A SHORT FILM

EXPLORING THE

GOING TO DRAMA
 Contents:
- Production Schedule
- Script
- Storyboard
- Prop List
- Equipment List
- Cast List
- Crew List
- Sound List
- Location Recces
- Confirmation Emails
- Clearances
- Contingency Plan
- Character Profiles
 Production Schedule
February:

March:
April:

May:
June:
 Script

UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT

A SHORT FILM ABOUT THE

JOURNEY OF GOING TO DRAMA
SCHOOL

BY JACK ROWLAND
INT. JACOB’S BEDROOM – EVENING
We open on a shot of a notebook sitting on JACOBS desk. The
notebook is open on a page with a wide list of drama schools
and notes surrounding the schools, highlighted words, etc. We
cut to a shot of his laptop too, being on UCAS, with JACOBS
application being ready to be sent off. We cut to a shot where
the camera is towards the door, JACOB walks in and sits down
at his desk. We cut to a shot of the camera on the desk
tracking JACOBS hand on the mouse as it goes across and clicks
something on the computer. We cut to a head on shot of the
laptop that says that his application has been sent off to the
schools. Cut to a shot of JACOB leaning back in his chair, we
fade to black.

INT. BACKSTAGE OF A THEATRE – EVENING

The title sequence to the film. We fade into a shot backstage
of a theatre, in the wings. JACOB is standing in the wings
with light pouring in from the stage into the wings. Cut to a
shot with the camera on the ground pointing up towards JACOB.
JACOB walks out from the wings and out of frame from where the
camera is positioned. Cut to a shot tracking JACOB out from
the wings, the camera is situated behind JACOB and tracks him
as he walks into centre stage. Cut to a shot where the camera
is situated facing the side of his face looking onto his left
cheek. JACOB is looking fearful and distressed. The camera
cuts to show the audience and we see that the crowd is almost
empty, and is only made up of clones of him. They are jeering
and calling out to JACOB, cut back to JACOB looking stressed.
Cut to black and title on screen “UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT”.

INT. BAR (JACOBS WORK) – EVENING

We fade back into the film, opening in on a shot of JACOB at
the pub/bar he works at. He’s facing the back cleaning/putting
glasses away. A man comes up to the bar and places a few empty
glasses onto the bar and walks off.

JACOB
(As the man walks off)
Cheers mate…

As JACOB turns to take the glasses off of the bar, he gets a

notification on his phone, a sound cue plays; and we cut to
another down angle of the camera looking up to JACOB and we
see him put his hand in his pocket and pull out his phone.
Phone screen reflection effect happens to showcase what is on
JACOBS phone. It’s an email from one of his drama schools that
he applied to saying that they want him for an audition.

JACOB
(Nervously but excited)
Oh.. My.. God..

Cut to black. Swooshing riser effect plays, when it reaches

its peak cut back into the film.

INT. JACOBS DINING ROOM – AFTERNOON

We fade back into the film, JACOB enters the room holding a
laptop. He places it on the dining room table and sits down,
eagerly opening it up and starts typing. Cut to a shot of the
laptop screen where it shows up close the monologue specifics
that JACOB will need to find, and the cursor will highlight
over it.

JACOB
Okay... okay, I need, a classical monologue and a
contemporary... right, where am I going to find all of that?

We cut again back onto a screen recording of the laptop, and

it’s up close onto the search bar. JACOB types in ‘Where
to find good monologues for auditions?’ We cut back to the
side of JACOB, as he scrolls through the pages of results.

JACOB
(Intrigued)
DramaOnline? What's that?

We cut to a shot where the camera is on the side of JACOB. He

continues typing on his laptop. We cut between various shots
of him typing on his laptop, scrolling through pages, and
cutting to screen recordings of him scrolling through
DramaOnline and looking for monologues. We cut back to a shot
of him looking at the computer, where he clicks on his mouse,
and jumps up from his seat. He comes back with a stack of
printed out monologues, goes back out, and comes back with
pens and pencils, highlighters, etc. There are cuts in between
these shots, to try and create a fast-paced nature in this
shot. Camera cuts to a shot where the camera is on the table
and tracking JACOBS hand as he writes notes on these various
monologues, highlighting phrases, etc. During this JACOB is
also practising these monologues. There are cuts of various
shots of JACOB across the room practising these monologues
throughout the room, including the classicals and the
contemporaries. We cut to a shot of a clock on the table/wall
while he’s doing these annotations and every cut to the clock
it gets later, and you can see it getting darker outside. We
end these sets of fast cuts and montage-like sequence with a
shot of JACOB leaning back into his chair and rubs his
forehead. JACOB looks out across the monologues all over his
table and covered in pens and highlighters etc. Fade to
black.

