The Grey Pound Proposal (PDF)

The Grey Pound - Pre-Production Pack

Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Short Synopsis
Key Creatives
Locations
Practice Shots
Characters
Costumes
Production Design
Audience
Distribution
Social Media
Fundraising
Sound Design
Production Budget
Schedule
First Script
Current Script
Shooting Schedule
Detailed Budget
Bibliography

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THE GREY POUND

6CTA1012

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Exec Summary
The$idea$for$the$Grey$Pound$came$about$a4er$James$had$a$conversa8on$
with$his$grandfather.$The$vision$was$to$create$a$show$which$subverted$
expecta8ons$about$how$the$elderly$are$perceived.
The$idea$was$to$have$con$ar8st$OAPs$in$a$care$home,$pulling$off$heists,$
robbing$bakeries$and$causing$general$mischief…$much$to$the$dismay$of$evil$
head$nurse$Madam$Gravis.
A$mixture$of$comedy$and$drama,$the$show$is$influenced$by$The$Wrong$
Mans$and$Hustle.$$Although$we$wanted$some$serious$issues$later$in$the$
series,$we$wanted$to$keep$the$audience$laughing$as$much$as$possible$
through$the$show.
It$is$an$ideal$8me$to$be$making$a$show$centred$around$the$lives$of$the$
elderly.$Over$christmas$there$was$a$special$wriJen$by$David$Walliams$L$
Gangsta'Granny,$and$Catherine$Tate$had$a$half$hour$show$dedicated$to$her$
“Nan”$character.$We$also$had$Derren'Brown:'the'Great'Art'Robbery,$in$
which$he$trains$four$pensions$to$steal$a$piece$of$art$work$from$a$London$
Gallery.
We$set$about$crea8ng$characters,$originally$star8ng$with$four$care$home$
residents,$Doreen$the$newcomer$and$Madam$Gravis.$However,$we$have$
since$dropped$one$of$the$gang,$and$added$the$Bakery$Staff$for$the$heist,$as$
the$original$script$didn’t$have$a$robbery$in$it$at$all!

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The$script$has$been$rewriJen$over$seven$8mes$since$the$original$idea,$and$
the$story$has$developed$significantly.$We$now$feel$it’s$very$concise$and$has$
both$ac8on$and$comedy$moment$to$moment.

We$have$now$developed$the$shoo8ng$style,$which$takes$influences$from$Silk$
and$Hustle.$Silk$because$of$the$colour$tones,$the$contrast$of$natural$(white)$
light$for$the$cast$against$yellow$light$of$the$background$gives$a$dis8nct$
stylis8c$look$to$the$show.$Hustle$because$of$the$constant$camera$
movement,$the$pace$and$the$comedic$undertone,$which$allows$the$show$to$
not$take$itself$too$seriously.$It$fic8onalises$real$world$scenarios$with$
conjecture,$but$it$has$a$detailed$enough$world$with$believable$characters$
that$the$audience$readily$accepts$the$show.
We$have$found$a$composer$to$create$a$soundtrack$for$our$show.$Chris$
Czornyj$is$a$sound$designer$and$composer$who$is$currently$working$with$the$
Jam$Theatre$in$Marlow,$Buckinghamshire.$We$are$planning$on$crea8ng$a$
synthesised$score$to$match$the$style$of$Hustle.$

Short Synopsis
Doreen, a newcomer to the
peculiar Gravis Residential
carehome, delights in joining
rs
the three troublesome pensione
in causing mischief in the
neighbouring village, under the
pointed nose of the terrifying
head nurse, Madam Gravis.
After failing to recover a
painting from an art

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gallery, the wheelchair
bound but vivacious
Arthur and his wife
the worrisome Barbara persuade a
nostalgic inventor, George, to
help them steal from a bakery.
Doreen accompanies them, and
whilst it seems that they have
failed stealing from the bakery –
it transpires they were not
stealing that kind of dough at
all…

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Key Creatives
James Dingle - Director
‘So$ much$ of$ this$ project$comes$ from$ my$ funL$
loving$ and$ goodLnatured$ Grandparents,$ and$ I$
love$ the$ idea$ that$ they$ secretly$ undermine$ a$
society$that$does$ not$respect$them.$I$directed$
my$ first$ commercial$ this$ month$ for$ a$ BMW$
dealership,$ and$ I$ have$ edited$ several$ indie$
feature$films$to$raise$money$for$this$project.’

Alice Walker-Mitchell - Producer
‘I’ve$ worked$ for$ a$ variety$ of$ companies,$ including$
Elstree$Studios$as$an$intern,$as$well$as$running$for$BBC$
1’s$ The$ Big$ Ques+ons.$ I’ve$ also$ recently$ produced$ a$
twenty$ minute$ short,$ Keep$ Digging,$ that$ you$ might$
see$in$fes8vals$soon!’

Josh Cooper - Sound
‘The$last$6$years$ I$have$worked$on$about$40$
different$student$films$from$horrors$to$music$
videos,$news$ reports$ and$documentaries,$as$
well$ as$ doing$ work$ experience$ along$ the$
way.’

