I'm currently writing a short film, and I thought it would be helpful for me to gather my thoughts on it by writing a sort of pitch. I'm posting it here for my own future reference, and because I thought it might be interesting.
Private Investigations (title pending) is a short film that focuses on Mae and Lizzy, a young romantic couple who are also a private detective team with a growing reputation. As their relationship is starting to crack with neither of them willing to see it, they take on one more case. The case is an inheritance dispute within an aristocratic family after the passing of Lord Barton, who left an ancient family heirloom to someone in his will without making it clear exactly who he was referring to. After the reading of the will, this heirloom was pronounced missing, hence the Dowager Lady Barton's calling for Fielding & Wellbrooke (afraid of the publicity that involving the police or legal action would bring.) The case is not the focus of the film, the relationship between Mae and Lizzy is, but the case is important for the structure of the story and as a site of conflict, and the solution may be thematically relevant. Despite the rather sombre subject (heartbreak), there are moments of comedy and lightheartedness from Mae and Lizzy's friends and particularly the individuals they meet during the case. Up until a crucial moment three-quarters of the way through, the focus will be equally on both Mae and Lizzy, separately and together, but after that point it will belong primarily to Lizzy, with Mae reduced to a supporting character. It's a story about love, heartbreak, failure and loneliness, but also about empathy and coexistence. Characters Lizzy Fielding: Loud, confident, determined. Fiercely optimistic. Socially oriented- does not function well on her own. Led by emotion and instinct. A bit of a show off; likes to express herself in a dramatic stream-of-consciousness way. 'Scattered' is a nice way of putting her attitude to organisation. Mae Wellbrooke: Reserved in comparison to Lizzy. Realistic, rational, systematic. Kind and thoughtful, but prone to overthinking. Likes to be completely sure of herself before expressing her thoughts. Intuitive in a different way to Lizzy. Uses humour to deflect conversations. The Dowager Lady Barton: Lord Barton's widow. Treats Mae and Lizzy with incredible snobbery. Generally apathetic. Matthew Guilder: Lady Barton's nephew. Has been staying with the family since the news of his uncle's death. Sensitive and thoughtful, if a trifle unintelligent. Has a connection with Mae. Detective Grayson: Middle-aged, serious. Doesn't want to deal with the young and lucky 'pretend detectives'. Seen during a press conference for the last case the couple solved. Billy: Friend to both Mae and Lizzy, but Lizzy's best friend. Tall, assertive, supportive.
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Back in my post in June about Deciding on the Right Format, I mentioned that I was working on a story that in its planning stages had been everything from a novel to a TV miniseries to a film to a short story. This is a version of that story that has ended up being a) sort of none of the above and b) having some slightly different story details to how I originally planned it. I suppose it's sort of a short story, but the form it's settled in is a dramatic monologue. Warning: I haven't really written anything like this before, so I won't make high claims about its quality! I just thought I'd share it here as a record to my future self, and to encourage myself to write more short-form stories. I won't introduce it too much in fear of spoilers, but the monologue is spoken by an eighteen year old girl named Louise Burton in a police station. Another warning: there are a few swear words here.
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"After nourishment, shelter, and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world."- Philip Pullman Archives
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