PRE-PRODUCTION; POTENTIAL IDEAS

After completing some research on the topic of trauma, seeing the effects it has on people and how many different experiences people can have with it, i think it would be a good starting point to draw on for potential ideas for our drama.

Still from the life crime episode of 'Eastenders'

1st Idea; the first idea I had is derived from an episode of Eastenders. This particular episode broadcast in July 2018, mixes together the fictional storyline of a mother losing her son due to gang violence, with the very real and raw narration of real people telling their different, but very similar troubling stories. I think it is really interesting to mix the real life aspect with the soap drama, it emphasises the issue to the audience as not just a storyline, but a harrowing and very real everyday societal issue. It is important with any issue that a story or programme is dealing with, that it is done correctly and with full knowledge, using these real life stories ensures that this happens. The idea i have for ours is to speak to people that have suffered long term effects because of trauma, and derive a factually correct and unbiased story that highlights the issue as well as dramatising it.

2nd Idea; Another idea i have had, is quite complicated but i think it could be very interesting to the topic so i would like to document it here, is almost creating a support group for people who are suffering with long lasting effects from trauma. We could have people telling their stories/detailing the symptoms that they face and how it effects them in their everyday life. I think however this idea would more suit a documentary style rather than a drama. As a drama we could make it more interesting and engaging (as a short film) by perhaps creating flashbacks that match the action of what the sufferer is talking about. Im not too sure how this idea could work at this point as a drama but it is something i would like to discuss with my group.

3rd Idea; The idea that my group and I have already come up with and discussed between ourselves, is that of a set of twins who when they are younger, one of them dies, and the other twin grows up experiencing hallucinations of their deceased twin. Something from my research that i have discovered that i think would pair well with this narrative, would be to show the reluctance to talk to someone about their issue. Our main character would be a teen, at an important stage of life with education who is struggling with the effects of trauma since losing their twin, and perhaps this is something we could also emphasis; the importance of talking to someone. My instant thoughts are using locations such as doctors surgeries and waiting rooms for an intense feel, casting a doctor for the main character to talk to etc.