A grade noir film storyboard as

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Film & Media Studies

• 1

• Mid/Full Shot

• 7 Seconds

• Low angle then finishing at eye level

• Vertical tilt downwards as main character descends stairs

• There are bars in the right of the shot and the character grips at them feelings of being trapped. Shadow increases up the stairs dark secrets maybe locked up. Man in suit, a convention of Film Noir.

• Main character descends the stairs. His facial expression is meant to be slightly down but not really giving away anything. Camera meets character at bottom of stairs. There is voice over by main character stating leaving “it” safe upstairs in the attic

• Creak and stepped on sounds on the wooden stairs. Perhaps slight sound of the suit moving

• Narration voice over by the main character, a Film Noir convention

• The lighting is quite low key there is a sense of uplighting created by the landings main light being on but the upper level’s light not being on. This also creates shadow of the face of the main character a convention of Film Noir.

• The voice over to sound central as if inside the mind of the spectator. There will be slight editing to exaggerate the contrast of the low key lighting on the attics level. The cut to the next shot is a straight cut.

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• 2

• Mid Shot

• 8 Seconds

• Eye level.

• None

• The fridge is a symbol of coldness. The items in the centre of the frame are RED strawberry jam and a bottle of medicine. Sending out danger and medicine showing something sick.

• Fridge opened and the main character scans the contents, one arm reaches in briefly then returns with nothing and character sighs closing fridge.,

• Fridge opening sound jingle of a metal fridge magnet. Sigh of character.

• none

• High key lots of white and cream colours to be accented giving contrast to the darkness of the suit.

• The cut from the previous shot is a straight cut. It seems slightly jumped but from the sense of descending stairs the audience should be able to follow. The cut to the next shot is to be a straight cut.

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• 3

• Mid shot

• 5 seconds

• Eye level.

• None

• There is a RED tie in the centre of frame the character centre and with the rule of thirds in play there is a sink and washing. Closest to the character is an open bottle of alcohol.

• Character gulps as if having swallowed. The voice over narration returns telling about what happened after he left the meeting with femme fatal character and their discussion over “it”.

• Sound of gulping and breathing.

• Voice over narration an introduction to a short low string motif.

• High key lighting from above causing slight shadow over face.

• Cut from previous shot straight. Cut to the next shot fade to white in an accelerating motion.

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• 4

• Mid Shot, Tracking Shot

• 4 seconds

• Eye level.

• The camera moves backwards as the main character exits through door.

• Main character in a suit with a more cooler blue theme to it. Door central exit built in a rule of thirds.

• Character exits the door moving forward. The voice over continues to talk about the meeting with the Femme Fatal.

• Door movement. Foot steps

• Voice over narration, string motif.

• Natural quite high key lighting.

• Cut from previous shot was a fade to white when frame is white is very quickly faded into this shot. Cut to next shot straight.

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• 5

• Long wide and deep focused shot. Tracking the action.

• 20 seconds

• Eye level.

• The shot zooms out as the main character reaches the street then it tracks horizontally to the left keeping the character in the centre of the frame as he continues down the street.

• There is an old brick building in the background, a medium height wall in front of that and a slightly worn rain streaked road in front of the character which is a convention of Film Noir.

• Main character walks out onto the street and then continues down it. The narration tells more details about the case in question for are main character and hints at the arrival of an antagonist.

• Sound of distant cars driving past. Sound of light wind and footsteps

• Voice over narration

• Natural lighting quite high key but dull as the light on an overcast day.

• Keep the focus on the main character while still retaining the deep focus of the surroundings. The cut to the next shot is straight.

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• 6

• Close up

• 2 seconds

• Low angle.

• A slight drop with the camera and a slight tilt upwards to give a descending feel with this shot

• The curb of the road and sense of a gutter the lowest part on a street moss covered walls two feet confidently slightly apart.

• Voice over narration finishes by being interrupted by this the antagonists arrival and his clearing of his thought saying the main character’s name

• Throat clearing and name called. Sound of cars distantly passing.

• Voice over narration stopping. A brassy motif for the antagonist

• Natural Lighting

• Cut from the previous shot straight cut. Cut to the next shot straight cut.

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• 7

• Mid /two shot

• 5 seconds

• Eye level to a slight high angle.

• Slight rise then a vertical tilt to create a high angle. Over the Antagonists shoulder.

• There is a tree and a grave in the back ground also antagonist is wearing a hat and a long coat which are elements of Film Noir

• Antagonist confronts main character. The camera rises to show the dominance and power.

• Antagonist speaking cars going by in the distance

• none

• Natural out doors slightly lower key now thanks to the tree.

• Cut to next shot straight cut.

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• 8

• POV mid shot.

• 3 seconds

• Eye level.

• Slight shake created by say a hand held camera to give a natural feel.

• Suited man reinforcing the Film Noir Theme. There is a tree.

• As the truth is being revealed as being known by the antagonist the face of the main character becomes scared

• Characters talking• Cars in distance

• Disillusioned music

• Natural lighting slightly low key due to tree and cloud

• Straight cut to next shot

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• 9

• Close up on Antagonist

• 5 seconds

• Slightly High Angle

• None

• Coat tightly buttoned up and whole of face not seen.

• Antagonist utters a key blow to the main character stating he is in control definately

• Antagonist talking

• Low metallic bash sound

• Natural lighting from outside.


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• 10

• Two shot static

• 3 seconds

• Slightly high level

• None

• The main character is being pushed back almost out of the frame whilst the antagonist is too big for the frame.

• The conversation now is getting more heated.,

• Characters talking distant car sounds

• Low string sounds

• Natural but appearing more shadowed on the side with the grave on.

