Lesson 1

[christopher Cochran]

Christopher Cochran

What I learned is that: the HIghest Concept conquers all others.

PART 1:

The world’s richest man must stave off terrorists in his penthouse, which is located on top of the tallest building in NYC.

PART 2:

TITLE: Pretty Woman

AS THEY DID IT:

A. Locations. Streets, hotel, polo club, apartment building, restaurants, ect

B. People. Too many to name

C. Stunts Climbing up a fire escape

D. Extras. Tons

E. Wardrobe. High Fashion

CONTAINED VERSION:

A. Locations: Hotel

B. People. Guy and hooker

C. Stunts. none

D. Extras. Hotel guests

E. Wardrobe. High fashion is for a limited number of people.

[Mark Wakely]

Mark Wakely

What I learned is that contained scripts don't limit you as a writer.

PART 1:

An unarmed, out of state police officer must risk his life to thwart thieves disguised as terrorists from robbing a vault in a corporate skyscraper and killing all their hostages.

PART 2:

TITLE: Die Hard

AS THEY DID IT:

1. Locations – airport, limousine, in and around a corporate skyscraper, police car, terrorist van, TV studio, by front door of a hostage’s house, inside military helicopter.

2. People – large group of hostages, handful of terrorists, limo driver, multiple firemen, police, S.W.A.T. members and FBI,

3. Stunts – Gunfire and explosions, crashing helicopter, Hans Gruber’s epic fall.

4. Extras – Only a few

5. Wardrobe – Business wear and first responder uniforms.

CONTAINED VERSION:

1. Locations – In and around the corporate skyscraper.

2 People – John McClane, fewer hostages (all highly paid upper-level management), fewer first responders.

3. Stunts: gunfire and explosions, Gruber’s fall seen only from the outside (a mannequin like in the movie The Fugitive).

4. Extras – None.

5. Wardrobe – Same as before, just fewer.

• This reply was modified 3 months, 3 weeks ago by  Mark Wakely.
• This reply was modified 3 months, 3 weeks ago by  Mark Wakely.
• This reply was modified 3 months, 3 weeks ago by  Mark Wakely.
• This reply was modified 3 months, 3 weeks ago by  Mark Wakely.

[Tom Freyer]

Tom’s Contained Version of The Revenant

What I learned: It’s quite possible to create a compelling story limiting the locations, stunts and talent, in this case by making it about a man’s struggle to prevail against an enormous grizzly bear.

TITLE: THE REVENANT
AS THEY DID IT:
A. Locations: 11 or 12
B. People: Eight principles
C. Stunts; Battle with Indian battle, fight with bear, falling off cliff
D. Extras: hundreds
E. Wardrobe: Frontier
CONTAINED VERSION:
A. Locations: 1 (a cave)
B. People : 3-4
C. Stunts: Fight with Bear
D. Extras: a few
E. Wardrobe: Frontier

[Paul McGregor]

Paul McGregor

3. What I learned is:
– it was not an easy assignment. Not all movies are candidates for a contained version. I was trying hard to see The Interpreter (2005) as a contained movie, but finally decided I could not get the same result using contained movie conventions.

– thinking in contained movie terms is a challenging exercise, but the constraints it introduces can make for a very interesting movie.

– I wonder whether modern technology makes it easier to come up with a contained movie since now, more than in the past, our characters can do so much without leaving the place where they find themselves.

Part 1. Selected Project

C. The UN wanted to fire him for his activities outside of office hours, but when the HQ is infiltrated by terrorists it is Joe the janitor who uses his skills learnt outside the office to ensure the terrorists are eliminated and peace is restored.

Part 2. Bigger movie as contained project.
Title: Seven (1995)
As they did it:

a. Locations: Over a dozen locations throughout Los Angeles plus the famous closing scene outside the city.
b. People: Cast of 65.
c. Stunts: Dead bodies in different, horrific conditions. Brad Pitt chasing killer in the rain.
d. Extras: Beside the cast, numerous passers-by in the street scenes.
e. Wardrobe: Police uniforms in large numbers.

Contained version.

The two detectives have been confined to their office for searching an apartment without a warrant. But they use contacts within Police HQ to continue their investigation.

a. Locations: Police HQ with the 2 detectives receiving info on crimes from the field. They only leave the office in the final scene.
b. People: cast of less than 12.
c. Stunts: Closing stunt in which the two detectives leave the office and track down the killer.
d. Extras: amongst the cast of 12.
e. Wardrobe: few police uniforms.

END

• This reply was modified 3 months, 3 weeks ago by  Paul McGregor. Reason: Page set-out