Four Horsemen Production

Synopsis

The four horsemen have been unleashed on the Earth to be the harbingers of the Apocalypse, but at first they are too weak to inhabit their true forms. Thus meaning possess the bodies of a mortal to feed off the souls of humans, only until they are strong enough to truly be free. This short film shows how each horseman would act in the same scenario, possessing the body of one of two friends and turning on said friend to strengthen their corrupted souls. Each scene will run for 1-3 minutes of improvised dialogue and action, telling the tale in reverse chronological order with differing approaches to the same outcome.

Treatment

Scene 1 – Famine

· The body of the un-possessed friend lies in a pool of regurgitated food.
· The eyes of the friend bulge as they vomit up their stomach content until there’s nothing left and they die (effectively of starvation).
· The friend backs away from Famine as it approaches, hand out stretched to use his/her power of the friend.
· The friend looks on as Famine explains his/her true nature
· The friend questions Famine on his odd behavior
· The friend and Famine are walking through the Wood/Park area
· Famine meets up with the friend
· The Host touches a occult symbol on a tree and becomes possessed by Famine

Scene 2 – Pestilence

· The body of the friend lies dead already surrounded by flies, a maggot crawls on their face
· The friend scratches at their skin and can be heard describing how they’re rotting away/feel ill/diseased
· The friend backs away from Pestilence as it approaches him hand outstretched to curse them
· The friend listens as Pestilence explains who he is
· The friend questions pestilence’s behavior
· The friend and pestilence walk through the wood/park area
· Pestilence meets up with the friend
· The Host touches a occult symbol on a tree and becomes possessed by Pestilence

Scene 3 – War

· Parts of the friends body is on the floor covered in blood
· The friend can be heard screaming as blood/gore sprays across the grass
· The friend runs from War
· The friend listens as war explains who he is and his intention to kill the friend
· The friend apprehensively questions War’s violent behavior/attitude
· The walk through the park area
· They meet in the park
· The Host touches a occult symbol on a tree and becomes possessed by War

Scene 4 – Death

· The body of the friend lays dead, eyes staring vacantly with the body already extremely pale
· Death touches the friend who instantly goes limp and drops death
· Death approaches the friend one finger extended as the friend backs away
· The friend listens as Death coldly imparts who he is
· The friend questions Death’s demeanor/behavior
· The friend and Death walk through the park/wood
· They meet in the park
· The Host touches a occult symbol on a tree and becomes possessed by Death

Camera Style

Shot types – will be primarily MS + CU/ECU, the shot plan is impossible to produce as the camera movements will be improvised/semi blocked on the day in the style of irreversible. This is basically unsteady/hectic at first to be synonymous with the action of the shots and to impart feelings of unease and desperation to the viewer. And with a smoother but creepier style which will hopefully impress a sense of dread/apprehension to the viewer towards the end (chronological beginning) of the scenes.

Props

· Canned vegetable soup/vomit
· Fake blood
· Pale foundation makeup
· Fake prosthetics

Layout

The scene will run looped on a split-screen, with only one scenes audio playing at a time. Which scene is playing will become obvious as the action matches the sound and should draw the viewer’s attention. The split-screen allows the viewer to see the convergence/divergence of the scenes and to easily recognise the similarities and differences in the way each character/actor improvises and reacts in the scenario.

Lighting

Natural light will be used in the park, with colour correction afterwards to achieve the desired look.