Storyboards

The reason that this post has taken a while is due to complications that I encountered when trying to scan my storyboard sheets into the photocopier and onto my USB stick. Because I had drawn my storyboards in pencil, the scanner struggled to produce a clear image and so I decided to go over my illustrations in an ink pen to give my drawings a better definition. Below you will find the visualisation of my narrative and screenplay, and if there is anything that I felt needed explaining, I have expanded on it. 

I wanted the opening few shots to juxtapose the two different sides of the protagonist. The throwing of the beer can from the car and wearing his hood in a concealing way is supposed to establish an unstable and rebellious character, while the flashback is intended to illuminate how far he has fallen into grief and unflinching rage. The contrast of how his hood is down and the flowers are bright emphasises the hope and respect he had for his brother. Being in a location which is out in the open also helps to contrast the claustrophobic feel of being confined in a car. 

Frames 8 and 9 were shots that I took directly from a scene in Sons of Anarchy because I felt that it captured both the hope and delusion of the protagonist. While delivering the monologue Dylan is staring out into open space, making promises to someone who isn't there. I used this to introduce the underlying theme of emotional connection that borders on being interpreted as spiritual. The shot number 12 which pans to the right is a deliberate editing technique I wanted to incorporate that pans back into the present day of my narrative. Essentially I want the camera to pan from Dylan in the past back to Dylan in the present, continued in Shot 13, a technique I observed in the short film 'The Cyclist' in my analysis. 

The hands and feet tapping in frames number 14 and 15 foreshadow the anticipation that he is waiting for something. The revelation that Dylan is in possession of a gun, and the way that he looks down at it so thoughtfully but closes his eyes in frame 18 shows the conflicting struggle he is enduring. It suggests that he is not too far gone and the close ups are trying to reflect the emotional confusion he is undergoing. Due to the practicalities of filming in a car, I knew that the shots would need to be relatively close and intimate as a result of the camera not having much room to move. 

With the introduction of the Father I knew that I wanted to do a push focus from Dylan in the driver's seat to the man walking into shot from further away, recognisable in Shot 19. The focus shift conveys the sharpness and clarity of mind that Dylan gets when he sees the Father, as if he knows what he has to do. These shots frame the two characters at a distance from each other, creating a spatial gap that is never actually overcome in the narrative. Keeping the characters apart to an extent where they can never communicate was an intentional decision; establishing a connection of both parallels and differences between two people who don't say a word to each other was my way of subverting traditional characterisation techniques and reproducing the characterisation achieved in the short film 'Passing'. Shot 23 where Dylan conceals the gun was inspired by a Breaking Bad episode during which Jesse grips the gun tightly in his jacket pocket as he approaches two thugs, his purpose and his nervousness very apparent. 

This is my favourite storyboard sheet. The over the shoulder tracking shot in frame 25 creates the impression of a pursuit, and placing the audience behind Dylan means that they can view the entire scene. The two uses of Dutch Angle in Shot 26 and Shot 29 distort the stability of the image, and this unbalanced camera shot reflects Dylan's mental recklessness. The two tracking shots that follow the character's legs are included as a way for me to create a fast pace and raise the intensity of this sequence. With the father walking at an ordinary pace intercut with Dylan walking in brisk strides this will create the impression that Dylan is getting closer and closer, heightening the audience's engagement. 

The POV shot where Dylan's arm is shaking and pointing the gun confirms his uncertainty. The audience is thrust into the protagonist's perspective and this makes the field of vision seem very narrow and focused, much like aiming at a target. This is what I hope will cause frame 35 to be so effective, where the sudden disruption of the scene by an outsider reminds both the audience and Dylan that there is more to think about than just what's right in front of him. Using an Off Screen voice means that the audience won't see the actual character coming, and hopefully this will interrupt the fast paced crescendo reached moments before, and completely ground the narrative. 

The over the shoulder shot of 37 and the long shot of 38 emphasises how Dylan has suddenly become an outcast, a mere shadow. Lingering in the background of the shot while the father and son unite exposes both his significance and insignificance, since his presence is underwhelmed but he still holds the capacity to destroy both of the lives in front of him. As the camera arcs around him in Shot 39, he removes his hood as a personification of his epiphany. Somehow this humanises him more, and circling around Dylan makes him seem both vulnerable and thoughtful. Shot 42, where the camera pans from the father to the son, is supposed to replicate Dylan's aim. Starting on the father shows how he wants to ignore the son and just kill his target, but as the camera pans to the son it shows how Dylan can't just erase the boy from his mind and this hesitation catalyses his change of heart. 

Shot 44 introduces a new setting as a way of building on the continual movement of the characters as they keep walking. Cutting between the father and son in Shot 46 and Dylan in 45 contrasts the solidarity and isolation of the characters. The two shot in Shots 46 and 48 embody the closeness and intimacy of familial bonds, whereas exposing Dylan as the sole character in the frame of 45 and 47 represents his emotional and physical loneliness. The way he is in the background of Shot 48 through push focus builds on how he is a speck in the distance and no longer poses a liable danger, somehow a lot weaker due to his loneliness. 

