This document outlines a proposal for a drama film titled "Fixated". The film would tell the story of Ruby Livingstone, an aspirational girl from a working-class background in suburban London who dreams of becoming a journalist in the city but faces obstacles. It discusses choosing the drama genre to send an influential message about prejudice and limiting people. It proposes casting established British actors, partnering with Film4 for production/marketing, and distributing through Pathe films. The goal is to make an impactful film on a £2.5 million budget that could gross £5.4 million.
2. “A journey of improvement and the determination of an aspirational girl – Ruby
Livingstone. She constantly dreams her way out of society to move forward and
escape. She doesn't share the same hopes and values the people around her have
as well the immense pressure from school is an attribute to her constant daze; this is
what drives her to fixate on her dreams. She dreams of becoming successful in the
capital’s centre, she wants to do journalism, yet her lower-class background of
suburban London is what is stops her, as well as her ethnicity. The reality is to prove
the hindsight of prejudice in how it limits people.
3. Closely relating to Todorov’s theory
Equilibrium – Living in a struggling and dull environment, she
constantly fantasies about breaking out – seeing what life really holds,
rather than the constant routine an ordinary girl has in a less-fortunate
environment.
Disruption - Still relating to the equilibrium, only things worsen and
family life starts to become intense, with only one friend to seek solace
from, parents are very traditional and to the point, they tell her that her
that she won't go far, she cannot escape because “people from here
don't move on.”
Realisation - Ruby sees what’s holding her back, yet it’s the force that
pushes her forward to succeed.
Resolution - Not the typical, happy ending type of story. She realises
her desires aren't reachable due to not having an impressive
background, this will teach the audience about prejudice etc.
4. Why a Drama?
▸ By committing to the Drama genre, it
enables me to have the passage to
broadcast an influential storyline, that also
will contain decoded message in which the
audience will decode to obtain a message
or a moral.
▸ A drama gives an insight to lives of people
who may not be reachable or in the public
eye, by showing light on these people it
doesn't just serve the purpose of
entertainment but also a lesson of a new
culture and way of living; by heightening
the knowledge of the audience it will leave
them to feel appreciative of what they have
in life or, in this case, aspire to be.
▸ My purpose is to enlighten knowledge,
enabling the audience to seek confinement
and to an extent - entertainment. As I know
it will have to be entertaining in order to
gain a following.
Genre: Drama
How can I use it?
▸ By following the Uses And Gratification
Theory, I will aid me into projecting my
purpose furthermore; for example, the
cognitive needs I will not cut out what really
happens in the life of unfortunate people, I
want to shed realism and emotion so the
audience can see what actually happens in
different cultures - for the integration of
society.
▸ As well, affective needs using emotive and
impactful scenes to gain sympathy for
character roles will keep the audience
engaged; and to an extent, abling to seek
confinement within these character roles,
being able to take advice from them to help
rebuild confidence and their life.
▸ Finally, personal needs - a social realist
drama will help establish character, helping
the audience know they aren’t alone in their
situation and can follow the advice characters
will give.
5. Target
Audience
▸15-30
Aspirers who
seek status and
dreams, by
showing the main
character's
determination
they will see they
have to work for
their dreams.
Succeeders - People
with Strong goals,
confidence and work
ethic. Desire stability in
their life, due to a bad
upbringing. Their
choices are based on
self-reward from being
beaten down
throughout life.
Strugglers - People who seeks escape and feel
Alienated. Too, people who relate to Ruby where
personal details affect their dreams.
The main target audience will be aged 15-30, with the pressures from school and constantly
wanting to achieve more, the young audience will be able to relate to Ruby as they haven't
fully established their career. So by choosing this age range, this leaves the movie to have a
certificate of 15 as it includes mild violence as well as language.
There are certain type of audiences that will desire this movie:
6. Films I seek influence from
Billy Elliot (2000)- How his disintegration of his
dreams and family affect him. Also based in
England and how rough it is. It got turned into a
musical in the West-end and Broadway. £3 million
budget with a £21million gross.
Kidulthood (2006) - Showing light on teenagers
growing up in West London, with the difficulties
that appear. Widely popular with teens of London
and its catch phrases online. Budget £600,000
with a £100,000 gross.
Juno - An unplanned pregnancy leaves Juno to
feel stranded, it's what becomes her hurdle in life.
