Provisional Sketches

These are our provisional sketches for the two main characters in the film. The first is the P.I. and as you can see he is wearing the typical clothes that you would find a 40's man dressed in. We wanted to use these types of costume as they fit in with our chosen genre. As well as this, he is wearing a fedora, which is also part of the classical detective attire.

The second sketch is the mob boss and as you can see he is also wearing a trench coat. He does however have a cane, which makes him appear to the audience more dominant and classy.

Magazine Cover

Shooting Schedule

Date	Scenes	Setting	Cast	Description
27/2/18	1-11	Interior	Charles Payne	Scenes with our protagonist sitting at his desk, having a conversation over the phone with the mob boss.
28/2/18	13-17	Interior	Muhammad Saad Ramsay Laifa Charles Payne	Gordon Harvey enters the mob boss' crib and dialogue is exchanged over the job offer.
29/2/18	18-21	Exterior	Muhammad Saad Charles Payne	Montage scenes of Harvey's investigation into the mob boss' main henchman.
2/3/18	22-24	Interior	Ramsay Laifa Charles Payne	Back to the conversation, where the mob boss carefully explains the details of the job to Harvey.
3/3/18	25-31	Interior	Ramsay Laifa Charles Payne	Scenes of the mob boss slapping Harvey, shouting angrily at him and telling him to leave.
4/3/18	33	Interior	Ramsay Laifa Muhammad Saad	The mob boss and his henchman secretly plot to kill Harvey after he brings them the evidence.

Filming Diary

Day 1: The first day of filming all went according to plan, with hardly any mistakes/mishaps from the actors. We got the shots we needed and started the editing process.  

Day 2: On the second day of filming, we encountered a few problems. These problems mainly consisted of other students walking onto the filming set, as well as other various issues including noise control and a lack of props/costumes etc. 

Day 3: We ran into a couple of issues regarding the weather, the main one being the fact that it rained most of the day, in which case we had to cease filming until it stopped. This meant that we did not get much filmed on that day and were forced to re-shoot the scenes at a later time.   

Day 4: On the fourth day of filming, our luck turned around and we were able to shoot some really great scenes and edit them into part of our final product. This was exactly what we needed after the last two days of filming.

Day 5: We managed to get some decent shots on the fifth day, but did however have to re-shoot quite a few outstanding scenes from the previous days, mainly being days two and three. This was a long process as we had to go over all of our previous footage and figure out what shots we needed to film again.

Day 6: The final day of filming was pretty hassle free, as we recorded the last remaining scenes and then edited them into our final product, finishing our trailer for good.

Treatment

A bumbling and lazy P.I., who is down on his luck and up to his neck in alimony payments, gets in over his head when a ruthless and violent mafia boss hires him to trail one of his top henchmen, with the suspicions that he is stealing from his drug operations. Desperate to get out of debt and please his new boss, our lovable protagonist makes use of his classic detective skills to find all the dirt that he can dig up, so that the mob boss will pay him and kill the henchman for stealing from him. Little does he know that after the job is done, the mob boss plans to kill him as well and keep the money for himself, removing the last remaining witness in the process.

The Life of a P.I- Movie Trailer

Shot List

1) Shot of protagonist sitting at desk asleep
2) CUT TO: shot of black screen with opening line "THIS SUMMER"
3) Protagonist is still at desk asleep
4) CUT TO: shot of black screen with line "COMES A MOVIE LIKE NO OTHER"
5) Phone rings and protagonist picks it up
6) Side shot of protagonist in conversation
7) He picks up and turns over an envelope half way
8) Side shot of him turning the rest of the envelope over
9) Protagonist chugs a bottle of whisky
10) He stands up half way as the shot cuts
11) Close up of his face
12) CUT TO: shot of black screen with line "IT'S TARANTINO WITH A TWIST"
13) Mid shot of protagonist walking through the doors
14) Shot of him sitting down and falling over the chair
15) Protagonist gets back up and sits on the chair
16) Mob boss' opening dialogue
17) Protagonist engages in a conversation
18-21) Montage scenes with (v.o) and actors' names
22-23) Back to dialogue between mob boss and protagonist
24) Both characters stand up to engage in a handshake
25) Close up of the hand as protagonist leans in to kiss the mob boss' hand
26) Shot of mob boss pulling his hand away and slapping the protagonist
27) Downwards shot of protagonist holding his face
28-30) Upwards shots of mob boss speaking in anger
31) Stationary shot of protagonist walking towards the exit doors
32) CUT TO: shot of black screen with the film title
33) Dialogue between the mob boss and his henchman
34) CUT TO: shot of black screen with the release date etc

