Initial plans & ideas fmp21

1. Initial Responses
Lucas Higham – FMP - 2021

2. Inspirations and Influences
• It's hard to pinpoint the main inspirations/influences that inspired
my idea (short film under 10 minuets, set in one location, about
two men who went to the same school, same year. One is
successful, measured in terms of the money, the other isn't). I know
I want to set the film in a barbers as I know I have that location for
definite, the question was- how do I use that location effectively? It
makes a great visual of the 'unsuccessful' man cutting
the 'successful' man's hair. I also wanted to challenge myself. I've
made many short films that usually run from 20-50 minuets long.
I've written screenplays with 13 pages and the film turns out to be
30 minuets long. It's been four years since I made a film under ten
minutes long (and it wasn't very good). I tend to go big scale. Long
stories. Lots of characters.
• Can I make an engaging, original, well-made film in under 10
minuets?

3. Potential Research Targets, Inspiration​
• One location films- I've never made a one location film before, so I
would pick out various feature and short length films to watch as a case
study. Analyses how the writer creates an interesting plot that keeps you
engaged while the characters are limited to one location. How the director
creates tension, shoots the location, the use of wide angles, editing and so
on. Films up for consideration: Secret Honor, My Dinner with Andre,
Coffee and Cigarettes, Dial M for Murder, Misery, What's a Nice Girl like
you Doing in a Place like this? (WANGLYDIAPLTthat doesn't take place in
one location but it's exactly 10 minuets long, which would be helpful to
look at, additionally I haven't seen all the films I listed. So, some might be
not be suited for a case study) I've excluded films such as 12 Angry Men,
although masterful in craft and screenplay the cast is large, it would do me
no good using that film as a case study.
• I could also look at films such as Parasite and Vera Drake both films looking
at clash of class and believes. My film would focus on the clash on how
success is measured.

4. Initial Plans
Lucas Higham

5. Initial Reaction – what I want to make
and why?
I want to make a short film about how success is measured. Set in one location.Two
characters. Under 10 minuets.
Further detailsin plot: on the surface level its about a ‘successful’ man, in terms of
money, going to get his hair cut and a cheap barbers where he discovers the usual
barber who alwayscuts his hair is gone. In his place is a man the businessman used to
go to school with. Who, in terms of money, isn't successful.
I want to make a film that generates a conversationin the audience. A film that makes
the audience think. This concept also challenges me as a filmmaker, at being the
runtime under 10 minutes long. I’m excited to see the end result. The screenplay must
be tight, to the point. There’s also a few interesting shots I want to try out for example
when a characterdrops something on the floor, the camera follows the characters
hand picking it up, but the camera stays lookingat the floor as the characterstalk, it
will then be motivatedto quickly tilt up into the ‘action’ by something in the
conversation.Amgun some shots as I’ve also never made a film set in one location
before. Its new to me. As a filmmaker I want each film I make to be better than the
last.

6. Probable Problems…
During the current events of the world (COVID-19 pandemic)it can provedifficult to make a film
amongst the restrictions and peoples person safety.This can and will probablylead to a few problems.
For starters Iwant two characters in the film. That means two actors,not myself as I tend to star in my
own films due to the lack of people I can find and are willingto act in a film. These two actors I would
preferablylike hire externallyfroma UK actors Facebook group,aged early 20s. As I knowthey’re willing
act a film/get anywork. Theyclass themselves as actors so hopefullyI can get a good performance out
of them. Are theyreliable?
This presents another problem;do Ipay these actors and if so, how much? Where do these actors live,
it would be better to shoot the film across a number of days rather one.It would be too much of a
hassle for them to go back and forth.Then yet another possible problem is presented-the location.It’s
a Barbers.They’re not open every daythankfully,but when I do shoot the film are hairdressers and such
like officiallyopen?Would I be allowed to be in there even though it's not officiallyopen,I see no
reason why not,although it does havea rather large windowpointingout to the street for people to
lookin. All these things I must consider and resolvebefore I start writingthe script.I don’t want to put
all my time and effort into a screenplaywhere I’ll haveto make compromises.I know someone who is
19-years-old however,they go to universityso the onlypossible time I could shoot with him would be
the Easter holidays,ifhe goes back home,agrees to it, makes his way to Helmsley and I haveanother
actor willing to do the same.

7. Mind Map
Different ways to approach the
idea – contingencyideas
Main idea- 2 actors, 1 location (the barber's
shop) under 10 minuets long. A clash of how
success is measured. Thoughtprovoking the
audience. All ideas mustbe done with at least
two actors otherwisethe story won’twork. If
only one actor, then I mustthink up an entire
new story.
Change the locationto somewhere
more reliable? But loose the
novelty of the barber's shop and
good shots planned.
If I can only get one actor to physically be on set, I could fall
back and have the conflict take place over the phone. I
know of an actor that I'll be able to use in that instance
(they're currently ay university studying drama, it could be
logistically complicated to bring him to Helmsley)

8. Mind Map
The Conversation
(Working Title)
The film will immediately begin, mid conversation (similar to Pulp Fiction) this
first conversation isn't vital, but it will tell us everything we need to know
about the characters through the dialogue, blocking and camera work. The
successful man will already be sat in the barber's chair
One thing leads to another during the
conversation. Thebarber gets too
inquisitive, offending the wealthy man.
What proceeds is an argument of how
they both look at their lives and the
success they'vehad.
I will set up a small mystery of trustbehind the so-called barber,
they'll be match dialogue flashbacks justas the wealthy successful
man enters the barber's shop and what he sees and thinks, setting up
the distrustin his head.
The camerawork will be
inventive as possible- but
not too creatively jarring. It
will be stylistically
consistent
Moment where the camera shall stay
pointed at the floor then be motivated to
come back up to our characters once a
certain line of dialogue is spoken. The
moment shall reflect how things have
changed in the scene, it's a turning point.
That line of dialogue is what sets
everything into motion.

9. Mood Board

10. Mood Board Analysis
In my mood board I've collected together images that encapsulate what the
film is. Where its set. Themes of a clash of ideas. Having to look at ourselves
in the mirror and asses our life and what we deemed successful. Some films
that I will look at during research that I believe will help me refine and add to
the story or technical aspects of my own project.
Some accepts I haven't thought of since I didn't deem them necessary to
include would be colour. Yes, I've taken colour into consideration and the film
will have a certain visual aesthetic about it. But shoe-horning in certain
colours (lightening or costume-wise) will take an edge off the film. It would
become too distracting and stylistically inconsistent. I'm taking a realist
approach in the execution of the screenplay, acting, setting.
The tone will be serious, realistic, possible hints of humour (in the eyes of the
characters it's serious but to the audience it's ironic) I would add the possible
hints of the humour to add levity to the film, still undecided on this as the
subject matter isn't super serious, so it doesn't call for cold dialogue.