Frame 49 tracks the father and son from behind a tree, and I wanted this to continue the dynamic camera movements as it follows the characters, but also imitate the movements of a pursuer, stalking from behind trees and bushes. I feel that this maintains both suspense and continuity. Furthermore Shots 53 and 54 are integral to the emotional build up of the story. The father and son laughing about something causes a brief smile on Dylan's own face, showing a sense of catharsis and characterisation whilst also establishing the possibility of forgiveness developing in Dylan. 

I like the depth of field in Shot 55, which is why I wanted to include it.  The father turning back in the foreground and the son in the background is an engaging and potentially critical moment in the narrative, where the audience think that suddenly Dylan could be spotted. The father turning around is also contributing to the parallels between him and Dylan, since he has an inkling or a sixth sense that someone is following them. This alludes to the deeper spirituality and almost haunting nature as the two of them come close to interacting. It also foreshadows a moment that occurs on the next sheet. Shot 56 is a subversion of suspense because just when you think that the father is looking directly towards Dylan, he is nowhere to be seen. Shots 59 and 60 evoke the depth of connection and spiritual symbolism between Dylan and his brother. Looking up to the sky as if he is looking directly to heaven is an ambiguous moment in the narrative, where the audience could see it as though Dylan is looking to his brother for guidance, or that he is lost and staring thoughtlessly into oblivion. Whichever the case, the low angle that follows in Shot 60 reminds viewers of the threat Dylan still poses.

Shot 61 tilts up to the bright sky, deceiving the audience into believing it is the conclusion. This also reflects the tranquil mood of the scene despite the silent tension. Frame 64 arcs around the car as the son gets in and comes around to face the father, but something stops him. This very circular shot parallels the arc shot of Dylan earlier, and embodies the idea that what goes around comes around. Shots 65 and 66 reminisce back to when the father turned around and Dylan wasn't there, only this time they make eye contact and Dylan makes no attempt to hide. No words are spoken, just a lingering close up of each of them. I want this prolonged silence to show how both characters are trying to work out what the other is thinking. Holding each other's gaze is as intense as they get, and I took inspiration from the ending of Sicario for this scene, where Emily Blunt considers shooting Benicio del Toro, but the two just stare at each other from a distance in an emotionless but penetrating way. 

I use another arc shot in 67, and this is to get both Dylan and the father in the frame, first capturing the father as he climbs into the car, second to capture Dylan as he raises his gun in a harmless way. This action was inspired by Justified, where the protagonist pretends to fire at his arch nemesis but realises that it wouldn't achieve anything. The shot lingers on Dylan pointing the gun. Then at Shot 69 he is holding it delicately with both hands, confirming that he didn't intend to shoot at the car as it drives away and showing that Dylan is reflecting on what could've happened. The zoom in to Dylan's eyes in Shot 70 and the zoom out from the father's eyes in Shot 71 is paralleling the two characters. It should remind audiences of the rather suggestive shot in the Game of Thrones episode Winds of Winter, where the camera cuts from a close up of an important baby to a shot of Jon Snow in the same position, symbolising the importance that the two shots share. In this case, it signifies that the two characters are interconnected and represent different emotions and different ways of handling sorrow. 

The tone of this final scene is supposed to feel quite different, evocative but conclusive. Shots 72 and 73 don't reveal the full setting at first, instead focusing on the bouquet of flowers Dylan laid at the start, and the roadside, heavily implying that this is where the brother was run over. The low angle shot in frame 74 shows the father with his own bouquet, a stark different colour to the one already there. Like the initial flashback with Dylan reciting his monologue, this scene uses mainly close ups of the father to focus on the emotion and regret he is feeling. Shot 76 is very symbolic and important to the narrative because it captures the unity between the characters (through how the flowers are laid in a connected way) but also the differences (through the flowers being different colours). 

Shot 78 is supposed to provide a haunting image. As the car drives behind the father, he turns his head slightly behind him, and this represents how he is reflecting on the accident he caused. Shot 79 alludes to the regret and internal guilt the father is facing, but Shot 80 is supposed to linger on the sunlight to allude to the idea of a brighter future now that he has paid his respects and come to terms with his crime. The final two shots, the close up of the flowers and the road, create juxtaposing feelings. The flowers feel like a poetic end that gives the narrative a redeemed closure, whereas the shot of the road is a dark and thought-provoking image that stays with you. 

It may be noticeable that I have decided to omit the beach scene from my original screenplay, and this is a decision that I feel benefits the narrative. I think that the story is bookended by the two scenes at the roadside, firstly where Dylan mourns his brother, and secondly where the father recognises his guilt and confesses his apology. Therefore adding another scene after it felt like I would be repeating the redemption that Dylan has already shown when he stops himself from shooting the father. The way the two of them lock eyes is Dylan's way of letting him go and although no words are spoken, the father interprets Dylan's prolonged stare as permission to move on in life. Consequently beginning and ending the narrative in the same location felt like a more poetic and conclusive wrap on my short film.