Dialogue Script - All Is Lost

EXT. Hanger - Night

Albert has been captured and tied up in an abandoned hangar. He has been blindfolded so he can't see anything. There are four men who are the Corone brothers, they are in their late 20s to early 30s. Rodger however is 42. They are tall and they all have dark brown hair. One is wearing a suit and the others are wearing leather jackets. They want revenge on what Albert did to their family. 

ALBERT BROOKSTEIN

Whatever the hell you want, I've given you everything back you dogs

Il die before I help you, whichever one of them you are. You know it's not very civilised tiring an old boy up? courtesy is all I ask.

Martin Corone the man in the suit rolls his sleeves up and takes his blazer and tie off. He rips the blindfold off of Albert.

MARTIN CORONE

You know money doesn't always pay Brooky, you think you can just

ALBERT

I CAN DO WHAT I WANT, THATS WHAT.

MARTIN

Life, it's such a pretty thing isn't it? Old men like you should be hung. But now why would I want to do that when we know how to really kill you.

ALBERT

And how's that? Sorry, once you've come out the cot then I will raise my hands to your almightyness. 

RODGER CORONE

You think you're f**king funny don't ya? Well ere I thought Martin was funny, just turns out it was his suit.

MARTIN

Oi

RODGER

Shut it boy, now Albert

Albert

Good name huh?

Rodger spits on Albert then right hook punches him in the face, blood flies out Albert's mouth. This is then followed by Martin who at first looks scared, but he continues to punch Albert in the stomach and then kicks the chair backwards. Rodger goes all up in his face.

RODGER

Now, give us ya earnings. Every last penny. You ere me?

MARTIN

ANSWER HIM

RODGER

Once, my brother. Short little kid, thought he was hilarious. Well, to everyone but himself. Made a fool outta the whole family. We tried…we really did, after all he was our bro. And family always stick together. But he shamed us all, finking he could grow up and become some posh twat who orders the entirety of the world around. 

MARTIN

He got it.

RODGER

Family is important, but life comes first. Money isn't the winner. But today it is.

JOHNNY CORONE

What ee is trying to say is that mercy is not the boss of us. And neither are you, you thought that you could make our family a mock? Is that what we are to ya? A joke? Returning money weren't the end of this. Na give us your money  and we will let ya go.

ALBERT

Never, i'm not scared of you lot. You think that some of your so called big time anecdotes will

MARTIN

OI, we don't want your bloody life story. Just give us ya dosh.

ALBERT

And why would I do that? I'd rather die than give it to you, it's funny cos I won and you all lost. I am the con, you are the subjects.

RODGER

Bring her in.

George Corone drives into the hangar with a black van, Johnny and Martin open the back doors and drag a weak body next to Albert. She squeals and cries. Her hands are tied up and she is blindfolded. Blood drips from her arm. It is Albert's wife Mary.

MARY BROOKSTEIN

Albert give them nothing, I understand.

Albert starts to cry at the realisation that it is his wife, he begs for them to let her go. 

ALBERT

Mary, MARY. I love you. Let er go………please I'm begging you.

RODGER

You know the deal, the money. Everything you have, tell us where it is and we'll let you live.

ALBERT

Bu…

MARTIN

If you value your wife then you'll tell us

MARY

Albert, Albert it's ok. I loved you, but I do not anymore. My life is nothing without you. But money is nothing without yours. Just let me die.

ALBERT

Pleaseee, please don't kill her.

RODGER

Give us ya maneyy.

Albert

(long pause) 34 Acres Avenue, behind the lamppost there is a some concrete, underneath there are four briefcases. There is my everything.

JOHNNY

Well…that wasn't so ard now was it?

RODGER

Let er go.

Albert is left tied up, he is distraught. Mary, at a struggle gets up and starts limping out. Martin pours petrol around the perimeter, as Mary is walking out Johnny shoots her three times. She collapses dead.

Albert starts screaming and crying.

ALBERT

MARYYYYYYYYYY (sobs)

RODGER

Shouldn't make us wait Al, enjoy the flames

Rodger drops a match and sets alight the petrol in the hangar.

The big six film studios - Assignment 4 Unit 1 research

American Film Industry

There are six major studios that control 90% of all film, they are

• Warner Brothers
• Paramount
• 21st Century Fox
• Walt Disney Pictures
• Columbia Pictures
• Universal Pictures

Warner Brothers was founded by four of the Warner brothers and it is a subsidiary of Time Warner their owner. Time Warner also own many other companies, some of which are HBO, New Line Cinema and DC Comics. Time Warner is a formation of Warner Communications and Time Inc. As well as the assets of a third party - Turner Broadcasting System. 

