updated treatment

1. A
TREATMENT
FOR
‘HIDDEN OAK’
______________________________________
Prepared by Will Owen
Date
23/3/15
…
DURATION AND LENGTH
The thriller film opening will be a length of around two minutes long. This is to keep it short and
snappy and also make it easier to create as its quite short. We plan to film at one main location,
Bianca’s house out in West Auckland. We decided to shoot at her house because it is quite
isolated and surrounded by thick forest which will make it quite
creepy and fits our base idea and plot of the film opening. We
plan to shoot in a bedroom and deep in the forest for our
establishing shots. We will shoot a lot around the house looking
through windows and the such to keep the theme of isolation.
This film will include the following conventions of thriller films
(details of why these are chosen and how they will interest your
target audience):
COMMON THRILLER CONVENTIONS
Our film ‘Hidden Oak’ will follow a number of common thriller film conventions in order to please
our target audience (15 - 18 year olds). One example of a common thriller convention we will use is
the use of mise en scene. Common props used by thriller films are weapons, like a pistol. Another
is blood. By using this mise en scene we are sticking to a classic
thriller convention and this will intrigue our audience. This will
interest our audience as these types of mise en scene are illicit and
illegal in real life, so the audience take an interest in the film. This is
why we are using this type of mise en scene, a common thriller
convention
Another common thriller convention we are going to use is
strategically placing spooky music to add tension to a scene. We are
going to use a ‘BAAAWWM’ that is similar to Christopher Nolan’s
sound from Inception. We may also use ambient music to contrast
and add to the creepiness. This will interest our audience as we are hoping for the same effect that
Nolan did that made Inception so iconic.
Another common thriller convention we are going to use is low-key
lighting and shadows. This makes it hard to see what’s going on and
adds to the convention of unknown. We will get low key lighting in the
thick foliage of the forest and the dark room. An example of low key

2. lighting and shadows is ‘The Babadook”. This received critical acclaim. If we recreate this we will
please our audience increasing the popularity of our film opening
A final common thriller convention we are going to use is the diagetic sound, with breathing or
heartbeats. By using this we bring more attention and focus to the person, adding effectively to the
thriller opening. Another reason films use this breathing diagetic sound is
to give the sense of time passing as breathing or heartbeats are easy to
relate to in the sense of time. One final reason is that the common thriller
convention of diagetic sound is going to be useful is to change the pace
or tone of the film. By raising the heartbeat or breathing it effectively
becomes more intense, the tension rises and the audience gets more
into the film. This is why we are going to use this common thriller
convention in our thriller film opening.
Instead of having heartbeats we might have silence instead. Lots of gross sounds. Scab picking?
Dogs barking
After watching the following thriller films/thriller openings I have been influenced by (include
reasons of what you were influenced by and why you would like to use a particular technique)
THRILLERS THAT INFLUENCED ME AND WHY
I watched the thriller ‘Vertigo’ recently but have also been heavily influenced by ‘The Shining’. Each
of these films had shared techniques and had individual techniques which particularly stood out to
me. I aim to use these successful techniques in Hidden Oak
In “The Shining” Stanley Kubrick uses a helicopter establishing show of the family driving through
to the hotel. It’s quite quiet and the car looks very small as it drives up, creating the effect of how
small and weak they are in this new environment. I want to recreate this in Hidden Oak by
effectively using establishing shots in this manner. Another
iconic The Shining technique that influenced me that I want to
use is the different shades of lighting. Kubrick uses warm
lighting inside to make it seem nice and friendly and inviting
and safe. The outside light is cold, blue and uninviting, once
again adding to the theme of isolation. This is a cool effect
because the inside is certainly not safe, contrasting. This is
why I want to use different tints of light like in the Kubrick, to
show safety and danger, and how looks deceive.
In “Vertigo” Alfred Hitchcock uses a variety of shots and
imagery with mine en scene that have influenced me in the the idea and plot behind Hidden Oak.
Alfred uses a variety of classic shots like mid shots and the
two shot that he uses effectively. He also uses high angles
and low angles
effectively to show weakness and strength in situations, who
is dominant. This changes character throughout Vertigo as
different people alternate who is control. I want to recreate
this in Hidden Oak as this is useful in hinting who is in control
to the audience and is a tried and trusted shot angle that is
successful, especially in the thriller genre. Another effective
thriller convention Hitchcock uses that has influenced me is
what his actors and actresses wear. It is all symbolic and
colour coded. By wearing red and such could allude to blood
or grey could mean the wearer has a clouded mind, is confused. This is very effective and I want to
include it in our film opening to recreate the same effect.

