While I haven’t been updating this blog regularly during the third module of my MA in Writing for Script & Screen, I thought I’d check in at Week 4 to explain the project I’m working on and discuss the ways in which my understanding of genre have been challenged and expanded so far this term.
My short film, Thrill of the Chase, is a comedic personal drama about Diane, a frustrated single mother who desperately needs a break from her responsibilities. She’s excited for her third date with mysterious Ricky, but her night quickly gets turned upside down when Ricky robs a petrol station to pay for dinner, revealing that he’s a wanted armed robber. In the midst of a high-speed police chase, Diane realises that she’s having the most fun she’s had in a long time, but when Ricky decides it’s time to surrender, she desperately attempts to prolong the chase and keep her thrilling night going.
Despite the comedic tone, Thrill of the Chase follows the conventions of a personal drama. Diane undergoes a major transformation, with a dramatic arc that sees her go from weary and downtrodden to confident and energetic, ultimately learning to appreciate her family more and resolve to have more fun. The story structure is linear, and though the police chase has no end in sight, it acts as a form of quest, allowing Diane to reach new conclusions as she travels further. There are elements of romance in the film, from the title to her relationship with Ricky, but this acts as a way of keeping the audience off-guard when it comes to the film’s story. Ricky is not a love interest but a mentor/helper, encouraging Diane to go on her own inner journey, while the title’s double meaning clear when the police arrive in Act Two.
So what is the film about – what is the theme and what am I trying to say? Like many comedy films, Thrill of the Chase is about the pursuit of pleasure. Having become overwhelmed by responsibilities and work, Diane’s first chance to cut loose and ‘go wild’ awakens something in her. Getting into the role of an ‘outlaw-on-the-run’, she gets increasingly into the chase, even turning on Ricky when he believes they have gone too far. In the process, she learns that while a carefree night of fun is important, her family comes first. Returning home, she promises to cut loose more often, but also recognises that being a mother is her top priority.
The project is still in its early stages, with the treatment and step-outline needing lots of work, but having better understood the genre and theme of the film, I’m finding the story much easier to work out. Focusing on Diane’s character arc, emphasising theme in subtle ways, and working with the recognisable beats of the personal drama genre will all help to make the script structurally sound. Fingers crossed that continuing to study and analysing storytelling will only improve things!
–Harry Ford
Harry Ford - Comedian 