Paramount or also known as Paramount Pictures is a television and film studio. It is a subsidiary of major media conglomerate Viacom. Paramount are a member of The Motion Picture Association of America. The Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was formally a distribution and motion picture company, it later became Paramount Picture which is a division of Viacom.

21st Century Fox is a massive media corporation which was founded by media mogul Rupert Murdoch. The corporation is now made up of two parts, 21st Century Fox take care of all the film assets and the news broadcasting. The publishing assets of the corporation is run by the more recent forming of the News Corp. 

The American film production company Walt Disney Pictures is a division of The Walt Disney Studios which is then owned by The Walt Disney Company. Most of their picture film releases are distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Columbia Pictures Industries (known mostly as just Columbia) is a film production company in America as well as a distribution studio. They are part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group. Columbia as a company are owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment. 

What are the positives and negative of having six big studios?

The positives of having six big studios is that it means that more films can be made with a better more expensive budget. Other positives would be that with a big company there is a lot of experts who have the training to invest their time into the film giving it all their skills to make it as Oscar worthy as possible. The money which the big companies own also means that the expanse of the film will be a lot better and the production will be of a much higher value.

The negatives of having six big film studios is that it means many of their films which are released are all fairly similar in some way or another. It also means that if they are owned by the state or a big media mogul or company then many bias or opposing views could be subjected into their films. For example Rupert Murdoch who owns 21st Century Fox has been criticised for being a right wing supporter so many of his views could be shown in their films, without people even knowing.  The six big film studios could also mean that low budget indie films are gone unnoticed because of the overpowering bigger films. 

Character Psychology

During our writing for TV and film sessions we have created a character psychology sheet which shows what would symbolise three personality traits of our main character. Sigmund Freud, a famous psychologist said that every person has three parts of their personality. The ego is your every day to day  life and what kind of person you are. The super-ego is the nagging sensation at the back of your brain, it is almost like a checklist of things you wan to do but you feel like you can't or won't own up to it. Finally the ID part of your personality is your insecurities and what your fantasies are, often these are subconscious and you do not realise about them, but they appear in your life. Below I have answered some questions about my main character Albert Brookstein as well as what his three personality traits are and how they would be symbolised.

Super-Ego - (Boss)

Albert Brooksteins nagging sensation in the back of his head is that he has money on his mind and his driving force is to strip people of their riches. He always runs but he hates it, he feels he has to please everyone including his family. And that he can never win enough, he always wants more. Greed.

So Albert's symbol for his super-ego would be a mask. The reason for this is because the man he once was, a innocent who was mistaken for someone else has been corrupted and changed into a greed infested con artist. He always changes identity as he is afraid of getting caught and the only friend he has is his wife as he can't risk exposing himself too much.

Ego - (worker)

Albert's ego is that with his wife he is calm and warm hearted however he keeps everything a secret and he does not open up to his wife. He treats her like she knows nothing, he says to himself that he has stopped conning people and that he is happy with his life. But really he isn't.

The symbol which would represent Albert's ego would be a fake smile, as he puts on a front that everything is okay when really it isn't.

ID - (Subconscious/the monster in the basement)

The ID for Albert would be his wife, as he is afraid of losing her. He also has a fantasy of buying a hotel out in Spain and living there. Giving his wife the perfect holiday destination to live in while making money.


What does your character want?

Albert Brookstein wants power and money, he does not like losing and he constantly feels that he has to do one better with a con. He also wants to be able to look after his wife and make sure that he can settle abroad with her, so to escape the ever black market maze he entered in.

What obstacles must they overcome to get what they want?

Albert must overcome the fear of losing his wife so that he can actually stop doing what he does, the reason he keeps stealing from the rich is because he feels that he has to look after his wife and that if he doesn't do what he does then he will lose her.

In the end, do they get it? Was getting/not getting it good or bad for them?

In the end he gets a high earnings from one of his jobs however his wife is killed due to his actions, he finally decides to settle abroad and live a life which his wife couldn't, despite being incredibly distraught. In the end it was bad for him.

Why do we care? 

We care because the narrative focuses on the main protagonist who also acts as an antagonist and it shows his constant battle against doing the right things and doing what is wrong. This symbolises a similar relationship of the traits to Jekyll and Hyde.

What does your character NEED?

My character needs to leave his old life behind and move away, not ever regretting anything and never going back to the world he once worked in. He also needs to accept that his wife knows best and he should treat her with more maturity.

