I actually did this wrong as I missed the lecture in which it was set and therefore had to get the info from a friend. However, I misinterpreted the info and assumed we had to create a film idea about the incident when in actual fact the only thing tha needed to be mentioned was 33 miners. The rest could be whatever we liked. Anyway, moving on, here is my original assignment.
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"Buried” is a film based on the true events of 2010 in which 33 Chilean miners were trapped 700 metres underground in the San Jose copper-gold mine, Chile. It is an emotional story in which men were forced to work together if they wanted to survive described by Jonathan Miller as “One of the great survival stories of all time” (http://www.channel4.com/news/chile-miners-one-of-the-greatest-ever-survival-stories).
So what happened in the true event?
33 men were sent underground into a 100 year old mine already deemed unsafe, previously closed and reopened and also notorious for accidents.
Our main protagonist is a miner call Carlos Mamani, a Bolivian and operator of heavy machinery.
I’d like to begin the film with some genuine footage and then move into a scene of Mamani’s wife pleading him not to go as she is aware of it’s notoriety. However, he feels and knows that he must as it is his job and only source of income to support his wife and child. Besides, he’s only going to be working there for a day.
Moving on from this I’d like the following scenes to be of Mamani driving towards the mine and coming to a stop just outside of the area where he will meet the other 32 miners. They will then, as a group, walk towards the mine and begin climbing down the ladders with their tools on their back.
As the miners lower themselves into the mine and it becomes black, Mamani will proceed to pass down some torches and, whilst doing so, he will continue to assure the miners that they are perfectly safe. Little did Mamani and his fellow miners know that he would be very wrong.
Move forward to a scene in which the miners are working when some small rocks fall. They ignore it but within minutes they are buried under 700,000 tonnes of rock 15 times harder than concrete. It’s now dark and the drama has begun.
4 days later - A cloud of dust is still in the air. Miners are still coughing with dust in their eyes. The air is 40 degrees and their shirts have been removed.
Note: In the true event the miners were stuck in darkness for 17 days. However, as this will be viewed as a film we will choose to have Mamani find either a gas lamp or torch to provide light.
2 weeks later - Supplies are running low and miners are rationing these supplies by having half a bottle cap of tuna every 24 hours. Rugged facial hair is growing and we are shown a miner appearing from behind a rock coming from what we can only assume is a makeshift toilet.
Still, although it has now been a month - 30 days - Mamani continues to assure the miners, despite them feeling ill and conditions being foul, that everything will be okay as long as they keep preying.
Our protagonist, Mamani, is telling the audience by narrating how he feels as he writes the words in a diary and throughout, Mamani continues to assure the miners and the viewers that everything will be okay and they’ll all get out alive.
Fifty days in they are now in contact with the outside world and supplies are being sent down through special tubes. They have found a waterfall which they are using to clean themselves. The world is sat on the edge of it’s seat watching in hope that the miners will survive. The protagonist has spoken to his wife via grainy video and she knows he is well.
Day sixty - Miners are told that they’ll be out very soon. Excitement is rising. Websites have been created in support. Newspapers are heavily featuring articles on the even and people are frequently posting status updates.
Day sixty-nine - Large hole is finally complete and miners are helped out one-by-one. Switch to genuine footage of miners climbing out, covered in dust. Crowds are cheering, families are crying and miners are smiling.
Finally, we are in Mamani’s house and his wife is telling him that if he ever sets foot in a mine again she will divorce him.
Roll credits.
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