script proposal

1. Unit 22: Task Two
Generate ideas and plan the script for a media product, in response to a client brief.
SCRIPT TITLE:
Terry and May
WHAT IS THE SCRIPT FOR?
The purpose of my screenplay is to future develop my original idea for a channel four film
zooming in on the first scene (from 6-10 minutes) from the feature. The purpose of the first act is
to hook audiences in and to sustain their interest.
BRIEF & WHAT YOU WILL PRODUCE
The client (Film4) has requested a developed script based on my original idea developed from my
marketing idea further expanding my concept by exploring the narrative, genre, and language to
tailor to the targeted demographic. The script should be worth 6-10 minutes of screentime- just
enough to engage audiences whilst giving a rundown of the characters, story and world it takes
place in. It more so must be written in the industry standard format (formatted into a three-act
structure). Audiences should be both males and females, aged from late teens to those in their 30s.
The main characters should be in their early twenties to ensure audiences feel represented and can
relate to them. The producers would like to aim for a 15 certificate to entice a mass audience
meaning, though serious, the content I write shouldn’t be too graphic and mature. The film should
have a diverse cast, both genders must be reflected in the more prominent roles.
CONTENT
The story follows newly coupled lovers Terry and May as they learn to love each other after
Terry has died. We open with May (our main character) at Terry’s funeral as she is confronted by
Terry’s ghost. Terry doesn’t know she’s dead (yet) and May, overwhelmed, isn’t ready to
confront her past. We learn though a series of flashbacks intercut between scenes from present
that May grew up in a quiet conservative environment and when she first met Terry, wasn’t at all
sure if she even liked girls. On the other hand, though growing up in an equally toxic household,
Terry grew to accept herself and when meeting may, knew she loved her from the start. Despite
this, the pair had frequent spats and after a night out gone wrong, the pairs relationship came to a
sudden end concluding in May leaving Terry to spend the night with a childhood friend, Paul,
(whose been pining after her) instead. After sleeping with Paul, May (feeling uncomfortable)
leaves whilst he’s still asleep and walks home, going to bed thinking of the same experience she
had with Terry. The next day, Terry’s found dead, and May wakes to a knock from a mutual
acquaintance between them knocking on the door and breaking the news. Presently, after good
thought, May feels a responsibility for Terry (and her death) thus attempts to make amends with
the ghost of Terry. After a series of meet ups and ‘dates’, she finds herself falling in love with
Terry. She overcomes her internalized and external conflict with her father and Paul, embracing
her sexuality and by the end- though reluctant- is ready to move on with someone new. We never
learn how Terry died and Terry (even when presented with the truth) doesn’t recall her demise-
though that doesn’t bother her- and like May, she’s ready to move on. The film ends with may
visiting Terry’s grave with flowers, her new partner holding her hand as they walk away.
GENRE
The genre I’m looking to work into the story is a romantic/drama hopefully conveying it through
the pair’s relationship with each other and (when concerning the drama) their relationships with
those around them. I’m trying to avoid classic romance tropes such as following a romance being
between a man and a woman or having an ending where the two get together- having it be a more
somber and a less conventional tale with the two being the same gender and in the end (though
content) not ending up together. I wanted to inject a few romance conventions though- with the
intent of breaking them e.g. I introduced the character of Paul (the supposed love interest) who
fits into the ‘nice guy’ cliche found in most Rom Coms- where the ‘hero’ goes on an arc and
therefore automatically is rewarded the girl of his dreams (think characters like- Dead Poets
Society’s Knox Overstreet or Groundhog Day’s Phil). I wanted to twist that on its head by opting
to instead have (‘nice guy’) Paul's arc be to learn that despite him sticking around for May, he
isn't owed her or her body.

2. Unit 22: Task Two
Generate ideas and plan the script for a media product, in response to a client brief.
