Storyboarding and Questioning Life Choices

     Hello again! For the past few days, I've been working on putting together a comprehensive storyboard for my film opening, tracking shot types used, dialogue to follow along with, and small notes about audio and lighting techniques in specific scenes. Though I am a little artistically challenged (I can't draw for my life), I was able to make a somewhat understandable storyboard with illustrations that get my vision across. 

    However, what should've been a one day project soon stretched into a project that spanned four days, due to a busy schedule and studying for my SAT exam (which I just got back from at the time of writing this). Despite this, I have finally completed the full storyboard, and will now briefly explain some of my notes on the board, for each page.

PAGE 1

There isn't too much to touch upon in the first page.

• The first shot is very sudden and offers no explanation on what is happening, it throws the audience right in the middle of the relationship between the two boys. I'm still not sure if I'm a huge fan of this or not.
• 2nd shot, will be challenging fitting a dog in the lower part of the frame.
• 4th shot with a frontal view of them in the front seats will be challenging to have them both in the same frame. Might solve this issue by using a wide camera lens to fit them both in it.
• 8th shot has a slight high angle, not to show inferiority but because it is probably the best way to get both of the actors in the frame comfortably.

          Page 2

• 1st shot- might play a little with the angle and framing of it, I would do a close up but I want to make it clear that it's Martin who has the hand sanitizer habit.
• 2nd and 3rd shots- It's going to be interesting making these shots look similar for the graphic match setting transition. Unsure if I will make the images fade into each other or if I'll jump cut into it.
• 5th shot- Nothing too special, just happy with how I drew the arms crossed :)
• The rest of these shots are made to illustrate a back and forth conversation between Martin and Danny. They are all similar shots so I don't disorientate the viewer with a different angle each time.  (I play with different shots in the next page.)

 Page 3

• 1st shot- I'd have more of the conversation shot like this, but I worry about disturbances in the background, and having audio issues from filming at such a distance. Capturing expressions on actors' faces is also more difficult.
• 3rd shot- eyeline match for 2nd shot, using an OTS shot to connect the two. I like the idea of having the audio taper out, illustrating his zoning out from the conversation, only to be brought back to the present in the 5th shot.
• 6th shot- Will have to play with angles to make it clear that Martin is NOT looking at Danny, but is still focusing on the gas station door.
• 8th shot- Panning up to a darker sky is a nice way to illustrate passage of time, I think. Will be fun to edit into the fade transition :).

 Page 4:

• 1st shot-  Not sure if I want sky to fade directly into this scene or if I want the pan to continue, fading from the dark sky to the dark pavement that the car is parked on.
• 3rd shot- Hopefully lighting through phone will work as well as I have it envisioned, might have to play with other lighting sources to get desired effect.
• Dolly shot- To get a seamless moving around of the camera, I'm considering either getting a camera stabilizer, or using a platform with wheels (rolling chair?) being pushed around by another person.
• 6th shot- will have to contact acquaintances well-versed in makeup to see how realistic and how cheap it is to make someone look dead.
• 8th shot- Might use an audio sting (think of a thud or a boom) when the reveal cuts to the title screen.

And that's all I have for you today! Now that I've got my storyboard and script done, I can cast a few actors and ask for a few production assistants, and I'll be ready to actually shoot the opening! Looking forward to this (and feeling a little nervous) in the very near future!