Proposal Structure Draft

Introduction

The purpose of this report is to get, pitch and sell the idea to producers to get my film "Dolls" made. After conducting primary and secondary i have gathered that this short film is not aged for people in my age group, however this film will be aimed to people who are experienced, by this i mean people who have attended videos festivals. Realistically taking into account location , props , transportation and equipment i think the budget for this short film will be around £50. this is because as i am under 17 i am able to travel on London buses for free. Also christ the king st marys will be providing me with a camera and a lighting kit. one of the expenses of my film will be to buy props such as a Voodo Doll and fake blood.

Film Synopsis 

my short film will be about a stressed out boy who finds Vodoo doll , and starts attacking. But in reality it is effecting his next door neighbour. i took inspiration from a music video from 50 Cent. there is a section of the video where the women is stabbing the vodoo doll and it is inflicting pain on 50 Cent. i also took inspiration from an episode of Fairly odd Parents. in the episode the protagonist is using vodoo dolls to control his enemies. The hook of my film is that i am going to have the boy talking with his conscience back and forth.

Film Rating

Judging from the influences for my short film and taking into consideration the target audience of my short film. the film rating would have to reflect that. my film rating would be 15 and over because it shows signs of horror and blood but there are no sex or drug references.

Primary research

after looking at through the short horror film playlist i was able to identify my target audience for my short. As my primary research i began to investigate the comments section of the short films.through this i was able to identify that the people who are watching these short film are knowledgeable in film. Here are some examples.

From this i can can gather that my potential target audience will have would be involved in making film one way or another, how ever there is proof there they're are more of a causal audience who will most likely comment on the appearance of the film or whether it made them feel scared or tense etc. the audience of this film are most likely to be youth. by this i mean people aged from 15-25. this is because they're more likely to be more social media savvy, Also this is because of the nature of the film, this is what people of this age group want to see.

after doing research i have come to the conclusion that there is a very big audience for the genre of my short film. this is evident from the amount of views a short horror film gathers on YouTube.

as the audience are familiar with film they will be expecting smooth shots that follow continuity, The users on YouTube will be quick to point out if they do not like the way something has been shot.

Secondary research 

One of the influences for my short film is taken from the box office is "Childs Play"(1988). The rating of this film on the internet movie database (IMDB) is 6.5/10. This rating shows that people have responded to the relatively positive. One IMDB user wrote. i've seen this brilliant horror movie over twenty times so far and it is still great."Child's Play" is wonderfully original-a great concept(the soul of a serial killer in the puppet)and villain(Chucky!)are perhaps the keys to it all.Plenty of shocks and scares,pretty good acting and lots of violence.The direction and editing are so tight and carefully done.Now I can see why this movie was such a huge success in 1988."

the subject i want my film to originate from is vodoo dolls "The term Voodoo doll is commonly employed to describe an effigy into which pins are inserted.Although it comes in various different forms, such practices are found in the magical traditions of many cultures across the world.Although the use of the term "Voodoo" implies that the practice has links to either the religion of Haitian Vodoo or Louisiana Voodoo, in reality it does not have a prominent place in either."

I have noticed a few trends in films that contain Vodoo themes. One of the trends is that the protagonist doesn't know who they are inflicting pain on when they are stabbing the doll . it often turns out to be a close friend or a family member they are hurting

Unique selling point 

the unique selling point for my film will be the setting of my film instead of being filmed in the middle of nowhere, i am going to be filming around the inner city of London. this will play into the adult like ecstatic of my film and make it more appealing to my target audience.

another unique selling point of my film is the use of different shot types. this will make my film stand out as it will not look like the same old run of the mill horror/thriller film.


Another unique selling point of my film is the authenticity of my film. By this I mean what my film is based on. Vodoo as popular ideas as a vampire or zombie based short film. This makes my idea unique as it is not being used frequently.

Budget 

This is the breakdown of the expenditure that will need to be considered. 

Travel fees- as I am travelling in to the inner city of London , because I am a student I am able to travel anywhere in London via bus for free.

