LWD — Crew Directive Matrix

CAMERA & LENS

LIGHTING

SET DESIGN

GRIP & RIGGING

PERFORMANCE

RISK

DOP: Raber Sadiq Ali (Interfilm) · Gaffer: Lawrence Lekolwane (Botswood) · Dir: Pesalema + Fenny · AD: Caitlin + Faith · B-Cam: Benedict

CHARACTER REFERENCE SHEETS — MAINTAIN ACROSS ALL SCENES

MMA NEO

Principal · Ellen Magqazana · Age 55

NEO

Principal · Palesa Rabantheng · Age 16

KABELO

Principal · Thabo Matsampele · Age 28

SC01 EXT EMPTY CITY — DAWN 1:30 📍 GPS

DRESSED — Mochudi strip @ dawn

SCOUT REF — actual location

🎥 CAMERA & LENS

A-CAM: 24mm prime, T2.8 — wide tracking L→R past shopfronts B-CAM: 85mm, T2 — static from parking lot centre, deep focus A-Cam on gimbal, 60cm height. Walk speed = funeral pace B-Cam locked tripod. Hold for entire 1:30 — cut in post ND 0.9 + Pro-Mist 1/4 on both. Kill the digital sharpness

28 Days Later — dawn London widesChildren of Men — trackingMad Max — dust palette

💡 LIGHTING

NATURAL ONLY. Must shoot 05:00–06:00 Sun rises east = left of frame. Long shadows go right NO fill. Let shadows go pure black — sells emptiness If overcast: one 1×1 bounce for rim on shopfront edges WB: 4800K — let dawn go warm amber. Grade cool in post HAZE: run haze machine in parking lot 15 min before. Wind must be dead

🎨 SET DESIGN

ALL shutters DOWN — confirm with owners night before 6× cardboard signs: "NO WATER. NO SERVICE." — hand-painted weathered marker on corrugated board 1× overturned shopping trolley — rust if possible. FG left Tarpaulin draped over Topline sign — hide modern branding Cover Coca-Cola & Clover logos with gaffer tape or burlap 2× bags red sand/dust scattered across brick pavement REMOVE ALL VEHICLES from parking lot. Negotiate night before

⚙️ GRIP & RIG

Gimbal — DJI RS3 Pro or Ronin. Pre-balanced night before Apple box for B-Cam low angle if no short sticks Haze machine + fluid (theatrical, not fog) Power: battery only. No generator — kills the silence Sandbags for tripod — morning wind possible

🎭 PERFORMANCE

NO ACTORS IN THIS SCENE. Location is the performer If adding 1–2 passers-by in BG: walk slow, heads down, no talking Clear ALL crew from frame. Only the emptiness speaks Sound: Lame records 90 sec wild track of dawn silence — wind, distant dog, nothing else

TECHNICAL

25fps PAL2.39:1 cropS-Log3 / 4:2:2 10bitISO 800 baseGOLDEN HR ONLY

⚠ RISK

Time window: Shops open 07:00. MUST WRAP BY 06:30.

Vehicles: Early delivery trucks — have PA on road to redirect.

Noise: Roosters, dogs. Accept it — it's the world.

DP + DIR

SC02 INT / EXT MMA NEO'S HOME — THE YARD 1:00 📍 GPS

DRESSED — Mma Neo's kitchen

TECHNIQUE — CU insert style for water bottle

🎥 CAMERA & LENS

SETUP 1: 35mm, T2.8 — medium, Mma Neo at sink, locked tripod SETUP 2: 85mm, T2 — CU water bottle with pen markings SETUP 3: 50mm, T2 — Neo pours water back. OTS from behind mother Rack focus: bottle markings → Neo's face. Must be butter smooth Pro-Mist 1/8 — softer than EXT scenes. Domestic warmth

Roma — kitchen rituals as cinemaTsotsi — township interiorsBoy Who Harnessed the Wind

💡 LIGHTING

KEY: Single hard source through window. 5600K daylight If practical sun too harsh: 4×4 silk outside window to diffuse NO FILL on shadow side. She disappears into the wall NO overhead practical. Power is failing in this world For CU bottle: small LED panel behind bottle at lowest dim — makes water glow Check for daylight spill through second window — flag it BLACK

🎨 SET DESIGN

Kitchen table — wood or formica, worn. Centre of frame Metal sink with dry tap — must TURN and HISS (air in pipes sound) 1-litre water bottle with precise PEN MARKINGS: Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri 2× plastic cups — matching, cheap, well-used Old family photo on wall — print if needed. Show happier times Government registration slip pinned next to photo — prop dept design REMOVE: microwave, blender, any modern appliance Sewing machine in corner (stays for SC05A when Neo enters) ⚠ CONTINUITY: This set returns in SC04, SC06, SC07, SC11, SC14. Mark ALL positions with tape