Story Board

The story board above shows the order of the scenes that we will shoot when creating our trailer. The writing below the sketches also explains what the scenes will be showing.

We are only shooting a trailer, hence why the storyboard is shorter than usual.

Focus Group and Response

We conducted our focus group with our fellow students Mohammed and Ewan, as they were also creating a trailer with parody/comedy elements. We asked them the same questions that we used when we created our survey, and they gave us valuable feedback that we possibly could later refer to in other tasks etc. Firstly, we asked them about the types of clothing that they would like to see in the movie, in which they replied the classical detective attire, such as a trench coat and a top hat. We also asked them questions like what music they would like to hear in the film and the time that they would prefer it to be released. They also wanted to hear the average/typical soundtrack music that is found in similar productions, e.g. the pink panther etc.

With all of this information now clear, we intend to shoot our movie to the audiences' requests so that they are more likely to go and see it. As well as this, we will try to break typical conventions by putting our own original twist into specific scenes, such as the ones that include dialogue.

Location Scouting

 When making our trailer, we will most likely shoot scenes in the streets and alleyways, as it adds a thriller aspect to the parody genre. As the protagonist of our film, i will also hide behind bushes an trees etc when following the suspect, to create a sense of comedy. The first few scenes will be shot in the classroom by placing a table and chair in front of the whiteboard, which will also have writing etc on it. This will represent the protagonists' main work/leads on suspects. The scenes with the Mob Boss may also be shot in the opposite ends of the classroom, or may be shot in basement areas, due to the lack of light. This will add a sense of mystery to our production, as he's face will be covered and all the audience will see at first will be a lit cigar. This may however present a problem, as we might have to use some forms of light enhancement to see the Mob Boss' face.

We  chose these areas in particular because they are close to the school and will require us to not travel as far with the equipment etc. This also saves us time, which could be used for other aspects of our coursework as well, e.g. our blog work.

Screenplay

BLACKSCREEN – MUSIC FADES IN – INT – NIGHT: OUR PROTAGONIST SITS AT HIS DESK, DRINKING HIS SORROWS AWAY. HE STARES AT AN ENVELOPE THAT SAYS “LATE ALIMONY, MUST PAY”. HE IS MID 30’S AND IS WEARING A CRUMPLED SHIRT AND TIE WITH A LARGE BROWN MOLE ON HIS NECK. HIS HAIR IS SCRUFFY AND HE LOOKS LIKE HELL. IT IS CLEAR THAT HE HASN’T WASHED. HE SIPS AT HIS WHISKEY. THE PHONE RINGS. HE ANSWERS IT: 

                                                                              

HARVEY:

HELLO, THIS IS GORDON HARVEY, WORLD'S WORST PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR.

A MAN WITH A DEEP VOICE RESPONDS, HE’S VOICE SOUNDS LIKE OLD MONEY;

                                                                           

MOB BOSS

HELLO MR HARVEY, I HAVE A PROPOSITION FOR YOU.

HARVEY PAUSES AND THINKS TO HIMSELF. HE LOOKS DOWN ON HIS DESK AND SEES THE DREADED ALIMONY ENVELOPE. OVERCOME WITH DESPERATION, HE ANSWERS BACK.

                                                                            

HARVEY:

I’M IN. WHAT YOU GOT?

