Proposal for short film idea

1. Working Title:
Possibilities: “Heat of the Moment”, “Snap”, “Pressure”
Genre:
Crime/Drama
Synopsis / Treatment:
Following the disappearance of a local teenager, the police are carrying out routine interviews with
anyone who is linked to the missing person.
The film starts with character 1 (unnamed as of yet) on their way to the police station for
questioning. Character 1 walks past a tree with a missing person flyer on it, a close up shot of the
poster follows.
Character 1 reaches the station and the next shot is of him/her being interviewed. Flashbacks of
encounters between the missing person (character 2, also unnamed) and the character 1 ensue,
which illustrates to the viewer the nature of their relationship, whereby characters 1 and 2 did not
get along.
As the detective asks character 1 whether they had any interaction with the missing person prior to
their disappearance and he/she denies any contact, the film cuts to a confrontation between the
two characters. Character 1 is seen pushing character 2 and they hit their head as they fall,
knocking them unconscious. Subsequently, character 1 believes he/she has killed character 2.
Character 1 drags the body out of sight and flees the scene.
When character 1 is walking home after being questioned, he/she becomes tense and paranoid
and feels as though someone is following him/her (build tension and suspense possibly through
shots of a blurred figure in the background and of two sets of footprints); however, there is no one
around when they look back. As the main character turns a corner, they come face to face with
character 2- the person he/she thought they’d killed. Character 1 turns and runs away and the shot
cuts to a close up of character 2’s face. The film ends with a shot of the missing person making a
move as if to follow and chase after character 1.
One Line SalesPitch:
What would you do in the heat of the moment?
Style (similar products and visual style):
My intended editing style has been influenced by Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas and my visual style
by Michael Mann’s Heat. I like the pace and the editing techniques within Goodfellas. For instance,
the jump cuts used in the Last Day as a Wiseguy sequence and the freeze frames used
throughout the feature that add emphasis to particular moments, such as at the beginning of the
film when a shot freezes on Ray Liotta’s character’s face after he says in the voiceover, “as far
back as I can remember I’ve always wanted to be a gangster”. Pausing on the character’s face
adds impact to the moment and allows the viewer to digest what the voiceover has said and who it
refers to.
I like the grittiness of some of the aesthetics within Heat and there is a particular sequences of
scenes in the film that have inspired me: the character McCauley has set off a fire alarm in a hotel
and so there is chaos on the streets outside as guests flee the building, but McCauley is trying to
evade Lt. Hanna who has tracked McCauley to the hotel. I like the understanding between the two
characters and the way they are both aware of the fact that one of them will end up being killed if
Hanna catches McCauley. These scenes are shot at night time, which helps to add elements of
drama and danger, as the scenes are dark and lit by city lights.
Audience:
Based on the findings of my research, my film might best be targeted at an audience of twenty-five
to forty year olds. However, it is likely that my film won’t involve excessive amounts of violence or
harsh language and I don’t foresee there to be any drug use, therefore it will possibly be suitable
for an audience of fifteen and over. Stereotypically, films within the crime genre appeal to more of
a male audience, usually due to the violence and action found in crime films. As my aim is to
create a crime film, my film may appeal to a male audience. However, I don’t intend for my film to
be solely limited to an audience made up of a male demographic. I don’t anticipate there being a

2. large amount of violence and I hope that the plot and narrative will be interesting enough to attract
a wider audience, including both female and male viewers.
Legal & Ethical Considerations:
The way in which characters are represented and portrayed may need to be taken into account, so
as to not cause offence to people of any ethnicity, race and gender. For example, if the characters
are all male and white, this could be perceived that the film has shunned or excluded using female
characters or actors of a different race.
There might be copyright infringements to consider if I intend to use existing audio in my film. I
would most likely need to seek permission for the use of the song. In addition, I may need
permission for any filming locations I use and release forms for signed by the parents of any actors
under the age of eighteen.
Production Methods & Requirements [outline required techniques, resources and methods
of production]:
To shoot my film I will require equipment such as a camera and a tripod, and I may need a
steadicam to prevent shaky shots. For any post-production, I will need a computer and editing
software. I might also need lighting equipment if there is a specific effect, tone or mood I want to
create.
Some production techniques I could use include over the shoulder shots, for instance, this could
be used towards the end of my film to show the figure in the background when character 1 is
walking home; shot reverse shot, for any conversations or especially during any interview scenes;
a panning or tracking shot, which I might use at the beginning of the film when character 1 walks
past the tree with the missing person flyer on it, although, for a tracking shot I might need extra
equipment such as a dolly.
With regard to filming locations, I could use a garage as an interview room if I can’t find anywhere
more suitable, I would need to find a quiet street for any walking scenes, and I might use college
for flashback scenes between characters 1 and 2.