Final Major Project

Moving Image DV3440

Amy Pearson

1226896

For my FMP I wanted to create a piece that would challenge me and allow me to expand my knowledge

in each of the processes in filmmaking. Therefore I decided to make a short fiction as this allowed me to

write my own script, develop my characters and the casting of actors. This also gave me complete

control over what I shoot therefore allowing me to be more creative with camera shots and editing

techniques.

I am hoping my piece will place emphasise on aesthetics therefore I decided to incorporate the use of

flashbacks within my piece which will help me achieve my goal of creativeness with camera and editing

work.

After deciding what I want to achieve with making my FMP I went on to

brainstorming ideas for a theme of my piece.

Content Research

After brainstorming some initial ideas for my project I researched and analysed other work which with

the same underlying theme as mine which could help me generate ideas for my own film.

Memento

Synopsis

After witnessing his wifes murder, Lenny becomes afflicted with short term memory loss. If hes

distracted, he permanently loses the train of his thought, and, even if undistracted, his recent memories

are wiped clean when he falls asleep. Bent on solving his wifes murder, he tattoos clues on his body and

is in search for a mysterious suspect named John G. At one point he discovers that he is being

manipulated by a corrupt cop who has him perform various assignations, deluding Lenny that the target

is John G. In response, Lenny sets in motion a series of events and clues that result in Lenny killing the

cop. To allow the audience to experience Lennys problem, the scenes in the movie appear in reverse-

chronology later events appearing first, and events scenes presented last.

I learnt a lot from watching this film. It helped me to shape the direction that I want to go in with my

film. It has a catching story line tangled with different twists which eventually come out at the end of the

film. I am hoping to put some twists in my film and reveal a bit more of the story as it progresses. I

particularly like the lighting used in the film. However, in terms of story line, due to time constraints and

budget etc I will keep it more simplistic and centre it around the Therapist/Patient relationship and

having a twist in terms of a personal aspect and following the journey of one main character.

Apocalypse now

This film helped me generate ideas for the post production side of things. There are a few things I picked

up on in this film which could be relevant to mine. In the opening he is laying on the floor looking up at

the ceiling fan and then it switches to the helicopter. The use of montage and overlays is something that

I can incorporate into my film particularly if I choose to go down the route of using objects to signify

flashbacks.

A beautiful mind

If I pursue the route of having the late wife there throughout there are subtle ways of showing that she

isn't actually there without giving the twist away. In this film John Nash see's characters who aren't

there however we are unsure of this until it is told to us. Although, it does give subtle hints which you

think back to once it's been revealed for example: when they are outside and they are running past the

birds and the birds don't fly away. This is clever because its subtle but obvious because birds are scared

of humans therefore when you approach them they do fly away.

This film has given me things to think about if this is the route I take.

Just like heaven

This is another example like the one above, however the women is in a coma which we realise

throughout the film.

After analysing the research taken from watching other films, I have decided that I am going to go down

the route of not having the wife in the film. She will be there as a minor role, and will be in a couple of

flashbacks but not there throughout. Although I think this would work well and be a good idea, I feel it

will be too hard to pull off in the time constraint therefore I don't feel the idea would be done as good

as it could have been in a longer film.

Shooting Techniques

Point of view shots

As I am thinking of incorporating voice-overs at the start and end of the film, resembling a diary entry

type thing, I though I would take a look into point of view shots so the audience is able to relate and

empathise with him more. However, some reviews of films that have used this have said that POV shots

tend to be jerky etc. Due to the fact that I want my film to focus on creative camera shots, high

aesthetics and emotions of the characters: I need my camera shots to be smooth. I have also shifted the

focus of my film to being Nathan's journey and how the Doctor/Patient relationship helps him overcome

his struggles therefore point of view doesn't fit my theme anymore but it was an area I explored.

Structure and style

The pace of the piece will be slow for the most part. Crucial moments within the film will be

faster.

The flashbacks will be short snappy clips with a sound track underlay.

Voice overs will be used within the piece.

The style in which I hope to capture the piece will be one that has emphasis on the visual

aesthetics. I will be using a different range of camera shots including the use of the dolly and

track for tracking shots, switching focus to change the depth of field in order to achieve this.

I will use the use of blur within my piece to represent the fog that people feel associated with

the short term memory loss following the death of a loved one.

Research

As my piece is centred on the idea of memory loss I have been researching how severe memory loss

caused by trauma can be so that I can portray this information accurately within my piece. I want my

film to follow as near to the facts as possible without being unrealistic.

After a death in the family, the first few week are usually spent in a fog, however, it is simply a

symptom of extreme stress and grief. Your mind is overwhelmed with more than it can handle,

being forced to accept the unacceptable and believe the unbelievable. You may be unable to

sleep well, have no appetite and almost certainly out of your normal routine; all these things

contribute to a sense of losing it and being unable to function. (Carol A Ranney, 2009)

About a quarter of widows and widowers will experience clinical depression and anxiety during

the first year of bereavement; the risk drops to about 17% by the end of the first year and

continues to decline thereafter. (Jacobs S, 1993).

