I want to pay homage to the song  by dedicating the film to the memory of individuals. Specifically the memory of significant archetypes and the idea that the memory of someone remains beyond their last last breath.

“I mean, they say you die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time”  , Banksy

The film will be a series of vignettes. Archetypes of aspiring figures, for example… an explorer, a soldier, a fighter, an astronaught… All of these people strive for greatness even if it means their ambitions will result in their demise. And in the case of this filmI was to specifically focus on that demise… “find what you love and let it kill you” , Charles Bukowski.

We are first introduced to these characters in all their glory… An explorer heading out to sea… a firefighter putting on his equipment… a gladiator praying at the stadium gates… An Formula 1 driver getting into the driver seat… Evel Knievel taking a test run up to a ramp… and an astronaught looking out over the earth. The common theme is a sense of purpose, the ambition of greatness, from noble pursuits to foolish stunts… all unified by the ambitions for greatness.

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After we establish these characters. We begin the to realize that their pursuits are ultimately met with their demise. In a last “Swan Song”… moment of beauty wrapped in what is ultimately their end… The racer crashes, the gladiator is defeated, the explorer drowns, and the daredevil falls for the last time. 

With this film I want to show that this idea that memories and stories of people live on spans throughout time across history and will continue into the future (hence the necessity of an astronaught)

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Although these scenes are to put it bluntly very bleak… coupled with the euphoric feeling of the song and beautiful cinematography it presents a harmonious juxtaposition. I picture the entire film being shot in slow motion, to soften and exaggerate each moment as if suspended in time and underlining the significance of each characters demise. Emphasising beautiful moments such as, the last breath of life, the acceptance of death in a characters eyes and success even when coupled with death.

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For maximum coverage a want to capture these moments in studio, and use a lot of super slow motion to dramatize the moments. The use of curated graphics will also help paint the environment of each subject, making use of the characters as a metaphor and a part of a larger scope / idea of death and the cycle of life.

I think the film should end with scenes that elude to the lasting memory / legacy of the characters. Gravestones and epitaphs, statues erected, the birth of their child, the writing of their biography / novel and people following in their footsteps. Nothing overtly mushy and positive bt something that contributes to the idea that their story and lives on… a sort of “cycle” is implied.

Cinematography: I would like to shoot the entire film in slow motion 120fps-500fps. This will allow for each frame to feel suspended in time, and exaggerate the emotions / actions in the frame. Especially in the case of a crash… something on fire… or the moment when an “arrow” passes through the body of a character, the look on their face and when they fall to the ground.

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It would be a great opportunity to work on this film for this song. I look forward to collaborating with you on ideas you may want to contribute and I look forward to developing this concept in more depth and making it a reality.

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Thank you, 

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-- Amos LeBlanc

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