I thought I would post some of the concepts for the documentary project. It gives an insight into my thought process and how I get down to to a few ideas and how often elements from different ideas end up together. Some of the ideas are rough and only half completed and others have a 1st draft proposal.
The idea originally was a mockumentary.
Poker Mockumentary
A mockumentary into the lives of poker players and the effect the lifestyle has on their own life.
Taking in the ups ands down. Looking at different types of players e.g. Maths based players against the feel players who use their ability to sense weakness in an opponent.
The mockumentary will revolve around a local tournament which is held every year its an invitation only event and is held by a feared and respected player by the name of Ronnie.
The buy in for the tournament is £15,000 there are 27 players in a freezeout tournament.
Scene 1
Camera looking through a bookies window fixed on a man around 30 biting his nails and praying his horse comes in. He tears up the betting slip. The man is wired up so we can hear him
Man: Come on, come on, don’t you do it, bastard, bastard, fuck.fuck.fuck fuckity fuck.
Man walks out of the bookies and up to the crew and camera.
Man: you can’t win them all.
Director: So Dave how much did you lose. My last £50 quid, Ive got a game tonight I’ll be ok.
Interview
My name is Sidney Peterson I’m 29 years old and by day i work on the stock market by day and I play poker at night. I’m improving all the time. You see poker to me is a maths game which gives me an edge on the players who go by instinct and are in it for the thrill.
CUT TO: Dave eating some chips from a bag a women walks past with large breasts.
Dave: Alright luv’.. Phroaa did you see the top bollocks on that!
Int. Richard’s apartment.
Richard sat online playing poker. Is phone rings
Richard: Hello.. Yeah....Nah not tonight ….you meeting up tomorrow before.Yeah about 10...Ok see you in the morning.
Carries on playing poker....
Phone rings again..
Richard: Hello. Alright mate.. Yeah Ive just spoke to him, yeah I said about 10. Nah I’m not bothering tonight. See you in the morning.
Dave in his bedroom explaining he has had a bad run of cards recently and was currently living with his grandparents.
Next Morning
Breakfast scene
Richard, Dave and Sidney have breakfast. Discuss the tournament and whether they’ll get an invitation.
Richard and Sidney arrive first and talk about Dave and the way he is constantly up and down with money. Dave walks in. He’s been up all night playing at the local casino.
Dave: Breakfast is on me lads. £400 squid last night not bad for a Friday night.
Richard: That’ll be gone by lunchtime.
Sidney: So come on then how are we going to raise the cash for the tournament.
Dave: We also need an invitation.
Richard: Well Liam who works for Ronnie said:
CUT TO Liam and Richard
Liam: If you can prove you have the cash I’ll get you in. But if you say you have it then don’t show or don’t have it I’ll break your fucking legs.
CUT BACK:
Sidney: I think I can just about scrape it together but it would be every penny I have... So I’m not sure maybe next year.
Proposal
The Long Grind to Vegas
Introduction
A contest over three months following six poker players as they compete for a prize at a poker tournament and free coaching worth over £1000. As a side story we also see the student who his making the film about the poker players try and raise the $10,000 buy in to the WSOP (World Series of Poker) main event.
Objectives
Informational
Six budding poker players get given a £50 starting stake, the objective is to increase that stake by playing online poker. Every month the players compete against each other in a live tournament. First month a six man sit n go. The second live tournament is a Heads up knock out tournament.The final tournament is a multi table tournament where more players a brought in to see how the players compete in a larger field.
There is a points system so for the player who has won the most over the month gets 10 points and down to 1 point split between the six players. Same again for the live tournament. So there is a possible 20 points for two first place finishes.
There is also another element to the documentary/contest looking at the organisers and their quest to get to WSOP looks at the other side of playing poker. As a 50/50 staked poker player. This is where a poker player is staked by someone but gives them 50% of their winnings but they don’t take the losses the backer does.
Behavioural
Audiences love a trier and there is six people all trying to follow their dream and make money playing poker. The audience also gets to see the event organisers desperately try and raise the $10,000 buy in for the WSOP main event.
Motivational
I have a keen interest in poker and am currently trying to get backed myself hopefully this will happen and be part of the focus of the documentary and my personal quest to get to the WSOP main event.
Structure
Fly on the wall style documentary following their progressive from week to week. The monthly tournament will be more professional with hole cams for the cards and proper filming set with lights and a more studio set up.
Introduction to the six players and their motivation and skill level. A bit about their current lives and background. What they are all playing for.
Introduction to Steve and his coach Brokerstar who will coach the winner of the competition. Also a look a the company who provided the sponorship (Likely to be Red Tooth Poker).
The programme will be made up of following the progress of the six contestants as they try and turn a profit playing online poker.
At the end of the first month the points will be allocated as follows
1st - 10pts
2nd - 8pts
3rd - 6pts
4th - 4 pts
5th - 2pts
6th - 0pts
The first live tournament will be a six man sit n go in which all the players will compete against each other and the above points system applies. So a player can earn a maximum of 20 points each month.
