FMP: PRE-PRODUCTION
In-Depth Research Pack
For this section I will be creating my character giving him more depth and more believable and I will also be looking into mental illnesses and picking out the ones I want to give my character. The reason why I'm llresesrching specifically the main character is because the main focus of the story is on him and his twisted mind. This means that there is little to no need to heavily research into any other aspect of this story.
CREATING MY CHARACTER
The Basics
Name: Kenny
Age: 19 years old
Place of Birth: England
Current Location: England
Nationality: British
Education: unknown
Profession: unknown
Income: unknown
Physical Appearance
Blue Eyes
Straight slightly curly hair
Little to no muscle
Glasses
No accessories
Either wears a simple shirt with baggy trousers or a button shirt with a waistcoat
Speech and Communication
He talks formally but stutters a bit
He speaks educated
Controlled, only to make a point
Shifty eye contact
Stutters when nervous
The Past
All that is known is that he may or may not have had an abusive childhood
Relationships
Father: Deceased
Mother: Deceased
No siblings
No children
No friends
No significant other
If he died no one would turn up to his funeral
The Core
Enjoys the weather on rainy days
He is book smart
He is an introvert
He approaches power
Cant handle rejection well
Money does not fuel him. It means nothing to him.
He likes classical music
MENTAL DISORDERS
I wanted to look into the mindset of the main character and to do that I have to research into mental illnesses. I will include the disorders that I believe have potential to give to the character and at the end I will give my final decision and pick the disorders I want to give to my character.
Truman syndrome:
is a type of delusion in which the person believes that their lives are staged reality shows or that they are being watched on cameras.
Sociopathy:
a personality disorder characterized by persistent anti social behaviour, impaired empathy and remorse and bold, disinhibited and egotistical traits.
Schizotypal personality disorder:
personality disorder characterized by thought disorder, paranoia, a characteristic form of social anxiety, derealization, transient psychosis, and unconventional beliefs.
Schizoaffective disorder:
a mental disorder characterized by abnormal thought processes and an unstable mood. The diagnosis is made when the person has symptoms of both schizophrenia and mood disorder - either bipolar disorder or depression.
Sadistic personality disorder:
a personality disorder involving sadomasochism. Enjoy inflicting pain onto others.
Paranoid personality disorder:
a mental illness characterized by paranoid delusions and a persuasive, long standing suspiciousness and generalized mistrust of others. People with this personality disorder may be hypersensitive, easily insulted.
Psychotic disorder:
psychosis is a condition of the mind that results in difficulties determining what is real and what is not real. Symptoms may include delusions and hallucinations. Other symptoms may include incoherent speech and behaviour that is inappropriate for the situation. There may also be sleep problems.
Nightmare disorder:
also known as dream anxiety disorder. Is a sleep disorder characterized by frequent nightmares. The nightmares which often portray the individual in a situation that jeopardizes their life or personality safety.
Neurodevelopmental disorder:
a group of disorders that affect the development of the nervous system, leading to abnormal brain function which may affect emotion, learning ability, self-control and memory. The effects of this tend to last for a person's lifetime.
Narcissistic personality disorder:
a personality disorder characterized by a long term pattern of exam importance, and excessive craving for admiration and struggles with empathy. They spend too much time daydreaming about achieving power and success and the perceived injustice of failing to do so.
Mania:
also known as manic syndrome, is a state of abnormally elevated arousal, affect, and energy level, or "a state of heightened overall activation with enhanced affective expressive together with the lability of affect".
Mixed Episode:
a mixed affective state, formerly known as a mixed-manic or mixed episode, has been defined as a state wherein features unique to both depression and mania - such as episodes of despair doubt, anguish, rage or homicidal ideation, suicidal ideation.
Bipolar disorder:
previously known as manic depression is a mental disorder characterized by periods of depression and periods of abnormally elevated mood that last from days to weeks each.
Borderline personality disorder:
also known as emotionally unstable personality disorder, is a mental illness characterized by a long term pattern of unstable relationships, distorted sense of self, and strong emotional reactions.
Depersonalization disorder:
a mental disorder in which the person has persistent or recurrent feelings of depersonalization or derealization.
