Pitch

During my lesson I was instructed to provide a pitch for my short film. The key questions where What the film is about? Why should it be Made? and Whats unique about the film.

What the film is about?
The film is about young athletes who put hard work and trust into a coach that dedicates his time and effort to teach these young players that there's more to life than basketball. Through this film you see the team's progression and a strong bond of brotherhood that the players share and feel for one another.

Why Should It be Made?
To raise awareness on sport in general that team sports such a basketball can not be won by a group of individuals. It can only be one as a team that look out for each other and shares a bond between themselves.

What's Unique about the film?
That it mainly focuses on the progression of the young athletes as well as them having something that will last them a life time. . . .Brotherhood.

See Ya Soon *Beckford23*

More Than A Game Trailer

This is a Sports Drama Documentary based on LeBron James' life. This documentary has a similar storyline to my short film as it portrays the message of basketball being more than a game. It has inspired the idea of my film and I will now take a step back and think if there is another better way to explain my story.

Class Progress / Short Film Treatment

I have so far done the film treatment as well as the script. I have also completed the filming,however feel that some scenes stand out more than others. Due to this situation I will redo some scenes so that each scene carries the same balance of quality. I have been consistently updating my blog through the whole process of filming and will add my script to the blog.
I enjoyed the location of where I was filiming as it allowed a variety of angles and shots to be taklen. It also helped make the filming look professional.

Short Film Treatment

The Purpose Of the Film: The purpose of the short film is to send a message about chosen young men who are taught that there's more to life than Basketball. With the positive influence of a coach who dedicates his time and effort into disciplining these young men through the game of Basketball. The players develop a strong bond between on another and soon begin to believe in their team. through basketball they also begin to understand there's more to life than basketball. The purpose of this short film is to challenge the idea of young troubled youths not being able to be successful. The game of basketball is significantly used throughout the film to symbolize the players passion for the game, as well as interesting other viewers who have never experienced basketball at first hand. The short film focuses on the process of young athletes going from disbelief to hope & success by using the fundamentals of basketball such as team work. The idea of the players acknowledging what they have learnt through basketball allows them to develop a bond with there teamates and look out for eachother. Throughout the film, there will be a continuous theme of improvement & belief shown by the players which then leads to them winning the match. The message that Coach D gives to the students is that what he's teaching them is more than basketball.

The Setting: The locations of the short film will take place in a playground Basketball court . And also on a court at Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre.

Genre: The genre of the short film will be a Sport Drama due to the conventions that the genre holds. The story of the film will best fit into the drama with the help of the conventions that will help to convey the essence of the story.

Actors: Itamar as Kobe, Ali as James (Two Main Characters). The rest of the basketball team. Selmon/Tedd as Coach D.

Opening Scene
There are a group of teenagers playing basketball in a court inside. Whilst they're are playing Kobe is walking up to the court when suddenly James calls him from behind. Kobe looks behind and waits up for his rival team mate. As they both walk towards the court James begins to ask Kobe about his hand. Kobe responds with a unhappy tone and shrugs his shoulders. As they walk into the court Kobe sees his team mates walming up on the court. In response Kobe starts to warm himself up by shooting some set shots. Coach D comes along and sees how his hand is doing and then goes through some shooting drills. Feeling a lack of confidence whilst shooting, Kobe talks to his Coach about not being able to contribute completely due to his hand. Coach D replies with some coaching points on his shooting form and not to worry about his shooting, along with him saying to beleive in yourself. As Coach D says that Kobe remembers has a flashback of the sessions that the coach ran. Through the times of disbeleif the coach was there to give them hope, and as they believe the team begins to gradually improve.

Middle/End
The game begins and the other team seems to be dominating the game as well as controlling the tempo of the game. Half time is called and both teams head to the locker room for a brief from their coach. As kobe and the rest of his team sit on the bench annoyed and tierd, Coach D begins with a very powerful motivitational speech. During the speech the players begin to feel more and more energetic and inspired as the speech goes on. At the end of the speech the team go hands in and let out a magnificent roar "WIN". The leave the locker room feeling pumped up and ready for the final half.

End: As the stop clock counts down from 1 minute the momentum of the games changes giving the team an advantage. 30 seconds is on the stop clock, simultaneously the team run a play that they remembered from the coach’s session. 10 seconds remain, the play runs successfully leaving kobe to make the final shot for the game point. As the buzzer rings the shot is successfully made. The team has won, which leaves a clip of the team all jumping up. As the team jumps up, the camera freezes the frame as an ending credit.
Script


Script








Coach D
By Demetrius Beckford

Script
OPENING SCENE:

PANNING SHOT FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Establishing long shot of the leisure centre in focus and then the camera gently pans across the park where you see KOBE walking up the path.

KOBE is seen walking towards the leisure centre by JAMES who calls for him

JAMES
Yo Kobe wait up man! (James loudly shouts)

KOBE
KOBE looks over in surprise as he sees his soon to be team rival running up to walk with him. As he arrives KOBE slowly covers up his right hand to avoid unwanted attention and teasing from JAMES.

