Create a Proposal and Client Documentation in Support of a Pitch (P2)

Treatment

Final Idea: Analogue horror of some kind/found footage (getting stuck in a small room)

Film title: TV advert break 03/05/04 unknown channel
(Previous working title: 'AV3')

Log line: Our protagonist documents their experience in an enclosed space using an old camcorder, which gives the viewers a glimpse into the events leading up to their capture through means of content previously recorded on the tape.

One paragraph description: The film begins along the lines of a recording of a 2000s TV advert break before abruptly cutting to the main narrative. This consists of the end of a generic advert for something, followed by the majority of a relatively short and simple advert for some kind of mental retreat, which at face value seems irrelevant but with context of what follows appears very sinister. This advert then cuts off after 1 or 2 frames of some kind of terms and conditions appearing at the bottom of the screen, and we enter the main narrative: Our protagonist finds themselves in a small, enclosed room, with only the camcorder they were carrying beforehand. There's a date and timestamp on the screen showing that this is taking place on May 9th, 2004. They explain briefly to the camera that if they've found this footage they're probably dead and they are about to say their name before the tape cuts to what was on it previously: showing this person getting ready to presumably set off on whatever trip has resulted in this incident. We then return to the room as the protagonist continues their exploration, with occasional cuts back to them looking at some paperwork which features some amount of the branding from the advert, then walking up to a car with a silhouette-d driver and opening the door to find a slightly burned folder with the company branding on in some capacity. There is also a shot where they find a mirror, allowing us to get a glimpse of them - albeit obscured by the camera. Back in the present, they document their investigation of the contents of the space and the video occasionally cuts back to what was recorded on the tape previously, providing hints as to how we got here and who this person is. As the film progresses, more information is drip-fed to the audience. The full feature would document the declining mental stability of the protagonist, and would delve into their backstory as well as that of the kidnapper until eventually a full understanding of the situation can be pieced together. The film ends with the recording ending and returning to the TV content: the last few seconds of another genuinely innocent advert for something else, or with the tape simply ending.

Outline of the short: Unlike the feature, the short will spend less time on the identities of these characters and more on the context of the situation and the building tension and mystery surrounding this space. It will include the same opening and ending with the tape and adverts, as well as a small number of the 'flashback'-like content exploring the prior events.

The central message: Due to the nature of both the short and feature, neither focus on any form of central moral and/or message.

A unique selling point: The nostalgia appeal of the use of a tape-based camcorder is likely very appealing to a significantly sized target audience, and the medium is such that we can explore the avenue of retro-actively telling the events leading up to the main story in such a way that would not normally make sense in other subgenres. Being titled like a YouTube upload of a rip of an old VHS tape which the user failed to fully watch before uploading is a unique marketing opportunity to explore.

Character Biographies:

Our protagonist: An unnamed individual who we only see the hands of and possibly a mirror shot in which their face is obscured by the camera.

The villain: Some form of company with unclear intentions, collecting subjects for their unknown practices through misleading advertising.

'Advert' characters: A bagel salesman and buyer, a generic workman in a high-vis jacket, and a lawyer.

Requirements:

Cast: 3-4 people - one to act as the camera operator and main character, others to appear in the other 'advertisement' segments at the start and end.

Location: A house - for the 'flashback' scene, a small space such as a shed or garage for the primary scenes, and a street and cafe for the 'advert' segments.

Costumes: Regular, casual clothes and an apron for the protagonist and characters in the first 'advert', and a high-vis jacket and formal clothes for those at the end.

Props: A slightly burned folder and an old-fashioned camcorder for the premise, and a number of items for the enclosed space: a pineapple, typewriter, diagrams of brains, jars of cloudy water making it impossible to see the contents with half torn-off stickers and a bagel.

Recording and editing equipment: Camera with microphone, SD card and reader, VCR and VHS tape, analogue video capture device, a mobile device with CamTrackAR and a Mac computer with Final Cut Pro and Blender.

 

Storyboards:

Script:

Open with an entirely blue screen, as a 'play' icon appears in the top right-hand corner of the screen. This is followed by a second of TV static, before cutting into the very end of an advert for 'Knight-Higgs Shoes' as follows:
Shot of an two individuals standing opposite each other on either side of a table. One is holding a £5 note and the other is placing a bagel into a bag slowly and cautiously while not taking their eyes off the other. Over this, the logo for 'Knight-Higgs Shoes' appears, followed by the slogan 'it's not just a shoe, it's a shoe', and the text 'Available in all good clothing retailers' below it.

This pauses very briefly on its final frame before cutting to a wide shot of a cloudless, sunset sky above some slightly visible houses. The sound of birds singing can be quietly heard. The text 'get away from it all', entirely in lower case in a sans serif font, fades in in the upper left third of the frame. Slightly after this, below the name, a phone number also fades in. Following this, in the middle right third, the name 'The New Wellness Clinic' fades in, along with the company's logo to the left of the text. Briefly, for 2-3 frames, the following terms and conditions can be seen centralised towards the bottom of the screen:
'Terms and conditions apply. By contacting The New Wellness Clinic you waiver your right to speak publicly regarding your experiences in relation to our company. Injury, death or dismemberment is the responsibility of the individual and not of the company. By contacting us, you consent to your telephone number being added to our database and your personal information being traced for security and training purposes. Thank you for choosing The New Wellness Clinic. :)'

The very brief appearance of this text is cut off by a return to TV static, after which we cut to a handheld POV camera shot of the ground of a shed. This contains a timestamp reading '09/05/04'. The camera pans up and looks quickly around the room. The structure is wooden and contains various tools and other equipment.

Cameraman: I found this camera. If you're watching this, I'm probably dead. My name is Tr-

Before he can finish, TV static transitions us to another handheld shot, this time with a timestamp of '29/04/04'. This shows a half-packed suitcase placed on a bed. The camera follows as the protagonist continues to pack this bag: putting a toothbrush and toothpaste in.
Before going any further, we transition back to the shed (using more analogue distortion) as the cameraman continues to inspect the various tools around the room in more detail. A few seconds of this later, a knock is heard at the door. The camera spins around, panicked, in reaction, before slowly approaching it. The individual attempts to open the door, eventually forcing it open with their entire body. This leads them into what appears to be a completely white void. Following a second of this, the light clears to reveal an entirely CGI location: an endless room, with office-like roof lights and a series of bland, beige walls scattered around. After around 15 seconds of the camera panning to show these surroundings, we return to TV static for a split second before returning to the TV advert format with which we began: A low-angle shot of a man in a high-vis jacket walking down the side of a street to the tune of some generic royalty-free company guitar music. A few seconds of this and we cut to a mid shot of him as he continues to walk. This shot pans beside him to keep him in the left third of the shot, and comes to a stop as he trips and falls down out of the frame. Cut to a mid-shot from in front of the man as he stands up in front of the camera. He lifts up a severed foot.

Man: Ah, not again.

This shot freeze-frames and fades slightly brighter. As it does so, two white bars fade in at the top and bottom of the screen, the top displaying the name 'rlygudlawyers4u.com' and the bottom displaying an 0800 number. A well-dressed man walks into the frame, green-screened on top.

Well-Dressed Man: Have you been involved in an incident that wasn't your fault?

Before he can continue, we return to TV static.