Drama - Equipment List

Marrantz 661

Audio Technica Rifle Mic

Rode NT4 Stereo Mic

Boom Pole

6ft XLR lead

Cannon 550D

Cannon 18-55mm lens

Cannon 50mm lens

Tamrom 70-300mm lens

Newer 0.45 Wide Angle/Macro lens

Tripod

Tripod Wheels

Monopod

Mini Camer Stabiliser

Clapperboard

Dedo Light Kit

Kino 400 Kit

White/Silver Reflector

Drama - Prop Ideas

Here are some pictures of props I have brought from charity shops, car boot sales and collected from my personal belongings to use for our drama. I am looking for props that will fit with Jack and his father's characteristics but also fitting in with the retro 70's style we are aiming for.

I just need to get a few more props before we go into production and begin shooting. I need to get a number of different sport medals such as football for Jack and Golf and Bowling for Jack's father. I also need to buy glass cups for the scene when Jack's father goes mad and smashes up his front room. I would also like to obtain more ornaments for the front room that reflect the fathers character although I am not sure what these could be. I'm sure they will stand out to me when I go prop hunting again before we start shooting.

As visual arts director I am extremely looking forward to using these props and making the sets of our film come alive with character.

Click on the images to enlarge.


- These props I think we could use as they are visually appealing and will look good on camera. Also I think they could show a part of the fathers character. He could be a well travelled man and collects souvenirs for himself from every country he has been to.

- I like these props as they could show that Jack or Jack's father or both could be a big fan of music, also the poster and book show artists that was around during the 70's therefore fitting in with our era we are trying to achieve.

- These props could be the fathers pipe and smoking materials.

- This is an unusual prop I think we could use that I brought from a car boot sale. It is an old antique crossbow gun, an odd choice yes but I think if Lucy (director) wants it in some shots it could show that the father likes hunting or enjoys collecting antique weapons.

- Here I think are important props, framed photographs of 'Jack' when he was a child. This will help make the film more believable. Simple but effective.

- This prop is a suitcase from the 60's, visually it looks brilliant as it fits perfectly with the Wes Anderson 70's mise en scene we are trying to achieve. This suitcase we can use for the scene where Jack is thrown out of his house by his father.

- This is an idea I thought of that I think would look brilliant on screen and really add a sense of character to the set design for the scenes in the front room. Pile books onto a bookcase, but backwards so you only see the pages, the colour of the pages in the books will vary regarding how old the book is. Also, to add more character to the set design, only show covers to books that was published before or during the 70's and scatter them around the pile of books. Like so:-

Drama - Costume Ideas

As visual arts director I have obtained a number of costumes for Jack, George and the Dad for our drama 'No.1 Dad'. The costumes for our drama had to fit in with the 70's mood we are trying to capture, therefore I went to a number of charity shops around Sheffield to find hidden wonders of 70's retro vintage clothing, the rest was from my own personal wardrobe that I thought was suitable to use. Here are some pictures of costume ideas for each of the characters. (click on the pictures to enlarge)

Costume Ideas for Jack & George

- Early sketches of costume ideas for Jack & George

- 70's retro blue sports bomber jacket

- 70's brown plaid shirt

- 70's drainpipes (brick colour)

- 70's era style plimsoles and bags

- 70's/early 80's style sports wear

- Basic worn plain red t-shirt

- 70's brown checked shirt with suede shoulder and elbow pads

   

Costume ideas for Dad

- Early sketches of costume ideas for Dad

- 70's style brown tweed pattern trousers

- Brown wool patterned jumper

- Brown worn leather boots with added cord material

- Grey cotton blazer 

- Vintage brown tweed patterned bomber jacket

- Grey t-shirt with added upper chest retro pattern

Misc Collection Pictures

Drama - Storyboards

Even though I am not the cinematographer for this drama, as visual arts director I have created a storyboard in order to help me create the script and gain a visual idea of camera framing, camera movement, placement of props and costumes the actors will be wearing.
Here are a few storyboard sketches I have drawn (click on pictures to enlarge).

Scene 1. EXT. PARK. DAY

(Alternative open shot - brick wall)

Scene2. INT. FRONT ROOM. DAY

Drama - Changes 2nd to Final Draft

From reading my 2nd draft of the script Lucy (Director) emailed back to me the final draft with some ammendments that she wanted changing. The changes was very little and there was very few so after reading I approved and understood why she had made the changes.
The changes was mainly to do with logistics, for example, she changed the scene where the father vomits to him just gagging. This will make the scene more possible to create and I believe the change will make the scene come across more humorous.
Another change Lucy made is changing the father from watching television to reading a newspaper. I understand completely why Lucy has made this change as it would be complicated in terms of getting permission and would be too complicated to gain television sounds.
The only other change Lucy has changed to my script is just a few words of dialogue in only a couple of scenes which makes the dialogue more snappy and to the point which I believe works really well.

Overall I am extremely happy that Lucy understood and enjoyed my vision of the film from the script, she has been incredibly helpful with the useful pointers to make the script tighter and stronger but also, I am incredibly happy that she did not feel there needed to be a large amount of changes to the script. This makes me feel confident that we share the same visual style and that have the same idea on how we want the actions and dialogue to come across. This lets me know that we will be great working together and will agree on a number of things.
The fact that she has made little changes to the script as well saves a lot of time and our group can head into production a lot sooner as it has taken less then a week to get the final script prepared.

