Pre-Production - Preliminary Task

For our preliminary task we were given the brief: ‘A character opens a door, crosses a room and sits down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanged a couple of lines of dialogue.’ and had to create this scene, while demonstrating match on action and basic filming techniques such as shot reverse shot.

We first went about this by brain storming ideas for our script and then writing it, we thought that it would be interesting to have the situation  of a blind date in order to help us understand the whole production process.

 

Film Treatment :

 

Film Title: Blind Date

Production Name: MAGC Productions

Film Duration: 2 Minutes (appox.)

Roles

Director: Chloe Kennedy

Assistant Director: Grace Chambers

Production Manager: Andrea Simpson

Camera Man: Maisie Baker

Characters

Young Man: Jess Balmer

Young Woman: Claire Evans

Waitress: Grace Chambers

Costumes

Young Man

·         The Young Man will be dressed quite formally, however he won’t appear too overdressed. He will be wearing a shirt and tie, but not a full suit.

Young Woman

·         The Young Woman will be very overdressed, wearing clothes of a rather old fashioned style. She will wear a rather garish dress that is a bright colour. She will have very big hair, and her makeup will be very over the top, with bright red lips that aren’t very neat, with some on her teeth, and heavy eye makeup.

Synopsis:

A Young Man named Edward, around the age of 21, has been set up on a blind date by his friends. He knows very little about the Young Woman he will be meeting, with all he knows being that the Young Woman is of a similar age to him. The film is based around the idea of dating, and follows different couples as they go on dates across the world, showing the good and bad of dating in the modern day. Dating apps will be used to set up dates, as well as dates between long-time friends, blind dates, and speed dating. The film shows how dating differs greatly to that which was happening only 20 years ago. The film is based around the idea that it isn’t always love that brings us onto these dates any more.

Setting:

We have chosen to film our scenario in a room that will be dressed to look like a sophisticated restaurant, somewhere that the female character will look far to overdressed to be.

Props:

·         Yellow Marigold glove

·         Plates

·         Table cloth/s

·         Chairs

·         Glasses

·         Pen

·         Notepad

·         Napkins

·         Tie

·         Apron

·         Wine bottle

·         Feather boa

Lighting:

For the lighting, we have decided to use natural lighting from outside, as well as some lamps within the room to create the dim lighting you would find in a higher class restaurant. We were initially going to use the lights that are already in the ceiling of the room; however they give everything in the room a yellow tinge, which is not how we wanted the shot to look.

Sound:

We are going to try and use as many diegetic sounds as possible. For example, throughout the entire scene, soft music will play in the background, so they will be added during editing, however it will appear that the music was played whilst filming. Also, when the Young Woman enters the scene, as record scratch can be heard, which will also be added during post production whilst sound editing, however the actors in the scene will react to the sound, making it appear like it was in the scene the entire time.

Also, during post production, we will add a low volume sound of people talking to give the effect that the restaurant is rather busy, even if we only have a couple of extras. This sound can be recorded during filming, and then put on a loop throughout the scene, or it can be recorded after filming has taken place.

'Blind Date' Script:

Blind Date

by

MAGC Productions

INT. RESTAURANT – EVENING

A rather sophisticated restaurant in Marlow. It’s about 6:00 in the evening. The restaurant is fairly busy, with people drinking their beverages, and eating their meals.

One of these people is a YOUNG MAN. The YOUNG MAN is sat waiting nervously at one of the tables. He checks his watch, whilst soft music, probably from a piano plays in the background.

At this point, a YOUNG WOMAN walks through the door. The YOUNG WOMAN appears over dressed for the occasion, and a large portion of the restaurant stare at her. The YOUNG WOMAN eyes over the restaurant, before spotting the YOUNG MAN and going over. The YOUNG MAN stands to greet the YOUNG WOMAN.

YOUNG MAN

Hi, I’m Edward, but you may call me Ed.

YOUNG WOMAN puts yellow marigold glove on her right hand in a comedic fashion, with a snapping noise created when she lets go of the glove against her skin. The YOUNG WOMAN then offers her hand to the YOUNG MAN,

YOUNG WOMAN

Well, my name’s Guinevere, but you can’t call me Gwen.

YOUNG MAN awkwardly shakes hand of YOUNG WOMAN. YOUNG MAN sits in his chair. Meanwhile, YOUNG WOMAN stands waiting by her own chair, until YOUNG MAN realises, stands up and pushes the chair of the YOUNG WOMAN in, however too far, and created a large noise. They now sit, staring awkwardly

YOUNG WOMAN

Well, I had an absolutely diabolical time getting here. I had to get on a bus, with other people. I had to pay, whilst all these, what I call elderly simply got on without spending a penny. It was an outrage I tell you.

The voice of the YOUNG WOMAN becomes muffled as the YOUNG MAN zones out of the conversation, completely unaware that the YOUNG WOMAN is still talking to him.

YOUNG WOMAN

What do you think?

YOUNG MAN

Um, no?

YOUNG WOMAN

Do you mean to say that you don’t like my hair?

YOUNG MAN

Err…

At this point, a WAITRESS walks in, ready to take the orders of the YOUNG MAN and YOUNG WOMAN.

WAITRESS

Are you ready to order?

YOUNG MAN

Err, steak and chips.

WAITRESS

And for you?

YOUNG WOMAN

Do you have anything meat free, dairy free, calorie free, gluten free, and nut free? Oh, and fat free.

WAITRESS

I can offer you water, madam?

YOUNG WOMAN

You are unbelievable! You should cater for everyone, especially seeing as I’m not even that fussy. I could name  several establishments who are able to meet my needs.

The YOUNG MAN sneaks out of the restaurant, out of view of the YOUNG WOMAN, who is well involved in her argument with the WAITRESS.

YOUNG WOMAN

Have you never heard of (using a bad French accent) ‘Ipsum Dolor’, the famous French restaurant in Paris? I’m certain my date here can assure you. Ed? Ed? Edward?

The YOUNG MAN can be seen from the window running at high speed from the restaurant, and the YOUNG WOMAN can be seen at the window, calling for the YOUNG MAN to come back.

YOUNG WOMAN

Edward!

We split our production team into two at this point so that it enabled us to manage our time effectively. Andrea and I set to work on the script, while Maisie and Grace went location scouting; created a props list, and casting, once we had all brain stormed our ideas, and we knew what our scene would consist of. 

On completing the script we started story-boarding, remembering our knowledge of film so far, we made sure that our scene would fit match on action, and flow accordingly, as well as use relevant camera angles in order to create the right meaning we wanted to portray. 

Story-Boards:

We made sure to mention what should be in-focus so that it would be helpful when in production.

Once we were happy with our story-boards we drew up our shot and props list. We made sure to note any which lens to use for each set-up, in order to make production effective and not take up any extra time.

Shot List