The document discusses the development of a film idea for a media studies project. The student explores several potential ideas before choosing to create a short film that will visually depict the Latin phrase "Carpe Diem" or "seize the day". The film will follow a teenage girl who ends up in a state between life and death called Bardo, where she encounters projections of her past, present and future. Seeing what could be, she realizes how to seize the day and save herself from a dark fate. The student provides details on the inspiration, characters, locations, and plot of the chosen idea.

1. PREPRODUCTION
Developing ideas for my A2 Level Media Studies film

2. INTRODUCTION
The preproduction stage of a film is considered the most important step in movie making.
In this PowerPoint I will explore the different film ideas that I could develop for my final
film project.
By weighing each idea based on their advantages and limitations I will be able to narrow
down which one is the most promising film idea. After choosing my inspiration I will
explore the different directions I can go with my chosen theme, as to decide on the most
suitable and exciting storyline.
Through researching the codes and conventions of the category my film will fall under, I
will become more aware of the format and characteristics of a successful grenre and be
able to implement that into my film.
Continuing with the development stage I will write a synopsis and brainstorm about
aspects of my film.
This will all equate to a well thought out initial idea which I will expand upon in the
development process.

3. A lost lottery ticket
is found
Bullying
Syrian
Crisis
Modern
Fairytale
The journey
of an object
Split personality
A visual poem
What a quote
represents
The controversy of finding the winning
lottery ticket in a small town.
An informative film
that follows a bully
victim.
A documentary
style film
following the
current Syrian
crisis in
Belgrade.
Using images to narrate a
well known poem.A 21st century
reinterpretation of a
traditional fairytale.
Following the movement of
an object as different people
keep kicking it up and
leaving it.
Using a
quote
such as
‘Carpe
Diem’ to
illustrate
a story.
The internal struggle
of people who have a
multiple personality
disorder.

4. INITIAL FILM IDEAS PROS & CONS
Ideas Pros Cons
Split personality • This could be an interesting and eye opening
film that would help people to understand what it
is like to be struggling with a multiple personality
disorder.
• This idea would require a certain filming style
that would be interesting to film.
• I would have to interview people who have the
disorder in order to understand it myself. The film
could be seen as controversial.
• I don’t have access to any experienced actors
that would be fundamental this film idea.
A lost lottery ticket is found • I could portray a compelling and thought-
provoking subject through the medium of video.
• It would present a situation that is universally
dreamt about and there is a wide range of
storylines that I could explore.
• It is slightly predictable concept that has been
created many times before.
• I want my short film to leave an impact on the
viewer and I don’t know if I could achieve that
with this idea.
Bullying • It would be an educational film that will
communicate on another level with the
audience.
• However, again, it is a concept that has been
done many times.
• And when the standard for anti bullying videos is
that high, I’m not sure how mine would compare.
Syrian Crisis • This idea is very current and opportunistic as it
is occurring right now in eastern Europe.
• It is a unique story that would leave a lasting
impression on the audience.
• I don’t think it would be very ethical to film people
who are running for their lives. I feel it would
taking advantage of their situation if I were to film
them for my own benefit.
A visual poem • It is a modern method of conveying lyrical art
into visual film. The poem I had in mind is the
one from ‘Dead Poets Society’- ‘To the virgins,
to make much of time’
• Its limiting due to the film having to precisely
depict the words in the poem. There is also an
explicit undertone to this poem that would be
inappropriate to represent.
A modern fairytale • This idea would be appropriate for my target
audience and is a concept that would be
interesting to convey with a modern twist
• Then again it would be difficult to film in various
locations due to access and permission.
• Props and costumes would be hard to get hold of.
The journey of an object • Would be visually appealing and diverse.
• There are many story lines I could go down
• It would be difficult to have film continuity.
• I would have to film over a long period of time.
• I would also have to hire a number of actors to
interact with the object.

5. CHOSEN FILM IDEA
My final idea for a short film will visually and symbolically depict a well
known Latin phrase ‘Carpe Diem’.
Carpe diem is a Latin aphorism, usually translated "seize the day",
taken from the Roman poet Horace's Odes (23 BC). In Horace, the
phrase is part of the longer "carpe diem, quam minimum credula
postero", which can be translated as "Seize the day, put very little trust
in tomorrow (the future)". The ode says that the future is unforeseen
and that one should not leave to chance future happenings, but rather
one should do all one can today to make one's future better. The
meaning of "carpe diem" as used by Horace is not to ignore the future,
but rather not to trust that everything is going to fall into place for you
and taking action for the future today.

