Dawn of the Apocalypse - Film plot outline

Title: Dawn of the apocalypse

Genre: Apocalypse/thriller/horror.

Time roughly: Early morning

Form: Start of feature film

Audience: Fans of infected films, zombie films and apocalyptic films. Teenagers (teens- mid 20s), males and people who like infected getting beaten.

Main character: Damien (26 years)

Protagonist: Damien

Plot: Damien is a night security officer in an office building on his way home from work, on his way home the streets seem eerily quieter than normal, he continues not putting any thought to it until he sees an abandoned car with someone slumped over the steering wheel with the passenger door ripped open with the passenger lying down behind the door with the infected chomping on his insides, Damien confused and weary of what have may caused them to be in such a state edges forward getting close to the door the infected rises noticing Damien, the infected lets out a loud shriek and runs for him. Damien luckily gets into the alley behind his house as the infected is hot on his trail getting closer and closer when he enters his garden the infected pounces and catches his leg pulling him down on to the floor, Damien stops the infected going for his throat and kicks him off escaping into his house through the back door, the infected grabs his ankle, pulls him down and bites him slightly (This is where the opening for the film finishes) As the film continues we see Damien living through the days in his house eating food and sitting by the TV and radio hoping that some sign of survivors, cuts to a week later he is still in his house, he looks rough and his eyes are starting to show the signs of infection but he feels no different, a public service bulletin comes on the TV saying that anybody who is still alive should work their way to the local supermarket for evacuation. He readies himself and opens the door, looking around his road hearing screams and shouts in the distance, he grabs his keys and runs to his car seeing an infected pulling someone down and a car on fire with someone screaming inside. He opens the door and dives in, pulling the door shut with his feet. Damien pulls away from his house and starts for the supermarket, only getting a couple of kilometres until he hits a blockage in the road and his car is unable to pass so he leaves his car and continues, as he walks he starts feeling a headache and falls to his knees. (Cuts to black) Opens again with Damien lying in a car with people around him a young girl (23 years old) watching him with caring eyes, in the front seats there is a middle aged man and woman (both around early 40’s) he raises up asking the girl where he is, she replies saying that they found him collapsed and breathing in the road so they helped him, bandaging his ankle up and carrying him into the car, she says they are going to the supermarket and he is willing to join them, thee are rumours that the military is there and are helping people who have been hurt. They arrive at the supermarket, getting out of the car and walking towards the nearest medical tent, they scan the family reaching Damien, the doctor notices his eyes are bloodshot but instead of red lines they are blue (a sign of the infection, but that is the only sign he is showing of infection) the doctor calls of the soldiers at the cusp of the tent, she tells them to take him away from the family and escorting him to the warehouse.

Conflict: There are infected people trying to eat our main character because there has been an outbreak of a contagious virus. Our main character comes into contact with one on his way home from work.

What we are actually doing: Opens with main character walking along a road, deserted with debris spread across the road. Screaming “hello” every now and then, looking worried. Then cuts to black with some credits. Then it goes back to that character walking past a car that’s open and with someone lying against the steering wheel and another lying out of the car (blood). Then he hears chewing noises and he makes a noise which means the “infected” looks up at him. Then cuts to black with some credits. Then the infected tries to attack the character, then there’s a scuffle in which he knocks the infected to the floor. Then cuts to black with some credits. Fades back in with the character beating the infected from the first person view. Then it cuts to black for the final credit which is the title of the film with effects.

Influences: 28 days later, 28 weeks later & Shaun of the dead

Main task- diary- 10/10/2011

Today we officialy launched our next project: "Dawn of the Apocalypse". This is our main task and its focused on an infection outbreak that has hit England. So far we have completed our pitch on what the film is about, the plot line, characters, time of day etc. We are now concentrating on what films inspired us to do this.

Cheers from a the lads at Visionary Pictures!

Preliminary Task - Script

(Rob walks up to and grabs the handle)
(Cuts to shot of rob walking and sitting down)
Dr.Johan: Hello Rob, the tests results have come back from your previous tests. It doesnt look good, you have hypochlorios.
Rob: what  are the symptoms?
Dr.Johan: Burning anus, inflated testicles and in the end your liver will fail.
(Rob puts his head in his hands 'crying' )
Dr.Johan: It was only a joke.
(Rob lifts head)
Rob: What ?!?!
Dr.Johan: Yeah, it was just a joke.
(Rob gets up annoyed and walks out angrily)
Dr.Johan: Well he needs to find himself a sense of humour.

Preliminary - Steven - Preliminary Task questions.

1. Does your film use continuity editing so that the sequence of events are clear and easily understood by the viewer?

·         Yes the film is edited so it moved continuously through each shot.

2. Have you followed the directions in the brief?  (A character opens a door, crosses a room and sits down in a chair opposite another character. An exchange of dialogue occurs.)

·         Yes we have we had match-on-action where Rob opens the door and used the 180-rule and had a small exchange of dialogue between me and Rob.

3. Have you used match-on-action?

·         Yes, we had Rob put his hand on the door handle then cut to a shot of him walking in.

4. Can you explain what a match-on action involves?

·         Cutting from one shot to another with the other shot showing consequence.

5. Have you used shot/reverse shot?

·         We used shot/reverse for when the doctor is talking to the colleague.

6. Can you explain what shot/reverse shot involves?

·         The camera would switch from 2 angles depending on who is talking.

7. Did you observe the 180-degree rule?

·         Yes, we used the 180 degree rule.

8. Can you explain the 180-degree rule?

·         The 180 degree rule is where you film without changing side or going over a certain line.

