From Script to Screen

The adaptation of extracts from a one-man play into a film involved a journey to expand the chosen scenes into the geography of the real world with multiple actors. For Gandhi’s scene we need to find a location with the texture of being a much visited fixture on the estate. It needed to feel used - with all the detail and imperfections that makes it authentic.

When we had chosen the supermarket location, I was free to explore the movement of the characters and the placing of the camera to emphasise the story action.

Then, still from his point of view, we start close to Gandhi as he prices up the Sunny D. Because we are close to him at the beginning of the scene we know it’s his story that we’re telling. We then see the What What Girl enter the shop and take the Curly Wurly. 

 From this, we know that this is a problem Gandhi has to solve. He then strides away from us to give the feeling that he’s about to engage in ‘battle’.

The entry of the What What Mum is dynamic, the camera moves with her from her entry to her confrontation - this emphasises the energy of the scene. 

 The 2-shot of mother and daughter fills the frame - this is the force that opposes Gandhi. The mother’s demeanour is self-righteous anger whilst the girl is smug and triumphal - underlining Gandhi’s dilemma. He’s lost even before he can defend himself.

Young Boy watches what’s happening. So, I had him peek out from behind shelving - he’s present but not a participant. The wider framing is intended to emphasis his smallness in the landscape of the shop. He’s the observer of the other characters in the story.