Studio Production Unit: Pitch

So today we had to pitch our studio production unit ideas to Simon and Helen. I think mine went quite smoothly and I think they both liked my idea. However I dont think mine will be one of the two productions picked as it could be quite difficult to create in the time period we have.

Below is what I handed out during my pitch.

Sitcoms

Runtime: 20 Minutes

Channel: E4

Time: 10PM

Day: Thursday

‘Sitcoms’ is a 20-minute sitcom about three twenty something’s who are writers for a production company trying to come up with the nations next hit sitcom while they deal with their own personal issues.   

The show follows protagonist ‘serious guy’ Tom and his ‘slacker’ best friend Iain as they come into the office for a normal day at work. Quickly after they get to their desks the boss off the production company comes in and tells they he needs them to come up with an idea for a new sitcom and introduces them to the newest member of their team, Emma ‘M’.

There is an instant attraction between Tom and M.

As the pilot episode develops we see the team struggle to come up with any original ideas so at the end of the day with no new show idea in site they decide to go to the pub to welcome M to the team. Tom tells Iain that he likes M while they are in the pub and he tells him to go for it. As Tom walks through the crowded pub to talk to M he sees her kissing another guy.

The next day all three of them turn up at work hung over. Tom is a little distant with M and they are no closer to thinking of a new show idea.

‘Sitcoms’ will be shot in front of a live studio audience and the VT’s will be shot on location at a different time prier to the live show.

Tom is the protagonist of the show. He is a helpless romantic but very serious when it comes to his work. He hates being late for work but likes to let loose on the weekends in the pub.

Iain is Tom’s best friend sense they were kids. They grew up together, went to the same school and now work together. Iain is a bit of a slacker and always leaves everything to the last minute, but he would do anything to help his friends.

Emma (M) is the new girl on the team. She is very outgoing, creative and quirky and likes to have fun. She gets along with everyone and she is happy with life.  She is Tom’s new love interest. 

Studio Production Unit: Idea

So this is the unit i have been dreading sense 1st year. It is completely out of my comfort zone as I dont really watch a lot of studio set shows on tv such as game shows or early morning talk shows. The only thing I watch that is set in a studio is sitcoms. This got me thinking about different kinds of sitcoms that I watch. The Big Bang Theory, The Fresh Prince of Bel air and The IT Crowd to name a few. This was my idea from before we even had our brief and when we got given it and I seen Sitcom on the list of available ideas I almost jumped out of my seat! THANK THE GODS!
So this got me thinking about what kind of Sitcom would I want to make? I want it to be original and have my own mark on it. So after going through a couple of ideas in my head spanning from horror/Comedy ideas to romantic ideas I finally came up with my idea which was slapping me in the face all along!
We are told to write about what we know. And for this project I am struggling at how hard it is to think of a sitcom idea and thats it!
I want to base my sitcom idea on a group of friends who work for a production company coming up with tv show ideas. And they like me are stuck on thinking of a new idea for a sitcom.

So in a nut shell my sitcom idea is about a group of friends trying to think of a sitcom idea. I would also call it "Sitcoms".  The whole show would take place in their shared office as they try to think of ideas for sitcoms while dealing with issues in their own lives. With it taking place in their office it wont need much of a set which will work with the brief which asked for the sets to be minimal.

I will continue to post more as my idea develops.

Fiction Adaptation Unit: Update

After finding the poem Stalker I have been trying to think what would be the best way to adapt it to film.
I have a couple of ideas.

1. Make a short film based on the poem but rewrite it. 
2. do the short film but where the main character recites the poem as he acts out the story. 

At the minute I am leaning more towards the rewriting it idea where the main thing that links it to the poem is the plot of the story. I am also thinking of keeping the title of the poem as the title of the short film. 

Fiction Adaptation Unit : Research.

So on Monday we started back to uni and officially kicked off 2nd year! We got given our brief for the Fiction Adaption unit which I am extremely excited about! after the lecture myself and Gemma went to town to try and find some short story books and poetry books. After about 3 hours we weren't able to find any that appealed to us so we called it a day. When I got home I started doing some more research online on short stories and poems. I want to concentrate more on short stories and poems rather than graphic novels or comics because as much as I like them I like poems and short stories more. When we were given the brief I couldn't make up my mind what sort of genre I wanted to go for. I have been torn between Drama/Romance and Horror. The reasons I wanted to maybe do Drama/Romance over Horror was because it is something that I have yet to really work with as a filmmaker and I really want to try making something in that genre. However I believe my strong points are in Horror. With this in mind i did a lot of research into all 3 of the genres and I searched on a lot of different websites and even contacted studios and creative businesses in the Medway and Maidstone area to see if they knew and writers or poets and through this I have received quite a bit of interest.

