Final Script

Cataclysm

1. EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET, NORTH LONDON - EARLY MORNING

Opening shots of empty residential area, nobody around. As shots change we get closer to the house on the end of the road, where two forensic officers can just be seen in the distance. Text appears on screen during shots:

London. 2015. The City is a code black location after a radioactive gas leak.

Many parts of London evacuated. Army now in control.

Estimated dead: 7,000,000 and counting

Shots are now close enough so that you can see the forensic officers in the distance checking a dead body. One of them is taking notes on a clipboard; the other one is taking pictures of the body.

Cuts to a foot level shot of a soldier on the street. Soldier pokes at a body with his gun then walks on, camera follows with a forwards track. Cuts to POV of the soldier looking around the street. You can see the forensics more clearly now checking the body and there is another body which is in the street.

Parallel cuts with establishing shot of soldier and forensics on the street. As soldier approaches the forensic officers, he coughs loudly to grab their attention. As he walks towards them it goes to a shot-reverse-shot of the conversation.

Soldier: What’s the sit rep?

Forensic 1: This is the last street we need to check in this area. There’s 15 dead including the 2 on this street and there’s one more just inside the gate there (points towards gate)

Soldier: Have you checked it?

Forensic 2: No we haven’t had time

Soldier: Go check it now then

Forensic 1: But sir, we have to finish this one...

Soldier: Just go!

Forensic 1&2: (begrudgingly) Yes, sir

The forensics walk towards the gate. Cuts to a POV shot of the ‘beast’ watching them from the corner of the garden. He watches them as they closer to the body, as they approach cuts to a LA close up of them crouching down by the body with the camera and clipboard.

Forensic 1: Right then, who do we have here?

Forensic 2: Young female, possibly early teens. Chemical scarring...

Forensic 1: On the right forearm perhaps?

Forensic 2: Of course, just like the others

Forensic 1: Take a picture and then let’s get out of here

Forensic 2: Wait a minute, here on the left wrist and neck, these haven’t been on the other bodies.

Cuts to close ups of teeth and claw marks on the left wrist and neck. Forensics look at each other, the Forensic 2 gets his camera to take a picture of the wounds. Forensic 1 turns towards the soldier and calls to him but the soldier raise his hand.

Soldier: (into radio) Yes sarge. There’s 15 dead here... Area Omega... North London... Just checking the final body now...

Cuts back to forensic officers.

Forensic 2: Where’s sir?

Forensic 1: He’ll be a minute, he’s on the radio to base

Cuts back to soldier.

Soldier: (still into radio) all seem to be from the gas sarge, chemical scarring... no there’s been no problems to report... we’ll be back to base...

(Screams heard in background)

Soldier spins quickly looking slightly shocked. Close up montage of the soldier grabbing gun and walking towards the gate. As he enters there is a close up of him looking down at the floor shocked, and he momentarily lowers his gun and walks towards the bodies. Cuts to a POV shot of him looking at the bodies of the girl and now the two forensics as well. Cuts to the ‘beast’ again, watching the soldier. He moves around the wall and snaps a twig. The soldier turns and instinctively fires towards the corner of the garden.

He then realises thinks there is nothing there so he backs away, looking around. The camera tracks towards him as the ‘beast’ and then goes into ECU of the soldier looking scared.

Cut to black.

Rough Cut Feedback

These are the points we were told to change by Ms Blackborow:

• Move the titles from the end
• Linking Shot needs to be shot
• Slower opening, more of a reveal with a location – Shoot the street establishing shot
• George Romero – Night of the Living Dead opening (watch for inspiration)
• Stronger reaction from forensics
• More forensic interaction – chemical scars
• Emphasise difference in female body
• Show complete shock of soldier between montage and body finding
• Smooth track into soldier kill

Rough Cut Feedback

All present at start, Matt and James present after the break
Start time: 13:20

Ms Blackborow gave us feedback on our rough cut, which we noted down so that we could use it on our reshoot and edit. Reshoot needed as props and costumes lacked the required realism. We also need to shoot some more establishing shots and add to the script.

End time: 15:05 (with break from 13:35-13:50)

Edit Session #3

James and Alex present
Start time 14:25

We finalised music editing and put titles in at the end, edited so they appeared in time with the music. Alex looked for sound effects for screams and gunshots, which we would need in post-production. James finished checking the continuity of the sequence and edited it accordingly.

Finish time 15:40

Edit Session #2

All present
Start Time 09:30

Second edit session during lesson. We continued with our ordering of shots and continued searching for appropriate music. Order finished by end of lesson (10:50). Alex stayed from 11:10 to 12:30 to input the music we found in the lesson.

