PRE-PPRODUCTION: Series Inspiration and Research

When devising the story for the series, I looked at some existing Netflix series to give me some inspiration for the plot and for character development in particular. When initially deriving the plot and themes for the production, I thought about some series in the Thriller/Crime genre and looked at what they did in particular to find any emerging patterns.
After having a tutorial with Simon regarding my character development, he suggested I looked at Breaking Bad and the character of Walter White. Walter White has a very particular back story that leads him to make certain decisions throughout the series, that he wouldn't be able to make without his past experiences. This was a huge inspiration for the character of Vivian as I wanted to make her as 3D and as relatable as possible. It became a point of interest of mine to write a background for her that would affect her motives and decisions later on in the series.  Breaking Bad was an inspiration for my story structure also as I have been writing the plot outcomes with a similar break down of events, to ensure that it has all of the necessary requirements for good storytelling, which is vital for a television series.
As well as Breaking Bad, I have been looking at Stranger Things, which is a Netflix Original Series. Initially I thought about the character of Joyce who is portrayed by Winona Ryder in the series as a strong mother figure. In the first series, her son Will, mysteriously goes missing and the other neighbours put their minds together to find him, and defeat the paranormal threat that haunts the town. Not only did I find this series as a thriller to be incredibly engaging and enthralling but I think the characters are very strong and relatable, even in the remarkable and very unrealistic setting.

As a child is abducted in my production, I will be looking back at Stranger Things more closely for the episodes synopsis to access how they have handled the character of Joyce and her actions after losing her son. This will be important for my production to ensure that I am taking the right approach. Not only were the characters and plot, points of influence, I was also intrigued by the branding and graphic imagery for this series. The colour palette is relatively dark but with some colour accents of red and blue which look almost animated. I think that the font and title branding itself is very well suited to the series which is set in the 70's, and almost looks like its from an old horror film. However, other design elements have brought out the paranormal, Science Fiction genre of the series to achieve something really unique and fitting, that is different to other series of a similar nature.
In terms of the inspiration for the book, I want to write about both of these series as I have found both of them to be important influences for my creative processes and decisions so far. I have not yet thought about my branding and title font too much but have some ideas in mind, after looking at the font for Stranger Things.

PRE-PRODUCTION: Character Profiles & Development (Continued)

Other characters in the series will include Detective Daniel Reed who investigates the case first hand, town local Francesca Sayers who is the neighbourhood tyrant, and the Adams Family who are Elise' adoptive parents. These will all be supporting characters in the series and have connections to the main character Vivian in some way or another.

Detective Daniel Reed

Daniel Reed is 47 years of age and a Detective who works for the Greenville Police Department. He is also a local to the neighbourhood and lives within walking distance from Vivian and the other locals. He is very friendly and polite, and a town favourite. The locals will greet him every morning before he goes to work. However, he lives alone and does not have a romantic partner or any children. His personal life took an unfortunate turn 5 years ago when his long term girlfriend suddenly left the house they shared together in Greenville, calling him career obsessed. He is patient in nature and well qualified for his job, having working in the industry for the past 10 years. 

During the investigation he sympathises with Vivian having known her for several years, even when she begins acting irrationally. 

He later declines her pleas like everyone else until she turn in some evidence for him to investigate.

Physical Appearance/Attributes

• 47 years
• Tall
• Medium build
• Dark blonde hair
• Light blue eyes
• Attractive features
• Winning smile
• Well presented

Personality Traits

• Kind
• Caring
• Compassionate
• Empathetic
• Intelligent
• Driven
• Hard working 
• Confident
• Independent

Francesca Sayers

Francesca Sayers is 64 years of age and works as a very religious Church hand in the neighbourhood. She lives alone in the chalet house directly across the road from Vivian and is unmarried. Out of all of the locals, she is the nosiest and is known as the neighbourhood tyrant, who spies on all of the locals and then gossips about them to the elderly members of the Church. When Elise goes missing, Francesca becomes very interested in Vivian and the strange goings on, looking through her windows and roaming the streets late into the evening. She is very lonely and desperately looks for any drama or gossip to take part in and manipulate. 

