#Incognito
#INCOGNITO By Jo Buckman BASED ON TRUE EVENTS While in hospital recovering from a tonsillectomy, an aspiring young journalist thinks she s uncovered a corrupt judge who is sending innocent kids to juvenile detention. But can she convince her friends (and herself) that what she s discovered is real and not just her over-active imagination mixed with some powerful painkillers? GENRE: Mystery/Thriller AUDIENCE: 15 and up TONE: SPOTLIGHT meets VERONICA MARS. In the vein of REAR WINDOW.
SAM GRANT SAM GRANT is a smart and driven 15-year-old with an overactive imagination, who dreams of one day writing for The Washington Post. For now, she s the editor of her weekly high school newspaper, The Hamilton Hawk. Sam s natural warmth makes her easy to talk to, but her blind determination to succeed means she will often impulsively overstep boundaries and get into trouble, often pulling her friends along for the ride.
CC & KARL Sam s best-friends who work on the paper with her CC: Savvy tech whizz. Quirky. Lacks filter and often says exactly what she s thinking. Takes no prisoners. Tolerates no bullsh*t. Fiercely loyal. Can hack your gmail quicker than your grandfather will pinch your cheek KARL: Charming. Smooth. Adults love him. Always got his finger on the pulse, knows the latest social news and where the next party is (always top of the invite list too). Prefers to hang with Sam and CC though because they don t use him to further their social status.
SYNOPSIS SAM wakes up after having throat surgery, still groggy, with no voice but determined to find a story for next week s edition of the paper. When she sees that her crush has been arrested for drug possession on Facebook, she starts digging. She uncovers some more recent arrests and becomes convinced she s stumbled onto a high school drug ring. But her friends, KARL and CC think she s delusional and still under the influence of some serious painkillers. Sam has moment of self-doubt but decides to keep digging
CC s Room Judge s office MAIN SETS Sam s Hospital Room Fried Chicken Shop Courthouse
MOOD BOARD
HOW SAM COMMUNICATES WITH NO VOICE Hi. I m Sam. I m a journalist. I ve lost my voice, but I d like to ask about your time in juvenile detention. Please. Holding up signs on FaceTime Diagrams/Flowcharts Reminder List to record clues and pose questions to herself Text to voice apps
GATHERING EVIDENCE Police database Judicial site lists scheduled court hearings and Rap sheets (charge sheets) Business Search lists LLCs and LLC owners
SCREEN LIFE EXAMPLES Since a huge element of this film is investigation this gives us the opportunity to use the Screen Life Application by embedding active links and making the film a more interactive experience to the viewer. Links embedded in emails could lead to newspaper articles or case files CCTV footage
COMPARABLE PROJECTS: Wind River, Spotlight, Erin Brockovich Films based on true events with an investigative angle are good sellers and don t need big stars OVERVIEW: High concept dramas that involve some form of investigation based on real life events tend to be commercially successful and often garner critical acclaim (with the added bonus of raising social awareness). They are also relatively inexpensive to make. While having big box office names can be a drawcard, it s not essential to the films commercial success as 2017 s WIND RIVER has proven. WIND RIVER was released two months ago and already ranks in the top 70 box office for this year (it s still playing). SPOTLIGHT and THE BIG SHORT were both ranked in the top 70 box office in 2015. Many of these films also feature young female protagonists. Budget: $11m/B.O.: $33.5m Budget: $20m/B.O.:$88.3m Budget $52m/B.O.: $256.7m
COMPARABLE PROJECTS (Cont d) Films featuring Teens/Young Adult - particularly female protagonists are increasingly finding an audience and proving to be lucrative. Last year s THE FAULT IN OUR STARS ranked #12 in box office returns and the cast was widely unknown. Similarly, this years GET OUT also featured an unknown (and diverse) cast, and currently ranks #11. Budget: $12m/B.O.: 182.3m Budget: $4.5m/B.O.: $253m
MARKET ANALYSIS There is a solid audience for high-concept thrillers. By adding in elements of a teenage drama, we add a fresh twist which will appeal to a large audience both domestically and internationally. Films involving some form of investigation whether police or journalism and a mystery element have a consistent market. Adding a true story element attracts an even bigger audience. They also tend to gain critical acclaim, which boosts sales. Don t have to have big names for high-concept thriller based on a true story. Franchise potential also increases sales and audience by giving longevity.
CONTINUATION IDEAS Sam s youth, her over-active imagination and her ambitions to succeed as an investigative journalist provide plenty of opportunities for sequels. The films could follow Sam as she goes to college, gets her first job on a local paper, gets promoted to the big city, etc. all while continuing her own journey into adulthood. This film could also easily lead into a long running TV or web series such as Veronica Mars or (a young) Murder She Wrote. Each episode would involve a new mystery or conspiracy to uncover.