Inspiration

We took inspiration for our short film from Roald Dahl's short story Lamb to the Slaughter

We decided for practical reasons that it would be easier to cut the mid section set in the grocers- it wasn't a part of the story we felt was essential to include. This also makes location easier as we will use the same location for the whole short.

As well as the short story, we watched the Robin Chapman TV adaptation of Lamb to the Slaughter for the series Tales of the Unexpected.  Although this was dated, it gave us a good idea of set design and relationship dynamics between Mary and Patrick, and the detectives.

Animatic

animatic - HD 720p from Caitlin McPoland on Vimeo.

Storyboard

Actors, Props, Costume, Location

Actor Research

In terms of actors, we will need two find at least 4 people- three males and one female. These people will ideally be adults between the ages of 28 and 35 with previous acting experience. None of my group feel that it is appropriate to act in our short film, as the story follows a married couple and two detectives- we are only 17. 

One member of our group is related to the actor Terence Keeley, who played Jack Lowry in the series Titanic: Blood and Steel. We would hope to have him play Patrick Maloney.

Props

Analogue clock- Patrick Maloney glances at the clock while he waits on his wife to return home from work. It is important that the clock is visible as the clock ticking is a focal point of the beginning of the film. We don't have to buy a clock as there is one already present in the room we're filming in.


Leg of lamb- Patrick Maloney kills his wife with a leg of lamb and feeds it to the detectives investigating her murder.
This leg of lamb will be provided free of charge by a family member who is a butcher, helping us to budget for our other props.

Alcohol- Patrick and Mary Maloney both have a drink at the beginning of the film.

Phone (Landline or Mobile)- Patrick Maloney must be seen to pick up the phone in preparation to phone the police.

Crockery, Cutlery- Patrick hands the detectives plates stacked with meat and potatoes.

Police tape- the detectives tape the living room off where Mary's body is.


Costume


Mary Maloney- Hillary Clinton-esque pant suit, sensible detective clothing












Patrick Maloney- turtle neck jumper, thick glasses, cord trousers, slippers- Inspired by Alvin Steele (League of Gentlemen)  




Detectives- Trench coats, trousers, formal shoes, maybe an umbrella.





Location

Terraced houses, small/no garden outside.
Small rooms, homely, cosy feel, artificial lighting.
Old fashioned kitchen, cramped. 

Treatment

The film begins with an establishing shot of a row of terraced houses. We cut to a closer shot of one of the houses, looking in the front window through a gap in the closed curtains, where we see a woman (Mary Maloney) waiting for her husband to get home. We hear a clock ticking, and then there is a sound bridge as we cut to the inside of the living room. There is a wide shot of the full living room where we see Mary Maloney sitting on the sofa. There is a close up of the clock- the ticking continues.

Suddenly, we hear the door open and shut abruptly. A man (Patrick Maloney) walks into the room while taking his coat off. Mary rises and takes her husband's coat to hang up as they greet each other. A tracking shot follows Patrick to his seat as Mary walks out of the scene into the kitchen to get them each a drink. She asks him if he is tired from the other room. Patrick answers dryly- "Exhausted"- as Mary hands him his drink. Immediately, Patrick downs his drink and rises to get another, much to the surprise of his wive, who also jumps up. She tells him she'll get him another drink, but before she can take his glass he tells her to sit. Mary slowly sits down, confused.

Patrick leaves the room and we see another wide shot of Mary sitting, similar to the beginning of the film. Patrick returns with his drink and sits opposite his wife, not looking at her. Mary asks her husband if he wants anything to eat, in response he sips his drink. She tells him she'll get him some bread and cheese, but he snaps back- "I don't want any". There is an awkward silence and a wide shot of the two sitting. Mary turns to her husband and tells him that he has to eat. As she rises to go to the kitchen, Patrick tells her to sit again. She sits down, looking worried, and asks him what's wrong.

The scene cuts to outside the window looking in (the same as the beginning) where there is a time lapse of the conversation playing out. Cut back to inside where Patrick is telling his wife that she'll be taken care of. Mary, looking distracted, gets up and walks into the kitchen, mumbling about making tea. Patrick looks exasperated.