$6.5 million budget with a gross of $143million
Focusing on the idea of terrible backgrounds
that are holding back teenagers, which is also
the catalyst for them to succeed and achieve
what they desire and set out to do. Closely
relating to the values of the characters of the
environment they live in; such as, family,
friends, status and respect.
7. Noel clarke - Director
▸ Born 6th September, 1975.
▸ Noel Clarke will be most suited to direct; he has
previously shot similar films like “Adulthood”.
Being an majorly popular and award-winning
director within the UK .
▸ Most known for shooting Star Trek into the
darkness, Kidulthood, Adulthood and Dr Who.
▸ He costs around around £450,000 per movie.
▸ His best movie, Star Trek had a budget of
$170,000,000 whereas his lowest budgeted
movie was “Adulthood” which had a budget of
£600,000 so he can work with budgets big or
small.
8. Red Madrell - Ruby
▸ Born 1987, London.
▸ She’s previously been in two of
Clarke’s movies, “Kidulthood”
and “Adulthood”. So they have
a close companionship.
▸ Popular within the UK being on
Casualty, Skins and The Bill.
She’s familiar with violent
dramas, so acting will come at
ease.
▸ Been in the news for her
career beginning to be
recognised in the U.S
▸ Estimated cost £10,000 per
movie.
9. Geraldine James - Ruby’s Mum
▸ Born 6th July, 1950
▸ Being famously known for
working in blockbuster films
like: “Sherlock Holmes” 1 and
2. “Girl with the dragon tattoo”
and “Ghandi”. Being very
familiar with movies that has
had over £90 million budgets.
▸ Nominated for 4 BAFTA
awards
▸ Worked with major names like
Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law
and Daniel Craig.
▸ Estimated cost, £50,000.
10. Freya Mavor - Ruby’s Friend
▸ Born 13th August 1993
▸ Best known for “skins” and
“Sunshine on Leith”
▸ Been nominated for an Empire
award and BAFTA
▸ Worked in film, television and on
stage
▸ Estimated cost £10,000
By choosing British, not so known
actors it will allow them to become more
popular. Especially, all three actors
have had similar roles in less-fortunate
locations and narratives.
11. Production,Distribution, Marketing
Film 4 will be help with the production and marketing of this film, with earning over
£244,476 from just 60 screens in the UK got “Submarine” I feel this they are best suited
to help produce a high quality movie.
I understand all-British movies do not do as well in the box office that’s why i’m taking
the day-and-date route to help the gross of the movie; it’s also convenient that Film4 are
immensely popular in the UK especially as they're owned by Channel 4 so the movie
can be broadcasted on TV to SKY and Virgin media customers for free.
I’ve chosen Pathe films to distribute this movie, they’ve previously help distribute for
films like “swingers” which earned $4.5million and “Pride” which was nominated for 3
BAFTA. By releasing it to around 300 cinema screens, it will be suitable to target all
audiences throughout the country. After the 90 day period, by releasing it on DVD and
VOD it will also aid the movie in curating a higher gross and also help in heightening the
popularity of the movie.
i’ve chosen Chris Martin from award-winning band “coldplay” to help curate a soundtrack
for this movie; selecting the best artists to write for this movie, this was similarly done by
a big budget film “The Hunger Games” so I will bring this to a smaller British film. Also,
by releasing the soundtrack to purchase it will help gather a higher gross.
A fund of £2.5million will help across all these boards mentioned, from the director to the
costumes and the location shooting in London. I have an estimated of £5.4million
success at the box office. With a BBFC certificate of 15 due to its use of mild language
and violence. This movie will be released in late July, as it’s month into summer
holidays.
12. Distributing
▸ Because of the immense power of the internet, I
want to discover new and unique ways of
promoting “Fixated” like big budget movies like,
“Gone Girl” they created a missing-person fake
website which tricked people into actually believing
in this case.
▸ They done so by created a “hashtag” on social
media platforms, this will act as an “exchange”
between producers and audiences. Basically being
free promoting.
▸ By starting the hashtag, “#TweetYourDream” this
will encourage people to show off their dreams,
letting people know they’re aspirational. As well as
mini convergence, I would want the audience to
become closer with the actor, allowing a Q&A
session etc.
13. Title sequence
▸ Shows Ruby’s run-down
environment, walking round.
▸ Close-up of her dreaming,
emphasising on her dream (which the
movie is about).
▸ In her dream, you really see how
she’s a fish out of water and much
different to everybody else.
▸ Being snapped out of the dream it
leads to the beginning of the movie.