VISION

Synopsis

Vision

Five years ago, Gianna Rossi was a Palme d'Or nominee and a darling of the independent film world after directing her cinematic marvel, "Black Night". Now, after a series of aborted projects and her relationships with the studios wearing thin, the industry waits with interest to see if Gianna can deliver her comeback project. It may be her last chance.

Unknown but ambitious young actress, Jane, has a dream to work with Gianna. At Jane's darkest moment, that dream suddenly materialises when she is plucked from obscurity to play the lead in the auteur's upcoming feature - “Frayed" - a drama centred on a young drifter infiltrating a cult.

We follow Jane as she steps into Gianna's world, trying to assimilate and cope with the burden of carrying the film. Encouraged by Gianna, she leans on her enigmatic co-star, Rory, a veteran of Gianna's films and navigating the cycles of his own complex relationship with this powerful mentor.

Frayed is a psychological thriller with an undercurrent of horror, which delves into the cutthroat and transactional world of filmmaking. Through Jane's eyes, we enter the artifice of a toxic film set, forced to witness her downfall in real time.

As Jane is pressured to sink deeper inside her character, driven by Gianna’s unyielding pursuit of perfection, her reality fragments and the boundaries between the self and the character blur. With the threat of replacement looming over her, can Jane overcome her demons and deliver the performance of a lifetime?

Proof of concept for feature film

On the surface, Frayed is an exposé of the transactional and exploitative elements of the creative industries, informed by the writers' appreciation for the space and deep peer experience.

The pressure to have something real to "say", to be brilliant, is common amongst creatives, and a heavy burden for young people to carry as they search for their voice. As well as touching on these themes, Frayed also explores the timeless and unanswered question of what price great art, set within the unique habitat of an independent film.

More universally, the film explores the question of the extent to which an artist should trust a mentor, and whether that mentor must be surpassed before the artist can realise their full potential.

Visual and storytelling style

Frayed will be a visual feast, using cinematography, light and colour to expand the scope and depth of the story beyond the short format.

The mood and visuals will shift incrementally throughout the film, as a means of framing Jane's character arc. As an audience, we will spend the majority of the film deep inside Jane's perspective in the most immersive way possible. Initially we will be seduced by this beautiful new environment and bask in the warmth of Gianna's approval, but ultimately become disorientated and disillusioned as the pressure rises.

Frayed will be carefully constructed to take advantage of the 'film within a film' framing device, using it as a means to develop character at a deeper level.