Cigarette

Thriller Storyboard Trailer

The first shot we see is a close up of a shoe with a voice-over. The voice is a gravelly and deep, already giving the audience a negative impression. Because we only provide a close-up of the shoe, the shot is extremely restrictive and the audience is curious as to who the character is.

The transition used it a fade out; this is to suggest that we have moved to a different scenario, setting or time, and in this case it leads into a flashback.

The next shot shows a woman, on a bed, screaming. The shot used is a medium shot that is restrictive, which is used so we can not determine who or what it is that is scaring her. This is especially important as a sound effect of a gun shot overruns. It looks like someone has shot at the woman, but rather than reveal her fate a transition where the shot of her spirals into the screen, both being fast for excitement (as is useful of a thriller) and to leave us ignorant.

When we return to the antagonist, we have since escalated half-way up his body, still using a restrictive close-up. This shows the audience that that camera is moving up his body but the character is not yet revealed. This causes suspense as the audience know the camera will soon reach his face and all will be revealed. He also has a gun at his holster, confirming his bad state.

The transition of this scene is through use of the dissolve technique. Much like the fade out, this suggests a different scenario and is useful as it as again another flashback.

Similar to all of the shots in the series, a restrictive medium shot reveals a suited character with a stylish hair-cut firing a gun, which is again accompanied by dual gun shots to suggest he is firing. However, we can't see who he is firing at and this again creates mystery and tension -- why is he firing? Who is he firing at? The two flashes on the screen are meant to represent the muzzle flash of the gun.

A fade-in transition into the next scene again means we a changing scenario. This is because we are again returning to the antagonist.

This next shot shows a close-up of just the antagonist's face. It shows him looking rough with a cigarette between his lips. His gruff exterior and the cigarette is to contribute to his villaious assumption. The cigarette is also a key prop the to the next scene, so is especially important that it is highighted to the audience. Using another restrictive shot in following the trend of escalating the tension within the audience; just as they thought all would be revealed, they're left perched even moreso on the edge of their seat. The voice-over continues in the same gravelly style, but also reveals the fate of whoever it is the speaker is talking to: it is his end. Suspense is largely a factor for the audience; what's that villain going to do?

The transition between the next scene is a fade. This is to lead into a montage of sorts; the next shots are not real-time.

As mentioned, the next three shots are quick flashes in the style of a montage. These shots show the close up of a petrol can being poured, a finger flicking a cigarette, and finally a man on fire as he burns alive, with a screaming voice-over, which also has a slight pause before it is shown. This finale most of all relies on Theatre of the Mind: considering all that the audience has seen, with a dominant apparent villain threatening someone, smoking a cigarette, the pouring of a gas can, a cigarette being flicked and someone being burned alive, the audience will immediately assume that the villain has done all of these actions chronologically, threatened and then killed someone. However, because each scene is so brief and restrictive this might not actually be the case at all, but the audience will assume so without any blatent evidence regardless.

In conclusion, I am ultimately pretty pleased with my trailer: I believe I included a broad range of techniques and portrayed them relatively effectively. However, I admit one of the flaws in the storyboarding is the sake that without actual moving clips, and limited drawing skills, it makes it extremely difficult to effectively display a scene's purpose. For this reason the flashbacks have proved to be ineffective; pretty much all viewers have not understood their point until the basic plotline was explained to them. For this is would have been more suitable to have less involved flashbacks and keep to the basics of guns firing, people screaming, etc, but being extremely restrictive in what is actually revealed in the shots.

Telling a story with some photos

This is an establishing shot, slightly tilted in hindsight (not intentionally), that is used to set the story's setting: a narrow, empty walkway.

Our long-shot is the initial introduction of the antagonist, suggesting a character type that's too vague to leave the audience curious as to more. We can immediately assume a villain, however, through the black attire and swaying step. Tension builds.

Finally a close-up completely reveals the character to the audience and his expressionless, cold but determined stare confirm the viewer's first impression, and tension moves from himself to his intentions.

A close-up of his feet in action is a simple shot used show that he is now walking, his actions in motion.

A low-angle shot that scales most of his body, at medium range, is used to imply a sense of power and authority, escalating his threat as a villan and further building tension.

An over-the-shoulder shot that targets the bin finally announces the character's aim. The type of shot used is so to show the event from his perspective, showing him specifically staring towards the bin. It isolates it, using his perspective and that fact is is the centre of the view in its entirety.

A shot that took several attempts and in the end was pretty poor, is a medium shot simply used to catch most of the action as it happens. We specificially needed to be somewhat close-up to hide the limitations of our project; one student was forced to hold the bin somewhat in the air, as it is not real-time.

Finally, the climax finished, a twist provides a resolution to his ill-intent: a low-angled shot from the bins perspective shows the character turning back, as if guilty of his action; remorseful. The low angle shows that he has defeated the defenseless bin.*


I'd like to thank Menthol Moose for soundtrack-tional inspiration.