In House Activity: Writing a Script -1

Scriptwriting, it’s not important right you just show up on the day of filming and tell the actors what to say or do. Well it’s not always that easy and not everyone can be inside your head and when it comes to planning. It’s the smart thing to do, just have a copy of a script in your hand to follow. We often forget things, it is the human side to us. The scripting proces began with a treatment. Since the concept of "The Cut" was based on my idea I orginally wrote a treatment of sort for the producer to reedit and shape to he own image. Well imagine my shock when I heard a treatment, how do you write up a treatment. Is it how you treat with a script or story?

So this was the basic treatment I gave the Producer of the group.

Treatment for “The Cut”

The Plot
A woman prepares to go for her daily jog around the savannah in her neighborhood. In the savannah a man is fiercely sharpening his cutlass, seemingly waiting for the woman to pass by. The conflict is heightened when these two cross paths and the resolution reveals this man’s true intentions.
The plot is created to bring about that sense of suspense in the audience’s subconscious, which enables them to think about several possibilities for this scenario. The cutlass takes on a life of its own and becomes another character in its own element.


The Main Conflict
The issue arises when the audience is fed to believe that this woman, is about to have something badly happen to her. Using crime as a central focus the narrative seeks to take advantage of this woman’s vulnerability and the menacing nature of cutlass man. Within inches of this woman arriving at the savannah, we presume cutlass man is plotting and expecting her arrival. We place dangerous thoughts in our minds and wonder how severe or ruthless cutlass man would be when they finally cross paths.


Person and Place: Subject of the Story
Woman would be at home, then head towards the savannah for her early morning run.
Cutlass Man would be at his main location, the savannah.

Action Sequence
This plot would use a series of cutaways between the cutlass man and the woman and manipulate clever use of misdirection to sway the audience.
1. The narrative is built around two characters; a man with a cutlass around the savannah and a woman on her way to the savannah.
2. The story would introduce cutlass man as a menacing, vindictive slaughterer, as he commands his cutlass with malicious intensions. His central location would be a secluded place in the savannah, alongside where people jog on an early morning. He would be built and almost overpowering his personality on camera.
3. The woman is petite, attractive and alluring to the opposite sex, yet she remains vulnerable in her innocence. Her clothes would be well fitted and would leave an impression on any male’s mind when she passes by.
4. This irresistibility could be highlighted in cutlass man’s mind, as he retains details of her image, figure and intimate features in his mind. It comes to life in the way he commands his cutlass.
5. The woman’s story would begin at her home, nearby the savannah as she prepares her early morning stretches and laces her sneakers, fits her tights and running top, in the outskirts of her home. Her home would also be painted as her place of sanctity and the moments she steps out of it, it is clear that she is unsafe and out of her comfort zone.
6. She would arrive at the savannah and meet up with cutlass man somewhere down the journey.

The Climax
This would then highlight the conflict within the audience mind, as to how cutlass man would use his sharpened cutlass and the extent of his brutality would be revealed. This is also where the creative use of the camera could misdirect the audience into believing one situation, while revealing another.


The Resolution of the Main Conflict
The plot would reveal the true intention of the cutlass and the cutlass man as a coconut vendor. He would have been sharpening his cutlass to carve the appropriate coconut for his faithful customer. The cutlass man would now be painted with a measure of innocence, either revealing a space in his tooth for a measure of comedy, or embracing a warm smile when he sees the woman. Both characters would be seen on the same level and the woman would reciprocate cutlass man’s smile to put the audience at ease. She acknowledges cutlass man as a loyal vendor and even a close friend.

This is the basic concept my group had in mind, and I had the basic idea right. This just had to transform into some well written essay. Now I could have done that. Now I know what I could have done differently.

Cavielle