6. GENRE CONTENTIONS
• My short film could be categorized as a drama.
As Bardo is a spiritual concept it is
not reality which makes my idea
comply with the fantasy genre.
However it exhibits a real life
situations with realistic characters,
settings and story.
Portrays the journey
of a characters
development.
The purpose of a dramatic story line is to move the
audience emotionally, and for them to relate and
sympathies with the lead character.
Dramas portray the inner/
outer struggle or hardship,
difficulty and pain.
Dramas are constructed with
climaxes and anti climaxes in
order to keep the tension on
going for the viewers.
Focusing on in-depth development
of a characters who must deal with
realistic emotional struggles.
There must be some
form of realism at the
end. Normally there is
a happy, if not content,
ending to drama films.

7. IDEA OPTIONS
Idea 1
To the narration of the well known
poem ‘To the virgins, to make much of
time’ I would symbolically and visually
represent this poem without any
explicit content.
Carpe diem expresses a philosophy that recognises
the brevity of life and therefore the need to live for and
in the moment.
Idea 2
A cleaner comes to clear up after an
art exhibition entitled ‘Carpe Diem’.
He looks at the paintings and they
speak to him in a way that art has
never before. He envisions how life is
suppose to be lived and has an
epiphany.
However due to the nature of this
poem being whimsical yet erotic I can
not continue with this idea.
I feel this idea is not emotive enough for
what I intend to express through my short
film. Also I don't believe I will find a male
actor to be able to play the part.
Idea 3
A girl is in a hospital and the heart
monitor stops. She goes to the state
between life and death. Her experience
there shows the different aspects of the
quote- Carpe Diem. the realisation
causes the heart monitor to begin again.
I think this idea is unique and it will be able to
convey the quote along with the narrative in a
compelling way. I also feel the quote Carpe
Diem will only truly be conveyed if the
protagonist is in a life or death situation.

8. BRAIN STORMING
Inspiration- a Christmas
coral. The idea of three
visions causing the main
character to have an
epiphany.
Cinematography - in my film I would like to have the repetition of four
things-
• A medium of telling the time (a clock, a watch, a digital clock)
• A storm accumulating
• A rose flowering (budding, in bloom, dying)
• A hand (a babies, her hand hooked up to a drip, an old hand)
These would all be relevant to the vision (past, present and future).
The medium for the visions- I would use
projections to portray the visions as due to their size
and definition, they will leave a lasting impression on
the character. However this may be a hard to
achieve as sourcing three separate projections will
be difficult.
Actors-
• Young girl
• Teenage girl
• Old women
• Father
• Mother
• Brother
Locations-
• Hospital
• Bardo- large hall
• Park
• House
• school
Props-
• Sand timer
• Three projectors
• Rose
• Clock
• Watch
• Digital clock
• iPhone
Ideas- What stops people, in todays society, from ‘seizing the day’?
Answer- Social media.
I would like to incorporate a theme that effects society today- ‘the over use of
social media’. By having the main characters personal problems based
around her obsession with social media the film and the quote ‘Carpe Diem’
will have a larger impact upon my target audience. As it was relate to them
and they will understand that the real world is much more important that a
virtual one.

9. FILM IDEA
• Production name- PassTime production
• Working title- Carpe diem
• Duration- 5 minutes
• Format- video
Synopsis- This short film follows the story of a teenage girl who travels to
Bardo- the intermediate state between life and death. But as time trickles
away will she realise how to ‘seize the day’ and save herself from a
predetermined fate?

10. INSPIRATIONAL STIMULUS
A Christmas Carol tells the story of a bitter old miser named Ebenezer Scrooge and his
transformation into a gentler, kindlier man after visitations by the ghosts of Christmas Past,
Present and Yet to come.
I would like to create a contemporary take on this tale which can be denoted from my main
character envisioning her past, present and future. In A Christmas Carol the past, present and
future is shown to Scrooge by ghosts and there is a lot of dialog. In my short film by using
projectors to show the past, present and future the girl will be completely by herself which
represents how every individual is through life and death and also limits the amount of dialog.
In todays society technology is a fundamental factor and this is something I would like to
translate on screen. Just like in A Christmas Carol the girl regrets her wasted past and her
future will predict death. Which will make the quote ‘Carpe Diem’ even more poignant.

11. INITIAL IDEA
Synopsis- A teenage female travels to the state in-between life and death- Bardo. It is
here that she encounters three projections- the past, the present and the future. She
sees snippets of her past life, her current situation and what is to come. Desperate to
escape a dark fate she searches the room until she comes across a sand timer. With
her heart fading fast as the last grains trickle away she turns the sand timer on its head,
the next thing she knows she is revived in the hospital and ready to seize the day.

12. EVALUATION
Over all I believe I have produced a good starting point for my film
development process. My idea is unique yet inspired by a well liked novel- A
Christmas Carol. It is an initial idea, therefore there is room for improvement,
but in all, I am happy with the direction my film is going.
I will develop a script and story board based on this synopsis in order to have
a clear vision of the elements and visual aspects that must be included to
portray the story in a visual manner. By producing a script and storyboard I will
be able to assess the feasibility of producing this film and develop upon
aspects that are lacking.