I Can't Draw To Save My Life! - Storyboarding The Rose of Edenton

I CAN’T DRAW TO SAVE MY LIFE!

STORYBOARDING THE ROSE OF EDENTON

Ok, so now anyone who knows me knows that I can’t draw to save my life (deep sigh). Interestingly enough that is exactly what is needed for the next phase of bringing The Rose of Edenton or any film to life. After your script is finished and you are preparing to shoot, you have to do storyboards of your film. Fortunately for me I don’t have to be an accomplished artist or even an amateur artist for that matter. In essence, you or an illustrator are creating a sequence of rough sketches that convey major changes of action or plot in your scene. Storyboards can be hand drawn and look like pages out of a comic book, be digitally created with software (thankfully, for my sake) or even animated.

The purpose is to communicate clearly with your cast and crew your vision for each scene since they are responsible for following your direction. For you, as the director, to help your cast and crew clearly understand your vision is an absolute necessity! Storyboarding will save a lot of problems with miscommunication once you’re actually on the set and save you tons of time. Please see the links below for some examples but don’t limit yourself there are many more. Be encouraged and keep moving forward because I want to see your movie masterpiece!  As always, let’s keep each other encouraged so comment, connect and communicate with me because I love to hear from you, thanks!

STORYBOARD EXAMPLES

https://www.google.com/search?q=examples+of+storyboards&safe

STORYBOARDING APPS/HELP

http://www.storyboardthat.com
http://www.teachthought.com/apps-2/11-storyboarding-apps-organize-inspire-young-writers

Jacquie
Writer, Producer & Director
The Rose of Edenton
GoodLife Productions Entertainment
www.goodlifeproductionsllc.com
Twitter: @jacqshukur
Facebook: Jacquie Shukur-Powell
                   GoodLife Productions Entertainment 

 

 

 

THE BREAKDOWN (of the Rose of Edenton Script that is)

THE BREAKDOWN

(Of the Rose of Edenton Script That Is)

 

These past weeks have been filled with rehearsals, location scouts, scheduling and the nervous, excited energy that comes with preparing to shoot. But, before I was able to do all of that I had to get ready. Preparation came in the form of breaking down my script. This is the process of identifying all of the props, locations, sound effects, set design, music, wardrobe, character hair & makeup, lighting, characters per scene, etc. Yes, it is work but, remember preparation is never wasted! As experienced filmmakers know breaking down your script (possibly multiple times) is an absolute necessity. There are so many details involved in making a film so organization is key! You should use a script breakdown sheet to accomplish this all-important task.  Script breakdown sheets (see below) give you and your team a crystal clear picture (on paper) of all of the smaller elements that are needed to bring your scene to life.

Each scene of your script needs to be dissected so that all of the various departments: wardrobe, makeup, sound, the gaffer (lighting expert), props, etc. will have a clear blueprint of what is expected from them for each and every scene. Now, if you are an independent filmmaker without the budget or backing of a studio/investor—you may wear all of these departmental hats yourself. Not to worry, it has and can be done so you can do it. But you must get your script breakdown sheets done for each scene. These are easy to make or to find online. So, what are you waiting for? Download or make yourself some and get to organizing! I hope to be viewing your film very soon!

As always, please let me hear from you about your own progress, questions, comments, etc.  I hope this blog encourages you like hearing from you encourages me.  

Always,

Jacquie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Journey To Making My Short Film The Rose of Edenton - Follow me from Concept to Completion

Ok, here goes, I’m documenting my journey of the making of my short film, The Rose of Edenton. It’s as much for me as it is for those of you who have requested it (thanks script writing students).  As most of you know this film is close it my heart because it is about my grandmother, Rosa Howcutt who passed at the age of 101. I miss Grandma dearly…a commonly know fact about her... she loved to dance. Everyone in Edenton, North Carolina and the surrounding towns knew that Grandmas was a dancing somebody. I mean she was cutting a rug during the flapper era when they went hard! Being a flapper meant being controversial, it was the roaring 20’s and boy did those girls roar! Josephine Baker was overseas doing the provocative banana dance, Prohibition was in full swing, speakeasies were all the rage and women were shedding their meek and mild demeanor.

The legendary stories of my dancing grandma have been told at family dinners and gatherings for years and years. That said, the beginning of my film opens with Rosa heading off to college. This is significant because she is the daughter of 1st generation emancipated parents. Her great-grandfather, Miles Howcutt, won his family’s freedom from slavery by fighting in the Civil War. As an awesome consequence, Rosa’s parents were college educated and had the same in mind for her. As amazing as that was for the times Rosa had one problem, she really wanted to become a dancer like Josephine Baker, and was determined to do so…she just didn’t know how to exactly.

Now that you know the backstory, let’s switch to the movie character Rosa. Her conflict…she has always been completely obedient to her parents but, she just can’t seem to get them to understand how passionately she desires to become a dancer. So, while at college learning the skill of becoming an educator, Rosa is faced with the temptation to audition for the chorus line of the immensely popular Negro vaudeville show, Silas Green from New Orleans (an incredible true story in its own right)—torn between duty to her parents and a desire to dance, well she just can’t resist. And, as they say, the rest is history.

Now, we all have awesome family history much of which, no doubt, would make incredible stories if not movies—think about it…look at Alex Haley’s, Roots!  So, I hope my ROE (Rose of Edenton) movie-making journey encourages you to make some movies of your own. I hope you like this and most of all hope it’s useful to you. One more thing, please drop me a line/comment/feedback, about this blog, I need all I can get and would sincerely love to hear from you!!!

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Stay Tuned.. for more information visit our website at 

http://myglp.com