Story-telling Unit: Short Project

THE BRIEF

(Wednesday 21st September)

As part of an introduction to our storytelling unit, in groups we completed several speed pitching exercises, and also formed a story using two different character cards and a random location. Allowing us to brainstorm ideas freely and practise narrative writing, in our final task we created a developed story - free for us to adapt for our own film.

The Brief

Initial Notes

FRAMED (Final Story)

Plot / Story

Commissioned to produce painting for a Minor Celebrity, an Artist spills paint all over a bright white rug as the Celebrity takes a phone call. To cover this up, the Artist frames the scene to look like a burglary has taken place. However, when he attempts to make himself look injured, he knocks himself unconscious. When the unknowing Celebrity returns, she believes that he is dead, and in a panic attempts to hide the body in a cupboard. Neighbours have heard this commotion (smashing window and thrown objects) and have called the police. When police turn up to see what’s going on, and as the Minor Celebrity attempts to cover herself, they hear a banging sound coming from inside the cupboard…

Characters

Francis (The Artist)

Francis (The Artist) –  A young, slightly arrogant painter who feels as though working for a minor celebrity is beneath, him but needs the work. Despite this confident exterior, in the face of a crisis he loses all sense of rational thinking to escape blame and in turn worsens the situation immeasurably.

Ada (The Minor Celebrity)

                                

Ada (The Minor Celebrity) – A rising commercial actress and minor celebrity, Ada commissions a portrait for her new apartment to celebrate her successes. Liked for her seemingly down-to-earth nature both on and off screen (in contrast to Francis), the characters become inadvertently linked when Ada too crumbles in what she believes to be a crisis. This leads the audience to discover that the characters are perhaps more alike than they first appeared...

                                          

Location / Setting

A block of flats - A small and simple, yet stylish flat for a minor celebrity working her way up through the industry. The white carpet/rug is essential as it impacts the story, just as the window can be smashed, books pulled off the shelves and drawers emptied.