Gangster Script- first draft.

Interior of a car, a small blond boy is locked in a car by his mother who is quickly dashing into a shop, he climbs in the front seat. Eyeline match of a trilby hat above the glove box. He puts it on and pretends to drive.

Danny Bianchi (First Lines) VO-
It was always my dream to be in the world of wiseguys...mobsters, gangsters- whatever you wanna call it. Although I was born to an third generation Irish-Italian 'baso ceto'' family in late 80s Elizabeth, New Jersey and too young to watch the Godfather trilogy or Goodfellas, it didn't stop me dreaming. Pinstriped three pieces and black cadillacs were a thing of the past, but even at that tender young age- I knew what continued to go on the other side of the Hudson, more real than any gangster movie I had ever seen.

He then picks up a newspaper from a brown bag of groceries and smirks at the headline. Jump cut to a close up of a newspaper being folded in half and tucked under a man's arm. This is the older Danny Bianchi.

Danny Bianchi (VO)-
With a name like Bianchi, it wasn't unacheivable. Mama and Papa Bianchi saw my future as pushing a pen in the local construction office- but I knew my own destiny would involve the Lancelotta Crime Family, notorious in Manhattan and our corner of New Jersey.

Danny examines his wrist watch and slides a cigarette into his mouth. He is sat at a cigarette table- surrounded by soldiers. Sitting opposite him is Mike Capuzza- the capo. Low angle shot to suggest power and status,

Guess what? It did.

Mike Capuzza-
'Minchioneria'! What the fuck, Castrellano!? It's fuckin' obvious this shit has been cut with glucose powder. Fuckin' go round the back and get some more....yeah, I'm fuckin' talkin' to you?! Why the fuck would I have said your name otherwise? Any other Castrellanos in the the room? No, there fuckin' isn't. There can't possibly be...because your brother Michael is chained to a truck engine, floating around at the bottom of the Hudson with his dick cut off for makin' fuckin' mistakes! Capice?

Close up of Danny, steely eyed to the chaos around him, jump cut to Mike- who claps his hands.

Mimi?! Where the fuck is Mimi? MIMI! 'DONNICCIOLA!

A tired young woman with a face full of make up rushes over as soon as she is called.

Mimi Morello-
Yes baby?

Mike Capuzza-
Get started on the the spring cleaning. The feds are bound to be knocking about by the end of the week, and I can't fuckin' deal with anything else being pinned on me.

Mike and Mimi argue- she ends up getting punched to the floor, diagetic sound is silenced.

Danny Bianchi (VO)-
The man is Mike Capuzza. Capo. The woman is Mimi Morello, Mike's comare and a known informant to the FBI. Not known to him, of course. Smart wiseguys know to keep their women seperate to their work, but not Mike. He thought he was untouchable.

Mimi clutches her cheek and walks off- high angle shot to show subsmission. Mike shouts after her.

Mike Capuzza-
....oh, and Mimi- fuckin' tell Gigi if he wants ins on the next executive game then he better give me my fuckin' money. He can't just rob a benefit concert with LaPerla and give me fuckin' 'niente'....so anyway, Danny- I think you're ready to be confirmed...first thin-

Eyeline match of Danny staring at a cassette recorder under the table, and close up him pressing 'REC'.

Danny Bianchi (VO)-
What? I never said what side I was on.

Preliminary Task

Starring Ky & James
Camera/Editing by Alex & Deanna

Film Distribution.

A film distributor is an independent company, a subsidiary company or occasionally an individual, which acts as the final agent between a film production company or some intermediary agent, and a film exhibitor, to the end of securing placement of the producer's film on the exhibitor's screen. In the film business, the term "distribution" refers to the marketing and circulation of movies in theatres, and for home viewing (DVD, Video-On-Demand, Download, Television etc).

Film distribution process

The primary agenda of the distributor is to convince the exhibitor to rent, or "book", each film. To this end the distributor usually arranges industry screenings for exhibitors, and uses other marketing techniques that will make the exhibitor believe they will profit financially by showing the film.

Once this is accomplished, the distributor then secures a written contract stipulating the amount of the gross ticket sales to be paid to the distributor (usually a percentage of the gross after first deducting a "floor", which is called a "house allowance" (also known as the "nut"), collect the amount due, audit the exhibitor's ticket sales as necessary to ensure the gross reported by the exhibitor is accurate, secure the distributor's share of these proceeds, and transmit the remainder to the production company (or to any other intermediary, such as a film release agent). Ordinarily there are standard blanket contracts between a distributor and an exhibitor that apply to all films subsequently booked, although on occasion some of the terms, such as the percentage of the gross to be paid by the exhibitor, may be varied with regard to a particular film.

The distributor must also ensure that enough film prints are struck to service all contracted exhibitors on the contract-based opening day, ensure their physical delivery to the theater by the opening day, monitor exhibitors to make sure the film is in fact shown in the particular theatre with the minimum number of seats and show times, and ensure the prints' return to the distributor's office or other storage resource also on the contract-based return date. In practical terms, this includes the physical production of film prints and their shipping around the world (a process that is beginning to be replaced by digital distribution) as well as the creation of posters, newspaper and magazine advertisements, television commercials, trailers, and other types of ads.

Furthermore, the distributor is responsible for ensuring a full line of film advertising material is available on each film which it believes will help the exhibitor attract the largest possible audience, create such advertising if it is not provided by the production company, and arrange for the physical delivery of the advertising items selected by the exhibitor at intervals prior to the opening day/

If the distributor is handling an imported or foreign-language film, it may also be responsible for securing dubbing or subtitling for the film, and securing censorship or other legal or organizational "approval" for the exhibition of the film in the country/territory in which it does business, prior to approaching the exhibitors for booking.