Drama - 2nd Draft Script

After making amends to the script after the notes that Lucy sent me here is the 2nd draft to the script.
The only thing I didnt change was the name of the drama as I could not think of a suitable alternative. Also, I did not change the fantasy scenario scene where the father goes crazy and smashes up the room as I did not understand from Lucy's notes what she wanted.

No.1 Dad

By

James Mellors

EXT. PARK. DAY

JACK is pacing left to right panicking. His boyfriend GEORGE is sat on the bench watching JACK’s pacing.

JACK

No, no, no, no – What am I going to do?

GEORGE

Is it that big of a deal?

JACK

(Still pacing)

That big of a deal – Are you shitting me?

GEORGE

(Annoyed and impatient)

Huff, just tell him already – what’s the worst that can happen?

INT. DAD’S FRONT ROOM. DAY

JACK is sat on a sofa in his dad’s front room. His DAD walks into the front room holding a mug of tea and sits on the sofa across from JACK.

DAD

(While sitting down)

So what’s this chat about you want then son?

DAD sits down; JACK and his DAD are level. JACK is staring blankly dead on, his DAD is smiling looking slightly puzzled.

JACK

(Abrupt, not looking at DAD)

I’m Gay.

DAD sits silent and stares shocked at JACK, eyes wide open and not moving. JACK looks at his DAD and is scared by his face.

JACK

Dad?

JACK nudges his DAD who then falls to the floor hard, eyes still wide open, dead.

EXT. PARK. DAY

JACK is sat on the bench with his head in his hands. GEORGE is sat next to JACK observing him.

GEORGE

Yeah, because that’s going to happen, you need to calm down.

JACK launches up and sits up straight on the bench.

JACK

No, I’m serious, what’s he going to think of me?

INT. DAD’S FRONT ROOM. DAY

JACK and his DAD are sat of sofas across from each other staring at one another.

JACK

Dad, I’m Gay.

DAD’S P.O.V:- DAD stares at JACK; JACK is wearing seductive female clothes & female make-up doing sexual poses and facial expressions.

DAD suddenly vomits all over JACK.

EXT. PARK. DAY

JACK and GEORGE are now standing side by side at the edge of a large pond.

GEORGE

(Giggling)

That would be pretty joke.

You sure he doesn’t already know?

INT. MOTHERS BEDROOM. DAY

JACK as a child is wearing his mother’s clothes and make-up dancing around very elegantly. His DAD walks into the room and catches JACK in this act.

EXT. PARK. DAY

JACK is thinking deeply.

JACK

No, no definitely not.

(Beat)

(More light hearted)

I mean, he most probably won’t even believe me.

INT. DAD’S FRONT ROOM. DAY

JACK and his DAD are sat across from each other.

JACK

Dad, I’m Gay.

DAD

Yeah, good one son.

DAD laughs and gets comfy on the sofa going back to his television shows.

JACK

No, Dad, I’m Gay.

DAD

(Still looking at the television, shaking his head)

What you like ay?

JACK is staring at his DAD dumbstruck.

EXT. PARK. DAY

JACK and GEORGE are lying on the grass in the park next to each other.

GEORGE

Or he could totally loose the fucking plot.

INT. DAD’S FRONT ROOM. DAY

JACK and his DAD are sat across from each other. DAD is choking and spitting out his tea; JACK is staring at him alarmed but staying still. DAD finally stops choking and looks at his no.1 dad mug. DAD suddenly starts wailing and smashes the mug on the floor and begins smashing things up in the room.

EXT. PARK. DAY

JACK and GEORGE are sat on the floor in the park facing each other.

JACK

(Serious)

Don’t what if I lose everything.

GEORGE

(Beat)

If so be, you won’t be on your own.

JACK

(Beat)

I’ve just got to face it and expect the worst.

EXT. FRONT DOOR. DAY

The front door slams shut to JACK’S DAD’S house. Angry screams from JACK’S DAD can be heard from the inside of the house. JACK is stood with his back to the door, expressions blank with a bloody nose and clutching hold of a suitcase with one hand.

EXT. PARK. DAY

JACK and GEORGE are sat silently staring at one another.

INT. FRONT ROOM. DAY

DAD is sat watching his television shows, JACK enters the room and sits across from him.

DAD

You alright Jack?

JACK

(Beat)

(Teary eyed – emotional)

Dad

(Beat)

I’m Gay.

DAD looks away from JACK for a brief moment then looks back at JACK.

DAD

Yeah, alright.

JACK is staring at his DAD dumbstruck.

DAD

Oh come on, like I honestly give a shit about that. We are what we are my son.

DAD goes back to casually watching his television shows. JACK is still staring at his DAD dumbstruck.

Drama - Notes on 1st Draft

Overall Lucy was very pleased with the first draft of the script that I had written with only a few suggestions on minor things that needed to be changed. Here are the notes that Lucy had given me. (click on pictures to enlarge to see notes).