FM1 - Creative Work – Photographic Storyboard

The most popular option to be creative and visualise a sequence from your Imaginary Film Sequence is the Photo/ Photographic Storyboard of between 15 and 25 different shots (some may be repeated).

Sketch different versions before committing to shooting photographs

See examples :

 

Basic conventions for the presentation of a storyboard should be respected. For a storyboard, precise indications for the length or duration of each shot, should be included at the bottom of the description box..
For example:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Content   
The marks you receive for your storyboard are for the way it communicates meaning to the viewer. This is done primarily through the photographs, but you need to include dtails of the micro features and other information in brief, e.g camera movement within the shot, the details of the peformance, relevant features of the set, setting and mise-en-scène and up to three types of sound (1.speech – just a brief indication of speech content is required, 2. non-diegetic sound. noise/music and 3. diegetic sound, noise/music).

Remember to nclude edit information, the shot duration and edit type is required.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and it would dissolve into something you’d expect like an aeroplane, perhaps taking-off or an airport or airport lobby - (thus the use a sound bridge)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You should describe details of the following (see highlighted)

 

 

  SLUGLINE -   

e.g. INT. HOTEL FOYER. NIGHT     or     EXT. LISA'S BACK GARDEN. DAY    

 

INT = Interior - inside, an interior location/setting
EXT = Exteriroe - outside, an exterior location/setting

 

   SHOT SIZE -   

ECU -Extreme Close-Up    

BCU - Big Close-Up   

CU - Close-Up   

MCU - Medium Close-Up

MS - Mid-Shot/Medium-Shot

MLS - Medium Long-Shot 

LS - Long-Shot

VLS - Very Long-Shot

ELS - Extreme Long-Shot

 

  CAMERA MOVEMENT -  

Pan Left/Pan Right/Pan-Shot/Pan/Panning-Shot - left to right movement on a a horizontal axis
Pan left

A panning shot from left to right or from right to left can be used to introduce the audience to a particular setting. The arrow for a pan is horizontal, pointing in the direction of the camera movement, it’s the same indicator as the tracking shot so explain the arrow with a  brief written note, as above.

Tilt-U/Tilt- Down - up or down camera movement on a vertical axis

Dolly-In/Out/ - Dolly-Forward/Backward - Track-in/out - camera

Crab-Left/Right -

 

LENS MOVEMENT

Zoom-In/Out

Contra-zoom/Trombone-Shot/Reverse-Zoom

 

Descriptions of  Action & Scene properties:
Depending on how much room you have in the description box elanorate on describing what's significant that you want the audience to note, e.g.

The light from the fireplace flickers on Mary's face.

On the mantlepiece in the background, there's a pictureframe illuminated buy a shaft of light from the windows.

Craaazy-Ace limps across the room clutching and dragging his leg and leaving a blood trail

Sound:
Indication of Dialogue:

Shot Dur:    Edit: :

INT/EXT     DAY/NIGHT         Location:
SHOT SIZE:        Camera Movement:
Desc of  Action & Scene properties:

Sound:
Indication of Dialogue:

Shot Dur:    Edit: :






INT/EXT     DAY/NIGHT         Location:
SHOT SIZE:        Camera Movement:
Desc of  Action & Scene properties:

Sound:
Indication of Dialogue:

Shot Dur:    Edit: :









INT/EXT     DAY/NIGHT         Location:
SHOT SIZE:        Camera Movement:
Desc of  Action & Scene properties:

Sound:
Indication of Dialogue:

Shot Dur:    Edit: :









INT/EXT     DAY/NIGHT         Location:
SHOT SIZE:        Camera Movement:
Desc of  Action & Scene properties:

Sound:
Indication of Dialogue:

Shot Dur:    Edit: :










INT/EXT     DAY/NIGHT         Location:
SHOT SIZE:        Camera Movement:
Desc of  Action & Scene properties:

Sound:
Indication of Dialogue:

Shot Dur:    Edit: :









INT/EXT     DAY/NIGHT         Location:
SHOT SIZE:        Camera Movement:
Desc of  Action & Scene properties:

Sound:
Indication of Dialogue:

Shot Dur:    Edit: :











Function
The function of a storyboard is to give information to a director about the camera shots and movements relevant to each scene. The storyboard should present a fluid indication of how one shot moves to the next within a scene. Information about character movements in individual shots, the sound involved and the edit type are essential to the realisation of the sequence. Your storyboard must make clear narrative sense.


