Blog Assignment #6 Storyboard Imitation

Storyboard for Hot Rod's First Jump Scene

Director Akiva Schaffer follows the 180 degree rule smoothly in this scene. The first action axis takes place between Rod and his friends who are sitting on the side of the road. The first cut swings 150 degrees on the same side as before to get a reaction shot of Rod. The same then switches to a medium shot of his friends as Rod is preparing to make the large jump. Then the action axis switches to Rod and the ramp he is about to fly down toward it. We get a good behind view of Rod and his bike as the camera pans up to reveal his intended path down the road. The camera makes another 180 degree swing to the front of Rod to get a good image of his face of determination and then pans up to reveal his inner thoughts of the spirit eagle. With all these large degree changes the director follows the 30 degree rule. In this scene however, Schaffer does not make good use of the Rule of Thirds. Shot 1 puts Rod's head in the upper left hand corner of the shot but puts his friends in the center off and to the right. Shots 2, 4, and 5 put Rod in the dead center of the screen giving the frame a visual vertical axis. Shot 3 puts all three of Rod's friends in the same shot but I believe this follow's the Rule of Thirds because the most important of his friends Kevin, Rod's step-brother, falls into the upper right hand corner. The director probably wanted to create a more dramatic feel as Rod prepares himself to hurl himself off the ramp by creating visual symmetry. When he puts Rod in the dead center of the screen we know that this movie will center on him.