Cut to the kitchen where we see Mary with her back to the camera opening the freezer and retrieving a frozen leg of lamb. We hear Patrick shout from the living room that he doesn't want anything to eat. As Patrick is putting his coat on, Mary walks up behind him and hits him with the frozen meat. He stumbles, and as he begins ask why she would do such a thing, she hits him again. He falls.

Mary walks back into the kitchen. Cut to inside the kitchen, where Mary looks expressionless. She prepares the leg of lamb as though nothing is wrong, and puts the food in the oven. When she is finished, she smooths her hair and walks to the house phone to phone the police. Cut to the empty living room where Patrick is lying on the floor, and from the kitchen we hear Mary exclaiming (on the phone) that Patrick is dead.

There is a cut to black in which we hear a knock at the door. There is a sound bridge into the scene where Mary is opening the front door to the detectives, to whom she explains that her husband is dead. From here there is a time lapse of the detectives coming in and out of the house, placing tape around Patrick's body, and talking to Mary.

The scene cuts from the time lapse back to normal time, where each detective is theorising about how Patrick died. While they discuss this, Mary asks them to stay for dinner. At first, they are reluctant, but then Mary explains that Patrick would want them to eat. They agree to stay. 

We hear the detectives continue to discuss the situation as Mary walks into the kitchen. Cut to Mary who is in the kitchen preparing the food for the detectives. She brings them a plate stacked with lamb, potatoes and gravy each. They eat messily, still discussing the murder weapon. A tracking shot follows Mary as she walks back to the kitchen. The film ends with a close up shot of Mary, faintly smirking.

Screenplay

Inside the living room, Patrick Maloney waits for his wife to return from work

PM Doing general chores. Religious imagery- crosses in the background etc

CUT TO BLACK

PM in the kitchen. He cuts vegetables for their dinner.
CUT TO PM removing lamb from the freezer. He hears the front door shut.

Enter Mary Maloney
Patrick rushes from the kitchen to greet his wife

PM: Hello, Darling

MM: Hello.

PM takes her coat from her. He gets them each a drink.

PM: Tired, darling?

MM: (sigh) Exhausted. 

MM downs her drink. She rises slowly. PM jumps up.

PM: I'll get it!

MM: (Irritated) Sit.

MM leaves to get another drink.

MM returns.

PM: I'm making lamb tonight, your favourite

MM doesn't respond

PM: Or I could fetch you something smaller-

MM: (snappy) I don't want anything.

PM: I can make some soup, or we can order in, or-

MM: Forget about it.

Patrick stands up

MM: Sit down- for one minute. Just sit.

PM sits- He looks worried.

PM: What's the matter?

(From outside) The conversation plays out- muffled
Brief cut to inside

MM: She's 25, I didn't know how to tell you-

Cut to outside, the conversation further plays out
INSIDE

MM: You'll be taken care of.

PM: (Whispering) I'll fix some tea.

PM walks to the kitchen and starts to prepare the tea.

MM: (from the living room) I told you I don't want anything, I'm going out.

PM lifts the leg of lamb, walks to the living room behind MM. He hits her over the head with the leg of lamb.
She falls.

Cut to PM entering the greengrocers. He picks up a bag of potatoes.
Cut to PM re entering his house. He drops the bag of potatoes in shock at the sight of his dead wife. 

PM picks up the phone.

PM: (on the phone) Quick! Come quickly! Mary's dead!

Cut to black. 
Cut to inside the detectives' car

AM: They're an odd pair, Patrick and Mary
AS: Completely mismatched, I don't know what she ever saw in him.
AM: (Suggesting that she is gay) I don't know what she ever saw in any man if you ask me
AS: Aye she's a butch one alright

Cut to black
Sound bridge to a knock at the door.

Enter detectives

PM: (Quietly) Mary's dead- she's dead!

Time lapse
Cut To black
Cut to living room- the detectives are having a discussion

AS: She must have been hit by a blunt object
AM: It's a brutal attack- Patrick, did you see anything?
PM: (Stuttering) No, I was just out at the grocers buying vegetables for the dinner, and when I came back she was- (Can't continue, too upset to speak)
AS: Our Mary's a strong woman, I don't know how anyone could manage to take her out

Time lapse of detectives laying police tape, taking samples, speaking to each other.
Cut to black
Cut to living room
Patrick enters the living room

PM: You must be starving, please, have some supper while you're here.
AM: We mustn't Patrick, we're busy men.
PM: The dinner is made, it'll go to waste if you don't have some.
AS: (To AM) It smells fab [AM], we could just have a plate.
PM: I'll fetch you both some dinner. 