Bereaved people often try to avoid reminders of the loss and to suppress the expression of grief.

This website below gives personal case studies of people who have gone to see counsellors due

to bereavement. This was interesting to me the personal accounts and helped me script the

conversation between the Doctor/ Patient.

http://www.healthtalkonline.org/Living_with_dying/Bereavement_due_to_traumatic_death/Topic/370

6/

Character Development

This questionnaire is something I found online which I feel can help me developed and shape my main

character who is experiencing memory loss. I can answer these questions and build a character around

this. This will then help me when it comes to writing my script.

Memory Loss

Dissociative disorder (not being able to remember a major, traumatic event).

The memory loss may be short-term or long-term

A person with memory loss needs a lot of support. It helps to show them familiar objects, music, or

photos.

Questions may include:

Type

Can the person remember recent events (is there impaired short-term memory)?

Can the person remember events from further in the past (is there impaired long-term

memory)?

Is there a loss of memory about events that occurred before a specific experience (anterograde

amnesia)?

Is there a loss of memory about events that occurred soon after a specific experience

(retrograde amnesia)?

Is there only a minimal loss of memory?

Does the person make up stories to cover gaps in memory (confabulation)?

Is the person suffering from low moods that impair concentration?

Time pattern

Has the memory loss been getting worse over years?

Has the memory loss been developing over weeks or months?

Is the memory loss present all the time or are there distinct episodes of amnesia?

If there are amnesia episodes, how long do they last?

Aggravating or triggering factors

Has there been a head injury in the recent past?

Has the person experienced an event that was emotionally traumatic?

Has there been a surgery or procedure requiring general anesthesia?

Other symptoms

Does the person use alcohol? How much?

Does the person use illegal/illicit drugs? How much? What type?

What other symptoms does the person have?

Is the person confused or disoriented?

Script

MEMORIES

By Amy Pearson

FADE IN

EXT. Street

Day

A young man is walking down the street in the direction of a building.

V.O

NATHAN

'Have you ever felt empty,

like something is missing?

You crave something yet

you don't know what it is?

Well lately thats how I've been feeling'.

Nathan walks through the front door of the building. As the voice over

finishes, we hear the sound from the door of the building shutting.

INT. Office

Day

A small square room with a coffee table, chair and a couch.

There are a few ornaments on the table as well as coffee mats. There is a

book on the table nearest to the chair. DR. Afford sits on the chair. Nathan

is sitting on one side of the couch.

NATHAN

But this has been going on for some time now and no progress has been made

DR. AFFORD

What is it you are feeling Nathan?

NATHAN

We've already been over this. Its the reason I'm here.

(Pauses)

Nathan puts his hands on his head and sighs.

NATHAN

I feel an emptiness,

I feel so confused,

Somethings not right

but when I think back,

everything seems normal.

Dr. AFFORD

What do you think back about?

FLASHBACK

We see Nathan in his home. He is chopping vegetables in his kitchen, he is smiling and happy, then we see him drop the knife and walk out of the frame.

In the next clip he picks up a cushion from the living room sofa and smells

it then puts it back down, it then cuts into clip of him getting into a car,

followed by a shot of the wheels as he drives away, then a clip of him in his

car and him turning and facing the outside of his house.

V.O

NATHAN

Everything that has happened in my life over the last year.

Me leaving town for a while and then returning back

again.

DR. AFFORD

Why did you leave?

NATHAN

Im not sure.

(Pauses)

I think at the time I was just bored in my life.

At first the change was good, everything was going well,

but after a while, I kept feeling that something was missing,

so I came home.

A phone rings outside the office. DR. Afford excuses himself from the office

to take the phone call. Nathan gazes around the office. He notices the book

lying on the coffee table. He reaches out his hand and pulls the book towards him. He looks towards the direction of the door again. He can hear muffled

voices of DR. Afford talking on the phone down the hall from the office. He

opens up the first page and sees his name written across the top. 'Nathan

Stroud'. He brushes his hand over his name and begins to flick quickly

through the pages. Two photographs fall out onto the table. He picks up the

first photograph. It is of DR. Afford with a younger women and an older women

- Presumably Mrs Afford. He lays it back down on the coffee table. He pulls

the second photograph towards him. He stands and has the photographs in each

of his hands. He turns back and looks in the direction of the door and tears

are rolling down his cheeks.

We hear a muffled voice of DR. Afford on the phone saying 'Bye, yes see you

then'

Nathan drops the photographs, turns and walks out of his office.

Shot in the corridor. As Nathan walks one way out of the office, DR. Afford

walks from the other direction towards the door of the office

DR. AFFORD

'Nathan, where are you going?'

DR. Afford walks back into his office and picks the two photographs up off of

the floor.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN

INT. Nathan's Bedroom

Night

Nathan is lying in his bed sleeping. There is light coming through his

curtains from the light outside in the street.