With this being said I recently finished reading Frankenstein and while I was researching stories and idea popped into my head! "What about a romantic take of the story of Frankenstein." I had the idea to bass it on a guy who was lonely and longed for company and specifically a girlfriend. When he is in a book shop and comes across the Mary Shelly book Frankenstein this gives him the idea on how to get rid of his loneliness. He will make a girlfriend out of body parts and make her come to life. After bringing her out to the public she scares the people in the town and they turn on the couple and try and kill his monster girlfriend.




I told this idea to Simon today in our tutorials and even through he liked the idea he (like i thought so myself) the story would be far too long to fit into 5 minutes. But he did tell me to keep it as an idea for a later project. So with this I went back to the drawing board. I began researching again but this time more focused on poems. I then came across a poem written by little known writer called Darun Ferguson, The poem is named Stalker.  

Stalker


I've tracked you down for many days;


I've followed you through alleyways.


You haven't even seen me yet,


But when you do, you won't forget.



I wanted you first at the store;


I saw you there five times before.


And you were always all alone;


And now I want you for my own.



So here we are my lovely one;


My suffering has just begun.


Where do you live?

I want to know;


I do not know yet where to go.



I follow close behind your car;


You do not even go too far.


You stop off quick to get some gas;


I watch you every time you pass.



You do not even notice me.


How lucky could I ever be?


But maybe you just didn't care


To try to see me sitting there.



And now the pain; you love me not.


My face is red; my head is hot.


Just go home now and you will see
.

The punishment for shunning me.



So now you're home; and I am too.


I park my car away from you.


I sneak up as you go inside;


You do not know how hard I cried.



The sky is dark; it's getting late.


It's hurting worse the more I wait.


But nonetheless, this much I knew;


I had to get in there with you.



I quietly unlock the door;


I tiptoe softly on the floor.


I hide, completely from your sight.


I wait till you turn out the light.



You're all undressed and fast asleep.


Your snoring shows your slumber's deep.


And all my patience now is lost;


I must have you at any cost.



And here we are my lovely one;


My suffering will soon be done.


In just a moment, you'll be mine,


And everything will turn out fine.



I kiss you once to show my love,


Once more to thank the stars above,


And last to give you all my best,


Before I send your soul to rest.



I grab a pillow from the bed.


I press it down over your head.


You wake up, flailing in distress;


I hold your arms down on your chest.



You cannot swing; you cannot scream.


I tell you that it's just a dream.


Go back to sleep; don't try to fight.


You will not get away tonight.



And so it's done; my task is through.


I lie down in the bed with you.


I hold you in my arms gently;


I only want you next to me.



I run my hands across your face.


Your hair I stroke; your lips I taste.


You're still so warm; you smell so sweet.


I brush my toes across your feet.



On top of you I feel delight.


But something just does not seem right.


You can't even return a kiss;


Will I not know what pleasure is?



But so is fate; I will not cry.


Yet still I question myself why.


I leave you there upon your bed;


The only love I had is dead.


And though my pain is all but gone,


I have my faith to carry on.


I'll try to find somebody new;


I hope that she will be like you.



Yet this time I will not forget.


That killing only brings regret.


But how else will I take her heart


Without tearing my own apart?

By Darun Ferguson

After reading this amazing poem I was smacked with inspiration! I could vision the 5 minute short film in my head as I read it and I started piecing it together. 

I am going to start changing the poem into the films script and start some pre production on the project. 

Well this sucks.....

I just received a phone call from my mum tonight letting me know my granda has just passed away. Ive been quite lucky where death is concerned I haven't had to deal with it as a kid just now really. I dont really know what to say or why I am even writing it on here but.... I think its just hitting me a little harder because I am over here and the rest of my family are back home and the fact I dont get to say a proper goodbye to him.

R.I.P Granda

Essay update

I have been to see my dyslexia helper Denise and she has went through the brief in detail with me and I have been to the library to help me reference evidence in my essay.

Practise Documentary

Yesterday Ashley Kay and myself filmed at the Coffee shop for our practise documentary. We had everything well planned in advance which made the actual shooting day flow a lot smoother. We got as much footage as we could possible in the time we had at the location. Today Dave and I started and finished the final edit of the documentary and we are both very happy with the final outcome.