STORYBOARD PRESENTATIONS OF SCENES FROM “Mother Savage”

This is a group project. Each member of the group will get a participation grade. 

When directors are planning how to shoot scenes for a movie from a script (story), they do something called storyboards, which are rough drawings showing where the actors will be, what lighting or close-ups will occur during the dialogue, whether the camera will pan over the scene or go directly in. 

You will be choosing a “scene” from “Mother Savage” and doing some rough drawings, but primarily discussing what the scene is achieving (see list below), and what you as director or film camera person will be trying to play up--as if you were making a video of this scene from this story. 

Things to consider/achieve in your presentations.

 What’s the primary thing to be achieved in your chosen scene?

• to move the plot along,  

• to characterize a role, 

• to have the setting speak its role in the story,

• to show focus or point of view shifts,

•  to get a sense of the narrator’s voice, or

• to illustrate theme?

Whatever you choose, then consider the elements of the scene you will either (or both) illustrate visually or explain to the class in a narrative.  The following is an example for characterization: 

Choose the primary character of your scene and for that character, consider the following:  How will you get that role’s characterization across as quickly as possible?

• with lighting?  How will you light him/her?
• with music? will you use a light, happy tune or somber, heavy tones?
• with arrangement on “stage” or placement in front of camera in relation to other characters?
• with reaction shots from other characters?
• what will be the camera angle or angles?
• with dialogue?
• create it.

example for setting:

• Is the setting outside or in or will you move between them?

• Lighting? Will it be dark, many items in the scene difficult to see? Will the light catch dust motes in the air?

• Music? Creepy? Quiet? Ominous? Silence?

• Camera angles?

• What is actually included in the scene? describe tables, chairs, paintings on wall, etc. 

• What condition are these things in?

• What element(s) is the center of attention? What might the camera linger on?etc

 If you are concentrating on how dialogue will be delivered and the expressions you want on the characters’ faces, you might also consider background (will there be other people? Other significant objects that the camera might fasten on while dialogue is going on ?)

In Persuasion, the film version of Jane Austen’s novel, there’s a significant moment when the camera fastens on the heroine’s hand gripping tightly the back spindle of a chair. It shows her personal tension in a surprising way. 

You will have 15 minutes for your group to show how your scene would go if it were to be filmed.