9. What role did you play in the making of the preliminary task?  (e.g.  filming, acting, editing, equipment organisation etc.)

·         I was an actor within our task.

10. How would you assess your contribution to the group?

·         I just mainly acted and helped with what we should edit.

11. What have you learned from the process of making your preliminary film?

·         That for something as short as a minute there is a lot of editing and that you can’t do one-takes you have to film extra just in case.

Preliminary - Billy - Preliminary Task questions.

Does your film use continuity editing so that the sequence of events are clear and easily understood by the viewer?
Yes, we have done the editing to a standard of which the scenes slot nicely into one and other and are in sync
· Have you followed the directions in the brief? (A character opens a door, crosses a room and sits down in a chair opposite another character. An exchange of dialogue occurs.)
Yes, our first shot is of Roberts hand opening the door, then a shot reverse shot of robs walking in and walking across the room to sit down opposite Steven. Then there is an exchange of dialogue between them.
· Have you used match-on-action?
Yes we did.
· Can you explain what a match-on action involves?
A match on action is when some action occurring before the temporally questionable cut is picked up where the cut left it by the shot immediately following
· Have you used shot/reverse shot?
Yes we have as we have a shot of robs hand turning the door handle, and then a shot of rob opening the door with the camera on the other side, and then rob walks through to sit at the table. We also have other examples of when Steven is talking to rob, the camera is focused on Stevens face, the when Robert says something back at Steven, the next shot is of Robert talking.
· Can you explain what shot/reverse shot involves?
One character is shown looking at another character, and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character. This leads to the viewer thinking they are looking at each other.
· Did you observe the 180-degree rule?
Yes we did as throughout the whole video, the 180 degree rule is perfectly kept, apart from when we are doing the shot reverse shot and the match on action.
· Can you explain the 180-degree rule?
Leave the camera on one side of the room and the shot never switches to confuse the viewer.
· What role did you play in the making of the preliminary task? (e.g. filming, acting, editing, equipment organisation etc.)
I did the directing and filming
· How would you assess your contribution to the group?
I feel that I made a decent contribution to the task and the group. I feel that I made my points clear and that I gave my all to the task. However, there was some restrictions to my contribution, as I don’t really know much about editing so I couldn’t really contribute that much.
· What have you learned from the process of making your preliminary film?
I have learnt that you have to be quite patient and that the idea in your head might not be what the film actually comes out like. I have learnt that as this was just the preliminary task, we might need to keep some out ideas and imagination for the main task.

Preliminary - Robert - Preliminary Task questions.

1. Does your film use continuity editing so that the sequence of events are clear and easily understood by the viewer?
· Yes when I edited I made sure that everything flowed smoothly and was easy to understand.
2. Have you followed the directions in the brief? (A character opens a door, crosses a room and sits down in a chair opposite another character. An exchange of dialogue occurs.)
· Yes I have done everything in the brief for this task.
3. Have you used match-on-action?
· Yes when I opened the door into the office.
4. Can you explain what a match-on action involves?
· Cutting from one camera to another to show an action and then the result of the action.
5. Have you used shot/reverse shot?
· I used shot/reverse shot when the doctor was talking to the intern.
6. Can you explain what shot/reverse shot involves?
· Shot/reverse shot is used when 2 characters are talking. The camera would switch from 2 angles depending on who is talking.
7. Did you observe the 180-degree rule?
· Yes I did.
8. Can you explain the 180-degree rule?
· When filming, you shouldn’t change which side you are filming from, this stops confusion of characters because they will always be in the same place in the frame.
9. What role did you play in the making of the preliminary task? (e.g. filming, acting, editing, equipment organisation etc.)
· I edited the video, I acted and supplied the camera.
10. How would you assess your contribution to the group?
· I think that my contribution to the group was good. I worked well within my group. I helped with some of the camera work showing Billy how to use it correctly.
11. What have you learned from the process of making your preliminary film?
· I have learn that creating a short film isn’t as easy as it looks but I think that I am still able to do it with some practice and experience.1. Does your film use continuity editing so that the sequence of events are clear and easily understood by the viewer?
· Yes when I edited I made sure that everything flowed smoothly and was easy to understand.
2. Have you followed the directions in the brief? (A character opens a door, crosses a room and sits down in a chair opposite another character. An exchange of dialogue occurs.)
· Yes I have done everything in the brief for this task.
3. Have you used match-on-action?
· Yes when I opened the door into the office.
4. Can you explain what a match-on action involves?
· Cutting from one camera to another to show an action and then the result of the action.
5. Have you used shot/reverse shot?
· I used shot/reverse shot when the doctor was talking to the intern.
6. Can you explain what shot/reverse shot involves?
· Shot/reverse shot is used when 2 characters are talking. The camera would switch from 2 angles depending on who is talking.
7. Did you observe the 180-degree rule?
· Yes I did.
8. Can you explain the 180-degree rule?
· When filming, you shouldn’t change which side you are filming from, this stops confusion of characters because they will always be in the same place in the frame.
9. What role did you play in the making of the preliminary task? (e.g. filming, acting, editing, equipment organisation etc.)
· I edited the video, I acted and supplied the camera.
10. How would you assess your contribution to the group?
· I think that my contribution to the group was good. I worked well within my group. I helped with some of the camera work showing Billy how to use it correctly.
11. What have you learned from the process of making your preliminary film?
· I have learn that creating a short film isn’t as easy as it looks but I think that I am still able to do it with some practice and experience.

Preliminary - task video