Antisocial personality disorder:
a personality disorder characterized by a long term pattern of disregard for or violation of the right of others. A weak or nonexistent conscience is often apparent, as well as a history of legal problems or impulsive and aggressive behaviour.
In the end I decided to go for:
Anti-social Personality Disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder
Bipolar Disorder
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Schizoeffective Disorder
Sociopathy
I chose these because I wanted to focus on personality based disorders than physical based because I wanted the focus of the movie to be on this character and his behaviour and how a person with these disorders can act.
I've discovered this information from "Very Well Mind" a website dedicated to psychology.
"The term psychological disorder is sometimes used to refer to what is more frequently known as mental disorders or psychiatric disorders."
(VeryWellmind, https://www.verywellmind.com/a-list-of-psychological-disorders-2794776)
MURDER WEAPON
When it comes to weapons used to kill people, statistically the most common weapon used to murder people in the UK are knives or anything sharp
I found this at the statista website
"Knives or other sharp objects were involved in 40 percent of homicides in England and Wales in 2019/20"
(Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/288166/homicide-method-of-killing-in-england-and-wales-uk/)
INFAMOUS SERIAL KILLERS
- Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper terrorized London in 1888, killing at least five women and mutilating their bodies in an unusual manner, indicating that the killer had a substantial knowledge of human anatomy. The culprit was never captured—or even identified—and Jack the Ripper remains one of England’s, and the world’s, most infamous criminals.
- Jeffrey Dahmer
Jeffrey Dahmer was an American serial killer who took the lives of 17 males between 1978 and 1991. Over the course of more than 13 years, Dahmer sought out men, mostly African American, at gay bars, malls and bus stops, lured them home with promises of money or sex, and gave them alcohol laced with drugs before strangling them to death. He would then engage in sex acts with the corpses before dismembering them and disposing of them, often keeping their skulls or genitals as souvenirs. He frequently took photos of his victims at various stages of the murder process, so he could recollect each act afterward and relive the experience.
- Harold Shipman
British serial killer Harold Shipman attended Leeds School of Medicine and began working as a physician in 1970. Between then and his arrest in 1998, he killed at least 215 and possibly as many as 260 of his patients, injecting them with lethal doses of painkillers.
- John Wayne Gacy
John Wayne Gacy, (born March 17, 1942, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.—died May 10, 1994, Statesville, Illinois), American serial killer whose murders of 33 boys and young men in the 1970s received international media attention and shocked his suburban Chicago community where he was known for his sociability and his performance as a clown at charitable events and childrens’ parties.
- H.H. Holmes
Herman Webster Mudgett, better known as H.H. Holmes, was a con artist and bigamist who was one of America's first serial killers. Sometimes referred to as the "Beast of Chicago," Holmes is believed to have killed somewhere between 20 and 200 people. He killed many of his victims in a specially constructed home, which was later nicknamed the "Murder Castle." Apprehended in 1894, he was hanged for his crimes two years later.
- Pedro Lopez
Pedro Alonso López, a.k.a. "The Monster of the Andes", is a prolific Colombian pedophilic and ephebophilic and serial killer, serial rapist, stalker, and abductor believed to have murdered over 300 young girls in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. He is considered by many to be one of the world's most prolific serial killers and rapists. To this day, he is presumed to be at large.
- Ted Bundy
Ted Bundy was a 1970s serial murderer, rapist and necrophiliac. He was executed in Florida's electric chair in 1989. His case has since inspired many novels and films about serial killers.
I have discovered these serial killers on the britannica website
"Strictly speaking, a serial killer is someone who murders at least two people in separate events that occur at different times."
(Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/list/7-of-historys-most-notorious-serial-killers)
https://www.history.com/topics/british-history/jack-the-ripper
https://www.biography.com/.amp/crime-figure/jeffrey-dahmer
https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/harold-shipman
https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Wayne-Gacy
https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/hh-holmes
https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Pedro_L%C3%B3pez
https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/ted-bundy
COLOUR SCHEMES
1. Complementary colour scheme
Two colors on opposite sides of the color wheel make a complimentary pair. This is by far the most commonly used pairing.
