LAST NIGHT FILM REVIEW 2

This is readers comments;

Grant writes:

'Last Night is one of my favourite movies because it is so different from all others. It has a structurally slow pace, which is unusual for a film depicting the end of the world, and the sense of acceptance of the characters is admirable. It makes you as the viewer wonder if you would have the dignity to act as relaxed.

The music is a great support for the movie (and the soundtrack is excellent), and the performances are effortless and moving- it actually seems like the actors are the characters, because there are no cheesy lines or over-dramatic moments. It is told simply, acted simply (especially a stand-out performance by Sandra Oh), and concluded simply.

I must say that the ending ranks among my favourite movie finales (if not THE favourite), and it leaves the viewer with a sense of something long after they have finished watching. It's simplicity, purity and honesty make it a movie above the big Hollywood blockbusters, which seem to be churned out like fast-food.

But this is no Happy Meal.'



The reason why i inlcuded this film review was because what i found, was the usp of the review, the unique selling point. Obviously the review itself lures the readers interest into the film but also the actual views and opininions about the film by actual viewers, not critics, not film directors or producers, but by the ordinary public.

I thought that by involving these comments proved an authenticity to the review as it shows true opinions that are not bias as it isn't their job to comment on the film like critics, so the unconditional comments are quite honest you would expect.

'LAST NIGHT' FILM REVIEW

Last Night -- Film Review

"Last Night" is a sex tease, but that makes it sound more exciting than it ever becomes. The tease is simply this: A fairly happily married Manhattan couple -- good-looking, well off and aggressively trendy -- spend a night apart in separate cities with a most attractive member of the opposite sex. Will either spouse betray the other? Unless you're intimately acquainted with the couple, and the movie never manages that intimacy, your investment in the answer to that question is very light.

While Oscar Wilde once had a character assert that he could resist anything other than temptation, the temptations here are highly resistible -- at least from a spectator's point of view. Despite a glamorous cast, this debut film from writer-director Massy Tadjedin falls flat.British actors Keira Knightley and Sam Worthington play the young couple. They inhabit one of those impossibly luxurious and large Manhattan flats that occasionally turn up in movies. Never mind how could they afford it; where did they find it?

One night, they attend a cocktail party for Michael's work. Joanna takes one look at her husband's stunning new colleague, Laura (Eva Mendes), and her mind runs riot with suspicions. Why hasn't he ever mentioned her beauty? Weren't they on a trip out to L.A. together?
Joanna picks a dozy of a fight over Laura when they return home. The following night Michael is at a business meeting in Philadelphia -- and, of course, he's with Laura. But, to her shock, Joanna's old French boyfriend, Alex (Guillaume Canet), turns up in New York. The two wind up out on the town, and clearly, the flame she carries for Alex has never gone out.Tadjedin contrives to keep her two couples in cozy situations all night with plenty of booze around to lessen everyone's resistance. One such contrivance has Joanna suddenly remember she has to walk a friend's dog, so they dash over to another ridiculously large apartment only to get locked out with the dog.Griffin Dunne turns up as a friend of Alex's who parties into the night with this couple wavering over betrayal. Unfortunately, the actor only serves to remind a viewer he once played a man who had a really wild New York night in Martin Scorsese's "After Hours." If that experience was a 10, this one goes only to three.

The actors give more credibility and depth to these characters than they deserve. Strangely, the two potential adultery partners come off more sympathetically than the married couple. Alex's longing for his former lover and Laura's loneliness are touching, while nothing really motivates the couple's contemplation of infidelity.So the movie talks itself to death while running in circles. About the only thing that keeps you involved is that initial question: Who will cheat?Although the real question, is who cares?
Venue: Toronto International Film FestivalProduction companies: Gaumont, Nick Wechsler Prods.Cast: Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley, Eva Mendes, Guillaume Canet, Griffin Dunne, Anson Mount, Scott AdsitDirector-screenwriter: Massy TadjedinProducers: Sidonie Dumas, Nick Wechsler, Massy TadjedinExecutive producers: Buddy Enright, Christophe RiandeeDirector of photography: Peter DemingProduction designer: Tim GrimesMusic: Clint MansellCostume designer: Ann RothEditor: Susan E. MorseSales: GaumontNo rating, 92 minutes

TWO LOVERS FILM REVIEW

James Gray's powerfully emotional dramas have such a distinctive, deliberate quality; Gray has always been a craftsman working with heavy materials, very different from Hollywood's lightweight alloy. This, his third feature, is set once again in the Russian-Jewish communities of Brooklyn. Like his other films, The Yards and We Own the Night, it is unafraid of the grand gesture, but this often looks oddly like an adapted stage-play - Two Lovers takes Gray closer to the idiom of Arthur Miller or Tennessee Williams.