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Charis Platford - Production Designer
‘Last$ summer,$ I$ interned$ for$ The$ Bureau$ Film$
Company,$ and$ I$ am$ currently$ wri8ng$ my$
disserta8on$ on$ visual$ effects$ and$ produc8on$
design.$I’ve$had$experience$in$the$past$designing$for$
the$ stage$ and$ entertainment$ film$ sets,$ and$ I$ am$
excited$to$work$on$my$first$loca8on$film.’

CeiriVearncombe
Script, Props and Costume, first AD
‘I$have$worked$in$several$different$roles$on$a$variety$of$
projects,$from$ short$films$ to$ music$ videos.$This$ year$I$
want$ to$ concentrate$ on$ script,$ as$ I’ve$ always$ had$ an$
interest$in$telling$stories.$I’m$looking$forward$to$seeing$
the$script$come$to$life$on$screen.’

Amelia Dyer -Camera,
Script

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I$could$not$be$looking$forward$to$shoo8ng$The$
Grey$Pound$more.$I’ve$gone$crazy$in$crea8ng$some$
very$thorough$detailed$story$boards$to$put$all$my$
ideas$onto$paper$to$show$you$all$the$exci8ng$plans$
running$through$my$head$for$this$project.$I’m$a$
busy$enthusias8c$person,$being$a$choral$singer,$
dancer,$and$cheerleading$captain;$I’ve$been$a$
dedicated$pro$team$player$from$a$young$age.$Me$
and$James$have$been$working$well$together,$and$
we’re$going$to$work$wonders$bringing$his$idea$to$
life$through$my$lens.

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Care%home:

Locations

We$planned$originally$to$film$in$a$care$home,$and$so$far$we$have$had$one$
successful$contact$with$a$careLhome$company$who$would$be$happy$for$us$to$
film$in$one$of$two$loca8ons.$
Montrose.Care.Home.Wa1ord
“Opened$ in$ February$ 2012$and$ situated$
in$the$exclusive$residen8al$Langley$Road,$
c l o s e$ t o$ W a e o r d$ T o w n$ C e n t r e ,$
Montrose$ is$ an$ impressive,$ purposeL
built,$ tradi8onal$ style$ care$ home.$
Montrose$ offers$ a$ number$ of$ spacious,$
well$furnished$lounges$and$ dining$areas,$
a$ chapel,$ ac8vi8es$ room,$ treatment$
room,$hair$salon$and$garden$conservatory.$$The$beau8fully$manicured$private$
gardens$ at$ Montrose$ offer$ a$ safe$ environment,$ with$ easy$ access$ pathways$
and$shady$pa8o$areas.”
Greenhill.Care.Home.Barnet
“Greenhill$ is$ set$ in$ seven$ acres$ of$ beau8ful$ mature$ grounds$ close$ to$ the$
exclusive$Hadley$ Wood$ area.$ Formerly$a$magnificent$ country$ house,$ Greenhill$
has$ retained$ many$ of$ its$ original$
features.$ Greenhill$ offers$ a$ number$ of$
period$ lounges,$ including$ the$ impressive$
Oak$ Lounge$ and$ Bar$ area$ as$ well$ as$ a$
beau8ful$ Grand$ Dining$ Room.$ $ There$ are$
private$ family/visitor$ lounges,$ hair$
salon$ and$ a$ garden$ conservatory.$ $ The$
beau8fully$manicured$gardens$at$Greenhill$
with$our$beau8ful$200$year$old$cedar$tree,$
offer$a$safe$environment,$with$easy$access$
p a t h w a y s$ a n d$ a$ g a r d e n$ r o o m$
and$greenhouse$for$outdoor$ac8vi8es.”

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Bakery
A l t h o u g h$ n o t h i n g$ i s$ y e t$
confirmed,$ we$ hope$ to$ use$ a$
bakery$ in$ Baldock$ which$ is$ a$
small$local$chain.$It’s$called$Days$
of$ Ashwell,$ and$ it’s$a$tradi8onal$
b a k e r s$ w h i c h$ h a s$ s e r v e d$
Hereordshire$ for$ over$ twenty$
years.$ We$ think$ the$ aesthe8c$
suits$the$ show$ well,$ as$it’s$ very$
tradi8onal$ looking,$keeping$with$
the$ tradi8onal$ looking$ careL
homes.
Studio
We$plan$ to$create$both$George’s$Shed$and$the$Game$show$ set$in$the$studio$
on$ college$ lane.$ Previously$ the$ studio$ has$ been$ used$ for$ everything$ from$
game$shows,$to$corporate$videos,$to$VFX$films.$We$think$having$the$bonus$of$
being$ able$ to$ have$ so$ much$ control$ of$ the$ ligh8ng$ and$ set$ will$ make$ our$
difficult$ shots$in$ George’s$shed$ easier$ to$ accomplish.$It$ will$also$ allow$ us$to$
get$the$high$key$ligh8ng$of$a$game$show.

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s
t
o
h
S
e
Practic
For$one$of$ our$ opening$scenes$
Gravis$Manor$will$be$shot$wide$
using$a$jib$for$very$high$angels.
These$are$ a$ few$ snap$ shots$ of$
Amelia’s$ work$ with$ her$ Canon$
60D$using$family$members$and$
the$ house$ and$ gardens$ of$
A t h e l h a m p o n$ H o u s e$ a s$
examples.

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