SETBACK - Journey from Script to Screen (Pt2)

 Article written by Bulent Ozdemir

(Disclaimer: This article contains words and phrases that some people may find offensive. If you are easily offended then please do not continue)

©Wolf Valley Films 2011

An Idea, a germ of an Idea forms. It lingers. Asks questions. Born out of the beating my brain's taken from the Sci Fi script I'm writing, it grows by itself. Something completely different. Grab a pen. A pad.

Words spew out onto white space and bleed into each other as my hand tries to keep up. Not sure if it's me writing the story or the Pen. It screams across the pages like a crazed dog with a hot pepper shoved up its ass. To take a breath would be an insult.

16th May 2011. 24 hours after the initial Idea the first draft of Set Back is complete. Not a long script by any standards. A mere 5 pages. Still, 4 days later the final draft is in the bag. The slug hits my ears as quickly as the words hit paper:

" A man finds himself locked up & protesting his innocence over the brutal murder of a young female "

And so the Journey begins..

1st of August 2011. That's a wrap on Set Back... HO. LEE. SHIT. What Just happened? Where'd the Journey go?? You don't REALLY want to hear what happened over the past 4 months.. do you? Well alright. I'll try and be quick.

*REEEEWIND*

.. so I got the script in my hand and enough enthusiasm to power a small third world country for a generation. Tongue hanging. A pool of saliva beside my feet. Can't help but look like a Tasmanian Devil about to get some. Time to bring this bad boy to life. Plans quickly form.

PLAN 1 - Need cast members. Not friends or family. Proper cast members. Twitter gets fingered faster than a.. never mind. Soon a talented group begins to form. Each person is interviewed individually over the course of 4 weeks. My only selling point, it's gonna be a good fucking short. Trust in me. I can't pay you. 3 short sentences. 4 true professionals on board.

PLAN 2- Need Crew. Not friends or family. A crews crew (What the fuck does that even mean?) More Interviews. Few more weeks eaten. 3 further talents. Cinematographer. Sound Recordist. Composer. My only selling point, It's gonna be a good fucking short. Trust in me. I can't pay you. 3 short sentences. 3 true professionals on board (You kinda get where I'm going with this. But all jokes aside. The cast & crew members for Set Back were a fantastic bunch. I am forever thankful for their generosity and time)

PLAN3 - Need Locations. Not even gonna get into the logistics of this sucker.

©Wolf Valley Films 2011

PLAN 4 - Storyboard. Should have been Plan 1. Meh. I like a challenge. Each frame slowly forms in my mind. One thought that is clear as day -Camera needs to move with purpose. Move with reason. No point in moving for the sake of moving. Narrative is key. Couple weeks gone & storyboard's complete. Drawings a 2 year old would be proud of. My mind turns to blocking. The perfectionist in me requires a moving storyboard. I arrange a session with the actors in a Park in London. iphone at the ready.

Plan 5 - Blocking. Early morning meet up. First time the cast are together. I quickly run through the story once more. The Actors nod politely. Super quick run through with The Man & Female Tourist characters shot on the iphone. Liking what I see. Super quick run through with the.. Ha! If I tell you those characters I'd have to kill you (Gotta wait till the film comes out). Angles fit well. A bish bash edit brings the moving storyboard to life. A messed up smile slaps my face.I show the Cinematographer. The same smile slaps his face. Must be contagious.

Next up. The shoot. 2 words. Mutha FFffffff.....

PREVIOUS: SETBACK - A Short Script Needs You! (Pt1)

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Bulent Ozdemir is a self taught Writer, Director and Filmmaker who left his day job as an insurance broker back in 2010 to pursue a career in film.

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e: bulentfilms[at]gmail.com