LANGUAGE TO BE USED & WHY
The language I’m looking to incorporate whilst writing the screenplay consists of having it in
elaborate code so when brought forward for the next stage of production- details of what the
environment and characters look, sound and act like will read as clear directions for members of
production whilst letting dialogue be concise and to the point so its easily understood by mass
audiences (it more so has to be vastly understood by the targeted demographic of younger
viewers). By using simplistic language within the screenplay, it also allows a deeper look into the
pairs relationship by not swapping it in heavy dialogue- instead letting the pair connect naturally
through body language and minimal dialogue that shows them slowly coming around to another.
The intention is both entertain and maybe even educate audiences as internalized homophobia nor
issues with attachment in relationships and the concept of what people owe one another are heavy
topics that aren’t vastly know or talked about in mainstream media, through the use of elaborate
code, I hope to achieve this as the message is written simplistically and clearly through the
dialogue and actions of the characters.
NARRATIVE STRUCTURE
The structure of the film is that of a non- linear, multi-stranded, 3 act narrative from the
perspective of May- diving into the pairs pasts through flashbacks between scenes held in the
present- starting with the aftermath of Terry’s death and then to scenes from the past, following
both May and Terry individually (e.g., in their childhoods/ when they first meet one another). The
three-act narrative consists of the set-up of meeting the characters and learning the basis of their
relationships, the confrontation where we learn of both characters past, with May confronting her
external conflict with characters such as her father about the pressure he’s put on her and the
impact it had on her as she grew up (he himself reluctant to change both mentally or physically-
still not accepting of May’s sexual identity, stubbornly not leaving his house throughout the film
to communicate his close mindedness and self-containment). May then confronts the ghost of
Terry, coming to terms with their relationship and her fear of companionship and finally with
herself acknowledging her internalized conflict. Terry on the other hand comes to terms with
their death, learning after to death to become more independent and content on being on her own.
Lastly, Paul learns that he and May don’t owe each other anything, learning some self-respect
and to go forward being kind for the sake of being kind without expecting something out of it.
And finally, the conclusion with May accepting herself, moving on with someone new, Terry
leaving, content with going alone and Paul moving forward with May as friends with a respect
for her as her own person.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN

3. Unit 22: Task Two
Generate ideas and plan the script for a media product, in response to a client brief.
May- May’s our main protagonist, she's who we will follow for the majority of the film. At the
start of the flick, she's conserved, quiet and guilt ridden as she's convinced Terry's death is all her
fault. We learn that May’s home-life growing up had a big impact on the person she is today-
growing up in a conserved and restrictive environment, being taught to keep to herself and
(though they're not being blatantly homophobic) it is implied her parents don’t see being gay as
anything to be proud of, doing their best to keep her from more progressive and diverse
ideologies. And although her family (her dad in particular) are able to move with the times, this
(like previously mentioned) is a mindset May continues to carry with her into her adult years.
When we first meet May, she holds up a wall around her, she is anxious and finds it had
connecting to people. She's petty and easily irritated- she finds Terry initially intimidating and is
almost jealous of her confidence, projecting her insecurities and internalized emotions onto her.
Yet after re-connecting with Terry, she learns to accept herself and her sexuality, taking risks,
being proud of who she is and finally standing up to her father; all the while under the impression
this is Terry's ghost's influence. But by the end of the film, we realize along with May that she’s
grown by herself and that she no longer needs the ghost of her past weighing her down. By the
end of the film, she's ready to move on with someone else.
Terry- though acting as an enabler for May to start her arc, Terry is very much her own character.
We don’t spend as long with her as we do May, but we do (likewise with May) watch her grow
into the person she is. She, like May, grew up in a toxic environment, but unlike May’s parents'
subtle homophobia, Terry’s parents actively preached against it. However instead of reverting
back to being quiet and obedient, Terry is self-assured in who she is and how she feels and finds a
family outside the boundaries of her parents' home. Though internally very timid and anxious,
she doesn’t present that way, she’s friendly and open with people, she likes quiet people who can
listen to her as much as she can listen to them (this is what attracts her to May) she’s sporadic and
chaotic- always moving around and talking at a rate that May can't keep up with. She gets
attached to people easily, always looking for the validation she lacked as a kid, so when May
leaves her, she falls apart. It's only after the pair rekindle that Terry learns how to be alone and no
longer fears it- by the end she has accepted she can't keep May back from moving on with her life
and opts to move on herself (we don’t know what lies ahead for her, but she assures us and May
that she's no longer afraid of it).
