Rachel's Writing Portfolio

Final Timed-writing

June 21, 2007

Directions: If you were to create a filmed advertisement (a "trailer" for a movie based on The Grass-Eaters, which scene would you select? Why? Discuss ways in which you might film the scene.

If The Grass-Eaters were to be adapted to a film, it would be a thought-provoking one for sure. If I were given the opportunity to create a trailer for it, I would certainly strive to make it impressive.

First of all, I will select a typical scene of this story--the one in which Ajit Babu and his wife resides on the roof and eats grass. The scene will also include the last part of the story in which Ajit Babu sees all sorts of chaos around him with indifference.

In my opinion, the scene mentioned above precisely depicts the miserable living condition of Indian people at that time. It is beyond most people's imagination that roof can be "home", and it is even more startling for others to realize that grass, the thing used to feed animals, is considered a luxurious meal by human beings. The miserable life that Ajit Babu and his wife are leading will be well displayed to the audience by the scene of their living and eating conditions. Moreover, what Ajit Babu witnesses are even more appalling. In the original story, Ajit Babu sees many horrible things around him every day. For example, a mother dumps her new-born child into a dustbin. What a horrible thing to hear! If it is included in the trailer, it will not only shock the audience, but also reveal the theme of the story more effectively. More people will realize the extreme poverty of some people in the world.

Speaking of the ways I might film the scene, I will first give a close shot to the roof where Ajit Babu lives. There is a dirty blanket, and he will be sitting on it, looking down. Then here comes the excited voice of Ajit Babu's wife. "I've found it! The grass! We can have it for dinner!" And she will appear as a pregnant woman. Ajit Babu helps his wife to get on the roof, thanks her for the hard work and cautiously gets the grass from his wife's hands, with a broad smile on his face. Then he dispatches the limited amount of grass between him and his wife and starts eating it with a most satisfied expression on his face. Then the camera will move downward to the street to focus on a wretched mother. She holds a weeping baby and dumps it to the dustbin just the way people dump their trashes. Passers-by see it, but no one gives a comment or cast a disapproving eye on her. Ajit Babu's eyes follow the mother who runs away. He sees the last piece of grass in his hand for a while, and sends it to his mouth. The screen gets dark, and the trailer will end with the continuous weep of the child.

This is the idea that comes to my mind for the trailer. If I had a chance to realize it one day, I would be very excited.

25.5.07 17:06