• The cut to the next shot will be straight

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• 11

• Close up

• 4 seconds

• Eye level with the hand

• None

• The hand is central but the finger pointing crosses over into the main characters side of the frame. There is a tree and wall with the church in the distant background

• Terms being stated for the main character each emphasized and punctuated by sharp pointing motions.

• Antagonist talking and distant cars

• Percussive beats on each of the statements

• Natural lighting

• Cut to the next shot is straight

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• 12

• Mid/close up

• 7seconds

• High angled over shoulder

• Slight shake again given by perhaps a hand held camera

• Hand grabbing and hand pointing these are showing aggression.

• A grab of the main character is followed by a final rant by the antagonist who then shoves the main character.

• Sound of characters raised voices over what seems like closer cars

• Metalling percussive sound

• Natural

• Cut to the next shot will be straight

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• 13

• Close up POV

• 2 seconds

• Low angle

• Shake as if being shook

• A Sneer off the antagonist as he looks at the camera with contempt

• The antagonist sneers as the main character

• A sound of aggression from the antagonist

• none

• Natural

• Cut to next shot is a straight cut

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• 14

• Mid/Long shot or a two shot

• 6 seconds

• Eye level.

• Pan left after a couple of seconds as Antagonist is in the distance

• Hand of main character is on place where he was grabbed a grave stone is between the two characters as well as a wall.

• Antagonist walks off whilst the main character try's to regain himself. Voice over returns as the image dissolves

• Footsteps and distant car sounds return of the light wind

• Brassy motif and voice over narration

• Natural

• Cut from this scene using a dissolve to layer us back to the present from this Flash back which is a convention of Film Noir.

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• 15

• Close/mid Shot

• 4 seconds

• Birds eye view

• None

• Laptop, Desk, memory sticks and a lighter key board.

• Typing on the laptop as if recording information. Voice over also

• Keys typing machine whirr


• Light from the screen and above high key

• From the previous shot there is this one which comes from a dissolve. The next shot shall be a return to straight cut transitions

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• 16

• POV Long Shot

• 5 seconds

• Eye level.

• Tracking Forward

• Car wet from rain. Rain strewn street a Film Noir Convention. Darker back street with lowered visibility Bin and lamp post

• This is a cross cut to an unknown figure approaching a house.

• Footsteps, Breathing Rain and wind.

• None

• Low key lighting with a couple of street lights only.

• Straight Cut to next shot

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• 17

• Close Up on Laptop Screen POV

• 7 seconds

• Slightly high angle to give feel of Character looking down.

• Slight Shake to give a human feeling to the shot.

• Laptop screen a Document being written and the hand of the main Character.

• The hand types on to the document as the character continues his talk through narration.

• Keys typing machine whirr of the laptop fan

• Voice over Narration

• Light from laptop screen and also from top of room. Quite Low key with the shadows giving a darker feeling

• Straight Cut to next Shot.

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• 18

• Close up to an extreme Close Up.

• 6 seconds

• High angle

• Zoom in on the text message

• Phone with red back ground with a message symbol in it

• Hand slides to open the message which then is seen close up and is to say “Found You…”

• Phone Button Click and sharp intake of breath


• Phone screen and one above room light. Quite low key lighting contrasted with the almost neon feel phone light.

• Straight Cut to next shot

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• 19

• Long shot POV

• 5 seconds

• Low angle

• Tilt upwards to settle on the lit room

• Window with light on door with light on.

• The unknown character has approached a house and now is looking up at it

• Footsteps, breathing, wind, rain.

• none

• Low key lighting out side whilst there is a light behind blinds giving a semi transparent look in side.


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• 20

• Mid/close

• 3 seconds

• High angle

• None

• Blind is drawn up slightly a lamp is seen which is commonly scene in a messy desk of a film noir main character.

• Main character looks out of the window

• Rummaging sound as hands settle on desk. Sound of blinds being pulled up.

• none

• One room light in a quite high key shot.

• Straight Cut to next shot.

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• 21

• Mid Shot

• 4 seconds

• Low angle slightly Dutch angled

• None pan to the left as Character begins to pass.

• Closing door barred stairs closed door

• Character hurriedly leaves the room and begins to head towards stairs.

• Door closing footsteps


• House room lights quite high key.


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• 22

• Long/mid shot

• 3 seconds

• High angle

• Vertical Tilt following characters decent.

• Black rubber covered stairs the gaps between stairs showing a fractured version of character.

• Character Descends the Stairs.

• Sound of footsteps


• Quite high key lighting.

• Straight cut to next shot.

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• 23

• Mid shot

• 5 seconds

• Dutch angled low angle shot.

• None

• Mirror with a tilted reflection of the main character.

• Character has descended stairs and now looks upon the mirror frozen as he hears the footsteps out side.

• Footsteps breathing


• Low key lighting placing shadow across face.


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• 24

• Long/mid shot POV

• 4 seconds

• Eye level.

• Zooming in as character aproaches.

• Door with light on.

• Unknown Character Approaches.

• Footsteps on gravel. wind rain.

• none

• Low key lighting source from inside house

• Straight Cut to next shot.

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• 25

• Mid/Long shot deep focus.

• 7 seconds

• Low angle

• Slow slight zoom in.

• Shadow of face lines up with glass on door. Mirror and red hat by umbrella handle.

• There is a knock at the door.

• Knocking on the door


• One corridor light low key lighting.

• This shot will fade to black. And the knocking sound will be edited to be more emphisised.

Entertainment & Humor

A grade noir film storyboard as