1. Treatment
Title
‘Hear Me Out’ connotes the willingness of a young teenage girl from a working class
background and stereotyped as a ‘chav’ aspiring to become an actress one day. It also
gives the impression that she is being misjudged by people who seem to think she is
uneducated, a troublemaker and has no career intentions.
The title is conventional for the British Social Realism genre because Mercedes wants to
prove to everyone wrong by trying out for auditions in the hopes to get through and get
far in life. It will also give an impression that anyone can achieve what they want if they
try hard enough.
It will appeal to my target audience of a teenage British audience because they may have
had similar experiences in life or know someone who lives a similar lifestyle as
Mercedes. They will understand the film more because the stereotype of a ‘chav’ gives a
negative representation but they can have positive thoughts of aspiring to make
something of their lives and they just want to show that to everyone.
Target Audience: Age- 16-24 year old’s
Location- Britain
Gender- Female
Class- Working class
Interests- Fashion, music, celebrities, Facebook, television
Media Consumption- Internet, mobile phones, magazines
Themes- growing and aspiration, conflict, relationships, violence
USP- The unique selling point of my film would be the theme which is growing up and
aspiration which relates to my British audience.
Primary Research- I did some primary research on films that were released over the past
few years to found out why people watched this film. Here a five thing i chose which i
found important;
● my friends are talking about it
● I like the title
● Story set in UK/London
● The story appealed to me
● The genre/type of film
Technology
For my opening sequence I am going film using a digital camera and a tripod. This
technology is suitable because it is easy to navigate around and it’s also portable to
carry with you. Additionally the tripod is useful to use because in some part of my
sequence I want to to put the camera on something to keep it steady instead of holding
it. I have also considered I might use a mobile phone in my production because it would
make it look rough and gritty and also if you wanted to show a point of view shot. When I

2. edit my opening I am going to use a Mac using a software called I movie. This software
has many ways to edit your shots in a creative way and make it look gritty to the genre of
British Social Realism. There is some limitations in technology as I would like to use an
establishing shot of London on a helicopter but this is expensive and hard to maintain.
Representations
The key character in my opening sequence who is the protagonist is called Mercedes
and she is 16 years old. She lives in a flat with her mum in the area of Marks Gate but
they are quite poor. The other main character is called Paris which is the antagonist and
she is the same age too. She lives in the city with her mum and dad who are wealthy.
I have applied Propp’s character type to the characters in my film such as Mercedes
Mentor who is called Kat. My film will subvert typical representations of any groups in
society such as a Posh group of boys and girls in the drama school who are quite bitchy
and snobbish.
Narrative
My film is about a teenage, working class girl called Mercedes who wants to audition in
Shakespeare’s production Romeo and Juliet in a leading drama school but she finds out
she is in competition with the most popular girl in her school but as Mercedes has many
issues in her life Will she give up or will she aim to reach success?
In my opening sequence it will basically show Mercedes sleeping then it will go into a
flash forward of her in the future. The it switches back to reality with her daily routine
waking up and getting ready to go to the audition. It then switches to introduce Paris
getting ready. We then see both characters on the train , they both look each other and
give weird looks. It then shows them getting off and walking to the drama school. They
are then waiting patiently for their audition, practising their monologue. Whilst Mercedes
is practising her monologue one of the interviewers walks past her, listening to her and
stops for a second , looks at her and smiles as if she is interested. Then Paris walks over
to Mercedes and says “Why did you keep looking at me on the train? It’s like your
jealous that I’m going to get the main part “ she then laughs whilst Mercedes swears and
says “piss off”. It is then when Mercedes is called for her audition. She walks in nervous
with two interviewers inside the hall. She begins to start her monologue but she forgets
her lines and she starts to heavily breath whilst sweating. The examiners ask if she is
okay but she runs off saying I can’t do this. She runs past Paris who laughs at her and
into the toilets. We then hear Paris’s name being called for the audition and she walks in
confident and vibrant. She begins her monologue and finishes it. It then cuts to
Mercedes in the toilet sitting looking upset and angry of what happened. She then comes
out calmly and walks fast out of the building. Paris is outside waiting to be picked and
could be like “how did you do?” and Mercedes will reply “oh fuck off” angrily walking off.
We see Paris giving a shocked look at her and then it goes back to Mercedes on the train
going back home. She arrives home and her mother was like where did you go? She just
slams the bedroom door. We then see her looking at all the different posters on her wall
of actors and then she looks at a photo of her and her dad. It then says “2 weeks later”