2. Analogous colour scheme
Analogous colors sit next to each other on the color wheel. They match well and can create a overall harmony in color palette.
3. Triadic colour scheme
Triadic colors are three colors arranged evenly spaced around the color wheel. One should be dominant, the others for accent. They will give a vibrant feel even if the hues are quite unsaturated.
4. Split-complementary colour scheme
A split-complimentary color scheme is really very similar to complimentary colors but instead of using the direct opposite color of the base color, it uses the two colors next to the opposite. It has the same high contrast but less tension than a complimentary pair.
5. Tetradict colour scheme
Tetradic colors consist of four colors arranged into two complementary pairs. The result is a full palette with many possible variations. As with most of these color harmonies, one color is usually dominant.
While researching these I have made a decision that I want to attempt to go for a complementary colour scheme. This is because it's the easiest to understand so I'll be able to successfully use it. Opposite ends of the colour wheel. I want to include this colour scheme to add more subtle meaning to my short film, making the audience notice the colour and lighting and leaving their own interpretation on what the colours mean.
While researching this topic I discovered this information at the cined website
"Being able to use color to create harmony, or tension within a scene, or to bring attention to a key visual theme can be used to spectacular effect."
(Cined, https://www.cined.com/film-color-schemes-cinematic-color-design/)
https://www.oberlo.co.uk/blog/color-combinations-cheat-sheet
https://www.pinterest.com/THartdiva/rectangular-tetradic-color-scheme/
Bibliography
https://www.verywellmind.com/a-list-of-psychological-disorders-2794776
https://www.statista.com/statistics/288166/homicide-method-of-killing-in-england-and-wales-uk/
https://www.britannica.com/list/7-of-historys-most-notorious-serial-killers
https://www.cined.com/film-color-schemes-cinematic-color-design/
https://www.oberlo.co.uk/blog/color-combinations-cheat-sheet
https://www.pinterest.com/THartdiva/rectangular-tetradic-color-scheme/
https://www.history.com/topics/british-history/jack-the-ripper
https://www.biography.com/.amp/crime-figure/jeffrey-dahmer
https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/harold-shipman
https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Wayne-Gacy
https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/hh-holmes
https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Pedro_L%C3%B3pez
https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/ted-bundy
Primary Research
For my primary research I decided to ask people what weapon they would use if they were serial killers and interestingly enough I got different answers from different people in terms of specific weapons and weapon types too e.g. sharp and blunt.
Answer One: Plastic Knives because they are easily disposable and you can sharp them down to be easier to use.
Answer Two: Me personally I would prefer to use my own brute force and beat someone to the point where they become physically crippled/paralysed, or to a bloody pulp and have them bleed out to death.
Answer Three: a hammer, but not like a 🔨 type one, something like a sledgehammer but it is smaller, because the head of the hammer would get stuck in people with the normal shape, but with a more cyclidrical shape it wouldn't get stuck you know?
Answer Four: retractable knife because like all you gotta do is get the knife in your hand ready, retracted, then when you're close to the victim you click the blade out, kill, then retract the blade back in and put it in your pocket, because with a normal knife you either run around with it or put it back in your pocket and risk stabbing yourself, and if you have a cover for said knife it'll take too long to put it back on.
Answer Five: Hmmm...I would like to use a classy knife or blade, but I think I would go with some type of poison that is untraceable.
Answer Six: No joke a pen. Because theres millions in mass production, easy to clean and no one will bat an eyelid for having one in my possession and also if I have to I can melt/burn it to get rid of evidence.
Answer Seven: Icicle that you can stab someone with because if you put it in the sink with hot running water you'd have no evidence.
Overall everyone I have asked has subverted my expectation by using weapons that are untraceable and easy to cover up. From blunt weapons to sharp weapons to even poisen. This has been very interesting to look into. Everyone is thinking about the long run rather than the short term. This is a very intelligent way of thinking especially when it comes to murder.