INT. JACOBS BEDROOM – MORNING

We fade back into the film, text down in the bottom left
corner saying, ‘The next day...’. JACOB is asleep in bed,
camera situated high on tripod looking down onto his bed, and
his alarm goes off. JACOB wakes up and turns to turn off his
alarm. Camera cuts halfway to closer shot of JACOB turning in
bed and switching off his alarm.

JACOB
(Excited)
Right, monologues!

JACOB jumps out from out of bed, camera cuts to shots of JACOB
getting dressed, brushing his teeth, etc. He goes back into
his room and grabs his pile of monologues that he was
annotating the day before.

INT. JACOBS DINING/LIVING ROOM - DAY

We cut to the table that he was working at earlier, and he
puts down the pile of monologues, and scrambles through them,
and picks out two of them, and puts them to the side as he
looks down on the table at his selection.

JACOB
(Affirmative)
These two, these are the ones,(pointing to the monologue on
the left) my classical, (pointing to the monologue on the
right), my contemporary.

JACOB picks up the pieces of paper and walks over to the other
side of the room, into the living room area of the
lounge/dining room. Comes back in with a tripod for his phone,
and pulls out his phone and puts it on the tripod.

JACOB
(Shakily)
Phew... right, this should only take a few hours

JACOB walks over and starts recording on his phone.

JACOB
 (To the phone)
Hello, my name is Jacob Powen, and I am applying for the BA
Acting course. I will be doing my classical and contemporary
monologue. First, I will perform my contemporary piece.

JACOB then begins to perform his monologues, he makes a

mistake and abruptly stops, walks over and restarts his video
again.

JACOB
(To the phone, slightly annoyed)
Hello, my name is Jacob Powen, and I am applying for the BA
Acting course. I will be doing my classical and contemporary
monologue. First, I will perform my contemporary piece.

JACOB again, starts to perform his piece but stumbles over his
words and messes up. After this mess up we go into a montage
of JACOB continuously taking more takes on this self tape to
try and get it right. Progressively getting more and more
annoyed with his slip ups. JACOB shouts and knocks over his
tripod with his phone in it; and walks out of the room. We
hard cut to him sitting in front of his laptop with the light
being what illuminates him. He leans forward and starts moving
his mouse.

JACOB
(Annoyed)
Another fee? Audition fees? Man...
We cut to screen recordings on the laptop where we fast cut to
show the emails of the drama schools and we see that they are
all asking for audition fees.
JACOB
What... over £120 just on, audition fees? To send off my self
tapes?
JACOB groans as he gets up from his chair after sending off
his self-tapes. He walks towards the camera out of frame,
slightly to the left. He mutters to himself as he walks out

JACOB
(Quietly)
Gonna have to work my arse off for that money back

INT. BAR (JACOBS WORK) - EVENING

Cut to being back into JACOBS workplace, text on screen reads
“Two weeks later...” the camera is situated on a tripod with
JACOB grabbing bottles from up top and down below. JACOB
squats down and we cut as he squats down below so the camera
is lower on the floor. His phone buzzes and he pulls it out.
Jacob jumps to his feet and the camera cuts . we hear a
voiceover of someone reading out the email he had recieved
from the Guildford School of Acting.
INT. THEATRE STAGE – EVENING
While this Voiceover below is being read out, JACOB is in his
head, walking around this theatre stage, basking in the space,
expecting a good result.

GSA REP (V.O)

Dear Jacob, thank you for applying for our BA Acting course at
GSA and sending off your recent self-tape. We appreciate the
time spent to make it, and for choosing us as one of your
choices. Your audition was watched by the panel, and after
careful consideration...
INT. JACOBS BEDROOM – EVENING
GSA REP (V.O) [Cont.]
...we regret to inform you, that you will not be invited to a
recall, and we cannot take your application any further.

When that line begins, we hard cut to a shot of JACOB sitting

on his bed with his head hung, in the dark of his room. We cut
to a shot of the same notebook on his desk with his schools
listed out in front of him, GSA is now crossed off the list.

