{Different Perspectives

Sam McKeown

I’ve decided that I wanted to try the high concept, pre-production package as this would allow me to think of my own personal idea and develop its style and content. I also felt that I would like to try something else for 2016 so this has given me the opportunity to develop something separate.

What type of project have I chosen?

For this project I am focused primarily on the scriptwriting and camera work aspects.

The project is a Television movie that is around 75 minutes long.

I will write a treatment for this concept as well as designing a book, a full length trailer, teasers and additional material that will help to form a complete production package.

The book is the most important aspect of presenting my idea as it will be the best way of conveying the style/concept of the story and its characters.

What I am planning to include in my Pre-Production package

Pre-Production Packaging: Designing a booklet

When I was deciding on a way to present the pre-production idea one of the choices I instantly settled on was the book idea. after looking at a few different book printing websites I decided on picking a website called ‘Blurb’.

It can give me the chance to lay out my content with a wide variety of templates so I can control how the design looks using my own specifications.

http://www.blurb.co.uk/bookwright

The format I have chosen for my TV movie is comedy-drama and it is aimed predominantly at the 18-34 year old age group.

The channel I am aiming towards is Channel 4 as they have had a lot of success with TV movies in the past, especially thanks to their production company: Film4.

What is the format?

A 25 year old named Elliott is woken up one morning with a sense of dread. He realises that he is being watched. He has a sudden awareness that he is on a Television show.

After noticing that everyone else around him is oblivious to this, he realises that he can sense when danger is about to occur due to his knowledge of TV foreshadowing, TV tropes and his love of mystery/crime shows.

He suddenly gains notoriety in the TV shows media due to his sense of upcoming danger and his fragile mindset about being followed by TV cameras.

Story…

A group of Matrix-like agents start following Elliott with the plan to kidnap him and use his knowledge of TV foreshadowing to their advantage.

He is aware of there attempts as he gets a foreboding sense of danger at every corner.

Paranoid and on the run, he is in pursuit of the very thing that is controlling him.. Television.

Story…continued.

Elliott: He is a pessimistic illustrator in his mid-20s. He has a love of TV and Film, particularly mystery/crime shows.

Vince: A bitterly, sardonic agent hoping for a promotion, he has a gravelly voice and is a stereotype of typical CIA agent such as in the Matrix.

Elena: Elliott’s girlfriend. A trainee psychologist, she finds it hard to believe that her life has become a part of a TV show and thinks that her boyfriend is losing his mind. Despite this she remains his closest contact whist he is on the run.

Characters

When I was forming this idea I had a few influences in my mind. The Truman Show is an obvious example in terms of similarities.

I was also inspired by the the POV camera techniques used in Peep Show which I would like to implement throughout.

In terms of the comedy elements of Different Perspective, Spaced & Director, Edgar Wrights work was particularly an overarching influence as well as his frantic zoom cuts/quick shots throughout.

What were my main influences for this idea?

Different Perspective is intended to be seen as a post-modern comment on Television and the medias ability to create a false reality through brainwashing.

What is the shows message?

Conflicts

Some of the questions that Elliott will hit upon at various points include wondering if his reality is real or not. If he isn’t why should he care about what happens to those around him? Is he being brainwashed? Etc.

The tone of this production is as a comedy-drama with dark undertones. This is largely because this style appeals to me and I believe that Channel 4’s demographic will be interested in a TV show of this type. Especially as the channel usually has a lot more darker, edgier material such as in the This is England miniseries. However this will be considerably lighter in tone!

Tone of the project

I’ve intended for this idea to use at least two cameras that can be switched at will to show Elliott’s increasing paranoia.

Moments will occur when he looks directly into the camera (towards the audience) and it suddenly cuts to another, as if the initial camera has disappeared.

It will mostly be shot using a tripod but will increasingly be used handheld as well as POV to show how his psychosis is getting worse.

Camera Techniques

I asked my girlfriend Bethany if she could draw out some character designs for my idea and she was happy to oblige.

Since the character of Elliott is a cartoonist I thought it would be cool to incorporate that aspect of his character into the shows style and credits.

Character Designs

Thank you for listening!

Questions?