It has been said that you can understand the quality of a person’s heart by looking at the things he treasures. This production will allow you to lead two characters to whatever treasure you please. 15 shots are already defined, but the ending is up to you.
This treasure hunt sequence is made up of three scenes. Scene one introduces two subjects who discover a treasure map during a recreational hike. Scene two is the uncovering of a second clue leading to the treasure’s real location. The third scene is entirely up to you. What happens when the subjects reach the final location? What will they find? Will it be money? Jewels? Or will the treasure turn out to be less tangible, like the treasure that can be found in a library, school or church?
To begin this mini movie expedition, you will need two people to act as talent, a local map (or your own homemade treasure map), access to a P.O. box or a locker, something you feel is a treasure. A tripod would be helpful for smooth panning and shots of the map.
Begin the piece by creating a title. To add a movie-like effect, shoot your treasure map and key your title using it as a background. A slow zoom or a long pan both work nicely. You might try using internal effects, such as strobe or negative image when you shoot the map. To add more impact to your title shot, add theme music. If you don’t have dubbing options, try playing your stereo in a comfortable proximity to the camcorder’s microphone.
Here is a chance to direct your own surprise ending to a mini movie. Where will your subjects have to go to find the treasure they seek? What valuable things will they find at the end of their search? It’s up to you. So grab your gear and start the hunt.
Hint: Before you begin, it’s a good idea to know how your story will end. The clues in the opening will need to match your ending location and build anticipation for the climax. The fades to black between scenes are important to use. They represent the passing of time for the subjects.
Storyboard Key
XCU: EXTREME CLOSEUP
CU: CLOSEUP Shot
MS: MEDIUM Shot
WS: WIDE Shot
XWS: EXTREME WIDE Shot
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Shot 1: Title: "Treasure Hunt" Fade in. 5 seconds. Fade out. Idea: key the title over a CU of your treasure map. | Shot 2: Fade in: XWS of a trail. Two people hiking on a trail. | Shot 3: Low angle WS. Hikers stop and rest by a rock. |
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Shot 4: MS. Person #1 discovers something hidden by the rock. | Shot 5: CU. Hand grabs a rolled up map. Hand with map exits frame. | Shot 6: CU. Person #1 unrolls the map. A key with a number on it falls out of the map onto the ground. |
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Shot 7: XCU. Person #2 grabs the key from the ground. Key & hand exit frame. | Shot 8: XCU. Fingers pointing to a location on the map. Fade to black. | Shot 9: XWS. Fade in: post office. Actors enter frame. |
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Shot 10: MS. Actors approach P.O. box with map in hand & the key held out. They find the box that matches the key. | Shot 11: XCU. Person #1 unlocks the P.O. box. The door flips open. | Shot 12: Over-the-shoulder MS. A note is discovered and quickly grabbed by person #1. |
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Shot 13: MS. Two actors with the note. They discover its clue leads to a final location of a treasure. | Shot 14: WS. The two dart out the doors of the post office. Fade to black. | Shot 15: The ending is up to you. |
