I had my new Grit Idea but I hit a roadblock: I couldn't come up with any content between Perry's body being found and the confrontation at the end. My reason why was that I didn't want it to be a detective film or get too like Sherlock Holmes or CSI with the kind of clues and thinking to solve the problem.
I went back to the white board in the smaller lecture room and wrote up what I had:
 |
Mike suggested the idea that instead of being killed at the start, Perry goes missing instead, this idea actually worked well: it automatically created a goal for Sean. Find Perry. This removed any detective elements and brought it down to a more realistic level: our protagonists only knowing as much as we do.
With this proposition in place we then needed to get from a missing Perry to the confrontation. This allowed the idea of leads to come through. If Perry's missing, then his personal effects are too (i.e. phone, wallet, keys) these are potential leads if they're found. We played with this idea and decided that Perry's wallet would be handed it, a meet up with Sean and the person who handed it in would then occur, which would then set up the next part of the story.
We didn't want it to be a Sean-meets-several-people format so for the next 'lead' Mike suggested a ransom note; created by Vision as an attempt to redirect Sean to the crime scene. More ideas were thrown forward but one that stood out was showing the gradual break in the film:
What if traits of the True Protagonist seeped into Sean?
Sean is of course fake, an identity taken on by the delusional part of the TP's mind to escape his own. So what if those aspects began to come back each time Vision tries to break the world?
We inserted these elements in based on already-established traits of the TP (Irresponsible, anger issues, alcoholic, paranoid) and suddenly the film had a new layer to it. Sean's sudden changes of character would lend towards the film's growing frustration and build of tension in trying to find out what happened to Perry. This growing paranoia and anger would help to set up suspicion Sean has against Vision and to make the confrontation happen.
The final idea was then proposed:
Every odd thing, every break and lead, is Vision trying to get Sean to confront what he's done?
Instead of Vision being an imaginary friend or an established character, he's introduced to us and Sean as a friend of Perry's who wants to help find him too. However the entirety of events that happen have been controlled by Vision all along. Perry going missing was Vision's first attempt; then the wallet to try and lead Sean straight to the woods where the murders happened. Then the ransom note tries the same. Vision gets more desperate and straight-up kills off Perry to hammer home the truth. Then Vision takes advantage of Sean's changes and paranoia to lure him to woods where the final confrontation happens.
This idea worked: Sean was happily living in his false world, oblivious to what he'd done and then Vision infiltrates the world and slowly tries to expose the truth. This then allowed a battle to happen between the delusional and guilty sides of the TP's mind: every attempt the guilty side tried (e.g. the leads, the body etc) the delusional side would counter with an alternative method to avoid the truth coming out (changing the ransom note location). We thought of every aspect of the battle and planned it out:
(Vision's second attempt and second part of TP comes through: anger issues)
With this proposition in place we then needed to get from a missing Perry to the confrontation. This allowed the idea of leads to come through. If Perry's missing, then his personal effects are too (i.e. phone, wallet, keys) these are potential leads if they're found. We played with this idea and decided that Perry's wallet would be handed it, a meet up with Sean and the person who handed it in would then occur, which would then set up the next part of the story.
We didn't want it to be a Sean-meets-several-people format so for the next 'lead' Mike suggested a ransom note; created by Vision as an attempt to redirect Sean to the crime scene. More ideas were thrown forward but one that stood out was showing the gradual break in the film:
What if traits of the True Protagonist seeped into Sean?
Sean is of course fake, an identity taken on by the delusional part of the TP's mind to escape his own. So what if those aspects began to come back each time Vision tries to break the world?
We inserted these elements in based on already-established traits of the TP (Irresponsible, anger issues, alcoholic, paranoid) and suddenly the film had a new layer to it. Sean's sudden changes of character would lend towards the film's growing frustration and build of tension in trying to find out what happened to Perry. This growing paranoia and anger would help to set up suspicion Sean has against Vision and to make the confrontation happen.
The final idea was then proposed:
Every odd thing, every break and lead, is Vision trying to get Sean to confront what he's done?
Instead of Vision being an imaginary friend or an established character, he's introduced to us and Sean as a friend of Perry's who wants to help find him too. However the entirety of events that happen have been controlled by Vision all along. Perry going missing was Vision's first attempt; then the wallet to try and lead Sean straight to the woods where the murders happened. Then the ransom note tries the same. Vision gets more desperate and straight-up kills off Perry to hammer home the truth. Then Vision takes advantage of Sean's changes and paranoia to lure him to woods where the final confrontation happens.
This idea worked: Sean was happily living in his false world, oblivious to what he'd done and then Vision infiltrates the world and slowly tries to expose the truth. This then allowed a battle to happen between the delusional and guilty sides of the TP's mind: every attempt the guilty side tried (e.g. the leads, the body etc) the delusional side would counter with an alternative method to avoid the truth coming out (changing the ransom note location). We thought of every aspect of the battle and planned it out:
Vision has one goal: get Sean to the location where the murders happened. Sean has one goal: keep the delusion going. Each attempt Vision makes exposes a little bit of the real world to Sean, this then causes real-life traits of the TP to come through.
Happy with this: myself and Mike created a clean timeline of the entire events in the film
After another 4 hours stood at the white board I have a new
grit:
Prologue:
True Protagonist is in a relationship with Zoe, they share a
house together. Sean and Perry are good friends of theirs.
True Protagonist is irresponsible; has anger issues and a
drug abuser. His abuse of drugs leads him to developing the Jealousy Delusional
Disorder which causes him to think that Zoe is cheating on him with Sean.
Some time passes (Unknown?) and Zoe organises a camping trip
for the four of them. This causes Sean’s paranoia and jealousy to escalate and
at the camp site he flies into a rage seeing Sean and Zoe in the same tent and
kills them both. Perry witnesses this and tries to run/call the police however
Sean kills Perry too.