3. and we hear the mum say “Mercedes there is a letter for you” and she begins to open it
so Mercedes rushes and snatches it off. She then opens the letter and reads it. The letter
says “We have decided to accept you in our production if you would like to attend the
date below for your first session. Mercedes screams and throws the letter in the air
which is the end of the opening sequence.
The use of conventions of an opening sequence will relate to the British Social Realist
genre through similar themes as violence, isolation, escaping daily life etc. The dialogue
such as accents and dialect which people speak in different areas of Britain. The camera
work like rough shots will make it more believable and portraying reality. The mise-en-
scene will shown by real locations, everyday clothing and natural lighting. The music and
sound effects will be shown through known British artists and the sound effects will add
tension to the scene. All these aspects conform the genre.
Conventions
I will conform to the conventions of the British Social Realism genre because it will make
the opening sequence look more realistic and show what life is actually like for teenage
girls. The conventional themes my opening sequence will follow are the social class,
growing up and aspiration, violence and isolation. I will be showing the working class
background through the main character, Mercedes, who will be seen to be stereotyped
as a ‘chav’. This may represent her as uneducated and having no career intentions, but
she dreams of becoming an actress one day. This contrasts with Paris, who comes from
a wealthy background and seems to have a higher chance of getting through the
auditions for Romeo and Juliet. The locations this opening sequence to be film in is the
council estates in Marks Gate and the train which will give the audience a better
understanding because they may have been to the locations which look familiar to them.
My British Social Realist opening sequence will have hybrid elements of teenagers
growing up and aspiring to be famous actresses. It will also show the working class
background and how they want to get out of their current situation and fulfil their
dreams.
Style and Iconography:
Camerawork - establishing shot to show the entire setting where an action is about to
take place, some handheld camera work to create dramatic effect on the audience and
involves them in the scene, pan movement to show an entire setting, close ups to see
characters’ emotions, mid shots to show a normal scene and the surroundings, long
shot to show entire setting and audience gains an understanding, angle shots to show
someone or something being strong or weak, over the shoulder shot as she tells the
mentor for the audition her name before she begins her actual audition.
Editing - cross cuts to create some tension between Mercedes and Paris, ellipsis of
Mercedes waking up to her journey to the audition, cutaway from Mercedes’ dream to her
waking up.

4. Costumes/Props as Visual signifiers - Mercedes as a ‘chav’ wearing big hooped earings,
hoodie, tracksuit bottoms and make up (black eyeliner and blusher), holding a book
about the auditions. Paris wearing high heels, make up (red lipstick), fur coat, black skirt.
Sound/Music - ambient sound,diegetic music, dialogue, non-diegetic music of a piano
playing at the beginning and near the end.
Institution:
Film Four show what life is actually like in Britain for ordinary people and that it isn’t
‘perfect’. This has had an impact on the type of film I’ll make because I want to show that
the working class, teenagers in particular want to be successful and make something of
their lives.
This will effect the distribution of my film because it will appeal to a mainly teenage
British audience. The film may relate to them because they may have had similar
experiences in life so they will understand it.
My film could be home exhibited on 4od, which Film 4 films are sometimes available on.
This on-demand service is restricted only to Britain and is an example of New Media
Technology because it was just released in 2006. My film could also be released on DVD
and now on blu ray due to the advance in new media technology which could usually be
sold on amazon.com. Many Film 4 films such as Slumdog Millionaire and Brick Lane are
now available on blu-ray sold on amazon.com.
My film could also be downloaded on iTunes and Film Four website for a small fee.
I think my film would be exhibited at art house cinemas because it appeals to a niche
audience.