Hey guys! I've going over the script and I have a few things/suggestions I feel inclined to throw in there before I get into a bit of the script writing. Especially you Sam, since this is essentially your vision. We can talk things over in class on Monday as that'd probably be easier, but I thought I'd just throw these ideas out there in advance so you guys can sit on them and think about it!
Instead of introducing everything right off of the bat, I thought it would be interesting if we went about the story with more elements of mystery and introduce the thriller genre after the title sequence.
Since Dren is a character that is coming from a place with little to no experience of dealing with a Berserker, I thought it might be interesting to introduce the story through his perspective as the audience could learn about what is going on with him. I feel if we were to introduce Mars right off of the bat, along with the berserkers, there wouldn't be a lot of room for plot to develop. My idea or suggestion is that we could introduce the story with Dren studying; introducing both the setting of the story to the audience along with the device on his back. Mars could be the main supporting character that introduces us to the berserkers rather than THEM introducing themselves. Since these characters share tension, the scene would consist of dialogue between the two and immediately establish their relationship with the audience. Dren could go on about how he thinks taking these courses are a waste of time since there is already an established, safe fortress around campus while Mars, being the one with a lot of backstory and experience, could harp on him and tell him that he has no idea what it's like out there and that he would be helpless if he were forced to fend for himself. Dren is a character that could come from a place of privilege, and both him and the audience don't understand right away what is taking place in the story. Mars would be the character to pull the rug out from underneath everything. I can get into further details in person.
Also, I'm a little concerned with introducing actual zombie-like characters to our production as it could pose as a little risky. I LOVE the idea of having them in the story, as I love the premise, but I think it could entirely derail the genre we're trying to present. If we manage to have an amazing script, amazing character development, amazing EVERYTHING, that could all be easily spoiled by an actor who isn't fully embodying the role of a berserker. A thriller could be turned into a comedy in a matter of seconds. I think what could be easier and more efficient to our story is if we always imply that they're present, but never physically introduce them. We could play with dramatic audio, lighting, maybe even incorporate some shadows and silhouettes to indicate that they're right around the corner. I feel like it would not only make the production easier, but it would be much safer in execution and would be more beneficial to the story. If our Title Sequence were to introduce everything all at once, it may feel to the audience as if they've already seen and understand the entire series.
Again, these are just ideas and suggestions that I have! I can explain them further in person when I see you guys next. For now I'll write the second-half of the script based off what we have, but like the professor said, it's something that we can tweak/edit over time as we see fit. Hope you guys have a good weekend! See you then!
The target audience: who are they?
What are they like in terms of personality, goals, and so on?
What television programs do they watch?
How does this audience shape the program both technically and narratively?
Age, Gender, Income, Education.....etc.