Script Proposal

Script proposal

My proposed script for a 2 part BBC drama over two nights entitled “Tricked” and the concept is inspired by the 2006 Christopher Nolan film “the prestige”.  I thought that having a narrative following two magicians which compete to outdo each other; similar to the film, would be an interesting idea to play around with, and also be different to that of anyone else’s in the class. My script though having a similar narrative does differ from the film to great extent showing that I am not just directly copying the film. Within my narrative the two protagonists are both brothers and once worked together on stage as a magician double act, they fall out due to ego and fame and from there on out compete to be the best. At the end of the 2 part programme the two battle it out at a big competition and the audience think this is part of the show and applaud them on their ability, they then reunite with a new premise for their act.

My target demographic for the programme would primarily be young males of a working to middle class as the characters would be in their early 20’s making it relatable. However the secondary demographic would younger females due to the male cast being attractive. I do think that it would appeal to other audiences, for example those interested in the arts and magic to be more specific.

Another big influence to how I want to show to look and feel I took from the previous BBC drama ‘hustle’, which follows a group of con artists, I think that this programme is show beautifully, especially how they reveal the twists at the end; and that would be something I would like to use within my proposed script as I think it would also help to draw in more audience.

I think that the unique selling point of my proposed script is that thought there are programmes with magicians on television at the moment, ITV’s ‘Penn & Teller – Fool Us’ and BBC’s ‘The Magicians’ they are both reality shows in which magicians perform onstage to an audience and they are filmed doing so, whereas my proposed idea is a fictional programme that follows the story of two brothers, showing behind the scenes also.

The two main characters are a pair of bothers Johnny and Tommy Trix who are a sibling magic double act known as “the Trix bros”. Johnny Trix is the younger of the two brothers at 20 years old and has also loved magic from a young age, growing up watching his father who created magic tricks for illusionists. He loves the entertainment side of magic, performing for the enjoyment of the crowd and likes to do more light-hearted and humorous tricks.

Tommy is 22 years old and is the oldest of the two, he also grew up watching his father perform tricks but unlike his brother he learnt to try and show off to his father and out do his brother, trying to be the best in the household. He is into the darker illusions, obsessed with fire and try’s to both scare and show off to impress the audience with his abilities, always striving to do more dangerous tricks.

The role of the two characters do have some requirements in the they should look to be in their early 20’s, of similar appearance and be attractive. They will need a knowledge of magic and stage performing.



Synopsis

The show follows two brothers both up and coming magicians and illusionists, and their feud when trying to make the big time. When the two young talents striving to become magicians, get an offer to perform in a show they dispute on who should do what and problems occur causing them to fall out and they then become rivals, trying to outdo each other.

It starts off with the two brothers working together as magical double act, when they are approached for a successful show they soon fall out over who does what and who gets the credit. Wanting to outdo each other for the praise of the audience the show goes horribly wrong and they both go their separate ways blaming the other.

Their hatred for each other grows over time and they continue to try and outdo each other with bigger more spectacular tricks. News is brought to them of a talent competition and they work harder than ever to create the perfect trick for the show to show up the other person and prove that they are the better magician once and for all.

After getting through all the rounds the competition they both make it through to the final.   The show starts and they are both in the final when a battle of sleight of hand and pure skill kicks of between the two, the audience assume that it’s all part of the show and praise the two on their ability and they then join back together with this new premis.

Screenplay examples

BBC Writers room is a very small department working across the whole of BBC drama, comedy and children's departments.  It allows young and upcoming writers to get inspired to write and also send in their work to the BBC. On the website it allows you to read existing scripts and successful entries that other people have sent in.

Hey have periods of time in which you can send in your script for a specific genre, this year’s first window will open on February the 14^th of 2013 and they have a blog which contains more information on the details of what they want and all of the specifications. On their be inspired page of the website they have interviews with existing and established BBC writers.

