[Pre-production] Story Development, Script & Color Design

Story2
The original story is about the character gives up dancing due to her legs but her shadow makes her feel confident again.

A few scanned thumbnails for the previous storyboard


--> Story3
However, it was changed to emphasize how the girl work hard but cannot achieve the dream.

The title also changes to The Ugly Duckling. However, the child look of the lead character does not change much.



The latest storyboard I working on this week:


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Updated version for Script and Visual Intensity Graph

The Ugly Duckling:

Screenplay

FADE IN:

Scene 1

INT. THEATRE – DAY

Stage front curtain opens. Spotlights come in. A ballerina goes out to the stage and start dancing.

MATCH CUT TO:

FLASHBACK

Scene 2

INT. BELLE’S HOME – DAY

Belle (child) plays with the ballet toy. The ballet cartoon starts playing. She is excited and falls in love with dancing.

FADE OUT TO:

Scene 3

INT. BALLET STUDIO – DAY

Belle looks down the ballet shoes she wearing and smiles.

A strict ballet tutor enters and the class starts stretching. Belle tries to raise her short legs ’s legs in order to reach the barre as others. Tutor stops by. She shows an unpleasant face and pulls up Belle’s leg. Belle looks painful.

When the class needs grouping, no one let Belle join. She chooses to practice by herself, which makes her feel alone. She also compares her short legs with others’ beautiful long legs and feels shamed.

She decides to work harder on dancing.

Scene 4

MONTAGE – HARDWORKING PRACTICE OF BELLE

A)    INT. BELLE’S ROOM – DAY
Alarm rings. Belle switches it off quickly.

B)     EXT. PARK – DAY
Belle stretches.

C)     INT. BUS – DAY
Belle moves her legs in a crowed bus. She kicks another passenger and makes him wake up accidentally.
 

D)    INT. SCHOOL – DAY
Belle is drawing the ballet cartoon on the book and moving her legs secretly while having lessons.

E)    INT. BALLET STUDIO – DAY
Belle practices. She stretches too hard and gets hurt. She massages her foot.

F)     EXT. STEET NEAR TO THE PRAYA – NIGHT
Belle dances under the street light

G)    INT. BELLE’S ROOM – NIGHT

Belle stretches. She bandages her injured leg. She holds the toy and falls on the bed to sleep.

END OF MONTAGE

FADE OUT TO:

Scene 5

INT. EXAMINATION ROOM(INSIDE) – DAY

A slim candidate dances beautifully. Examiners satisfies by nodding heads.

Scene 6

INT. EXAMINATION ROOM(OUTSIDE) – DAY

Belle waits for the examination outside nervously. The candidate comes out from the room proudly and looks down on Belle’s height. Belle becomes more frightening. She enters the room with trembling.

Scene7

INT. EXAMINATION ROOM(INSIDE) – DAY

Belle goes up the stage but she falls. The examiners look at her strictly. They doubt about her height. Belle pretends to be taller and very confident. However, the examiners are not satisfied with her body shape.

Music starts. Belle is so afraid that she cannot make a single dance. The hatred shown on the examiners face and music played makes her feel anxious.

She follows the music to dance. She dances happily. However, the injury reoccurs. She is too painful and falls off the stage. 

BLACK SCREEN (END OF FLASHBACK)

Scene8

INT. THEATRE – DAY

Audience clap hands. The ballerina on the stage bows. Belle (grown-up) is glad and enjoys a lot. She lames so she leaves the theatre with friends slowly. The ballet toy is still hung on her backpack.

ZOOM IN THE TOY & ATCH CUT TO:

Scene9

INT. TOY DESIGNER’S ROOM – DAWN

The toy designer finishes sketching the design. Her desk is full of ballet toys. She sits on the wheel chair with two lame legs. She stretches her body and smiles.

FADE OUT.

Visual Structure Mapping

Finally there are some color design and mood board for some scenes.

For Scene2:

 

Set Design - Theatre