IB Short Film Treatment

Title: TBA
Genre: Drama, Romance

Log Line:  A guy gets set up on a blind date by his friends, but the one thing he doesn’t know is that this girl is going to be something different and supposedly he will love ever bit of her.

A guy named Adam and his close buds are all out for lunch on a sunny Saturday evening. The birds are chirping and laughter fills the air. As Adam’s friends all talk about their girlfriends and how happy they are, Adam sits in silence trying to pay no attention to the fact that he is the only single man out of the group. When one of his buddies Nick realize what Adam is doing, they try to cheer him up. And the best way to do that is by setting up a blind date with his sisters friend who he thinks will be compatible with.

As the boys talk, Adam starts asking questions about this girl and he starts to think that its a really good idea since it sounds like they have a lot in common together. So his friend Nick then calls his sister to get contact information on the girl Sarah who he is sending Adam on a blind date with. Over the next couple days, Adam starts to get a little nervous about the date, but knows he can’t bail because he’s not that kind of guy. He gets a text from Nick about the date, location, and time of the blind date.

The day has come for Adam to hopefully meet his dream girl Sarah. As he approaches the restaurant, he has a bouquet of flowers in one hand, while his other hand nervously shuffles his keys in his pocket. As he looks over the crowd to find this girl Sarah he starts to worry that maybe she didn’t show up. As he keeps scanning, he sees her shiny brown hair and the red dress that Nick to hi, she would be wearing. As he waves over and smiles, she does the same. He finally starts to make his way over there. While he walks over there he glances down to try and talk himself out of the nerves, but what he doesn’t see until he looks back up when he is face to face with his blind date is that she is in a wheel chair. His eyes get big as he is shocked in disbelief. In his mind, he wonders why his friends never said anything to him and that he’s pissed at them for setting up a blind date with this girl.

He stands in shock and disbelief as he can barely utter a “hello”. She sits there and says “Hi it’s so nice to finally meet you, my names Sarah. And yours is?” Still nothing comes out of his mouth. He finally snaps out of it and says “Oh sorry, um yeah my names Adam”. They then sit down and conversed but all Adam can really think about what he hadn’t known before going into this date. This though blocks out everything else that she says. By the end of the night he can’t even remember what he ordered. In a sense of sorrow he says that he hopes to meet up again and she responds about meeting up for coffee in two days. He then says yes as he feels bad.

The next morning, Adam bangs on Nick’s door in anger. Nick slowly crawls out of bed and puts on a robe shuffling his feet to the door. As he opens the door a bright ray of sunshine hits his face causing him to squint his eyes. “Adam? Is that you?” Nick says. “Yes you idiot!” Adam says in frustration. “You left one minor detail out before you sent me on that blind date, mind telling me why?” says Adam in hopes to get an answer. “I wanted you to connect with her and look past her appearance and like her for who she is on the inside”. “Well that’s kind of hard to do when all I can think about is that she is in a fricken wheelchair. Next time warn me!” The door SLAMS behind Adam as he leaves Nicks house.

Adam is now dreading about his coffee date with Sarah. He figures that a friendship should just come out of this. But when the date arrives and they drink coffee, he can’t seem to find the right words in order to explain why he wants to be friends. Although this time he actually is hearing some of the things she is saying to him, not as distracted by her disability. By the end of the date, he realizes that he has made another dinner date with her the next night.

When he gets home, he drops his keys and cell phone on the counter and paces back and forth trying to talk himself through all of what happened. He convinces himself to give it a shot and truly listen to her in order to maybe even build a friendship with no means of a relationship. The next night, their dinner date goes smoothly and he actually got to know her pretty well. They even shared some interests together and some laughs. He feels emotions slowly building up in him towards her. Not the sorrow kind, but the passionate kind.

