The BBC's brief was very broad - 'We have four WWII docs, sort of connected by being little-known stories, sort of boys' own adventure themes, or top secret missions, or something like that. And try to connect them somehow.' Ok I'm paraphrasing, but it wasn't far off!
I did the straight ahead boys own cartoonish pitches, but I also thought of the theme of 'untold stories', which is why I thought the 'Granddad' script was particularly strong.
Below are a couple of the pitches and down the left are some of the supporting images I used as part of the pitch. Sadly budget and time meant a simple graphic with a voice over was used.
THE SECRET WAR
60sec animation/graphics
Dramatic wartime drama serial MUSIC underscores.
The front cover of a comic in the style of Eagle titled ‘TALES from WWII’.
The page turns.
In one cartoon box a Group of BOFFINS in lab coats celebrate/congratulate each other.
V/O (Pathe/Tally-Ho/RP)
In deepest Bedfordshire, as they celebrate cracking the enigma code…
Another box: Bill Tutte stands in front of a blackboard that’s covered in complicated equations/formulae, scratching his head.
V/O (cont’d)
...Bill ‘The Brains’ Tutte is still busy trying to crack Jerry’s even more complex puzzle: the Lorenz code. Golly, Bill, I even struggle with the Times crossword.
The page turns.
Two OFFICERS stand side-by side: one snooty-looking, the other hard as nails.
V/O (cont’d)
Meanwhile, Guy ‘Toffee Nose’ Gibson and Barnes ‘Bulldog’ Wallis have developed a bouncing bomb – and you’ll never believe it – they’ve made the bally things out of barrels!
A group of nervous and green-looking PILOTS stand in a group in front of a Lancaster Bomber.
V/O (cont’d)
What's even more incredible is they’re using this gaggle of volunteers and first-timers to get the job done. Good luck fellas! You’ll need it.
The page turns.
A harbour by night is under the watchful eye of a German spotlight.
V/O (cont’d)
Closer to ground, a secret unit of commandos has travelled by sea to an enemy-held harbour in France. But what’s this?
A unit of commandos paddle canoes under the noses of the German lookout post.
V/O (cont’d)
They’ve paddled the whole way there in those?! Rather you than me, chaps.
The page turns.
A Group of GERMAN OFFICERS stand around a tabletop map of Europe that has tiny models of Allied planes and canoes moving towards Berlin.
V/O (cont’d)
And not to forget our boys working on the inside undercover.
An OFFICER turns and winks at us and flashes a smile – his teeth sparkle.
V/O (cont’d)
Yes, indeed. Only a British spy has the nerve and charm needed to pass himself off as one of Fritz’s own. Isn’t that right?
The OFFICER flashes a cheeky grin.
V/O (cont’d)
What? You're telling me he’s a former criminal and a cad and a rogue. And a German?!! Well I never. That’s just not cricket.
A ‘Barrel bomb’ bounces across the page and explodes into...End board.
V/O (cont’d)
The unbelievable truth behind some of World War Two's most unlikely heroes.
The Secret War.
TITLE. BBC2. TIME.
WAR STORIES WORTH LISTENING TO
I did the straight ahead boys own cartoonish pitches, but I also thought of the theme of 'untold stories', which is why I thought the 'Granddad' script was particularly strong.
Below are a couple of the pitches and down the left are some of the supporting images I used as part of the pitch. Sadly budget and time meant a simple graphic with a voice over was used.
THE SECRET WAR
60sec animation/graphics
Dramatic wartime drama serial MUSIC underscores.
The front cover of a comic in the style of Eagle titled ‘TALES from WWII’.
The page turns.
In one cartoon box a Group of BOFFINS in lab coats celebrate/congratulate each other.
V/O (Pathe/Tally-Ho/RP)
In deepest Bedfordshire, as they celebrate cracking the enigma code…
Another box: Bill Tutte stands in front of a blackboard that’s covered in complicated equations/formulae, scratching his head.
V/O (cont’d)
...Bill ‘The Brains’ Tutte is still busy trying to crack Jerry’s even more complex puzzle: the Lorenz code. Golly, Bill, I even struggle with the Times crossword.
The page turns.
Two OFFICERS stand side-by side: one snooty-looking, the other hard as nails.
V/O (cont’d)
Meanwhile, Guy ‘Toffee Nose’ Gibson and Barnes ‘Bulldog’ Wallis have developed a bouncing bomb – and you’ll never believe it – they’ve made the bally things out of barrels!
A group of nervous and green-looking PILOTS stand in a group in front of a Lancaster Bomber.
V/O (cont’d)
What's even more incredible is they’re using this gaggle of volunteers and first-timers to get the job done. Good luck fellas! You’ll need it.
The page turns.
A harbour by night is under the watchful eye of a German spotlight.
V/O (cont’d)
Closer to ground, a secret unit of commandos has travelled by sea to an enemy-held harbour in France. But what’s this?
A unit of commandos paddle canoes under the noses of the German lookout post.
V/O (cont’d)
They’ve paddled the whole way there in those?! Rather you than me, chaps.
The page turns.
A Group of GERMAN OFFICERS stand around a tabletop map of Europe that has tiny models of Allied planes and canoes moving towards Berlin.
V/O (cont’d)
And not to forget our boys working on the inside undercover.
An OFFICER turns and winks at us and flashes a smile – his teeth sparkle.
V/O (cont’d)
Yes, indeed. Only a British spy has the nerve and charm needed to pass himself off as one of Fritz’s own. Isn’t that right?
The OFFICER flashes a cheeky grin.
V/O (cont’d)
What? You're telling me he’s a former criminal and a cad and a rogue. And a German?!! Well I never. That’s just not cricket.
A ‘Barrel bomb’ bounces across the page and explodes into...End board.
V/O (cont’d)
The unbelievable truth behind some of World War Two's most unlikely heroes.
The Secret War.
TITLE. BBC2. TIME.
WAR STORIES WORTH LISTENING TO
40sec Shoot
A GRANDDAD sits on an
armchair, seemingly post- Sunday dinner, as his GRANDSON absentmindedly plays with his iPhone in the foreground.
GRANDDAD (to Grandson)
You
know, when I was in the war, I helped crack
codes what were harder than those enigma
ones. And we developed the world’s first
computer.
As his DAUGHTER passes, she
raises her eyebrows as if to say ‘here we go again’.
PICS/FOOTAGE of Bill Tutte
at Bletchley and his Collossus computer.
GRANDDAD
And
when I was flying into Germany on me way to
bomb their dams, we was blown off course an’
shot down.
The GRANDSON ignores him and
shakes his head.
Footage/Pics/Articles about
the demise of the third wave of Dambusters.
GRANDDAD
Another
fella I knew - a German he was - gave himself
up and started workin’ for us! Won
himself a blimmin’ Iron Cross in the
process. Can you believe it? Ha!
The Grandson puffs his
cheeks out and lets out a big SIGH.
Pics/Footage of Agent Zig
Zag.
GRANDDAD
And
then we canoed near a hundred miles
to a French harbour and stuck mines
on German boats by hand. Could
you imagine? Hundred miles.
The Grandson looks at his
Grandad, stony-faced.
Pics/Footage of the
Cockleshell Heroes
GRANDSON
Come
on, Granddad. That didn’t really happen.
Did it?
The
Granddad looks to camera and grins knowingly.
V/O
War stories worth
listening to.
The Secret War.
TITLE.
BBC2. DATE. TIME.