INT. JACOBS BEDROOM – DAY/AFTERNOON/EVENING

We start a montage of JACOB around the house, getting various
emails from these schools, all saying that he has been
rejected. Three rejection emails. In the first one JACOB is
sat on his Xbox playing games, and he gets an email. He opens
it up and another voiceover plays, this time from Royal
Welsh.

ROYAL WELSH REP (V.O)

(JACOB reading this email on his phone while it is being read
out)
Dear Jacob, thank you for applying to our BA Acting course at
Royal Welsh. We appreciate the time spent applying. However,
regret to inform you that we cannot take your application any
further-

On that line, JACOB gets annoyed and throws his phone onto his
bed. Cut to the same shot of him crossing Royal Welsh off of
his list. While this shot of crossing off the list is
happening, the next voiceover starts playing, this time, from
Rose Bruford.

INT. JACOBS LIVING ROOM

JACOB is sat on the sofa in his living room, watching TV. As
the voiceover has already started, JACOB will be pulling out
his phone
ROSE BRUFORD REPRESENTATIVE (V.O)
Dear Jacob Powen, I am sorry, but I am writing today to inform
you that you will not be asked for a recall for a place on our
course this September-

JACOB chucks his phone next to him on the sofa and puts his
head in his hands

JACOB
(Irritated)
God’s sake man!
JACOB looks out the window and contemplates. He rubs his face
with his hands
JACOB
(Slightly panicked)
Two more left... or that’s it.

Cut to black.

EXT. A LAKESIDE – AFTERNOON

We fade into JACOB, walking down past a pond/lake nearby his
house. Phone notification sound effect plays.
LAMDA REP (V.O)
Dear Jacob Powen, I am sorry, but I am writing today to inform
you that you will not be asked for a recall for a place on our
course this September-
As this line fades out, the camera pans from the left,
straight on angle, panning to be head on with JACOB, dolly
zoom on this line below
JACOB
(Devasted)
I might not go to drama school...

At the end of this line, the camera pans into JACOBS mouth and
the screen goes black as it fades back into being at the
theatre.

INT. THEATRE STAGE – EVENING

JACOB walks onto stage and goes centre stage. The right side
of the frame fluctuates going back and forth with cropping,
and then eventually disappears. Same happens with the left
side of the frame. Same then happens with the top until it all
disappears.

INT. JACOBS BEDROOM – AFTERNOON

We fade back into the same notebook shot, this time, listing
gap year ideas, working full time, saving up and travelling,
etc. JACOB is sat on his bed, when his phone notifications go
off again.

JACOB
(Nervously)
 Phew... this is it, this, is, it.

ITALIA CONTI REPRESENTATIVE (V.O)

Dear Jacob, thank you very much for applying to Italia Conti,
we are very grateful we were chosen for one of your options,
and appreciate the time spent making the tape you submitted.
We are pleased to inform you that we would like to invite you
to a digital recall on Zoom on 28 th April 2024. Please find all
the details below
JACOB springs up from his bed and starts celebrating, pumping
the air and grunting with happiness. He rubs his face with his
hands again.
JACOB
YES! Right, digital recall, in a few weeks...

We cut to a variety of shots of JACOB in his bedroom

practising his monologues again before his digital recall.
Standing up, sitting on his bed, etc.

INT. JACOBS BEDROOM – AFTERNOON

We are on a shot of the camera in the corner of JACOBS room,
looking down on him setting up a phone tripod and putting his
phone in the tripod. He stands back. We cut to a shot with the
camera facing him straight on from the left.

ITALIA CONTI REPRESENTATIVE (V.O)

Hi Jacob, thanks very much for joining us! My name is
Michael is this is my colleague Sarah

JACOB
No problem, thanks very much for inviting me to a recall

ITALIA CONTI REPRESENTATIVE (V.O)

Okay Jacob so, I’d like to start with your contemporary
speech for me please

Over that line, we are flicking between the same shot of JACOB
in his room, but the other shot has a light behind him with the
lights shut off so it looks like a silhouette of JACOB. We keep
flicking between those shots until we are back at the theatre.

INT. THEATRE STAGE – EVENING

The silhouette shot is replicated in the theatre setting. Once
we are in the theatre, the camera will pan around JACOB to
face him head on. The camera will sit still, and clones of
JACOB will walk in on either side

JACOB CLONE #1
(Talking down to JACOB)
 This is your last chance... or there’s no drama school for
you

JACOB looks over to the first clone with fear and anger

JACOB CLONE #2
You don’t even know what you’re saying to them right now,
you’re so in your own head about this whole thing. Better not
mess up now eh?