1. Two Lovers
2. Production year: 2008
3. Country: USA
4. Cert (UK): 15
5. Runtime: 110 mins
6. Directors: James Gray
7. Cast: Elias Koteas, Gwyneth Paltrow, Isabella Rossellini, Joaquin Phoenix, Moni Moshonov, Vinessa Shaw
8. More on this film

Joaquin Phoenix plays a sensitive young guy who has moved back into the Brooklyn apartment of his parents (Isabella Rossellini and Moni Moshonov) following a breakdown. They try to set him up with Sandra (Vinessa Shaw) the beautiful daughter of a business colleague, but instead he falls deeply in love with the ditsy, beautiful neighbour Michelle, played by Gwyneth Paltrow.
Everything about Leonard's Jackie-v-Marilyn dilemma is socked over with Gray's trademark sincerity, but I found it difficult to credit, and his situation, though viewed through the smoked glass of gloomy realism, is an indulgent fantasy. The basic problem is not merely that Shaw's Sandra is sexier and more interesting than Paltrow's blonde siren - a subjective judgment, to be sure - but that pursuing the simple, delicately arranged love-match between Sandra and Leonard might have been more dramatically engaging, as well as marginally more credible. Two Lovers surges inexorably towards an awful betrayal, before doing a handbrake turn into a happy ending. There are good, heartfelt performances here, but the credibility gap was too wide to be bridged.


The structure

What i found in this review was, like other reviews, it had a similar structure. the first paragraph usually is used to lurr the readers interest into the film, not by describing the plots, scenes or story, the characters etc. but by simply setting the mood of the film, creating an excitement and desire to view the film. this reviewer focuses on creating a high status for this film, and suggests this film is of great quality and he actually compares this film to other popular people like play writer tennessee williams.

PROPS - Cookie Fortunes

During our film their is an important part where we have the Chinese fortune cookie which is broken at the verge of Delilah getting found out and all 3 characters confronting each other. we came up with many fortunes that could come out the cookie. the fortune being in the film is vital as it prepares us for the break up and works up from the start to this big plot point. it is essential we choose the fortune wisely as it is a silent film and so any words in the film will have a big impact and set an impression.

We came up with these;

• You hold the string that breaks

i liked this fortune because i felt it was effective becuase the fortune was directly aimed at the person 'you' making the audience prepare for a change to happen to Delilah and the audience can also link this to the red strings of fate, the theme that runs through out, this will make our audience completely understand the story comming together and reach her fate.

• the price of greed is loneliness

i personally thought this quote was more of a saying then something that reads a fortune, although what is says has meaning to the film i thought it needed to be more linked to the story and the theme. Also when asking for feedback from students outside our class they said it reminded them of greed for money and that it did not tie in with the film too well.

• The strings of love will break

• binded hands will break
• the strings of love will be cut
  
  

Assessment For Director Role

I was given the job as the director.
in that i will be assessed for certain things;
- The way i speak and communicate to cast & crew
- how i direct cast and crew, for exmample physically demonstrating shots to cast
- How i organise the shot
- My accurate vision of Mise en scene and the shot and the satisfaction of the shots
- giving orders and certifying the setting, props, position, composition is right
- working closely with the camera person to ensure the camera person captures the vision as clear as mine

This research and planning is vital to the making of my film as these elements in which i am assigned to consider as part of my role, will determaine the outlook of my film, the proffessionalism, the preciseness, accuracy and the link between how i (and other group members) see the film in mind and the outcome of the final product.