Film equipment 

(Camera , lighting kit , tripod)

Usually film equipment will cost up to around £1000+ , however I will be using Christ the King St Mary's film facilities in order to get what I need to film my short film.

Catering fees - While we are Filming it is important that food and drink are provided. this is because you need both crew and talent to be working at their best. this will cost around £20.

Editing suite - Usually a editing suite will cost up to around £1000+ ,this is because an Apple Mac is idle for editing short films because of the software "Final Cut Pro". however I will be using Christ the King St Mary's has a Mac suite for editing that I have access to .

Props-

Fake Blood (1000ml) x2 - £14
Vodoo Doll - £6

Funding 

for my short film i do not need to worry about funds for renting equipment as CTK Sidcup will supply me with everything i need to make my short film, however there are expense i need to cover like paying for a permit to shoot at certain locations. One way i can fund this is relying on friends and family to contribute.

Regulation and Certification

In the United Kingdom the film regulation body is the BBFC and OFOCOM and they mainly regulate movies and series which are going to shown in cinema's  and on DVD's due to that the BBFC or OFCOM aren't going to regulate my short film because it is not going to shown cinema's rather its going to be shown at film festivals and BBFC do not regulate series. However if my short film was going to be regulated by the BBFC there would probably give it a rating of about 18. This is because my short film is a horror film that contains blood and gore. My short film is also going to be uploaded to Youtube for all to watch.

Distribution

 My short film is could  be distributed or shown at short films festivals.An example of this is the "London film festival." However this is a high profile short film festival and this is my first short film. it is likely that my first film will not be the same quality as the other more experienced entries, but it is certainly a future goal. 
short film festivals are where distributors go to look at short films and if they are impressed by any they can pick it up and promote it in their specific world geological area. Also gaining the maker some sort of reputation and Appleseed for their artistic work. A more ideal way i could distribute my film is by uploading it to Youtube. this is because the site is popular for short horror films such as mine.

Locations

in my Short film i will be using three locations for the 3 scenes i have planned out , One of the Locations i have chosen to shoot my short film is Canary Wharf Station. In order to get permission to shoot in a public place such as a train station, i will need a permit from Transport for London. 

Another Location i will be shooting is in a house , we will be using the bathroom and Kitchen of the house. this is where the two characters will interact.

Reference 

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/what-classification/18
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094862/
http://shortfilms.org.uk/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiL6ECmzP-E
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOODOO-DOLL-moving-doll-in-your-palm-spooky-magic-/301234667479?hash=item4622fc3fd7:g:pvsAAMXQTghROgss
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DIY-Fake-Blood-Powder-Make-1000ml-Thick-Film-Quality-Mouth-Safe-Film-Stage-Blood-/321901184419?hash=item4af2ce45a3:g:6aoAAOxy3cJTg2Js

RESEARCH FOR SHORT FILM

Real word influences 

some of the influences for my short film can be take from




the section i took influence is the vodoo doll scene. (2.04 - 2.14). the antagonist is seen attack the voodo doll which is effecting the protagonist.









In the first epidsode of this Fairly odd parents episode the protagonist is using voodo dolls to inflict pain on his enemies. this has influences me to come up with the concept of my short film.

Child's Play (1988) R | 87 min | Horror | 9 November 1988 (USA)
 6.5/10 from 59,110 users Reviews: 280 user | 138 critic
 A single mother gives her son a much sought after doll for his birthday, only to discover that it is possessed by the soul of a serial killer. Director: Tom Holland Writers: Don Mancini (story), Don Mancini (screenplay),2 more credits » Stars: Catherine Hicks, Chris Sarandon, Alex Vincent

This is useful because i know critics have rated this movie, also help me know what kind of rating my film will be based off the on i have chosen in my research.

