In the Beam - Project Treatment

Project Overview

Format: Feature film, 90–105 minutes
Genre: Psychological Thriller / Dark Comedy
Tone References: TÁR (for its meticulous study of a charismatic figure's subtle abuses of power), The Assistant (for its suffocating atmosphere of mundane workplace toxicity), The Square (for its satirical critique of the performative and often absurd world of grant-funded arts initiatives), and Fleabag (for its sharp, witty dialogue that masks deep-seated pain and frustration).
Target Audience: Fans of A24's character-driven thrillers, audiences who appreciate slow-burn psychological tension, and viewers drawn to smart, socially relevant dark comedies.
Logline: In a tight-knit First Nation community, a well-meaning arts coordinator's ambitious summer program is systematically undermined by his charismatic but manipulative partner, forcing him to unravel her web of deception before she derails the project and fractures the community they both claim to serve.

Visual Language & Cinematic Style

The film's visual identity is built on a foundation of contrasts. We will employ a naturalistic, almost documentary-style handheld camera to create a sense of immediacy and unease, placing the audience directly inside Devon's increasingly paranoid perspective. The community hall, the story's central battleground, will be portrayed as a character in itself—a space of both warm, communal potential and oppressive, claustrophobic dread. The lighting will shift from the soft, golden glow of community gatherings to the cold, sterile hum of fluorescent lights and the singular, accusatory beam of the malfunctioning projector. The colour palette will be muted, reflecting the worn linoleum floors and beige municipal equipment, making the vibrant colours of Briar’s artisanal jam or flowing linen dress feel intrusive and artificial. We will juxtapose the tight, confining interiors with wide, lyrical shots of the surrounding natural landscape—the serene lake and deep woods—a space of peace that Devon can no longer access, as the internal conflict follows him everywhere.

Tone & Mood

The tone is a carefully calibrated tragicomedy, a symphony of stillness punctuated by moments of excruciating passive-aggression. The film will operate on a slow-burn rhythm, allowing tension to accumulate not through grand dramatic events, but through the accumulation of a thousand tiny cuts: a dismissive hand wave, a stolen idea, a feigned compliment. The mood is one of creeping dread, mirroring Devon’s experience of realizing he's a frog in slowly boiling water. The humour is bone-dry and observational, found in the absurdity of bureaucratic arts-speak, the ridiculousness of arguing about pottery clay when community futures are at stake, and the gallows humour shared between Devon and Simone. The audience should find themselves laughing at one moment and holding their breath in the next, caught in the uncomfortable space between social comedy and psychological horror.

Themes & Cinematic Expression

The central theme is the conflict between substance and performance. This is visualized in every frame: Devon's grease-stained, practical efforts versus Briar's polished, aesthetic-driven facade. The malfunctioning projector, chosen for its "retro charm," becomes a recurring visual motif for Briar's entire methodology—prioritizing an appealing image over functional reality. The sound design will amplify this, contrasting the authentic, warm sounds of community potlucks with the irritable, low hum of failing technology and the sharp, almost violent clink of Briar’s jam jars. The film also explores the insidious nature of gaslighting and manipulation within a close-knit community. This isn't expressed through overt villainy, but through Briar's weaponized charm and her ability to reframe Devon's valid concerns as him "worrying too much" or not being a "team player," a subtle violence that isolates him and makes him question his own perceptions. Ultimately, the story asks what genuine leadership and community building look like, questioning whether a beautiful vision can survive a rotten foundation.

Character Arcs

Devon

Devon is the pragmatic heart of the project, a man whose passion is expressed through meticulous planning and hands-on work, not flowery speeches. He begins the story frustrated but accommodating, willing to write off Briar’s behaviour as mere flakiness. His flaw is a deep-seated conflict avoidance, a tendency to swallow his objections for the sake of group harmony. His arc is one of radicalization. As Briar’s manipulations escalate from annoying to actively destructive, Devon is forced to move from passive annoyance to active resistance. He must learn to trust his gut, find his voice, and risk being labeled the "bad guy" in order to protect the very community and project he loves. He ends the film a more hardened but more honest version of himself, understanding that true unity sometimes requires confronting disunity head-on.