Why is this story happening now? Why is the character this particular age?

This story is happening now because it has come to a time in Alberts life where he is not as heavily into scamming clients and his wife has given his an ultimatum in which he stops conning altogether or she leaves him. Albert is in his mid 60s and the reason for this is because it shows the power of greed and how it has never left him.

What is your characters worst nightmare?

My characters worst nightmare would be of course losing his wife - as much as he neglects how much she loves him, he really does love her but he's just afraid of showing it as he does not want to lose her. He also fears not winning and not getting enough money.

What would your main character willingly die for?

My character would willingly die for his wife, he dreads for the day that he has to pick up her corpse for his actions yet he is addicted to money and power and it is this constant battle with himself which will be a selling point for the movie.

Research Scrapbook Essay

Case studies of factual news programmes

In this essay I am going to consider the codes and conventions of TV News and documentaries. I will be discussing documentaries which we have watched, for example we have watched Bowling For Columbine (2002), Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism (2004). My main focus however will be on the documentaries The Filth and the Fury (2000) and When Louis Met the Nazis (2003).  TV News has a number of recognisable codes and conventions. To explain this I will compare BBC News and Fox News.  For example they all have a similar studio set up, in which there is a desk which the news readers speak from. There is also a multi-camera setup so that it stays consistent yet makes the news a bit more engaging. There is also conventionally an opening title sequence which has a recognisable tune so that when someone hears it they can instantly connect with it.

BBC News

Two different news programmes I have used as case studies to compare are BBC News and Fox News. Both take a totally different approach to news broadcasting. The BBC television news has been running since the 5th of July 1954 when it's first ever television news bulletin was broadcast. It was presented by news correspondent Richard Baker, he read the very first introduction. Baker said this "Here is an illustrated summary of the news. It'll be followed by the latest film of events and happenings at home and abroad." The news broadcast was put into two halves. The first half consisting of still photographs, maps and so on. Baker could be heard but not seen on the screen, the second half of the broadcast consisted of pre-recorded film. By 1955 a fortnight before ITN News was launched, newsreaders were appearing on screen. This was something shocking and new for audiences, the news reading duties was shared between what were known as a "young team" and they consisted of Richard Baker, Kenneth Kendall and Robert Dougall. Since BBC television news first started it has progressed a lot since then. Nowadays we can enjoy the news in its fullest colour and high definition, with on screen graphic's and an opening and closing title sequence. As well as 60 second and 90 second updates. By 2000 the millennium brought on a change to BBC News with thirty years of being presented at 9pm it changed to 10pm, saying that it was better for audiences and it meant that they didn't compete with ITN News. ITN soon changed to 10.30pm to please audiences.

The purpose of the BBC News is to stay impartial and not to present the news in a politically biased way, and much of the time the news is presented in a correct way. However they have been accused in the past as being biased towards Liberals. Andrew Marr who was the BBCs political editor argued that it is not the corporation that is biased but the employers who are hired. Therefore making it cultural not political. It has also been said that the Liberal bias that is present is not so much party political bias but more so expressive, cultural Liberal bias. The intended target audience for BBC News is around about 16-70 year olds. It is a very vast age range, the reason for this is because that it is aired at a peak time of 6 and 10pmevery night. And these times are when teenagers, well up to elderly people are awake. The stories they cover are vast and educational, providing something youthful and interesting for the adolescents while sticking to hard news stories which grip adults and the elderly so that they can keep informed with their news fix.

In terms of codes and conventions the BBC News follows a similar pattern in which they adhere to the conventions which audiences would recognise what they are watching, as well as setting them out as different to other news channels. BBC News conventionally opens up with a synchronised tense thumping sound, with the news reader saying all the headlines that will come up in the program. Every headline news story which he/she says will then be followed by the thumping sound. The reason for this is because it is a lot more engaging for audiences, so if they turn over it will more likely attract their attention. After all the headlines which are coming up are read out, the opening title sequence follows, accompanied by a recognisable tune which people can associate with the BBC. An establishing long shot then shows the whole news studio with all the researchers, then a mid shot shows the news readers on a desk. Another piece of the set which is conventional for any news show. The reason they start with the establishing shot then cut to the newsreader is that it looks more professional and it adds a sense of realism to the news. After a couple of minutes once the news reader has introduced the first news story, there will be a video insert which gives a more in depth look at the story. After the video insert, usually the news reader in the studio will cut live to a news correspondent at the scene, the reasoning behind this is because it gives literally all the extra latest information as it is happening. In the video inserts there are always on screen graphics (usually statistics, graphs) so that it can back up the story. The main theme of BBC News is a spinning circle and this could connote the world and how all aspects of their news spreads to all different depths of the world. It also shows comradeship and fairness, something which they try and incorporate.