End Time 12:30

Edit Session #1

All present
Start time 10:10

Started capturing our footage and produced our final shot log with our footage. Overall we were pleased with our footage but we saw some shot which we needed to reshoot and have planned to do so.
Began a rough order of shots. Matt started search for music on freeplaymusic.com. Didn't find anything particularly useful at this point. Will continue search.

End time 12:30 (with a break 10:50-11:10)

Cataclysm Production Report Summary (after shoot)

Today we had a very successful day of shooting, and we managed to pretty much finish everything. There were challenges which will be addressed later, but here is my production report summary which i've written after looking at our footage:


Cataclysm Shot Report

The Shot List

SHOT LIST_final

Click the zoom button for best viewing.

Practice Walkthrough

This is our practice walkthough for our opening sequence. It is a rough edit of the order of main shots we are going to use in our final sequence. Each shot is annotated, so we can directly use this with our storyboard and visualise every shot.
From this walkthrough we learnt where to put the camera for each shot, and we also learnt the difficulties with background noise and people walking across the background.

letter[1]

We used this letter to ensure that the local residents, do not call the police when they see a teenager with a gun. It reduces stress and is a precuationary measure which should always be taken to ensure a swift and efficient production process.

More Location Shots

These are photos of the inside of the fence (where the beast will

be lurking). As you can see it's a residential zone, with quite damaged and rough terrain. It is also a fairly large area, therefore there is a lot of scope for movement.

Location Pictures

This is a picture from Google Maps of Ravensroft Park, Barnet. This street will be the location for our shoot, rather than the warehouse, as it will show that the radiation is affecting a domestic area so the audience can relate directly to the idea of the invasion of privacy. This location was also more practical as it is near to Alex's house. 

This is the front gate of Alex's house, also taken from Google Maps. This area is possible for the dead bodies which have been attacked by the 'beast' to be placed, as it will relate to the house directly and reinforce the invasion of privacy idea. 



This is another possible location for the dead bodies which have been attacked by the 'beast'. The alley idea will show the 'beast' is secretive. However the alleyway will not really relate to the idea of invasion of privacy, so we will probably use the space just behind the front gate.

The Script

Script

OPEN ON:

1. EXT. QUIET RESIDENTIAL STREET, NORTH LONDON – DAY

A soldier is walking through dead bodies (CU from back of feet as he walks). There is an upwards pan as the soldier takes in his surroundings. There is an establishing long shot of the road, which is full of dead bodies; the forensic officers are checking the bodies. POV shot of the soldier looking around the street at all these dead bodies. This cuts to MS two shot of forensics checking a dead body. They turn as soldier approaches. This cuts to a LA OTS S/R/S of soldier talking to forensic officers.

Soldier (removing mask): Have you found anything yet?

Forensic 1: Nothing yet sir.

SOLDIER LOOKS AWAY FOR A MOMENT, UPSET/ANNOYED.

Soldier: Alright, I want you to turn this place over. This was the centre of the leak. We need to find something…anything (Looking towards Alleyway) What about over there?

Forensic 2: Just two bodies, we haven’t given them a full check over yet.

Soldier: Check them now!

Forensic 2: *SIGH* Yes Sarge.

Two forensic officers walk into the alleyway. The forensic officers are seen walking past the soldier OTS. The soldier continues to check bodies and he starts to talk on his radio. We see the alleyway from the POV of the soldier; he is standing in the corner of the alleyway. The forensic officers check the bodies and notice cuts.

Forensic 1: What the hell?! Why is this one ripped open?!

LA POV of the ‘beast’ hiding from the forensics/soldiers gazes (+key signifiers making it clear that it is an abnormal creature, e.g. strange breathing/rustling). The first forensic looks at the body and the second one looks around and towards the soldier. This is followed by a POV shot of forensic 2 looking at the soldier who has walked away and is talking on his radio. Then there is a LA POV shot from the ‘beast’ and the camera ‘pounces’ towards the forensics up to an ECU. *SCREAMS* CU of Soldier turning towards alley. There is a MS of the soldier cautiously and stealthily raising his gun. Then lots of close ups of the soldier making his way towards the alleyway, for example his feet moving across the camera and his face as he looks shocked when discovering the death of the forensics. This is followed by a MS of the forensics dead in the alleyway. The soldier begins to check their bodies when at a LA POV the ‘beast’ jumps at him and the camera again ‘pounces’ up to an ECU of the soldier’s scared face.

Timeline of Opening Sequence

Group 1 Timeline