its a proposal and a pitch

1. PRODUCTION
MANAGEMENT
STAGE 2
PROPOSAL
& PITCH
ROBBIE HICKMAN
YOU SHOULD USE THIS TO STRUCTURE YOUR STAGE 1
RESPONSE. ADD SLIDES WHERE NECESSARY AND
ILLUSTRATIONS. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CLICK ON THE
BOX UNDER THE QUESTION/INFO!

2. OUTLINE
Silhouettes (2017) – Short Horror Film
‘Silhouettes’ is a short psychological horror film loosely based on the story of the
Copper Family, who moved into a new house in Texas during the 1950s and apparently
discovered a shadow falling from the ceiling within a photograph that was taken of them
within the house. It is implied that the family will have either sought help or desired to
leave their new home as soon as possible out of fear. ‘Silhouettes’ develops the story of
the Copper Family by exploring a scenario that is quite similar, albeit with a group of
teenagers exploring a derelict building in the middle of a vacant town which is
apparently haunted. One of the teenagers captures images of the interior of the building
and, whilst browsing through them on his computer later on, discovers a shadow
hanging or falling from the ceiling in one of them.
The character does not recover from the initial shock of seeing the apparition in the
photo and becomes increasingly paranoid whilst attempting to comprehend what is
actually happening in the picture. He does not hear from his friends (who accompanied
him to the location) again and becomes convinced that his own life is in danger. Over
the course of a year, he repeatedly visits the location and receives malicious text
messages informing him that he is going to ‘get killed’ and that ‘its coming’. The mental
state of the character worsens until he begins to hallucinate and hear voices in his
head, as well as engage in very odd behaviours such as wondering aimlessly.

3. MARKET FIT
‘Silhouettes’ is a short horror film that will have an overall duration of up to
five minutes. The film will contain characteristics of the genre of horror,
including scenes with low-key lighting, a strong sense of mystery,
foreboding atmosphere and frequent usage of close-up/extreme close-up
shots that will enable the audience to identify things like horror and fear in
regard to the character. Because my film is a psychological horror, it will not
necessarily focus on supernatural elements such as hauntings, ghosts,
demonic possession etc. My short film will evoke fear and tension within the
viewer(s) by highlighting the unstable mental state of the protagonist, which
worsens over time within the film.
People who watch horror films tend to expect dark and disturbing themes,
mystery and an eerie soundtrack/sound effects. My short film should
provide all of these and therefore satisfy the demands of the market, as well
as the audience itself. However, most horror films that have been released in
recent years tend to contain supernatural elements as opposed to being
psychological; my short film will therefore differ significantly from existing
horror films. My opinion is that my film will be quite unique compared to
most horror films because it will explore the genre in a different way,
therefore it should intrigue production companies who desire to produce
successful horror films.

4. RIP-O-MATIC

5. CHARACTERS
The main protagonist of my short horror film ‘Silhouettes’ is 18 year old
Hector, an I.T. student whose main intentions are to be as hardworking and
focused as possible as he progresses through the second year of his
course, along with his fellow classmates Sean and Logan. Having endured
years of bullying and neglect, Hector is a socially awkward and introverted
individual unlike his other friends. He always appears depressed (as noted
by his friends) and is concerned for his own future. The deuteragonist is
Hector’s troublesome friend Logan, who often acts in a witless manner and
expresses curiosity over almost anything unusual in his hometown,
including the rumours surrounding a derelict building situated not too far
from the town. His unpredictable behaviour often gets his friends into
trouble.
Other characters include Hector’s best friend Sean (who he has known for
many years) and Sean’s younger brother Trey. Sean often comes across as
apprehensive and sometimes perturbed about his own life, even though he
is highly intelligent and has received outstanding grades during his school
years. Sean’s anxious personality proves to be an issue when it comes to
visiting a derelict structure that is seemingly haunted. Being two years
younger than the others, Trey has a somewhat irritating personality and is
resented by his older brother as a result.

6. TARGET AUDIENCE
The planned, main target audience for my short horror film ‘Silhouettes’
is 15-25 year old males who are fans of the psychological horror genre
and fit into the ‘Aspirer’ and ‘Explorer’ psychographic categories.
According to research I undertook previously, teenage and/or adult
males are less likely to have an adverse reaction to graphic violence,
gore or disturbing themes/images, as opposed to female
audiences/children who are more likely to be susceptible to violence
within films. Therefore, the secondary target audience for my short film
is females aged 10-15 years as they are not the planned, main audience.
My primary research also indicates that my target audience would be
intrigued by the presence of mystery within my short film, which could
do well to increase the level of enjoyment for the viewer(s).
‘Silhouettes’ will appeal to this audience by providing focus on the
characteristics of the subgenre of psychological horror, particularly the
presence of tension and suspense, along with disturbing themes. My
short film will also contain dark tones, as well as a strong sense of
dread throughout. The unstable mental state of the protagonist will also
be explored. In addition, the presence of characters who are male
adolescents should enable my target audience to relate to the
protagonists and their ordeals more.

