List of Characters and Props

COSTUMES

Edward: Pyjamas

Jeans, Top and Trainers

Rough Sleeper: Dirty/Scruffy Clothes

Therapist/Doctor: Smart Uniform (Skirt and shirt)

PROP LIST

• Alarm clock
• Calendar
• Household items (toothbrush)
• Sleeping bag
• Cardboard sign
• Sandwich
• Mobile phone

We have chosen to use a minimal amount of props and costumes throughout our film due to this being a common code and convention seen within short films. Our main character Edward is seen to be wearing stereotypical clothing worn by teenagers such as jeans, a top and trainers. This is an everyday outfit worn by Edward throughout the film as it is simple and conforms to the stereotype. Another character within our film is the rough sleeper which plays a significant role in Edward's 'decisions' throughout the film. This character is seen to be wearing clothes that clearly haven't been washed and are slightly torn, which suggest that have a negative backstory causing them to be homeless. Our final character is seen to be a Doctor/Therapist who is having a conversation with Edward about the problems in his brain. This character will be wearing smart clothing consisting of a black skirt and white shirt as this is the type of outfit that would be seen within the workplace.

The props we have chosen to use are also quite significant within our short film as they can be used for plot devices such as the calendar, which is going to be used in the beginning of our film shows the importance for a certain day. The alarm clock is going to be seen frequently at the beginning of our film as Edward wakes up the sound of it everday in a short montage of clips. The sandwich will be used for when Edward decides to do a random act of kindness by buying the rough sleeper a sandwich from the local supermarket. Also, throughout our film Edward is seen on the phone to the doctor about his appointment, which foreshadows the events that are to happen later on in the film. Other props including the alarm clock and household items, such as a toothbrush within our film are used to create a sense of normality and realism throughout.

Target Audience Results

Target Audience Reseach - Questionnaire

I created this questionnaire to find out our potential target audience for our short film. I sent out the questionnaire to a group of 18 people with a mixture of boys and girls of similar ages. The questionnaire will allow us an insight into what type of genre and characters we should use within our film. After the questionnaire is filled out by a group of people we will use the responses to decide particular elements to include throughout our short film.

Propp Character Theory

Who was Vladimir Propp?


Propp was a literary critic and schloar that founded the idea that particular character types were found within every narrative structure. Propp's theory has influenced many filmmakers across the world to writing and producing a successful narrative within their films.


What is his theory?

Propp suggested that every narrative has 8 different types of characters, which include...

The villian - creates a conflict between themselves and the hero.

The hero/victim - their aim is to restore normality or equilibrium. They do this by defeating the villian and end up winning some kind of prize towards the end.
Dispatcher - the person that sends the hero on a journey to restore equilibrium. They also make the villian's presence known throughout the film.
Father Figure - They are the ones who usually sends the hero on their quest. Propp noted that functionally, this character and the heroine/prize cannot be clearly distinguished.
Donor - This character gives the hero something to help them along their journey. This could be a piece of advice, a skill or an object such as a weapon.

Helper - The helper assists the hero in restoring back to normality. They may be seen as a sidekick with the hero throughout or they could be someone they meet along the way.

Heroine/Prize - This is usually a passive and vulnerable character throughout, they are also threatened by the villian and need rescuing by the hero. Also, there could be a reward towards the end if the hero completes their jounrey and restores everything back to normal.

False Hero - This character is the one who is portrayed as being on the hero's side but turns out to be against them towards the end.

Script - Decisions

Drama Film Genre History

Budget

A budget is essential for films as they list all of the costs involved within the film such as actors, assistants, equipment and even the food provided throughout days of shooting. They are important to analyse during the process as it enables the film company to be in financially stable position leading up to the production stage. Film budgets can be divided into four sections, which include above the line (creative talent), below the line (direct production costs), post-production (editing, visual effects, etc.), and other insurance. The budgets can be acquired from things such as private investors, sponsors, product placements, film studios, entertainment companies, and/or out-of-pocket funds. The first time you budget a film, you should include everything that is crucially needed during the production stage. The budget will be a constantly changing document, as ‘essentials’ can become redefined, deals come up and certain elements could to be too expensive for your budget. But there comes a point, when you have raised all the cash and made all the deals that you possibly can, when you have to decide to go-ahead with what you already have.

When budgeting here are some of the things you should think about including...

Cast and Crew - you might not have to pay anyone, but make sure you clarify this early on. If you are not paying crew then it is customary to offer to cover their expenses. Note - funded films generally require the equity minimum pay for cast and particularly crew.

Travel – an unavoidable cost.
Catering – food is not to be underestimated, if you can feed your team well they will be much happier to work for you.
Location - it depends where you are shooting, but again make sure that this is thoroughly researched ahead of time.
Camera and Lights - and other equipment needed.
Insurance - there are legal guides for this.
Post-production and Marketing - important areas, most first-time filmmakers do not budget adequately for these.

Short film budgets are usually quite low due to them being produced by independant film companies. These independant filmmakers can make their films much more cost effectively than the majors. Also, because the budgets are relatively modest, independent filmmakers can afford to make a movie that fails unlike the big conglomerates, such as Walt Disney. Firstly, the location of the movie can have a huge impact on the budget of the film. For example, moving the cast and crew around a lot can be time consuming and expensive so typically in short films they tend to stick to using only one or two locations within the film. Short filmmakers are able to get cheap or free scores by composing or performing it themselves. But there are three music copyrignt streams: composers, lyracists and performers. Or, by getting an unsigned band to perform, or to acquire the movie rights to an existing band by contacting them through their agent, or estate if unable to contact. When the budget is low for short films the distributors can use social media to gain an audience and advertise the film. Also, they can create their own name for the production company and title of the film, which can save money.

Certification

The certification of a film is based on the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC's) guidelines. The BBFC classification is the UK's regulator of film and video, providing age ratings such as U, PG, 12A and 15. They are a body, who have legal powers to rate and sometimes even cut or reject films before they are released. Examiners use the published guidelines to base their decisions on classification for the films. Occasionally, it is necessary to take specialist advice about the legal acceptability of film content or its potential for harm. This is due to the fact that examiners will look into issues such as discrimination, drugs, horror, language, imitable behaviour, nudity, sex, sexual violence, theme and violence when making their decisions. They will also consider the context of the film, which is how the audience feels when watching it. They will also look at the release format for example, if it was watched at home there is a higher risk of underage viewing.

Todorov's Equilibrium Theory

Todorov's theory of equilibrium suggests that narratives consist of five stages which are...

1) A state of equilibrium: Where everything is as it should be and there is a sense of stability in the beginning.

2) Disequilibrium: A disruption of that order by an event.

3) Recognition: A realisation that a problem has occurred.

4) Attempt: An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption.

5) New equilibrium: A return or restoration of a new equilibrium at the end of the narrative.

In these five stages the narrative is not seen as a linear structure, but a circular one. The narrative is driven by many attempts to restore the original equilibrium. However, the new equilibrium achieved towards the end of the narrative is not the same as the equilibrium that it started with. The disruption within the narrative itself usually takes place outside the 'normal' and the characters have to solve the problem. This type of narrative structure is very common in films, especially the horror genre. We have chosen not use Todorov's narrative within our own short film as it follows a  non-linear structure throughout. We do include an equilibrium in  our film, however the narrative does not restore to normal in the end of our film so the narrative is not restored.

Overall Narrative - Decisions