In the days of the classical Hollywood cinema, the studios used the studio system, producing and distributing their own films to theatres that they also owned, a practice known as vertical integration. The studios' control over distribution was greatly weakened in the U.S. when in 1948 the court case United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. forced the major film studios to sell all their theatres. Today major studios and independent production companies compete for screens in theatres. - Wikipedia.

Documentary shoot with University of Bristol (MA Film & TV Production students).

The other day I assisted a group of MA students film a 3 minute documentary focusing on the questions 'What did you want to be when you grew up?' and 'What do you do now?'. Though I obviously didn't get involved in the technical side of filming and directing- it was my job to stroll about with a sign and encourage people to be a part of the film. However simple my job was that day, watching the others certainly gave me a great insight into what goes into producing good footage and how to get the best shots possible.

Prior to the shoot that day- the students I worked with visited all the locations with a camera and took a picture of the exact shots that they wanted to get, just how it would look on film. I realise that this prevented them from wasting precious time and I should certainly employ this technique when it comes to making our film opening.





Something else I learned was incorporating the use of masking tape to make sure everyone who was in the shot was positioned properly, ensuring they weren't cut off or with light on their faces. This also made each shot look consistent- creating a very professional feel overall. Also, I got a feel of what it was like to work in a team, where each person had their own job; director, editor, producer, sound operator...rather than just using whoever is available at the time. On the more technical side, I encountered some of the most advanced equipment I've ever seen close up such as boom microphones and professional cameras. Also, I had the chance to meet the tutor of the course and take a look around the the Drama department of the University of Bristol!





I believe my time spent with the Film & TV Production students was a very worthwhile experience as I have learnt some paticularly good skills in both film and organisation. Furthermore, just meeting and getting to know these people (apart from my manager, who I am already quite aquainted with, as he got me in on the task) was paticularly beneficial as I have a network of people to talk to when it comes to my practical media work.

Opening Scene analysis- 'Sorority Row'

Okay then- last media lesson, we got an idea of what we'd have to make next, filmwise. Well, it's a choice between print and film, and even though print has it's positives of not having to rely on anyone but yourself- the film project looks alot more fun. We'll at some point have to make the opening of a film, and it will have to feel like an opening- and not a trailer. Anyway, I thought I'd analyse the opening of Sorority Row for practice and also to take a chance to see how much editing and camera movement language I've remembered.

Soooo, Sorority Row- a 2009 slasher flick released about a month ago. Crammed with as much sex, gore and drugs as the filmmakers could fit into an 15 rated movie. This relects the target audience, we know that it is aimed at young people- because if it was rated an 18 instead, then there would be alot of people who couldn't watch this in theatres.

The film opens with an establishing shot of a Sorority house, it is night time and we can see that the ground is wet and leaves are falling from the sky- this tells us that it is a cold, autumn night and is a common setting for a scary horror film. After a few seconds, we see a bolt of thunder- something that is routinely used in cartoons and old films to create a spooky atmosphere for the characters. The camera, then swoops closer into the house in a spirit-like way (even though it was create by the means of a crane) which suggests omniscience, like the house and the characters (that we have yet to meet) are being watched over by someone.

We then see a closer view of a door, and before it opens we hear an earsplitting scream- however, it is not a distraught damsel-in-distress that is running from a serial killer that bursts through the door....but an attractive girl in her underwear who has been locked outside of the house without her clothes. This a satirical poke at cliche horror films of the past- as we are tricked into thinking a girl is danger, when she is actually playing around. The camera continues to zoom in through the door, and we see that inside a party is going on- a complete contrast to the cold bleak surroundings of outside.

The camera continues to 'track' around the party, favouring panning and moving the camera rather than cutting- as the fluid movement of the camera adds to the 'party' atmopshere and helps the audience believe that they are at the party too. This is used even when the character Cassidy is walking round the corridors of the house to get to her friend's bedroom, the tracking of Cassidy serves two purposes- firstly, it makes us aware that she is a main character and that she will be significant in the story and secondly, it suggests that she is being followed...this is commonly used in horror films, as being followed by someone is fear-provoking. It is also important that in the first few minutes we can distinguish who the main characters are, as the opening should set up the rest of the film.

The first cut used comes when Cassidy reaches Jessica's room, and is dragged in for a 'Theta toast', this cut is used to show that girls are now alone- away from the rowdiness of the party. It cuts from an over the shoulder shot of Jessica, and then goes into a group shot of the all the Theta Pi sorority sisters together holding champagne flutes- this suggests their closeness as friends, as well as sorority sisters. This is also teamed with close ups of their faces to show their facial expressions and emotions as they talk about each other, and two-shots to show how they interact with one another. Just before they grab the laptop, a group/long-shot is used to show the girls in their surroundings and show that they are all equally curious about what is happening. As they all watch the screen. eye line matches are used to show that what's occuring on the laptop is what they are definately looking at- showing that it is of the upmost importantance to the group.

From then on, two shots and group shops are used with all the girls apart from Cassidy to show that she is not 'in' on the prank. Close ups are also used to show her worry- this plays up to the 'damsel in distress' representation, and makes her unique to the group as all of the other girls are going up against that stereotype- as they have previously spoken about sex and drinking, and they have now shown their cunning with the trick they have played on Garrett. One of the last shots is a close-up of Claire's face as she says the word 'showtime', expressing her excitement and the thrill she is getting from this prank- her facial expressions look almost beautifully evil which gives us an uneasy feeling and about what is coming next and draws us further into the film.