An example of how a BBC News story is represented would be their story about how Crimea's parliament has formally declared independence from Ukraine and has asked to join the Russian Federation, following a controversial referendum. This story was aired on BBC One at one o clock on Monday the 17th of March. The story opens up the show with the newsreader going into reading the headline along with all the details. He is on the left hand side of the screen, in the foreground, while the television screen with the graphics is slightly in the background on the right. The picture on the screen shows a soldier with a heavy machine gun in a tank, next to a man in a Russian hat and a smirking woman. This immediately represents by the BBC that there is a lot of confliction between these countries and that opposing views are thrown about between the nations. The story then cuts to a news correspondent live in Simferopol - Southern Ukraine. The news correspondent speaks in a tone which is not biased either way but he sounds slightly upbeat, this could suggest that what has happened to Ukraine will bring joy. After he has finished speaking it cuts to a video insert starting off with thousands of people cheering, waving flags and throwing balloons. We get the impression from this image on that the news Ukraine has received is good and that it is being represented like a new future is beginning. The fact that this story was shown first also represents that it is (along with the last story of the show) the most important news story there has been and it's high priority, clearly proving it's relevance as current affairs.

Fox News

The case study I did of a factual news programme asides from BBC News was Fox News. Fox News is an American based news network that is funded through television subscription payments. It was launched on August the 7th 1996 and it was founded by the famous Australian-American media mogul known as Rupert Murdoch. Murdoch also runs the British newspaper the Sun and formerly the News Of The World newspaper. During the 1990s and the millennium Fox News grew in popularity, eventually becoming Americas prominent news network. Fox News promote themselves as being fair and balanced however it is widely recognised that their news stories are highly biased and are only an inkling of the real truth. Making the story seem much worse or much better than it really is. Fox are often accused of promoting strong conservative political views along with biased reports. Often their stories are thought to be told solely to upset Liberals and Democrats. During President George Bush' tenure in America, Fox news was a heavy supporter of the Republican party and his views. However since the current US President, Barack Obama has been elected their stories have opposed him and the Democratic party beliefs.

Fox News sticks to a very similar format as to BBC News or any conventional news programme. It's codes and conventions are the same, wherein there is a desk, a presenter(s) and there are on screen graphics as well as video inserts. However a very definitive difference with Fox News is the way in which their stories are told. As earlier discussed they are biased towards the Republican party, this is a key convention of theirs. Part of the establishment of the Fox studio is the prominence of the colour red. This is significant because it connotes power and it makes the show seem more controlling to it's audience. It also brings a lot more attention to the news anchor, making him/her seem important and that they are worth watching. The voiceover during the video inserts also acts as a narration to the news which they are telling, and considering Fox news is a biased news channel a lot more of their stories are told as loosely based non-fiction narratives so to be more exciting. This acts as the basis of their representation.

In both BBC News and Fox News, multi-camera setups are used because they give a variety in terms of what the eye can see. They keep it engaging for the audience so that they do not grow tedious of what they are watching. In the news a lot of information is said and this can get tiring to watch so a multi-camera setup will help to mix things up. With Fox News, the news readers use a lot more theatrics because the stories they present are real life events but they are overly fictionalised so their use of theatrics helps to tell the news as more like a story and so the use of a multi-camera setup is not as imperative, although a few different angles are used because this helps to tell the news more like a story. However with BBC News, the stories are not biased and they are told how it is, in often a rather dull manner. So with the help of on screen graphics and video inserts this helps to keep it engaging. In the BBC News studio when a newsreader is talking they will usually only ever use one camera angle facing forward. This is because it keeps their tone formal and professional. An example of a multi-camera setup on BBC News would be say on Tuesday the 18th of March on BBC One at 10 o clock. The opening news item is a story about campaigners who are calling for tougher measures to stop female hormone mutilation, a practice affecting thousands of girls.  A female mutilation survivor is interviewed, the video insert opens up with her and within the first six seconds three different camera angles are used. One a long shot, another a close-up and the other an over the shoulder medium shot. The effect of this is that it keeps the story engaging as well as showing that there are different sides to the story. 