Simone

Simone is the wry, intelligent pragmatist, a cynical observer who has likely seen people like Briar operate before. She starts as a detached mediator, her coping mechanism being a sharp wit and a carefully maintained emotional distance. Her flaw is a self-preservation that borders on complicity; she sees what's happening but believes engaging is a losing battle. Her arc is about the journey from cynical neutrality to active solidarity. The shared glance with Devon after the clay incident is the catalyst. She is forced to confront the fact that her inaction enables Briar's toxicity. Her ultimate decision to side with Devon is the film's moral turning point, a choice to risk her own standing for the sake of the truth and her friend.

Briar

Briar is the charismatic antagonist, a master of optics and emotional manipulation. She is driven by a narcissistic need for adoration and public credit, which she values far more than the actual success of the project. She isn't a traditional villain; she may even believe her own performance, convincing herself that her "vision" is the most important contribution. Her flaw is that her entire identity is built on this curated facade. Her arc is not one of change, but of exposure. Throughout the film, we see small cracks in her mask—the smile that doesn't reach her eyes, the flicker of annoyance when challenged—which grow wider as Devon pushes back. Her story is a slow unravelling, culminating in a moment of public accountability that she cannot charm, reframe, or manipulate her way out of.

Detailed Narrative Treatment (Act Structure / Episodes)

Act I

We open on DEVON wrestling with the ancient projector, a perfect introduction to his practical, frustrated character. The arrival of SIMONE establishes their easy, witty rapport and her sharp competence. When BRIAR floats in, the central conflict is immediately clear: she dismisses the technical problem Devon has been stressing over, pivots to her own aesthetic contribution (the artisanal jam), and subtly establishes her dominance. The inciting incident is the community meeting. Devon and Simone present the concrete, well-researched plans for the summer program. Briar follows with a soaring, beautiful speech on "holistic wellness," skillfully reframing their work and taking implicit credit for key ideas, including Simone’s fundraising gala. The Elders are completely charmed. Devon sees, for the first time, the true danger Briar represents. The act closes with the tense cleanup scene and the argument over the pottery clay. When Briar suggests using useless riverbed mud, Devon realizes her influence is not just annoying, but actively sabotaging. As Briar leaves, Devon and Simone share a silent, loaded look—a quiet alliance is forged.

Act II

The summer program begins, and the conflict escalates. Briar’s manipulations become more frequent and audacious. She uses program funds for aesthetic improvements—like artisanal signage—while neglecting essential supply orders Devon has flagged. She charms a key Elder, Margaret, convincing her that Devon’s focus on "logistics" is stifling the program's creative spirit. Devon and Simone begin working covertly, with Simone using her grant-writing expertise to secure funds for the materials Devon needs, bypassing Briar. The midpoint is the fundraising gala. It’s a huge success thanks to Simone's meticulous planning and Devon's groundwork with community partners. However, during the event's closing speech, Briar delivers a tearful, impromptu story about her childhood dream for the community, effectively claiming the entire event as her emotional brainchild. She secures a major private donation on the spot, with the donor stipulating that the funds be managed under Briar's "visionary leadership." The "All Is Lost" moment follows soon after. Armed with this new power, Briar restructures the program, marginalizing Devon. She cancels a tech workshop he planned in favour of a "mindfulness and nature art" session she will lead. She frames Devon's objections in a meeting with the Elders as him being negative and uncooperative, poisoning his reputation. Devon is left isolated and powerless, watching his project being hollowed out from the inside.

Act III

Devon, sidelined, discovers that Briar has been misrepresenting the program's progress and attendance numbers in her reports to the funders. He brings the proof to Simone, who, seeing the project on the verge of collapse and her own work being corrupted, finally commits to helping him. The climax occurs at the final community showcase, the culmination of the summer's work. Briar is in her element, schmoozing with funders and Elders. The centrepiece of the showcase is the "digital storytelling" project, which Devon had championed. Briar introduces it as her idea to "give the youth a modern voice." But Devon and Simone have worked with the kids to edit the final presentation. The film begins, and after a few charming vignettes, it transitions into a quietly devastating montage: interviews with kids expressing confusion over cancelled workshops, footage of unusable materials, and a screen capture of the real budget versus Briar's falsified report. It's all presented in the children's innocent, matter-of-fact voices. The room falls silent. Briar’s facade shatters under the projector's beam. In the resolution, the community is left to pick up the pieces. Briar is gone. The private funding is in jeopardy. Devon and Simone stand amidst the kids’ artwork, facing an uncertain future. They have won, but the victory is bittersweet, a sober lesson in the fragility of trust and the quiet courage it takes to protect it.