Paul- Paul doesn’t exactly fit into the antagonist archetype, he has no ill intent with either May or
Terry and more so acts as a harmless obstacle between the pair's relationship. Unlike the women,
we don’t get an in-depth perspective of who Paul is, only that he and May have known one
another since childhood and that he’s been pining for her since they’ve met. He more or less acts
as the embodiment of what May’s parents want for her and therefore an accidental perpetuator of
her inner conflict. He's quite a timid person like May yet is less resilient and cold- due to his
feelings for her, he lets her really walk all over him, though like the stereotypical nice guy- he
believes there's a reward for his patience. He has no problems with Terry and is pretty oblivious
to the pairs relationship until May comes to him for help after Terry’s first encounter after death.
And after learning how may used him as a rebound, his nice guy act is quick to drop, and he
confronts her about how they’re supposed to be together (again reflecting May’s family's values).
However, like the pair, he too goes through self-discovery and comes to the revelation that he’s
not entitled to someone just because you love them. By the end of the film, he too moves on with
May as friends.
Though there is no clear antagonist of the movie- the villain being hate- May’s Father comes
close to a visual and characterized embodiment of the ignorance that makes room for hate to
grow. He isn’t a typically bad person, he loves his family and his daughter immensely, though,
like he’s enforced onto May, grew up surrounded by bigoted beliefs and ideals- and therefore is
less understanding or open to letting May explore her desires and feelings towards other women.

4. Unit 22: Task Two
Generate ideas and plan the script for a media product, in response to a client brief.
He acts as a metaphorical weight carried on May’s shoulders- though he never out rightly says
May can't date women or forces her to conform to his ideologies, he still obtains an air of
disapproval towards the LGBTQ+ movement and is relucent to move with the times. This
consequently spirals down to May, not wanting to disappoint her loved ones, repressing her
sexual identity. At the end of the film, he stays fairly the same, acknowledging May’s choice
when she goes to confront him, but still opts to carry the beliefs pushed on him when growing up-
the last we see of him, is when May offers him to get a drink at a queer Café and him declining
the offer, staying slumped in his chair, not leaving his small house (we never see him leave his
house in the entirety of the film). May’s father represents the generation stuck in the past, though
it might not reflect a happy ending between the pair, I hope to shine a light on parental
relationships with queer children that aren’t so accepting and loving as is assumed ‘as society
progresses’.

5. Unit 22: Task Two
Generate ideas and plan the script for a media product, in response to a client brief.
LOCATION & STYLE MOODBOARD
I want stylistically the film to feel drained and soulless, with the footage shown in black and
white. I feel like this helps set it apart from films in its genre and helps more to sell the films
dreary and somber tone. The lack of colour (utilizing a black and white aesthetic) I wanted to
emulate old Hollywood aesthetics to turn the stereotypical ‘man gets women’ seen in many Rom-
Coms at the time e.g. ‘It Happened One Night- 1934’ or ‘His Girl Friday- 1940’ turning the
convention on its head by having it the ‘women losing women’ bitter queer romance. The films
lighting should be fairly stylistic with deep shadows and highlights- in vain of the Noir lighting
utilized within Old Hollywood Productions – to further add atmosphere and tie into the films
themes of ‘inner conflict’ with May's internalized homophobia and Terry’s internalized and built
up trauma. The lighting only getting gradually more natural and lighter as all characters being
resolving their conflicts- their futures literally getting brighter. The black and white aesthetic
more so adds to the moody and gloomy tone to the film, symbolic of their relationship being
something of the past and the dark world the pair inhabits- the only colour spilling through at the
end from the flowers May leaves at Terry’s grave as the future starts to get brighter, May moving
forward accepting who she is.