Case studies of documentaries

The Filth and the Fury

As well as examining various factual news programmes, I also did several case studies on single camera documentaries. The Filth and the Fury is one of the two documentaries which I will be taking a look at. The Filth and the Fury focuses on the early lives of 70s rock band The Sex Pistols and how drugs and alcohol turned the band upside-down as well as causing controversy amongst the nation. It was released in the UK on the 12th of May 2000. The documentary is told through the viewpoint of all the band members and the footage is all made up of archive footage of The Sex Pistols when they were younger as well as modern day interviews of them all in silhouette form.

The Sex Pistols are the main subject of the documentary and the way they are represented is in a very negative way. They are shown as being punk rockers who disobey society and go against all British conventions of not staying well mannered. Many opinions are made in this documentary, concerning them and how they caused riots amongst the nation. It is also showed that many people were angry over how they signed their single mocking the Royal Family outside Buckingham Palace. As well as being represented negatively by peoples opinions and archive footage, they are also represented as making a difference to the music industry. Many people say in the interview that they were the stepping stone for modern punk rock bands and they helped establish them as a new brand of musical genre, something which many musicians were afraid of doing as it went against what was usually done by artists. What inspired the band is made very clear in this documentary, for example anger and poverty inspired them, as opposed to art and poetry. Something which culturally bands usually originate their upcoming from and The Sex Pistols have inspired punk rock bands some of which being Blink-182 and Green Day. The effect of the interviews all being just the former band members silhouette is that is creates a sense that what was once there is now gone - for example the band have now disbanded because of various reasons and this is a constant theme which arises in the documentary. Showing that everything has to end and their time has finished, but the documentary almost acts as a reflection of their punk rock lives.

The documentary also seems that it is being represented like a confession and that many of the rebellious acts they committed were wrong but at the time it seemed right because it acted as a part of the punk rock movement. The reason it feels like it is a confession is because of the way that the surviving members of The Sex Pistols tell their story in a dim lit light so that it is just their silhouette. This almost seems like it is a police interrogation room and they are handing over all the information. It also feels that they are getting closure for the fun times they had, but that it had it's downfalls and that they finally need to come to terms with that.  You really do get the impression from some of the band members, especially from Johnny Rotten that what they did was wrong and a lot of what they did had repercussions. For instance all the physical attacks from the public, such as having bottles thrown at them, being kicked and punched, being spat and sworn at, amongst many other taunts for what was seen by many as ludicrous behaviour. 

Towards the end of the interview the way their life is represented in the documentary is very different to how they are represented at the beginning. The reason I say this is because, the documentary starts off showing the band members happy lives, showing their enjoyment of rebelling against old English society traditions and being young and living the punk rock life. However this completely contradicts by the end as the band members are clearly shown to be upset and distraught by what happened in the end. I.E. the death of Sid Vicious, due to the drugs and alcohol which was caused by the success of the band. It is clearly represented by the band members that their high octane drug fuelled, punk rock lifestyle pays. This shows quite an obvious contradiction, the beginning of the documentary presents their life as being crazy and rebellious filled with drugs, alcohol and women. But towards the end their life isn't shown as great, it mainly focuses on their newer member Sid Vicious and how his addictions to various substances and sleeping with many women ended tragically. His 'girlfriend' at the time was found dead in a hotel room, soon after Vicious committed suicide and this is represented in a very dark way, it shows how an extreme lifestyle in a band is not always great. And this is how the documentary is structured, in a way in which it shows a string of events. For example the documentary is structured in a linear order in which it starts off with when they joined the band and it goes all the way to when they left the band. Also like a structural timeline, clearly pinpointing the turning points in their career. 

When Louis Met the Nazis

The second documentary case study which I analysed and watched in one of our lessons was Louis and the Nazis. The reason I chose to analyse this specific documentary as opposed to the others we watched is because it is represented completely differently to The Filth and the Fury and the themes portrayed are culturally very different. Louis and the Nazis is presented by famous documentary presenter Louis Theroux and it is about what happens when Theroux visits Neo Nazis in California, America. He visits a man named Tom Metzger who is known for being one of "the most dangerous racists in America" as well this Theroux also goes to a skinhead rally and goes to Mexico. It was first televised on the 21st of December 2003 and it was directed by Stuart Cabb.