Later that night laying in bed, all he can think about is their conversations. He doesn’t know why he can’t get her off his mind. He then calls her up and tries to talk things through with her. When he calls her, she seems just as interested. He asks her how she got in the wheel chair. Not in a demanding manner, but in a curious manner. A way that comes across as he wants to truly get to know her. He starts to feel for her as she tells her tragic story how she was paralyzed in a drunk driving car accident. The driver was her older brother that she looked up to. But since her father passed away when she was 4, he was the older man figure in the house. Her brother was killed that night in the accident and she was left with the life lasting injury that reminds her every morning of how she got that way. In return, he shares a deep dark secret as well, feeling a connection building between the two. When they both say goodnight, he puts his head on his pillow and thinks. But all he can think about his Sarah and her smile.

By the morning, he wakes up and makes himself a cup of coffee. He realizes that he’s really fallen for this girl. That he was a jerk before only looking at her physical appearance and not truly who she is on the inside, but after last nights conversation, he really got a sense of who she is and he fell in love with that girl. He looks at the time, knowing that before the phone call ended, she said that she was going away on a trip for a month with her mother to visit family across the country. He couldn’t wait a month to tell her that he’s in love with her. He looks at the time and it shows that he has 30 minutes to get to the train station before her and her mom depart for New Jersey. He grabs his coat and keys and heads out the door. He runs into traffic along the way, honking to get people to move faster, it is hopeless. Leaving him motionless. He looks at the time realizing that he only has 10 minutes left. He then opens the door and decides to run for it.

Running for his life, he sees the train station just down the street. Sprinting his fastest, he sees people boarding the train and that the doors are about to close. When he reaches the train station, the doors have just closed on him. Leaving him out of breathe and out of hope. He bends over trying to catch his breath. He hears his name being called in the distance and turns and turns to look in the distance but doesn’t see anyone. He then comes across a small figure waving and calling his name. It’s Sarah and her mom unloading their things out of their care. He catches his breath and runs to her, knowing that this is his time. When he reaches her, he catches his breath and takes a sigh of relief. She asks him whats wrong and why are you out of breath. “I ran all the way here to tell you...” “To tell me what?” “To tell you that.... before I was a jerk and I’m sorry for that, but when I wasn’t trying I got to meet the real you and I feel in love with that girl. That once wounded, but now stronger than ever girl. That’s the girl I want in my life forever!” “I love you too”....(Ending is a little abrupt, still thinking of what to add to the end) The end!

Alternate ending....
“I ran all the way here to tell you...” “To tell me what?” “That I....” But he is interrupted by a man approaching Sarah and kissing her on the lips and asking if she was ready. “That I... umm... I wanted to tell you that your a really good friend and to have fun on your trip” “Thank Adam, I will keep in touch” Not only is he in shock again but this time he is sad... He can’t believe that he finally truly loved someone for who they were, and they didn’t love them back....

Ideology in Film

1. What is ideology and how can it be implicit vs. explicit?

Ideology refers to the values/viewpoints and meanings/messages that a media text such as a film might be able to communicate to the viewer. Ideology can be implicit because it is the more debatable meanings of the film. This can go beyond the conscious intentions of the filmmaker, which then requires film analysis and a reasoned argument. On the other hand, ideology can be explicit because it is what a character in a film or a director/producer/writer declare the subject of the film to be. 

2. Ideology and Expectations: Give an example of an a actor that presents a predictable ideological package that studios are quick to use. List as many of their film roles as possible – noting the particular actions/dialogues associated with the character that they play. Make a list of the five adjectives that you think best capture their typical role. Produce a detailed description of what you think their next role will be like.

Jennifer Aniston

"Just Go With It" (2011)- office manager and best friend, a divorced mother of two

"The Switch" (2010)- decides she wants to have a baby and chooses to do so alone

"The Bounty Hunter" (2010)- an investigative reporter who has been arrested for assaulting a police officer.

"The Break Up" (2006)-manages an art gallery. feeling unappreciated, criticizes Gary's immaturity and unwillingness to work on their relationship.