                                                                                                                  

FADE TO ACTORS NAMES:

MUSIC PLAYS QUIETLY – INT – NIGHT: HARVEY WALKS INTO THE MOB BOSSES’ CRIB. HE TAKES A SEAT AT HIS DESK, BUT FALLS OFF OF THE CHAIR. HE GETS UP AND SITS BACK AT THE DESK. MEANWHILE, THE MOB BOSS IS SMOKING A CIGAR WITH HIS HENCHMEN STANDING MENACINGLY BEHIND HIM. HE PUTS IT DOWN AND STARTS TO SPEAK:

                                                                         

MOB BOSS:

MR HARVEY, IS IT? ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF; MY NAME IS ANTONIO BRACCO BUT YOU MAY CALL ME BIG TONY INSTEAD. THESE ARE MY LOYAL ENFORCERS; ROBERTO AND MARCO. CAN I INTEREST YOU IN A CIGAR? A DRINK PERHAPS?

                                                                           

HARVEY:

A DRINK WOULD BE NICE THANK YOU. I’LL HAVE A GRASSHOPPER.

ANTONIO LOOKS BEHIND AT HIS TWO HENCHMEN. ONE OF THEM BENDS DOWN AND WHISPERS INTO HIS EAR.

MARCO:

YOU WANT ME TO CLAMP ‘IM BOSS?

                                                                         

ANTONIO:

DON’T WORRY MARCO, YOU’LL GET YOUR CHANCE.

ANTONIO TURNS BACK TO FACE HARVEY. THEIR EYES MEET.

                                                                   

ANTONIO (V.O.):

LISTEN HARVEY, I’LL MAKE YOU AN OFFER YOU CAN’T REFUSE. ONE OF MY GUYS IS MAKING THE MISTAKE OF STEALING FROM ME. I WANT YOU TO FOLLOW HIM AND GET ME SOME DIRT ON THIS SON OF A BITCH.

                                                                                                                                                                 
FADE TO:

MONTAGE OF HARVEY TAILING THE PERSON IN QUESTION, WHO IS UNAWARE THAT HE IS BEING FOLLOWED. HARVEY, MEANWHILE, IS DUCKING BEHIND BUSHES, HIDING BEHIND NEWSPAPERS AND DOING COMMANDO ROLLS. HE IS CLEARLY INEPT.

                                                                                                                                                                    FADE TO:

BACK TO THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN HARVEY AND ANTONIO.

                                                                       

ANTONIO:

I’LL GIVE YOU HALF THE CASH NOW AND THE OTHER HALF ONCE YOU BRING ME

THE EVIDENCE. HOWEVER, HE IS NOT TO BE HARMED IN ANY WAY. I SHALL HANDLE THAT MYSELF. DO WE HAVE A DEAL?

CAMERA CUTS TO HARVEY AS HE THINKS ABOUT ANTONIO’S PROPOSAL. HE REPLIES;

HARVEY:

YEAH, WE GOT A DEAL.

HARVEY AND ANTONIO GET UP AND ANTONIO OFFERS HIS HAND. HARVEY, BEING AS INEPT AS HE IS, TAKES ANTONIO’S HAND AND TRIES TO KISS IT. ANTONIO PULLS IT AWAY.

ANTONIO:

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

                                                                       

HARVEY:

OH – I – I THOUGHT…

                                                                     

ANTONIO:

WELL YOU THOUGHT WRONG. THIS ISN’T THE GODFATHER.

HARVEY WALKS TOWARDS THE DOOR AND ROBERTO LETS HIM OUT. AS HE SHUTS THE DOOR, MARCO TURNS TO ANTONIO AND SAYS;

                                                                   

MARCO:

YOU KNOW YOU’VE GOT TO KILL ‘IM RIGHT?

                                                                    

ANTONIO:

YOU DON’T THINK I KNOW THAT YOU FOOL. DON’T FORGET WHO YOU WORK FOR.

                                                                       

MARCO:

OH – I – I WON’T SIR.

                                                                                                                                   

FADE TO TITLES: