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IN YOUR SHADOW PRODUCTION FOLDER
These story boards were created by me using Shot Pro, a pre-visualisation app that builds virtual sets that props, actors and cameras can then be dropped into. I find this to be a more quick and accurate way to visually communicate the composition of shots than drawing by hand. Drawing is a skill that I have not developed much beyond my original studies some eighteen years ago. Because of the limitations of the details of the virtual actors and the fact that the story board images are taken with a virtual camera that doesn’t conform to the fixed focal lengths of real camera lenses, certain types of shots are impossible to story board with Shot Pro. This can be seen in Scene 3, shot 3A in the absence of an image. None the less, I think having story boards for the shots I can create them for is a very effective way of communicating quickly and clearly the basic composition of a shot with other members of the cast and crew.
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PROP LIST SCENE 1: INT. MATTHEW’S OFFICE. DAY Chair Pen Mac Book SCENE 3: INT. ART GALLERY. NIGHT Glass of wine Grape juice SCENE 4: INT. PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO. DAY Matthew’s DSLR Bathrobe SET DRESSING LIST SCENE 3: INT. ART GALLERY. NIGHT Framed photo of The Shadow Plaque that reads ‘THE SHADOW’ SCENE 4: INT. PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO. DAY White photography backdrop Studio lights The script above is the seventh draft. Once the structure of the story was locked in after the second draft, the rest of the drafts were spent developing the dialogue between Matthew and the other characters. Me and my co-writer, Jack Bourne, had several long and involving conversations about the intent behind the characters motivations and how this could be conveyed through the words they say. The dialogue in the first few drafts was very ex-positional and on the nose, with characters stating emotional reactions out loud in a very direct way. Through the course of several drafts, this was parred back until the emotion existed as subtext behind the characters words. For the first five drafts of the script, the art critic that Matthew talks with in the Art Gallery scene, Marie, ended the conversation by throwing her drink in Matthew’s face. This was intended by me to an invocation of the extreme knee jerk reactions that are very prevalent in todays political climate. It was replaced with Marie handing Matthew her drink after I came to realise, after feedback from several people whose opinions I trust on such matters, that this extreme act invalidated her argument. Reacting to Matthew’s remarks in such a way would be very irrational and out of place for a character who has spent the past page and a half rationalising the artist elements of the photo and its presentation. It was very painful at first for me to take this character beat out of the script, as it had been one the first images I had when conceiving of the film’s narrative. Ultimately, it had to be removed as it didn’t serve the films narrative and had a negative effect on Marie’s character development and the flow of the plot. INT. MATTHEW’S OFFICE. DAY Photographer Matthew Berg sits at his desk, anxiously fidgeting with a pen. His MacBook is open in front of him as he reads an inflammatory article written in response to his latest exhibition. The words ‘insulting’, ‘degrading’ and ‘sexist’ stick out like needles. He angrily closes the MacBook and swivels his chair away from the desk. Matthew’s agent, Claudia, bursts into the room and asks Matthew to come walk with her. INT. OFFICE CORRIDOR. DAY Matthew walks with Claudia as she sternly lays down the situation with his exhibit not attracting an audience because of the controversial reviews it is gaining. Claudia states that Matthew should of ran the exhibition through her and claims that it was a reckless publicity stunt. She remarks that they have been receiving complaints. Matthew is distracted throughout, looking straight ahead as Claudia talks at him. She asks Matthew if he has spoken to Allison’s mother yet. There are rumors of her starting a lawsuit against him. Claudia stops and turns towards Matthew as she rigidly reminds him of the importance of the client he is about to work with. He dutifully acknowledges her concerns, hiding his reluctance behind forced, measured politeness. As a personal aside, Claudia urges Matthew to get some rest and take a holiday after the shoot until everything blows over with his fiance's death. He needs more personal time to grieve. INT. ART GALLERY. NIGHT Matthew stands alone, staring at his own exhibition from a considerable distance. A single photograph of Allison, her arm held over her bare chest in a provocative pose, swims in a sea of pristine white wall. Her suggestive eyes glare back at Matthew