Second Pitch Treatment

After receiving an amber light after our first pitch, we needed to rethink our idea and prepare for our second (and hopefully final) pitch. This is our adapted treatment to fit our new idea:

After presenting this, we got our long-awaited green light and were ready to get started.

23/01/2012 Meeting

In this meeting we were given the idea of having the protagonist in a large online hacker community which is led by a skilled, expert hacker. Our protag isn't very experienced compared to the others in his group and this would be seen a "coming of age" film where our protag matures as a person in order to help his friends. This is the suggestion we received about the basic plot of our opening sequence combined with some of our own ideas:

• The opening sequence starts with close ups of our protagonist, rookie hacker and his room. We’ll see his hands typing on the keyboard, a table cluttered with mugs and crumbs indicating, ears covered by headphones etc. On his screen we’ll see that he is talking to people through an instant messenger while on webcam.
• Some shots of his fellow hackers shown from our protagonist’s point of view (from the webcam) appear in between the close ups. One could be eating their breakfast, another could be sitting in the park, using their laptop and someone could be listening to music. There should be people of all sorts of race, gender, age, location.
• One of the webcams shown will be of the lead hacker, it will be made obvious that he is the leader because he will be the only one talking; the rest of the hackers will be contacting each other through instant messenger while the leader instructs them.
• Through the webcam we then see a figure come behind the leader, we see the figure strike the leader and then then his webcam goes blank.
• The group is panicking; they're asking each other what’s going on through the chat.
• We cut to the protagonist in front of his computer, he's in shock from what’s just happened, sweat dripping down his forehead and trembling slightly.
• The protagonist takes off his headphones to hear a sharp knocking on his door and the sequence ends at this cliff-hanger.

Pitch: Treatment and Feedback

Once we had our film idea, it was required that we provide a treatment (see below) to present our idea, in the hopes that we would get a green light and could go ahead on planning our sequence.

Sadly, we left with an amber light, meaning there were quite a few adjustments to be made. Here's the feedback we were given:

Year 12 film pitch feedback group 1

This feedback proved itself to be very useful and we feel that our sequence is much better now that these changes have been made.

Our New Opening Sequence Storyline

Synopsis of opening sequence: The hacker sits in his room, earphones plugged in, hacking away on his computer.

• He writes an email to a friend because he is concerned about what he has discovered.
• Downstairs, the agent breaks into the house and proceeds up the stairs.
• The hacker has almost finished the email and is about to hit send.
• The agent enters the room and the two of them fight. The agent injures the hacker and then restrains/knocks him out.
• The agent looks around the room and sees that the hacker finished his task and sent the email.

Character design sketch - "Hacker"

 

The Hacker is a man in his late teens. He is a computer genius but not so much of a fighter, so when the Agent turns up he doesn't have much of a chance but still puts up a fight. I visualised him as a person who has quite bad eyesight, from staying on the computer too long, and needs glasses, possibly has a bit of stubble from not shaving in a while, and enjoys listening to music loudly through his headphones. He wears comfortable clothing, simple hoodie, T-shirt and jeans, which is a binary opposite of the Agent's smart suit.

Location Recce - Hacker's Room

 

Overview of the room from the corner opposite the door.

 

Overview of the room from the doorway

 

 

 

The computer desk

 

 View from doorway

   

View from top of stairs 

 View from bottom of stairs

View of main door

The MES of the hacker's room will reflect his character so it is important to create the right atmosphere within it. This room will need a lot of adjustment if it is going to be the hacker's room as it is too colourful at the moment, although the layout and size of the room is appropriate. Another advantantage to this location is that there is space on the landing and hallway of the ground floor for shooting.

Character design sketch - "Agent"

 

The nameless "agent", a mysterious man sent to bring the Hacker back dead or alive. I imagine him to be smartly dressed, wearing a black suit with all the accessories, watch, tie clip, sunglasses, which contrasts with the Hacker's casual style of clothing. He is emotionless and shows no mercy when fighting the Hacker. We have not yet established whether he is hired by a company/ person, or is working with a company to stop the Hacker.

Our Basic Narrative

1. The hacker sits in his room, earphones plugged in, hacking away on his computer.
2. Downstairs, the agent breaks into the house and proceeds up the stairs.
3. The hacker sends an email to an unknown person stating that the job is done.
4. The agent enters the room and the two of them fight. The agent injures the hacker and then kidnaps him.
5. The agent looks around the room and sees that the hacker finished his task and sent the email
6. The unknown receiver of the email is shown in his L.A. hotel room (or other L.A. location) receiving the message via his phone - his face is not shown.

13/01/2012 - Notes from Jeng, Raef. Catch-up Meeting

• Researched several hacking films. Die Hard 4, Matrix, Hackers, Mastermind.
• Through watching these we have developed ideas for shot types in the hacking sequence.
• To establish how the detective finds the hacker e.g. shot going in secret room.
• Hacking sequence, hard for audience to follow and we'll purposely leave room for titles/ credits in the sequence.
• Will need special effects for some part of screen and at least one gun shot effect.
• Raef was filled in on the idea and is happy about it but thinks we need to have another unique element apart from hacking and action.