Foundation Portfolio Treatment:
Ticking Treatment:
Prepared by Adin Otto of Prairie Productions
18.05.23 - 24.05.23
It is proposed that our film, Ticking, will be from 2 to 2.30 minutes in duration, and will be filmed in the Media Lab (a container) at City Impact Church School. The reason we have chosen to film at this location is because it is rather practical, containing all the equipment our group needs on the night, and because the enclosed space will work well to create a feeling of entrapment.
This film will contain the following thriller conventions of jump cuts, long, drawn out shots, heightened diegetic sound, suspenseful music, tight shots, silhouette shots, a cliffhanger, and an innocent character falling prey to a sinister antagonist, an isolated setting, which takes place at night, as well as dark lighting.
Practicalities: There aren’t very many problems which would arise whilst filming our opening sequence. Since we would be filming at school, we would be rather safe, even while filming after dark. In addition to this, getting permission will be easy, as long as we are responsible on the night. Our idea, while realistic, is not a common experience, but is a scenario that could occur in real life.
However, since our idea is rather simple, we need to be very intentional with how the sequence unfolds, utilising the four technical elements to maximise the tension and increase the stakes of the situation.
Characters: In our film, there are two characters. The first one is our protagonist, Jennifer, who is staying behind at school one night to complete an assignment, completely unaware of the fact that she is being stalked. Our other character, the stalker, is used as a device to create tension and intrigue, as we never get to see who they are. In addition to this, the stalker’s motives are unclear, and are to be divulged later in the film. By deciding to have the main character be a female, we portray her as vulnerable and unaware - a damsel in distress - thus playing into gender stereotypes.
Ideology: The prevailing ideology in our film is that there is always more going on than what meets the eye, demonstrated through this situation, with Jennifer completely unaware of what is going on around her. Another ideology present is that nowhere is safe, despite seeming secure.
Mood and Tone: In our film, Ticking, the sequence will be laden with suspense, creating a tense, hair-raising atmosphere, which will keep viewers on the edge of their seats, the sensation appealing to our target audience.
Camera: In terms of camera, our film Ticking will contain a wide range of shots in order to capture the attention of the viewer. Close to mid shots will be employed in order to create a sense of claustrophobia, and convey the fact that the main character is trapped and has been cornered in.
The shots from the stalker’s point of view will be continuous, mimicking what their view would be in ‘real time’ as they are watching the protagonist.
Other shots include, match-on-action, shot-reverse-shots, and wide shots.
Lighting:
For lighting, we will be employing the lights inside the media container instead of the lighting kit. However, in order to prevent the footage from being too bright, we will play around with the configuration of the lights to create some element of suspense. Then, for our outside shots, we will be using a combination of a flashlight and a reflector to create just the right amount of light for our establishing shots, which will be captured at dark, adding in yet another layer of tension, and hinting at the fact that there is someone lurking in the dark.
Themes and Motifs:
Throughout our sequence, we have one main theme coming through: perception. Our main character, Jennifer, perceives herself as safe in the container, as she is locked in, and no one can get into it without a swipe tag. However, the audience has a different perception of her reality, as they are clued into the fact that there is actually someone watching her. The clock will be a recurring feature in the film, indicating the passage of time, and, along with its heightened ticking sound, that her time is running out.
Mise-en-Scene: In our film, the main character, Jennifer, will be wearing the City Impact Church School uniform, with some alterations. For instance, her tie will be loosened, and she will be wearing a casual jacket over the top, indicating that she is no longer bound to school rules, with no one there to enforce them. This creates another element of suspense, as she is alone and isolated on the school grounds, and is trapped in the container, as there is only one working door.
In terms of props, we will be using one of the computers in the Media Lab, as well as the headphones which come with it, and a water bottle. The headphones are key as when Jennifer puts them on, she is unable to hear what is going on around her, making her lower her guard, and prevents her from hearing the stalker enter the container.
Sound and Music:
In our thriller, sound will be a key element in creating a layer of suspense. In this film, we will be playing around with heightened diegetic noise with no score, whereas other moments will contain a conventional thriller soundtrack. A key element for sound will be the sound of the ticking clock, which is a major driver of suspense in the film, indicating that the protagonist’s time is running out, and hints at the fact that something is going to happen.
Credits: This film will contain credits during the opening seconds of the sequence, detailing the key roles of the film, such as the actors, directing, lighting, and sound. Then, at the end of the film, there will be rolling credits, containing all of the people who participated in the filming, and what their roles were. At some point there will be a title reveal, but its location in the sequence will be gauged during the post-production process after a rough edit has been put together.
Logo: Our logo for our production company, Prairie Productions, consists of a horse running across an open field (a prairie). This symbolises creative freedom, highlighting the fact that we have creative freedom in making our films, producing sequences that we are satisfied with.
Editing: Rather than the fast paced editing which is conventionally used in thrillers, our sequence will employ the use of long, drawn out shots, which will create tension, and make viewers wonder how things are going to unfold, as the storyline progresses rather slowly, and make them question what exactly it is that the antagonist is going to do. In addition to this, we will include after effects in our film, all which will enhance the suspense we are hoping to convey, appealing to our older target audience.
Narrative: In our film, Ticking, we follow the protagonist Jennifer, as she walks down to the Media Lab to work on an assignment. The sequence follows her as she enters into the container, and gets to work. However, unbeknownst to her, there is someone stalking her, watching her from a distance. As the film progresses this stalker gets increasingly closer, and eventually enters into the container. It is interesting to note however, that the face of this stalker is never revealed, keeping their identity a secret, to be unpacked later in the film. The sequence is long and drawn out, only reaching the climax in the final seconds, when the door opens behind Isabella, who eventually notices, finishing on a shot of her reaction.