‘pitch’ for my project-Family Portrait

A Pitch document:

• Two sentences that encapsulates your essential idea.
After a brutal attack, a desperate young man embarks on a perilous journey to steal money from his family's home to pay off gambling debts, only to stumble upon a family treasure that sends him on a quest for his grandfather's inheritance, leading to a shocking revelation about a truth.

• A paragraph of no more than 200 words that adds more detail on 1) why you think this project is worthwhile and 2) how you will go about making your project.
1. This is a purely fictional story. But the storyline about the family getting along and the rest of the details are from my own experience. I wanted to convey some thoughts and emotions through this film. On top of that, I also want to give the audience something to think about through this film.
2. It's a fiction film, and even though it's a student short, I still wanted it to be a complete story with both comfortable graphics and professional sound design. Therefore, we had to do everything from the pre-production. Firstly, I will continue to refine the script, from the story to the pacing. Then, I need a complete team, starting with the producer. However, since the weather, the equipment and my current team are all based in London, I wouldn't rule out travelling to London for the shoot. At the moment I have a creative team, but it's not stable because it's been too long and their schedules change, so I need to back up, and finally, the most important thing is the budget. Since I'm the only one in the team who will be the main investor and this is a film that will cost a lot of money, I have a very urgent plan to raise the money. But the good thing is that I have experience in online crowdfunding and offline fundraising last year, so I can continue with these processes.

Pitch Deck:

Film title
Family portrait
Logline
After a brutal attack, a desperate young man embarks on a perilous journey to steal money from his family's home to pay off gambling debts, only to stumble upon a family treasure that sends him on a quest for his grandfather's inheritance, leading to a shocking revelation about a truth.
Synopsis
A young man from a once-harmonious family spirals into homelessness due to a crippling gambling addiction, even his mobile phone was taken to cover the debt. Then, losing touch with his family and oblivious to his grandfather's passing. Desperate to pay off debts, he attempts to steal from his grandmother, leading to a strained relationship. In a bid to obtain his grandfather's keepsakes, he feigns an expedition with her to visit the enigmatic 'Witch of the East,' inadvertently revealing a painful truth. As he acquires the relics, he stumbles upon a revelation far more profound.

Character
A young man: 23-year old, once raised in a harmonious family, finds himself adrift after graduation, unable to secure a job, ultimately falling into the grip of a crippling gambling addiction that leaves him homeless and desperate. When he returns home to steal in a bid to pay off his crushing debts, he inadvertently misses the news of his grandfather's passing, sparking a determined quest to claim his inheritance.

Grandmother: 76-year-old, devastated by the sudden loss of her beloved husband, who had been her pillar of support and love, is heartbroken when she discovers her grandson's intentions to sell her late husband's legacy, further deepening her sorrow and anguish. In her quest to reconnect with her husband's spirit through spiritual means, her grandson inadvertently unveils a painful truth, intensifying her grief
Access
Fiction Film
Treatment (visual)
Initially, my aim was to minimize the drama conflicts between characters and plot, instead emphasizing the visual portrayal of family dynamics and the protagonist's internal battles. I intended to capture the protagonist in varying emotional states, juxtaposing the tension of his gambling debts with the warmth and comfort of his family environment. Regarding cinematography, I sought to employ a blend of medium and close-up shots along with expansive long shots to convey the protagonist's emotional journey.
Reference film:
"The Pursuit of Happyness" (2006) - This film depicts the real-life struggles of a father and son facing homelessness while pursuing their dreams. It emphasizes the importance of family bonds and perseverance.
"The Descendants" (2011) - This drama deals with family dynamics, secrets, and grief. It explores how a family copes with unexpected loss and discovers hidden truths.
Treatment (sound)
In crafting the film's sound, I would aim to use auditory elements to evoke the emotional depth and complexity of the story. I didn’t try to deliberately use non-verbal language to convey the mood of the film. I have always believed that lines are an important part of a movie. Even though the details and space of a movie are greater than that of a stage play, dialogue is an important part of human expression of emotions and is naturally an important part of a character. So my design is as follows:
Soundscapes: The soundscape of the film would play a crucial role in immersing the audience in the story. The ambient sounds of the bustling city during the protagonist's homeless phase, the quietude of the family home, and the eerie atmosphere during the 'Witch of the East' expedition would all be carefully crafted. The contrast between these soundscapes would emphasize the shifts in the protagonist's life.
Environmental Sounds: The film would use environmental sounds to accentuate key moments and emotions. The rustling of playing cards, the clinking of coins, and the heartbeat-like rhythm of a slot machine could symbolize the protagonist's gambling addiction. Meanwhile, the sounds of family gatherings, a crackling fireplace, and wind rustling through leaves would evoke the warmth and comfort of home.And when the protagonist returns home again, only the silence behind his lonely grandma is left, which is in contrast and extremely ironic.
Silence: The absence of sound would also be a powerful tool. Moments of silence could underscore the isolation and despair the protagonist experiences during his homeless phase or the weight of unspoken family tensions. These moments of stillness would serve to highlight the emotional undercurrents of the story.
Sound Design References: "A Quiet Place succeeds" in creating a tense, engaging atmosphere through its sound design, allowing the audience to more deeply experience the characters' struggles and struggle for survival. Even though this is a horror film, its sound design is very referential, especially during the stealing and hesitation parts. Although the film is about silence, sound plays a very important role in it. Key sounds, such as a character's heartbeat, breathing, footsteps, and any activity that makes a sound, are cleverly highlighted. These sounds become an important plot element in the film, and they constantly remind the audience of the existence of danger. The use of ambient sound in the film is also very clever. Audiences hear the wind blowing through fields, rivers flowing, and trees swaying, sounds that enhance the film's sense of realism while also highlighting the loneliness and vulnerability of the main characters.Similarly, the work of Terrence Malick in "The Tree of Life" features a blend of natural sounds and music to convey deep emotional themes.

Your statement
Although the plot of this story is fictional, both the details of spending time with my family and some of the cultural background in it come from my own experience and background. I have always felt that only sincere stories can move people. I used to hope that my films could give people strength, but now I think I'm a bit too proud of myself, I just hope that my films are full of love, which sounds like a very vain statement. However, in my understanding, telling a good story with images and sound always makes people think about something while relaxing, and that's why I wanted to make this film in the first place.
The reason why I chose this subject matter and content is because I have always studied movies under the North American system, which is an area in which I am relatively confident. I believe that with proper planning I can tell the story in its entirety.
Crew
Producer
Producer:
Line Producer:

Director: Qingyue C
1st AD:
Script Supervisor:

Camera
DOP: Qinglong L
Camera OP:
1st AC
Gaffer:

Sound
Sound Designer:
Sound Recorder: Xuelei W
Music Designer: Rancho Z
Editor
DIT: Kevin W
Editor:
Special Effects Artist: Brandon Z
Colourist: Chengke Zhang