Changes Within 'Black Sands'

Whilst filming my short film opening 'Black Sands' I had a few ideas which have marginally changed the way the film opening will look. I have heard many times in interviews with film directors that films don't always go to plan as you had predicted them to at the start of filming. This is definitely what I have encountered.

The first thing I thought that would be interesting is what if I set this in the past instead of the future. I think this would give it a new twist because I would like to set it in 2014. This is because it would be fresh in the audience's memories - having only happened two years ago - and would make more sense with the character's clothing styles.

Secondly, I have changed the beginning to before the title as if the three main characters (Skadi, Rowena and Alys) are being watched by someone...aka Black Sands!

Also, I have had to change the script for my characters. Although this was a set back whilst filming I think we have managed to overcome it very well. I have decided to get rid of the monologue at the beginning of the film. Even though it sounded good during my planning, it did not sound right when I tested it over the film opening itself. Instead I have come up with the idea of another person talking. It would be a short piece of dialogue but this also meant the introduction of a new character. After some research I came to the conclusion that I was going to use a new powerful female character as the person speaking. I wanted it to sound mysterious but I also wanted the audience to know that she was a highly ranked woman within Black Sands. I took my main inspiration from two specific characters being: Ava Paige from the Maze Runner Series and Lorelei Singh from The 100. However it did not mean the introduction of just one character but of two! This was because I liked the idea of whilst Black Sands is watching the characters to have a highly positioned operative talking to a colleague or a lower down worker who will do her bidding.

I then set out to develop these two characters. I decided that the high positioned woman (who I named Ruth) would be very self-confident and seemingly without fear of what her actions might bring. Whereas, the other character I liked the idea of being ranked lower than herself (who I named Tris). I soon wrote the dialogue and it turned out as something like this:

Ruth: Has the patient been vetted?

Tris: Well enough

Ruth: Then we mustn't keep his family waiting. They must be dying for him to return.

So now it's back to editing the film opening...