Storyboarding and 'P' is for Psycho

Why is storyboarding an essential part of the film making process?

- It allows the director to picture what the film will be like before he starts shooting it.
- It allows the user (director, writer) to find potential problems before they occur 

-They allow the user to re-arrange their original plan and create a more powerful storyline with flashbacks etc.

- It allows the director to work out what shots look best to portray certain emotions 

-It uses visual thinking and planning so a group of people can brainstorm together and try out different senarios and shots. 

'P' is for Psycho

What is happening in the opening sequence of the film?

At first we are given the image of a male toilet door in low key lighting, then the camera zooms into the door until it mixes to a low angle shot of a mans legs leaning over a wooden panelled container (possibly a bath), as the camera tilts upwards we see he is clutching his hand over a sink wearing a white overall or shirt and black trousers. The shot then cuts to a high angle shot of the mans possessions to the side of the sink where he is holding his hand. We then find out why he is in this stance as it cuts to an image of blood travelling clockwise into the sinks drain (probably falling from his hand). It then cuts again to an image of the man wrapping his injured hand with a bandage before cutting again to a shot of him in the mirror clenching that same bandaged fist, then as the camera tilts upwards we are given a CU of the mans face before he hears a door opening and the man turns his head quickly from right to left leaving blur, making us think he is in desperation or shock, so possibly the victim.  Then we are shown a Mid Shot (MS) of a boy entering the bathroom from the right to left side of the shot.  It then cuts to shot 15 where the man is tucking a gun into his belt, followed by another cut to an Extreme CU of the mans eyes poorly lit in shadow where he says 'BAD MOVE, KID...'. This last shot then fades to black and two gunshots are heard and we then find out the injured man is not in fact the victim but the villain.

How is the narrative flow established?

The narrative is very snappy and fast-paced, very 'to the point' with no extra, un needed information. This is achieved by the range of shots, mid shots, multiple close-ups, and one extreme close-up. The use of these shots and the dark lighting (seen in shots 1 and 11), make the piece appear threatening and the main character appear calm yet mysterious and menacing. The use of pans and tilts somewhat slow the pace which almost gives it a creepy suspense, drawing it out until it gives the viewer a shock or surprise at the last moment. The narrative at first appears slow but as the shots become less ambiguous (like the beginning to keep the audience guessing) and we find out more about the main character we are given a sense of shock and anxiety and the pace picks up. 

If you were directing this sequence, what aspects of the storyboard would you change?If I were directing this sequence, i would put all the ambiguous shots of the plug hole and the bandaging of the hand before the shot of the man standing over the sink, as i think this would  create more mystery and suspense as to what has happened in the bathroom to create the blood and the bandaged hand and also make the audience question more wether the man is in fact a victim or a villain before then seeing his face and finding out. Another aspect i would change would be the pan across all the belongings, as i feel this slows the pace down too much for no important reason, instead i would change it to make a few CU cuts of singular, more relevant to the story, objects like the picture.