FM1 - Storyboard Exemplar 2) - 'A' Grade

St. Andrew’s Catholic School – Center Number- 64135

FM1: Exploring Film FormCreative Project - Storyboard

Director: Ben Carmichael

The narrative revolves around a boy (The Boy – Ben Carmichael) who has to meet a deadline for his essay, which is due in for the following day. The story is based on previous experiences that have happened to

me where I was pressed for time in completing a piece of work that was due in the following day.

The storyboard itself focuses on Mise en scene, cinematography and sound to convey the story to an audience. For example the suspense and urgency that needs to be expressed in some parts, such as shots

16-19, require suspenseful music that ‘signifies’ that the character is under pressure.

The use of mise en scene within this storyboard is initially used to denote the location to the audience (a small bedroom at a desk). Mise en scene is also used in conjunction with sound to turn the mundane

items in the boy’s room, into symbols of his doom.

For example when the boy looks at his clock for the last time a funeral bell chime is heard as soon as the camera looks towards the clock. Time is the boys constant enemy within the story which is made most

obvious in this shot (shot 24). Cinematography was one of the most vital micro features in my storyboard, since it accounts for the most symbolism. The main object of the boys temptation is a video game.

Through cinematography the video game can be shown to have power over the boy through the video game being viewed from a low angle and the boy being viewed from a high angle.The intended target

audience is for teenagers/ young adults, ages 12-21, who struggle with the task of completing pieces of work by deadlines and how procrastination plays a major part in the delay of completing work. The

audience will be able to ‘personally identify’ (Katz) with the story since it is common within people of this age group to have been in similar situations.

Ben Carmichael – 2025 1



Shot 1 Slug line: INT: Scene takes place in a bedroom at a desk - Evening

Action: The boy sits down at his desk with a cup of tea in his hand as he prepares himself to write an essay that is due in for the following morning. His facial expression denotes an element of dread and trepidation at the prospect of having to complete an essay.

Camera: Shot Type:

MCU - Medium Close Up

Camera Angle:

Eye level

Camera Movement:

Static

Diegetic Sound:

Ambient sound: Computer buzzing and chair moving/screeching to signify how he is trying to settle down and get ready.

Non-Diegetic Sound:

N/A

Transition: Cut from- shot 1 to shot 2

Duration: 4 seconds





Action: This shot establishes that the boy is sitting in front of a computer waiting to write an essay. The boy takes a sip from his cup of tea; he then places the tea on the desk with a sense of false purpose that he is intent on completing the work.

Camera: Shot Type:

OSS - Over the shoulder

Camera Angle:

Eye-Level

Camera Movement:

Static

Diegetic Sound:

Ambient sound: Sipping of tea and mug making contact with desk.

Non-Diegetic Sound:

N/A

Transition: Cut from - shot 2 to shot 3

Duration: 3 seconds





Action: As time passes by the boy gets more and more frustrated at his inability to write the essay. His frustration is expressed through angry grunts and hitting his head against a desk.

Camera: Shot Type:

MS– Medium shot

Camera Angle:

Eye-Level/Oblique

Camera Movement:

Static

Diegetic Sound:

Dialogue: ‘Ahhhh!’ – Followed by the dramatic and comic thud of his head hitting the desk.

Ambient Sound: Computer buzzing, rainfall, clock ticking

Non-Diegetic Sound:

N/A

Transition: Cross-dissolve between quick shots of varying reactions to signify time passing.

Cut from - shot 3 to shot 4

Duration: 8 seconds





Action: This shot is used to establish that nothing has been don that results in the essays progress. The boy has his head slumped down on the desk in despair.

Camera: Shot Type:

OSS - Over the shoulder

Camera Angle:

High angle

Camera Movement:

Static

Diegetic Sound:

Ambient Sound: Rainfall, computer buzzing, clock ticking loudly.

Non-Diegetic Sound:

N/A

Transition: Cut From - shot 4 to shot 5

Duration: 2 seconds





Action: The boy lifts his head up from the desk and puts his hand against his face to illustrate that he is frustrated. As the camera pans the boy turns his head and looks up to an object placed on top of the wardrobe.

