Detailed Story Treatment

The film opens up on the three characters Jacob Lexis, Terry Colby and Sam Appleby. The characters will be dressed in mostly dark clothing to represent that the characters are almost missing something, that something could be their old lives or home. They are surrounded by a vast desolate environment; this location could represent or connote the loneliness the characters are feeling as they well could be the last survivors after the nuclear attack which is the stimulus for the story.

We then see a mid shot of the characters walk up to a rock where Sam sits down and takes off his backpack. The backpack itself could connote the idea that the friends have left home and are forced to survive on their own. Then Sam exchanges dialogue with Terry about how they have not taken a break. A small argument breaks out, this could represent the break down of society or how friends can turn against each other in desperate times.

A quick cut to a close up of Sam occurs who then continues on with the argument. Terry then talks about how just only a month ago he was studying for his A-Levels and now he is forced to try and survive in the post-apocalyptic environment. This line of dialogue represents how fast things change and how everyday people, possibly the audience are forced to change their everyday lives, it could also add some realistic traits to the character and the film.

We are then treated to a mid shot of Sam drinking water from a bottle, while this is happening, off screen Jacob calls over to the two friends, the film then cuts to a mid shot of a broken down skyscraper which has been almost destroyed by the disaster behind some trees, the building symbolises and connotes the idea of a broken down society. This idea could also be seen with the three friends as they have previously argued showing the split between them and the breakdown of their friendship.

We then see a mid shot of Jacob walking back over to the rock where the other two characters are sat. We then see a shot of the characters with their back towards the camera facing the skyscraper, because the building is so large it almost shows the characters reality and how quick things can change. It could also make the audience question “how?” and “why?” as of at this point we have not told the audience how the world came to be like this.

The camera then zooms towards the building while the framing stays the same, the timeframe has obviously changed as there is less greenery on the building and now we can see flames coming from inside the building. We can hear the sounds of burning and people screaming. The scene is of the initial attack which threw the world into chaos. During this time we can see the breakdown of society. There is a transition at the end of this fading through white, this indicates that time is passing.

We then see a close up of Jacobs as he turns away from the building and looks at the floor. Jacob then looks beyond the camera, as if he is looking at something or remembering something. He then sheds a tear, as this happens the camera blurs almost mimicking Jacobs’s action which will put the audience in the characters shoes once again helping them develop a relationship with them. It could also help the audience get into the mind frame that there really is nothing left for the characters. There is then a transition of fading through white; this indicates the changing of scene and time.

The audience is then flung into a montage of new broadcasts; this montage is crucial to the story as it creates a back-story and gives the audience an idea of the events that led up to where our characters are. We will then hear the voices of various news reporters will fade in and out giving the impression that there is a lot of action in such a small period of time. We will then be treated to a shot of a man running with a handheld camera who then tramples over the American flag, this is iconic as the American flag symbolises freedom and democracy, the shot of the man trampling over the flag connotes that these ideas are no more. This shot will be accompanied by the voice over of the news report. The idea of the handheld camera shows that the man is confused or panicking as the camera will be shaking.


The montage of news reports is then silenced by an address given by the President of the United States via the Emergency Alert System. The president then urges the public to remain calm and stay at home, while this is happening the scene is overlapped by various shots of mushroom clouds in different places showing that what the President is saying does not help with the reality of the situation, it could also connote the fall of man as the President cannot control the situation. The president then says “God Bless....” and where America is meant to be said the scene is then cut short by the EAS logo being shown again. This could convey the idea that now humanity has no government causing chaos and anarchy. The montage then ends and there is a transition of fading though white.

We then hear a voice in the background which is slightly muffled, this could give the idea that Jacob is just coming back to reality as if what he was remembering was the news broadcasts. It could also give the idea that he is confused about what is going on and is not able to process it. About two seconds pass and the sound becomes clearer. Jacob now realises that Terry is calling him over.

We then see a mid shot of Terry kneeling over the body of Sam; he explains that Sam has collapsed. This would have clearly happened during the montage scene as that scene would have been the memory of Jacob so he would not have been focused on the current situation. We then cut to a long shot of Jacob rushing over to Terry kneeling at the opposite side of Sam. Jacob then grabs Sam’s wrist to check his pulse and at the same time notices there is something on the palm of his hand, Sam then looks very shocked and concerned about the welfare of Sam. He then puts down Sam’s hand so Terry can see his palm. Dialogue is then exchanged and Terry asks if Sam is infected. Jacob then closes his eyes looking sad which confirms what Terry already knew.

We then see a jump cut to the Death³ logo but only for a few seconds, the logo then disappears and the screen turns to static, connoting the loss of connection within society. It also tells the audience that the first sequence is over.