Monday, July 1, 2013

Treatment - Short Film 'Money'

The main message is that regardless of what religious background, money and influence can affect you in many ways. The main character used to be religious until she became influenced by money and the people she revolved around. The plot involves her relationship with a recent boyfriend she has been dating but her main objective in the relationship is to get drugs from him. During one of her meet-ups with her boyfriend she gets an anonymous phone call from someone, who offers her money in return if she sets her boyfriend up. She sets him up for the money which was offered, and the twist takes place making her realise the dangers of her actions.
Themes:
- Inner conflict 
- Religion 
- Betrayal 
- Social Influence
- Rebellion
- Regret 

Samia:
Age: 18
Ethnicity: Lebanon  Samia is an average teenage girl residing in London, growing up in a strict and religious household (Muslim Sunni.) She doesn't have the best of friends, which probably explains why she spends her time around the wrong type of people. She is good at lying and sneaking around on a low profile, to disguise her secret acts against what her religion believes. Her weaknesses are that she is gullible, and she is easily brainwashed into doing things which she shouldn't-as well as the fact that she is an attitude problem. She has black hair, dark brown eyes and she is about 5ft5. She is quite a heavy smoker, which she keeps quiet to her family about but not to her friends.
Scene 1:
Location -  Religious household {College Studio}
Opening Sequence: Rummaging through her mother’s handbag, takes the money and puts a pack of cigarettes into her bag. --cuts to her walking out-- She walks out of the building to a corner and starts to take off her head-scarf first to change into her casual secret cloths she usually wears outside to see her friends. 

Scene 2:
Location - On a bench in the park {W2 St Mary's Pathway}
She talks to her boyfriend on the phone, arrogantly and angry about him being late, her responds to her argent talking and complaining then she cuts off. Facial expression and tone changes [Phone call from an anonymous person] talking low, whispering to the anonymous caller. --fade out--

Scene 3:
Location - Across the road from a car-park{Paddington Green Car Park}
She sees her boyfriend, and starts talking while approaching  A gloomy guy shouts "Yo, fam!" which is slang used in London. The boyfriend walks across the road, and the two walk together into a car park. Samia hears shouting, and realises what has happened in shock {slow motion close -up+breathing heavily+building pitch sfx} --quick black out--  

Scene 4:
Location: Underpass {Paddington Green Underpass}
Samia is mentally secluded in her thoughts, creating an emotional cocoon, even though she was not emotionally involved with her boyfriend, she still gained a feeling of pain and loss. She walks rushes into the underpass and slides to a crouched position against the wall from all the mental devastation of what she done. She receives a phone call from the anonymous caller and responds, "where should I collect my money?"

The audience is aimed at young teenagers and adults, and people of urban background in London. This short film shows that money is something which everybody wants, even if it comes at a dark cost. It engages audiences that have experienced the use or selling of drugs, and can also open the viewpoints of people who have not. The target audience furthermore stretches more widely towards Muslims  due to the main character Samia. Some Muslim youngsters may relate to her as she distances herself from her family's religious roots, and some may feel that her actions are against what a humane person should be. Since it a social drama it might be taken about more heavily upon younger audiences but this is not to say that it could not effect adults in the same way. As social drama is a genre which contains the less considered aspects of society, it is a genre which has a more shocking value towards its audiences. The shocking value which the genre has makes the short film more interesting, and therefore expands the age group of the target audience.

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