7. LOCATIONS
Chalkland Way, Chapel Hill – Pocklington
This location is a public footpath situated not too far from where I
live; therefore anyone can use it. The footpath can be considered
a good vantage point due to the fact that it is located up a hill;
filming here would be a good opportunity to obtain intriguing
scenery (of the surrounding countryside) for my short film. It
could also be an ideal location to obtain Foley sound such as
birds singing, trees rustling or the sound of footsteps. I intend to
place the DSLR camera I am provided with onto a fence in order
to enable me to obtain still shots (particularly shots of myself
walking/running down the path from different angles). Ideally, I
should film during the day as opposed to evenings because it
would be too dark to capture sequences of action at night; the
presence of ‘Night Shot’ scenes within my short film could
potentially hinder the overall visual quality of my short film. The
location isn’t necessarily busy; only the occasional dog-walkers
are present on the footpath, however I should be wary of people
who might confront me and accuse me of filming them. I should
also be mindful that I will be filming close to a farm, therefore I
should avoid filming in certain areas so that I do not spook farm
animals such as horses.
Pocklington Woods
The woods located on the
outskirts of Pocklington can
be considered an ideal place
to film at due to the fact that
it is not busy in any way and
I should be able to capture
aspects of nature such as
trees. It would be a good
idea to film sequences of
action during the day or at
dusk; shots of the sun
shining through tree
branches could be quite
visually intriguing to the
viewer, and the overall
quality of my short film could
be improved even further by
shots of this type.

8. LOCATIONS (PART 2)
York Racecourse
Situated not too far from York College, this location is an
ideal place to film because of the visual appearance of the
racecourse itself (which can be shown in an extreme long
shot as an establishing shot for a scene), as well as the
presence of a footpath, a wooded area and houses on the
other side of a fence. In my opinion, these locations could
do well to create an overall setting for my short film which
takes place in a rural area. I intend to utilize a tripod to
stabilize the camera, which will be positioned on the side
of a footpath. Scenes in this area will be shot in the
afternoon (or at midday) due to the fact that I can only
operate in this location whilst at college. I should be
allowed to film around the Racecourse or on the tracks as
long as there is no event taking place whatsoever; for my
own safety as well as my cast and crew, it would be ideal
to stay off the tracks because a horserace might be taking
place.
The area should not be too busy because it is located far
away from the York city centre, as well as the college.
Again, only the occasional dog-walker is likely to be
present at the location. I will not be required to book the
location because it is located near a public footpath. I will
be using this environment to film the protagonist running
away from an unseen individual.
Bishopthorpe
Bishopthorpe is a small town situated only a
short walk away from York College on the
other side of the A64 dual carriageway. The
location will act as the hometown for the
protagonists, who will meet up in a certain
area and walk towards the derelict building
(which will likely be a parking garage
depending on whether or not I am able to find
another location which could do well to act as
a haunted structure within my short film).
Some areas of the town are quite bustling,
whereas others aren’t as busy. It can be
considered ideal to avoid filming in crowded
areas as people could become paranoid or
confront me during filming.

