Initial Film Idea

My initial lm idea follows the theme of Suicide and therefore death. I am not however interested in the actual action itself as opposed to the difculties surrounding it. Therefore, I am not going to incorporate an actual suicide within the narrative, rather the heavy and visible contemplation of the prospect. From this principle theme, other themes arise within the idea: notably that of mental illness, specically depression. This is the illness that is most closely linked to suicide- therefore we must accept that our protagonist is to some degree depressed and unsatised with life. In this, a person's control of their life is an apparent theme. The character appears to be in control of their life through their apparent autonomy through their decision to end their own life. However, the inuence of depression and mental illness is highly suggestive of a lack of control within life. The theme of morality shall also arise from this narrative, as explored through the theme of suicide: whether or not it is right for someone to end their own life. Through the lm I would not like to advocate either cause, instead let the audience ascertain their own opinion on the matter. Decision and indecision are also themes in the idea, in that the character may appear to be about to suicide, but instead decides against the action in the climax of the scene. Isolation shall also be explored during the text, as mentally the character appears to be in a state of isolation and in the actual scene they shall be alone. To emphasis a sense of isolation, the whole scene shall take place in one, rather compact location. This shall probably be the characters bedroom as it is their most personal living space. The existence of one, rather small place emphasizes a sense of isolation within the scene itself and shall reect the feeling of the character. Mise-En-Scene shall play a big role in suggesting to the audience the nature of this character itself. The room shall be dirty and untidy: things such as worn clothes strewn around the room. Therefore, we are shown a lack of care on part of this character, through the fact that they do not care even about their own personal living space. This narrative will only feature one character, probably male. This character will be about to kill their self- though conicted as to whether to actually do it or not. This should preferably compel the audience to be interested of their predicament given the stakes on which it is based, life or death. Depression is in itself a rather interesting subject to explore within a piece of work. The character is different to the 'normal' human being, which is also makes them compelling. We shall not know what actually caused the character to be this way: perhaps it may be implied in some way. What is important in this narrative is that the character is in a bad state and has made the most radical decision they possibly can regarding life itself, which is to end it. My scene shall take place within the same time and place; the action shall also revolve around a single event. However, I do not want this to be a denitive event within the character's life. This is neither the beginning nor the end of this character's story. Before hand, they have obviously struggled with depression and reached a decision to commit suicide. They are about to do so within this scene, though refrain. I do not want to create the impression that their life has been saved however, I want to create the sense that they will probably do it eventually. The time of day may be therefore shot during the 'magic hour', having a strange sense of symbolic resonance. That this is only twilight: night is about to come. The predicament that this character is facing is their depression. Depression is obviously an incredibly unpleasant situation, one that renders a human constantly inept. Of course, it

is perhaps possible to get out of this situation, though through the decision made it is apparent that these attempts have been rendered useless. This sets a context for the dilemma to work on: the difcult choice that the character has to make. Should they end or should they continue living. Suicide is an apparent sense of relief, however it is also an unchangeable process: once you're gone you can never come back. However, they are in a situation in which their life is almost unlivable (thus why they have decided to end it). This scene runs on interior conict rather than exterior. This is fueled by the dilemma as to whether or not they should commit suicide. The conict within the scene is visible through it being the struggle to make a decision, Instead of a conicting force being sourced through another character, it is sourced through the character's own conicting. The winning side shall be for the moment that which states not to commit suicide, though no real solution to the conict shall be suggested. Tension is created within this scene through the apparent suicide which may take place. We are shown a scene in which a character appears to be about to kill their self. This is a life or death situation, making the whole ve minutes suspended by tension. Perhaps tension can be built by the lm gradually making it more and more apparent what the protagonist intends to do. The alleviation of this tension is through the anti-climax at the end. However, I do not want it totally annihilated after they decide against suicide. I still want the audience to feel a sense of impending death, which leaves the short lm with an ambiguous yet suggestive feeling as to what the future of this character is.