Storyboard
SCENE IDEAS
Idea 1: Main Character cooks human flesh
Idea 2: Camcorder night vision chase scene
Idea 3: Main Character chokes a victim to death
Idea 4: Main Character kills victim with gas
Idea 5: Main Character introduces himself
Idea 6: Main Character stalks one of his victims
Idea 7: Main Character death scene
Idea 8: Main Character self reflects to the camera
Idea 9: Main Character feeds human flesh to a victim
Idea 10: Main Character gets arrested
CHOSEN SCENES
Scene 1: Idea 5 - 2.5 minutes long
Scene 2: Idea 6 - 1 minute
Scene 3: Idea 4 - 2 minutes
Scene 4: Idea 8 - 2.5 minutes
Scene 5: Idea 2 - 4 minutes
Scene 6: Idea 7 (same concept except it isn't confirmed if he dies) - 3 minutes
The total length of the short film should be roughly 15 minutes long.
STORYBOARD
SCENE 1
For scene 1, the very start of the short film, introduces the main character who we will watch entirely from his perspective. The scene will be of Kenny talking to the camera about himself which starts of innocently until he mentions what he does in his free time. He then talks about his sinister acts that he has committed. The scene slowly getting more uncomfortable to watch. The scene ends with him looking excited to show the viewer what he has planned.
SCENE 2
For scene 2, the main character is in the woods stalking one of his victims (credited as victim #1) this isn't a long scene, it's a fairly basic and quick scene of the main character holding the camera showing the audience a glimpse of what he does. This is also here because victim #1 will be a recurring character later in story.
SCENE 3
In this scene the main character has someone strapped to a chair (this person will be known as victim #2) the main character will say some dialogue then proceed to put on a gas mask then kills the victim with toxic gas.
SCENE 4
In this scene the main character is by himself talking to the camera (audience) this is similar to the opening of the short film except this time its a much darker tone with the character going indepth with why he is the way that he is and how killing makes him feel then proceeds to self reflect about his actions.
SCENE 5
For scene 5, it starts with the main character and victim #1 (from scene 2) captured. The main character then leaves the room for a reason then victim #1 breaks free and grabs the camera for its night vision feature to see in the dark. While the victim is in the dark the main character jumpscares them and chases them. The scene ends with the victim heading torwards a lot room them gets tackled to the ground by the main character. This leads onto the final scene of the film.
SCENE 6
For the final scene I wanted it to feel conclusive while also leaving open ended questions. The camera is on the floor pointing torwards the main character and the victim. They fight and the main character gets a knife to the chest and falls to the floor. The victim them leaves the room and then we get the only shot that isn't from the camcorder. This shit includes a close up of the main characters face then slowly pans out from a birds eye view. Then it will cut to black. This final scene is hugely inspired by the ending of breaking bad. The fate of the main character is unknown. Does he die? Does he survive? Does the victim call the police before leaving? If he survived does he change or stay the same? The fate of the killer is left up to the audience.
Timeline
Scene 1 ~ Scene 2 ~ Scene 1 ~ Scene 2 ~ Scene 1 ~ Scene 3 ~ Scene 1 ~ Scene 3 ~ Scene 4 ~ Scene 5 ~ Scene 4 ~ Scene 5 ~Scene 4 ~ Scene 6
This will most likely be confusing to most people so here is an audio log by me explaining the timeline and how it works.
Script
MOMEMTO MORI SCRIPT
(Scene 1)
Hello everyone, my name is Kenneth and I am 19 years of age. I work minimum wage at a job I despise and I live alone. The most noticeable thing about me from first glance is that, I'm not really a people person. I didn't have many friends growing up and the friends I did have were only temporal. I know that I dont exactly fit in but I dont remember ever doing anything that would give me a bad reputation...well, not in public
(short laughter)
I feel as if I am the opposite end of a magnet, despite me trying so hard to get closer to people it's almost as if they are all constantly moving away...in my free time I go out...sight seeing.
(Cuts to Scene 2)
(Cuts to Scene 1)
The thrill is such a strong rush for me. The feeling of being so close to then with the thought that I could be caught is so exhilarating.
(Cuts to Scene 2)
(Cuts to Scene 1)
So what do I do when I finally catch my prey? Well, why dont I show you?
