The Shout Action team are campaigning hard to start a new film project.
This team of around 15 young people from the rural town of New Mills, Derbyshire are all in year 8 at the local high school and have recently worked with us to complete their first film project, which they wrote, shot and acted in together.
“We’ve loved the experience and jumped at the chance to write a new film idea to go forward to the First Light Online funding programme. Sadly we’ve just found out that the bid was unsuccessful, but they gave us such positive feedback that we can’t help feeling the project idea should live on.”
We have successfully raised £1,270 to fund Phase 1 of the project – where we will develop the storyline, write the script and plan the shooting schedule – i.e. the pre-production phase. Most of this budget will go towards working with a professional film maker, so that we reach the highest standards and keep learning the tricks of the trade.
Now we are fund raising for Phase 2 – the production phase. We need £1,125 to pay for professional film maker, Matt Kowalczuk to work with the group during the shoot.
So what’s the film idea?
‘File Not Found’ will be a character-based narrative following the peculiarities and friendships found in a small café of the same name. Soon these very personalities threaten the survival of their community and they search for a solution. The chosen genre will be dark comedy; a bit like a children’s version of ‘The League of Gentlemen’ meets Amélie. The film will have over the top quirky characters that seem flawed as individuals and are an annoyance to the local society. But the sum of their parts will make them save their sanctuary, the café.
We will learn about the make up of the café owners and their customers through snatched conversations and overheard gossip. A sense of confusion is created by one character’s belief in wild conspiracies, and another’s conviction that he is starring in a film. There are details that only the audience sees (like the crew person who pops up to do his makeup) and a sense of secrecy as different people talk direct to camera. A series of small mistakes put the café under threat; there is a visit by The Inspector and the owners are given an ultimatum.
Just when despair is taking hold, the most unlikely saviour steps forward – their most awkward customer. They propose a daring attempt on the World Record held in something culinary – and in the final scene they show the audience that a bunch of misfitscan pull together to achieve – almost – anything!
