Establishing Shot

Sonia walking out of her house, getting into a taxi.

Close up of Sonia looking out the window.

Photo pop up on screen of Vit Zelenicky.

Montage of Sonia travelling to the airport. Steadicam shot of Sonia getting out of the taxi.  

Pan off to the airport when Sonia get’s out of the taxi.

Sonia V/O

I’m starting off a journey to find out something that’s been hidden from me my entire life.

My father went on an abduct journey, leaving me and my younger brother alone in England. I need to find out why he did this, why did he choose to live in a Buddhist community rather than with us, here, in the United Kingdom?

I’m taking a very big leap, to find out something that might shock me. I’m not sure if I’m going to be happy with the answers I get, but I’ve been in the dark for too long.

25”

Wide / Locked-down shot of Sonia at the airport.

Transition / Title roll of documentary title ‘Life in Kamtsang’

Instrumental background music.

‘Title roll’

5”

Handheld shot following Sonia through the airport.

Sonia getting onto the place.

Extreme close up of Sonia looking out the airplane window.

Sonia V/O

My father decided to leave when I was only 5 years old, I woke up one morning with him not being there. A few weeks have gone by to only find out that my father now lives in a Buddhist Community located in Warsaw.

As a child you don’t think of it as a major problem, I saw him every summer every single year until around the age I could finally make my own decisions.

20”

Image montage of archived photos at the Buddhist community with Sonia and Vit.

Archived videos montage.

Instrumental music.

Cut to:

Sonia V/O

As a child I absolutely loved going to this community every single year, so much was happening. As a very confident child I made plenty of friends and rarely even spoke to my father, mainly enjoyed my summer outside.

This led me to think, where was my mother at this time? Did she just want to take some time to herself?

15”

Sonia reaching the Benchen Karma Kamtsang community in Warsaw.

Traditional Tibetan music playing.

10”

Establishing shot of the community area.

Sonia leaving the taxi.

Camera pan away and over the community.

Cut to:

Sonia V/O

I have not been to this community since the year 2013, I want to see exactly how it’s changed and how this place influenced my life.

18”

Aerial shot of the Benchen Karma Kamtsang community.

Ambient background noise

6”

Handheld shot following Sonia through the community.

Transition between the past and present – photo archives.

Cutaway to a montage of the community.

Interview with Lama Rinchen – owner of the community.

Actuality shot of Sonia and Lama Rinchen walking around the community.

Subtitles to be added.

Lama Rinchen explaining the history of Benchen Karma Kamtsang and how it became a community throughout the years.

Lama Rinchen talking about how my father influence this community.

2’50”

GV’s of the community canteen and landmarks.

Transition between before and after photos of the Benchen Karma Kamtsang community.

Tibetan music.

V/O

The community really had an impact on my life, even though I had no idea what it was and what it stood for. (information that Lama Rinchen has said)

15”

Close up of Sonia admiring the atmosphere and area around her.

Mid shot of Sonia getting food at the community canteen.

Establishing shot of people at the canteen.

V/O

I remember when this canteen used to just be a tent, I apricated the small things in life. This community is all about appreciating the life you have and taking the time to enjoy it and respect others.

Most of these people have been here over 10 years, watching this community grow and earn a lot of respect. It’s starting to become the biggest Benchen Karma Kamtsang in the country. It’s amazing to see such an impact on these people, they are always so happy with what they are doing.

20”

Close ups of Buddhist seminar rooms.

Panning shot of on-going seminar.

Mid-shot of Sonia joining in for the seminar.

Cut to:

Instruments being used at the cinema – diegetic sound.

15”

Interview with Izabela Polkowska.

Mid shot located in the outside garden.

Close ups of garden scenery.

Extreme close ups of Sonia and Izabela.

Subtitles to be added.

Izabela’s past with my father, telling us how Sonia coming into her life so suddenly did to her.

What impact did Sonia have, how did she met Vit Zelenicky?  

Sonia understanding her past from her perspective.

3’00”

Montage shots of the area that Izabela lives in.

Izabela showing us archived photos/videos of Sonia and Vit.

V/O – Izabela

Talking us through the archived photos and videos.

40”

Aerial shot of Benchen Karma Kamtsang entrance,

Close up of Sonia.

MWS Sonia walking towards the camera.

Cut to black:

V/O

I’m starting to realise why I liked it here so much, xxx. (talking about what Izabela has revealed to Sonia)

But the main question remains, why did my father choose to live here? I need to face him myself and find out the answers that were hidden from me ever since I was a child.

25”

MWS Sonia walking away from the camera.

Location has changed.

Family home in Poland.

Close up of Sonia.  

V/O

This is my family home where my father has been living for the past 3 years. I’m not sure exactly what I can expect from him at this moment, I reached out to him a few times on facebook or messenger, but I never received answers.

I’m not going to lie, I am scared of what I am about to find out.

25”

Camera pan away from Sonia.

Establishing shot of the area.

Ambient sound.

Medium close up, Sonia entering the house.

Inside GV’s

V/O

Today I will finally find out the reason why my father decided to leave and live in a Buddhist community, I will know why I was always there.

