Snowfall and Scavenged Light

### **Snowfall and Scavenged Light**
A Film/TV Treatment

**1. LOGLINE**

In a frozen, post-apocalyptic city, a weary survivor and his pragmatic partner risk everything on a dangerous scavenge for Christmas lights, seeking to reclaim a flicker of humanity in a world consumed by darkness.

**2. SYNOPSIS**

In the depths of a brutal, post-Collapse winter, JEFF is a man haunted by fragmented memories of a warmer past, specifically the ghost of Christmas. He and his determined partner, SARA, navigate the frozen ruins of a metropolis, scavenging to survive. Sara, driven by an unspoken need, initiates a seemingly frivolous mission: to find Christmas lights. Jeff, though skeptical and worn down by the ceaseless cold, follows her lead. Their target is the derelict Neo-Data Corp tower, a skeletal high-rise promising both potential salvage and immense danger. Their ascent through the tower is a grueling test of endurance against the cold, the decay, and their own encroaching despair. Deep within a forgotten maintenance closet, they discover a box of old, coloured LED lights. In a moment of tense anticipation, Sara wires them to a scavenged power cell, and a single bulb flickers to life, a small but profound victory against the gloom. Returning to their fortified shelter, they transform their grim sanctuary. Sara drapes the lights over a dead, withered pine branch, creating a makeshift Christmas tree—a stark but beautiful symbol of defiance. The simple act, culminating in a shared, silent moment of understanding under the gentle, multi-coloured glow, reignites a fragile sense of hope and connection, proving that even in the coldest of ruins, light and memory can still create warmth.

**3. CHARACTER BREAKDOWN**

* **JEFF (30s):** World-weary, pragmatic, and introspective. Jeff is the emotional anchor of the story, his internal monologue rich with ghosts of the "before times." The collapse has left him deeply cynical, yet a flicker of nostalgia and a loyalty to Sara keep him going. He is physically capable but emotionally exhausted, his arc is one of moving from weary resignation to rediscovering a fragile, tangible hope.

* **SARA (30s):** The quiet, driving force. Sara is economical in her words and movements, a master of survival in this harsh new world. She doesn’t indulge in nostalgia, focusing instead on action and necessity. Her quest for the lights reveals a deeper, fiercely protected core of humanity and an iron will to create meaning and beauty in the face of utter desolation. She is the story's catalyst.

**4. SCENE BEATS**

* **THE FREEZE:** We open on Jeff struggling through a brutal snowstorm. The world is a monochrome of white and grey. We establish the crushing cold and the scavenged nature of his existence. Through his thoughts, we understand the concept of "Christmas" is a distant, almost mythical artifact from before the Collapse.

* **THE MISSION:** Sara, a determined silhouette against the snow, identifies their target: the skeletal Neo-Data Corp tower. She declares their mission is to find "lights." Jeff’s skepticism is palpable—it's a dangerous run for a non-essential item. Sara’s unwavering resolve convinces him. It's not just about lights; it's about *needing* them.

* **THE BREACH:** They enter the cavernous, derelict lobby of the tower. The soundscape shifts from the howling wind to an oppressive, echoing silence. Their headlamps cut sharp tunnels through the darkness, revealing a corporate tomb of overturned desks and dead technology. The building itself feels like a character—vast, dead, and dangerous.

* **THE ASCENT:** A montage of their relentless climb up service shafts and frozen stairwells. Each floor is a new vista of desolation. This is a physically grueling sequence, emphasizing their struggle. On the 15th floor, a collapsed wall reveals a terrifying, beautiful panorama of the ruined city, highlighting their isolation and the scale of the world's decay.

* **THE DISCOVERY:** Following a hunch, Sara leads them into a cramped maintenance tunnel. In a dusty storage closet, they find it: a box of old, multi-coloured LED lights. A moment of quiet reverence. It's a relic, a thread of colour in a colourless world.

* **THE FIRST LIGHT:** The climax of their search. Sara, with the precise movements of a bomb disposal expert, splices the wires to a scavenged power cell. The tension is thick. A single red bulb flickers to life, bathing her face in a warm, crimson glow. It’s a breathtaking moment of success. More lights join in—blue, yellow, green. Jeff’s weary face breaks into a rare, genuine smile.

* **THE SANCTUARY:** Back in their small, fortified shelter. The space is utilitarian and cold. Jeff connects the lights to their main power source, and the room is transformed by the warm, pulsing colours. The harsh metal walls soften, the shadows dance.

* **THE RITUAL:** Sara retrieves a dead, skeletal pine branch. With immense care, she drapes the lights around it. The action is slow, deliberate, almost sacred. It's not just decorating; it's an act of creation, of defiance. Jeff watches, captivated, as a memory of his father and a real tree surfaces with painful clarity.

* **A SHARED MOMENT:** The makeshift tree is complete. Sara activates a small holographic projector, casting a single, rotating snowflake on the wall. They stand in silence, watching the colours pulse. No words are needed. They have created a small, fragile pocket of warmth and beauty. For a moment, the cold and the struggle recede, replaced by a profound, shared understanding. The final shot is a close-up on a single red light, winking like a defiant heartbeat against the encroaching winter.

**5. VISUAL STYLE**

* **COLOR PALETTE:** A study in contrasts. The exterior world is heavily desaturated, dominated by cold blues, stark whites, and the rust-brown of urban decay. The visual language should feel oppressive and monochromatic. The only sources of vibrant colour will be the scavenged lights. Their red, green, and blue glow should feel shocking and intensely beautiful against the bleak backdrop, symbolizing hope and memory. References: *The Road* for its bleakness, *Children of Men* for its grounded grit, *Blade Runner 2049* for its desolate beauty.

* **LIGHTING:** Primarily natural, low, and diffused light for the exteriors, emphasizing the perpetual twilight of the heavy cloud cover. The interior of the tower should be a chiaroscuro nightmare, lit only by the narrow, bouncing beams of their headlamps, creating deep shadows and a sense of claustrophobia. The final scene in the shelter will be lit almost exclusively by the practical, multi-coloured LEDs, creating a soft, warm, and intimate atmosphere that feels magical and earned.

* **CINEMATOGRAPHY:** A mix of visceral, handheld shots during the trek and the climb to immerse the audience in the characters' physical struggle, and static, wide, architectural shots to establish the immense, lonely scale of the ruined city. In the final scene, the camera will be gentle and observational, using slow pushes and intimate close-ups to capture the subtle, powerful emotions on Jeff and Sara's faces.

* **SOUND DESIGN:** The soundscape is a key antagonist. The relentless, biting wind will be a constant presence outside. Inside the tower, this will be replaced by an oppressive silence, punctuated only by their ragged breathing, the crunch of debris, and the groaning of the building's metal frame. The final scene will be quiet, carried by the low hum of their generator and a subtle, minimalist score that swells with emotion, underscoring the fragile warmth of their creation.