Physical Appearance/Attributes

• 64 years
• Tall
• Slender
• Mousey brown hair with grey strands 
• Dark brown eyes
• Wears charity shop clothing

Personality Traits

• Confident
• Clever
• Manipulative
• Over bearing
• Opinionated
• Sly
• Mischievous 

Hazel & Peter Adams

Hazel is 62 years of age and Peter is 64 years of age. They are a married couple and the adoptive parents of Elise. They are both intelligent and hard working people who agree on most and live very organised lives. They live in the nicer part of town in a larger house with three bedrooms. It is decorated with expensive furniture and beautiful modern decor, everything has its place and order. 

Hazel is kind, caring and protective of her daughter. She works as an Administrator at a local Primary School and is very family orientated. Whereas, Peter is very work orientated. He works as a Lawyer and commutes to Indiana every day. They decided to move to the rural town of Greenville to school Elise somewhere quieter, away from the big city. 

Hazel wears very expensive, designer clothing and has immaculate hair and makeup at all times. Peter is nearly always dressed in smart suits as he works long hours and gets home very late in the evenings. 

Hazel - Physical Appearance/Attributes

• Tall
• Slender
• Blonde haired
• Brown eyes
• Looks well for her age
• Well dressed 

Peter - Physical Appearance/Attributes

• Short
• Medium build
• Brown hair
• Blue eyes
• Always dressed in suits
• Has a different tie for every day of the week

Hazel - Personality Traits

• Kind
• Caring 
• Protective
• Motherly
• Intelligent
• Sensible
• Organised
• Hard working
• Family Orientated

Peter - Personality Traits

• Intelligent 
• Protective
• Hard working
• Driven
• Determined
• Organised

PRE-PRODUCTION: Main Character Development and Profiles

In order to write a good story for the Pre-Production unit, I wanted to focus on the characters in particular. Strong, leading characters with emphasis on their appearance, who they are, their past, present and future aspirations are all elements to look at and consider when creating a sustainable character. Understanding who your main characters are is incredibly important to be able to write the events surrounding them and build a good story structure. This is because their decisions and actions need to work in relation to what is going on around them so that the audience are able to see why that happened to them and what the repercussions may be as a result. It is also important to know who they are so you can write about the relationships they have with other characters and how they will interact with them throughout the story. I tried to think about all of these aspects when creating characters for an original drama so I could give the characters a past back story which would give me some storytelling decisions to make without just making loose decisions for the sake of it.

Title Character: Vivian Nicholls - Mother 

The character I want to focus on in particular is the main character - the mother. She is the title character of the series and her role as a mother in particular has prominence throughout the story and gives her the drive to make the choices she does. Her back story is a broken family, her parents separated and her mother left, leaving her with a father who is an unreliable character and only involves himself when he really needs to. She has had no strong maternal character in her life, which led me to decide that this gives her the drive and determination to be a strong mother to her daughters, and want to do anything in her power to protect and provide for them. This is the theme I want to carry across the story and be prominent throughout.

Physical Appearance/Attributes

• 24 years
• Tall
• Slender
• Dark Brown eyes
• Dark, straight hair
• Simple clothing - basic colours and prints 
• Minimal make up and hairstyling 

Personality Traits

• Intelligent
• Independent
• Caring
• Protective
• Strong Minded
• Ambitious 
• Driven
• Hard Working

When we join her at the beginning of the story she is a young mother of 24 years of age, who is working as a Waitress at a local cafe/diner in the neighbourhood. She lives with her twin daughters in a small chalet house in the rural town of Greenville. Vivian struggles to balance the important aspects in her life, meaning that she is often distracted at work as she works to provide for her daughters.

She is passionate and caring towards her twin daughters, desperate to fulfil her role as a good mother and and be the mother that she never had. 

She had the intention of going to University to build and have a strong and successful career, however falling pregnant accidentally at the age of 19 and splitting from their Father scuppered her plans for further education and career prospects. 

The story should follow her life and the events that surround it. Other characters all have relations to her at some point in the story. 

As I wanted her to be the main character, it is very important that the audience understand who she is and why she makes the choices she does, watching her grow throughout the series.