That being said I would like the colour brown and red (within the pairs jackets) to be highlighted
to help them stick out and to cement the colours and their costumes as trademark iconography of
the film (similar style to that of Schindler's list 1993 or Pleasantville 1998). Towards the end,
though still primarily in black in white- when May places the flowers on Terry’s grave, the colour
from the roses petals (red) bleeds out to soil beneath them, Terry’s grave and the grass
surrounding it. Though we never see May in colour we know things are beginning to look
brighter and more colorful for her in the future as (like themes tackled in the previously
mentioned Pleasantville) she accepts herself. part of the reason I wanted to keep our last image of
May in black in white is to show that her journey is just beginning and though she’s on the right
track, the process of self-acceptance is a long and hard journey, and that her actions do all the
talking for her. I would like the film (if possible, to be shot on 35mm film to give the movie an
‘older feel’ whilst keeping it in a 4: 3 aspect ratios so the narrative and its characters feel
contained and personal. I more so think this will help set it apart from modern romances of today-
taking a more modern love story and bringing stylistically back to the past. Overall I want the
film to look and feel grimy and horror-ish despite its dramatic romance genre (I want it look like
films such as Late Spring 1949, Breathless 1960, The Addiction 1995 etc.). The locations shot
should be mundane places like cafes, parks etc. Yet to fit this ghostly, cold aesthetic- the areas
should be totally isolated, holding very little people in the background. For the scene I'm zooming
in on in particular (the opening) I'm choosing it to be held in a small hall (either at an activity
centre or town hall) with very little attendees scattered around it so we can solely focus on May.
ANGLE OF ARTICLE
The ethos of film4 is that it's independent, alternative and inclusive. The company looks to tackle
more cutting-edge stories that push boundaries whilst holding a libertarian agender to allow its
mass audiences to feel represented with a diverse cast of characters as well as a good reflection of
the state of the modern world- I believe my film fits that agender whilst remaining entertaining
and hopefully enjoyable. In order to target mine and Film4’s main demographic I'm making it a
priority to have as much representation as possible through the cast and themes tackled within the
film. Each group represented should be done respectfully and authentically, the film and
screenplay should and will be completely void of any harmful stereotypes that pertain to
minorities represented e.g., having both main characters being gay should be tackled respectfully
and shot in a way that doesn’t diminish/ objectify them (they are not for the male gaze). Same to
be said about the character’s ethnicity, May being a Black character should be completely void of
harmful and pre-established negative stereotypes. There's not nearly enough diversity within the
romance genre as there should be, and if there is it's usually very forced to come off as
progressive when it's really not. So, it’s important the themes and characters feel real and well

6. Unit 22: Task Two
Generate ideas and plan the script for a media product, in response to a client brief.
explored so those watching can feel represented authentically and not because the film’s filling a
quota. This in mind I want to write each character thinking about the environment and culture
they’ve grown up in and how that’s impacted them into who they are today- I hope to achieve this
by researching and obtaining information from people who have gone through similar situations
that will help me write the characters background in a more respectful and authentic manner.
There should be no bias when targeting the main demographic- the film should be equally
enjoyable for everyone. To ensure enjoyability despite the hard-hitting topic, I wanted the
characters themselves to feel full of life, relatable and genuinely likable- Terry in a way acting as
a form of comic relief with snappy quips and a sarcastic (but not cruel) sense of humor. To
further guarantee the character’s likability, I wanted to surround them with progressively
annoying and tone deaf portrayals of conserved and close minded people that act as a ‘point and
laugh’ que rather than characters that hold as serious threats (as its highly unlikely for channel
four to attract said ignorant and bigoted audiences that will feel offended by this portrayal)
FORMAT & LAYOUT CONVENTIONS
1.5-inch left margin
1-inch right margin
1 inch top and bottom margins
Scene headings (sluglines) for every new setting
Use of capitalisation for characters and slug-lines
Dialogue bellow character’s name (both placed centrally)
Actions written within (parenthetical brackets)
Transitions are capitalized
important props are sometimes capitalized
sounds (sfx) are capitalized
Camera movements are capitalized
(V.O.)- voice over
(O.S)- off screen
Mores and continueds to indicate characters still talking on next page
Page numbers in the top right corner
Half-inch from the top of the page
Numbers should have a period after
The first page is not numbered
The title page is not numbered and does not count as page one
The first page to have a number is the second page of the screenplay (the third sheet of paper
including the title page), which is numbered 2
TYPEFACE
12-point Courier font
TARGET AUDIENCE

7. Unit 22: Task Two
Generate ideas and plan the script for a media product, in response to a client brief.