My role as the Director

Rehersal - 4/11/10 Photo-Storyboard (Abstract)

This shot i approved of because i felt the high angle was good in communicating how the relationship is meant to be equal, as we see the couple at an equal level sharing an equal third of the shot. this fits David and Jamess' view of thier relationship being at the same level, having the same feelings and being in love. whereas in Deliliahs worlds their is hidden deciet and the deciet of this shot will make the break up become a more effective plot point in the film.

This shot i also liked as it makes is look like David has some control in the relationship but really what he is not in control of is the fate of it and what Delilah has done to it. So again the idea of her deciet is shown subtley through angling.

This shot i felt seemed passionate, and we understand the passion in the relationship. the close up was chosen because it shows how David is so caught up in love with Delilah, as it is just them two in the relationship you would think they are all each other has. But when James gets involved in the shots we understand their world will be disrupted.

i didn't like this shot really, i personally do not see much of what is does except progress from an establishing shot of the couple and then to a close up, although this is part of the switch between the characters James and David, i think other previous shots are more interesting in terms of the body language of actors and the angle. this is simply a birds eye of James staring. I do think this shot is not as interesting as it could be, i as the director plan to still take this shot but in a variety of angles.

This shot was one of my favourites. the composition of characters was exactly how i imagined it from the time the storyboard was produced to the actual rehersal. The shot is a mid shot of Delilah who is in the foreground, we also get a Mid to Long shot of the two characters who stand for James and David, who also look symmetrical in the shot. This interested me a lot becuase i thought it actually reflected how Delilah has equally treated them wrong, and how the two men have equally been destroyed, how the relationship has been destroyed the same way and how they have lost her. However this shot is taken when Delilah alludes that she is in control, and where they are yet to discover the truth, the men being in the background with their backs turn, show how Delilah is decieving them by doing wrong behind their backs and also symbolising the men being in the dark (unaware) and not being exposed to the light (the truth).

i thought the angle in this which we experimented with was good as it conveyed the caos unleashed in Delilahs world how it is being turned upside down and she has lost control of the stability of it.

I liked the way this shot conveyed the stugle of Delilah trying to regain her power and control , however what would be more convenient is if both men where in the shot, because it seems to look unpresentable and messy where the other character is cut off when they should be part of this moment in particular. I think the camera shots need to be framed more accuratley by the camera person as faults like these could occur and we could be stuck with incorrect shots like these when editing.

There are many shots of the same angle, i am going to suggest a more vairity of angles to merge together instead of the same angled shots one after another, this is to create a more confused and caotic effect, and convey her loss of control and power by using more high angle shots, maybe birds eye, or even fast panning.

This was one shot I suggested to the group during the rehersal as I thought we kept taking similar shots and should experient with the way in which we frame our shots. I told the camera person to shoot through the string to create a more interesting framing, something unique.

This shot is good as it shows the string in the foreground being the element that drew all these characters to the same fate. However, the problem with this shot is that the ceiling was exposed and it made it look like the characters were in a different location all of a sudden. this would distrupt continuity and therefore we have to consider maybe other angles that are as effective and continued.

This I found was an excellent shot in showing Delilahs loss of power and entanglement with the red string of fate. the framing has allowed us to only see the top of her head and her hair and not her face which conveys her shamefull fate she has brought herself too.

I think this shot is appropriate to use but would work more if it was shot as a long shot showing her ending up in a lonely state.

Rehersal - 04/11/10

As i was prescribed my job of directing the rehersal and organising the rehersal i had many responsibilities.

• i had to focus on issues with the cast, script and/or storyboard
• acting - does it fit the character, is the chosen cast suitable for the role fully
• does it look how you imagined
• what have you learnt from this experience, what needs to be changed, state any strengths/weaknesses

After the rehersal.