PM walks into the kitchen
PM enters the room with two plates
AS and AM begin eating 
PM goes back to the kitchen

AS: (Eating) Whoever did it couldn't carry a weapon that big around
AM: (Messily Eating)I'd say it's right under our noses

Cut to PM in the kitchen 
PM begins to smile faintly
CUT TO BLACK

Ideas

For our short film, we have decided to use Roald Dahl's short story Lamb to the Slaughter. 

We decided that it was important to add our own twist to the story, and so we have decided to omit the scene set in the grocers. As well as this, Mary will not be pregnant in our production.

The idea of using lamb inspired us to add religious imagery- the idea of complete and utter devotion to her husband, and by extension God

In terms of setting, we are keeping to the original story, as our short will be set in a small house, preferably terraced.

We discussed the possibility of having our characters be chavs/slobs, drinking beer and eating either fast food or childish food- for example potato smiley faces. We came to the conclusion that this idea could make our product look overly comical and so difficult to take seriously- Our piece is a satire, it is supposed to be dark, not comical.

Genderbending- We have decided to review the idea of a role reversal- Patrick is a house husband who kills his wife- perhaps he is a minister/reverend.

ORIGINAL SCRIPT

Inside the living room, Mary Maloney waits for her husband to return from work

MM Doing general chores. Religious imagery- crosses in the background, religious jewellery.
Mary hums to herself as she irons one of her husband's shirts.

CUT TO BLACK

MM in the kitchen. She cuts vegetables for their dinner.
CUT TO MM removing lamb from the freezer. She hears the front door shut.

Enter Patrick Maloney

M.M (From the kitchen) : Hello, Darling

P.M: Hello.

MM walks into the living room where her husband is standing. She takes his coat from him. She gets them each a drink.

M.M: Tired, darling?

P.M: (sigh) Exhausted. 

PM downs his drink. He rises slowly. MM jumps up.

M.M: I'll get it!

P.M: (Irritated) Sit.

PM leaves to get another drink.

PM returns.

MM:I'm making your favourite tonight

PM doesn't respond

MM: I'll make some bread and cheese.

PM: (snappy) I don't want it.

MM: You have to eat.

PP: Forget about it.

Mary stands up

PM: Sit down- for one minute. Just sit.

MM sits- she looks worried.

MM: What's the matter?

(From outside) The conversation plays out

INSIDE

PM: You'll be taken care of.

MM: (Whispering) I'll fix some tea.

MM walks to the kitchen and starts to prepare the tea.

PM: (from the living room) I told you I don't want anything, I'm going out.

MM lifts the leg of lamb, walks to the living room behind PM. She hits him over the head with the leg of lamb. He is not dead yet.

PM: What are you-??

MM hits him again. He falls.

MM walks back into the kitchen, expressionless. She prepares the food and puts it in the oven.

MM picks up the phone.

MM: (on the phone) Quick! Come quickly! Patrick's dead!

Cut to black. There is a knock at the door.

Enter detectives

MM: (Quietly) Patricks dead- he's dead!

Time lapse
Cut To black

AS: He must have been hit by a blunt object
MM: Please, have some supper
AM: It's against police rules, we mustn't
MM: Patrick would've wanted it
AS: Well, since you're a friend

Mary walks into the kitchen
Mary enters the room with two plates
AS and AM begin eating 
Mary goes back to the kitchen

AS: (Eating) Whoever did it couldn't carry a weapon that big around
AM: (Messily Eating)I'd say it's right under our noses

Mary in the kitchen 

Mary begins to smile faintly
CUT TO BLACK

Advanced Portfolio- Treatment Package

Genre

When thinking about the genres we could use for our Media Studies 'short film', we had to take in to consideration what we had to work with- it was unrealistic to expect to produce an elaborate feature film, because we didn't have the necessary tools, for example, CGI effects and professional cameras. Our short film is a hybrid of genres. We intended to create a piece that was unique and we agreed that the best way to do this was to create a film that does not adhere to a specific set of codes and conventions. Therefore, our intention is to create a piece that uses codes and conventions from genres such as crime drama, thriller and dark/black comedy. This is a list of their definitions and micro elements.