9. RESOURCES
DSLR Camera, SD Card and Battery
I intend to obtain a DSLR camera from the Media Department within college. This type of camera should enable me to capture high-
quality scenes, images etc. and is also free to use, however I should bear in mind that I am fully responsible for this equipment,
including loss of it (theft) as well as damage which I am likely to be required to pay for. An SD Card will also be required to enable
me to store all of my footage and transfer it to a computer, where I will begin assembling the footage together in Adobe Premiere.
Two or more batteries will be needed for each shooting day; these will ensure that I can film for long periods of time without being
forced to stop when a battery runs out. In my opinion, it would be beneficial to take more than one battery so as to prevent one of
my shooting days for my short film getting cut short, in which case the overall quality of my short film would suffer.
Tripod
A tripod will be required to allow me to stabilize the DSLR during filming; this kind of equipment is advantageous for the production
of my short film because it will provide my short film with visually pleasing scenes that could potentially mirror professional
standards as the camera is not shaky in any way. If the camera is shaky within my short film, it could create the negative impression
of a lack of sophistication in regard to the production stage. A tripod is also ideal as it would reduce the need to place the camera
on the floor, onto a fence etc. in an effort to stabilize it in different, less efficient ways.
Shoulder Rig
A shoulder rig is also ideal for the production stage as it will enable me to stabilize the camera whilst walking or even running for
long distances. The shoulder rig could also enable me to capture point-of-view shots of the main character looking in different
directions e.g. up and down or left and right whilst standing in the middle of a street or a wooded area. The usage of a shoulder rig
could enhance the quality of my short film even further by enabling me to capture long, tracking shots of the environment as well as
the protagonists walking down a street or exploring an interior location. Both the Shoulder Rig and the Tripod will be supplied by
the Media Department alongside the DSLR Camera.
LED Light
An LED light could also be provided by the media department and, throughout my short film, could create the illusion of a flashlight,
the glare from a computer screen or a character’s phone, particularly whilst the characters are exploring an area with limited
lighting. An LED light could also improve the quality of my short film by adding an effect to the majority of the scenes.
Foley Sound Recorder
I will also need a Foley Sound Recorder, which should enable me to capture sound effects for my short film, most notably footsteps,
leaves rustling, birdsong, splashing, heavy breathing, machinery etc. I should be able to obtain a Foley Sound Recorder from the
Media Department. Employing a device of this kind can be beneficial for my short film because it will make specific sequences of
action (such as the protagonist running through the woods) feel far more vivid for the viewer(s) who might be able to relate to the
action taking place on-screen more. The action could also be made to appear more believable to the viewer.
Classroom/Computer
A classroom with computers (or a computer suite) will serve as one of the primary locations for my short film, where the protagonist
will access a computer and discover the supernatural presence in one of the photos he took. A location of this kind shouldn’t be
room difficult to obtain, however I will need to request permission to use the room prior to beginning the production of my short
film. A location of this kind can be considered important for my short film, particularly in regard to its narrative which explores a
small group of I.T. students at an unnamed school/college.

10. CREW REQUIREMENTS
Director/Producer
The role of director/producer for my short film will be taken on by myself as I am fully in charge of the production stage and I
am responsible for ensuring that my overall short film is as visually pleasing as possible. As the director, I will be required to
possess a great deal of patience and be able to deal with any issues (should they arise) during production in an efficient
manner; anticipating any problems during production (such as the battery running out or instances of bad weather which
might prevent filming any further) is ideal because this ensures that I am prepared. I am also fully responsible for the safety,
as well as the general wellbeing, of my fellow crew members. It is important not to stress my crew members out as they could
be overcome by fatigue, thus hindering the quality of the production. I am also responsible for any damage to equipment, as
well as loss of equipment (especially the camera and tripod which are highly expensive).
Camera Operator
The camera operator will be required to possess a great deal of patience also, as they will be forced to film regularly as well
as perform multiple reshoots. The cameraman will also be required to be highly skilled in regard to using a DSLR, as well as
obtaining visually intriguing camera shots and angles (such as long-shots and high-angles), along with tracking shots. I am
going to provide fellow student Matthew Pinkney with the task of operating the camera and capturing multiple sequences of
action from different angles for the majority of the scenes that make up my short film, including the protagonist fleeing in
terror through the woods. Based on coursework completed in the past, most notably stop-motion production, I believe that
Matthew is highly reliable when it comes to using a camera of almost any kind and is also skilled whilst capturing sequences
of action even without the aid of a tripod which stabilizes the camera.
Sound Recordist
This production role entails the usage of a Foley Sound Recorder, which will be employed with the sole purpose of capturing
various sound effects e.g. footsteps (rampant and slow), tree leaves rustling, splashing etc. along with instances of heavy
breathing (which will be used as panting). This production role is fairly straightforward, however it does require a great deal
of precision as my short film requires intriguing sound effects which should make the scenes of my short film more
believable. The sound recordist will be required to spend extended periods of time attempting to capture sound effects;
multiple attempts will be required in order to provide me with increased sound to choose from during the post-production
process. I consider Richard Acaster to be more suited to this role because he possesses a great deal of patience in regard to
production and is also skilled at capturing the appropriate sound effects for a scene; regardless of what the scene entails,
Richard is mostly able to find a way to record a great deal of sound effects as requested. A good example of Richard’s skills
can be found in our Foley Sound production which involved a clip from the film ‘Shaun of the Dead’ earlier on the course.