The audience targeted is that of members of the LGBTQ+ community of any gender, ethnicity
and age above 15, as they’re the sector of the target demographic that will relate the most to the
two main characters. There's still not nearly as enough representation within the media of sapphic
love stories (those that have been done of recent years can range from narratives focusing solely
on the relationship losing both character's personalities along the way or can be in poor taste and
still end up fetishizing or sexualizing the women). Men (though playing a very little role within
this film) still must be represented in a good (as well as bad) light so that male audience members
don’t feel under or mis-represented in the film and have at least one or two character’s they can
relate to and enjoy. But looking back to the representation of women within my film, I believe by
having recent depictions of women represented to have little to no character, makes it hard for
audiences to relate or empathize with them. I'm hoping by having a more individual character
study approach of both Terry and May, they’ll be fleshed out and developed before their
relationship even begins, so we can sit back and watch the romance unfold between two
characters we already know and like. I think this will help audiences (especially those in the
LGBTQ+ community) find the film overall more heartfelt and personal that one that only focuses
on the relationship rather than the people on either side of it. Though this in mind, both characters
ethnicity and age come into play when ensuring audiences can relate and feel represented within
the film without being done in an offensive and poor manner; for example, both characters are
roughly in their early twenties to appeal to the younger target audience, however it should be
noted to avoid stereotypical aspects to the age group such as being ‘ tech obsessed’ to not put
younger viewers off as it may come off as a lecture ( online trends in particular must be avoided
as internet trends are ever evolving and what might be new when producing the film, may be
ancient by the end of production- can be a complete turn off for teen audiences). Characters
should participate in more universal and relatable activities that younger and older audiences
participate in such as partying or drinking in cafes. More so the representation of ethnicity must
more so avoid stereotypical portrayals in order not to offend audiences. Ethnicity is more so
important to reflect successfully in the film e.g. the character of May is black, coming from a
Jamaican household. I wanted the film to not only have a more diverse cast to ensure a wide
demographic is met but more so due to the fact that POC (people of colour) queer films are not
nearly as talked about or shown in Hollywood or in mainstream media as white queer films are
and therefore a huge and important part of the LGBTQ+ community is underrepresented / not
represented at all. A significant amount of queer culture has been built on and (in some cases)
even stolen from black, queer women and it would be disservice does not have that represented
within the little range of queer media shown. Not only does the character have to tackle her self-
identity with her sexuality, but she also more so has to face harassment from bigots for the colour
of her skin- facing micro aggressions. Personally, I believe this is crucial to show as micro
aggressions are often skimmed over within the media. As much as the topic is quite hard hitting,
having the character face these challenges both demonstrate to other members of the audience the
struggles POC face in not only queer spaces but in general within modern Britain. However, with
that being said, it shouldn’t take up all the characters whole narrative as though it’s important to
show and acknowledge, it drowns out aspects to the characters identity that should be celebrated,
therefore there should be an equal amount of personality and culture shown to again represent the
character well without being offensive or coming off without substance. Secondary audiences
consist of roughly the same demographic within ethnicity, gender and age but identify as Straight
that are liberal minded free thinkers that are open to alternative narratives. though the film is
intended for a queerer audience, it doesn’t restrict people who don’t belong to the LGBTQ+
community from going to see it- if anything it encouraged. Not only should my film being
entertaining (as previously stated) but I want audiences to be able to take something away from
the film and for straight and white audiences I think this would be more beneficial, as they can
then see through a different point of view about what it means to be gay and more so to be a
queer POC, and hopefully said viewers may leave the theatre with a new slightly more
considerate perspective. The main reason I want the narrative to take place in such an average

8. Unit 22: Task Two
Generate ideas and plan the script for a media product, in response to a client brief.
everyday setting is because I would like audiences to engage with an environment they recognize
and hopefully, they will be more open to relating to the characters (of array of different
ethnicities, ages and sexualities) within said environment.