Camera: Shot Type:

CU – Close-Up

OSS – Over the shoulder

Camera Angle:

Eye level

Camera Movement:

Pan right

Diegetic Sound:

Ambient Sound: rainfall, computer buzzing, clock ticking

Non-Diegetic Sound:

N/A

Transition: Fade from – shot 5 to shot 6

Duration: 4 seconds





Action: The game is shown at the top of a wardrobe in the bedroom. The game has power over the boy and provides a sense of comic irony to the narrative through the verbal code of ‘Left 4 Dead’ and then cutting to a similar clasping hand.

Camera: Shot Type:

CU- Close-Up

Camera Angle:

Low Angle

Camera Movement:

Tilt up and zoom in on the game slowly to connote the dramatic impact this has.

Diegetic Sound:

None = N/A

Dialogue: N/A

Ambient Sound: Clock ticking, rainfall, computer buzz,

Non-Diegetic Sound:

Soundtrack: A heavenly choir.

Transition: Fade Into - shot 7

Duration: 4 seconds




Shot 7 Slug line: Internal: Scene takes place in a bedroom at a desk in the evening

Action: The boy gets distracted from his work and starts to look at the game. He then lifts up his arm and starts reaching out to it, much like the previous shot of the hand reaching out of the game.

Camera: Shot Type:

MCU – Medium Close-Up

Camera Angle:

High Angle

Camera Movement:

Static

Diegetic Sound:

Dialogue: N/A

Ambient Sound: Computer buzz and rain falling.

Non-Diegetic Sound:

Soundtrack: A heavenly male choir. Reminiscent of a choir heard in a Cathedral.

Transition: Fade into - shot 8

Duration: 4 seconds





Action: The camera zooms in even further to connote the games importance to the boy and seamlessly appears as though it is in fact his hand inside the game moving towards the ‘LEFT4DEAD’ title. The verbal code ‘LEFT4DEAD’ ‘signifies’ (De Saussure) that the boy is reaching out to a game that will prevent him from progressing which would lead to his demise. This connotes that the boy will eventually be left behind by others and therefore ‘Left for dead’

Camera: Shot Type:

ECU - Extreme close up

Camera Angle:

Low angle

Camera Movement:

Slow zoom into the text ‘LEFT 4 DEAD’

Diegetic Sound:

Dialogue: N/A

Ambient Sound: Computer buzz, rainfall, clock ticking.

Non-Diegetic Sound:

Voiceover: N/A

Soundtrack: Heavenly choir still playing.

Transition: Fade from - shot 8 to shot 9

Duration: 3 seconds





Action: The boy grabs his arm that is reaching out to the game as he struggles to give into temptation. He resists the temptation and slaps himself in the face. He then whips his body around to face the computer.

Camera: Shot Type:

MS– Mid Shot

Camera Angle:

High angle

Camera Movement:

Static.

Diegetic Sound:

SFX: Face slap

Dialogue: N/A

Ambient Sound: computer buzzing, rainfall, clock ticking

Non-Diegetic Sound:

Voiceover: N/A

Soundtrack: Heavenly choir now starting to fade out to ‘The final countdown’ - Europe


Duration: 5 seconds





Action: The boy hypes himself up to write the essay by shaking his fists at the screen. He lifts his arms up in anticipation and frustration as he convinces himself that he will do the essay.

Camera: Shot Type:

MCU– Medium Close Up

Camera Angle:

Eye Level

Camera Movement:

Static

Diegetic Sound:

None = N/A

Dialogue: N/A

Ambient Sound: Computer Buzz, rainfall, clock ticking

Non-Diegetic Sound:

Voiceover: N/A

Soundtrack: ‘The final countdown’ becomes louder and continues to play.


Duration: 3-4 seconds





Action: The boy has his arms lifted up and ready to type. But at the very last moment, just as his fingers hit the keyboard it jump cuts to the boy holding an Xbox 360 controller and playing a video game.

Camera: Shot Type:

CU – Close Up

Camera Angle:

High angle

Camera Movement:

Static

Diegetic Sound:

Dialogue: N/A

Ambient Sound: Buzzing of computer, sound of video game, rain outside clock ticking

Non-Diegetic Sound:

Soundtrack: When the drums are about to kick in the song abruptly ends as the jump cut takes place.

