Synopsis for our opening sequence

As a part of the pre-production work we had to complete a full synopsis explaining the storyline for our film noir opening. This was Chris's task to create as he is our director, though we each gave ideas towards this. The sequence only involves 2 characters, of which we have named Peter and the Mystery Shadow. The importance of a synopsis is that it gives guidelines to the script and ensures we know exactly what to film and what moods and atmospheres we wish to portray.

Synopsis:

• The first part shown is a flashback showing Peter walking along a footpath in a woodland area. He is wearing a dark leather jacket over a creased white shirt of which the collar can vaguely be shown. The rest of his clothing is quite casual, including a woolly hat which suggests it is winter. He is alone when he discovers a dead body holding a brown package on the ground.
• Peter has no idea who the dead person is but can see a large wadge of money poking out from the package. In an act of selfishness he takes the package and on hearing a noise in the distance, he runs with a panicked expression and clearly unaware of what he has just committed himself towards by taking the mysterious package.
• Voice over: "This is the day my life finished". This comes from Peter as he runs away.
• The screen switches to Peter entering a dark room of his apartment. All that can be seen is a desk with a lamp and fan on it, as the rest is darkness. The desk is in the centre of the room and a Venetian blind effect is throwing awkward lines across it.
• Peter unzips bis leather jacket and throws his woolly hat and the mysterious package onto the desk before collapsing into the chair beside it. He switches on the desk lamp which reveals the contents of his desk. A black folder, a glass of whiskey with ice cubes in it, an electric fan (which is switched off), pad of paper and a handful of Biro pens.
• His hands are shaking with nerves as he carefully inspects the package. He takes the bundle of money (£20 notes) from the package and checks its quality under the dim light of the desk lamp.
• Voice over: "Like a panther prowling through the undergrowth stalking its prey. Was I the panther, or the unsuspecting gazelle staring into the great gorging eyes of abyss without even realising it?” Here Peter is metaphorically describing his emotions to the audience.
• The screen suddenly turns to a piercingly bright white light. This triggers Peter's memory of him running through the woods just a few hours ago. The screen then switches between location (the woods and the dark apartment room) as Peter reveals the contents of the package item-by-item.
• He inspects each item carefully. 2 black and white photographs of himself walking in various locations, A black notebook containing a date and nameless contact details (address and phone number).
• Between the shots of Peter looking through the package the screen cuts to him running through the woods looking anxiously behind him, as if there is somebody following in his footsteps. Faint noises and quick shots of a Mysterious Shadow appear on the path Peter has been running along, creeping up bushes and other foliage, and disappearing whenever Peter glances around. The Mysterious Shadow's identity isn't revealed though we know he carries a knife, and an over-the-shoulder shot shows him wearing a dark hood. Other shots of his fast-walking feet show he's also wearing dark jeans and trainers.
• At one point the camera follows Peter climbing up a steep slippery mud hill in a hurry as he drops the package but turns around to pick it up. This shows that Peter is money-orientated and desperately wants to keep the package though he has no idea of the other contents and the audience don't know why he 'stole' it.
• Peter then rests against a tree as he catches his breath. Voice over: He asks himself “Why me? Why me, the keep your head down, no fuss, always do as you’re told, unimportant cog. The one whose eyes you always avoid because otherwise you might actually have to acknowledge they exist. The bloke who melts in with the crowd. No one taking second notice!” This reveals Peter's true thoughts about himself.
• Then the audience are taken back into his apartment room where he takes out the final item in the package. It is a black gun, complete with loaded ammunition. In a moment of panic Peter hides the gun in his inner jacket pocket, as if he knows this will be of use to him later on.
• Then the audience return to the woods and see Peter turning to look back from behind the tree. A small silhouetted figure disappears in the distance behind another tree before the camera focuses on a small, insignificant, blood-red berry gracefully falling from a branch. Halfway as it slowly falls from above, the screen cuts to ice-cubes dropping into Peter's glass of whiskey. This cut joins the times and locations together (though will be tricky to film!)
• Peter's hand gently appears in shot as he clutches the glass and gulps down the contents in a nervous hurry. He arrogantly slams the emptied glass onto the desk in front of him, but almost instantly after can an even louder slam of the front door be heard. The audience now know there is someone else at present in the apartment as Peter worriedly glances at the door with fear.
• The darkness hides the identity of Peter's company, though as we cut to a shot of a shadow slowly walking along the grey apartment carpet the audience will recognise this shadow to be of the Mystery man. Also there will be reflection of light from the knife he's holding, which again shows that this is the same person who was following Peter through the forest earlier.
• The Mystery Shadow is walking very slowly as Peter follows his every move. The Mystery Shadow stops before the desk. Dialogue: “You know that stuff will kill you.” He speaks directly to Peter's face about the alcohol Peter has just be drinking.
• Every step the Mystery Shadow takes can be heard loudly as he slowly circles Peter with a casual manner about him. Peter's facial expressions reveal his nervous emotions as the contents of the package remain still on the desk before him. The shadow of the Mystery Man creeps up Peter's desk as he addresses the Mystery Man. Dialogue: “I suppose that’s your job then isn’t it. It was all set up. Right from the off.” His sarcastic tone doesn't hide his anxiety as he closes his eyes during his speech. The Mystery Shadow is staring directly at Peter, which disturbs him even more.
• The Mystery Shadow continues to walk until he is standing behind Peter, who remains still in his chair and is staring at the package contents in front of him. Dialogue: “Manipulation does indeed taste sweet in success. Whilst revenge on the other hand is best served cold. And it’s said that death is so very, very cold.” The Mystery Shadow is clearly in control of the situation though he speaks calmly and softly to demonstrate loneliness and that nobody else can hear or see him.
• The audience then see Peter draw the gun out of his jacket pocket, whilst the Mystery Shadow man leans forward to stab Peter in the back with his shiny sharp knife, reflecting in the dim light. Peter falls onto the floor and takes the Mystery Shadow with him. The package envelope is seen to fall gracefully on the floor amongst the vicious fighting below.The camera doesn't follow the two men as they fight because it stays focused on the package contents lying in the middle of Peter's desk. This reinforces the importance of the package and reminds the audience that this is responsible for the beginning of misery for Peter.
• 2 loud gunshots pierce the moment, sharp and sudden. The audience now know that either the Mystery Man or Peter has been killed, but who? This is not revealed as we left this to be the enigma. The screen then switches to a hand lying still on the floor with a note resting in it. The note reads 'Shadows Present' in a bold, black, handwritten format. This is the title our film noir, and the audience are lead to believe that this note was inside the package all along, amongst the various other contents. This also anaphorically references to the very beginning of our opening where the dead girl is lying on the floor in the woods, holding the package.

The enigma left for the rest of the film to reveal is who exactly has been murdered? Why was there more than just money in the package? Who was the Mystery Man and does he know Peter already? With all these enigmas (and more) the audience will want to watch on and resolve the problems seen in our film opening. The style we use (darkness, the Venetian blind effect, murder and blackmail) all reflect those used in neo-noir films.