 When Charles Lee Ray needs to get quick escape from cop Mike Norris, he takes his soul and buries it into playful, seemingly good guy doll Chucky. Little does he know a little boy by the name of Andy Barclay will be the new owner of him soon-to-come. Charles confides in Andy while he commits numerous murders. Once the adults accept Andy's story as truth, it's too late. Written by Kris Hopson
 Details Official Sites: MGM Country: USA Language: English Release Date: 9 November 1988 (USA)  Also Known As: Blood Brother See more » Filming Locations: Brewster Building Apartments - 2800 N. Pine Grove Avenue, Lake View, Chicago, Illinois, USA See more » ________________________________________

Box Office Budget: $9,000,000 (estimated) Gross: $33,244,684 (USA ) 
this is useful to me in my research because i am able to measure the success of this film based on the number on sales

Funding 

Kickstarter is a new model for bringing creative projects to life. Compared with other funding models — film studios, grant-makers, publishers, venture capitalists — there are fewer barriers to entry, and a greater opportunity to take risks on new ideas. Creators from diverse backgrounds, at every level of experience from across the creative universe, can find backing for their ideas.

This piece of information has given me an insight how beginner film makers go about funding for their project. this is useful to me because i may have to utilize this resource in order to pay the expenses of making a film.

It’s a powerful model — billions of dollars pledged, tens of thousands of successfully produced projects, Oscar and Grammy wins, trips to outer space, and beyond. But how many projects fall short of delivering what was promised? It’s a question many have speculated on, but we want to know for sure.

In March 2015, we invited a scholar from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania to help answer this question. Professor Ethan Mollick is an expert in entrepreneurship and innovation who developed an independent study surveying nearly 500,000 backers about project outcomes and backer sentiment.

Film regulation/certification

All classification decisions are based on the BBFC’s published and regularly updated Guidelines. The Guidelines are the product of extensive public consultation, research and the accumulated experience of the BBFC over many years. They reflect current views on film, DVD and video game regulation.

Suitable for all

Parental guidance

Cinema release suitable for 12 years and over

Video release suitable for 12 years and over

Suitable only for 15 years and over

Suitable only for adults

What does the 18 symbol mean?

Films rated 18 are for adults. No-one under 18 is allowed to see an 18 film at the cinema or buy / rent an 18 rated video. No 18 rated works are suitable for children.

Are there any limits on what sort of theme a work can have at 18?

No theme is prohibited at 18. Adults are free to choose their own entertainment provided the material is not illegal or potentially harmful, so it is possible some themes tackled at 18 may be offensive even to some adult viewers.

What sort of issues might I find in an 18 film or video?

18 works are for adults and can contain strong issues such as:

•  very strong violence
•  frequent strong language (e.g. 'f***') and / or very strong language (e.g. ‘c***’)
•  strong portrayals of sexual activity
•  scenes of sexual violence
•  strong horror
•  strong blood and gore
•  real sex (in some circumstances)
•  discriminatory language and behaviour

these are all the guidelines that may contribute to film being rated 18. my horror film will most likely be rated 18 as this around the age o my target audience.

How much strong language can there be in an 18?

There is no limit on the number of uses of strong (e.g. 'f***') or even very strong language (e.g. ‘c***’) which can be passed at 18. Uses could be aggressive, directed, frequent or accompanied by strong violence.

What about discriminatory terms?

There may be racist, homophobic or other discriminatory language at 18, and the work could explore themes relating to discrimination.

Though a work as a whole must not be in breach of any relevant legislation, it is possible for discriminatory language or themes to be the main focus of the work, and for main characters to engage in discriminatory behaviour.

How much sex and nudity is allowed at 18?

There can be strong and detailed portrayals of sex at 18, including full nudity. There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context.

Very strong, crude and explicit sex references are permitted at 18.

An 18 film or video might also contain depictions of real sex, as long as the film or video is not a sex work.

What are sex works?

Sex works are works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation. Sex works containing only material which may be simulated are generally passed 18. Those containing clear images of real sex, strong fetish material, sexually explicit animated images, or other very strong sexual images will be confined to the R18 category. Material which is unacceptable in a sex work at R18 is also unacceptable in a sex work at 18.

What about sex education films?

Where sex material genuinely seeks to inform and educate in matters such as human sexuality or safer sex and health, explicit images of sexual activity may be permitted.

Can there be strong violence?

