, the Picture and any other productions; provided, however, that the rights granted to you herein shall
not permit exercise of these rights as a direct commercial endorsement by me of any product or service
(other than the Picture) without first obtaining my consent.
I hereby release you from all liability and obligation to me of any and all nature whatsoever arising
out of or in connection with the exercise of the rights granted above, including, without limitation, from any
liability for violation of rights of privacy, publicity, defamation or any similar right. I hereby indemnify you
against all claims, liability and expense respecting this Release. I agree that I shall be entitled to no
additional consideration as a result of the exercise of the rights granted herein and that you may rely upon
this letter in preparing and exploiting the Picture and any other production.
The word "you" as used herein shall mean Chandni Grover and its
successors, assigns and licensees.
Dated _____________ ______________________________
[signature]
______________________________
[print name]
Address:___________________________
____________________________
(IF THE ABOVE SIGNATORY IS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 YEARS, THE PARENT OR LEGAL
GUARDIAN OF SUCH PERSON SHOULD SIGN BELOW.)
I hereby warrant that I am the parent and/or legal guardian of the person who signed the
foregoing agreement, that I have caused said person to execute said agreement, that I will indemnify you
against all claims, liability and expense respecting said agreement, and that, knowing of your reliance
hereon, I agree to cause said person to adhere to all of the provisions of said agreement.
Dated:
[signature]
[print name]
Address:
This is an example of the personal release forms that the actors of our film and other people involved, filled it in giving me permission to present them in our opening.
this form was filled in by the following actors
Ash Khan
Sarah Welsh
Kate Pitt
Rachel lander
Liv Bailey
Latasha lewis
BUDGET:
In accounts to the budget,we didn't have a set amount to spend for the opening. this was'nt provided to the group so we had to invest ourselfs for the props for example masks.Since we had very simple costumes they were expected to be bought in by the characters themselfs and the equipment such as the camera and it accessories were provided to us by our teacher.The cost of travel was also used by individuals. we were also going to spend on the lolly to be used in the opening but by luck we found a toy woody in the park which in fact helped to enhance the role of the main character. We were able to cut down our budget again by not paying the actors as they had voluntarily committed to act without being paid and this was beacuse they were Loren, our directer friends.We also didn't have to pay for the location since we only used a public park. CHANDNI
SCHEDULE FOR THE SHOOT:
I had used the call sheet to plan the schedule for the day of the shoot. This was useful to use as the work was completed very quick and it was well thought out due to planning.
CALL SHEET
On Sunday fifth of December
plan is to shoot the whole opening in few hours
All of the cast and crew must be present
The location is chiswick park
we will all meet up at 11 and plan after that a break until 12
the shoot starts and runs until it is finished and all characters are expected to be present
All should be wearing complete black except Sarah who should be wearing a red dress.
All equipment should be brought.
CHANDNI
