2. A Few Notes
My working title is ‘Benchmark’, I have chosen this because it is centred around a life changing event for the
main character, but it also hints to the fact that the story is predominantly about benches.
The film will be around 5 minutes long.
The tagline: ‘Try not to fall.’ This hints to several points in the story, such as Connie falling for Ben or the girl
who suffers a fatal fall.
Introduction of key Characters:
Connie- The narrator of the story, Connie provides the perspective for the viewer, everything is
told from her point of view. She appears to be quite talkative as she spends the film talking about
Ben, without allowing Stacey to get much of her opinion across.
Ben- As the focus of Connie’s attention he has a large role, yet doesn’t have any input in the telling
of the story. Most of the film is centred around his life and misfortune.
Stacey- She is the aim of Connie’s chatter, her best friend, and provides a subtle balance to
Connie. She is quiet and not very outspoken.
3. Synopsis
Act 1
The camera pans in to two girls sat on
separate benches, these girls turn out to be
Connie and Stacey, and they are having a
conversation. The audience are witnessing
the girls reuniting after a while of not
talking, and the topic of conversation is the
hot, popular boy, Ben. Connie is obsessing
over him, and mentions how he is the most
popular out of the three of them, due to
where he always sits. The next shot shows
him surrounded by people, sat on a bench.
Connie then explains how recently he has
connected with the wrong crowd and they
are leading him astray. We then see Ben on
the same bench with a small group of
people, all with bottles in brown paper
bags, some smoking.
Act 2
Act 2 starts with the group drinking
and laughing about, showing a slight
time lapse over a few days, until one of
the girls is too drunk and falls, hitting
her head on the edge of the bench.
Connie recalls how Ben was so good
and kind, how his new friends left him
with the girl. Stacey asks “why didn’t
he call an ambulance? It could
have saved him from these
consequences!”
“He doesn’t have a phone, that’s
what makes him unique, he says it
drags life out of people.”
Act 3
Act three shows flashes of people arriving
and calling the police, it’s all very blurred
and fast, Ben is shown being taken away
from the bench. Connie admires how he
doesn’t make any fuss and walks away
calmly, relating to Stacey how much she
misses him now he sits by the lake, and how
he was such a good person. Connie and
Stacey, who’ve been slowly fading on their
benches throughout, stop talking, and two
passers by become the focus of the last
scene.
“Wherever did that lovely bench by the
gates go?”
“The one dedicated to Ben? A girl hit
her head on the arm rest and died. It’s
been deemed too dangerous and has
moved down by the lake.”
4. Target Audience
Due to the moral of the story, my target
audience is vulnerable teenagers, they
would hit D or E on the NRS scale, due to
having a low income and very little
experience. In regards to the 4 C’s they
would be either the Struggler or the
Aspirer. This is because they would be the
most likely to turn to new friends and
alcohol to fit in with who they perceive to
be “cool”, this film would be an attempt to
divert them from falling into the wrong
crowd by presenting them with the worst
case scenario. I will reach this audience by
sharing my film online, on a page such as
filmsshort or Shortoftheweek.
Form and Style
Most of this film will be in a modern style,
with certain aspects in a sepia effect, to show
the past tense better and highlight it for the
viewer. Following the conventions of my
chosen genre, I will use high and low shots in
order to establish times where Ben is control,
versus times where he is experiencing
unfortunate events. I will use a simple
handheld camera for most of the filming,
alongside a tripod for steady shots. The use
of a tripod will be most beneficial for filming
bench scenes in order to allow me to edit a
fade later in the film.
5. Marketplace
I feel that this film would do quite well as it’s quite abstract and would
appeal to a wide range of people for different aspects.
Due to the fact that this film is about benches, and that it isn’t revealed
until the very end, a sequel or prequel would be very difficult to pull off
successfully. There isn’t much scope for a prequel because there is very
little storyline available without it following a typical teen storyline and
being very predictable.
6. Sample music
Acoustic breeze (while Connie and Stacey talk)
https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music/track/acoustic-breeze
Memories (when Ben is being taken) https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-
music/track/memories
Tomorrow (the last act) https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-
music/track/tomorrow
All three songs are found on Bensound and are royalty free.
9. A few notes
This film will be 5 minutes long, as some of the scenes will be shot in a whirlwind type
way.
My working title for it is ‘NO’, this sums up the storyline, as the keyword used
throughout is ‘no’. This also highlights an issue of consent that is very relevant to
today’s society.
The tagline for this is ‘not today’, this suggests that there is a personal decision in
everything, and life brings changes with it.
Introduction of key Characters:
Freddie- The main character, he has little idea of other people, he is very popular and loves
to be centre of attention. He is intent on football and girls.
Aunt Jo- Young and savvy, she is very contemporary and follows the modern views of the
people around her. She is bold and brave, willing to stand up for what she believes in.
Charlotte- The focus of Freddie’s intent, she is shy and reserved, not a popular girl. She has
her friends, but is not comfortable being the centre of attention.
10. Synopsis
Act 1
Freddie walks into Aunt Jo’s
house, slightly upset, and very
frustrated. He gets them both a
drink and sits down. “What ever
is wrong with you?” He explains
his torment, how the one girl he
wants most, Charlotte, refused
his request of a date. Aunt Jo
asks if he knows what to do now,
he thinks he should keep asking
her, Jo disagrees. She explains
how if a girl doesn’t feel the
same, there’s no need to keep
badgering her because it won’t
work.
Act 2
The scene then changes to
him at school, asking
Charlotte out, he ignores the
advice we heard his aunt
give. He keeps asking,
Charlotte is shown to be
miserable, as she walks
down corridors and
everyone keeps looking at
her. Time is shown to pass
by, and eventually Freddie
gets bored too and the
gentle questions turn into
pestering and bullying.
• Act 3
It then changes to a
nicer, rosier setting,
Freddie listened to his
aunt, and both he and
Charlotte appear much
happier. They both get
on with their separate
lives, and Freddie falls
in love with someone
else, they end up
happy, as does
Charlotte.
11. Target Audience
Due to the moral of the story, my target
audience is vulnerable teenagers, they
would hit D or E on the NRS scale, due to
having a low income and very little
experience. In regards to the 4 C’s they
would be either the Struggler or the
Aspirer. This is because they would be the
most likely to turn to fitting in in with who
they perceive to be “cool”, rather than
accepting the thoughts and wishes of
others, this film would be an attempt to
divert them from falling into the wrong
path by presenting them with the worst
case scenario, showing them that their
actions can very negatively affect others. I
will reach this audience by sharing my film
online, on a page such as filmsshort.
Form and Style
Most of this film will be in a modern style,
with certain aspects in a sepia effect, to
show the fact that they aren’t actually
happening better and highlight it for the
viewer. Following the conventions of my
chosen genre, I will use high and low shots
in order to establish times where Freddie is
chasing after her, versus times where he is
experiencing the happiness they’d feel. I
will use a simple handheld camera for most
of the filming, alongside a tripod for steady
shots. The use of a tripod will be most
beneficial for filming corridor shots, where
the viewer will see Charlotte walking the
halls.
12. Marketplace
I feel that this film would do quite well as it’s quite abstract and would
appeal to a wide range of people for different aspects.
Due to the fact that this film is about consent, and there are very few
characters, there isn’t much scope for a prequel because there is very little
storyline available without it following a typical teen storyline and being
very predictable. A sequel may be possible, but the appeal of an original
story wouldn’t be present, because it would have been done before.