The documentary is largely fly-on-the-wall and Theroux presents it in a conventional, down to earth way, portraying their lives in an everyday way, which at times becomes quite dull because not much happens and there is little editing or music. The Neo Nazis are represented as unconventional and naziism is highly looked down upon. Therefore presenting it in a very dry and conventional manner makes it seem obscure and unusual - something which he is clearly trying to portray so his style totally fits the subject. The documentary opens with two (average age) 10 year old sisters who are shown to be singing a Nazi hymn. The effect of this is that it represents their Nazi parents’ upbringing and how they have been indoctrinated to think in an Anti-Semitic way, while believing in the Nazi ways. This clearly shows that the victims are the children and how they have no choice in what to believe in. This yet again adds to the unusualness which is portrayed throughout. When Theroux interview the twins there is only one camera angle, this creates the impression that the interview is more intimate and truthful. The use of single camera has a lot of advantages, for example having just one camera means that there is no need to have a big set up of cameras and so therefore the interview or documentary can be more intimate and honest. Single camera setup also means that there is not an expensive budget to be spent and this can be a bonus for young filmmakers or documentary makers because they can then spend more money on other elements of the documentary. 

Documentaries in general are different from the news and fiction film because they show a very up close and personal/intimate account of a story. Whatever the subject and theme of the documentary is it will be portrayed in a very true manner which makes you feel like you have been there. Documentaries are special because they give access to real life and the truth. For example Louis and the Nazis gives a true insight into what Neo Nazi life is like and this is something which fictional films and the news will only briefly cover. Documentaries are often the best way to get the truth out because they have more time to explore an issue in more depth than TV News and the documentary film maker is able to get closer to his/her subject which means that they can get closer to the truth and find out more no matter how controversial or ugly the theme is. For example in  Louis and the Nazis when Theroux visits Tom Metzger it feels like we the audience are actually there as the camera setup feels very natural and improvised and not like it has taken hours to setup. Theroux also speaks in a more relaxed formal manner as if we are like the audiences asking the questions. The all helps to give a better view of their life so it seems more just and correct.

This documentary's audience will be aimed mainly at 18-80 year olds, the age range is very expansive. The reason for this is because the themes covered are quite adult as they show the views which Neo Nazis follow, as well as this it is also showing a culture which during the 1940s was very common during World War Two. Hence this will attract elderly people to watch it because they maybe grew up around the time of the Nazis reign in Germany. The audience are not persuaded to view the Nazis in a bad way, it is a matter of opinion how they view them. However saying that, Theroux makes us the audience feel more persuaded negatively towards the Nazis. This is because he regularly asks the subjects of the interview questions about their culture and how he thinks it is not necessarily right and that what they are doing could potentially upset people. Theroux is also Jewish and this adds more bias towards him because when visiting a Neo Nazis household he asks if they would care if he was Jewish. It is quite clear they would be bothered by it and that they would feel uncomfortable. For us we feel that their views aren't specifically right, this is because Theroux quite clearly seems confused as to why they would be bothered and therefore we are persuaded more towards his point of view. Different points of view are put into consideration, as they are given their chance to explain why they want to know if he was Jewish, thus trying to keep the documentary as impartial as possible.

The Blake Snyder beat sheet

During one of our recent writing for TV and film sessions with Pat, we learnt about the Blake Snyder beat sheet and how his analogy of film and TV structure is used in mostly every single narrative.

The Blake Snyder beat sheet works in that, there are 15 sections to a narrative and Snyder has roughly worked out (approximate length of an average film) where each section happens. The first stage is the theme stated. This is where approximately 5 minutes in a character will subtly say what the theme of the film is, this gives clues as to what is to come.

In the set-up which is usually in the first 10 minutes, is everything which is essential to the character will be set up. The next stage which is the catalyst is similar to the set-up and this is where something happens which sets events in motion. For example in recent James Bond films M often calls in James Bond and tells him that he has a mission. 

The debate is after the catalyst and it is when one of the main characters or supporting characters question their mission adding tension to the narrative. After the debate you get the break into two,  this is where the opening establishment of all the characters ends and the main protagonist will usually go on his mission or destiny etc, dependent on what the tone of the film is.  The break into two also starts off the longest part of the film which is the middle. This can also be called the three act structure, for example there is always a beginning, middle and an end.

The B story comes after the break into two and this is where the sub-plot(s) of the film are set up. For example where another character is sent on a mission, it is usually done so that we are made aware that we are meant to care for the character.

After the B story (does not always occur if the director is focusing it all on one character) the fun and games takes place. The fun and games is all the stuff which is included in the trailer. Meaning everything that makes us want to go see the film. So all the exciting, fast pace drama happens so that is adds excitement to the narrative.

Directly following the fun and games is the midpoint and this is where (dependent on the film) the narrative and world for the character has either gone really great or really bad. The bad guys close in is where the bad guys start to close in and plan to defeat the main protagonist.