11. CREW REQUIREMENTS (PART 2)
Set Designer
The role of Set Designer will be provided to the whole group, with each crew member assigned a specific task (whether it be setting up the
camera and tripod), arranging things like furniture, placing posters on walls etc.). This task can be considered fairly difficult as it requires careful
consideration of almost everything that will appear on-screen (aside from the characters and the editing), including the aesthetic arrangement of
props and aspects of the film world in order to create meaning. However, because I am responsible for ensuring the production stage goes
smoothly, I will be in charge of exactly what the sets will look like (particularly the interior ones) and I will therefore direct the other crew members
throughout the assembly of each set.
Editor
During the post-production process, the role of editing will be taken on by myself as the overall process of assembling the footage and
synchronizing things like sound effects and music is required by the brief to be an independent task. The process of editing might be considered
quite daunting as I will be forced to work by myself, therefore there will be limited ideas regarding how to perform editing as well as a lack of
teamwork. The benefits of working alone, however, are that I am unlikely to become distracted and there will be no disagreement amongst team
members over a specific decision regarding the editing, simply because there is only one person placed in charge of the production process. The
overall process should be relatively straightforward as I will have produced a shot list which will, at the very least, provide me with a great deal of
ideas in relation to how to assemble my overall short film. I will be required to take regular breaks during editing so as to prevent me from
becoming overcome by fatigue and/or stressed out, as well as protect the health of my eyes as staring into a computer screen for hours on end
can potentially be a strain.
Prompter
Some areas of my short film will require characters to speak, however I understand that significant amounts of dialogue are not necessary. Fellow
student Richard Barber will be tasked with holding a sheet of paper containing the script for a specific scene in order to remind the subject what
he will be saying. This job role is possibly the easiest out of those aforementioned as the prompter is only required to hold a sheet of paper,
however he will be required to ensure that the subject is able to read the lines easily, as well as alternate between individual sheets of paper to
reveal separate lines. I consider Richard to be more suited to this job role because he is highly reliable and there is a good chance that the actor
will not be forced to squint at the paper due to the former holding the script too far away from the subject. Richard was able to tackle this job role
with skill during the production stage of our factual documentary ‘The Death of the Sun’, thus highlighting the reason why I have selected him to
perform a job role of this type.
Lighting Technician
Richard Barber will also be provided with the role of lighting technician; the role entails the installation of an LED light at a specific area of the
room, particularly a room with low-key lighting. The LED light may be positioned in a corner, in front of the characters or just next to the lens of
the camera in order to provide a dramatic effect to the short film. The lighting technician will be responsible for adjusting the glare of the light
whilst simultaneously ensuring that he does not unintentionally cause harm to the actors as the glare can be extremely bright and could briefly
blind the actors. In my opinion, Richard is ideal for this job role because of his creativity; he is very likely to be able to locate an ideal place to
position the LED light, as well as achieve a form of lighting that is most intriguing. Evidence of Richard’s expertise in regard to lighting can be
found in the production of the silent short film ‘Luck’ which was a group project that took place within the studio next to the Media department.