from within the frame. Underneath the photo is a plaque that reads ‘THE SHADOW’. Matthew remains cautiously fixated on the photo, its intimidating presence imposing on his psyche. Unsettled, he touches his face in response to his own handiwork that is now giving him a sense of unfamiliar discomfort. Pale arms appear from behind Matthew. They sensually glide over his waist, rubbing his hips then slowly tracing up to his chest. Matthew is unaware of this motion and doesn’t react, staring ahead numbly. The sound of approaching footsteps brings him back to a neutral state of mind. Matthew reasserts himself. A woman carrying a glass of wine saunters towards Matthew, wearing a white suit, blending in with the dullness of the gallery wall. She stops next to Matthew and looks at the photograph with him. She comments on the image, the submissive posture of the model and the fact that her mouth is hidden. She says that it’s perverted and crass and wishes that someone would take it down and burn it. Matthew defends the photograph and unwittingly himself in the process. The woman catches on that he is the creator. She states that the timing of the photos release is sickening, considering the models death then hands her wine to Matthew and calmly walks away from him. INT. PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO. DAY A female model in black lingerie stands in front of a white backdrop, glowing softly under the studio lights. Matthew steps into the light, carrying a DSLR camera. He takes a few shots, confidently giving the model directions, praising her attentive interpretations. He looks at the outcome on the screen. An unfamiliar figure is visible behind the model. He slowly glares up to the model. There is nothing behind her. The model notices his concern and asks Matthew if everything is okay. He reassures her that it is, believing that it could just be the light or simply just a smudge. He continues to shoot. The Shadow slowly appears from behind the model, stalking closer to her with each new image. Matthew grows ever more anxious with each look at the viewfinder. Confused, the model asks what she should do next. Matthew ignores her. He moves closer to the model, keeps taking photos, firmly stating, ‘Just don’t do anything’, becoming ever more obsessed with the progress of The Shadows movement in the viewfinder. The model becomes increasingly panicked and uncomfortable as Matthew bears down on her. The model snatches the camera from Matthew's hands as he approaches her. She throws the camera to the ground, calling Matthew a creep then storms off towards the exit. Matthew collapses on the floor, exhausted and spent, head held in his hands. The shadow, wearing the same black lingerie outfit as the model, stands opposite Matthew. She hypnotically sashays towards Matthew, commenting on his treatment of the model like an object and questioning his intentions behind capturing the photo of her. He wearily looks up at her. The shadow is now on top of Matthew, seducing him. She gracefully unbuckles Matthew’s belt and gently wraps it round his neck. She begins to tighten with one hand, caressing the back of his head with the other. Seductively running her fingers through his hair, she suggestively moves her face closer to Matthew, then slams his head into the concrete floor. Cut to black. The End. ORIGINAL TREATMENT INT. MATTHEW’S OFFICE. DAY Photographer Matthew Berg sits at his desk, anxiously fidgeting with a pen. His MacBook is open in front of him as he reads an inflammatory article written in response to his latest exhibition. The words ‘insulting’, ‘degrading’ and ‘sexist’ stick out like a sore thumb. He angrily closes the MacBook and swivels his chair away from the desk, chewing on his nail. Mathew’s agent, Claudia, bursts into the room and asks Matthew to come walk with her. INT. OFFICE CORRIDOR. DAY Matthew walks with Claudia as she sternly lays down the situation with his exhibit not attracting an audience because of the controversial reviews it is gaining. Claudia states that Matthew should of ran the exhibition through her and claims that it was a reckless publicity stunt. She reassures Matthew that people will eventually forget. She remarks that they have been receiving complaints and even a few death threats. Matthew is distracted throughout, looking straight ahead as Claudia talks at him. She asks Matthew if he has spoken to Allison’s mother yet. There are rumors of her starting a lawsuit against him. Claudia stops and turns towards Matthew as she rigidly reminds him of the importance of the client he is about to work with. He dutifully acknowledges her concerns, hiding his reluctance behind forced, measured politeness. As a personal aside, Claudia urges Matthew to get some rest and take a holiday after the shoot until everything blows over with his fiance's death. He needs more personal time to grieve. INT. ART GALLERY. NIGHT