Thomas Peyton - Father 

Thomas Peyton is a main character and Father to Vivian's young twin daughters. He is 28 years of age. Unlike Vivian, his upbringing and childhood were very pleasant and living, living with his parents and two younger sisters, who he is very close to, remaining to have strong bonds with all of his family. His happy background and strong family unit has always given him the desire to have his own family. Although he and Vivian have separated and he wasn't able to keep his family all together, he keeps a friendly, civilised relationship with her and remains a significant part of his daughter’s lives.

He works full time as a Solicitor in Downtown Greenville. I wanted him to have a relatively high profile job to reflect his head working nature and drive for success.  He is also very hard working and organised, which is reflected in his well presented appearance ad clothing choices. 

Physical Appearance/Attributes

• 28 years
• Tall
• Medium Build
• Light Blue eyes
• Brown hair
• Dresses in simple clothing, wearing clean, smart suits for work
• Organised and well presented

Personality Traits

• Friendly
• Patient
• Calm
• Independent
• Confident
• Strong Minded
• Protective

Throughout the series, Thomas acts a supporting character for Vivian and attempts to resolve the issues and keep the family together. When Elise is abducted, he keeps a level head and thinks about the investigation in a more logical, calm manner than Vivian does. Vivian becomes obsessed by the investigation, whereas Thomas decides to focus on their other daughter - Sarah who is also distressed from the loss of her sister. His independent nature and strong minded characteristics present themselves during this stage, as he tries to be a Father with the best interests in mind for his daughters. 

Sarah and Elise Nicholls - Twins 

Vivian and Thomas have twin daughters of 5 years of age. They are both good natured, with sweet innocent personalities. They are also very bright and aware of their surroundings. They are closest to their mother as they live with her and maintain a good relationship with her. However, they are also close to and fond of their father who makes an effort to spend time with them whenever he can. They also both keep a good relationship with Vivian's neighbour Jill who is their babysitter when Vivian goes to work. She is very patient and kind to them so they are very trusting and fond of her. 

Physical Appearance/Attributes 

• 5 years, later 11 years
• Small for their age
• Blonde, curly haired
• Light Blue eyes 
• Small, delicate facial features
• Simple clothing, often in mismatched prints and colours

Personality Traits 

• Sweet natured
• Supportive of each other
• Kind
• Independent
• Intelligent 
• Close to parents

Jill Brown - Neighbour

Jill Brown is 62 years of age and a retired Nurse who lives in the neighbourhood next to Vivian with her husband Gregory. She is also a good friend of Vivian's and babysits the twins when Vivian goes to work. She has always wanted to have children herself but was unable to. Therefore, she very much enjoys spending the afternoon with the twins, pandering to their every need. I wanted her to be a prominent mother figure in the series, portraying the overly sweet and caring figure that would do anything for anyone. 

As a good friend to Vivian, she attempts to support her after the abduction and during the investigation by taking care of Sarah and being there for her for advice and reassurance. However, when Vivian begins to shut everyone out, she eventually gives in and keeps out of Vivian's way. 

Physical Appearance/Attributes

• Tall
• Slender
• Brown eyes
• Blonde, dyed hair
• Simple but refined make up
• Expensive clothing
• Well put together appearance

Personality Traits 

• Kind
• Caring
• Calm
• Protective
• Good Natured
• Laid Back

Gregory Brown - Neighbour

Gregory Brown is 60 years old and a self employed, career obsessed Gardener. He lives with and is the husband of Jill, but is often not at home as he works long hours. Unlike, Jill he is very outspoken and short tempered. He doesn't have much of an opinion of Vivian and her daughters but tolerates having them in the house if he is around, as he knows it makes Jill happy. He is a very disapproving man that has an opinion on everything. His opinions are respected by Jill who doesn't like to cause arguments, however, she always disagrees with his sharp and rude remarks. 

