Production Team Members' Short Film Idea Pitches

On the very first day back, we had to pitch our short film ideas to Mr Hood and the class. We were marked and peer-assessed on:

• How realistic the idea was, such as if it was practical and 'doable' in our positions and if it would fit into a five minute film short.

• How creative it was and how original the idea was. Common film ideas aren't appealing.

• How well the student pitched the film to the class. A better pitch makes the film more appealing.

Seven Deadly Sins - Deanna

        Deanna's film short idea was based around the seven deadly sins, as the title suggests. It was about a Christian man who is being corrupted throughout the short by the seven deadly sins. The first to show was Greed, then Envy, then Lust, then Gluttony, then Sloth and then Wrath. After these, the final Deadly Sin appeared; Pride. Pride turned into the Devil at the end.
        The feedback Deanna received for her film was mostly positive. The story couldn't be faulted, just the fact that the film was rather a long-shot, and seemed almost impossible to carry out at our stage and the resources we have available. It was said that the film was very interesting and had an intricate plot, but was, of course, simply too difficult to create at A2 level and would exceed the five minute limit by a long way. Although the pitch was delivered nicely with a great level of confidence, Deanna often rushes and speaks fast when pitching, which can cause her to stumble over sentences.

Mystery - Cameron (me)

        My film was a murder mystery. It was about a boy who leaves a girl's house, and on the way home, gets involved with a couple of other males and somebody ends up dead. Out of these males, the killer is eventually revealed, through interrogations and the questioning of witnesses.
        The positive feedback I had was that my overall idea seemed interesting to them. But, they all said that a motive is needed for the killer to murder someone, and I hadn't got a motive. Also, there isn't really a motto to the story. But, one of my peers suggested it's a 'don't judge a book by its cover' kind of thing, and not to assume what someone may be like just going off what they look like and what they're wearing. Also, the issue of it fitting into the five minute time arose, and also the difficulties I'd face to get police officers' uniforms and cars in there, as well as setting up a realistic murder scene without arousing suspicion and worrying the neighbours.

The Silver Lining - Daniel

        Daniel's film short idea was about a boy who falls off his bike and ends up in a coma. After this, the boy has an out-of-body experience where hen walks around but nobody can see him. Also, something that happens to his actual body affects him, like a light shining into the eyes of his body would make his vision go white.
        The biggest problem is the accident. Getting someone to fall off a bike safely without causing injury to him or damage to the bike would be... difficult. It would ba really effective and very interesting if he could pull it off, but it is too much of a challenge to make it safe and realistic.

Break - Charlotte

        Charlotte's film 'Break' had elements of comedy within it. It is about a man who is always pushed around by his wife, parents and work boss. One day he breaks and starts to act like a kid throwing tantrums.
       The idea seemed pretty well-revised, and has the potential to be both funny and practical. However, it may have too much of a deep storyline to fit into five minutes without being rushed. The pitch was delivered well, although a presentation would've been nice.