• Script was well written and understood.
• Storyboard was clear to read and was good in itself in demonstrating the shots
• Most of the time consistent communication with crew members, Cast members were majority of the time responsive to requests, they did communicate effectively with the crew and the job did in all get done

Problems;

• not organised enough, we need to plan and prepare effectively the shots, the mise en scene of them and how we plan to set it up correctly but under certain time limits.
• lack of communication, some members were doing other peoples jobs then their own, i myself was doing my directing job, i was watching over the shots and checking the shots, the cameraa person was taking the shots and after i would suggest other angles i wanted to document in out photostoryboard etc. however the job did become shared and other crew members were getting too involved in my area rather than their own. We all ended up doing a bit of everything, i even helped set up the shot and place props into position as did other crew members. The problem here was not that we didn't give enough input to the production rehersal but we focused less on our areas. This may of been the reason why the rehersal took longer than we planned and therefore time was wasted which we cannot afford to risk on the day of filming.
• The cast - one of our cast members was good at acting but became eaily distracted and laughed during the rehersal. The immaturity of cast was a problem as it pro-longed us from making progress and being able to move on swifty. At times we had to stop and start and expain and demonstarte shots several times and re-take them as cast was either not still enough of kept changing facial expressions. this only happened very few times and after to solve the problem, I and Esma did confront the cast and pointed out a few disruptions we found in the rehersal and made sure a more serious attitude will be delivered on the filming day.
• Timing - as i mentioned before we need to prepare out shots before hand so we are ready to swiftly move on and shoot the next shot without disruption. This is to give us enough time to shoot different angles and takes of the same shots so we take a variety back incase planned shots do not come out as expected and we have a back up to use, and also because things like location and props in the shot take alot of time to get it perfectly right, so timing is very important and that factor needs to be in the minds of cast and crew.
• It did look how i imagined the abstract scene in particular as we used the red string and we made sure the character had her nails painted red. however, we realised we would need to buy our own fabric for the abstract scene so little elements of the abstract seen were not as complete as it should have been (as in the use of correct background fabric for the location)

Meeting with the group. 03/11/10

Today after our media lesson I, Edward and Esma stayed behind for an hour to finnish off our storyboard re-draft. We recieved feedback that our storyboard seemed to abrupt and obvious and there wasnt any intersting enough camera techniques. There needed to be more tilts, pans etc.

So we went back to our storyboard and picked out shots that we weren't completley satispied with and felt was too bland. We looked at differnt ways in which we could shoot the shot. for example one shot was of Delilah walking down the stairs, what we understood was a better way of showing this, in a more interesting way would be shooting the shot through the banister on the stairs.

heres a picture which is very close to the shot we got in mind. through a shot like this we would see Delilah comming downstairs.

Cast Selection

I had in mind a friend i know that i thought would strongly suit Delilahs character.

I had her in mind and selected considered her for the part as she suited the character in ways in which the group imagined, someone who is tall, slim build, looks independent, on the go, outgoing, fashionable, sociable and young.i had to look at see if she would be someone that can look the part of this attentive, flirtatious and unfaithfull, someone who we can tell emotions easily, from anger to happiness, to love all with the face. so i had to consider her acting as that is very important, the face is including in many shots and it is crucial the actor can pull the right emotions, for example, some people may have a very soft innocent look that is hard to tell emotions otherwise, as in, they are not obvious.

The only problem with my character was that after i had shown her the treatment and script, even though she agreed and was confident she could do the part and would be comfortable with the scenes and costume/make up etc, after further discussions we found out she could only act on one day. That would not work for us as she is the main character and there was no way to book her in for both days where she was needed.

I also understood she lived in Ilford that is not that far but is still a distance compared to other local actors. I had to consider that because she is from outside school how many times i would actually be able to meet up with her and talk her through the updates of our film, i had to consider her attendence and how confident would i be to guarantee there would be no lates or sudden absence with her, otherwise that may cause delay in our shooting, so to consider reliability of cast was something to think about.

In the end. I talked to my group about the cast i found and we all decided to be on the safe side we would stick with our other female cast option, rebecca. As she shared the same qualities and was as willing as the cast i considered and she was more in reach in terms of availabilty, to meet up, she is our group member so she has had time to soak our character in and understand the role and world of Delilah more firmly through several meetings.

Today's Task

I was prescribed a task along with Norianne to organise a rehearsal for our film.
As we are still currently having location problems we had to organise our location before rehearsal date. we have found a location at the moment but we are not sure whether it will be our final location for our film.

our rehearsal will commence on thrusday after school with the whole group and our including our cast, Akin, Josh and Rebbecca.

On thurday I have made a list on what I plan to do, I plan to record some rehearsals so we can look back from that time till day of filming and analyse things that may not have worked that we may have not noticed on the rehearsal. I will also be photographing shots for our photostoryboard.