The reason why he decided to become a Buddhist instead of a father figure to e and my brother.

20”

Handheld follow shot.

Following Sonia through the house.

Over the shoulder shot meeting her father.

Upsound “Hello” of Sonia and Vit Zelenicky.

Two shot.

Actuality shot of Sonia and Vit.

Wide shot of Sonia and Vit sitting down on the sofa.

Sonia and Vit having a conversation with each other.

Vit Zelenicky interview.

Close up Vit Zelenicky.

Extreme close up on Sonia Zelenicka.

Subtitles.

Montage of Vit’s father and mother.

Friendly conversation between each other to begin with.

Vit talking about why he decided to leave the United Kingdom and his children to live in Benchen Karma Kamtsang.

Vit expressing the trouble he went through. Why him and Sonia’s mother are still on good terms, what happened between them.

How he discovered Benchen Karma Kamtsang, did he get influenced. What is he currently doing in his life. Would he consider ever moving back to the United Kingdom to live with his children again and spend time with them.

V/O

Vit talking about his sick father and how he has been taking care of him for the past few years.

3’50”

Actuality shot of Sonia and Vit walking around the house talking.

GV’s of the house.

Transition to:

V/O

I’m still not sure If everything is adding up. I really feel as I am missing something or I’m not getting told the full story.

I feel as my mother has a big say in this, maybe she know even more about his journey or she has a different side to it.

Interview of Malgorzata Zelenicka.

Actuality shot in the kitchen.

GV’s of Malgorzata cooking.

Montage of photos/video archives.

Subtitles.

Transition to:

Malgorzata telling us her relationship with Vit, how she felt about him disappearing and leaving her with 2 kids.

What does she think about his religion and choices. Malgorzata telling us how she struggled through the years without his help.

V/O

How is not getting on with life, is it better without Vit. Malgorzata introducing us to her new husband Oktawian.

2’50”

Oktawian walks into the kitchen.

GV’s of the surrounding area.

Medium close up of Malgorzata and Oktawian.

V/O

My mother has been with Oktawian since 2014, their relationship has been absolutely wonderful. Oktawian has helped me throughout the years, I really do see him as a bigger father figure in comparison to my biological father.

Interview with Oktawian Mlynarczyk.

Over the shoulder shot.

Wide shot.

Close up on Oktawian.

Photo montage of Oktawian’s children.

Subtitles.  

Fade to:

Oktawian explaining how he met Malgorzata and how he found his way into his family.

Expressing how we helped him with a lot of his personal problems. Talking about his past relationship and children, how he feels about us as a family.

His view on Vit and the choices he made during his life. Talking about how he feels that Vit is a Buddhist since Oktawian is an Atheist.

V/O

Oktawian talking about his children and how he went about taking care of them, comparing himself to Vit.

2’50”

Actuality shot, Handheld camera following Sonia.

Aerial shot above Sonia walking through the woods.

Fade to archive videos/photos.

Extreme close up of Sonia.

V/O

Finding out xxx makes me feel that I caused some issues within this family. But somehow, we are working.

My father and mother are on good terms, I just feel that my father is not trying hard enough to keep the communication between us strong.

I’m sure that will develop over time, especially since I can finally understand what happened in this family and the choices my father made make sense. Even though he wasn’t there every day, I still saw him every summer.

45”

GV’s of Debowiec, Poland.

Pan from Sonia up to the sky.

Transition to:

Pan down from the Sky to the family around the table.

Slow-motion shot on screen.

Close up of Sonia.

Wide shot of Malgorzata and Oktawian.

V/O

My whole entire life I was left in the dark, no one would tell me what I wanted to know.

I can finally make my own decision of xxx and how I am going to carry on with our communication.

We all need to spend time with each other and re-build our bond together. This isn’t impossible and there is definitely room for improvement.

It now makes sense that my father wouldn’t return to the United Kingdom, he wouldn’t leave his sick father and mother. Brexit also has a very huge influence on this family, we don’t know how to go about it at all.

1’00”

Actuality shot with Sonia and Maciek.

Steadicam shot.

Medium close up of Maciek.

Close up of Sonia.

Conversation with Maciek (younger brother)

Maciek telling us how he feels about his father Vit, and if he feels the same way that Sonia does.

Expressing the feelings, he has towards the family and how he wants to move forward in the future.

1’00”

Sequence of the family walking together and talking.

V/O

Through this journey I learnt that family is very important, we struggled a lot through the years even more now due to Brexit, but I know it will work out.

Finding out that my father is a Buddhist because xxx is fascinating. It had a strong influence on me until this day. Every summer I spent in Benchen Karma Kamtsang I learnt a lot, made new friends and released that I never judged my father.

BWS in Debowiec Poland.

Establishing shot in Debowiec Poland.

Cut to:

Establishing shot in Benchen Karma Kamtsang.

Fade to black.

V/O

I’ve realised that there isn’t enough time for hate between each other. We need to forgive and move on. After my father decided to xxx we can move on from this and put the past behind us.

Without a doubt Benchen Karma Kamstang taught me xxx and I will always be grateful for the time I had spent there.