Movie Pitch:
An elder man revisits a prison from his past where he spent most of his life and reminisces on the times he had there. Our opening will be similar to the Titanic movie, where in his flashback he’ll remember the people he met, lessons he learned, and how he escaped the prison to return to his family.
Outline:
The opening will begin with a prison and a man walking through an old building with a voice over. He walks to his old jail cell, along with a transition to a flashback. The man is sitting in the cell while the guard opens the door to introduce a new cell mate. They start talking about how they got there, their personal life, how he has been there for fifteen years, etc. The men start talking about escaping, at first as a joke, but then seriously. The opening will show a series of attempts at breaking out, with troubles with the guards and other prisoners. They finally make it out of the cell after five years of trying, returning to family in the end. This ends with going back to the current time with the old man.
Camera Techniques: Establishing Shot
Editing: Fade in
Sound: Birds Chirping
Mise en Scene: Shows location
Description of Shot: Shows prison from outside
Explanation of Choices: Helps in introducing setting
Camera Techniques: Wide Shot; Steadicam
Editing: Cut
Sound:
Mise en Scene: Inside Church
Description of Shot: Moving around through church with things all on the floor
Explanation of Choices: Further shows abandoned, adds color with music
Camera Techniques: Tracking
Editing: Cut
Sound:
Mise en Scene: Empty Sells
Description of Shot: Showing abandoned prison
Explanation of Choices: Allows viewer to tell no one is there
Camera Techniques: High angle-pan
Editing: Cut
Sound:
Mise en Scene: Inside 2nd level of cells
Description of Shot: Moving along with shot of cells
Explanation of Choices: Shows the levels/big prison
Camera Techniques: Dolly; Two Shot
Editing: Cut
Sound: Birds still chirping dialogue
Mise en Scene: Buildings ran down, broken side walk
Description of Shot: Following them walking through prison
Explanation of Choices: Allows viewer to see them walking and what they’re doing
Camera Techniques: High Angle/aerial
Editing: Cut
Sound:
Mise en Scene:
Description of Shot: In watch tower to make the prison look big
Explanation of Choices: Allows viewer to see
Camera Techniques: Wide Shot; Slow dolly backwards
Editing:
Sound: “It’s been 20 years since i’ve stepped foot on their prison”
Mise en Scene:
Description of Shot: Taking in 1st time back
Explanation of Choices: Allows to see how it stops him in his tracks to be there
Camera Techniques: Over-the-Shoulder
Editing: Cut
Sound: “You okay Grandpa? We don’t have to keep going” Dialogue
Mise en Scene: Grey hair = Old
Description of Shot: Kid worried if grandpa is capable of returning to past
Explanation of Choices: Shows concern by using over the shoulder
Camera Techniques: Medium
Editing: Cut
Sound:Dialogue “I’m fine son let’s continue”
Mise en Scene:
Description of Shot: Puts hand on shoulder to push kid on, showing it’s okay
Explanation of Choices: Allows viewer to see he wants to do this for his grandson
Camera Techniques: Wide shot
Editing: Cut
Sound: “You see the building over there? That’s where I spent my 20 years
Mise en Scene:
Description of Shot: Shows man pointing in the distance
Explanation of Choices: Building up to eye line match
Camera Techniques: Wide Shot
Editing: Eye line match
Sound:
Mise en Scene: Has title on building
Description of Shot: Further explains shot #10
Explanation of Choices: Shows where he lived
Camera Techniques: Close Up
Editing:
Sound:
Mise en Scene: Warning sign
Description of Shot: Showing sign outside his building
Explanation of Choices: Sets mood in giving the prison a bad feeling
Camera Techniques: Symmetry
Editing:
Sound: Dialogue “I promise we weren’t all that dangerous”
Mise en Scene:
Description of Shot: Reassures kid that he’s okay
Explanation of Choices: Easing kid’s worries from dangerous sign
Camera Techniques: Wide
Editing:
Sound: Dialogue “Grandpa what were you in for?”
Mise en Scene: A door
Description of Shot: About to enter, kid becoming curious after seeing sign
Explanation of Choices: Shows kid may be worried/scared
Camera Techniques: Slow dolly back
Editing: Cut
Sound: Dialogue “Oh wow” Add score
Mise en Scene: Inside cells
Description of Shot: Inside showing he’s lost for words
Explanation of Choices: By not answering the question, it shows his reaction better
Camera Techniques: Eye-Level on ground
Editing: Short take/ Framing
Sound: Score; echoing foot steps
Mise en Scene: Just of feet
Description of Shot: Feet walking past cells
Explanation of Choices: Adds emphasis on echoes/ showing slow steps = amazed
Camera Techniques: Dolly forward
Editing: Slow zoom
Sound: Dialogue : “There it is”
Mise en Scene: At his cell
Description of Shot: Introducing where he lived
Explanation of Choices: Important for beginning flash back
Camera Techniques:
Editing: Slow zoom into cell
Sound: Dialogue: “Here right here. This is where it all began.”
Mise en Scene:
Description of Shot: Moving into cell
Explanation of Choices: Preparing for flashback
Meaning:
My group’s project aims to portray an ex-convict coming back to the old days in his prison. In our film we aim to express how the man has changed since his days in prison and how he has turned his life around. After being in a prison, he has changed the way he treats his family and dedicates more time and love to all of the members of family.
Work Timeline:
We plan on filming our opening scene the week before spring break, editing will begin the week we come back from spring break, and it’s hard for us to fit any time to film throughout spring break with our busy schedules. We’ll film most of our shots at the prison, along with flashback shots at either Keyton’s house or Max and Lexi’s house.
Roles:
Cole Smith will play the grandfather and Max Lopez will portray the grandson
Plans for Location/Mise en Scene:
The abandoned prison in Belle Glade and one house for the flashbacks. Cole will need makeup and old men’s clothing to pull off his character and Max needs to appear even shorter than he is now. The warning sign, painted names on building, prison cells, etc.
Alexandra Lopez 5265 aice Media studies blog 