On the day of rehearsal there are some main factors we have to consider and look out for;
we have to look for any kind of problem that arises in the rehearsal, whether the cast are good enough, or if the setting is too small or big, if the colour of the room doesn't fit or if there isn't much consistent communication within the group.
we have too look at timing, mise en scene and find solutions to any problems that might cause delay or issues during the period of shooting.

Music Research

In our Media lesson on monday (yesterday), Me, Edward, and Rebecca decided to spend our lesson researching on music tracks for our film. Keeping in mind our limits such as having to search for copyright free music. We found it hard as a alot of websites did charge. but we did find one which had many downloadable tracks with a huge variety.
we found 3-4 instrumental songs which would be appropriate for mainly the intimate/romance scenes, dinner scenes, and also breaking up scenes where Delilah gets found out. We are however strugling to find a suitable enough song for the start, the scene where Delilah gets up and get's ready as we need something that is slow but cheerfull (to an extent, so it can't be overly happy), e.g. we found a song that sounded too optimistic and also a bit like country music so it did seem hard to find the perfect matching song. We also had to make sure the songs we looked at won't give away the plot or ending (so it can't be too slow or dark).

We have downloaded a few songs. And we are currently keeping all the ones that may have potential. After we pull in enough songs we will meet in a group again to short-list the music and narrow down the ones that are strongest to match our music.

I mentioned during the research that i personally thought too much music would ruin the film and make it too staged and unreal. the silence would be very effective and crucial in scenes like where Delilah gets found out and when the men leave, also when she wake up. however we can compare with and without songs, get feedback from audiences and then dictate whether the certain scenes in the film are better or not with or without music.

I also pointed out to Rebecca that i would like to ask someone that we know who can sing to maybe sing a song that we think would work very well.
this is the video of the song that i suggested i would like in the film.



ive chosen to show the video of this song in lyrics because i thought the way the singer is so Loyal to his girlfriend shows how true his love is, and what i thought when listening to the song was that this song could be a voice for the men. as we do not have much speech from the men. To make there love for Delilah seem more true then just lust and to make the audience believe that these two men, David and James have deep feelings for her.

I think it is extreamly crucial that this effect is created so when the break up happens and Delilah gets found out, we feel the dissapointment of the men and the atmosphere would be more dramatic. we would understand the men are really hurt. This will create a real hit on Delilah as she realises she lost something very special, twice!

What made me think of the song was the name Delilah and then i came to research it and find that it would work pretty well. However, the problem is copyright. what is needed to do is the background track needs to be tampered very subtly to make it ours and the lyrics needs to be changed here and there. this is possible as i and rebecca have found a singer who maybe willing to sing and record for us

However, right now we need to briefly pitch the idea to the whole group and get a few ideas and views and discuss whether this is actually possible. We also need to speak to the singer a bit more to organise the song if we do decide to do it that is.

Final script

After several discussions about the drafted scripts (which you can view in 'script discussion videos' we merged all our ideas on the script into a final script.

Pan from the window down to the dressing table, DELILAH walks in to the frame and sits down at the table; she has just come out of the shower and has a towel on her head and a dressing gown on. DELILAH starts applying her make up on. There are snap shots, close up of her eyes whilst putting her mascara on and also of her lips whilst putting her lipstick on. (This is all shot through the reflection of DELILAH in the mirror, over the shoulder shot)
DELILAH walks to the wardrobe (tracking shot)

DELILAH

(Wardrobe with a mirror) (Over the shoulder) Delilah opens wardrobe
DELILAH closes wardrobe and when she shuts it she is dressed.
The camera then goes back tot eh dressing table and focuses on the pictures of the two men (stuck on the mirror of the dressing table) in the background we see Delilah (reflection in the mirror) slowly approaching the pictures)
Delilah grabs the pictures.
Close up of DELILAH starring at the pictures, DELILAH looks up (daydreaming)

Daydream (weird lighting)

Shot of DELILAH on bed with JAMES and she is smiling at him, wee see James smiling too, pans to DELILAH smiling and when we pan back again we see David, then they start play fighting (action reaction shots, every time shot changes the guy changes too) at the end James grabs the end of the covers and pulls it over them.

