Selecting the Actors

We chose two a-level drama students for our film to achieve a higher level of realism of the characters that we wanted to portray. We chose Annie Floyd to play the more vulnerable character due to the fact she looks more innocent and therefore will provoke more of a reaction from the audience if the innocent looking character's life is in jeopardy. For our second character we chose Arthur Vaughan-Myhill who we believe could play the more sinister role of the film due to the scruffy appearance and cold emotion he could show. 

This post was written by Anna Dunbar.

Explaining the Title of the Film

The title of our film is called 'Ascendancy' which was decided through brainstorming ideas around authority, power and being controlled by another group or being. Ascendancy is by definition the occupation of a position of dominant power or influence. As a group we decided on this name due to the idea of cults that it connotes, we want to give the idea of a greater being  or group controlling a vulnerable person. Also the sibilance of the word creates a harsh and prominent sound when spoken out loud to foreshadow the dark story of the film. This may lead the audience to respond to the name in an unnerving yet intrigued reaction because of the mysterious and sinister connotations surrounded by the word and the sound of the pronunciation. 

This post was  written by Anna Dunbar.

Script

Opening scene: Angelo enters the bathroom, dead girl is in a bath, Angelo stairs into mirror – blank expression, turns to girl, lays flowers on her and strokes her hair and leaves room.

(2 WEEKS PREVIOUS)

Second scene: Leaves house, walks down street, bumps into women and he drops his wallet on the floor

Woman: Oh god, I’m sorry

(Both lean down to pick up wallet, woman hands wallet to him, he stairs intensely at her)

Finn: No need to apologise…it’s completely fine

(Finn stands there watching as woman hastily walks away, whilst there is a man in the background of the shot, carefully watching)

Third scene: Angelo is walking back from the shop, carrying shopping bag in empty car park, he walks towards the corner of the car park and sinks down into the corner and begins to play with the stones on the floor and using them to make specific symbols, he then picks up a child’s toy and crushes it in his hands, tries to pull it apart, walks back to house

Fourth scene: Angelo is sitting in his bedroom surrounded by candles, staring at pictures of his family, when he picks up a picture he hears voices of his family

This post was written by Anna Dunbar.

Initial Ideas

Initial ideas from Anna Dunbar

This post was written by Anna Dunbar.

Plot and Synopsis

A S E N D E N C Y

This film is about a severely troubled boy who gradually gets influenced in daily life by a cult. The consequences of this are relentlessly drastic.

This post was written by Mattie Goddard. 

Angelo is a young adult, troubled by past traumatic experiences in his life which has now impacted him for the worst. This troubled boy is deeply involved with an unnerving cult, which leads him to being forced into horrific and psychologically disturbing crimes. Who is the leader of this sinister cult? Will Angelo ever escape from his traumatic thoughts and the unknown cult group?  Encountered by chilling murders and horrifically dark tasks forced upon Angelo, is this enviably the end of his psychological wellbeing? And what does this entail?

This post was written by Anna Dunbar.