Physical Appearance/Attributes

• Tall
• Large Build
• Grey hair
• Dark brown eyes
• Rugged beard
• Signature moustache

Personality Traits

• Intelligent 
• Independent
• Blunt
• Short tempered
• Dark sense of humour
• Opinionated

Here I have outlined some of the main characters that I have written for the series so far. I am very pleased with the descriptions of the leading characters Vivian and Thomas as I think that I understand who they are and their motives throughout the series. I also think that the audience will empathise with them and root for them as the protagonists. The other characters including Jill and Gregory have supporting roles but should feature prominently in the synopsis due to being Vivian's neighbours and friends. The twins are very young, so although they are very important roles in the production, they do not have much of a back story yet. However, they have likeable personalities which is important I felt for the audience to feel empathy for Sarah in particular. 

WORKSHOP: Masterclass with Andrea Kapos & Project Feedback

Today we had a masterclass with Andrea Kapos, who is a Freelance Director who works predominately in Advertising. She also works as Director for 'Dark Energy Films' which is a commercial production company. During the lecture with her, she gave us insight into her personal experience of working in the Television Industry as a Director in particular. In working in advertising, she generally works with real people rather than actors and shoots interviews or montage sequences for companies like Tesco or children's television channel 'CBeebies'. However, this niche is very specific. This was very interesting as she talked about her experiences working with children, in relation to the challenges this can pose. For example, she told us that it can often be challenging to get the children engaged in the filming, and to combat this she makes sure she is always asking them questions and approaching them in a friendly, calm manner rather than making them feel as if they must perform to the camera. For her work, this is very important as she wants to get real reactions and responses from them as we are seeing them play themselves so it must come across as natural as if the camera wasn't there at all.

Dark Energy Films

As a Director, being able to communicate well with Contributors is very important as they need to understand what they should be doing and should feel guided and comfortable throughout. For Andrea, communication is incredibly important when working with children because she has to give them support throughout otherwise they are likely to get upset and not want to contribute.

Andrea also talked about her relationship with a freelance Cinematographer who she often works with on projects. Talking about how important it is to have a good understanding of what she wants to achieve visually and communicating this well to a Camera Operator, which Andrea said is key to achieving the best results. She also said that her and her Camera Operator have an understanding where he is able to shoot something without her say so if he thinks that it has potential to work for the production. For example when working with children in a real setting they're unlikely to switch off when the Director says 'Cut'. Therefore, if he sees something with potential, he will capture it.

I found the masterclass with Andrea very informative, and learnt lots of tips and advice for working freelance or just generally in the Television industry.
For the second part of the masterclass we were given an opportunity to have a tutorial with Andrea and communicate our ideas for this project to her to gain some constructive feedback. I found this to be a very useful process as she gave me some references to look at for inspiration. Andrea told me she found the premise of the idea very interesting and creative, with plenty of room for exploration. This filled me with confidence as I have found the early stages of development very challenging thus far and was unsure about some elements in my story. I also felt like I had hit a bit of a brick wall with it and felt as though I wasn't being creative enough. However, Andrea reassured me that I was making some innovative decisions.
She also advised me in terms of where to take my story and how best to structure it, suggesting that I change the way in which the child is abducted to make it more realistic and iron out any holes in the plot.
We also spoke about potential casting options and she gave me some suggestions for some of the characters that I have looked into. Generally, I found her feedback very inspiring and think that I can apply her advice and make some positive changes to this project

PRE-PRODUCTION: Proposed Package Contents and Presentation (Book)

For the Pre-Production unit, which I will be working on until mid December, we must present all of the Pre-Production elements for our original productions in either a book format or a website. However, the presentation is taken into account and marked on so it must be presented clearly and concisely. I have chosen to complete a book to document my final ideas and concept. I made this decision because I think that this will look very professional and visually pleasing.  It will also make for a clear and presentable layout that will be easy to read and when it is marked, it will be clear what my thought processes were. I have looked at some of the books from previous years and seen that they have had some really great results, therefore I think this will be a good decision in terms of the presentation. I have already decided that I would like to use glossy or shiny looking paper for the book (something like Gloss 150gsm) to get a really good finish that will give the visuals and imagery the best pay off.

In terms of the package contents which is what will be going into the book, I have thought carefully about what I think needs to be included and what else I would like to include. I have decided to not write a script, and just include detailed synopses of each episode as I have chosen to make an opening title sequence. When speaking to Simon about the package contents, he agreed that trying to write a script also wouldn't be wise for the time frame in which to complete all of the elements and have them ready for printing. Therefore my package contents will be as follows:

• Idea/Overview - This will include a very short summary of what the original production is and what it is about. In the overview, I will include some more detail about the history and background of the idea.