Reality scene (in bedroom)

DELILAH looks down at the pictures again
Close up of DELILAH’S hand as she throws the pictures on the bed
Close up of pictures on be (foreground) Delilah walking out of the room (background)

Camera goes to the bottom of the stairs and we see DELILAH walking down the stairs , whilst doing so we change to a close up of her feet to see her red shoes, then go back to a long shot as she is coming down the stairs.
DELILAH walks past the camera into the dining room.

In the dining room
One long take of DELILAH setting up the table. DELILAH takes the glasses out and lights the candles, DELILAH puts the forks and knifes out on the table. DELILAH picks up a knife and (casually) and smiles at her own reflection in the knife.

Ding dong (doorbell)

DELILAH

Looks up realises that the doorbell has rung and she puts the knife down, as she does so she realises that she has got a string coming out of her dress and she just pulls it out and makes her way to the door.

Abstract scene

DELILAH has red strings tied to her fingers and we see David and James tied to the other end of the strings. DELILAH starts pulling James forward.
Cut back to reality and JAMES is coming forward through the front door and hugs DELILAH.
DELILAH grabs JAMES by the hand and leads him into the dining room (go out of the frame) camera stays focused on the door as James left it open by accident.

Dining room

DELILAH and JAMES are eating and smiling at each other

Cuts to abstract

DELILAH whispering in James’ ear

Cut back to reality

DELILAH whispering in JAMES’ ear
Camera pans down to see Delilah rubbing JAMES’ foot with her foot camera pans back up and DELILAH lays back on her chair
There is a mid shot of the couple and JAMES passes DELILAH a fortune cookie
DELILAH takes cookie (happy) she looks down at the cookie

Camera cuts to outside the house where DAVID is coming with red flowers. (Over the shoulder) DAVID sees that the front door is open so he knocks and no one answers so he lets himself inside in order to surprise DELILAH.

DELILAH opens cookie, inside reads ‘…………………………………..’
She looks confused and looks up to see DAVID standing behind JAMES, DELILAH looks very scared.

JAMES sees DELILAH’S face and in curiosity turns around
(Point of view, from DAVID’S perspective)
JAMES turns to see DAVID and looks at him in disbelief
Shot of flowers falling into the floor
DELILAH stands up but is lost for words

Cuts to abstract

The red thread has gone very loose and is all over the place, it is all tangled up and the men are spinning around DELILAH

Cut back to reality

Men are standing on both sides of DELILAH and are arguing

JAMES

Who do you think you are playing at?

DAVID

I was ready to take the next step with you!

DELILAH

I can ex…explain

(this will not be heard)

Everything gets out of control, DAVID spills the wine and leaves
JAMES leaves stepping on the flowers on the floor

Abstract

See broken string all over the floor (DELILAH has lost control) surround DELILAH
DELILAH closes her eyes (camera blackout)

Shot of the window in the bedroom, camera pans down to the bed where Delilah is sleeping, the bed looks very messy and all Delilah’s makeup is smudged

Alarm goes off

DELILAH grabs alarm and throws it to the wall (camera follows the alarm being thrown), camera is slowly panning back to the bed. Whilst panning we see the photos of the two men on the dressing table and they are crossed off, and we also see dead flowers on the dressing table and all her make up is all over the place and it is very messy.
When camera goes back to DELILAH she is slowly getting up, there is a close up of her feet and near them are her red slippers, she pushes them to one side and she just falls back in bed.

Abstract

In the same position as she was in the real world, Delilah is surrounded by strings.

Draft 1 of Script

Scene 1
INT. BEDROOM, EVENING

Pan from the window, across to vanity area. Several shots of woman’s room, and all of its objects which are neatly arranged. The room is covered in soft orange and dark hues of twilight shining through the window. Following the details of the vanity, a vase of red carnations are next to various pictures and photos lining the vanity mirror, images of a woman with various men, at different sites, places but all the intimate poses of a couple.

DELILAH

Walks into room, holding on to her towel and walking towards vanity set. - (Series of close ups.)

She sits at table, she reaches over and pick up a lipstick from her make up collection, and applies it while looking in the mirror, she reaches over again to pick up, tube of mascara, and applies it, as well as lightly brushing on some eye shadow. She shifts her hair across her face and neatens it on the top of her head. She then smiles into her reflection.