"Marley and Me" (2008)- Jenny Grogan: a wife/mother who adopts a dog which ends up making her balance the home life and her relationship with her husband.

"Horrible Bosses" (2011)- a former boss, claiming she was "very sexually aggressive with everybody"

Typical role for next film: Conflicted, romantic, aggressive, unstable, 

Jennifer Aniston's next film will probably have to do with a film having to do with a romance while also playing a comedic role. Most likely her role will be a lead role with a male counterpart. In this film, she will have to overcome the difficulties of love which are caused by differences between the two. 

3.Personal Ideologies and the Enjoyment of Film: Think of a film that you enjoy and know well. Consider which characters you like. Analyze your favorite character using these useful questions to bear in mind when considering ideology are:

 Greena Davis (Dottie Hinson)

A. What is it that you like about them and what has the filmmaker done to encourage you to feel this way?

I like that Dottie is a strong independent woman who fights for her own. I like that in the film, she comes across as strong and dependable but at times we see her get weak, but then only to see how strong she becomes afterwards. To create this effect, the filmmaker has developed a relationship between her and her younger sister Kit. We see through out this film how they have an emotional ride together, especially at the end of this film. Being able to have a strong independent character become weak and vulnerable at times helps relate the character to the real world. 

B. What values am I being asked to share or reject?

The value I am being asked to share is that the relationships we build are more important than anything else. The value I am being asked to reject is that ignorance wont get you anywhere in life because you aren't open to new things.

C. How are my feelings being manipulated to prefer one viewpoint over another? (Camera placement/movement and editing are particularly important here.)

My feelings are being manipulated to prefer one viewpoint over another because of the camera placement/movement and editing techniques. Camera placement/movement can manipulate my feelings because of the close ups used to show the emotional aspects being portrayed in the scenes. An editing technique used to help manipulate my feelings to prefer one viewpoint over another would be the use of slowing the speed down on the frame. This developed questions in my thoughts and feelings because what you saw before was normal time whereas now the speed is reduced to help drag out your feelings in order for you to notice what you are feelings and grab a hold of that emotion. 

D. Why might a filmmaker want me to prefer one viewpoint to another?

The reason why a filmmaker might want to prefer one viewpoint to another is because the filmmaker might be trying to reveal the under the surface meaning behind the film to the audience in order to understand their intentions. Penny Marshall might want to prefer one viewpoint to another because she doesn't want the audience to choose a side when it comes to the sisters. She wants you to realize that neither of them is better then the other; she wants you to realize how important the relationship is over a prized possession. 

E. What are the artistic/financial consequences of filmmakers trying to predict what an audience might approve/disapprove of?

If the intended audience for the film disapprove of the film, then the film has no intentions of reaching out to the audience. The previews are specific scenes taken from the film that are suppose to emotionally grab the audiences attention. Sometimes these previews can be deceiving which when it comes to the actual film, the audience can give bad reviews. This means that there will be bad box ratings for the film. 

F. What are the artistic/financial consequences of filmmakers trying to predict what a film's financier might approve/disapprove of?

If the film's financier might disapprove of the film which could cause a major finance problem. It can cause a problem with the investors. This is because the investors that help with the films budget might not want to pay for the film which can put a hold on the film. This can lead to a big waste of money and time which is critical in the film industry. 

 

4. Changing Ideologies: Why would the ideologies of a given era or time period change the way a narrative is presented to its audience? Can you give an example of a film narrative that has changed over generations? 

Cultural ideologies are a set of beliefs embodied within political, religious, media, and educational institutes within society and are open to change. An example of a film narrative that has changed over generations is the film "Footloose". We can see that in the remake of the 1984 film "Footloose", the 2011 remake has a more modern look to it. It makes the film look like the present day. 

5. Ideology and the "Effects" Debate: Do you feel that films can affect you and your behavior without being conscience of it?

