Storyboard and Script

Storyboards:

[ Click on images to enlarge ]

This is my first storyboard for the first of my short film. I was unsure of the title and so called it 'A strange return', though I prefer 'A long way from home'.


The film starts with a clip from the news talking about the war in afghanistan, however I was unable to get it straight from the BBC and so I changed to shot to an over the shoulder shot of Helen watching the news on Youtube. The three images are those I chose for the 'dream sequence'.
I didn't put in the title shot with the loud gasp as I was unsure where to put it, but when editing, I chose to put it after the 'dream sequence' as I thought that is where it would be most effective.

I decided what music to use after having filmed the scenes, as I could then use iMovie to see what went well with what I had created.

I added the 'memory reel' before he shoots himself, to show the times when he was happy. I chose to do this when editing as I had footage which I had to not used and thought it would work well. I also added stills when Ryan is talking to emphasise his point.

I decided to end the film with Helen crying for Ryan and then slowing fading out to the end credits; the fade representing death.

Ryan and Helen's scene in bed:

Ryan is shaking in bed after having had flashbacks.
Helen: Shh placing her hand on his chest
Go back to sleep honey, It was just a dream

This scene will be in early morning, so I want soft ambient lighting coming from the window in the bedroom to create that morning mist.

On the stairs:

Ryan is sitting on the top of the stairs, Helen walks over the join him
Helen: Placing her hand on his shoulder
I know it's hard Ryan, but you will get through this
Ryan: How do you know that? You don't know what I've been through...
Stop trying to fix me!
Helen storms off down the stairs

The lightin for this scene will be soft and ambient, coming from the window overlooking the top of the stairs. This will then create a fill light to the side of Ryan, creating a soft shadow on the other half of his face.

Helen's interview:

Helen is at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea
Helen: We've been together since high school.
He proposed to me in Rome, it was so romantic
and ofcourse I said yes!
He was so sweet at first, everything was perfect
but then after year of being married, he told me
he was going to joing the army...
Starting to become upset
It was hell without him, but when he finally
came home, everything changed...

The lighting for this scene will be ambient , incident light from the sun flooding in through the window.

Jack's interview:
Jack is drinking beer, having just stepped out the pub
Jack: He won't come out with the lads anymore.
He just stays in and sits on his arse all day
watching TV, I don't even know if he switches the TV
on! I know he's been through a lot, we've all scene
it on the news, and god knows it was worse actually
being there, but isolating himself is not going to help
him. I feel sorry for Helen, must be worse than when
he was away and I bet there's no sex in that marriage.
I..I just, I just feel sorry for both of them!

This scene will take place outside in the night time, the lighting will be incident light from the artificial lighting outside the pub and from the light posts on the street nearby.

Ryan's monologue :

'This is fucking shit. I can't close my eyes without reliving every little aspect of my time out there. I'm all alone...
They can't understand what I'm going through. Therapy won't work, I'm too deep into this now.
I want my life back...I want Helen! Oh Helen...
I can't even fuck my wife!
She's not happy and nor am I. '

For this scene, Ryan will be alone in a dark room only using ambient lighting to create a morose atmosphere, perhaps later editing the colour temperature. This will be a fill light, as the light will come from windows on only one side of the room.