Yes, at 18 violence can be strong and be portrayed with strong detail. There may even be dwelling on the infliction of pain or injury, or scenes of strong sadistic or sexual violence.

The strongest gory images are permitted at this category.

What about horror films?

At 18, horror films may contain very strong horror, gore or sustained threat.

Can you see drugs in an 18?

Yes. At 18 drug taking may be shown but the work as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse.

What about dangerous behavior or things teens or other viewers might copy?

Though 18 films and videos may cover difficult and strong subjects and themes, harm is still a consideration. Very dangerous or criminal behaviour (for example, behaviour which if copied poses a credible harm risk) may be cut.

If adults can watch what they want, what might be cut from an 18 work?

In line with the consistent findings of the BBFC’s public consultations and The Human Rights Act 1998, the BBFC will not normally override the principle that adults should be free to choose their own entertainment.

However, cuts are occasionally made to 18 rated films and DVDs. Intervention is most likely in the following areas:

•  where the material is in breach of the criminal law, or has been created through the commission of a criminal offence
•  where material or treatment appears to us to risks harm to individuals or, through their behaviour, to society – for example, any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use, which may cause harm to public health or morals. This may include portrayals of sexual violence which might, for example, make rape look appealing, reinforce the suggestion that victims enjoy sexual violence or which invite viewer complicity in sexual violence
•  where there are more explicit images of sexual activity which cannot be justified by context. Such images may be appropriate in R18 works and, in ‘sex works’, would normally be confined to that category.

these guidelindes are put in place to protect younger viewers from being exposed to certain themes

In the case of video works, which may be more accessible to younger viewers, intervention may be more frequent than for cinema films.

BBFC has persuasion job over online ratings

Mr Dawson's task is to make sure the BBFC's family silver maintains its value as the film industry migrates online.

Without statutory backup, his is a job of persuasion. He must persuade film companies and the big digital retailers and services to pay for their creations to be classified for online consumption (as well as cinema and DVD) and to show the BBFC rating and incorporate it into login controls so parents maintain their trust in the system.

Progress has been made. Some 250,000 films have now been been classified for online consumption and major players such as BT Vision and Netflix are using the ratings.

The BBFC is particularly pleased that Netflix submitted its hit Washington-based remake of House of Cards for classification. Made for the internet, and released as 13 episodes simultaneously last month, it was widely seen as the start of an important trend in entertainment. The BBFC gave all the episodes a 15 rating, except one, which featured a graphic suicide and got an 18.

"We're not about censorship and haven't been for a long time," said Mr Dawson. "We're about giving people the information they need."

Netflix will surely test that claim later this year when it debuts Hemlock Grove, another exclusive, created by Eli Roth. The director is best known as the founder of the "torture porn" genre with his sadistic 2006 horror film Hostel. Subsequent imitators 2009's Grotesque and 2011's Human Centipede 2, were both refused any classification.

Theoretically, if Netflix's adventure in original content produce something so distasteful the BBFC does not award a classification, it could simply go ahead and distribute it anyway.

"If self regulation doesn't work then there is the possibility of new legislation," said Mr Dawson, "it would take changing two words in the law."

He strongly emphasises, however, that the BBFC is not seeking and would not seek new powers to regulate internet firms and that the government supports its attempt to bring the online industry on board voluntarily.

To prove it can work, the BBFC needs to persuade Apple and Amazon, the dominant forces in internet film distribution, to use respect and display its ratings.

the purpose of this information is to understand what rating my film will be. Also the purpose of the BBFC is to make sure vnerable audiences are protected. whether that is from adult themes, violence or horror.

Online platforms for distribution and short film festival

There are no hard and fast rules as to what makes a good short; as with features, different audiences love different films and an award-winner in one viewer's eyes will be a dull cliché in another's. Obviously there is an element of subjectivity to any short film programme as different exhibitors will set their own criteria as to what they think makes a good short, which they feel their audience will enjoy. Whilst this can be frustrating for filmmakers it isn't necessarily a bad thing, as, what one exhibitor rejects another will love and promote – so it is important not to get disheartened by rejection. In many ways it is an exciting time to be making shorts in the UK as there are wealth of different festivals, screening organisations, websites and content providers looking for short films to exhibit.

