'Reflecting Absence' Story Board

Reflecting Absence Story Board 2

A2 Film Trailer - 'Reflecting Absence'

'If you could have one wish what would you wish for? A sports car, a large house, lots of money? But for one teenage boy all he wishes for is to spend one last day with his dad' In the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Centre a British man is killed when his hijacked plane crashes into the towers; ten years on and all his son wishes for is one final goodbye, but when he returns will his son be able to lose him for a second time and will his Dad be able to come to terms with his fate.

The clip above is a mock-up of the opening to my movie trailer it will feature the song 'Iris' by Goo Goo Dolls. It shows the news coverage of 9/11 and then sound of a phone ringing; the boy’s mother will answer to hear the voice of her husband seconds before his plane hits the second tower. The camera will cut to ten years late before the tenth anniversary of 9/11 and reveal that the man's son can hear his Dad, with the use of fading the audience will see a series of shots of the boy "goofing" around with his dad who he can see but nobody else can. At the end of the trailer the audience will see that the boys mum is finally able to see her husband before he has to leave Earth for the second time. 


The clip below is an interview with victim Peter Hanson's parents from the documentary 'Flight 175 - As The World Watched'. Peter Hanson was still on the phone to his dad Lee Hanson when United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Centre; his parents reveal to the world the last words from their son before his tragic death; "It's getting bad, Dad. A stewardess was stabbed. They seem to have knives and Mace. They said they have a bomb. It's getting very bad on the plane. The plane is making jerky movements. I don't think the pilot is flying the plane. I think we are going down. I think they intend to go to Chicago or someplace and fly into a building. Don't worry, Dad. If it happens, it'll be very fast....Oh my God... oh my God, oh my God." 

Due to the nature of the events that took place on September 11th 2001 I feel that it is important not only for the audience but out of respect for everybody that lost their lives that day to include as many real events regarding 9/11 as I possibly can; for example in the open sequence when the boy’s mother is speaking to her husband the audience will hear him say the words that Peter Hanson said to his father seconds before his plane hit the South Tower. 

The concept of the man's wife being able to see him only at the end when he is about to go back to heaven is an idea that I got from the film 'Ghost' in which at the end the main protagonist is finally heard and seen by his girlfriend before he has to leave Earth to go to heaven.

Research into Film Trailer

After gathering the relevant research about 9/11 I used YouTube to search for trailers surrounding the concept of love and loss. Youtube proved extremely helpful in influencing my ideas and helping to aid the plot of my film trailer. 


P.S. I Love You is a 2007 American drama film directed by Richard LaGravenese. Holly and Gerry are a married couple who are deeply in love, but they fight occasionally. Gerry dies suddenly of a brain tumor and Holly realizes how much he means to her as well as how insignificant their arguments were. Deeply distraught, Holly withdraws from her family and friends until a cake is delivered, and with it is a message from Gerry. It proves to be the first of several meaningful messages all ending with "P.S. I Love You" which he had arranged to have delivered to her after his death. As the seasons pass, each new message fills her with encouragement and sends her on a new adventure.


Ghost is a 1990 American romantic fantasy drama film starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg. Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze), a banker, and Molly Jensen (Demi Moore), a talented potter, are a loving couple who move into a New York City apartment. Sam and Molly are attacked by armed thug Willy Lopez (Rick Aviles) and Sam is killed by a gunshot during a struggle with Willie. Sam's ghost arises from his dead body, which lies next to the distraught Molly; he gradually realizes that he is a ghost whose presence cannot be seen or heard. Sam follows the killer, and hears that he will return to Molly's house. He also meets Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg), a con-artist posing as a medium and realizes she can hear him, although Oda Mae had been faking her abilities until then. He persuades Oda Mae to tell Molly that she is in danger, but Molly is disbelieving and Carl later convinces Molly that Oda Mae is a fraud preying on her grief.


At the end of the film Sam goes to Oda Mae and Molly and asks if they are all right after Molly is nearly murdered, Molly suddenly realizes that she can hear him. A heavenly light fills the room and Sam becomes fully visible to both Molly and Oda Mae. Sam looks behind him and sees hundreds of people, presumably angels, in a portal to Heaven. His task is completed and he can move on. Sam says an emotional farewell to Molly, thanks Oda Mae for her help, and departs to the afterlife.

Premonition Film Review

Linda Hanson (Sandra Bullock) lives the days of an eventful week in her life out of chronological order. On Thursday morning she is told by the local Sheriff that her husband Jim Hanson (Julian McMahon) had been killed in a car crash. When Linda wakes she believes it to be the following morning but in fact it is the monday before Jim is killed; she is shocked to find that Jim is still alive; unsure whether she dreamt that Jim died or not she soon realises that the accident has not yet happened and tries to find a way of stopping Jim from being killed.

At the end of the film Linda wakes up once again on Wednesday morning to realise that it is the day that Jim is going to die she goes in search for him. Jim then calls the house and leaves the message from the beginning of the film. At the same time, a frantic Linda is trying to rea
ch Jim. After hearing a beep signaling that he has another call, Jim hangs up realizing that it's Linda. He answers the call. The two have a touching reconciliation, Linda asks him to pull over to the shoulder of the road and Jim pulls over. Linda notices that they’ve reached the "Mile 220" sign and tells Jim that if he trusts her, he must turn around. Jim does so, but not before narrowly being missed by a speeding car. He stops the car and is unable to get it started again. Linda notices a fuel truck approaching and she is now hysterical, screaming at Jim to get out of the car. Jim sits and keeps on trying to start the car. Realizing that he's losing time, Jim frantically tries to open his car door, but he can't. The truck slams into Jim’s car, crushing its roof and presumably killing Jim. The truck then explodes on impact, causing the car to explode on impact also. Linda breaks down and starts to sob uncontrollably.

The movie ends with Linda back home asleep on a mattress with no sheets, her daughters run in and tell her that the moving truck has arrived. Linda kisses her daughters and comments with a smile that her daughter's scars from the accident are healing well. The girls then leave the room and do not close the door. Linda moves to sit on the edge of the bed when suddenly Father Kennedy's voice runs through her head, saying that every day we’re alive can be a miracle. She smiles slightly, and gets up slowly, exposing a pregnant belly.