Matthew stands alone, staring at his own exhibition from a considerable distance. A single photograph of a topless woman in a provocative pose, her arms bound over her chest by bondage rope, swims in a sea of pristine white wall. Her suggestive eyes glare back at Matthew from within the frame. Underneath the photo is a plaque that reads ‘THE SHADOW’. Matthew remains cautiously fixated on the photo, its intimidating presence imposing on his psyche. Unsettled, he touches his face in response to his own handiwork that is now giving him a sense of unfamiliar discomfort. Pale arms, bound with bondage rope, appear from behind Matthew. They sensually glide over his waist, rubbing his hips then slowly tracing up to his chest. Matthew is unaware of this motion and doesn’t react, staring ahead numbly. The sound of approaching footsteps brings him back to a neutral state of mind. Matthew rubs his eyes and reasserts himself. A woman carrying a glass of wine saunters towards Matthew, wearing a white suit, blending in with the dullness of the gallery wall. She stops next to Matthew and looks at the photograph with him. She comments on the image, the kind of institution that allows such a work of art to be displayed. She says that it’s perverted and crass and wishes that someone would just take it down and burn it. Matthew defends the photograph and unwittingly himself in the process. The woman catches on that he is the creator. On discovering this, she throws her wine over Matthew and calls him a ‘chauvinist pig.’ She calmly walks away from him. EXT. ART GALLERY ENTRANCE. NIGHT Matthew exits the gallery, wiping himself down with a tissue. He enters his car and begins to drive. INT. MATTHEW’S CAR. NIGHT As Matthew drives, he turns on the radio which tunes in to a topic talk between two radio presenters. They announce the late passing of actress and model Allison Sorel who has died from an autoerotic asphyxiation accident. A standard news announcement. Her family wants privacy while they grieve. Homage to Allison's career. They go on to talk about Matthew and his art exhibition and bring light to the controversy. The second radio presenter vocalizes her own opinion on the matter, ‘have you seen this exhibition?’, begins trash talking it as ‘a horrendously outdated evocation of the male gaze’. Matthew turns off the radio in frustration. The sound of rope falling to the floor can be heard from behind Matthew. A bare, pale arm reaches past Matthew and turns the radio back on. Barely visible in the deep darkness of the back seat, The Shadow intones, ‘They weren’t finished.’ The debate between the radio presenters intensifies as they continue to condemn Matthew's exhibit. He gazes with barely restrained contempt into the rearview mirror, towards the backseat. INT. PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO. DAY A female model in black lingerie takes the floor of a photo shoot, while a make-up artist gracefully floats around her, finishing the final touches of blusher. The model glows in the light. Matthew sits off to the side, away from the glare of the studio lights, almost consumed by darkness. He scans through a brief, unenthusiastically turning page after page. Something feels off. The make-up artist announces that the model is ready. Snapping out of his daze, Matthew puts the brief down, stands up and approaches the floor, reloading his DSLR as he walks. He puts on a professional manner while praising the make-up artist on an excellent job, coming across as overly friendly. He then asks if she can leave, thanking her on the way out. There is only Matthew and the model left in the studio. Matthew begins running through the job with the model. Small talk, everything as it should be. He takes a few shots, confidently giving her directions, praising her attentive interpretations. He looks at the outcome on the viewfinder. An unfamiliar figure is visible behind the model. He slowly glares up to the model. There is nothing behind her. The model notices his concern and asks Matthew if everything is okay. He reassures her that it is, believing that it could just be the light or simply just a smudge. He continues to shoot. The Shadow slowly appears from behind the model, stalking closer to her with each new image. Matthew grows ever more anxious with each look at the viewfinder. Confused, the model asks what she should do next. Matthew ignores her. He moves closer to the model, keeps taking photos, firmly stating, ‘Just don’t do anything’, becoming ever more obsessed with the progress of The Shadows movement. The model looks increasingly panicked and uncomfortable. She has no idea what's going on. Before the situation escalates beyond breaking point, an agent strides into the studio. They wrap a bathrobe around the model and escort her outside. Matthew collapses on his chair, exhausted and spent, head held in his hands. The shadow, wearing the same black