So for the drama final at my school we're supposed to write, direct and film a short movie to be shown on finals day. I'm in the middle of writing the script and while I have the concept down I could use some help working on the specifics. Here's the breakdown.
Parker Family:
Mother, Wendy
Father, Thomas
Two daughters, older Elizabeth (Blair) and younger Emily (Emma)
Brother, Jackson
When Jackson was eleven, Elizabeth was fourteen and Emily was just turned thirteen Jackson was hit by a car and died almost instantly. The story takes place three years later, Blair is now a senior, and Emma is two grades below. Since Jackson's death the Parker family has fragmented somewhat. Wendy became an alcoholic though still supporting the children financially she is prone to drinking too much in the evenings usually resulting in her passing out. Thomas unable to deal with Wendy's behavior since Jackson died left the family. Blair looks after Emma as best she can as the younger sister has started a downward spiral since entering high school.
Blair is essentially the glue that holds the family together though she is generally unappreciated and feels insignificant. Part way through the first act Blair dies under undefined circumstances. The next day she wakes up back in her room with no memory of the day leading up to her death. She soon realizes that she is a ghost unable to affect anything that is going on around her. She goes to her usual haunts, home, school, friends and sees how her death has effected everyone in her life. While at school still trying to make sense of everything she realizes that out of everyone there is a boy around her age who appears to be able to see her. It is revealed that this boy is in fact Jackson, her dead brother. In the years since his death he has become a "Reaper" a soul tasked with guiding other spirits to the other side. He's in charge of easing his sister's transition into death but first she has to be willing to move on. Blair wants to find out exactly what it was that happened to her in that final day before she allows herself to move on.
That's about all I got so far. I had a vague idea that Blair may have died protecting Emma and Emma is too scared to come forward with what she knows about Blair's death. I was also thinking that Blair is only technically dead, she has experienced brain death but her body is still alive on life support. When she finds this out it leads her to distrust Jackson because he didn't tell her right away and she thinks it means that she can return to her life. Of course she is dead and at some point must come to grips with that.
Just to make this clear for anyone that does have some ideas this is not a Supernatural thriller. Blair might be a spirit but this isn't about her discovering that she was murdered by zombies or redcaps or some such. This is more akin to an "It's a Wonderful Life" story where she's seeing her life through a new perspective and appreciating what she was doing for her family more now that she can no longer help them. Also perhaps a bit of a mystery story as she struggles to figure out what happened to her.
I know this is rather wordy but this is essentially all the info I have thought up for the project at the moment. I have a sort of generally idea of the story but I don't have a clearly defined product or ideas for specific scenes or anything of that nature. In any case any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.