Stage 1

So we're getting started on our group project in my group with Laura and Holly. We've already planned our group idea and agreed on it but had already made a treatment for another idea so i thought i would put it down so you could see the contrast

PLANNING YOUR OPENING SEQUENCE
Please describe or explain the following:
1. The action: identify the event your idea is based around; what actually happens (discovery of a body, an illicit meeting, a witness seeing a crime being committed, a criminal act taking place, a telephone call, a chase, a short journey etc)?
My idea was based around two drug dealers in London who deal and take cocaine. The action in the opening sequence would be the dealers wrapping up packages of cocaine, and then you see/hear the dealers spiking one package with a poison of some sort to kill someone. They wrap three packages ready to post but you do not see which package is the poisoned one.

2. The theme(s): what should it make the audience think about or feel, what ‘issues’ will it raise (revenge, sexuality, voyeurism, stalking, obsession, greed etc)
Themes of death, drugs, London style and social scene, revenge, will make the audience feel angry and confused as they do not know who will be poisoned.

3. The narrative: how is it structured - classic narrative pattern or break with convention, real time or different time zones, flashbacks/forwards, dreams etc. Will there be dialogue? What about diegetic/ non-diegetic sound?
The narrative pattern will break the conventions, as it will use both real time and flash backs to try and piece together the story bit by bit. The aim is to be quite confusing to the audience, to make them think. . There will be dialogue between the two dealers about the drugs and about poisoning them. Any music that we have in the scene will be digetic as i feel non-digetic sound may make it feel quite Hollywood, and i think it should be quite gritty.

4. The character(s): who are they, identify their roles, what are their characteristics, including gender, appearance etc?
The only characters seen in the opening sequence are two drug dealers, in their mid/late-thirties. Both white males wearing plain darkish clothes in greys blues and khakis

5. The setting and choice of location: where is it set?
A London flat/house, showing the dealers must be pretty good and lead a averagely comfortable life. The flat would be nearer the centre of London. Nice looking from the outside but dingier from the inside.

6. The mise-en-scene: identify colours, lighting, dress codes, the overall visual look
High key lighting as it is in the middle of the day, I see bright-ish colours like reds and blues mixed in with whites and browns. Dress codes are pretty standard and casual. Needs to connote British street style.

7. The camera work: the style you are aiming for
Lots of movement shots: tracking, pans etc to create a better visual feeling. Jaunty angles to create a weird sense of something happening and confusion.

8. The editing: edited as a continuous sequence, use of cross cutting, use of montage, or combination?
Very choppy, and fast paced to reflect the British edgy-cool style of the piece. Use of montage when showing the making and separating of the cocaine.

9. Has your idea been ‘tested’ against the key criteria (the 8 questions)?
Yes, i feel it will work well

10. Group responses?
We all like the idea and think it can work well, as we would have the right location to shoot it, and we could use our dads as actors...