lingerie outfit as the model, stands in her place, desirably regarding Matthew. She hypnotically sashays towards him. He wearily looks up at her. The shadow is now on top of Matthew, seducing him. She gracefully unbuckles Matthew’s belt and gently wraps it round his neck. She begins to tighten with one hand, caressing the back of his head with the other. Seductively running her fingers through his hair, she rocks his head back and forth, increasing in aggressive momentum. She suggestively moves her face closer to Matthew, then slams his head into the concrete floor. Jump cut on the moment of impact to: INT. MATTHEW’S BEDROOM. NIGHT Matthew violently bolts up from his bed, his clothes disheveled and drenched with sweat. Wide-eyed, he sits petrified and upright. The room is eerily sedate. The sound of a mobile phone ringing cuts through the stillness, startling Matthew. He picks the phone up. Pausing for a brief second to reassert himself, he answers it. Claudia severely states that she has been trying to contact him all day. All representatives and clients are now backing out of any future collaborations, breaking their contracts with Matthew. She’s furious about the incident with the lingerie model and demands that he explains himself. Matthew’s professional manner slips as he stumbles on his words, muttering that he just woke up and doesn’t know where he is anymore. Claudia snaps, quitting her job as Matthew’s agent, calling him a madman then hanging up sharply. Matthew sullenly collapses back onto the bed. A female voice gently whispers, ‘Now I have you all to myself...’ Matthew turns to see Allison lying under the covers next to him, her head propped up in her arm, radiating an enamored smile. Matthew smiles back, momentarily overcome with desire. His face cracks as his eyes screw up. He turns away, exclaiming guiltily, ‘This isn’t happening!’ A mocking voice responds ‘And it never will!’ Matthew hesitantly opens his eyes. The Shadow salaciously glares back at him. Jump cut to: INT. PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO. DAY Matthew’s eyes tear open as he inhales sharply. He is lying flat on his back, a deathly silence accompanying the darkness that engulfs him. Disorientated, he winces as he carefully sits up. He gingerly reaches his hand to the back of his head, then pulls it in front of his face. A splotch of blood trickles down his palm. He looks over to the chair he was previously sat in, toppled over beside him, his DSLR and the brief strewn on the floor next to it. Matthew gingerly rises to his feet. He slowly reaches for the DSLR, his bemused eyes creeping around the darkness as he picks it up. He freezes as they settle on The Shadow, holding the familiar pose from his exhibited photo, lit by two studio lights in front of the photography backdrop. He squints as he nervously moves forward, not daring to take his eyes off her. Matthew cautiously leans in close to The Shadow. She is as still and lifeless as a statue. Satisfied, he turns away from her, composing himself whilst gazing into the void of darkness. The Shadow elegantly unfolds behind him, silently leaning in close to Matthew’s ear. She questions the objectifying ideals behind her creation in an accusatory whisper. Agitation overcomes Matthew as he tersely explains that he captured her in the only way he knew how. The Shadow continues to accuse him of using her to fill the void of his desire, her voice crackling with tension. Reaching the peak of his guilt and defensiveness, Matthew aggressively spits that he never had the chance before she was taken away from him. A moment of realisation flickers over Matthew as his anger begins to subside. He turns to face The Shadow, composure now evident in his words , as he melancholically expresses the frustration of him and Allison having not consummated their relationship, the guilt that the sexual suggestion of the exhibited photo brought forth in him. The Shadow looks on, silent and still as a statue once again, as Matthew proclaims his love and desire for Allison. Relief washes over Matthew, melancholy replaced with joy. Allison is now stood before him, where The Shadow had previously been. She smiles warmly as the pair embrace, Mathew saying a final, heartfelt goodbye to Allison. He steps back and takes a photo of her with his DSLR. When Matthew takes his eye away from the eyepiece, Allison is gone. Matthew is alone once again. He looks at the viewfinder. The Shadow, holding the familiar pose from his exhibited photo, is in Allison’s place. Matthew looks up with determination. The End. MATTHEW BERG Male, aged 36 A gifted and passionate photographer, Matthew is professional in his approach to his work and art. His fiancé, Allison Sorel, passing away recently has left him in a state of emotional numbness, in which he has devoted himself entirely to his work in an unconscious attempt to avoid confronting the desire he