Studio Shoot - Storyboarding and Shot List

by Tarald K. Tvedt 4:26 pm 0 comments Cinematography Director of Photography Professional Toolkit Studio Shoot Year 2

Where my job starts taking off

Before our first meeting with a complete script I prepared by having a through look at the script, and making some basic ideas for shots I wanted to have in the film. Taking inspiration from Wes Anderson, and based on the fact that our set would be a square with three walls, a centered table, window to the left, and digital screen to the right, I found it fitting to use Andersons centered and symmetrical style. I tried my best to make this visual apparent through the shots I designed. 

As our storyboard artist sadly dropped out just before pre-production started I had to draw the storyboard myself. As I am very bad at drawing, we decided that I would draw what I visualised as clearly as possible, and then hand it over to Arturs who would make them look more presentable. Natalie and myself bounced ideas off each other for what we wanted the look to be during the storyboarding of the first scene, so that I could get a better understanding of what she wanted. 

This specific storyboard was drawn by Natalie, but it gives a rough idea of what the initial storyboards looked like.

Over the next two weeks I had a lot of contact with Natalie while I was drawing up the storyboard, and I finished it the week after study week. A lot of the scenes are short, and happen quite quickly, which is why I decided to make the last scene, scene 7, longer and slowed down. For this scene I took a lot of inspiration from Tod Campbell in which I wanted to show the distance between the characters, but also their love, and how hopeless the situation feels. 

I therefore decided that I wanted the lighting to be really dark and moody, a lot darker compared to a night scene slightly earlier in the film. The shots are drawn out, showing the characters on their own, and borrowing from Campbell, the characters are pushed to the sides in the frames, to better highlight the hopelessness felt. 

This is especially shown in the second shot of this page, as they are are sat on the floor against the wall. They are sat in the left bottom corner while the dark and badly illuminated wall looms over them. The only other thing in frame is the digital screen that shows how many verbal credits they have left. This to further show how this is controlling their lives to the point where it will end them and their relationship. 

I also sat down with Preston (Assistant Director) to write the shot list, but I had to redo a lot of it because we had to do cutbacks in the storyboard + the camera operator wanted a more detailed shot list when it came to camera movement. I agreed with him, and completed the final version of the shot list. 

Thoughts: 

Although a time consuming process I have enjoyed crating this storyboard. Never before have I felt such a creative freedom over such an important project. It seemed almost surreal to me that so many people were dependent and trusted my decisions and my creativity. I think Natalie noticed this as she multiple times had to say "that she trusted my decision on this as DoP". That really helped me realised the magnitude of my work, and encouraged me to create something memorable. 

-TJ