FLASHBACK of him holding the two photographs in his hand. We then cut back to

Nathan tossing and turning in his bed. We go back to the Flashback of the two

photographs. The camera zooms in on DR. Afford in the photograph and then

zooms out as it has gone into a clip of a family dinner at the dining room

table of a house. We pan around and see the young women, older women, DR.

Afford and Nathan in this flashback. We go back to Nathan tossing and turning

in his bed. The flashback zooms in on the girl in the image. We see a clip of

Nathan and the girl on the sofa in his living room with Sarah the young women

lying on the cushion that Nathan smells in the first flashback at the start of the story.

Each time we cut back to the present of him in his bed, the room gets lighter

and the camera gets closer to him.

Cuts back to Nathan as he sits up in his bed and turns on his side light.

Tears are rolling down his cheeks.

FADE OUT

FADE IN

INT. Office

Day

DR. Afford is sitting in his chair while Nathan paces the room.

NATHAN

How is it possible that I had

a wife and for the past year who I never

knew about.

DR. AFFORD

What do you remember?

NATHAN

That day

DR. AFFORD

What happened?

NATHAN

You already know what happened, you've known this whole

time

DR. AFFORD

Tell me what you remember Nathan

FLASHBACK

Nathan is in his kitchen chopping vegetables on the work surface. Sarah walks

over to the CD player and presses play on the CD player.

V.O

NATHAN

It was December 21st 2011.

I was in the kitchen making dinner,

Sarah was by the CD player

FLASHBACK

SARAH

Remember this song?

NATHAN

Of course, it was the best day of my life, how could I forget?

SARAH

come dance with me

V.O

NATHAN

She asked me to dance,

I dropped the knife, was walking over to dance with her,

then she just fell.

FLASHBACK clips of him chopping the vegetables then her just falling to the

ground. Nathan runs over to her shouting her name, no sound just see his

mouth moving. He just holds her and leans over her.

V.O

NATHAN

I went over to her, she wasn't breathing,

I just froze leaning over her.

She was young healthy,

I don't know what happened to her.

I called 999 the ambulance came

but it was too late.

Cuts back to a shot of Nathan sitting on the couch opposite DR. Afford.

NATHAN

Maybe if Id gone to dance with her sooner,

she would have been in my arms,

she wouldn't have hit the floor.

Tom Im so..

DR. AFFORD

Nathan, Sarah passed away due to an aneurism,

there was nothing you could have done that day that would have saved her.

Nathan pauses then stands.

NATHAN

All these months that I've been coming to see you,

you never once thought you should tell me

that your daughter, happened to be my wife who I'd somehowforgot about.

All this being the reason I came to

see you in the first place.

The emptiness I've been feeling..

DR. AFFORD

Nathan, We decided..

NATHAN

How is that even possible?

DR. AFFORD

The emotional trauma related to Sarah dying

caused your brain to psychologically block out her existence.

It was too painful for you to comprehend.

You just walked out and left. It was painful for us to.

We never knew when you would come home, or if you ever would

so her mother and I cleared out your flat. When you eventually did return,

every reminder of her was gone.

NATHAN

Why didn't you tell me, make me

remember?

DR. AFFORD

Nathan this is something you had to remember on

your own. We didn't want your views of your

life with Sarah to be determined by our

memories of her. It was something you had to

find out yourself.

Nathan sits down

NATHAN

Why has it taken me so long?

DR. AFFORD

When Sarah first died your brain couldn't deal with the pain, you left town.

When you left you seemed to have left every part of your life here behind.

A few months down the line you started showing signs that you were ready to deal

with the pain: the emptiness, the confusion.

It was first decided that you would be referred to me once this happened and

that

I would be the one to help you through it.

NATHAN

How do I deal with this now.

Where do I go from here?

Tom Affords wife walks into the room carrying a cardboard box.

SUSAN AFFORD

You should have this. Some of the

stuff we took from your flat and kept

until you remembered.

She walks over to Nathan and hands it to him. He smiles, take it from her and

places it on the coffee table. He hugs her.

NATHAN

(whispers)

Im so sorry

Susan looks holds Nathan at arms length, a tear in her eye smiles and nods

her head. Nathan turns hugs Tom Afford, thanks him and picks up the box and

leaves.

Shot from behind the Afford couples head as they are standing at the door.

Nathan is out of focus in the background walking away with his box.

V.O

NATHAN

The confusion is over.

FADE OUT

FADE IN

Close shot of flowers in a hand. Camera eases out into a wide shot as Nathan

walks through a cemetery.

V.O

NATHAN

Ive now realised what was missing.

I had a wife.

Her name was Sarah.

She unexpectedly passed away at only 28.

Nathan in his home putting the photograph of him and Sarah on his table. His

hand is touching the photo. The camera tracks in to the photograph.

V.O

NATHAN

The emptiness still remains,

along with the memories.

FADE OUT

Shot list

Story boards

Locations

Casting

Shooting Schedule

Test Shots

Lighting

Production timeline

Health and Safety (risk assessments)

Bibliography