Getting Locations:
We decided to shoot the prison scene of our thriller in the studio. However this gave us more things to find/make. An electric chair being the most important out of these. Filming the diner/restaurant scene however was proving to be more difficult to plan and after deciding among the group that building a diner would take up to much time as we only had one day to film and would not have enough time. So this meant that we had to find an actual location which would permit us to film for an afternoon in their establishment. And after getting turned down from many places we contacted the William Bray in Shere who said that they will be willing to allow us to film in their restaurant for an afternoon. So we now had our locations but still had much more to plan.
Shooting Script:
Scene 1
1) Interior camera place- eye level angle to man (victim) sitting in the electrocution chair.
2) Use a tripod- most usefully and steady apparatus, also need it on tracks for when were tracking into the mans eyes.
3) Cameras subject- the character of the main part- the man in the electric chair.
4) Aspects of Mise en Scene-
5) Setting- scene 1 stone wall in studio and the electric chair as a focal point in the middle of the studio.
6) Costume- priest, governor, guards, man.
7) Lighting- low dim lights surrounding room one brighter spotlight on electric chair.
8) Props- electric chair, bible, governor’s letters.
9) Shot type- establishing shot, tracking slowly in; close up, extreme close ups of people actions and objects to draw attention and significance to them.
Scene 2
1) Interior camera place- three points lighting on floor- key, back and fall positions. Backlighting to light back of bar, customers.
2) Mid shot angle- use a tripod, also when opening into second scene tracking out to visualize man and location/surroundings.
3) The cameras subject- man in Bar, new surrounding, new time period.
4) Aspects of Mise en scene-
5) Setting- brick wall, American style posters, bar, stools, table.
6) Costume- man in bar tending/casual, everyday clothes. Customers-same casual clothing.
7) Lighting- three point lighting on floor, well lit, bright open room- daytime. Key, film and back,
8) Props- bar chairs, coasters, glasses, posters, duke box.
9) Shot type- tracking out slowly, close up, wide shot
Script:
INT
Medium shot tracking in at a very slow speed. The room is a 1930’s American electric chair execution room. The walls are made of breeze blocks. An electric chair is in the centre of the room. The room is lit poorly. The characters present are the executioner, the governor and a priest.
(You can hear the sounds of chains clanging around Darius hands and feet. Darius escorted by two security guards on each side. The guards then strap him into the chair. As soon as Darius is sat in the chair he immediately looks straight forward into the camera.)
Governor
Randall Merritt you have been charged with several counts of murder. You have been sentenced to capital punishment by the State of Texas
(Randall remain completely quite and does not react in any way other than starring straight ahead, the camera is still slowly tracking in)
Governor
There is a priest present; do you wish to you’re receive last rites?
(Randall does not react)
Governor
Very well then.
(A mask is pulled over Randall’s head.)
INT
(Cut to a diner using a graphic match between the mask and some ones shoulder who is walking by.)
(The camera again begins to track out from Randall’s eyes. To establish surroundings of the bar to show a group of teenagers who he is looking at.)
Props:
Convict- denim jacket trousers, striped shirt.
Priest- priest style suit with white collar, bible
Guards- 1930’s style police uniforms.
Governor- light colored suit. Texas
Bar outfit-shirt used by employees of the bar jeans
Electric chair
We also had a lighting plan in which we decided to light the electric chair slightly brighter than the rest of the room in order to draw the audiences attention towards it. We did however have the rest of the room visible to give a sence of realisum.