Crime Drama

Crime dramas usually include three types of character:

• The crime solver (detectives, police officers, forensic scientists)
• The perpetrator or person who commits the crimes (criminals, murderers, thieves)
• The victim (the person who is murdered, attacked, robbed etc)

The typical plot of a crime drama centres the solving of a crime, and follows those who solve the crime. The crime is not usually solved until near the end of the film. Plots also usually include an enigma at the beginning, suspense throughout, a red herring, and sometimes some personal drama in the crime solver's life.

Thriller

Similar to crime dramas, thrillers tend to have characters, such as victims and perpetrators, and sometimes crime solvers.

They tend to be suspenseful throughout, incorporating a red herring, using a plot that is villain driven, and a scored soundtrack, intended to influence the audience.

The conventions of a crime thriller often focus on the criminals and the events leading to their committing the crime, and then the solving of this crime. The sub-genre uses fast paced editing to build suspense, and emphasise actions over psychological elements. Themes include serial killers, heists, robberies, murders etc.

Black Comedy

Typically, a black comedy is a film that takes controversial subject matters and treats them humorously, such as murder, war, suicide. Dark comedies set out to shock their audiences with their unexpectedly humorous take on such matters.

Normally, dark comedies are set in normal locations where something has gone wrong- for example the film Zombieland is set in a theme park that has a zombie apocalypse, or in Hot Fuzz- a typical village.

The main character can be either; the good guy, the bad guy or the idiot. Generally the subject matter at hand is exaggerated to comic and tragic proportions..

Satire and Black Comedy in Short Films

An example of Satire and Black Comedy in short films is This is It Collective's Don't Hug Me I'm Scared.



This satirical short is presented in a Sesame Street-esque way. There are many different theories about what the film is attempting to convey- perhaps media control and how it corrupts us, or how societal opinions limit our creativity, or maybe it is suggesting that no one really wants to be creative for fear of the outcome.

The short begins in the style of a children's educational puppet show, but progressively becomes more disturbing.
A talking notebook encourages 3 characters to be creative by singing a nursery rhyme. The notebook is presented as the controller of the characters' life- they aren't doing anything until the notebook tells them what to do.
The notebook explains that it uses its hair to express itself. When the red character says "That sounds really boring", the notebook repeats it's chant- "I use my hair to express myself" in an almost sinister, threatening way.

The notebook puppet hints at the gore to come- it lifts back it's face  to reveal an embroidered human brain and sings about how the characters now know how to "Use their minds to have a good time"

The element of satire is shown through the notebook's 'encouragement' to be creative- in reality it teaches them nothing, and actually limits their creativity. It tells the characters to use sticks to make their favourite colour, but when one character spells 'green', the notebook claims that "Green is not a creative colour". 
When a character paints a clown- the notebook sings "Woah there friend, you might need to slow down", and the painting is ruined, as if painting a clown is too creative.

The film then takes dark turn, as the notebook tells the characters to "Listen to the voices in your brain". The short is briefly animated- this is the link between the 'innocent' lesson the notebook is teaching, and the sinister nature that being creative supposedly evokes, showing how the puppets' home is fabricated by creators. Suddenly the characters are grown up- the puppets are seen to be dancing erratically- an ominous image, while floating letters spelling 'GET CREATIVE' float in the background.

The red character pours glitter on a real heart, the clouds turn into thunder storms, a cake made of (supposedly) human organs is cut.

The dark and violent tone is what can be taken from the short- to suggest that if we get too creative, we will end up with these horrible, almost intrusive thoughts and ideas.

There is great irony in the fact that This is It Collective created something as creative as DHMIS to show how television and the media is destroying creativity itself.

This irony is what draws me to satire in short films. I would like to create a short film that breaks these fourth walls in a way- I am drawn to the idea of creating something that has deeper or hidden meanings and messages.