JACOB CLONE #1
So, lets hope you did well then yeah? Sounds like its all
wrapping up, lets hope you’ve got that place or, we’ll see if
you’ve ruined it again; and maybe that gap year might happen

The two clones walk out of the frame and the camera pans back
around to where we started, and we hard cut back to the same
shot of the recall

INT. JACOBS BEDROOM – AFTERNOON

ITALIA CONTI REPRESENTATIVE (V.O)
Okay Jacob so that just about wraps up what we wanted to do
with you today, and uh, we’ll be back in touch with you in a
couple of weeks

JACOB
Okay, thank you for your time guys!
There is a tension riser sound effect on this line, and at the
peak of the riser sound effect, we hard cut to JACOB sitting
on his sofa. He gets one final notification from his phone. He
picks up his phone and a voiceover starts playing

ITALIA CONTI REPRESENTITIVE (V.O)

Dear Jacob, thank you very much for attending an Italia Conti
recall. We are writing to inform you that we would like to
offer you a place on our BA Acting course. This follows your
successful recall, and this offer is depending on you getting
the results listed below...
The voiceover fades out, and as it does the camera pans away
from JACOB, and out of the living room. During this voiceover,
JACOB stands up and starts celebrating, but you cannot hear it
over the voiceover and music. Fade to black

INT. THEATRE STAGE – EVENING

We fade in on the theatre stage with the production title,
‘Under The Spotlight’ being under a spotlight. The title rolls
up and the rest of the credits roll on the stage. Once they
have completed, fade to black.
 THE END
Storyboards
 Prop List
Prop Quantity Where Used
Used
Clock X1 After the montage of
Jacob practising his
monologues
Laptop X1 Throughout the
scenes of Jacob
finding monologues
and doing research
Highlighter X2 During the scenes of
Jacob annotating
and practising his
monologues
Pencil X1 During the scenes of
Jacob annotating
and practising his
monologues
Monologues X5 During the scenes of
Jacob practising and
doing research
Phone X1 For filming self
tapes, the zoom
recall, and for
receiving the emails
Phone Tripod X1 For the digital zoom
recall
Notebook X1 For when Jacob is in
his room
brainstorming gap
year ideas
 Equipment List
Equipment Used What Dates Is It used?
Light Panel Needed For All Filming
Dates
Light Stand Needed For All Filming
Dates
Rode Microphone Needed For All Filming
Dates
Camera tripod Needed For All Filming
Dates
Radio Booth For 2nd May 2024
Voiceovers

Cast List
Cast Member Who Are they When Are They
Playing? Needed?
Jonny Gowen Jacob All filming dates
Zoe Green Royal Welsh 2nd May 2024
Rep
Archie Coleman Italia Conti 2nd May 2024
Rep
Luke Ridley GSA Rep 2nd May 2024
Summer Wyer Rose Bruford 2nd May 2024
Rep
Diya Bagha UCAS Rep 2nd May 2024
 Crew List
Crew Member What Do They Do?
Jack Rowland Director, Producer, Editor,
Writer

Sound List
Sound Used: When Is It Used?
Code Box Octopus Game At the beginning of the
Music film when Jacob is on
stage staring at his clones
Keyboard Typing Sound When Jacob is typing on
Effect his laptop searching for
monologuues
Pad background Music Scattered throughout
various points in the film
to add background music
to fit the scene
Clock ticking sound effect Scattered throughout the
film, after Jacob has done
his first practise round of
his monologues and
when he’s sitting in the
 dark, used to show time
running out
Mouse click sound effect Used when Jacob is on
his laptop browsing and
printing monologues
Suspenseful Music When Jacob is filming his
self tapes, the music
helps with building
tension as Jacob will get
angrier
Dazed Music Used when Jacob gets his
recall
Nothingness ghost music Used when Jacobs clones
come on stage

Location Recce
Location Recces
Please produce a location recce for EVERY location used
Insert photo of location Type of room/area:
House
Location Address:
28 Kingfisher Grove
Sat Nav details (Post code):
RG7 1RA
Nearest Train Station:
Reading Station
Nearest Bus stop:
Metreoak Park & Ride
Site contact name and contact Availability
Jonny’s House Needs to be, and is available 10th and 11th
07493197506 April

not draw)
 Permissions
Need, and have permission from Jonny and his family

Suitability / shots for production (scene numbers)

This location is extremely suitable as I need a house location to shoot in a dining room, a
living room, and a kitchen, this house has all of that.