Transition: Jump Cut - between 2 shots – then cut to shot 12




Duration: 5 seconds


Action: The boy has been side-tracked and is happily playing video games, until he hears someone making a noise behind him. The boy pauses and puts down the game to turn round to the person emitting the noise.

Camera: Shot Type:

MS-Mid Shot

Camera Angle:

Eye level

Camera Movement:

Static

Diegetic Sound:

None = N/A

Dialogue: The mother announces a brief “Ahem”(A fake cough to attract attention)

Ambient Sound: Buzzing of computer, sound of video game, rain outside, clock ticking

Non-Diegetic Sound:

Voiceover: N/A

Soundtrack: N/A

Transition: Cuts From - shot 12 to shot 13






Action: The mother is standing behind the boy impatient and concerned as she taps on her wrist, making a gesture that implies time is running out.

Camera: Shot Type:

MS-Medium Shot

Camera Angle:

Low Angle

Camera Movement:

Static

Diegetic Sound:

None = N/A

Dialogue: N/A

Ambient Sound: Tapping on wrist, clock ticking, rain, computer buzzing

Non-Diegetic Sound:

Voiceover: N/A

Soundtrack: N/A


Duration: 3 seconds





Action: The boy turns his head back in confusion and turns his head towards the clock, the boy whips his head back to face the screen with an expression of awe on his face, which is because he has lost track of time. After realising the time he screams like a girl!

Camera: Shot Type:

MCU – Medium close up

Camera Angle:

Eye level

Camera Movement:

Static

Diegetic Sound:

Dialogue: N/A

Ambient Sound: Computer buzz, rainfall

Non-Diegetic Sound:

SFX: Fast whip motion sound, scream of woman

Soundtrack: N/A

Transition: Cut from - shot 14 to 15

Duration: 5 seconds





Action: The boy starts typing on a keyboard which starts a montage to denote his progression in the essay over a passage of time.

Camera: Shot Type:

CU – Close-Up

Camera Angle:

Eye-Level

Camera Movement:

Static

Diegetic Sound:

None = N/A

Dialogue: Between who? Present in speech marks

Ambient Sound: typing on keyboard, rainfall, computer buzz, clock ticking

Non-Diegetic Sound:

Voiceover: N/A

Soundtrack: The final countdown starts to play for the second time

Transition: Fade in - to shot 16






Action: The boy is determined to get his work done and is sure that he will be able to do this, as an air of confidence and borderline arrogance appears etched across his face.

Camera: Shot Type:

CU-Close Up

Camera Angle:

Eye Level

Camera Movement:

Static

Diegetic Sound:

None = N/A

Dialogue: N/A

Ambient Sound: Tapping on keyboard, rainfall, clock ticking, Computer buzz

Non-Diegetic Sound:

Voiceover: N/A

Soundtrack: ‘The final countdown continues to play

Transition: Fade into - shot 17

Duration: 3 seconds


Action: We see a shot of the screen which indicates that the boy is progressing

Camera: Shot Type: Camera Angle: Camera Movement:




CU – Close Up

Eye level

Static

Diegetic Sound:

Dialogue: N/A

Ambient Sound: Tapping on keyboard, rainfall, clock ticking, Computer buzz

Non-Diegetic Sound:

Soundtrack: The slow paced intense music is still progressing.

Transition: Fade Into – shot 18

Duration: 3 seconds


Action: When the shot of the boy fades in you can see that he is now becoming tired. The boy struggles to stay awake and starts to tilt his head down as if he is going to pass out. Eventually the boy passes out.

Camera: Shot Type:

CU-Close Up

Camera Angle:

Eye level.

Camera Movement:

Static.

Diegetic Sound:

Dialogue: N/A




Ambient Sound: Tapping on keyboard, rainfall, clock ticking, Computer buzz.

Non-Diegetic Sound:

Voiceover: N/A

Soundtrack: ‘The final countdown’ - Europe starts to distort and slow down as the boy’s tired face comes into shot. “It’s the final countdo-“ *Audio distorts at this point*

Transition: Cuts from - shot 18 to 19.

