A male teenager named Dave, has recently mourned the death of a very close senior neighbor.
He befriends the grandson Eric, who mentions online that his grandfathers ashes will be joined by someone.
Over time the messages become creepy and Dave begins feeling the implication that Eric is intending to kill him.
In the end, Dave is summoned by Eric to come over to his house. Eric implicates Dave's death to be inevitable, but then talks about the person (who's ashes will be joining his grandfather) to be lonely and without friends.
Eric reveals he never had many friends and felt that sending the messages would get him noticed and for once be more powerful than the people who looked down on him.
Shortly after Eric stabs him self with a kitchen knife.
Dave completely shocked stares down at Eric's body unsure of what to do.
The plot involves Dave suffering mental anxiety about the messages, as well as brief scenes of intense drama (I.e end confrontation between Dave and Eric).
Sources of Inspiration:
'Cyber Bully' (2015 - Channel 4).
Audience classification research
For our F.M.P, we needed to research different social classes and source the ideal group/s our F.M.P needed/could appeal towards.
Below are the sources I used to research audience classification:
My short drama involves teenage characters of ages between 17-19.
Ideal audience classification:
Group O: Liberal Opinions
Professional, young educated people with open minded views and cosmopolitan tastes (openness to different countries and cultures). A wide proportion of this class include country students who live in accommodation such as halls of residency/shared accommodation (e.g. when going to University).
Preferred occupations for this group include journalism, entertainment, politics, design and fashion.
As a result, neighborhoods with these classes of people can be found in inner city areas, especially with popular universities.
This group also inhibit interests in humanitarian interests (concerns relating to human welfare).
The plot of my short drama incorporates the idea of a teenage male expressing mental anxiety and fear over the messages being sent to him. The classification of audiences would more likely find appeal to the protagonists current emotions and therefore increasing the likely hood of them forming a bond for the character.
Group O also spend the majority of their time online. Therefore, they are more likely to come across the F.M.P (due to being broadcasted on YouTube).
Additionally, relevant themes for 'Ashes' include online bullying (I.E Dave receiving scary messages from Eric) and depression (Eric suffering with depression and commits suicide).
These themes are most likely recognizable to the Group O, as people in this category spend a lot of time online and can suffer from depression.
However, the scenario would have to bear great sensitivity and not replicate with an actual story, due to the likely hood of suing and public upset/outrage.
The protagonist Dave also has the small backstory of being accepted into University, which Group O are likely to find appeal with in his character, as well as understanding his nerves about leaving, due to this classification including both students about to go to University, or currently are in university. This group is more keen on investing in entertainment based elements (e.g. exhibitions and Cinema), rather than durable items (e.g. a washing machine).
Therefore they more likely have a high demand for high quality entertainment.
My short drama will incorporate a rather tense story arc of Dave feeling convinced that he is going to be killed by Eric. Sequentially audiences may feel a certain level of uncertainty on whether Eric is actually going to kill Dave. Thus audiences will hopefully be drawn into the drama and wish to find out the end outcome.
Proposal form
Conventions of my F.M.P
My F.M.P is a Drama Thriller.
I sourced a website (link below) to research the codes and conventions of this genre. Highlighted in bold, is how I will apply these codes and conventions to my F.M.P
Below are common conventions needing to be applied to the thriller genre. Highlighted in bold are point about how my F.M.P will meet the required conventions
Low key lighting and dark based colour palettes
Battle between protagonist and antagonist.
Showing the protagonist being isolated, implying his/her defencelessness against the antagonist, driving our empathy and determination for him/her to defeat the antagonist.
Props, including guns/knives, indicating terror and enforcing suspense and tension.
Constant plot twists
The narrative is mainly focused from the protagonists perspective, so we as an audience can connect with him/her more.
The narrative must clearly signify the protagonist is pursuing the antagonist, conveying a tense and suspensful mood.
In the end, the antagonists reasons for his/her actions should be recognised. E.g. a personal connection to the protagonist - geting him fired in a job and now wanting revenge.
For the end scene, where Dave confronts Eric in his house, I will consider applying low key lighting, to form a silhouette figure of Eric, to give a mysterious and suspenseful mood to what his character may do to Dave. It will also enforce a darker personae to his character, putting audiences of guard for when he reveals his depression and lack of friends.
The protagonist Dave at one point Conventional shot types: (highlighted in bold are some ideas for shot types I may apply)
Canted angles to indicate distress/confusion.
Close up shots - to convey tension and to easily signify characters emotions.
Two shot - can indicate relationships
Wide angle shots - convey locations to audiences easily, as well as signifying the protagonist as being on his/her own.
Mid shot - allows audiences to notice mis en scene elements around the character (e.g. a jacket and gun).
Editing techniques:
Reactions shots - emphasise the level of shock/fear from the protagonist, when confronted against the antagonist.
Cut aways - included to show what is going on outside of a scene, (I.e normal every day life- people walking around), emphasising the suspense and twisting scenarios significance.
Mis en scene elements: (highlited in bold are ideas for what costumes and props to incorporate):
Settings: Normal everyday environments, including everyday modern houses (e.g. terraced council house). The use of average everyday locations helps to create a more dramatic impact for the disturbance the antagonist creates in these monatone locations.
For chase scenes, small isolated spaces (e.g. alleyway/corridor) can signify entrapment for the protagonist, as there is no one else who can help him, increasing the suspense and tension for audiences, in having them wonder whether or not he will escape/defeat the antagonist.