Welcome

FilmOneFest (the Atlantic Highlands One-Minute International Film Festival) is a celebration of the super short film and a snap-shot of the creative image making happening online and across the world. Founded in 2008, the festival takes place on third Saturday of July at the Atlantic Highlands Marina and is screened at other venues throughout the year. Films (under 2 minutes in length) from local and international film and video makers are projected on a giant screen under the stars on the historic shores of Sandy Hook Bay.  Submissions for 2016 will open in December 2015.

NEWS & EVENTS:

Submissions are now open for FilmOneFest 2016!

Submissions are now being accepted for the 2016 FilmOneFest!

this would be an idle film festival for my short film because this is a film festival that only accepts entries that are under 2 minutes.

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Guidance and criteria for writing a successful short film

What Makes a Good Short?

There are no hard-and-fast rules as to what makes a good short film but here are a few tips that might help.

An Exciting & Original Idea

A Strong Script

Good Acting

High Production Values

Make It Short

Strong Beginning

Avoid Repetition & Punchline Twists

Exciting New Techniques & Style

These are elements to consider when i am making my short film. the purpose of the information is to give me all the elements i need to consider in order to make a good short film. this is useful as it makes valid points and steps you must consider if you want a short film to be successful. 

There are no hard and fast rules as to what makes a good short; as with features, different audiences love different films and an award-winner in one viewer's eyes will be a dull cliché in another's. Obviously there is an element of subjectivity to any short film programme as different exhibitors will set their own criteria as to what they think makes a good short, which they feel their audience will enjoy. Whilst this can be frustrating for filmmakers it isn't necessarily a bad thing, as, what one exhibitor rejects another will love and promote – so it is important not to get disheartened by rejection. In many ways it is an exciting time to be making shorts in the UK as there are wealth of different festivals, screening organisations, websites and content providers looking for short films to exhibit. Our advice would be to submit your film to as many places as possible.

However, having said that, here are a few basic tips for what exhibitors might look for in a good short film:

An Exciting & Original Idea

Original ideas are not easy to come-by but a good way of avoiding clichéd ideas is to watch lots of other short films, look out for any trends and stay clear of them (See our Related Links: Recommended Watching for places to watch shorts). Even if your idea isn't completely original try to look at the subject matter from a different angle or using a different style/technique. If you're struggling for ideas, you could try to find inspiration in your experiences or those of the people that you meet or through the stories that you read in newspapers, magazines and online.

this is useful because an original idea will always put  you towards the path of a good short film.

A Strong Script

A good script is key to narrative-based short films and in many ways it's harder to write a short than a feature because you need to condense your story and develop your characters in a very short space of time. All too often films are let down by weak, overwritten or underdeveloped scripts. Before investing money, time and effort into shooting your film, it's a good idea to test your script out on friends and strangers (as friends might fear offending you) and get as much feedback as you can. See our Filmmaking Guide: Writing a Script for more advice & our Related Links: Writing for scriptwriting organisations, resources and communities. If you write and direct your own films, it's a good idea to consider where your strengths lie. It's great if you can do both but if you think you're stronger at direction/animation then why not consider collaborating with a talented scriptwriter and see what results come of it?

Good Acting

Unless your friends are actors or demonstrate acting talent, it's a good idea to avoid casting them in your film. Even one bad actor in a film can really let it down and destroy the viewer's belief in the reality that your film is seeking to create. There are lots of great actors out there who are willing to work for reduced fees to learn their trade and make a name for themselves. You can find actors through advertising on the message boards of filmmaking communities (see the Filmmaking Communities Section in our Related Links: Filmmaking Organisations & Communities or via online casting sites such as The Spotlight. For more information on finding cast see our Filmmaking Guide: Cast & Crew or see the casting section of our Related Links: Production

When picking the talent for my short film. i have to consider people who i feel will be the best to play that role.

