Research of the pros and cons of Abortion, Adoption and Motherhood

To have a deeper understanding of the subject matter for my film I researched the pros and cons of Abortion, Adoption and Motherhood, categorising the examples in spider diagrams.

This research was vital to understand the complexity of the subject and it would effect the way I portray it in the film.

Early Concepts

Throughout the development process I've outlined visuals, themes and unconventional use of materials for creative filmmaking.

Here are just four of the examples I have thought of for my films.

These would be influential on the direction I would take my project being centered around the themes of pregnancy, abortion and adoption.

These images feature connotations of the pregnancy, fertility and motherhood themes, the message they convey range from subtle to outright obvious. For example the image of a pram wheeling down hill doomed to crash embodies an abortion, also the baby laid in the cradle in the tree branch doomed to fall taking the context of the lullaby/nursery rhyme "Rockabye Baby into a deeper theme representing an abortion.

I've made notes on possible props to use, an ideal backdrop to set the stage, the key amount of lighting to set the mood and an early story board of abstract visuals piecing together the ideas into a concise narrative to film. 

Here's another more developed storyboard that incorporates elements of reoccurring visuals in the separate stories, this was so that the visuals would mirror each other  conveying a cycle of life symbolism.

For example an opening  in a space like void, brightness embodying the spark of light, the spherical   object representing a fertile egg, a sperm, a forming foetus, a pregnant woman's baby bump, a birds egg, the circular nest, the sun,  the egg's yoke, a termination (morning after) pill and the circular eyeball.

Here's a sketch of the different scenarios that a pregnant girl may find herself in, touching upon the problems she'll face.

I've narrowed down my idea to the 3 possible options a pregnant girl can choose, either she can abort her baby, keep her baby or have her baby then give it up for adoption. This simplified the idea so the message it comprehensible to the viewer.

Due to the requirement of the course I had to subtract the dramatisation and performance in live action and instead focus on telling the 3 films through animation in after affects. They'll be a minimal amount of characterisation to get across the point keeping the message clear in my films entitled 'Mums The Word.'

Treatment 1 for Mum’s The Word

TREATMENT FOR MUM’S THE WORD

SCREEN 1.

EXT.

We Fade In on a Blank White background, from the Left Hand Side a Ball like object with a face is moving along to the Right, the Ball is the focus of the film, she’s carrying a baby, a small glowing comes from her belly to signify this, the expression on the Mother shows that she may not be ready for the responsibility of raising baby.

Mother stops outside of a dingy building, a health clinic, from inside we see another Ball character emerge, he has a Red Cross symbol on him that shows he’s a Doctor, he encourages the Mother to come inside the clinic.

INT.

Cut to Inside of the clinic the Mother explains her situation to the Doctor, a speech bubble with symbols appears which detail what she is saying to the doctor. Then Doctor offers the option of an abortion, this is shown in his own speech bubble.

After thinking the matter through she accepts the offer and follows the Doctor Off Screen on the Right Hand Side into an operating room to under go the operation.

A clock image appears on screen that's ticking away indicating that time has passed.

EXT.

The Mother is seen leaving the clinic the glow no longer in her stomach and expresses relief.

Though the Mother is uncertain if she made the right choice, it was nonetheless her choice, she’s at peace with herself and finds closure.

SCREEN 2.

We Fade In on a Blank White background, from the Left Hand Side a Ball like object with a face is moving along to the Right, the Ball is the focus of the film, she’s carrying a baby, a small glowing comes from her belly to signify this, the expression on the Mother shows that she may not be ready for the responsibly of raising baby.

The Mother has a smaller glowing orb representing the yet to be born baby. The Orb expresses sadness for not being ready for the responsibly of raising baby.

Mother stops outside of a dingy building, a health clinic, from inside we see another Ball character emerge, he has a Red Cross symbol on him that shows he’s a Doctor, he encourages the Mother to come inside the clinic.

INT.

Cut to Inside of the clinic the Mother explains her situation to the Doctor, a speech bubble with symbols appears which detail what she saying to the doctor. Then Doctor offers the option of an abortion, this is shown in his own speech bubble.

After thinking the matter through she decides not to go through with it and leaves the clinic Moving to the Left Hand Side.

A ticking clock symbol appears implying time has passed.

INT.

The Mother is then seen with her baby held in her arms and expresses relief.

Though the Mother expresses uncertainty as whether she made the right choice, it was nonetheless her choice, she’s at peace with herself and finds closure.

SCREEN 3.

EXT.

We Fade In on a Blank White background, from the Left Hand Side a Ball like object with a face is moving along to the Right, the Ball is the focus of the film, she’s carrying a baby, a small glowing comes from her belly to signify this, the expression on the Mother show that she may not be ready for the responsiblity of raising baby.

The Mother arrives at a Foster home here another Ball representing the head of the household greets her. And in a speech bubble symbols pop up to describe the adoption procedure.

The Mother is internally conflicted about this decision, after carefully thinking it through she decides to go through with it and agrees to give her baby up for adoption Moving Off Screen to the Right Hand Side into the Orphanage.

A ticking clock symbol appears implying time has passed.

The Mother is then seen watching her baby from afar now being raised by its foster parents, the Mother expresses relief.

Though the Mother is uncertain if she made the right choice, it was nonetheless her choice, she’s at peace with herself and finds closure.

The End.