This thesis consists of practice-led research in the form of a full-length script for a feature film; plus a 6816-word essay (exegesis). A summary of the script is as follows:
Riley Motta is a professional Mixed-Martial-Arts fighter whose life changes abruptly when she accidentally kills her opponent, Barb Reid, during a championship title fight. Ridden by guilt, Riley disappears from the fighting world. However, on the anniversary of the tragic event, Riley’s best friend and teammate, Tess Hill, asks for Riley’s help to prepare her for an important fight, and Riley reluctantly joins her team on a trip to a remote training facility. Haunted by traumatic memories, Riley struggles to reconnect with her team. However, things change when a masked killer attacks her team. Riley’s first reaction is to continue to avoid fighting, but when rescue never arrives and the killer is revealed to be Ash Parry, Barb’s former girlfriend, Riley has no option but to fight. She challenges Ash for one last combat and wins, saving her friends and finally allowing herself the possibility of redemption.
The script is framed by an Exegesis, which is a 6816-word essay on the subject of:
a) the central theme of the script
b) a reflection on my creative process
c) the construction of the dramatic narrative