Genre

Satire

Satire refers to the use of humour, irony, ridicule or exaggeration to expose or criticise people's stupidity or vices

An example of satire used in film is in The Truman Show.


The film utilises its satire to criticise the power and influence that media has upon lives. It portrays the carelessness of the media on television in which the victim  (Truman) is controlled only by what the producers or directors desire- they do not act upon their morals.

This film uses many examples of media exaggeration and influencing the product they want to sell (i.e. Truman). It uses extreme sarcasm- they ridicule the media's efforts to control his life. Sarcasm is also used to mock the consumer. There is a sarcastic representation of the real audience and how they view the media used within the film.

The film uses irony throughout- the people within the movie who play other characters are not knowledgable about their roles. Even the people who monitor Truman's whereabouts don't realise when he escapes. This serves to imply that the real media may act smart, but in reality, they are not.

Christof (the creator with a God complex) relies on his audience to continue with Truman's entrapment- he would be powerless without their attention.

The Truman Show blurs the lines between reality and fiction- which is why the show is so compelling. However when Truman begins to explore his human instincts and desires, the show must keep up with him. This is why the simulation fails; Truman is 30 years old, no longer an impressionable child.

Applying Narrative Theory to Short Films

Lonely Planet

LONELY PLANET - Award-Winning Short Film from Alex Burunova on Vimeo.



Summary
A nomadic travel writer believes that love always has an expiration date, until a charismatic Spaniard challenges her to live- and love- in the moment.

Aristotle's Unities
Lonely Planet conforms to the theory presented by Aristotle. It takes place primarily in Barcelona, over a period of months (we only see the key points from these months), and moves towards the logical conclusion (Julia does not leave Pau, as originally inferred). In my opinion, I feel as though this theory is open to interpretation, and although I believe that Lonely Planet conforms to these codes, some may suggest that the short film does not end on a 'logical conclusion'.

Freytag's Dramatic Structure

Codes, Conventions and Patterns

Genres

There are many components, codes and conventions of short films which depend on genre.

Sci Fi- Uncanny Valley

Sci-fi short films can have larger budgets than short films would normally have, sometimes using CGI.

This short film takes on the form of a documentary, and follows the conventional pattern regarding characters- there is only three.

This particular short film challenges Todorov's theory of equilibrium- the idea is presented, and an issue follows, however, the issue is not solved. Therefore, the film ends on a cliffhanger.

In Uncanny Valley, there is both dialogue and voiceover.


Romance- Lonely Planet


Lonely Planet is a short film about a nomad writer who doesn't believe in long term relationships. Lasting 22 minutes, it is longer than a conventional short film.

There are only two main characters, however the film does go against conventions, in that there is dialogue throughout.

The film follows the conventional idea-issue-resolution pattern which is common. The story ends with the main character asking her partner to go for coffee, instead of leaving him. This kind of twist is common, and encourages the audience to form their own opinions.


Comedy- Fully Formed Adults

This short lasts about 9 minutes, conforming to the conventional lengths of this type of film.  However, there are plans to make this short into a series of short films. This means that the film challenges the theory of equilibrium as there are more episodes to follow.

There is dialogue throughout the film, and although this is not conventional, it is necessary to portray the comedic nature of the piece. There is one main character with two supporting characters.

Fully Formed Adults uses overdubbing in some cases, both for music, and  in the case of dialogue, to correct dialogue mistakes.


Fantasy- Penelope in the Treehouse

Penelope in the Treehouse is a fantasy short film about a girl whose step father and step siblings move into her hand her mother's house. It deals with the emotions she feels and how she comes to deal with the change. It lasts 14 minutes.

The short is almost exclusively uses voice over to narrate the story, with one or two pieces of dialogue. This is conventional in short films. The short film conforms to Torodov's theory of equilibrium.

The short film uses both stop motion animation and live action to convey the story, and so we assume that it had a higher budget than short films normally do.


Horror- Pig Child

This horror short is about a scientist giving birth to a child which has both human and pig DNA through IVF. It is only 10 minutes long and has two central characters.

There is some dialogue throughout this film, however most of the emotion and mood is conveyed through movement, miss en scene and facial expression.

As this is a horror short, it does not resolve, but ends on an issue. This leaves the audience to form their own opinion after it finishes