Totem Trouble Film Blog: February 2009

Yesterday afternoon, after the Pre-Alpha session, I spent an hour with Kevin going through my first pre-vis. It was a very productive session. With the advice of Kevin I have drawn up a detailed list of camera angles and cuts to change in my film as well as a few shots to add.

Shot 1- Have camera fly slowly through the village, under ladders, through trees, possibly starting with the camera moving through parting trees. Have Oulou's hut off to one side of the screen, keep camera low to emphasise height and social importance of raised up hut.
Shot 2 - Don't pan up to face, pan across to belly, cut to shot 4
Shot 3 - Cut
Shot 4- Start moving the camera before cutting. Have Oulou reach for his staff (screen left) and turn before cutting.
Shot 5 - Cut
Shot 6 - Oulou has staff and is in the process of walking towards the camera, closer shot, don't have too much empty space. Pan wider as he gets closer as if cameraman is walking backwards from him. Have him walk out of shot to the viewers right.
*Remember time passing for Oulou is time passing for us, the viewer*
Shot 7 - Possibly add a shot of the totem pole with Oulou stepping into frame from the left.
Shot 8 - Don't fade into, time has not passed. Change camera to Oulou's p.o.v. Put camera in model's head to be accurate. Keep pan up totem pole, angle can be cheated if Oulou is too close and so the angle is too steep.
Shot 9 - Centre magic swing shot, too much wasted space to the left of current shot. Close up of his torso showing swing.
Shot 10 - Cut
Shot 11 - Show magic swirling up totem pole. Show pole glowing.
Shot 12 - Keep as is
Shot 13 - Cut Oulou's face out of the left of shot, do it from Oulou's p.o.v again
Add another shot - cut back to face.
Shot 14 - Centre slightly. Oulou keeps hold of his staff and stumbles back slightly with pain.
Shot 15 - Cut
Shot 16 - Bite shot - Keep as is.
Shot 17 - Keep as is
Shot 18 - Centre Oulou a bit more, too much wasted space on the left.
Shot 19 - Cut
Add an additional shot showing the little totem guy climbing up the table leg and possibly running along it.
Shot 20 - Have Oulou turning and looking at desk, maybe approaching but not up to the desk.
Shot 21 - Cut
Shot 22 - Move camera to the right so we see totem pole man throwing stuff off the shelf but also see Oulou in the background getting angrier.
Shot 23 - Slowly pan into Oulou getting angrier/determined, clutching staff.
Shot 24 - Cut
Shot 25 - Keep as is, don't cut, have the camera pan along following the totem guy along desk and include shot 26 here.
Shot 27 - Keep as is
Shot 28 + 29 - Merge, but keep all action from one camera angle.
Shot 30 - Keep as is, no fade out.
Shot 31 - Keep as is.
Shot 32 - Add a new shot of the little totem man running along the shelf as magic flies at him. He runs out of shelf he dives behind a reflective dish leaning against the wall. last lot of magic hits the dish and bounces back.
Shot 33 - Keep as is
Shot 34 - Keep as is
Shot 35 - Keep as is