Chapter 5 From Screenplay to Visual plan 109 the DireCtor anD previsualizing: a MethoD Framing and editing determine the eye-path of the viewer. It might not be too much to say that what a film director really directs, is his audience's attention. Alexander Mackendrick (From On Filmmaking) Some people like to do it in the shower, some people like to do it lying in bed, oth- ers do it at their desks in the early hours of the morning when everyone else is asleep. Personally, I have always enjoyed doing it while jogging first thing in the morning: imag- ining how the film will unfold--shot for shot, moment by moment, and scene by scene. The ability to "see," in specific detail, how you want your film to play out in specific images and how sequences hold together to tell a story is a skill a director must prac- tice and cultivate. In general, when we first approach a script we begin from the broadest aesthetic con- cerns and work toward the details. We also want to find an approach that supports the ideas and intentions of the script, rather than imposing a style regardless of the script content. Your job in the previsualization process is to find a visual style that will add something to what is on the page, not simply illustrate it and certainly not clash with or undermine it. the Big picture First, consider the overall tone, mood, and pace of the film and determine a general visual strategy. Does the narrative suggest an energetic style involving many quick shots cut together, or is a contemplative pace, with long takes playing out over time, more appropri- ate? Would a fluid, moving camera feel right, or are highly composed and graphically com- plex static shots more revealing? What is the overall point of view of the film, and how will the camera present this point of view? Will wide objective frames work better than tight, intimate angles, or vice versa? Remember, there is no universally "right" answer and no universally "better" approach. You need to find the style that works best with your specific story material and resources. the Details Next, working within your general aesthetic approach, look at each scene individually and determine how every scene and each moment in your film will be visualized, including shot compositions and sequence coverage. As you decide on shots, ask yourself three questions: What is this scene about/what really happens in this scene? Whose scene is this/from whose point of view should this scene be presented? And finally, are there any important moments, actions, or details that need to stand out above everything else? Answering these questions (and working with overheads and storyboard sketches) will help you to determine specifically what shots and sequences will best convey the con- tent of the scene. Then you'll note them directly on the shooting script. For each shot, sequence, and scene, you are attempting to express a dramatic point through visual choices, so it's important to know what you want to express and then decide how you can best express it. For example, take a look at the shooting script for the six-scene excerpt from Kiarra's Escape again (see Figure 5-1). You'll notice that there are two specific things that the visualization emphasizes over all the other action. The first is Vogler's general creepiness. His sniffing the air after he breaks into Kiarra's safehouse warrants a reaction shot of his partner Smith (a minor character) just to highlight Vogler's animal behavior; and, of course, the moment in which Vogler sees Kiarra's lip print on the glass and tastes it for himself is elevated as a character-defining action with three shots including an ECU of his mouth on her lip print. If the moment had remained in a wide shot, it may have seemed that Vogler