• Tagline/Pitch - The tagline is a couple of sentences which briefly tell the audience what the story is about, it should be punchy and leave the audience with intrigue. 
• Inspiration/Influences - This will talk about what influenced me to write this particular story and what lead me to make certain decisions regarding characters, plot, locations and so on. Generally this will include other series as my biggest influences, but also characters from films. 

• Episodes Synopsis - These will be detailed synopses of each episode, including every event that would be seen on screen. There should be clear character development, and an obvious structure with a beginning, middle and end. 

• Character Profiles - The character profiles will be very detailed, so that the audience will know the back story and motives of each character in the series. This should allow the audience to feel like they know the characters and will understand their involvement in the story. 

• Casting/Crew - Here I will have chosen the cast for all of the main characters and the crew that I would like to work on the production. This will be based on detailed research and clear decision making to ensure that the most suitable people are chosen for each role. 

• Locations - The locations will be visual impressions only. As I am not able to go to the US and undertake primary research for the locations, I will be finding these online and will just give the audience a feel for the exact locations. 

• Broadcasting Channel - This is important because the channel I choose to broadcast the series will need to be suitable for the audience and the series content itself. The themes, genre and visuals will also need to be taken into account when choosing the Broadcasting Channel.

• Schedule - This will be decided by looking at the schedule of the channel in particular and finding the right time and dates suitable.

• Visual Style - This will include the lighting and colouring choices for the series that should give it its own unique selling point and recognisable feel. 

• Branding - The Branding will include the colour palette and style bible in terms of the fonts and posters. This will look consistent throughout the book and in the title card of the opening titles.

• Advertising - For the advertising, I will be using photoshop to create some prototypes of the posters on a large scale. For example, what the branding will look like advertised on a billboard or on the television guide.

• Opening Titles - For the opening titles, I will carefully map out suitable imagery for the production to film and edit the footage together, in keeping with the visual style I have chosen. This should give the audience a feel for how the series would look visually. I will document this in the book as stills from the titles. 

I am very happy with the choices I have made in regards to the package contents. I think that it should be challenging to include all of the elements and work on them in enough detail within the time frame. However, I think it is definitely achievable and will demonstrate many effective skills including creative writing, research skills and use of photoshop to create graphics. The final choices will make up the material that is documented in the book, where I will be talking about the production in professional language as if I were pitching it, However, in my blog, I will be addressing the processes I have undertaken, using it as a tool for documenting my personal development and addressing my successes and challenges.   

PRE-PRODUCTION: Story Structure Research & Development

In order to develop the story for the Television series I am devising, I researched how to structure the main points of a story and develop on the characters and events that will take place. I felt like this would be an important process to be able to write a story with depth and fluidity, with interesting characters and themes that would sustain a television series and be suitable for commissioning. Although, this concept will not be pitched to a commissioner, I intend on writing it as if it were.

When working on the story development in the early stages, Simon advised me to come up with a few themes that the story would be about rather than coming up with a structure of events that would happen. I had decided that the story was about parenthood/motherhood and a family unit but also about sacrifice and loss. Keeping these themes in mind throughout is what will enable me to make some important plot decisions later on in the writing process.

The next step was to think about who my characters are- in particular the main character Vivian. As the story is essentially about her more so than any of the other characters, it is very important that I fully understand who she is and what her past experiences are. This will allow me to make decisions on her behalf, taking into account what I know about her. To gain some instruction on how to move my story forward I conducted some research regarding structure and storytelling

I found an article entitled 'How to structure a story: The 8 point arc' stated by Nigel Watts in his book 'Writing a novel and getting published'. He describes the arc as a "fool proof, fail safe and time honoured way to structure a story". The 8 points are

1. Stasis

This is the “every day life” in which the story is set. Some examples include Jack from Jack in the Beanstalk living in poverty with his mum, or Harry Potter living with the Dursley’s. In terms of my story, I imagine Vivian living in a run-down house and supporting her children with a very low paid job.  

