Fiction Adaptation | Pre-production: Script, Shot List and Schedule

After solidifying my narrative and proposal, it was now time to refine my idea into a script.  I used my proposal as a basis for writing the script, and afterwards I concocted a shot list to put my ideas on to paper as to how I want the film to look.

LINK TO SCRIPT

I made some changes to the story through the script-writing process:

• As Mike suggested, the story is now set in Britain, not an 'alternate Britain', and I have removed the attack so that now all the persecution felt by the central character is more psychological than physical.
• The central character was initially called 'Amal Ajam', 'Amal' meaning hope in Arabic, and 'Ajam' meaning foreigner/non-Arab in Arabic.  After consulting with Imran, the actor that will play this character, we have decided that he should be called 'Abdullah Ibn Abihi'.  Imran is Muslim and comes from a more familiar background than I do, and so his input here is important to ensure I deal with these issues respectfully.
• I have also added a small part at the end involving a mother and baby, which will help to enforce the line "but, having naught, I never feel alone and cannot use another's as my own", implying that Abdullah no longer has a family, as they are back in his home country - whether they are alive or dead is left ambiguous, but regardless, Abdullah cannot see them.

The plan is to shoot over three days - my main actor, Imran, has limited availability and so I have planned the shoot around this.  On the first shoot day, I aim to film the woodland and bedroom scene in two locations, meaning we will have to fit a lot into that day.  The second shoot day will be very short as I am only shooting the mother and baby which should not take more than an hour, if that.  The third shoot day, I hope to film the office and town centre, again, we will have to fit a lot of filming on this day.