The very opposite moment of the midpoint is the all is lost section and this comes after the bad close in and it is where everything has really bad or good if the midpoint was bad. But usually it is always bad and whatever the main character has been fighting for has gone and they have no meaning in life. Usually a character close to them will die.  The dark night of the soul is where the protagonist who has just lost everything has a breakdown and they start to question themselves and the mission in hand. Usually in a superhero film like Spiderman, Peter Parker would say "I don't want to be Spiderman anymore".

The break into three is where, thanks to some inspiration (usually from the B character) the main protagonist picks himself/herself up and decides to fulfil what they started. This the third and final act of the narrative. The finale is the end of the narrative, the theme is incorporated, and all loose ends are tied up. Everything now makes sense for the main character. The closing image is the last shot of the film/TV Programme and usually it mirrors the opening image, proving a visual change in the narrative.

Below is a beat sheet I have put together for our film idea which we have been working on with Pat during our writing for TV and film lessons. In the brackets I have also put the minute numbers of where conventionally the certain section would appear.

Opening image (1) - The opening image is a medium tilted shot of the characters Michael Jameson and Luke Crate running. The surrounding looks dark and desolate.

Theme stated (5) - The main character Albert has a conversation with his wife and she says to him "soon Albert everything you once lived for will be gone. The past never stays in the past."

Set-Up (1-10) - Alberts backstory as a conman is established, he recalls his past winnings in the conning industry. And there are various flashbacks to when he was younger, not giving away much about the plot.

Catalyst (12) - Albert is sent a threatening letter, in which it is a fore-warning that some men who are part of the Corone family will be coming after him because he stole their entire family estate earnings. So Albert is given the choice to go on the run and try and erase his identity while returning the money into their estate and clearing his name.

Debate (12-25) - He breaks down in front of his wife and says that they can come and get him and that he will finish it with them killing him.

Break into two (25) - Albert's wife Mary tells him that he must run and return the money. She says if he doesn't she will leave him.

B Story (30) - A timid and panicky man, roughly in his 30s called Frank is shown speaking to a man and women about what they done is illegal and that what he's doing his totally against his morals. He then gets in a car and drives off, leaving them in his what looks to be office. He wears a scruffy cheap looking suit.

Fun and games (30-55) - The men arrive at Alberts house just as he has decided that he will go on the run. They throw several rocks through his front window, smashing it completely. Albert then panics and runs through his garden into the woods. His wife is knocked out from one of them attacking her. They then run after him in the woods while firing bullets at him from afar. There is a lot of ducking, and a fight sequence happens between Albert and one of the men. This chase carries on until Albert steals a car.

Midpoint (55) - Albert comes across a local village and he puts up residence with a young couple. He soon fits in and accustoms to their routine. Once he has fully settles in after two days, he goes and meets two of his former clients who he helped to steal the entire estate earnings off of the Corone family.

Bad guys close in (55-75) - Everything is looking good for Albert, he has now removed his last identity aka Albert Brookstein and he is now under a different name, he has also returned the money to the Corone estate. However the couple he has been living with are really undercover trying to ruin him. He is kidnapped by them and they take him to a worn out hanger, as punishment for his crimes against the Corone family.

All is lost (75) - Albert has been kidnapped and he is being tortured by getting beaten. He has been told that he can give up everything he owes, in return for his life. He says he would rather die than let his reputation tarnish him. Albert is then given the ultimatum in which he gives everything up or his wife dies, he says that they are bluffing. The Corone brothers bring out his wife, she has a bag covering her head and her hands are tied up. He screams saying he will give everything up, so they let her go. Just as she's leaving, still with her hands tied and bag over her head, they shoot her.

Dark Night of the Soul (75-85) - Albert is left distraught in the hanger while they leave him beaten to the pulp. They set fire to the hanger leaving Albert inside. He screams out telling them to kill him and that he will give up everything he still has, as well as revealing he wants to be found by the police who also want to arrest him.

Break Into Three - As the hanger burns down, Albert passes out and he has flashbacks of good times with him and Mary and how she always told him that his past will come back to haunt him and he will have to face the consequences. He decides that he doesn't want Mary to die in vain, the B story character Frank turns up in an RV and rescues him.

Finale - In this narrative even though Albert is a bad guy also, I have decided that the audience will view him in a more positive light. Frank and Albert go off to find the Corone brothers and avenge Mary's death. When they find them, there is a battle and two of them are killed by Albert. The third Corone brother Martin, runs off into the distance. Frank has placed a tracker on him so if he enters a close proximity near Albert then he will be electrocuted. Once the battle has finished between Albert and the Corone brothers. Albert goes to Mary's funeral and has to time to come to terms with her death. It is revealed all along that she was working for the Corone family as a way of making Albert pay up and give back their estate money. Albert decides to head off to Spain where he will start a new life, the audience are left wondering whether he will return to the conning industry.