I definitely believe that films can affect you and your behavior without being conscience of it. I think in order to actually enjoy a film, you have to let your emotions run free with the course of the film. You have to let the film take control of your emotions because that way you aren't using your emotions to depict the film. I also think that you need to be able to accept what you are seeing and hearing through out the film. Once you have accepted the film as it is, it becomes a part of your choices.

6. Ideology and Realism:Define Suspension of disbelief and give an example from a recent film you have watched.

Suspension of disbelief means that we make assumptions whether or not the fictional world of the film is real of not. Sometimes we have no personal experiences of what we see on screen, but yet we still accept it as real. An example of a recent film that I have watched would be the film, "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol". Suspension of disbelief contributes to this film because during the course of the film we learn more and more about Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise). In the beginning of the film, we learn that he is an intelligent IMF spy. Through out the film, based off of his experiences and training's we believe in his course of actions. We believe that he is making the right decisions solely based on who his is and his occupation. 

7. Ideology & ownership: Does the financial support of a film or the ownership of a production company influence the ideology represented in a film? Explain with an example.

The financial support or the ownership of a production company influences the ideology represented in a film because the film is owned by large corporations. They are being controlled by a large corporation so what they say must be done. This is where the films budget money comes in, which is why these ownerships of production and financial support are so important. If the financial support director doesn't agree with something then the director wont have the money to do what he wants, so a compromise must be made. An example of this type of ownership of production would be film companies like Disney, Paramount pictures, Pixar, Dreamworks, etc. Throughout the Disney films, we see a reoccurring plot with a good guy and a bad guy. Also in the end, the bad guy always loses whereas the good guy always wins. For example, some films that follow this are "The Lion King", "Cinderella", "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", "Sleeping Beauty", and so on. The list goes on and on and on. But because these films were under the production of Disney, they had to follow Disney's ways in order to keep up with Disney's reputation. 

Genre Study Chart

 

Film Genre	Musical	Action/ Adventure	Romance Drama
Film 1	Grease	Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol	Titanic
Film 2	High School Musical	Rise of the Planet of the Apes	Dear John
Film 3	The Sound of Music	Inception	The Notebook
Narrative Conventions	- full scale song and dance routines unrealistically erupt during film. - Climax: male and female characters fall in love. - Emotions portrayed in this film give the audience a feeling of spontaneous out burts of musical events. Would you really go to your schools cafeteria and just brake out into a song and hope everyone else joins along? Because of social norms, no one would do this, but people fantasize about it which is why these film draw peoples attentions. (Its the world they wish could be theirs)	- point of view of male dominant character. - disturbance in normal life leads to an adventure. - Climax: main character gets what he wants but with a twist at the end. - Time Period: 2010-2011 -We meet the main character/hero. Their normal world is disrupted in a way to the point where they have to restore its normality. - Emotions portrayed in this film give the audience a feeling and experience that is unrealistic in the real world whereas they can get this close experience by watching these type of films.	- Point of view told from the relationships held between the male and female main characters. - Climax: Love interests fall in love. Time: During a time of crisis or differences. (Ex. Dear John- John goes to war after he falls in love) - Emotions portrayed in these films relate to real life experiences dealing with love--> that’s why the audiences are always drawn to watch them over and over again (even if they endings always seem to be the same).
Other Defining Conventions	- male & female main characters (love interests) - Body Language: distressed about love. Upbeat because of musical out bursts. - Dialogue: usually leads into a song. Some dialogue is expressed through song and dance (entertaining). - Dress: Outfits relate to mood of the character. - Situations: Situations going on in the film are expressed through song/dance as a way to connect with other characters and audience.	- Male characters are the leaders. - Adventures have obstacles along the way. - Body language: uptight and strong showing leadership. - Dialogue: intense and quick at times to show the hectics of going on an adventure with danger involved. (Not much dialogue during action scenes) - Objects: Most action/adventure films deal with weapons of some sort. - Style: Lots of CUs to show action and intensity. Cutting is quick because of the action. Most actions films have dark lighting in scenes to explore the many questions asked along the adventure.	- Characters: Male and Female main characters are the love interests. - Body Language: intiment and close because of the relationship built up between the two main character over a course of time. Some emotions are expressed through events and body language with one another. - Dialogue: meaningful and to the point. Characters express feelings through one another directly. - Situations: Love interests go through a various amount of conflicts in order to be with the one they love. The main characters of the love dramas always seem to be split apart because of some type of differences. - Style: Lighting in the films seem to always have suttle colors. But when situations arise, the lighting of the film starts to get a little dark.