(Cuts to Scene 3)
Look who's just waking up. He's like one of those fucking lizards from planet earth. Oh that show is so good. Have you ever seen anything about the penguins? Did you know that penguins cant fly, they slide on their flippers, right? Their feathers actually create a trap of air beneath them keeping warm and helping them float, in the water. A fucking, air bubble under them. How crazy. It keeps them warm. They are also the fastest swimming bird ALSO there are 18 documented penguin species...Anyway, we can't have him too energetic now, can we?
(pulls put gas mask)
(Cuts to Scene 1)
I know what your thinking. You might see this as...insane. But I see this as the only way I can truly express myself. I am nothing if not sane.
(Cuts to Scene 3)
Any last words?
(muffled screaming and crying)
Fair enough
(kills the victim)
(Cuts to Scene 4)
I dont know what to do with myself. I am fully self aware of how fucked up I am yet a part of me really enjoys the shit that I do. It makes me feel, strange, like, am I supposed to feel remorse to hurting people I've never had a connection with? My brain is telling me that I should be feeling bad...but I dont. I dont care. Does that make me a bad person?
(Cuts to Scene 5)
Hello everybody, welcome back. Today we have...err
...whatever his name is, slipped my mind. We are going to have some fun. A little something called, the wheel of fortune, except there is no wheel...and there is no fortune. Now our buddy has been asleep for some time now. Imagine waking up to this shit
(short laughter)
(spits water at the guy)
Wake up. It's time. Oh, it appears that I have forgotten the secret ingredient for this...session. oh well, not to worry. I'll be right back. Give me a minute.
(Leaves room)
(Vicitm breaks out of chair)
(Cuts to Scene 4)
Sometimes it gets dark at night. Not just in my room but in my head too. The thoughts spill in like tap water in a cup, they overflow, leaving me with nothing but everything I hate about myself and the world as a whole. I always thought that i do the things that i do because it was the only way i can express myself but i realised, it's to feed the abyss inside of me.
(Cuts to Scene 5)
(Vicitm takes camera and uses night vision)
(Victim gets caught by the main character)
(They get in a chase)
(Scene ends with the main character tackling the victim to the floor, knocking the camera out of his hands)
(Cuts to Scene 4)
No matter what I do, I will never escape the feeling of being alone. I have no one to talk to. That's why I have you. I thought this whole camera thing would fix the whole being alone thing. But it hasn't. At the end of the day, if I were to die. No one would know. Now I would never kill myself because they say that suicide doesnt stop the pain but passes is down to someone else. But, if you truly had no one else, that wouldn't be the case. You know?
(Cuts to scene 6)
(The two characters fight on screen)
(The main character gets an injury and is brought to the ground to slowly bleed out)
(Final shot: zooming out the main characters face)
THE END
Equipment List
EQUIPMENT:
-Camera/Phone
-Chair
-Outfits
-Gas Mask
-Deodorant Can
Budget
Gas: I'm going to use a deodorant can and include the gas effect in post production during editing
Gas Mask: my friend already owns this and has given me permission to use it
Outfits: I already own the clothes I am planning to use
Chair: I already own the chairs I am planning to use
Camera/Phone: I already own and am planning to use
Contributor Release Forms
Contribute Release Forms:
Daniel Jamieson: 19000596@student.buckscollegegroup.ac.uk
Marco De Grave: marco@degrave.co.uk
Calum Airs: c.airs@hotmail.com
Risk Assessment
RISK ASSESSMENT
My Bedroom
Hazards:
-Trip Hazard
Prevent Risk:
-Be aware of the space
Forrest
Hazards:
-Stranger Danger
-The environment is easy to fall over and hurt yourself
Prevent Risk:
-Record with the actors so I'm not alone which reduces the chance of stranger danger activities
-Scout a safe slope so it reduces the chance of anyone falling over and hurting themselves.
Location Clearance
Scene 1: Will be recorded in my room.
Scene 2: Will be recorded in the forest I live next to.
Scene 3: Will be recorded in the forest I live next to.
Scene 4: Will be recorded in my room.
Scene 5: Will be recorded in the forest I live next to.
Scene 6: Will be recorded in the forest I live next to.