HOSTAGE RESEARCH

As the idea we have decided on is about a hostage situation, I decided to do some research on this topic. A hostage is a person which is held by a captor.

Taking hostages is today considered a crime or a terrorist act; the term abductee only started being used in the 1970s. The criminal activity is known as kidnapping.

Hostage taking is still often politically motivated or intended to raise a ransom or to enforce an exchange against other hostages or even condemned convicts.

However in some countries hostage taking for profit has become an "industry", ransom often being the only demand. Our story is based on the main character wanting a ransom (lots of money).

Since the war with Iraq there have been many incidents of British journalists and reporters being held hostage whilst being over there. We have used the idea of this by starting our piece with a hostage video, similar to ones we have seen on the news in recent years.

There have been many films about Hostage situations, most recently the obviously titled ‘Hostage’ it featured big names such as Bruce Willis. The plot sees a failed police negotiator turned small town cop, having to save the lives of a family held hostage, which draws him into a much more dangerous situation.

Although our opening has similar themes to this film, they have very different characters and plot lines, consequently our opening will still be a highly original sequence.