12. CAST REQUIREMENTS
Hector
The main protagonist of my short film ‘Silhouettes’ will be portrayed by Richard Barber, who has been provided with a wide range of
acting roles in previous works of my own, particularly my music video for ‘Modern Way’ by Kaiser Chiefs (November 2015) as well as
the silent short film ‘Luck’ (October 2016) and the Factual Space Documentary ‘The Death of the Sun’ (February 2017). As proven by
the overall finished products, Richard is an efficient actor who is able to persevere even when repeated takes are required at the
request of the director. Richard is also a very convincing actor, as shown by his role as the character ‘Derrick Ian Rector (Mr. D.I.
Rector) who was featured in the factual mockumentary we produced (November 2016). Richard is also always able to remain calm
and focused, and I believe that he is ideal to portray the protagonist of my short film because of the variety of skills he possesses,
including accurately portraying a stunt double in my music video, impersonating different kinds of stereotypical individuals
successfully, and displaying convincing emotions such as shock, frustration and joy whilst acting. All of this should prove effective
in regard to portraying a character with a tough background who is beginning to become paranoid in response to a situation beyond
his comprehension. Because Richard is on the same course, it should be easy to obtain him for the role and he might be likely to
assist me in any way he can for the production of my short film.
Logan
The deuteragonist i.e. secondary protagonist of my short film will be portrayed by myself. This decision has been influenced by the
fact that the character Logan is a troublesome individual and I feel that I can easily emulate this type of personality simply by
dressing in a specific way i.e. by wearing a dark hoodie and walking around with one hand casually resting in a pocket and the other
trailing at my side which should make the character appear confident, as well as somewhat intimidating. In essence, I will be utilizing
body language to communicate the attitude of the character as opposed to dialogue.
Sean
Matthew Pinkney will portray Sean, a supporting character who is Hector’s best friend. Although highly intelligent, the character is
extremely apprehensive in regard to specific situations and is also rather clumsy. I believe that Matt will portray Sean’s character
really well because he is a highly convincing actor who can speak for long periods of time in a confident manner, as shown in the
‘York College Introduction Video’ (September 2016) in which Matt described the positive aspects of the Level 3 Creative Media
Course. I think that Matt’s assured persona will enable him to tackle the role of Sean really well and also communicate the personality
of the character accurately. Matt is also very dependable and I am confident that he will be committed throughout the duration of the
production stage, even when multiple takes are required.
Trey
The tiresome younger brother of Sean will be portrayed by Richard Acaster, who possesses a wide range of skills in regard to acting,
as well as patience. I believe that Richard should suit the role of the character Trey due to the fact that he is able to adopt a wide
range of personalities (as shown within the ‘Portal’ stop motion video [September 2016] and the Factual Mockumentary [November
2016]); within the latter video he successfully impersonates a student who is careless. Richard’s character within my short film will
be depicted as an irritating and troublesome individual, and I feel that Richard himself might be able to accurately depict the
character due to his acting abilities.

13. BUDGET
In order to capture the necessary footage for my short film, I will be required
to use the college bus to get to and from York College; the college bus is
usually paid for in installments every 1-2 months as 2 coach tickets are
required per day in order to travel to college and back. A total of £40 per
month is generally paid for the college coach, therefore travel costs should
not be considered whilst I am producing my short film. Food is also paid for
weekly; I normally spend £12-15 on lunch whilst at college (over the course
of four days).
In regard to equipment booking, I plan to spend just over £540 on two DSLR
cameras (still and moving image cameras), a monitor, Shoulder Rig, Slider,
Flycam, Foley Sound Recorder, LED light, tripod and clamp. The rest of the
money will be spent on 3 batteries for the DSLR, along with an SD card
which will allow me to transfer footage into Adobe Premiere. I understand
that the total amount of money I will spend on my overall short film must
have a 10% contingency. This contingency will be £60 in total as I intend to
subtract this amount from the £600 I will be spending overall, thus leaving
me with £540. Whilst highlighting the equipment I would need for my short
film, I have found that I will be required to supply an additional five pounds
to cover the cost of all the equipment. The total amount I will spend on
equipment is therefore £545.

14. SCHEDULE
Day 1: I intend to capture footage of specific aspects of my hometown (Pocklington), particularly wooded
areas, farmland and public footpaths which should provide me with additional shots to work with, as well
as ensure that my short film appears as intriguing as possible. The presence of footage depicting areas
of my hometown should benefit my short film as I will most likely be able to create the illusion of an
abandoned location; the primary purpose of this footage will be to provide a brief montage of sorts
within my short film.
Day 2: The second day of filming will primarily involve capturing shots of the main characters exploring
the town of Bishopthorpe (which is located only a short walk away from college); the town will act as the
primary setting for my short film. Specific types of shots will include long shots, tracking shots, close-
ups and high-angle shots (of trees, houses etc.) Day 2 will also involve capturing sequences of action at
the derelict structure which will serve as the haunted location within the film.
Day 3: Day 3 will involve shooting scenes around the York Racecourse, particularly at the woods and
public footpath next to it. Sequences of fast-paced action will be filmed here; I should bear in mind that
this can be quite hazardous and a great deal of care will need to be taken in order to ensure my cast and
crew do not get injured in any way. Scenes at this location will mostly involve the main protagonist,
Hector.
Day 4: The final day of shooting will take place within York College; a vacant computer room will be
required and filming is likely to last 2-3 hours during the day.
A full week or so will be required for the post-production process; I intend to pay close attention to detail
in regard to every aspect of my short film and employ a wide range of editing software (as well as Adobe
Premiere) to ensure that the scenes within my short film are as visually intriguing as possible upon its
completion. Overall, the post-production process will involve selecting footage and assembling it in
Premiere, after which I will synchronize it with sound effects and music I have obtained (I should make
sure that the sounds I use are royalty-free). I should be able to create a continuous and uninterrupted
sequence of action overall.