Hope's Journey - Story Beats

I'm breaking down the beats for the story here. After reading this I realize it sounds disjointed -like a druggies dream. Until I put together an animatic or a full storyboard and record a rough sound track you'll just have to take my word that there is a story and a symbolic journey taking place. :)

[Note: I'm not sure if the poem will be read throughout as narration, or at the beginning, at the end -or not at all. The story could be told with only music, ambient sounds and acting except for two words 'ME' and 'WE' (in the land of the kettle burners). I could also create a seperate narration. Lot's of possibilties. Still undecided.]

Hope's Journey

Do we sail in a world of dark,
in wooden boat on inky sea,
with feeble lanterns on the prow?

Are there those whose brighter lives,
place them on tiny sunny isles,
or brilliant continents within,
the ebon shroud?

Do some less fortunate,
swim instead with candles held
high overhead,
struggling to maintain,
their dim and flickering flame?

Or do we live in a world of light,
each with iron kettle out of sight,
filled with coals whose smokey fire
we stoke with fear and sadness?

And are there those who refuse to feed,
the blaze and so are freed,
from sooty haze to then enjoy
the brilliant sky?

Originally titled Light or Dark?

Storyboards

12/08/2011: I began adding some storyboards of a sort to try to get the story more organized in my mind. The images of the girl on the boat and the child in the water were created by talented artist Chelsea Conlin based on my very rough sketches. I quickly extended some of her concepts to make them fit the 16:9 ratio and to get a few more frames out of them -any mess is all mine. Be sure to check her out at DeviantArt or hire her yourself.

The storyboards above will be more accurate than what follows below but leaving it until I have storyboards complete.

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Beat 1

[Inky darkness, oceans waves, wind and rain.]

[I am thinking I'll start from the child in the water ('candle held overhead') POV. Without revealing child, camera at water line bobbing in the waves, gasping, splashing, maybe fear sound, a tiny glow from the candle faint on the waves, (not clear what it is, just a hint of light)]

[Then the camera travels over the water a fair distance, wind and rain into the camera until, through the mist and darkness on the horizon a faint lightening is seen, resolving slowly into the ship's lantern]

---

Beat 2

As the light draws closer it resolves into a boat with a young girl at the helm. She looks hopeful ,leaning forward -anticipating finding what she seeks.

[The boat needs to be struggling and battling against the wind, waves and rain in the same way that stubborn hope battles against despair and adversity]

Voice: "Do we sail in a world of dark, in wooden boat on inky sea, with feeble lanterns on the prow?"

---

Beat 3

[She sails past our position to the right we see he continuing onward into the storm.]

[We see a lit island, and later a continent that cast their own light, (on the port side) but all else is inky dark]

Voice: "Are there those whose brighter lives, place them on tiny sunny isles, or brilliant continents within, the ebon shroud?

[She passes the 'lit' islands/continent, maybe she waves or just observes the people playing, laughing etc as she goes forward. Always looking forward into the dark. Seeing a way clear. ]

[The island has one person on it, as if asking 'is hope found in each individual?' the continent has a family visible as if asking 'or is hope found in our relationships?'. There could be little glows in the distance from a few other other islands.

---

Beat 4

[She sails onward and to starboard we see the dim, sputtering bobbing light on the waves.]

Voice: "Do some less fortunate, swim instead with candles held high overhead, struggling to maintain, their dim and flickering flame?

She sees the little boy with 'lit candle overhead' she reaches down with one hand (like a horse back rider) and without slowing grabs his hand and swings him aboard.

---

Beat 5

He then stands in front of her, her hand protectively on his shoulder (mother image) and now they both look forward hopefully, anticipating and with wonder.

[Need to revise image. This should still be under storm conditions, fighting, ever fighting the waves and rain. The prow needs to look less cute and more determined[?]]