2. Trigger

The trigger is an event that will spark off the story. For example: A fairy godmother appears or someone pays in magic beans not gold. I have decided that I want one of the twins to be abducted which will be the turning point for Vivian. 

3. The Quest

The trigger results in a quest which might involve a quest to return to the status quo. The quest for Vivian would be to find her daughter. 

3. Surprise

This stage involves not one but several elements, and takes up most of the middle part of the story. The Surprise can include pleasant events, but more often means obstacles, complications and trouble for the protagonist. Some surprises for Vivian would include the Police finding evidence regarding the investigation or her meeting the new mysterious little girl in the neighbourhood. 

Watts suggests in his book that the surprises shouldn't be expected, the audience shouldn't be able to see them coming.

4. Critical Choice 

At some stage, your protagonist needs to make a crucial decision. This is often when we find out exactly who a character is, as real personalities are revealed at moments of high stress. Watts stresses that this has to be a decision by the character to take a particular path – not just something that happens by chance.

However, in tragic stories the unhappy ending often stems from a character making the wrong choice at this point – For example: Romeo poisoning himself upon seeing Juliet supposedly dead.

I think a critical choice for Vivian would be choosing the investigation over the rest of her family, driving them away from her.

5. Climax

This is the highest peak of tension, in the story. 

For some stories, this could be a battle commencing, or a high-speed chase. In other stories, the climax could be a huge argument between a husband and wife, or a playground fight between children. In terms of this series, the climax could either be Vivian suspecting the mysterious little girl is Elise or obtaining a sample and having it tested, with a determined result, that she can act on.

6. Reversal

The reversal should be the consequence of the critical choice and the climax, and it should change the status of the characters – especially the protagonist. Vivian's choice would be to act on the test results, and act destructively. However, I am yet to decide what this would be. 

7. The Resolution

The resolution is a return to a fresh stasis – one where the characters should be changed, and the story being told is complete. In terms of my story, I have not determined the ending or what I would like to happen to the protagonist so this is something I intend on working with, experimenting with different endings and finding the most resolved one. Initially, I wanted the Mother to be institutionalised for her actions. However, I am insure yet as to whether I would like the protagonist to have a tragic ending as opposed to a happy one. 

I found this article really helpful for bullet pointing some of the events of the story that I have devised thus far. I know roughly what I would like the beginning to look like, the triggering event and some of the final outcomes. However, I need to work more closely into the ending. 

PRE-PRODUCTION: Research - Framing Murder: An Understanding

The act of Murder itself can be defined as:

'The unlawful pre-medicated killing of one human being by another' 

Most societies consider murder to be an incredibly serious crime which should receive harsh punishments, such as a long term prison sentence, potentially a life sentence, and in some societies such as the US, the death penalty may be imposed.
Although, for the purpose of this project I will not be writing about real life murder of an individual or even the murder of a character, I will be exploring the concept of framed murder of a young child. Therefore I wanted to research this topic to be able to write about it and represent it in a way that would justify the inclusion of it.

According to the English common law, murder is defined as a 'public wrong' and viewed generally with negative connotations through the eyes of society. By applying this concept to this project, I intend to ensure that the use of framing a murder is done with good reason for the purpose of telling the story and not used lightly.

I have found the elements of common law murder which can be defined as:

• The Unlawful - This included killings that are done within the boundaries of the law such as capital punishment or self defence. 

• Killing  - This is the total and irreversible cessation of blood circulation and respiration. 

• Criminal Act or Omission - Killing can be committed by an act or an omission (which is the failure to act)

• Of a human by another human - The person must have been killed by another person, excluding suicide. 

• With 'Malice Aforethought' - My understanding is that it must be deliberate and with premeditation that would require a certain amount of time to pass between the formation and execution with intent to kill.

After looking at the ideas of documenting murder or the framing of murder for use in this production, I feel more confident with the knowledge I have gained. Although, it won't be a central theme to the story, it will still be featured. I wanted to explore and research some background information surrounding it so that in documenting it, I can handle such a strong theme and occurrence. This is important to be able to depict the effects of such an event on the characters in the story and reflect this in a realistic manner.