Summary of FMP Short Film

Admittedly, it took me a little longer than expected to come up with a story line. My idea of a character being lost in his imagination was clear in my head for some time, i had visions of scenes that I wanted to work with, i just needed to be methodical and put a story together. I had to consider a variety of issues that would effect my decision making whilst filming. I had various locations in both London and Leeds, as well as France that i was curious to base my story around.


Alex struggles to divide his own imagination with reality. 


Change is not always easy. Alex has had a lot of change in his life. For starters, he has recently started university. So much so, his mum still isn't used to the fact that he's left school, whilst Alex is trying to make her realise he isn't her little boy anymore.

Alex is quite a heavy drinker, but since university he has built up a habit of drinking a bottle of vodka more often than not. The stress of work is heavy on his shoulders but with no thanks to his mum, it doesn't seem to be getting any easier for him.



Characters:

- Main character: Alex Meredith
- Girl 1: Olivia Bernstone
- Girl 2: Lauren White
- Mum: Gayle Cohen
- D&B restaurant employee: Ben Meslawy (or an employee there)
- Tube passenger: Zac Coon
- Girl 1 boyfriend: Jamie Kutner



Locations:

The locations are all based in Hertfordshire, North London and Central London

1) Viv Jacuzzi (Bushey) 10) Westminster Uni Entrance
- Alex, Olivia & Lauren - Alex
2) Bedroom (Stanmore) 11) Newsagent near by
- Alex & Mum - Alex
3) Bathroom (Stanmore) 12) Donuts & Baguettes
- Alex - Alex, Ben & Olivia
4) Kitchen (Stanmore) 13) Piccadilly Circus
- Alex & Mum - Alex
5) Car (Stanmore) 14) Hyde Park
- Alex & Mum - Alex & Olivia
6) Canons Park Station
- Alex
7) The Hive Barnet F.C
- Alex & Olivia
8) Train: Canons Park – Queensbury – Baker Street
- Alex, Random passenger, Olivia & Boyf
9) Baker Street
- Alex



Quick Summary

1. Boy meets two girls in a Jacuzzi in his dream, they treat him like a king whilst drinking vodka.
2. He wakes up feeling gutted after realising he’s had a wet dream.
3. Mum pisses him off by screaming at him to go to uni
4. She drops him at station to go to uni
5. On the train he looks over Barnet F.C stadium and imagines he is playing football on the pitch, where he thinks he can see one of the girls frim his dream.
6. He recognises her and attempts to go over to her, after which he falls on his way over to her.
7. Alex gets woken up on the train to move his bag so someone can sit down next to him.
8. The train doors open and the girl in his dream sits further down the carriage, who is joined by her boyfriend.
9. Alex gets off the train at Baker Street and goes to uni, which he finds out is shut.
10. Alex turns his head and notices shops (e.g subway, mcdonalds, newsagent)
11. He heads into a newsagent and purchases vodka, the same bottle from his dream, which he drinks.
12. Alex makes his way into Piccadilly Circus quite drunk and pops into Donuts and Baguettes.
13. He trips out when he thinks the girl in his dream is serving him.
14. Walks out of Donuts and Baguettes and he is seeing double vision, his head is spinning.
15. Alex is being woken up, found passed out in a park
16. The same girl in his dream is calling his name, picks him up, and reminds him that she is his sister.




Summary in more detail:

Beginning 

• Dream of girls in Jacuzzi (Viv’s complex swimming pool, Bushy)
o Two girls are in the jacuzzi with Alex, they treat Alex like a king and feed him fruit, strawberries, grapes etc.
o They pour vodka into his mouth and into their own mouths.
o Flirt with him and fill up his confidence, they’re all having a great time.
o The girls get out the Jacuzzi and leave Alex, he gets annoyed and panics and starts shouting at the camera, although no sound comes out his mouth.
• The dream fades out and he wakes up to his mum screaming from outside his room that he will be late for uni (My room, London)
o His room looks disorganised, his papers are all over the floor, bottle of vodka next to his bed.
o Alex realises he’s had a wet dream
o Hes pissed off
o Mutters “fuck” under his breath and shouts back at mum
o Throws his boxers in the bin.
• Brushes teeth (My Bathroom, London)
o Quick snippets of morning routine in the bathroom
• Boils the kettle and makes toast (My Kitchen, London)
o Low angle shot, POV Alex spreading toast from the toast.
• Mum nags in kitchen– asks Alex to do random/frustrating chores
o Cut the grass
o Insurance papers
o Dishes
• Mum drops him at station (Mums VW Golf Polo)
o She tries talking to him, reminds him of family dos and events he needs to be at.
o Alex stares out the window, the sound of his mum and radio in the background. He clearly isn’t listening
o Camera shot behind Alex following him into Canons Park station and up the stairs.


Middle 

• Alex Sits on the train, stares out the window and drifts off into his own imagination (Canons Park)
o He dreams of playing football at Barnet FC (Barnet F.C, The Hive)
o Whilst on the pitch, sees the girl on the side where he is playing football.
o She’s sitting down having a picnic on her own, the image is over exposed and bright, dreamy effect.
o He walks over to her but gets disrupted on the train and wakes up before he makes it over to her
• Back on the train, Alex gets nudged and woken up to move his bag so the passenger can sit down. (On the train)
o Feeling more agitated, Alex notices the girl from his dreams get on the train and sits further down the carriage. Alex considers getting up but she is joined by another man who could be her boy friend,
o Alex is frustrated and confused, he is feeling belittled. Maybe shot looking down on him to resemble him feeling small
• Alex gets off at Baker Street and walks to uni. (Baker street station)
o Camera follows him, should totes try and mimick the Christopher kippenberger low angle one to make it seem more surreal, http://vimeo.com/67250579
• Gets to uni and it’s closed. (Westminster Uni)
o He is angry and confused. Looks at a sign on the door saying uni closed for bank holiday.
• He looks at the surrounding shops (subways, maccyd’s) but decides to go into a news agent and comes out with a bottle of vodka. (Baker Street, newsagent)
• Alex sips on the vodka, eventually stumbles his way to Piccadilly Circus into a shop called Donuts and baguettes. (Piccadilly Circus, D&B)
o Behind the counter he believes he is talking to the girl of his dream and she is offering him donuts.
o His vision becomes blurry and he sees double. Alex isn’t sure who he is talking to, he panics and unsure what to believe.
o He exits and walks through Piccadilly Circus where everything is over exposed and bright. – possibility of making it really weird and having donuts overlapping the screen
o Alex get’s people bumping into him and screwing at him.


End

• Alex is being woken up by a girl’s voice, unaware of who it is or where he is, with a bottle of vodka mostly finished by his side. (Park, Hyde Park London?)
o The girl is asking if Alex is okay, and that he doesn’t need to worry.
o She is eating the same fruit from Alex’s dream.
o The girl tries to talk sense to him as he is out of it and quite confused. She reminds him of who she is, his sister.
o They walk off into the background and it slowly fades out.