The second month it is a Heads Up Knockout tournament again with the same points structure.
The third month is a multi table tournament where more players will be invited to play for a buy in. The points will go to where the players finish in the tournament.
At the end of each month the winner gets one session with the coach.
Style
A fly on the wall style for when following the players from week to week. The interviews will be professional and fluid with professional lights and sound.
The live tournaments will also be professional with hole cams for the cards and a multi camera set up.
Audience
The appeal should be quite broad although it appears to be aimed at poker fans it has a broader message, looking at people following their dreams and the ups and downs of their poker quest. Audiences love to see a winner and a loser and they will get both.
Proposal 2
The Long Grind to Vegas
Introduction
A documentary following three friends as they try and make it in the world of poker. Focusing on their dream of one day playing in the WSOP (World Series of Poker).
Objectives
Informational
The documentary will look at the ups and downs of budding poker players. Looking at all aspects from online and live playing. Being staked by other people. The documentary will look at how generally poker is perceived whether all about luck or is skill involved. What makes the WSOP such a special event.
Look at the players trying to raise the money to enter bigger tournaments by selling pieces of their action. Look at how they grind online or play tournaments in the hope of a big win.
Behavioural
Audiences will go through the ups and downs with the players it really won’t matter whether you understand poker the emotions of losing and winning will be visible to the audience.
Motivational
I have a keen interest in poker and believe I can use my knowledge to make an interesting documentary on the subject.
Structure
Fly on the wall style documentary following their progressive from week to week. There may be some fun elements added such as scene set ups (think the only way is Essex but not as cheesy) or re-enactments of things that the players have gone through. For example the discussion about the players having a competition between themselves has already happened and so it will have to be re-enacted.
Style
A fly on the wall style for when following the players from week to week. The interviews will be professional and fluid with professional lights and sound.
If there is any tournaments between the friends then it will be set up properly with hole cams for the cards and lights and sound.
Audience
The appeal should be quite broad although it appears to be aimed at poker fans it has a broader message, looking at people following their dreams and the ups and downs of their poker quest. Audiences love to see a winner and a loser and they will get both.
Two gamblers and two poker players are all staked £50 to see who can raise the most money in 3 months. The winner gets a dinner for two at a casino and £100 of free chips. Also the £50 Challenge trophy.
Myself and Martin will be the poker players
Matt and Adrian will be the gamblers.
Proper interview environments mixed with on location of all the people.
Matt is the hard working husband with two kids who likes to have a bet on the football.
Martin is the stock broker who likes to think of himself as a bit of a poker player
Painy is the financial advisor who just loves to gamble quite the opposite from his job.
Steve is the student who is making the film but also taking part in it as he is a keen poker player and thought it would be fun to document a challenge between friends like this.
Elements of the programme
Matt
Matt’s home life very busy with the kids doesn’t go out much. Works hard in a next factory. His treat to himself is having a little bet on the football on a Saturday.
Adrian
Adrian is the financial advisor who is great with others peoples money just not his own. He lives alone in his apartment in Sheffield and gamblers as much as he can. He loves the thrill of it.
Martin
A very likeable character who works on the stock market and plays poker with friends in his spare time, and has decided to try his luck online.
Steve
Is a student filmmaker who is fascinated by the idea of gambling and how poker is different but many poker players can’t resist gambling even though they understand odds and probability wise its not a good bet. He is a keen poker player although he has not been playing lately and is wanting to get back into it and organising this challenge seemed like a good way to get back into playing.
Format Ideas
Maybe with Steve introducing what he is doing and why. As a project for his college course and decided to film a kind of documentary in an area he is interested in.
Following and looking at how his friends react with a competition about gambling.
If it effects their friendship as they may end up putting their own money to stay in the game.
Style
A guerrilla style appearance just following the participants as they go about their lives and gamble or play poker.
I think this will be accompanied with interviews but less formal, so like a fly on the wall documentary and a quick interview is done on the sofa or in the persons bedroom rather than a much more formal interview with full lights etc. I think this type of the interview would distract from the rough guerrilla style the film is perceiving to be.
Opening
Steve ringing rang the people and telling him his plan and whether their interested in taking part.
Steve interviewing the participants of the documentary.
Steve interviewing a grinder poker player who makes a living playing online poker. Maybe through skype to make it look more rough and in tome with the documentary.
The focus will be to see who can make the most the money.
Bluff
A documentary that follows real poker players. Looking at the maths based player and the one I have found is 18 and has decided to take a year off to win enough money to pay for his university fees. The other is a feel player he only uses basic maths but likes to put pressure on his opponents, he also has a gambling problem and is constantly up and down with his finances.
The project would follow the two players for around three months to get a good sense of their lives and their goals. Additionally their would be interviews with the people who are close to them to get a better picture and understanding of how they are found their way to the world of poker.
