2. Narrative Brief
• Two friends are talking, B tells C of a troubled teenager living in a broken
home – A - who, after fighting with their family, stormed out the house and
subsequently died in a car accident. - The family were distraught that they
fought so much and the last thing they said to each other was cursing one
another.
• The purpose of the story is a message based on making the most of the
time you have with loved ones – based on personal experiences. This is the
basis of revelation for the main character.
• C has a rocky relationship with family and should take on board that every
time they argue and storm out, that could be the last thing they say to each
other. C could go home and fight and storm out after the conversation,
only to go back and reconcile.
3. Key Characters
• A - boy who dies in accident:
Difficult home life, likes making music, well-liked by few but well-chosen
friends, difficult school life, poor background.
Scrawny and physically vulnerable – susceptible to and easily targeted for
abuse.
Kind-hearted but also explosive and neurotic. Introvert
4. Key Characters
• C – Girl who is told the story by her friend:
Lives in broken home with single parent, likes listening to music, one
best friend and little brother but not many other friends, fights with teachers
at school, poor background.
Likes fighting and taking out her aggression.
Very protective of her few friends and little brother.
6. Key Scenes for establishing character
• Use of montage of the main character for the opening, showing them travelling alone to
establish the isolated feel of the film; playing the guitar on a train, framed in mid/long
shots with lots of blank space to establish isolation through visual subtext.
• Cross cut between the main character and the person being told the story travelling to
meet friend to establish that they are similar for later when we find out that the main
character died – show they could be headed down the same path.
• Final shot of A at the end of B telling the story of how he died shows the focus being
adjusted as they leave their house through the front door to show them fading
and disappearing from A's family's life.
• Final scene shows C's revelation when she goes back and hugs her mum after a fight.
7. Mood Lighting
• Use boring colours to establish the misery and difficulty of A and C's
lives, greys and blues.
• Natural green and blues while B and C are talking to show how their
relationship is happy and calm between them – a stark contrast to the
rest of their lives.
• Harsh 'golden hour' yellow lighting in the final hug – dynamically
manipulate to show the burden and stress of the disputes between
them being lifted as this will be the only time in the narrative of the
film that their troubles together are quashed.
8. Framing for mood/Key scenes cont.
• Use of montage of A for the opening, showing them travelling alone to
establish the isolated feel of the film; playing the guitar on a train, framed
in mid/long shots with lots of blank space to establish isolation through
visual subtext.
• Final shot of A at the end of B telling the story of how he died shows
the focus being adjusted as they leave their house through the front door
to show them fading and disappearing from A's family's life.
• Any argument/angry scenes should be shot from mid/long shots as they
will be ugly, and the audience should feel like they aren't uncomfortably
close and would like to be far away from the argument – as one would feel
if they were there in person. However, the happier and calmer scenes
showing isolation could utilise longer establishing shots with more blank
space, followed by zoomed, handheld close-ups to feel more intimate and
peaceful when not at home.
9. Framing for mood/Key scenes cont.
• B and C's conversation should start with a balanced two-shot. They
should be framed together, and both remain on equal sides of the
frame.
10. Sound design
• Use of acoustic background music with little percussion. Seemless,
but very important in establishing a cold, apathetic tone with some
little comfort and serenity.
• I have some music ready to go based on the tone I am going for, but I
will need to review it after writing, story boarding and play around in
post-production.
• The dialogue will also narrate the story similarly to The Ellington Kid,
opening with a sound bridge that carries throughout the shots
11. Target Audience
• The target audience is very broad since everyone has family who
they've fallen out with. However, young people living at home with
difficult home lives and from similar backgrounds to the characters
may align with the characters more and get more from the message
of the piece.
• Parents living with family will relate to it currently and anyone who
has grown up with family should find it thought-provoking and
understand the message.