Writing About Film

Formal Analysis is one kind of film writing. Formal Analysis is when the viewer has to break down the film. The viewer does this in order to discuss how these parts of the film contribute to the film as a whole. Being familiar with key terms in film is one way how you can be a good Formal Analysis writer.

Another type of film writing is Film History. Film history is when a film has aspects of history in it or arre influenced by history. These type of films and their writing contribute to the historical events and the culture that it came from. An example would be a war film. Not only does a film have aspects of history but they create their own history. For example, all films have production histories which involve the details of how, why, and when they were made. Another reason is that some films are generaly released and produced for a certain audience. Finally, some films create history beause of its innovations or because it reflects certain historical trends. Another type of film writing is Ideological Papers. Ideological papers are when films promote some set of beliefs. Some of these beliefs can be political. Even though some films can promote entertainment, we have to watch out that can manipulate our feelings or views on a certain set of values. For example, Mary Poppins, promotes that fathers need to take more interest and be there for their families more often. The fourth type of film writing is Cultural Studies/ National Cinemas. Cultural Studies/National Cinemas is when the films represent and reflect the cultures they were produced in. Different places have different cultures that films are produced in. For example when watching a French film we might wonder why its funny. Hollywood films seem to portray our love for distraction and more. These difference will tell the viewers whether or not the differences reflect something about the national character or if they reflect trends in the national cinema. The last type of film writing is Discussion of the Auteur. The discussion of the Auteur is when the Auteur criticism understands a film as the product of a single person and his vision. The director is this in most cases. Auteur critiscism is helpful in many ways. A way in which it is helpful is because it helps us understand what makes a film a "Spielberg" film. Although, this can can be based on assumptions that films are like novels. This says the one person is in control. The best auteur criticism draws on other sources like film history or formal anaylsis. Lastly, film is known as a collaborative medium; therefore showing that not one person in in control.

"Annotating a Film Sequence" involves labeling each shot in a sequence. An example of this would be; the first shot being an establishing shot which then transistions into a dolly shot. Then the dolly shot comes to a medium shot of the main character. Then next comes a reverse angle subjective close up shot, which dissolves into a montage. Being able to lable the shots enables you to keep track of the complex sequences of shots. Looking back on your annotations can help show a pattern of movement or editing decisions. This can help show how the director crafted his film and why the film has a certain effect on the audience.

When the author says "Think Beyond the Frame" she is implying to ask yourself questions like how the film was made, its historical context and so on. The type of questions she is implying you to ask are: Who made the film, What is the production history of the film, what do the critics and scholars say, what can you learn from the film's genre, and does the film reflect an interesting cultural phenomenon. When answering the question Who made the film?, you want to find out who directed the film and what other films that director has produced. When answering the question What is the production history of the film?, you want to try and found out background information on the conditions under which the film was made. An example would be the movie Apocalypse Now. In that movie, there is an interesting production history, in terms of its financing, casting, writing, and etc. This can help figure out the thematic choices that the director chose for the movie. When answering the question  what do the critics and scholars say?, you want to look at reviews of the movie so you have an idea on what observations you need to make when watching the film. When answering the question, what can you learn from the film's genre?, you want to see how the norms and limitations of the genre are obeyed and stretched. Lastly, when answering the question does the film reflect an interesting cultural phenomenon?, you want to focus on the phenomenon of stardom. For example, The Scarlet Letter has  the idea of viewing it as a "star vehicle" because it contributes to Demi Moore's star persona.