Script Proposal

Garrod, Ben (55117)

55117@eastnorfolk.ac.uk
Ben Garrod, 55117 Script Proposal

Contents

Overview .............................................................................................................................. 2
Purpose ............................................................................................................................... 2
Narrative .............................................................................................................................. 2
Target Audience ................................................................................................................. 3
Main Character Profiles ..................................................................................................... 4
Robert Smith.................................................................................................................... 4
Dorothy Smith.................................................................................................................. 4
Mary Smith ...................................................................................................................... 4
John Smith ...................................................................................................................... 4

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Ben Garrod, 55117 Script Proposal

Overview

Title: Living in the Future

Logline: A family from 100 years ago is transported into the year 2020 and find
themselves in an unrecognisable world.

Purpose

This script will be a fictional feature film, with the aim of portraying the stark
differences in lifestyle between generations. The focus will be on our reliance on
technology and our current lifestyle during the Covid-19 outbreak. 1920 and 2020 will
be compared and contrasted in this film. The world has become unrecognisable in
the last century; innovations in travel have allowed us to explore the earth, life
expectancy has increased by an average of 30 years and equal rights have improved.
This film will cause the viewer to reflect on the lifestyle changes the last century has
brought about and their implications. The limitations of living in lockdown in many
ways parallel the hardships experienced post WW1 and the outbreak of Spanish Flu
(which died away in April 1920.)
Life in 1920 would have not been easy; Britain was recovering from the social and
economic implications of World War 1. For example, debts were incurred of over
136% of Britain’s GDP. However, rights were increasing, as the Representation of the
People Act (June 1918) gave the vote to all men over 21 and women over 30. The
Spanish Flu pandemic, which began in 1918, saw many parallels to life in 2020.
Spanish Flu was incredibly deadly – young adults between 20 and 30 could be dead
within the day if the caught the virus.
Similarly, in 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has restricted our freedoms and cost
50,000 people their lives in the UK. The impact on health, the economy and education
has been catastrophic, causing at least 1.5 million people to lose their jobs in the UK.
My film will contrast these two time periods, causing the viewer to question if we
would be happier living 100 years ago?

Narrative

Genre: The genre of my screenplay is adventure, as the family goes on a quest to

find their previous life. It will have some comedic elements, stemming from the
family’s confusion about their new circumstances.

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Ben Garrod, 55117 Script Proposal

Style and themes: One of the key themes in this film will be the confusion and
bewilderment that the 1920s family feels in the modern world. Technology which
could only be dreamed of has now become a reality – we are living in the future!
Another key theme to explore is the parallel between the Spanish Flu and Covid-19.
What has been done differently? Is the situation better 100 years later?
Synopsis: A typical family from the year 1920 wakes to find that time has advanced
by 100 years. The film explores their struggles adapting to the new Covid-infected
world that they find themselves in. Everyday life has changed so dramatically that
they struggle to carry out the most basic tasks, such as buying and cooking food. To
make matters worse, no-one believes their story, making them feel alienated. They
search for clues as to what has caused the shift in time and attempt to find their way
back to 1920.
Unique Selling Point: The unique selling point of my screenplay is the direct
comparison between two livelihoods 100 years apart. Flashback scenes are included
to reference the 1920s.
Gaps in the Market: Currently, there are few fictional screenplays that reference the
global Covid-19 pandemic. The adventure genre, with comedic elements, is an
unusual genre combination.

Target Audience

Demographics: This will be aimed at a middle class (B) demographic, as the

historical and adventure elements will likely appeal to those with a higher level of
education.
Psychographics: My feature film will be aimed at the ‘reformers’ psychographic, as
this psychographic group is socially aware and seeks personal growth. Both these
elements are present in my feature film; the social differences 100 years brings
about are explored and the personal growth the 1920’s family experience is
presented.
Target age group: My film is likely to appeal to retired people, aged 60 upwards.
Generally, older generations, who have seen significant change in the world, have a
deeper interest in history. Therefore, they are more likely to be interested in this film.
Primary audience: Primarily, this film is targeted towards an audience who is
interested in the historical differences and parallels between 1920 and 2020.
Secondary audience: This film’s secondary audience is anyone who enjoys comedy,
as this film will have comedic aspects due to the 1920’s family being confused.
Product intention: The intention of this feature film is to make people realise that
although the world is constantly changing, history does repeat itself. Evidence of this

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Ben Garrod, 55117 Script Proposal

is in the parallels drawn from the 1920’s Spanish Flu compared to the 2020 Covid-19
outbreak.

Main Character Profiles

Robert Smith

Aged 41, father of John and Dorothy Smith and from 1920. They dislike their
newfound life in 2020 and seek answers as to how the shift in time happened. The
lead the quest to go back in time to 1920. They are motivated by the memories of
their previous life, and desire to socialise and return to their previous job on a farm.

Dorothy Smith

Aged 43, mother of John and Dorothy Smith and from 1920. She is motivated to
protect her children at all costs; therefore, she learns to quickly adapt to life in the
21st century. Dorothy takes care of practical aspects of running the family, such as
shopping, cooking, and housework.

Mary Smith

Aged 14, daughter of Dorothy and Robert Smith and from 1920. As the youngest
member of the family, she is the quickest to adapt to her new life in 2020. She is the
only member of the family who does not want to return to her former life, as she has
grown dependent on technology.

John Smith

Aged 21, son of Dorothy and Robert Smith and from 1920. John aids his father,
Robert, on the quest to find a route back to their previous lifestyle in 1920. Both John
and his Father work together to find clues as to what has caused the shift in time
and deal with scepticism and disbelief from others along the way. He is motivated to
get back to the 1920s, as his girlfriend has been left behind!

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