Ancillary Task - Poster drafts

This is the final draft of our poster that we have decided on, as we thought that the use of creative darkness is much more effective with the sole poker table instead of the combination of that and the lamp.

Our original idea was to have the lamp shining light down onto the poker table, however we felt that if the table is on its own, then the connotations of loneliness is more stark, and fits better with our film choice.

We also experimented with having a horizontal poster, however since it would hypothetically have to fit inside a magazine/outside advertising it was not a practical idea. The only place this size would be relevant would be a billboard (however the film will most likely not reach that type of publicity)

Ancillary Task - Commentary

We created this commentary to discuss the both the poster and our magazine review. Narration from 3 of our group members was place over the top of examples of our ancillary tasks to match the narration.  We filmed ourselves commenting on the pieces then imported the video to Adobe Premier Pro where we unlinked the audio and video, deleted the video line and embedded the imported pictures into the sequence.

Storyboard Animatic

Once we had created a shooting script we decided to create a storyboard so that we can visually represent the shots we aim to recreate in our film. We then took photos of each individual storyboard picture. Using Adobe Premier Pro we arranged the photos into an animatic. We then downloaded non-copyrighted music from Freesound.com, choosing an harmonica and electric guitar style blues poece feeling that it represented a stereotypical image of the gambling genre.

Film Name - 'Face Down'

During the course of our planning stages we have taken inspiration from various poker themed films and the rules of the game itself to create a suitable and interesting title film. After extensive thought we have decided on 'Face Down', as it connotes multiple meanings, firstly the down on  your luck depressed emotion, and the more sinister connotation of death.

The Script

The Poker Film

Written By

Ian Fry

Daniel Norris

Samuel Tyler

Blank black screen, Man narrates

MAN

(Narration)

“I’ve never thought of myself as a particularly lucky guy”

Flash of light as the blank screen changes to that of a room, with a dingy overhead lamp shining onto a large poker table. The shot shows a man sat at the table, cards in hand and a stack of chips in the centre of the table. The man’s name is Sean.

                       

SEAN

(Narration)

“Poker’s a game where luck can come in pretty handy. Take a look (shows his hand of two Aces). But believe it or not this isn’t the type of place I tend to visit often or at all for that matter. First of all, take a look at my fine co-players”

Pan 360 degrees around the table revealing the five players at the table. The man running the game, called Eddie is sat at the end of the table nearest the corner of the room, and a ‘waiter’ is passing him an alcoholic drink from a tray. To his left is the woman dealing the cards, dressed informally. Next to her is sat a thuggish looking man with a shaven head, and in the seat along from him is a businessman in a suit.

EDDIE

“Call” (distractedly)

The dealer lays the flop, showing the Queen of Hearts, 7 of Clubs and the King of Spades

SEAN

(Narration whilst play unfolds)

“In fact, I’ve never met any of these people in my life before, thankfully. They’re not your average upstanding citizen.

THUGGISH MAN

“Call”

SEAN

(Narration whilst play unfolds)

“You see, I come from a pretty normal background, at school I wasn’t exactly a genius, but I wasn’t thick either. I wasn’t the coolest kid around but I wasn’t a loser either. I was normal. But there was one thing in life that I loved. The army, it was my life. I was a rifleman in Afghanistan, and served 2 tours of duty. And I was good… (Trails off)

But…I was wounded in the shoulder during operations in the Helmand province; perhaps you’d like to see it”

Flashback scene: (POV) Running facing the ground, heavy breathing, then explosion launching the character backwards.

SEAN

(Narration)

But I guess all good things come to an end. After that the army gave me a leaving present of a disability payment and an inability to work,

EDDIE

(Puts chips in)

“Play your hand or get out”

SEAN

(Glares angrily, signals to call)

Middle poker section

EDDIE

(Glaring across at Sean)

“Just take your shit and go”

Sean picks up the briefcase containing the winnings and exits the room

THUGGISH MAN

“Hey boss…” (Shows Eddie the ace left in the deck, revealing Sean has cheated”

EDDIE

“What the? That son of a bitch was cheating!”


EXT. OF BUILDING

 SEAN

(speaking to the camera)

“You see, I make my own Luck”

(Reveals an ace hidden up his sleeve)

In the background of the shot, the bouncer from inside is seen approaching him, and grabs his shoulder.

END

The Characters

Main Character - Sean Carter - Ex-Military, wounded in Afghanistan

Wife's name - Grace Carter - Care Worker in a retirement home
We want to create a situation and characters within it that will evoke the audience's sympathy, which will add to the depth and believability of our film.

Sean Carter - Afghanistan veteran who was wounded in the shoulder during his second tour of duty. He can no longer work for the army due to the severity of his injuries, and lives a poor lifestyle with his wife as they attempt to have a baby. However his wife is infertile and their only option to conceive a child is through the expensive £4,000-8,000 IVF treatment. This desperation for money leads him to get involved with the wrong people, who witness him losing at the local gambling shop, and offer him a place at their high-stakes private Texas hold-em poker game.

The Poker Game

This is how we have decided the hand of poker will unfold:

Initial Hands -

Sean Carter - Ace of Spades, Ace of Diamonds
Main Rival - Jack of Spades, Jack of Clubs
Character 3 - 10 of Hearts, 2 of Spades (FOLD)
Character 4 - King of Diamonds, Queen of Diamonds
Character 5 - 6 of Hearts, 6 of Spades

Flop

Queen of Hearts, 7 of Clubs, King of Spades

Sean has - Pair of Aces,
Rival - Pair of Jacks
C.4 - Two pair - Queen and King
C.5 - Pair of 6's (FOLD)

Turn

Jack of Hearts

Sean has - Pair of Aces
Rival - 3 of a kind - Jacks
C.4 - Two pair - Queen and King (FOLD)

River

Ace of Hearts

Sean has - 3 of a kind - Aces (Wins)
Rival has 3 of a kind- Jacks