Pitch – Expired Milk

Tagline of film:

The power of one

Basic plot synopsis:

Vladimir Koncheski runs one of London’s biggest drug operations. He is a ruthless, gritty and fearless businessman who is not afraid to get his hands dirty or discipline his gang members. He is very loyal but is always willing to take matters into his own hands when he feels he’s being double-crossed. He respects family values, but keeps everyone at an arms length, as he finds it hard to trust others this is due to his hard upcoming and how long it took him to get to the top of the drug game. He somehow finds himself trusting Leon Wilburn, a cop undercover trying to bust his newest operation. Koncheski takes Leon under his wing, after he encounters him on the rooftop of a block of flats, where Leon is on the lookout for him and his entourage. After a quick exchange regarding a lighter, they begin to realise their similarities, which leads to Koncheski teaching him how to work the drug trade. Konecheski is skeptical at first however because of Leon’s knowledge of drugs he believes him and thinks that he is on his side. Leon Wilburn is a hardworking police detective burying his grief in his work after the loss of his girlfriend. He goes undercover to expose London’s most dangerous drug enterprise, and becomes enthralled in the world of drug trafficking. However after he gains Vladimir’s trust he uncovers the truth, that his new confidant is responsible for the death of his girlfriend. At this point he is stuck between doing the right thing and exposing Koncheski, or joining forces with him.

Characterization:

Vladimir Koncheski  - A slick yet gritty drug trafficker whose only fear is losing the business he’s worked so hard to build. His years in the drug trade have taught him how to be relentless and resilient, which comes in handy when dealing with those who prove to be disloyal to him. He’s kind to those who stand by him; however one wrong move and he will show no remorse when eliminating the threat. Someone who’s filthy rich with everything to lose will stop at nothing to make sure their riches remain intact.

Leon Wilburn – Leon’s a broken hearted London police detective using his work to cope with the loss of his long term girlfriend. He is fearless and brave, however tends to shy away from dangerous confrontations using his intelligence and wit to divert the situation. When he is accepted into a new pack of criminals after trying to bust their operation, he find himself at home amongst them despite their criminal intent.

Lauren Watson – The innocent and supportive girlfriend of Leon Wilburn who is mysteriously killed on the streets of London after witnessing a drug exchange. It is later discovered that one of Koncheski’s employees was responsible for her death, after he identified her as a threat.

Mise-en-scene:

Leon Wilburn – Casually dressed black cop, with scruffy and worn out clothing.

Lauren Watson – Typical young woman wearing simple clothing,  jeans and a shirt.

Vladimir Koncheski – Smartly dressed and well spoken eastern European man.

London streets after dark, dirty and grimy apartment, rooftop space   (overlooking London skyline), Police headquarters.

Cinematography:

Dark lighting and chiaroscuro to provoke the idea of fear, danger and mystery on the streets. Use of close ups, long shots, and establishing shots to emphasize characters and scenery, as well as fast moving shots to set the fast pace of a crime thriller.

Conventions:

After watching and researching popular crime thrillers we have decided to incorporate guns, drugs and money into our trailer, as well as themes including murder, revenge and suspicion to build our plot. We have been inspired by the films American Gangster and The Departed, as well as the trailer for Narcos, as all of these film conform to these conventions set by crime thrillers. The Departed focused on themes such as betrayal and brutality which would be ideal for the genre we have chosen.

Resources:

In order to make our trailer look authentic of the crime thriller genre, we will need to use resources such as guns, fake blood, bullet proof vests, and bags for drugs and money.

Unique selling point:

The unique selling point of our trailer is the plot twist regarding Lauren’s murder, and the racial variety used in the cast to subvert stereotypes.