still harbours for her. When the social backlash rises and The Shadow’s visitations increase, he begins to lose grasp of his sanity as the one thing that he has left to care about, his art, comes under attack and the means he has to earn a living is taken away from him. THE SHADOW Female, aged 35 Evoking the male gaze, The Shadow is the subject of Matthew’s provocative photo, and the embodiment of his repressed desire for Allison Sorel. She initially takes a dangerously seductive, goading tone towards him, while questioning his ideals behind her creation, eventually becoming more sympathetic as Mathew begins to understand the nature of her visitations. ALLISON SOREL Female, aged 35 An adventurous soul, Allison was a successful model and actress before her untimely death. She was Matthew’s fiancé and muse, who constantly pushed the boundaries of their creativity in photography to ever more experimental heights. Strong willed and impulsive, Allison constantly challenged Matthew on creative and intellectual topics, sometimes leading to a fiery clashing of beliefs that only strengthened their passion for one another. She had a tendency to take things too far on occasion, such a fatal misjudgement leading to her death in an autoerotic asphyxiation accident. CLAUDIA Female, aged 40-45 Stern and independent, Claudia has been Matthew’s agent for approaching a decade. She is fiercely moral with a strong head for business that has nurtured and guided the careers of an exemplary roster of successful creative talent over her fifteen years of experience as an agent. When Matthew over steps her moral boundaries, pushing Claudia to the limits of her persistence, she has no reservations about terminating her business relationship with him. MARIE Female, aged 25-35 Well versed in art and photography, Marie is a regular visitor of art galleries. She is charming and witty with a sharp critical attitude towards the exhibitions she attends. Matthew’s provocative photo brings out Marie’s passionate side that presents itself in a strong reaction towards Matthew’s photo. ELLA Female, aged 20-30 A young and upcoming lingerie model, Ella is bright and gregarious. What she might lack in experience, she more than makes up for with an enthusiasm and attentiveness for portraying the perfect moment. She is entrusting of Matthew and eager to work with him due to his excellent reputation. Once he starts behaving in an uncomfortable manner during the photography shoot, Ella becomes increasingly panicked, her limited experience manifesting in confusion and an inability to resolve the unnerving situation she finds herself in. IN YOUR SHADOW PROPOSAL FORMAT: Short narrative film LENGTH: 8-10 minutes GENRE: Psychological thriller, Socially conscious horror PROJECT WORKING TITLE: In Your Shadow LOGLINE: A social backlash ensues when a photographer exhibits his latest provocative creation, sparking mocking visitations from the subject in his photo that force him to confront repressed feelings of desire. SYNOPSIS: Avoiding grieving for his deceased fiancé, photographer Matthew Berg publicly displays his latest provocative creation. Public opinion rapidly escalates against him, twisting his intentions of exhibiting a photo of his late fiancé that he holds dear into something more sinister and perverted, triggering unsettling visitations from The Shadow, the subject from his photo. As Matthew’s livelihood and sanity is stripped away from him, the visitations increase, The Shadow questioning the principles behind her creation, leading him to confront a repressed desire for his lost fiancé. THEMES: · Confronting grief and repressed desire · Relationship between creator and creation · How we view and judge the female form via the male gaze AESTHETICS: The film will be presented in a 1.33:1 aspect ratio, reflecting the way Mathew views the world through his photography and confining him with his emotions. The cinematography will utilize extreme close ups of lips and mouth to create a sense of desire. Two shot medium and close ups of Matthew and the Shadow’s interactions will create a sense of uncomfortable intimacy by visually linking the pair. SOUND: The Shadows visitations will be accompanied by unsettling low end rumbles and sensual electronic drones to create a dark sense of hypnotic seduction. The score will resonate with intoxicating trip hop rhythms that will counteract the darkness of The Shadow’s appearances with a woozy desire. AREAS OF RESEARCH:
SCHEDULE: Main research completed by 7th February Shooting script finished by 26th February Production week 18th – 24th March Rough cut ready for 9th April Final edit ready for 7th May Screening at UCW showcase 15th May |
AuthorMy name is Clay Sandford and I am currently studying an FDA in Film and Media Production at University Centre Weston. I have a keen interest in directing, cinematography and camera operating. ArchivesCategories |