Closing Image - Extreme long shot of Albert on a boat, zooms in of him in a suit looking happing heading for the horizon.

Video Inserts and Opening title sequence

Below are the two finalised video inserts for Channel 21 News and our opening title sequence which will be at the start of the show, it has a catchy tune so that when people hear it they can instantly work out what is coming on the television.

    Opening title sequence



    Music Video insert



Trains Video insert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96IBl2wxXjM

Risk Assessment Form - Train Station

RISK ASSESSMENT FORM

Production Name & Number         -  Channel 21 News

Shoot Dates                                    -  07/02/14

Production Manager                       - Matthew Flower, Sam Goodfellow, Karenza Wheatley

Producer                                         - Karenza Wheatley

Guidance:

1.     Assess whether a hazard will be present, write YES or NO.  Then for each hazard that you have said YES to do the following:

2.     Rate each risk on a Severity scale from Negligable (N), Low risk (L), Moderate risk (M), Severe (S), Very severe (V)

3.     Rate each risks Likelihood on scale from Very unlikely (VU), Unlikely (U), Possible (P), Likely (L), Very likely (VL)

4.     Determine the Risk Factor from the table overleaf.

P = Present      /           S = Severity     /           L = Likelihood  /           R = Risk Factor

	Hazard	P	S	L	R
1	Alcohol/drugs	No
2	Animals/insects	No
3	Audiences	No
4	Camera cable/grip equipment	No
5	Confined spaces	No
6	Derelict buildings/dangerous structures	No
7	Electricity/gas (other than normal supplies)	No
8	Fatigue/long hours	No
9	Fire/flammable materials	No
10	Hazardous substances	No
11	Heat/Cold/extreme weather	No
12	Laser/strobe effects	No
13	Machinery/industrial/ crane/hoist	No
14	Materials - glass, non-fire retardant set materials	No
15	Night operation	No
16	Noise – high sound levels	No
17	Non standard manual handling	No
18	Public/crowds	Yes	L	P	2
19	Radiation	No
20	Scaffold/Rostra	No
21	Smoking on set	No
22	Special effects/explosives	Np
23	Special needs (elderly, disabled, inexperienced)	No
24	Specialised rescue/first aid	No
25	Stunts, dangerous activities	No
26	Tall scenery/suspended ceilings	No
27	Vehicles/speed	Yes	V	U	4
28	Water/proximity to water	No
29	Weapons	No
30	Working at heights	No
31	Working overseas	No
32	Other risks	No

5. Calculate the Risk Factor:

	Very Unlikely	Unlikely	Possible	Likely	Very Likely
Very severe	3	4	4	5	5
Severe	2	3	3	3	5
Moderate	2	2	3	3	3
Low Risk	1	2	2	3	3
Negligible	1	1	2	2	3

6. Decide the action to take:

5	Very severe	Take immediate action
4	Severe	High priority
3	Moderate Risk	Programme for action
2	Low Risk	Action may be required
1	Negligible	Probably acceptable

7. Then list each risk identified

Hazard Number:	18
Description of Hazard:	Public could trip over our equipment
Person(s) exposed (detail if cast/crew (C), outside company (O) or public (P) )	Public
Action to take:	Make sure that all Public know that there is a shoot going on and to stay clear of equipment
Person/company responsible for action	Crew
Hazard Number:	27
Description of Hazard:	Trains coming in to station at High speed
Person(s) exposed (detail if cast/crew (C), outside company (O) or public (P) )	Crew
Action to take:	Make sure crew are well away from the tracks and know when the train is approaching the station
Person/company responsible for action	Crew
Hazard Number:
Description
Person(s) exposed (detail if cast/crew (C), outside company (O) or public (P) )
Action to take:
Person/company responsible for action
Hazard Number:
Description
Person(s) exposed (detail if cast/crew (C), outside company (O) or public (P) )
Action to take:
Person/company responsible for action
Hazard Number:
Description
Person(s) exposed (detail if cast/crew (C), outside company (O) or public (P) )
Action to take
Person/company responsible for action

To be completed at agreed later date -
Exposed person(s) informed? (y/n)	Y	Agreed action taken? (y/n)	Y	Risk removed? (y/n)	Y

Completed by: Matthew Flower                                                           Position: Floor Manager

Signature M.Flower                                                                 Date:13/02/14