For our first practice task we were to come up with a short storyboard consisting of photos taken with a digital stills camera. This gave us the opportunity to experiment with different camera angles and come up with our first storyline - invaluable practice for our later production tasks.
We decided to go with the fairly widely used premise of a drug-deal gone wrong. This was a fairly simple storyline to fit around the location we had to work in - our school. The brick walls and patios allowed us to frame shots to convey a run-down area as seen in the below shot.
We began the storyline with the typical establishing shot. We framed the shot in such a way to highlight the aforemention intended run-down look about the location. The brick walls, patios and strewn leaves highlighted an unkempt, back-alley type setting - perfect for our drug dealing storyline. The shot also introduces two of our principle characters - their seated stance emphasising that they are not at the peak of physical fitness, as we would show later being down to their drug use.
The next shot we used was a long shot. We used this to introduce the third and final character while presenting the start of the 'action.' The way in which the drug users stand closely to the new character was designed to give the audience some insight into what's happening in the scene while still presenting an element of mystery into the lives of the characters.
This close-up is a much closer version of the last shot. This still contains elements of mystery while making what is happening even more obvious than the last shot. It is now obvious to the audience that the drug-user is looking inside the third characters shot, indicating that he is selling them something.
This shot shows the, now presumed, dealer talking to the two drug-users. His stance compared to the other two characters, highlights a position of power over them. The drug-users were intended to look slightly uncomfortable highlighting there concern over something.
This shot was merely intended to create the link between the shot before and after it. It shows one of the drug-users being helped up and, if filmed, would then have shown the drug-users walk away from the scene.
This shot is another establishing shot. It establishes the scene i.e. a toilet, and shows one of the drug-users immediatly showing the audience the setting of the scene and the characters involved. We felt that the establishing shot being a reflection in the mirror was an interesting way in which to capture the shot while still fitting with the run-down imagery we aimed for.
This shot finally clears up any doubts over the identities of the characters - it is clear that they are taking drugs. The shot is taken from behind the characters for two reasons: It retains a certain sense of mystery and it maintains a sense of realism - we would have had to use fake drugs etc.
Another establishing shot, this time intended to show the audience that the proceeding scene takes place outside and therefore not confusing them as to the sudden change of scenery.
Following on from the last shot, this was designed merely to show the drug-users moving towards the location in which the proceeding shots would take place, therefore retaining a sense of continuity.
These shots show the dealer encroaching upon the waiting drug dealer and then making contact with them. The dealer is again being shown in a position of power due to his stance as compared to the drug-users, one of whom is made to look afraid of him. The way in which the dealer places his hand on the drug users shoulder is designed to show the user in a dangerous situation and give the audience some prior knowledge of possible conflict.
These shots show the conflict and its consequences. The dealer is shown beating the user who is left sprawled on the floor. This injects excitement into the scene, important in keeping the audiences interest.
We ended the scence with a shot framing the dealer walking away with the beaten users lying around him. This is an effective picture to leave the storyboard on as it shows the destruction caused by incorporating all three characters but with only one still standing, it reinforces the dealer has over the users.
