After an enjoyable break and great feedback on my first hand-in, I’m finally back studying for my MA in Writing for Script and Screen. There’s no easing back into the work; for the first week, I’ve been tasked with writing the premise for a feature film, television series, or game idea.
Thankfully, I’ve been spending my time off brainstorming new ideas, and begun to develop a feature idea that I’m keen to pursue. The premise (which I’m sure will be refined and reworded before all is said and done) is:
When a timid man loses his confidence after being mugged, he joins a group to help men rediscover their masculinity. As he’s drawn further in and taken under the wing of the charismatic leader, he discovers he’s the unwitting member of a cult whose old-fashioned values are a cover for a sinister conspiracy plot.
The film, with the working title Dawn of Man, is a dark comedy horror that satirises toxic masculinity and the inherent ridiculousness of those with outdated views on gender. As the protagonist delves deeper into his ‘support group’ and realises it’s the front for a deranged cult, he learns just how inane the highest ranking members are, and how far they are willing to go to force their old-fashioned values on the world.
Social horror and dark comedies that reflect upon the stranger sides of modern society seem to be a topic I’m interested in exploring, and I can’t wait to get started on the pitching documents.
–Harry Ford
Harry Ford - Comedian 