Duration: 4 seconds


Action: The boy is completely exhausted and ends up passing on his desk. The montage is brought to an end and the scene cuts to black on the sound queue of the head slam

Camera: Shot Type:

CU-Close Up

Camera Angle:

Eye Level

Camera Movement:

Static

Diegetic Sound:

Dialogue: N/A




Ambient Sound: Head slam on desk, rainfall, clock ticking, computer buzz.

Non-Diegetic Sound:

Voiceover: N/A

SFX: Record scratch

Soundtrack: ‘The final countdown’- Europe stops immediately before the record sound effect takes place.

Transition: Fade to Black as soon as the boy’s head hits the table

Duration: 2 seconds


Action: The Boy wakes up with a shock to the sound of an alarm, quickly opening his eyes.

Camera: Shot Type:

ECU - Extreme Close Up

Camera Angle:

Canted

Camera Movement:

Static

Diegetic Sound:

Dialogue: N/A

Ambient Sound: Clock ticking, computer buzz, birds chirping, Alarm clock

Non-Diegetic Sound:

SFX: Subtle low bass boom in sync with boy opening his eyes after he realises that he has fallen asleep!




Transition: Fade in from black to shot 20

Cut from Shot 20 to shot 21

Duration: 3 seconds.


Action: The boy lifts his head up slowly as he is still half asleep with his eyes half shut. A second after making eye contact with the screen the boy’s tired expression changes to a horrified look because he has not completed the essay

Camera: Shot Type:

CU-Close Up

Camera Angle:

Eye Level

Camera Movement:

Static

Diegetic Sound:

Dialogue: N/A

Ambient Sound: Birds chirping, computer buzz, clock ticking

Non-Diegetic Sound:

Voiceover: N/A




Soundtrack: N/A


Duration: 4 seconds


Action: The things that the boy has written for the essay are actually just ramblings. The camera spins around in a 180 degree whip pan to face the boy who still has a horrified expression on his face. The Boy then realises that he hasn’t checked the time yet.

Camera: Shot Type:

MCU – Medium Close-Up

Camera Angle:

Eye level

Camera Movement:

Fast zoom in on computer screen Then 180 degree whip pan to face the boy.

Diegetic Sound:

Dialogue: N/A

Ambient Sound: Birds chirping, Computer buzz, Clock ticking




Non-Diegetic Sound:

Voiceover: N/A

Soundtrack: low bass “Dun Dun” to connote trouble.


Duration: 5 seconds


Action: In anticipation the boy slowly turns his head so that he can see the time. He possesses a look of concern.

Camera: Shot Type:

ECU – Extreme Close-Up

Camera Angle:

Eye level

Camera Movement:

Static

Diegetic Sound:

Dialogue: N/A

Ambient Sound: Birds chirping, Computer buzz, Clock ticking

Non-Diegetic Sound:

Voiceover: N/A




Soundtrack: N/A

Transition: Cut from shot 24 to shot 25



Action: The clock denotes that it is now morning (7:30 am) and that the boy’s time is up!

Camera: Shot Type:

ECU– Extreme close up

Camera Angle:

Canted High angle to connote that time is his enemy and has power over him

Camera Movement:

Fast zoom in on the clock

Diegetic Sound:

Dialogue: N/A

Ambient Sound: Birds chirping, Computer buzz, Clock ticking.

Non-Diegetic Sound:

Voiceover: N/A




Soundtrack: Chiming of a funeral bell to connote his inevitable failure!

Transition: Cut from shot 24 to shot 25



Action: The boy turns his head back towards the monitor with his face expressing sadness and concern. The camera zooms out from a CU (close up) to a MCU (medium close up) until the boys facial expression changes to connote he has given up. Finally the boy face plant’s the desk.

Camera: Shot Type:

CU-Close Up

Camera Angle:

Eye Level

Camera Movement:

Zoom Out to emphasise the sadness

Diegetic Sound:

Dialogue: N/A

Ambient Sound: Birds chirping, Computer buzz, Clock ticking.

Non-Diegetic Sound:

Voiceover: N/A

SFX: wind blowing to connote emptiness – Stock wind

Transition: Cut to end credits when the boy’s head hits the desk




Duration: 3 seconds


Education

FM1 - Storyboard Exemplar 2) - 'A' Grade