3. Problems encountered (limitations and constraints, health and safety issues,
how realistic is your idea, etc?)
POSSIBLE LIMITATIONS/CONSTRAINTS - HEALTH AND SAFETY
We may face a series of problems in our film ‘Hidden Oak’. Health and Safety is unlikely but we will
be shooting the the forest which might be dangerous. However I do have expertise in situations in
the forest so I feel in this regard Health and Safety will not be an issue. There will not be any
limitations, except for perhaps time as we might only have a few hours before the lighting changes.
Since it we are going to be shooting on Bianca’s land we do not have to worry about permits and
the like. Our idea is fairly realistic, someone being held prisoner and having things done to them
and about trying to escape.
The film will include the following (details needed on why these will be used and how they will
enhance the narrative/mood/tone/understanding of the film - please do not just add bullet points.
You must be specific by giving reasons of why/how they’ll interest a target audience and conform
to genre conventions):
(1) Character names and their motivations/representation in the film:
We have Sarah - Changing names?, the main girl being kept captive. She is played by Bianca and
is represented to be weak and submissive. However she is brave and fierce when
she reaches a breaking point. We have the Captor, played by myself. We never
know his name or see is face but he is obviously insane, calling Sarah other
names and constantly checking windows, paranoia. His motives are unknown
(2) Ideology
The ideology of oppression and woman’s rights are going to be explored
throughout the film, as well as the ideology of whether insane people are really
guilty.
(3) Mood and Tone:
The mood is going to be quite dull and glum, dark and depressing. This will add
to the film by adding the element of desperation that we want. We want to have
almost no hope in the film
(4) Camera Shots, camera movement/lighting/angles, lighting:
The camera shots will be quite common, lots of over the shoulder so the audience
doesn't ever see the Captor’s face. We will be using high angles and low angles to
show who is in control. We will be using quite fast camera movement if we use any,
in the forest or cutting back and forth. The lighting we’re going to use is going to be
quite low-key with lots of shadows for extra creepiness.
***UPDATED CAMERA SHOTS WE USED***
We used this extreme close up to show ambiguity
on what the character is doing, showing plans for
the future. We used this shot because it keeps
the character in the shot secretive, not giving a
lot away.

4. ***UPDATE ENDS***
(5) Themes and motifs:
A theme we’re going to use is isolationism, to give the effect that no one is going to come save
them. Another theme we’re going to use is obsession. Obsession with Sarah, from the Captors
POV. This is a good theme because it keeps coming back to the same thing, in this case Sarah,
and we don’t have to give a reason for the Captor’s obsession.
(6) Narrative
The story will go as follows. A girl is trapped in a room in a house by a captor, and he goes about
his day looking after her. The audience does not know this immediately however to give a false
sense of security. Something will happen however that gives her a chance to escape.
(5) Mise-en-scene/setting:
Setting in a house deep in the woods, middle of nowhere. Mise en scene will be weapons,
polaroids clothes and cups and plates, cutlery.
(6) Symbolism:
(7) Sound and music:
Lots of diagetic sound, like heartbeats and breathing as well as some ambient music and the
BAWWWWMSS.
(9) Use of credits and logos:
We’re gonna use quite bold and short credits so we can drag the focus more onto the plot and the
film opening. We might also have s
(10) Editing:
Lots of close cutting editing, fast shots.
BEGINNING:
The Captor going about his normal day, feeding Sarah etc.
This is another shot to show ambiguity, a
common theme throughout our film. The skin
peeling off shows madness or insanity, creeping
out the audience and making theme
uncomfortable or squeamish.
The use of this mid shot once continues the
theme of ambiguity. It gives away a bit more
about the character slightly but still continues the
sense of ambiguity.

5. Lots of over the shoulder shots.
THE CONFLICT/TENSION IN THE TRAILER:
Sarah tries to escape.
MIDDLE:
END:
Pan out of her thumping against the door
FURTHER NOTES BELOW:
Have a cool scene of him making food like the iconic dexter opening
We will have to be prepared to change things