3rd Story draft: The treatment

I had to write up one more story draft for my film to alter some things with decisions I had made. This is the last write up before the storyboard! I am also planning to use this version for my production bible.

It is night and the graveyard is dark. The snow is falling heavily and the branch of a tree shakes under the weight of the snow before falling to the ground with a 'clump'. One grave has fresh flowers in front of it, already dusted with snow. Footsteps are heard in the distance, and a girl walks towards the grave, stopping in front of it and staring for a while, before leaning down to brush the snow off so she can read the inscription.

She stares down at the grave sadly, before a noise and a movement from behind her catch her attention. She twists round quickly but there is nothing there. The snow begins to die down, and she looks unsettled, before something catches her attention. Up on the wall, above the grave, stands a large white dog,balanced carefully. It tenses and leaps down to the ground, but it doesn't stop at the ground, and instead passes through it, emerging seconds later with a blue orb. It then darts away.

The girl stares after the dog in surprise. But the expression soon turns to one of determination,and with a clenched fist, the girl turns and runs after the dog. She runs out the churchyard gates, and follows the dog down the road. They come to a style, and the dog bounds over gracefully, the girl struggling clumsily behind. Then they are running across the hills and valleys, and she begins to see more and more dogs appear, until she is running with an entire pack of them.

In the sky behind her, the stars form the figure of a woman riding a horse, before disappearing, and then a dark shadow of a man hammering away crosses the sky. An owl made of stars flies towards her, suddenly becoming real and flying straight past her.

A hunter waits at the entrance to the forest as the dog runs past. He watches, and then the girl follows. As she passes him,he tips his hat politely.

The stars in the sky twinkle brightly, but they suddenly begin to fade out until there is only darkness. The sound of footsteps running can be heard, and they slow to a walk before stopping. A light appears from nowhere, and the girl has stopped, looking up. In front of her are gates, and a pack of waiting dogs and orbs. The dog she was chasing comes up to her now,and places the orb into her outstretched hand. She smiles and pats him happily, before taking a key out from her scarf and walking forward. She reached the gates and inserts the key in the lock,turning it.

The gates click open, and she releases the orb into the gate. The other orbs float after it as she watches. The pack of dogs watch behind her, standing to attention as she turns around. She lifts an arm and the dogs dart away,leaving only one behind. It walks towards her, and she smiles at him. Together they turn and walk off into the distance. Above them the starts twinkle merrily.