Preliminary Task 2: Treatment
Written By Josh Miles
Preliminary task 2 - Treatment
A treatment for "Followed"
Bacon productions
Proposed Film Idea
It is proposed that the film will be about 1.30 to 2 minutes in duration and will be filmed in a dense forest area, providing the isolated and unsettling environment required for our thriller film. The setting will convey a sense of vulnerability as the character is away from civilization and any potential help.
Thriller Conventions to be Included
Lighting: Lighting will transition from late afternoon to early evening, gradually darkening to enhance the eerie atmosphere. Natural lighting will be used initially, but as the film progresses, subtle artificial lighting may be used to emphasize the shadowy presence following the girl.
Sound: Minimal dialogue will be used, with the majority of the film relying on sound effects and an intense musical score to build suspense. The music will escalate as the girl becomes aware of being followed and picks up her pace, but it will abruptly stop when she reaches safety (the car or a perceived safe spot). Ambient forest sounds, footsteps on leaves, and sudden snaps of branches will contribute to the tense atmosphere.
Intense Breathing: The girl’s heavy breathing will be amplified to showcase her escalating fear, especially as she starts running or quickening her pace.
Costuming: The girl will be wearing casual clothes appropriate for a walk or hike, hinting at her attempt to clear her head or enjoy some solitude. Her outfit will also help convey her youth and vulnerability.
Isolation: The deserted forest emphasizes that she is entirely alone, heightening the tension and uncertainty about whether the presence is real or a figment of her imagination.
Camera Work: The camera will primarily focus on the girl but will occasionally reveal hints of the shadowy figure trailing her — never fully revealing them, only suggesting their presence.
Ambiguity: By the end of the film, it is left uncertain whether the shadowy figure was truly following her or if it was simply her mind playing tricks due to fear and paranoia.
Empty Setting: The natural forest setting emphasizes isolation and suspense, raising questions about why she’s there and why no one else is around to help her.
Influences from Thriller Films
The Ritual (2017)
- Why It’s Relevant: This film follows a group of friends who get lost in a Scandinavian forest, where they are stalked by a mysterious presence. The film’s use of the natural environment, slow-building tension, and eerie sound design fits well with your concept.
- Inspiration: Its use of shadows, camera work showing glimpses of something following them, and building paranoia could be mirrored in your film.
Backcountry (2014)
- Why It’s Relevant: This survival thriller follows a couple lost in a remote forest being stalked by a deadly bear. While it’s more of a survival thriller, the sense of isolation and helplessness in the forest setting is powerful.
- Inspiration: Creating suspense by emphasizing the protagonist's vulnerability and focusing on subtle sounds and movements to suggest a presence following her.
Potential Challenges
Filming Location: Ensuring the forest area is quiet and devoid of other people during filming to maintain the feeling of isolation.
Lighting Control: Managing the transition from natural to artificial lighting smoothly as the scene progresses.
Environmental Sounds: Dealing with uncontrollable background noises such as distant traffic, animal sounds, or hikers that may interrupt the desired ambiance.
Safety: Ensuring the safety of the actors and crew while filming in a secluded area.
Characters:
Young Girl:
The main character is a 16-year-old girl dressed in casual outdoor clothing suitable for a walk or hike, suggesting she has come to the forest for some personal time away from daily life. Her vulnerability is evident from her isolation and the growing sense of fear as she realizes something is following her.
Shadowy Figure:
The presence of the shadowy figure is kept deliberately vague. Only partial glimpses of them are shown through camera angles and shadows cast on trees or the forest floor.
Ideology:
The girl’s fear is a natural response to being alone in a seemingly dangerous environment. Her vulnerability is emphasized by her age, isolation, and escalating panic.
The shadowy figure appears to be unaffected by the girl’s fear, projecting a sense of power and menace over her.
The central theme revolves around fear of the unknown and how the mind can amplify perceived threats.
Mood and Tone:
The mood is suspenseful and unsettling, shifting from a peaceful walk in the forest to an intense, dramatic experience as something or someone seems to be following her.
The atmosphere is created through the natural darkness of the forest, minimal lighting, and sudden bursts of intense music.
The use of sound — particularly the sudden silences between the girl’s heightened breathing and the ambient forest noise — adds to the suspense.
Camera Shots, Movements, Lighting, and Angles:
The camera primarily focuses on the girl’s perspective, showcasing her growing paranoia and fear.
Occasional switches to the shadow’s perspective heighten tension by giving the audience a sense of something closing in on her.
The film will start with a wide establishing shot of the girl entering the forest, followed by close-ups to highlight her anxious expressions, trembling hands, and hesitant steps.
Over-the-shoulder shots and point-of-view angles will be used to suggest she is being watched, without making it explicit.
Close-ups will convey emotion and urgency, especially during moments of panic when the girl begins to run or glance over her shoulder.
Themes and Motifs:
Vulnerability: The girl is isolated and defenseless in a remote environment.
Fear of the Unknown: The ambiguity of whether the shadowy figure is real or imagined plays on the common fear of being followed.
Isolation: The absence of anyone else in the forest amplifies the feeling of dread and helplessness.
Narrative:
The narrative builds suspense as the girl’s fear intensifies and the audience becomes uncertain whether she is truly being followed or if her paranoia is playing tricks on her.
Mise-en-scène/Setting:
The forest provides a natural, isolated setting where the girl’s vulnerability is heightened.
The use of shadows, natural light transitioning to darkness, and the isolated setting all contribute to the eerie atmosphere.
Sound and Music:
The film will largely rely on natural ambient sounds (wind rustling, leaves crunching, distant animal calls) to establish the setting.
Intense music will be used during the chase scene when the girl’s fear reaches its peak.
The sudden absence of music when she reaches a perceived safe spot will enhance the suspense and leave viewers questioning whether the threat was real or imagined.
Credits and Logo:
The logo for Bacon Productions will appear at the beginning of the film, possibly with a subtle sound effect to set the tone.
Opening credits will display the names of the main actors and director, providing a professional appearance.
Editing:
Shots will be short and fast-paced during moments of heightened tension, particularly during the chase scene.
Quick cuts between the girl’s terrified expressions, her frantic movements, and glimpses of the shadowy figure will contribute to the urgency and suspense.
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