---

Beat 6

[After battling the storm, the rain slows down and we see them asleep, heads resting on the prow or railing[?] Then we see the first fingers blush of light upon their faces - still dark but lightening. Smoke / clouds moving from the land (as if the cause of the dark clouds). They awake in wonder at the light]

---

Beat 7

Voice: "Or do we live in a world of light ..."

[As they approach the land, and the beach (or dock?) with the 'kettle burners.' We see this land rising from the waves, haze and smoke, people milling around, dirty, gritty]

---

Beat 8

[Note: The land of the kettle burners represents the world, albiet the worst aspects of it. The people Hope and the Child see are struggling under various burdens. There will be a rich and powerful man, representing greed, sitting at a table, a line of people at his desk dropping off thier coins while his thugs look on. He might have a couple people struggling to support the weight of his kettle representing how those who abuse wealth and power can sometimes avoid suffering the consequences of thier actions for a time.

Some 'good' parents strap the kettles on their childrens backs, saddling them with burdens as often do in our ignorance. A wife a children cower at the feet of an abusive husband other representations of hopelessness and how we burden ourselves and others. Maybe alchohol is represented. I want it to create an impact but don't want coarseness to obscure the message so will have to tread a line. The land is smokey, people cough, lack energy.]

[the kettle burners, people of all types, miserable, grumbling, smoking kettles on their backs of various sizes and shapes]

Voice "...each with iron kettle out of sight, filled with coals whose smokey fire we stoke with fear and sadness?"

---

Beat 9

They proceed through all these various people, who are moaning, and complaining, while tossing kindling or coal into their own kettles, and other peoples kettles. Making each other sad or miserable. Some adults are strapping kettles on the back of children. There is smoke and misery. 

---

Beat 10

A gigantic self absorbed character moves through all the chaos unaware of those around him. He utters the word 'ME!" me in voice loud, sometimes whining, sometimes sad, sometimes demanding, sometimes ebulient all the while staring into a mirror.  He is like a hurricane, mindlessly destructive if something is in his path but not deliberately so - he is simply self absorbed. This is 'ME.' He represents all of us who are so busy with our own problems that we don't always see where we could make a difference to those around us. In his mindlessness he also sometimes does harm because he doesn't consider how his actions affect anyone except himself. He kicks and crushes a farmers wagon, bowling over several native farmers while he walks. Unaware.

Then his pants leg is grabbed by the child and despite ME's enormous size the power of the child is great enough to stop him. He bellows ME!! and pulls harder. The child is tugged but holds firm. Finally the giant ME looks away from his mirror for the first time. He sees the child and says "Me." The child responds with simple but powerful clarity. "WE" The startled giant says "We?" and his eyes are opened. He looks around and see the devestation. He sees the abuses, the hopelessness. He sees where his own feet have crushed the wagon. He helps the farmers stand who he knocked down. With his thumbnail he slices the straps of the heavy kettle the farmer struggles under. He says 'We' once again with wonder and begins to help those around now uttering "WE" instead. People begin to help each other, children drop their kettles and scramble up the giants pants climbing upwards, thier parents drop kettles to follow. The giant sees the powerful abusive man and wallops him with the mirror like a tennis racket. The coins rain down. Others rush to help the women and children being abused and scare off the husband (or shame him?).

[Note: will add several beats here to show the evolution of 'Me' to 'We.'

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Beat 11

There is a hill that rises above the smoke and the girl and boy from the boat proceed hopefully forward through the smoke to the light they see. The giant We strides up the hill, people young and old riding on his pants, in his hands, on his shoulders.

---

Beat 12

A child who was about to get a kettle on his back sees them and runs after them, the kettle falls to the ground; other children follow.

Voice: "And are there those who refuse to feed, the blaze and so are freed, from sooty haze to then enjoy the brilliant sky?"

---

Beat 12

They reach the top of the hill. The valley beyond the hill is free of smoke, bright and beautiful full of flowers, birds, butterflies etc.

[The begin to walk down into the valley holding hands, now joyous and free.]

 

END