Episode/Scene Beat Sheet (Source Material)

1. Opening: Devon, sweating and frustrated, struggles with a malfunctioning projector in an old community hall. The clock shows 17 minutes until a crucial meeting.
2. Character Detail: The projector is a "beige behemoth" chosen by his co-coordinator, Briar, for its "retro charm," highlighting the conflict between aesthetics and function.
3. Rising Tension: Devon’s attempts to fix the projector fail repeatedly. The oppressive heat and scent of pine cleaner add to his desperation.
4. Simone's Arrival: Simone, his other colleague, arrives. Her sharp, sarcastic wit provides a contrast to Devon’s earnest frustration. She immediately diagnoses the performative nature of their predicament.
5. The Fix: Devon explains his frustration, specifically mentioning Briar’s claim that the projector was "A-okay." Simone makes a dry comment about Briar's "fluid" standards.
6. The Simple Solution: Simone clinically assesses the machine, unplugs it, and plugs it back in. It works instantly. Her line, "Perhaps it merely needed a firm hand," serves as foreshadowing for dealing with Briar.
7. Briar's Arrival: Briar enters, a "vision" in linen, carrying a tray of artisanal jam. She frames Devon and Simone's struggle as a "comedic duo."
8. Briar's Justification: She defends her jam as a vital, multi-faceted contribution to the project's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), demonstrating her skill at spinning tangential efforts into core contributions.
9. Dismissal & Control: Briar dismisses the projector issue Devon spent an hour on ("See? I told you it was fine") and immediately takes control, urging them to present a "unified, enthusiastic front."
10. The Meeting Begins: The potluck provides a warm, communal atmosphere, contrasting with the simmering tension between the coordinators.
11. The Presentation: Devon presents the practical educational goals (SDG 4 & 11). Simone follows with the crisp, logistical framework. Their presentation is substantive and detailed.
12. Briar's Performance: Briar speaks last, delivering a vague but emotionally resonant speech about "nurturing spirits" and "holistic wellness." She subtly takes credit for Simone's gala idea. The Elders are captivated by her.
13. Private Confrontation: After the meeting, Devon confronts Simone about Briar taking credit. Simone is resigned, advising him to let it go, revealing this is a pattern of behaviour.
14. Escalation Over Details: During cleanup, a new conflict arises over ordering new pottery clay. Devon insists it's necessary; Briar suggests an impractical, "authentic" alternative (using riverbed mud) to save money, framing it as a creative, sustainable solution.
15. The Alliance Cracks: Devon pushes back on the impracticality of her idea. Simone is forced to intervene, siding with Devon on a practical matter for the first time.
16. The Final Look: Briar's smile falters for a micro-second. After Briar leaves, Devon catches Simone's eye. Her fleeting look of frustration and apprehension confirms Devon's fears are valid, solidifying their unspoken pact and setting the stage for future conflict.

Creative Statement

In the Beam is a story for anyone who has ever poured their heart into a project only to be undermined by a colleague who is better at performing work than actually doing it. This film explores the quiet, insidious violence of workplace gaslighting and the corrosive effect of prioritizing style over substance. By setting this universal struggle within the specific, culturally rich context of a First Nation community striving for self-determination through the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, the story gains a deeper resonance. It becomes a microcosm for a larger battle: the fight for authentic progress against the seductive allure of performative activism. This is not a story about overt evil, but about the mundane, everyday manipulations that can fracture communities and derail important work. It’s a call to trust our instincts, to find the courage to challenge charismatic facades, and to champion the quiet, unglamorous, and essential work that truly builds a better future.

Audience Relevance

In an era dominated by social media influencers, personal branding, and performative politics, the character of Briar is terrifyingly familiar. Audiences will immediately recognize the charismatic leader who speaks in inspiring platitudes but fails on execution, or the co-worker who excels at self-promotion while contributing little of substance. The film's themes of authenticity, credit, and psychological manipulation in a collaborative environment are universally relatable, tapping into the contemporary anxieties of the modern workplace. Furthermore, by grounding the story in a First Nation community, the film offers a fresh and vital perspective, exploring these universal themes through a lens of cultural specificity and resilience. In the Beam will resonate because it validates a frustration many people feel but struggle to articulate: the suspicion that the shiniest things are often the hollowest, and that true progress requires getting your hands dirty.