Props:
Guns are a popular item, due to indicating danger. However, knifes can provide the same effect, as one is used in the psychological action thriller 'Unknown' (2011).
Costumes:
Often, sophisticated smart clothing (e.g. ties/jackets) are applied to characters. They often wear a contrasting style to one and other, to indicate personality and occupations.
In 'Cyberbully' (2015 - 'Channel 4'), the protagonist wears a casual buttoned shirt.
Show images:
Sound design conventions (highlighted in bold are ideas for ideal sound to incorporate):
Ambient sounds (e.g. in a room), are ideal, in order to create more tension, for audiences anticipating something to suddenly happen (e.g. Antagonist comes out of nowhere to attack Protagonist).
Target audience:
According to the site, thriller films typically appeal to teenagers aged 15-19 years old.
However, due to the varied sub genres also being incorporated (e.g. drama thriller), older and potentially younger audineces can also find appeal to the genre.
Basic act structure
Act 1:
Dave is wearing a suit, staring at him self in the bathroom mirror. Tears appear on his eyes. His mum shortly stands beside him grasping his shoulder.
(To achieve tear effect - cut up onions and apply close to eyes). Additionally, to achieve red face effect, maybe have parent/crew member ask an embarising question near filming, to potentially cause the actors cheeks to blush red, coincidentally also enforcing how upset and long the character has been crying for. Thus conveying Daves strong bond with the deceased John and hopefully making audiences feel more pitifully sorry for his character.
Additionally, I may also apply a tracking shot of Dave and John doing things together (e.g. going out, helping with home work, birthday celebration). Additionally, I may also apply photos of John first moving into the house and being greeted by Dave (when he was little) and his mother.
As the photos progress it could show the pair becoming older, hopefully connecting with audiences belief in making the most of your time as well as seeing how many things Dave and John have done over the years, enforcing how special the bond was between them.
Thus this will hopefully, make audiences feel more sorry for Daves character and potentially understand the pyschological upset Dave is currently feeling in the prologue.
Dave goes outside of his house and stares at the house next door, with a bunch of flowers in his hand.
Dave goes to graveyard and places some flowers infront of a grave stone.
Dave thanks the man (named as John) for helping him with his revision test.
Shortly after, Johns grandson Eric passes by with a pot of Johns ashes. Johns states John will not be alone in heaven for too long.
Dave enquires but Eric shrugs it of and asks to send a freind request on 'Facebook'.
Shortly after, Eric walks of, while Dave stares at the grave stone.
Screen fades to black.
Title: 'Ashes' rolls.
Act 2:
Two weeks later, Dave receives a letter, opens it and finds he has been accepted to do a university level course. His mother extremely proud hugs him massively.
Dave posts that he has been accepted into 'Univeristy'. Eric replys back congratulating him.
Dave states if it were not for John (Erics grandfather), he would not have been able to get the grades he needed.
Eric out of the blue then says John is going to be having a friend in heaven with him soon.
Dave enquires if it is a relative/friend of Johns, but Eric does not answer, but shortly and suddenly sends a message with 'BOO!!!' on it.
Dave replies "Ok, see you later stranger". Eric replies "Or Never", followed by a smiling face emoji.
Dave is rather creeped out.
The next day, Daves mum asks Dave to go and get some electricity for the key metre in their house.
While walking, Dave receives a message on his phone saying "Hey", later followed by "Guess who?". Dave replies "Who is this?"
A reply says "Not telling".
Dave shows these messages to his mum, who asks Dave of anyone who he gave his number to.
Later Dave rings up his friend 'James' and asks how his move is going on. Dave asks if he sent him messages this morning. James admits to sending "Hey", but not the other two.
Later Eric asks Dave if he has guessed whos ashes will be joining Johns. Dave asks Eric to tell him. Eric replies "Not telling".
Dave asks if he sent him messages to him earlier. Eric replies "Who knows" Dave replies " Cmon stop kidding".
Eric replies "I'm not", followed by a rather negative emoji face. Eric then says "Bye", followed by a laughing emoji face.
Act 3:
In the morning, Eric sends a video link to Dave with the song 'Ashes they all fall down1.
Dave asks Eric why he has sent him this music video. Eric replies "so you can remember the song, when it happens".
Dave replies "When what happens".
Eric goes of line. Dave runs outside and later knocks on Erics house door but finds no answer.
Dave messages Eric "Who is joining Johns ashes". Eric replies "You.", but shortly followed by "Hooo. ha ha!".
Dave messages "This isn't funny". Eric replies "I know, it's very serious".
Followed by "I'm gonna finish the deed soon." Don't say anything though, or I might have to shut up this guys family".
Followed by a winking emoji face.
John becomes increasingly scared, nearly faints and rolls into a ball crying.
John recovers and is sent a message saying "Guess who ha ha. Come to my place. But remember don't tell anyone".
Followed by a whispering face emoji.
Dave goes to Erics house, where the door is left open. He sees Eric at the opposite end of the kitchen table, where his face is shrouded by the dark. Dave demands for Eric to explain himself, but only receives a text a message saying "This is the end".
Eric messages "Where Johns friend goes to heaven". Eric shortly reveals his lack of friends and how John was considered one as well as being his grandfather. He thanks Dave for noticing him and that it felt great to be the one in power, unlike all the bullys, who made him feel like 'dirt'. Immediately after Eric stabs himself in the neck with a kitchen knife.
Dave panic kingly looks at Eric's dead body and dials 999.