She walks over to her mirrored wardrobe, looking at her reflection; she opens the wardrobe door, and re-closes it. – Now in a red dress.
She smooths her down, and giggles at her reflection, she looks up into to her right fade to day dream.


SCENE 2
(DREAM SEQUENCE)

High angle of Delilah and James, in bed starring into each others eyes, laughing and having light conversation. Close up of Delilah’s face smiling at James. Cut back to, David’s, face looking back at her, smiling as well. Shot of Delilah and David lying on the bed.

DAVID

Leans in and kisses Delilah’s cheek, and pulls away. As he does so we then see James’s face again. As if he has just carried out this action.


JAMES
Takes Delilah’s hand and kisses it


DELILAH

Laughs and takes her hand back. We cut back to the person next to her who is now David reaches over and kisses her neck, we cut to Delilah, close ups of her closing her eyes in pleasure, cut back to James and Delilah, they begin to play fight in the bed, throwing pillows at each other, as they do so there is a constant switching of the two male characters.
Davids and Delilah lay back on to the bed, laughing and out of breath, close up of his hands grabbing the end of the sheet and pulling it over both of them.
Fade out to reality.
Scene 3

DELILAH

Camera goes from the corner of the room, were she was looking and pans across, showing her putting the finishing touches to her outfit.
Camera follows her down the stairs, as she strokes the banister with her freshly painted red nails. (Close ups of her red heels going down the stairs)
When she is down, we follow her to the kitchen. Here we see different shots of her, setting up the table. She goes to the cupboard and takes out two plates, smoothly cut, to her placing the cutlery, and putting out the Chinese take away out on the plates. When she finishes doing so she licks her finger (close up), and pick up a lighter to light the two preset candles on the table. She picks up a spoon and looks at her reflection and smiles.
Scene 4


ABSTRACT WORLD

Delilah is standing in the foreground of the frame, with the two men standing behind her their backs to each other. Camera follows the red strings, which form a long line on the floor which leads to the men’s fingers; we cut back to Delilah who puts her fingers up showing the strings, while having a mischievous grin on her face.
Camera cuts to Delilah laughing in an evil manner, and pulling the strings of the two men like a puppet master. The two men have no control and are completely expression less.
We cut to facial close ups of her whispering the men’s ears. This makes them smile.
Shots of Delilah, wrapping string around her fingers.
High angle shot of her standing with the two men.
This sequence is repeated, in fast pace editing.

“DING, DONG”
Scene 5

INT. DINNING ROOM

DELILAH
Comes out of her day dream, and slightly startled by the door bell, rushes to the door; she notices that, a red String from her dress has frayed. We cut to close up of the dress, and cut back to her annoyed face. She pulls herself together, and goes to open the door

ABSTRACT WORLD

Delilah is standing in the foreground, with the two men in the background, however James is facing forwards this time,

DELILAH

Close up. Bite her lips and smiles, we cut to a long shot- she then moves her finger which is tied to James, suggesting him to come to her.

JAMES

Walks towards her


Scene 6
INT. AT THE DOOR

DELILAH
Opens the door, and in excitement to see James, grabs him in and hugs him, while putting her leg up.

Close up of her leg, as well as close up of the gift of wine which James holds in his hand which is wrapped nicely in a red bow.


DELILAH
Drags his hand and leads him to the dinning room.

JAMES

Is focused on Delilah, and so pushes the door behind him slightly, however not closing it, but leaving it ajar. (Mid shot)


INT. LIVING ROOM

Cut to the living room where the two enter, and go though to the dinning room.
Series of shots of the two eating, and sharing conversation.
Close up of the under the tale where Delilah, rubs James’s legs with hers.

ABSTRACT WORLD

Fast pace editing of the string unravelling.

INT. DINNING ROOM

She whispers in his ear, and pulls back, from kissing him on the cheek.

JAMES

Passes her one of the fortune cookies, on the table.

Over the shoulder shot of her taking it.


Scene 7

EXT. AT DELILAH’S DOOR


DAVID

Walks into the frame, about to knock at the door, realising that the door is open. In suspicion he slowly walks in still, knocking and calling out for Delilah.