Leon (Luc Besson, 1994)

Planning
Once you have selected the sequence. Brainstorm all the information that will be relevant to your storyboard. If your film is a genre piece and your sequence requires specific genre elements, consider how to include that and how they will be shot. Bear in mind where the sequence comes in your film. Think about the distance the camera needs to be from the subject within your shot.

An introductory sequence will need an establishing shot, for example, and you will probably need to use an extreme long shot or a long shot. You will need to consider the position of the characters and their roles in the sequence. Is there a powerful character others are afraid of? If so, consider a camera position (such as a low angle) which indicates this to the viewer. If you were trying to position the viewer as if they were one of the characters in the scene you would need to create a point-of-view shot in your storyboard.

Storyboard checklist
In order to make sure that the storyboard fulfils all the exam board’s criteria and makes narrative sense, draw up a checklist of information. Below is a list of all the information you need to decide upon before you begin.

Genre elements
If your film is of a particular genre, think about the character types, objects, sound elements and camera angles you associate with that genre and try to create your own version of them in your storyboard. You may have created an independent style of film, which does not fit easily into a genre category, but you should list the elements that will achieve the result you are aiming for.
Notes:



The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Peter Jackson, 2002)

Place in the narrative
It is important that you indicate the position of the sequence in your film’s narrative structure. This information is relayed through your choices of dialogue, sound, camera-work and editing. A fast action sequence will need a series of cuts. Intimate dialogue will need medium close-ups. The place of the sequence within the film will indicate the choices you make.
Notes:
Camera angle
Consider whether the shot you are creating needs an eye-level angle, a high-angle or a low-angle. Eye-level angles are used to place the viewer in a scene, a high-angle may indicate that the subject in the shot is small or vulnerable and a low-angle shot might be used to show the size or status of the character, building or object which is the subject of the shot.
Notes:

Most of the time, shots are framed level. The camera is positioned so that buildings appear vertical and the horizon is horizontal. If you have chosen a sequence in which either your character or your viewer is disorientated, you might decide to create a shot that is not level. ‘Canted angles’ make the frame appear ‘wonky’ and can indicate a disturbed character viewpoint or an unreality. If you have chosen a particularly unusual camera level, include this information in the info box.
Camera height (proxemics)

You may have planned a shot of the feet of a character as they walk through a scene. Rather than shoot the feet from a high angle, you could create a shot where the camera is at floor level. Reinforce the information about camera angle height by writing the height in the info box, next to the camera angle information.


Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975) – high angle shot


Sin City (Miller, Rodriguez and Tarantino, 2005) – high angle shot or OHS



Camera distance (proxemics)
Camera distance is important in the creation of meaning. Close-ups have a different function to medium shots, for example. Consider the action occurring in each frame. What kind of distance does the camera need to be from the subject in order to create the right information? An extreme close-up of an eye, for example, in a thriller or horror film can relay information about the fear that a character is experiencing. In the info box indicate the camera distance by writing the relevant abbreviation, such as CU (close-up) or ELS (extreme long shot)

These have been provided in an earlier handout ensure you’ve got this, if not, see your lecturer before you start.
Notes:

See this scene in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas, pay attention to the interesting reverse-zoom (a.k.a. contra-zoom or trombone shot)

