Planning: Opening Scene Narration (Miss. B)

Planning: Opening Scene Narration

During the process of planning, our group were a little unclear on how to exhibit the middle concept and what even happens at the end. After taking into consideration what would/wouldn't be conventional to a thriller, what does/didn't relate to the overall plot, and the difficulty of certain aspects/tasks, we came up with a clear and logical structure (excluding the flashbacks as this is an example of an unstable time lapse) of what our narration will be. There is little dialogue included as most of the intake is based on what the audience sees visually. We've also come up with a lot of techniques that could symbolize the themes surrounding our plot. And most importantly, we are making an opening suitable for people of 15 years and older.

• The opening begins by showing a male dressed in smart-looking clothes with glasses, at a desk topped with a laptop, a cup of coffee and stationary. On the wall beside him is an array of photographs, scribbled on at times. His face is set into concentration, he is holding a pen and paper watching something on the laptop. The audience become aware that he is a Professor. (Protagonist)
• Audience are then shown what exactly he's watching on the laptop, which turns out to be footage of a delusional mentally disturbed pregnant female. She is shown as disturbed through her behavior, which includes childlike actions (jumping around, pulling silly faces), rocking back and forth, going through rapidly changing level of hormone - one second she's scared and quiet, the next she might be screaming out of that fear. Then she could just be laughing to herself. Now we can clearly see that the Professor is observing her to try and determine why this is happening. Also, it's clear that she is in a mental institution. We've thought to show this by using a door with a number on it, and isolating her in a plain room. (Victim/Antagonist) The audience will respond to this with a lack of understanding for her behaviour, followed on by instinctive fear, anticipation or apprehension toward what her next move will be. As she is clearly shown to be unpredictable, in real life situations this typically scares a normal person however we still find it interesting. So the audience are simultaneously rejecting and opening up to her (multiple) persona.
• In the middle, there is a greater focus on the woman and less of the Professor's observations. She starts to have flashbacks. She has three in total. Before the first flashback, she shows signs of being in another world - breathing hard and eyes rolling, face twisted in what seems to be loss, pain, or anything considering she is mentally unstable. Flashback one shows her - she is with a man intended to be her baby father, caught by his wife. The second flashback follow straight on from this looking at a positive pregnancy test in her home. Coming back to present time, she clutches her stomach and falls weak in despair or being overwhelmed by the memory.  Her reaction changes drastically, she laughs mercilessly which is explained by the third flashback of her killing the wife to prevent intrusion of her new family. After this she breaks out into what seems like a complete episode, then quietens down. The audience will have an initial opposite reaction to what the start of the opening provokes - now they have understanding, and may find a larger interest in the Professor as he's the one who is made out to 'decode' her behaviour. The audience will also form an opinion upon discovering that she is the victim AND the antagonist. This is why she will be wearing grey as the colour is in between black & white (good, evil). 'in between' could refer to a Medium which is a rare psychological trait. Our thriller largely revolves around the theme of mental illness and psychological.
• The door of the room opens, filtering some light into the dark. She looks up, she sees a woman in a dirty white dress and matted, messy dark hair. We then see this scene again from the laptop perspective, without the woman in white. In both shots, the victim (now understood as also the antagonist as she murdered this wife), becomes hysterical. The Professor cannot understand this new level of adrenaline as he can't see the woman  on the film - either because shes a ghost or the pregnant woman is imagining this all. The dead wife slowly moves toward the pregnant woman, and shots move back and forth between the two perspectives as the victim backs into a corner, screaming. The final shot is of the woman's perspective; a side view of the dead wife's hand outstretched toward the baby bump and the baby's response as a kick. It then stops, and the audience are left with a massive cliffhanger to consider their theories on what happens next. They may also be confused as to who exactly is the good and the bad. Again, the Professor is of significance because he seems to be the only one with clear intentions and characteristics.

Over time certain small aspects of our plot have changed - however, generally the intended responses remain the same. We want the audience to feel confused when the woman is acting illogically. We want the audience to feel as if they are making personal discoveries, separate from the Professor, as her flashbacks are revealed. This also opens them up to empathy and anger. We especially want them to feel frustrated at the massive cliffhanger ending the scene. It is after all supposed to be an opening, so we want to make it seem like one - this is just the beginning of the plot.