This triggers a new Delusional Disorder: Grandiose.
TP creates a false world where Perry, Sean and Zoe are still
alive but TP has taken the identity of Sean, so he can become the man he thought
Zoe wanted. TP does not exist in this false world but is the creator of it
instead.
This is where Grit begins: in the fake world.
We join Sean, Zoe and Perry at the house TP and Zoe shared.
They’re having a laugh and just casual stuff. Perry leaves after a while.
The next day Sean and Zoe are out and receive a message from
Perry inviting them over to his house. They accept and begin to head back.
They reach Perry’s house but find out he’s not home. A new
character appears: Vision, who introduces himself as (TP’s name?) he says he’s
Perry’s friend and was also invited. Sean suggests they call the police, Vision
says he’ll do it and hang about until the police arrive, Sean and Zoe leave,
promising that they’ll keep trying to call him.
(Vision's first attempt and first part of TP comes through: quietness)
(Vision's first attempt and first part of TP comes through: quietness)
Next day:
Vision, Sean and Zoe meet up to talk about Perry, they also
get to know each other a bit more (Zoe instigates this). Vision says that the
police found no suspicious activity and therefore cannot do anything except put
him on the missing persons list.
After some discussion Vision says that all they can do it
wait for more news.
1 Week Later:
Sean receives a message from Vision: Perry’s wallet has been
handed in to the police, he can arrange a meet up with the person who handed it
in. Sean obliges and he and Zoe go to meet the person who handed the wallet in.
The guy says he found it at [campsite]. Sean asks what was in the wallet and
the person begins to describe the contents, getting to a drivers license. Sean
then states that Perry doesn’t drive and therefore it mustn’t be his wallet.
With the trail now cold Sean and Zoe head home. Sean makes a
nasty comment that Zoe disapproves of and an argument ensues between them.
(Vision's second attempt and second part of TP comes through: anger issues)
Next Day:
A letter comes through the couple’s letterbox, Sean opens it
to find a ransom note: it states “If you want to know more come to [campsite]”
Sean hands it to Zoe who reads it aloud: the location name is now different.
At location:
Sean and Zoe go to the location and wait: no-one ever
arrives and, frustrated, Sean gets drunk.
(Vision's third attempt and third part of TP comes through: alcoholism)
(Vision's third attempt and third part of TP comes through: alcoholism)
Next day:
A hung-over Sean stands in front of the mirror [Mirror
Scene].
He’s interrupted by a phone call from Vision: “You need to
take a look at the news”
Sean Turns on the TV: the report is about a body being
found: Perry’s body. The person who found the body is being interviewed:
Vision.
Sean either leaves the room or throws something in anger and
frustration. He switches the TV off and calls Zoe.
Sean asks where she is and if she knew about this, hence why
she’s gone.
(Vision's fourth attempt and fourth part of TP comes through: paranoia)
(Vision's fourth attempt and fourth part of TP comes through: paranoia)
Same Day:
Sean and Vision are together. Vision is sorry that Perry’s
body was found. Sean asks how he came across the body. Vision says he was
[excuse here] Sean notices that it’s inconsistent with something Vision said
when they first got together. He points this out and shouts at Vision, Vision
shouts back stating that he’s telling the truth whether Sean likes it or not
and storms out.
Immediately after:
Sean talks to himself, pacing back and forth, as he debates
what to do, maybe he should follow Vision he thinks. He agrees with himself on
this and goes out to see where Vision goes.
(Vision's final attempt and ALL parts of TP have come through ready for the final confrontation)
(Vision's final attempt and ALL parts of TP have come through ready for the final confrontation)
Campsite:
Vision walks to a campsite, Sean still behind him. Two
policemen block a crime scene but Vision walks through: flashing a badge/ID to
them. They attempt to stop Sean but he kills them with a suddenly appearing
weapon.
(Sean's attempt to stop Vision getting to the tents but Vision counters with fake ID)
(Sean's attempt to stop Vision getting to the tents but Vision counters with fake ID)
Sean has Vision now. The confrontation happens. There in
front of them are two tents. Vision gets Sean to unzip it: inside are the dead
bodies of Zoe and Sean. This confuses Sean: What’s going on he proclaims.
Vision reveals all to Sean: they are the same person; this world is fake and
merely a delusion Sean is having. Having this dream to avoid responsibility for
what they have both done: killed Sean, Perry and Zoe. Vision states that Perry’s
body is in the other tent. “He tried to call the police… we stopped that…”
The world begins to crumble and break around them: unusual
camera angles; switching places and broken continuity flood the scene.
Vision lays all the cards on the table. Sean slipping
between his true form (TP) and Sean’s body still tries to deny this through the
very end: instead accusing Vision of the murders and trying to frame him. “I
knew there was something wrong with you…”
Sean kills Vision.
We are suddenly in the TP’s house, what we identify as
Vision is lying on the floor: dead. There are cans of alcohol on the floor and what
appears to be drugs. The TV is on showing a news broadcast that shows a photo
of Sean, Perry and Zoe.
Fade to black.
End.
As you can see: throughout the film Vision's attempts get more severe and harder-hitting. He even makes an attempt when Sean is 'hungover' to really hit him when he's down.
I'm extremely happy with how the film has developed. This version is a lot more clear and believable and contains the same story and the same themes I wanted.
Next up: the scripting process.
As you can see: throughout the film Vision's attempts get more severe and harder-hitting. He even makes an attempt when Sean is 'hungover' to really hit him when he's down.
I'm extremely happy with how the film has developed. This version is a lot more clear and believable and contains the same story and the same themes I wanted.
Next up: the scripting process.
No comments:
Post a Comment