For AS Level Media.

1. Treatment for Opening Sequence
Outline
FilmTitle: "BreakingPoint"
Genre:Drama
Target Audience:Late teens(15-21),Group E (specificallystudents),StatusandEscape groupsof
people
Synopsis:
 Equilibrium - maincharacter hasbeenkickedoutof home,isstrugglingwithgangs,hasmany
debtsto payfor dance classesandbasic thingsinlife,doesdance toescape the daily
struggle.
 Disruption - maincharacter isconfrontedbythe gang to pay upa lotof moneywhichshe
doesnothave and therefore she isatriskof gettinghurt.
 Recognition - maincharactersgets offeredtojoinadance competitioninwhichshe would
wina lot of money,whichshe doesjoinpurelytogive backthe moneyshe ownstothe gang.
 Repair - getspart-time job,workshardtowardscompetition,doesthe competitionand
doesn'twin,getsconfrontedbygangoutside,violentfightingensues,police nearby notice
and take gang away,she is safe fromthem, insteadof winningthe competitionshe getsa
jobofferat dance companyfor gooddancing.
 NewEquilibrium - has a stable well paidjob,liveswithfriendandislookingforherown
place,gangsdo not followheranymore,issaferandhappier.
Narrative style:Linear
Themes:struggles,conflict,comingof age,friendship,dance
Binary Opposition:mostlyintone of openingsequence,roughpastversusapossible calmerfuture,
dramaticmusicversuscalmermore upbeatmusic,conflictandstruggle versuscalmandfriends
Music: one songthat goesfromdramatic instrumental appearingroughandharshto more upbeat
lyricversionpromisinghope inthe film,will gainrighttouse byemailingthe company
Opening Sequence Overview/Concept
Titles:productionandinstitutioncompaniesrightbefore clipsof actionhappenatthe beginning of
openingsequence) - "A WorkinProgress"productioncompanybyErikaand Vicky,distributedby
Factory 25, actor namesandfilmtitle atthe endof openingsequence duringdancingmontage
Camera Angles:
 POV Shots – involve the audience,immerseintostory
 Wide Shots – establish scenesandsettings
 Close-ups/Extremeclose-ups–show emotionsandintensecharacterinteraction
 Tracking – follow action
 High anglevs Lowangle – to show powerdifferencesbetweentwocharactersina scene
 Midshots – to appearrealisticandreflectgenre

2. Sound:
 Non-diagetic–mostlymusic(instrumentalfirst, thenwithwordsasthe dancingmontage
happens)
 Diagetic – bag thrownon floor,punchsound,stepsonfloor,peopleshouting
Editing: fastpacededitingduringaction,slow motionduringdance montage tocreate a difference
inatmospheres,blackandwhite forfightscene flashback,choppycuttingtoreflectitbeinga
memory,titlesmovingwithdance moves,tintedtofitmood – goldsandyellowsfordance studio,
bluesandblacksfor outside fightscene,smoothtransitionsbetweenequivalentshotsinthe two
differentscenestolinkthemtogether
Characters:
 Main Protaganist(Hero) –Eleanor: female,late teens,strugglingdance, darkpast
 Best Friend (Helper) – Tory: female,dancer,cheerleaderstereotype
 Gang Leader 1 (Villain) – Camilla: female,aggressive,involvedwithdrugs,nearvendetta
againstmaincharacter
 Gang Leader 2 (Villain) – Jack: male,aggressive,maindrugdealer
 Background dancer(6or 7): a group,from the dance studio,streetstyle dancing,nolines
Locations
Dance Studio: at KingstonCollege,mirrorshugelyinvolved,highkeylightingtocontrastto dark parts
of maincharacter’slife,invitingandwelcoming,fitsintodramagenre bybeingthe escape frombad
part of life,majorityof the openingsequence takesplace here.
Alleyway:nightime setting,darkanddreary,rough,dirty,dramaticfighttakesplace here,contrast
to lightdance studio,looksdangerous,reflectsdarkpastof maincharacter, fitsintodrama genre by
beingthe darkand bad part of maincharacter’slife
Visual Elements
Colour: playswithcontrastof dark and lightto reflectmood,light/golden/warmcoloursindance
studio,dark/cold/roughcoloursinthe alleywayflashback
Lighting: lowkey lightinginalleyway usingone light - hardlight,pitchblackelsewhereasitwill be
eveningtime,highkeylightingindance studio - several studiolightswithsoftlightappearingquite
natural
Costume:
 Hero – all black,baggydance outfit,dirtysportsshoes.
 Helper – verygirly,leggings,croptop,brightcolours,verydone upmakeupandhair.
 Villains – brandedsportswear,coveredinbruisesandblood.
 Dancers - variationof streetstyle dance outfits,comfortable,colourful
Props: fake blood,speakers,knife,moneyinadancingbag

3. Equipment and Resources
Shooting:2 DSLR cameras (NikonandCanon),2 Tripods,Microphone,Lighting,Reflector,Chargers,
SD cards, Lensesforcamera
Editing: PremierPro,AfterEffects,Audacity,freesoundbitesfromwebsites
Possible Struggles
Shooting:
 Mirrors gettingequipmentintoshot –practise,checkfootage foraccuracy
 Camerarunningout of battery – chargerson hand
 Bad weatherconditions –planahead,lookforalternativesplaces/timestoshoot
 Locationavailability –planahead,rehearse sceneselsewhere
 Health& safetywhile shooting –informeveryoneonsetof safety
Editing:
 Continuity –double checkfootage
 Wrong colouring/badquality - colourcorrection,reshoots
 Time constraintof 2 minutes –fast pacesshots,be selective withshots
 Notenoughfootage – cut aroundit, reshoots
Summary
Overall thisisa challengingideabutitwill show off all ourskillsandwill be visuallyappealingtothe
appropriate audience.The storywill be engagingtowatchandshouldflow well togetherinthe edit.