Camera movement
You need to indicate how the camera moves. Is tracking, crabbing, panning or tilting of the camera necessary? For an action sequence, where you need to show the pace of a car or a train, for example, you might decide that the camera needs to follow the movement in a tracking shot. This can be done in your storyboard by putting a right- or left-facing arrow at the bottom of your frame or elsewhere, but not to obstruct image.
Dolly-in toward door, or crab left/right if running parallel to action


A point-of-view shot up or down a person or a building would need a tilt, in order to show the movement of the gaze. To indicate a tilt, place a vertical arrow within the frame, pointing up or down.
Tilt up
Tilts, up and down, often infer a POV perspective, like someone looking. It often reveals something fresh or new, like the horizontal pan or panning shot

Point of View shot (POV) -hand-held, dolly-in from killer’s perspective


















Camera zooms-in from MCU to ECU
Character movement
As with camera movement you can indicate the movement of characters with arrows in the frame. If a character is shown walking towards a building, for example, draw an arrow next to the character, pointing from the character to the building.
Camera focus (depth of field)
Sin City (Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, 2005) –
Using shallow focus cinematography, Willis walks toward camera

Focus is very important and can add new levels of meaning to a frame or sequence, it may draw your attention to what the director thinks is most important in the frame
Notes:

Lighting –
  Low-Key                                  or                                 High-Key  


Noir/expressionism                                                       

High-Key Studio lighting





Lighting has several more applications than the two main ones detailed here and as with all micro elements dealt with in this section more information will be delivered in class lectures where additional handouts specific to that micro element will be given to you. Make sure you have all these, check the content of My Course Folders on the College Intranet
Chiaroscuro &
Expressionism from time to time to make sure.



Sound elements
The sound elements you have chosen for each shot should be described in the info box next to the frame. A diegetic nose, such as a car alarm, might be significant to the action. A non-diegetic piece of music might be essential for creating mood, mention this and also any sound effects. This information needs to be written clearly in the info box. Any diegetic dialogue should be indicated but keep it all brief, all spoken words are not required. One line is sufficient.

Edit type
The information you need to relay about editing can be presented clearly and simply. If your sequence has a dreamlike quality and you have decided that this is best illustrated through a series of dissolves, then you need only write ‘dissolve’ between the relevant frames. A scene at the conclusion of your film might end with a fade to black. In this instance you only need to write, ‘fade to black’ (FTB/FUFB).


A point of view shot from the victim’s perspective (left: POV shot) MS or MLS
A point of view shot from the victim’s perspective: over the shoulder shot (OTS POV shot)

Top Tips –

Some advice on the content of your Photographic Storyboard.

 Digital images only – drawn images are not acceptable but should be used as a planning/preparation tool before you shoot your sequence.

This is the equivalent of shooting a real film sequence: so remember the following are equally important: construction of mise-en-scéne, framing/composition, characters, lighting etc.

 You can use up to 5 ‘found’ (even copyrighted) images. Only do this if it’s impossible for you to recreate, for example: a comet crashing, nuclear mushroom-cloud, long-shot of Earth or a forest fire. This can create a ‘larger’ world for you to explore. All found images must be identified and referenced. (failing to do this can result is some trouble).

 This should be fun, interesting and imaginative.  It is rather a problem-solving exercise – to think creatively and practically.

 There must be a standard format for all your images - no matter what size they are. Be consistent in frame size.

 There’s no requirement for these pieces to be gritty realism, you can do sci-fi, sword and sandal epic, fantasy, anything at all basically.

 Remember this is a storyboard – not a finished, polished piece of work but a work in progress. It will require several drafts before the best is submitted.

 It is pre-production - so these are not images from the film. However, you will be required to convey your cinematic ideas clearly so attention to detail will be required. It’s rewarded if you give consideration given to costumes, props and make-up in the mise-en-scène - and if you can cast appropriate ages and genders for your.

Some Key Words to know:
frame; camera angle; camera distance; camera movement; camera height; camera level; POV; edit type; shot size; composition


Abbreviations are welcome, in this, and the Extended Step Outline - e.g. OSS, POV, MS, ECU, LS, BCU, etc.