Documentary Pitch: Box

Director: Richard Fields

Title: Box

Tagline: The struggle with Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease

Logline: Tim O’Toole’s life is that of legacy, until it is robbed by a debilitating disease.

Treatment:

Tim O’Toole is 55. He graduated Indiana University with a degree computer science. After graduating from IU, Tim went to work for the City of Elkhart as a Program Analyst. He has three kids and was married, he was an avid outdoorsman and cyclist, loved the Grateful Dead and volunteered his time to a variety of non-profit organizations. In 2009, he was formally diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease. He currently resides at a memory care facility, can barely speak and often does not recognize friends and family members. This documentary is going to examine his life, his relationships with family, friends and the community. It will also focus on his tumultuous struggle with Alzheimer’s. It will be shared primarily from the perspective of Bridget O’Toole, his former wife. Several interviews will be conducted with Bridget. Old pictures and video of Tim and his family and friends will be included throughout. In addition to the interviews, the documentary will follow Bridget on a trip to the nursing home to visit Tim. Depending on availability and willingness to participate, there will be interstitial interviews included with Tim’s brothers and sister, his three children and close friends. 

Stylistically, the documentary is going to be realist. There may be a brief title intro, but cuts will be utilitarian and not overdone; no big sweeping fades, or cube spins. The design elements of the documentary should not distract viewers from the content. Two cameras may be used to capture group interviews: one set to a wide angle, and the second for individual framing. Music track(s) may be used throughout, but only where they fit. Any elements that distract from the content of the documentary will not be included. 

The idea is to open the film with Bridget making a trip to the nursing home. This is going to introduce the viewer to the idea of the documentary. There will be jump cuts back to Tim prior to his diagnosis. There will be a voice-over/cut to Bridget describing the experience of visiting Tim in a nursing home. Cut to title intro. The video cuts back to an interview of Bridget at her home talking about Tim's upbringing, how they met and their life together. Interstitial interviews will be weaved in throughout with Bridget and Tim's children and Tim's brother and sister. Mid-way through the film, Bridget will share a story of a traumatic car accident that she and Tim were involved in early in their relationship. She may discuss how Tim was in a coma for a week and about the rehabilitation he went through following the accident. She may also share how she believes it impacted his diagnosis of Early Onset Alzheimer's disease. Following the story of the accident, the video will cut back to his family sharing anecdotal stories of how they remember Tim, some of his favorite pastimes and the great memories they shared. Towards the end of the video, the viewer will see the remainder of Bridget's trip to the nursing home, shots of Tim as he tries to engage, tries to eat or other tasks that he is still able to perform. The viewer may see Bridget and Tim walking down a hall together. There will be voice overs and cuts to interviews with Bridget, their kids and family talking about the diagnosis and how it has affected them. The time period of Tim's diagnosis and rapid progression will be addressed at this time. The documentary will conclude with Bridget and her thoughts about Tim's future, her children and their legacy. The kids will talk about how their dad influenced them and how his life impacted their undergraduate studies and future career choices.

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