Scene 8
INT. DINNING ROOM


DELILAH

Cracks open the cookie, and read the message. Low angle shot of her face, showing confusion. She looks up and sees David standing over the shoulder of James.

James notices Delilah’s facial expressions.

JAMES

Turns around (as he does so we switch to a P.O.V shot of David at the dinning room door, looking at the two.
He turns back around, looking at Delilah


DELILAH

Tries to explain herself, however words to come to her.

We cut to David

DAVID

David drops the roses on the floor. (Close up of them falling to the ground)


Scene 9
ABSTRACT SCENE

Various close ups of the strings going out of control,

DELILAH

Standing in between the two men, being tugged from left to right by them, she twists around in the string making her become tangled. (Fast pace editing)

INT. DINNING ROOM

Delilah is standing in between each man, they are both shouting at her arguing.

(Constant cut of reality and abstract scene. X3)


INT. DINNING ROOM.

Camera zooms into her face, with the two men at either side of her saying

JAMES & DAVID
“………………………………………………………………….”


Scene 10
ABSTRACT WORLD.

Strings break, (we hear the slamming of the door) she closes her eyes, and screen goes black.


INT. BEDROOM. (Morning)


Pan from the window, across to the bed. Several shots of woman’s room, and all of its objects which are now very messy. (Photo’s of the men are now crossed out) Her alarm clock goes off, and she is still sleeping and throws it to her wall.

She gets up in her red dress, and a yesterday make up and crosses over to the vanity area, smearing her make up even more.

Scene 11

ABSTRACT WORLD.

We follow the broken red strings which lead us to Delilah sitting on the floor alone staring at the broken strings on her fingers.

Final Treatment

Tag line

Pitch: 'Woman' is 19-20 years old. She is romantically involved with 2 men at the same time without them knowing. She uses them like a puppeteer, and from doing so she gains attention and feels good about herself. However what she doesn't realise is her lies are tampering with the red strings of fate she has made with the men, and how easily they can break.

Story:
We begin with a woman in a black room, all that can be seen is the red strings tied to her hands and fingers, which lead behind her and end attached to two men.The ties that shes made to them through romance.
Switch to a scene of a bedroom, we have a series of close ups, the 'Woman' is applying her red lipstick, make-up, snapshots of her features and hands while getting ready and primping herself. All the while we have our narrator introducing her character.
Around her vanity table we see various pictures of her with various men, past lovers and boyfriends. Red flowers sit in a vase on the table. She walks over to her wardrobe, and opens the door. As it closes we see her in a changed outfit. In the reflection she smooths her hair and giggles, looks upward as she thinks of her two lovers.
We see a montage of her and two men, being intimate, touching hands, lightly kissing her neck and cheeks and embracing her, we see both boyfriends have done this in the past as she recalls it.
We return to reality as we follow her downstairs and into the dining room, were we see a laid table for a meal, we watch as she adds the finishing touches, bringing in chinese to set down, a focus on her hand as she licks her fingers from the food and lights a candle.
'Ding dong' we hear the door bell ring, and just before she walks to the door, she notices and pulls off a fraying red tread from her top.
As she opens the door we cut to the black room, we see the 'Woman' facing one of the men, she looks at him and while laughing crooks her finger in front of her in a suggestive manner, thus pulling on the red string attached, which then pulls him forward. We cut back to the house scene as he steps through the door. As she leads him into the dining room the narration introduces him to us.
Then follows the date scene, sitting, eating the meal, light conversation, he takes her etc.
She then leans over to pick up a fortune cookie when the door bell rings again. Insisting the man goes to open the door, while 'Woman' sats at the table and cracks open the cookie.
Pulling out her fortune it reads '..........'
Cutting to the man opening the door we have narration all the while warns us to whats happening 'Now it gets interesting', and as the door opens were introduced to man number 2.
Standing at the door holding red roses with a grin on his face, it quickly falls as the two men look at each other with shocked expressions.
We cut back to the woman still sitting at the table, the two men walk through the door.
We fade into the abstract scene, the men are pulling on the red strings of fate, it starts to fray.
The strings break, and we see a pov of the 'Woman' , as she looks down to her hands, we see her look up to see the broken strings, and the men are gone.