Director's Vision
I want to make a film which lets us penetrate one man's double life, a film that shows us a man who wants to do good, but who creates evil, without understanding that some of his actions are wrong.We will see the psychological aspects of somebody who seeks recognition, somebody who wants to be noticed and acknowledged, and respected and loved for who he is, but who might perhaps be choosing the wrong channels to achieve his goals. The story is being made even more interesting by the fact that the main character is a policeman, investigating the crimes he has committed himself, and trying to solve them.
Even though the film is set in 1888, I believe the audience will be able to feel a strong connection with the events, and with the characters, on many different levels. There are so many aspects of life that remain the same today as then, there are conflicts in the same areas of the world today as then, the same myths surrounding the big cities, and the same gossip. In the 19th century British military forces fought in Afghanistan, there were rumours about wild pigs in the sewers of London, very much like today's alligators in New York, and William Banting produced his Letter on Corpulence, a brand new low carb diet, that helped people loose weight. People harboured the same hopes then as now for a new world in a turbulent time, and for a bright and prosperous future. We will also see how some of today's moral values are very deeply rooted in our yesterdays, and how some things have not really moved forward at all.
Although this is an epic period piece, the audience will not primarily see it as a costume drama, but rather as a story about human beings you can easily identify with, depicting genuine people, with genuine flaws and assets. The characters are all real human beings, who will be played by strong character actors, in atmospheric surroundings and with a real sense of the time depicted.
The time of Jack the Ripper was also the time when media began to follow murders and disasters in more detail, and thereby creating the foundations for the public fascination with crime and other people's suffering that stays with us today. I intend to create a film which may be dark in places, but also offers us a bright hope, and a lot of empathy, while keeping the audience captivated and interested.
The film will appeal to a very wide audience, as it has got several international aspects as well, looking at people immigrating to England from poorer backgrounds in other countries, but also touching on the hope of a better future abroad. I intend to spin a web out of a great script, strong character performances, fantastic locations, and simply a very good story that needs to be told.
I have been inspired by various work by the great filmmaker and author Max Lundgren, and also by the fantastic Tom Ripley books by Patricia Highsmith, amongst others, and it is my aim to fascinate and entertain my audience in the same way they did.
Producers' Vision
The secret behind being a successful producer is the ability to create a harmonic balance between financial management and time management. We know the importance of sticking to a deadline, and planning every step of the production accordingly, with a part of the budget earmarked for unforeseen expenses.
Mark Miller is venturing into media, after years of being very successful in his own field.
He was drawn in by the fascinating story that is 1888, and he is delighted to have the opportunity to see it grow from a screenplay to a beautiful film on an effective and economical budget, while maintaining the highest quality. The combination of Torkel's artistic vision and Mark's sound commercial knowledge will guarantee this story transforming into profitable, nail biting cinematic entertainment.
The fact that this is an economical budget production is exciting, rather than worrying, and where others see an obstacle, we see a possibility. As this film is a period piece set in 1888 it might for obvious reasons be tricky to rely on product placement, although some product placement is certainly possible.
We will welcome all forms of sponsorships, with the sponsors' incentives varying from special previews for their companies, to the possibilities of the sponsor getting a small part in the film in return for free or cheaper meals for the film team, the use of transport, costumes, make up, accommodation, etc. We are willing to take all proposals into consideration, and look forward to hearing from you.
Treatment
Coming soon...
The Script
Download the Script (PDF) WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA, Registration Number : 1609764