High Production Values

Whilst digital filmmaking has had the positive impact of making the process more accessible and affordable, it's important to ensure that you still apply the same production values that you would if you were shooting on film with a crew. Many low-budget shorts are let down by poor sound, lighting, camera work and editing and/or by directors who are trying to do it all by themselves without anyone else's input. Filmmaking is predominantly a collaborative process and it's much better to find crew who are specialising in these areas who can offer different skills. You can use the message boards of filmmaking communities (see the filmmaking communities section in our Related Links: Filmmaking Organisations & Communities) to find crew to collaborate with. If you're new to filmmaking, one of the best ways to learn the skills required is to assist on other people's films. Also check the message boards for call outs for volunteers from filmmakers. However if you'd like more formal training you can find out about training or film schools in our Filmmaking Guide: Training & Development and find links to organisations and resources in our Related Links: Training

Considering i have a low budget for this short film i will have to make sure that i dont fall victim to my short film having poor sound or poor lighting.

Make It Short

As a general rule, the longer your short film is, the harder it is to keep the viewer's attention. This is especially true of online viewing – for instance on Film Network the average time that a viewer spends watching a film is 4 minutes. Note – exceptions to this rule is documentary, which viewers will often watch for longer. Many festivals don't accept short films that are over 30 minutes long; a long film will really have to impress the programmers for them to include it in their screening, as it means they will not be able to show so many films in their short film programme. One filmmaker told us about a film he made that was 26 minutes long. He applied for festivals all over the world and was rejected by them all. A year later he re-cut the film to 10 minutes and resubmitted it. His 10-minute cut was shown at numerous festivals worldwide and was broadcast on a digital channel. Very short films, especially romance and comedies, can be popular with distributors and buyers as they are easier to programme and can be sold to multi-platforms e.g. online, mobile, VOD etc.

Strong Beginning

Most programmers/distributors will be inundated with submissions and so your film has to grab their attention from the very first shot. The harsh reality is that if your film doesn't pique their interest within the first two minutes, in all likelihood they may not sit through it till the end. Don't waste time on lengthy introductions and credits – spark their interest in the story as quickly as you can. Credits at the start can distract the viewer (especially if the direction, production and editing are all by the same person!) so leave them out unless you have it written in an agreement with one of your cast. Similarly if your film starts with a long establishing shot where nothing really happens, viewers may switch off before you get to show them your great plot and idea. If the pace of your film is naturally slow and ambling, make the shots as rich and enticing as possible to draw the viewer in. Note – a good editor can really transform a film. If you're directing and editing your own film you might be too attached to certain shots to know which bits to chop out to make your film a stronger, more coherent piece. In big blockbusters, scenes that have cost thousands or even millions can be chopped if the studio/filmmaker feels that they are not integral to the final edit of the piece.

Research Log

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hAq3iScKqzhmnxcYRvVTgSvqNa1CzT178R8gTzTHta0/edit?usp=sharing

Ideas/Audience Research

After looking at through the short horror film playlist i was able to identify my target audience for my short. As my primary research i began to investigate the comments section of the short films.through this i was able to identify that the people who are watching these short film are knowledgeable in film. Here are some examples.

From this i can can gather that my potential target audience will have would be involved in making film one way or another, how ever there is proof there they're are more of a causal audience who will most likely comment on the appearance of the film or whether it made them feel scared or tense etc. the audience of this film are most likely to be youth. by this i mean people aged from 15-25. this is because they're more likely to be more social media savvy, Also this is because of the nature of the film, this is what people of this age group want to see.

One of the influences for my short film is taken from the box office is "Childs Play". The rating of this film is 7.6/10. this means that critics rate this film quiet highly. One IDMB user wrote "What a ride. "Sherlock Holmes" left me giddy. I absolutely loved it. It was thrilling, funny, stylish, fast-paced and brilliantly acted.

Downey Jr. is a delight to look at. He eats up the screen. He gives the character all sorts of mannerisms and nuances which really bring Holmes to life like never before. The chemistry and interplay between him and Jude Law is hilarious".

video guide