 

Exisiting BBC Dramas

Edge of darkness is a UK Crime Drama miniseries

This starts with shots of police men walking around and turning on lights. Then it cuts to a train with different containers. It then cuts to a man (Ron craven) in a car while it is pouring with rain outside. He then runs in to a building and as he walks through the corridor voices shouting eco through the corridors. Ron reaches a room full of people and it soon becomes evident that there is some form of rally or debate going on, there is a man standing at the front speaking to the crowd, with everyone else cheering at him. When the man finishes his speech the camera focuses on a girl who controls the crowed and calls the meeting to a close. She then joins Ron Craven and they both then get the car and she asks him what he thought of the meeting, and they talk on their way home. They drive into a garage and huddle under a coat and start to run through the rain towards the house. A masked man then steps out and holding a gun and shouts at them the girl steps out in front of Ron and is then shot sending her flying back, Ron runs over to her and you here the man running away and then a car screeching of in the distance. Ron holds her and she then says the words “don’t tell” before dying.

The characters in the opening scene include police men, Ron Craven, the girl which you later find out to be his daughter ‘Emma Craven’, a crowed of students and the mysterious shooter.

I think that the primary audience for this programme would be for an older audience of around 40+ as of the more mature themes and the psychological themes. I don’t think that there are many themes that would appeal to a younger audience.

I quite like the story of the show I thought that throwing in the twist that the killer could have been out to murder Emma all along not Ron was good I thought, I also liked the way that it didn’t have too much action in it and was more about the phsycalogical aspect of everything.

Silent Witness - Choices

The opening scene starts off outside a night club and two bouncers are asking were Marcus the manager was, it then cuts to a the view of a couple in the back of car, the man in a suit and the woman in a dress. The man (Ainsly Modest a night club owner) hands his girlfriend (Helen) an engagement ring, and she is incredibly excited and happy. They pull up outside the night club and get out of the car. Helen excited runs over to Ainslys sister, Simone to show her the ring. At this point Ainsly turns round a confused look across his usually calm face. It cuts to a shot of a car slowly moving towards the nightclub, the window begins to wind down and a gun appears from the window. In slow motion the gun begins to fire upon the queue of people waiting to get in to the club.  Helen gets shot and falls to the ground and the bouncers start to get people in to safety. Then the car drives off, ending the first scene.

The characters involved in the opening scene were: Ainsley Modest the nightclub owner, Helen his girlfriend, Simone his sister, Terry the bouncer, mysterious gunman and the extras in the queue

 I think that the primary audience for this programme would be aimed for an older audience due to it tackling older themes (hence being on after the watershed) that’s why I think it would be aimed at an age range of about 30 to 45 and also targeting at a more middle class or higher due to the naivety of the narrative, I think this because the issues and the views of a working class society has either been written by an upper class individual who likes to base more on stereo types, or it is written in this way deliberately for this audience.

Personally I found the show interesting and I thought that the main narrative of the episode very enjoyable, I thought that harry was the most interesting character. However there were many aspects I was less interested in the other overarching stories (though that could be down the the fact I haven’t seen any other episodes) and the other smaller narrative about a heroin addict I thought slowed down the pace of the show and caused me to lose interest.

Hustle

Hustle the start of the episode begins with the one of the main characters (ash) in a pub asking the landlord to look after his dog, while putting on an accent. There are several swipe cuts showing the rest of the gang doing the same. It then cuts back and then Stacie (another main character) comes in and then claims that the dog sitting at the bar is worth a lot of money and if the landlord would be willing to sell it to her, she would pay a lot of money for it. As the dog is not his he declines but takes her card, in case he changes his mind. When ash returns he explains to the bar man that he is in need of some money fast. It then cuts to an earlier moment with the land lord and his wife, discussing that they could buy the dog off ash cheap and sell it on to the lady (Stacie) for a considerable amount more money. It then cuts back to ash sitting at the bar and he landlord then offers to buy the dog off him. Pretending; ash reluctantly agree and the landlord pays him in cash. There is another cut to a later time showing the landlord and his wife with the dog, the he is on the phone, and you can hear a dial tone, but no one answers the phone, it then cuts to a shot of a telephone box which is ringing. The next scene shows the gang holding the money received by the landlord and walking away with it.

I think that the primary audience for this show would be from 15 to 30 year olds primarily male, I think that it has such a wide age range because it is shown in a classy way and it is humorous way really appealing to a wide audience and mostly both genders.

I really like this show as it really draws you in, though you already know that there will be a twist at the end you rarely ever see exactly how it is going to happen. It is an extremely cleaver programme that makes light of the criminal world in a way that is extremely charming and at times tempting.