What's up James? Where's the rest of your team?

JAMES
Already in the court warming up. What's more of an important question is how's that wrist of yours?

JAMES with a smug look on his face looks over to KOBE’S other side and sees his right hand covered up.

KOBE
It's healed up really well, however I’m feeling on unsure on how my shooting is going to be.

KOBE feeling a lack of confidence begins to look down as he tries to avoid eye contact with JAMES’ powerful essence of confidence.

JAMES
Well it looks like we're going to have to see in the game, right?

KOBE
(unhappily says)
I guess.

KOBE and JAMES walk into the court and see both of their teams warming up.
COACH D sees KOBE enter the court and walks up to him to have a word

COACH D
KOBE! How’s your wrist doing?

KOBE
Begins to rotate his right wrist around and massages it with his left hand answers
Not to good Coach, I feel like I've lost my natural rhythm of shooting. I'm not sure if I can contribute to the team coach.

COACH D

With a confident look on his face looks at KOBE and gives him the reassurance he needs.
Listen Kobe, don't go bailing on me now. All you need to do is believe in
yourself and trust that at the right moment your shooting will become natural again.

KOBE
Now having a little bit of self belief looks up to COACH D and responds with a grateful.

Thanks Coach.

COACH D
Ok lets go through some shooting drills.
KOBE and COACH D go through various shooting drills which gives Kobe a sense of confidence in his shooting. As the he continues to shoot he begins to slowly gain back his shooting rhythm.

As the team begins to walk to the sideline from a talk with their Coach. Whistle is blown, Coach D on the side of the court shouts out
.
COACH D
OK team lets go and handle business!
KOBE begins to se the tone with his team making sure that everybody is picking which man their going to mark.

KOBE
(Loudly and confidently yells out)
Ok guys mark your man!


PLAYER 2
(Responds with a loud yell)
I got seven!

PLAYER 3
(PLAYER 3 follows and shouts the man he’s marking)
I got 23!

The game has began and the JAMES’ team win the tip and gain possession of the ball and advance up the court. JAMES running down the lane loses his defender and calls for the ball

JAMES
(Demanding the ball in his hand aggressively calls out)
Yeah, I’m open. . . . . I’m open!

KOBE
Realising that JAMES is open for a shot, shouts out
Who's got James!

JAMES

Open for the shot. . . . and he scores. keep it up team, keep it going!
The games continues with KOBE’S team advancing the ball up the court. KOBE makes a hand off pass and cuts into the perimeter to catch and shoot.

KOBE
Yeah I’m open . . Right here. . . . Right here. . . . . .
KOBE goes for the shot however is unsuccessful with his shot. JAMES catches the rebound and then brings the ball up the court.


KOBE
Damn it! Its this wrist of mine, I just can't seem to get a shot off right.

The game goes on with JAMES’ team dominating, KOBE’S team begin to get frustrated as the team continues to score. The whistle is blown and KOBE’S team walk in from playing the 4th quarter with 1 minute left on the stop clock. Players in the group all sit down annoyed as well as angry. Coach and Assistant Coach stand in front of them.

COACH D:
Gentlemen, what did you learn in yesterdays practice. I’ll answer that question for you.. . . All of you learnt the fundamentals of the basketball as well as life.

TEAM MEMBER
Yeah but how are we supposed to win this game using the basics Coach. Their still better than us and always will be.

COACH D
Gentlemen, the day I met you I told you guys to listen. Which is what I’m telling you to do now. . .Listen.

All the players slowly look to the coach to hear what he has to say

COACH D
I just need you guys to understand that basketball in a way is like life. You make decisions that will determine the overall outcome. Another thing that’s also important is brotherhood gentlemen. You guys have to all be thinking on the same page as a team, not as individuals. When your young everything feels like the end of the world, but its not, it’s just the beginning. Now at this moment, you have come to that beginning gentlemen, the rest is up to you. Now. . I’m not going to hold your hand through this stage, it’s up to you guys to find the way.

Team becomes engaged in the speech.

Right now, you are faced with two outcomes. You all can either leave and lose this game. Or. . Focus on the fundamentals of the game we all love so much. . . and stand with our heads held high and win this game. So what's it going to be? Are you guys ready?

(Quietly)
Yes . . .

COACH D
ARE YOU GUYS READY?

TEAM

The team all stand up as they say
YES SIR!

COACH D
Then lets go out there and show them that we are here to WIN this match.

Team leaves making a loud cheering noise until they come onto the court. The Whistle goes and the stop clock begins ticking. KOBE shouts out a play

KOBE
5C! 5C!

The team responds to the call of play immediately, 30 seconds remain on the clock. Kobe shouts out

KOBE
LETS GO GUYS!

KOBE looks to make the shot and then whilst in the air makes an extra pass to his team player. The clock ticks 5 seconds left. Kobe goes up for the shot and scores the winning point. The buzzer goes and the team all begin to celebrate. As the whole team jumps up, a picture is taken of them. The picture shows the whole team in a celebration pose.







See Ya Soon Beckford23