Script:
It served as an outline for both the editing and the filming - it was not followed exactly as I developed and changed my ideas throughout the project, but served as a good baseline.
Open from a black screen
Narrator: She waits.
Piano music begins
Flashbacks begin, slow motion and distorted as Scarlett turns her head and laughs/smiles.
Long/wide shots showing them waiting at the tree (has to have a scarf tied around one branch on the right).
(Happens as a sort of montage, so costume changes in each montage, and different time and angle to show days passing)
The narration is over the top of these flashbacks.
Narrator: She was always early, I was always late. Every Saturday at the tree; the big one with the scarf tied around the branch. The pink one. I put it there so we could always find each other. I remember the day it happened - it was so odd. She wasn't the kind of person to have enemies.
Dip to black.
Narrator: She was Scarlett.
Establishing shot.
Long shot of Scarlett walking through the forest. Muffled audio of music
coming from earphones.
Close up of her face as she walks and her humming. Interrupted by the
sound of leaves rustling and branches breaking. Scarlett stops and takes out one earphone.
Long shot of Scarlett looking around, match on action shot possibly.
Leaves rustle again. Tree with the scarf has to be visible, showing how close
she was to almost being there.
Cut to an over the shoulder shot of the Narrator walking to the woods (by
the road on the third common). She’s on the phone.
Narrator: Yeah, I’m on my way to see her right now.
Cuts to hand held camera POV shot of someone walking through the trees,
looking at Scarlett. Scarlett turns around scared. Audio from previous scene of
Narrator saying: “see her right now” (shows the two are happening at the same
time). More rustling. Music begins.
Long shot of Narrator walking to the woods. Music builds more.
High angle of Scarlett's feet as she is backing away Leaves rustling.
High angle shot of Narrator walking forwards (Match on action of foot placements). Sound
spot of footsteps.
Narrator: Almost a year. Yeah, I
know, I worry too – look, it’s only a short walk. The woods around here aren’t
even that bad.
Close up of Scarlett’s face showing fear, also looking around nervously.
Continue backing away. This plays at the same time as “aren’t even that bad”.
Close up of Narrator talking on the
phone.
Narrator: Alright, talk later. Bye.
Include a phone sound to signify that the call has ended.
Midshot of Narrator walking into the woods, showing that she might be being
watched too. She puts her hands into her pockets. Sound of leaves.
Long shot: A shadow could pass over the camera, and then Scarlett turns around suddenly, stares directly at the camera, and then begins to walk towards it slowly. Scarf tree is visible behind her. Rustling of
leaves and distorted laughter.
Turns around looking at the
camera again, and then looks around her, closer shot, possible fast cuts. More leaves rustling and distorted
laughter.
Narrator: It had never occurred to me…
High angle POV shot, Scarlett looks at the camera, rolls her eyes and smiles but her smile suddenly drops. Her eyes move from the left to the right and back again, showing that there are multiple people in front of her.
Music builds as narrator speaks.
Narrator: That one day, I’d reach the tree.
Over the shoulder shot of Narrator that becomes a close up as she turns her head and looks behind her.
Narrator: And she wouldn’t be there.
High angle shot of Narrator at the tree, showing that Scarlett isn’t there. Narrator looks side to side, there is non-diegetic laughter.
Narrator: Or that one day I’d call her.
Midshot: Narrator quickly goes on her phone and holds it up to her ear.
Narrator: And there would be no reply.
Cuts to Scarlett, extreme close up of her hand/arm on the ground.
If possible, it can be a pull focus from
Narrator standing at the tree to Scarlett’s hand behind her on the ground, far
enough that she won’t see her.
Close up of Scarlett’s phone and earphones pulled out, on the phone
“name” calling. Phone ringtone.
Black screen with the title “Scarlett” sound spot of loud and slightly
distorted ringtone.
END.
* * *
The script follows the conventions of a thriller through the use of language that causes suspense. For example, there's a pause after certain things are said, and a shot relating to what is said is shown - this causes tension and makes the audience link what is being said to what is actually happening. Thus, they follow the words that are said more closely so that they may realise what is going to occur before it actually does.
The narration itself follows the conventions of a thriller, as thrillers usually have narrations done by either the main character or the villain in order to create enigma code and an idea of what the thriller is going to be like. If it is the main character's voice, as it is in my thriller, it shows that something significant has happened to them, and as the two girls walk through the forest it allows the audience to establish who will be affected by the tragic event. The narrator's voice is identified by the main character speaking whilst in a shot, and thus the audience know that the event will happen to the other girl, and tension builds. They are waiting for the moment it happens, and this causes more attention to be paid to the girl.