Lighting Information: Solutions:

As this is a house, there are overhead lights
in every room, however there is a chance
they may be too bright or may come off
looking bad on my camera.
Sound Information:
Being a private, indoors property, there is a
very low chance of having unwanted sound
I will utilise the house lights for a good
amount, but I will also use my light panel to
light up the rest of the frame and to fix how
the lights look on my camera if I need to.
Solutions:
If there is any unwanted sound, it will most
likely be from other people in the house, in
that event, I will politely ask if they could
lower the volume for the shots I am doing.

Power Information Solutions:

As it is a house it will be covered in plugs N/A
that I will be able to use to power all my
equipment
Hazards Solutions:
Jonny’s Dad does a lot of theatre work, and Jonny and I will clear the area and tables
filming events, so a lot of his equipment will etc. to ensure that there are no tripping
most likely be out, including things like his hazards
lights, this will be a tripping hazard.

Insert photo of location Type of room/area:

Private Property (Theatre)
Location Address:
Location Recce Whitley Wood Ln, Reading
Please produce a location recce for EVERY location used Sat Nav details (Post code):
RG2 9DF
Nearest Train Station:
Reading Station
Nearest Bus stop:
The Maidens
Site contact name and contact Availability
Shinfield Players Theatre Available for the dates I need as I am a
member and I have hired it out
01189758880
Permissions
Need permission from a member of the board or have a contact that could get me in/give
me permission
Suitability / shots for production (scene numbers)
I need a theatre stage for the shots where Jonny’s clones are talking down to him, and this
is perfect. It is a wide stage with a backdrop, where I can suitably use it for these shots

Lighting Information: Solutions:

With it having a stage in it, there are many
spotlights and stage lights that I can use on
their lighting deck, and I can perfectly
adjust them, set the brightness of it, etc.
Sound Information:
Being in an auditorium, there will be hardly
any sound as it is a soundproof room,
meaning no sound from the outside can
really get in.
N/A
Solutions:
If there was any unwanted sound, it would
be from people inside the room, in which
case I could ask them to be quiet while I get
the shot I need

Power Information Solutions:

There are many plugs and power supplies
for my equipment in this theatre, as there’s
so much equipment that they have
themselves
Hazards
As there are many pieces of equipment,
and also a vast number of chairs when
moving around the auditorium, there are
many tripping hazards
N/A
Solutions:
Ensure I am always looking where I am
going and place all my equipment in safe
spaces off to the side where people wont
trip over them
Confirmations &
Clearances:
 Contingency Plan
Potential Issue The Solution
Jonny cannot do the Luke Ridley comes in to
dates I asked and cannot replace him on those
play my character dates
The theatre tells me I Find a neutral area with a
cannot use the location black backdrop to replace
on the dates I need it. While the stage would
fit my setting more, if
worse comes to worse, I
can use a neutral location
for the cloning shots
My camera battery dies As I do not have another
on set battery to use, ensure
that it is fully charged the
night before, and bring
the battery charger with
me so I can charge it on
set
The light battery dies on As the light is not mine, it
set is the college’s, and the
light is incredibly
important in my
production to create
certain shots, I will need
to ensure that I preserve
the light battery as much
 as possible. In the worst
case scenario the light
battery dies, I will simply
have to use other forms
of light (i.e. Using natural
light or using the lights in
the locations)
My footage gets Utilise our refilming dates
corrupted to fix this footage
My mic doesn’t record Utilise our refilming dates
properly to fix this audio

Character Profiles
Jacob:
Name:
Jacob
Profession:
Barman/Barista

Age:
18

Family:
Jacob lives at home with both of his
parents

About:
Jacob is an 18 year old aspiring actor
trying to get to drama school. He is a
very thick skinned man, who is aware
of the challenges it’ll take to get him
to where he wants to be, going to
drama school. However, Jacob also has
a very short temper, and working on
his self tapes and the process into
drama school gets on his nerves quite
easily, because of how difficult it is
and if he doesn’t get things right, but
he feels so strongly about all these
things because he cares deeply about
accomplishing what he wants

Portrayed by:
Jonny Gowen