⚙️ GRIP & RIG

Tripod — heavy sticks, no wobble. Floor may be uneven 4×4 floppy for window flag (second window) 4×4 silk for outside primary window C-stand + arm for LED panel behind bottle Apple box for DOP to sit at eye level (camera at standing Mma Neo's height)

🎭 PERFORMANCE

Mma Neo (Ellen): "Morning ritual. You've done this 300 days. It's not sad anymore — it's procedure." The tap turn: she KNOWS it's dry. Her hand still tries Neo (Palesa): "Watch your mother from the door. You want to help but there's nothing to help with." The pour: mechanical, exact. Not a drop wasted. She measures by memory Sound: tap hiss must be recorded practical + wild track

TECHNICAL

25fps2.39:1S-Log3ISO 3200 interiorSET RETURNS ×5

⚠ RISK

Continuity: Bottle water level must match across 5 scenes. Mark with tape on BACK of bottle.

Sound: Interior echo. Lame bring moving blankets for wall damping.

DP + DIR

SC03 EXT PUBLIC WATER DEPOT — THE QUEUE 1:20 📍 GPS

DRESSED — Manase Fences as depot

SCOUT — Manase Fences actual

🎥 CAMERA & LENS

WIDE: 24mm, T4 — deep focus. The scale of the queue IS the shot WALK: 50mm, T2.8 on gimbal — face after face in the queue CU INSERTS: 85mm — scanner beep, card stamp, digital board Wide feels like prison yard. CUs feel invasive. System has no dignity Polarizer on wide — kill glare off corrugated iron

District 9 — alien registrationChildren of Men — refugee processingHotel Rwanda — checkpoint

💡 LIGHTING

HARSH OVERHEAD. Midday sun. No shade = the oppressor If shooting earlier: butterfly silk 12×12 overhead to simulate flat noon Faces in shadow under brow lines. Squinting. Suffering Desk area under awning: add LED panel inside for scanner glow on Gatekeeper face WB: 5600K neutral — let the bleached sun do the work

🎨 SET DESIGN

Chain-link + razor wire — existing at Manase. Confirm clearance Biometric scanner — tablet on stand with printed UI overlay Digital board — LED screen or backlit print: "REGISTERED: 5" Desk + chair under corrugated iron awning Gatekeeper costume: khaki shirt/pants, clipboard, stamp, lanyard badge 30+ extras: each carries 1 cup + 1 empty bottle. Worn clothes. Tired Signage: "WATER ALLOCATION CENTRE" + rules board (govt style, faded) Barriers/bollards to channel queue — rope + stakes or plastic barriers

⚙️ GRIP & RIG

Gimbal for queue walk — same rig as SC01 12×12 butterfly frame + silk if noon sun too harsh overhead C-stand + arm for desk LED panel Sandbags ×6 — wind + dust at this location SHADE TENT for crew — no one should overheat while extras suffer

🎭 PERFORMANCE

Extras brief: "You have waited 4 hours. You are not angry anymore — just empty. Hold your cup like it's the last thing you own." Mma Neo (Ellen): Hands shake gripping family ID. She won't look at anyone. Shame Gatekeeper: Bored. This is his 300th day too. Stamp. Next. No eye contact Nobody talks in the queue. Not a whisper. The silence IS the violence Extras wardrobe call: arrive pre-dusted, pre-aged. Faith manages this

TECHNICAL

25fps2.39:1S-Log3ISO 100–200 EXT30+ EXTRASSET RETURNS SC08/09/15

⚠ RISK

Extras management: 30+ people in sun. Water + shade for them between takes (ironic but necessary).

Location: Manase is a construction site. Owner clearance required. Backup: Osanta Complex.

Reflections: Corrugated iron flare. Polarizer + black wrap on all panels facing camera.

DP + DIR

SC04 INT HOME ROUTINE — DRY PAP 0:50 📍 GPS

🎥 CAMERA & LENS

Same set as SC02. 50mm, T2 — static medium. Dry pap on table CU INSERT: 85mm — Neo writing "DAY 18 — CRITICAL" in exercise book Cut to OTS — mother's hand stops Neo's cup. 35mm, wider to feel the tension between bodies

Hunger — eating as survivalThe Turin Horse — repetitive meal ritual

💡 LIGHTING

Same window key as SC02 but MIDDAY — harsher angle. More overhead Let the light move between SC02 and SC04 — time passing visually

🎨 SET DESIGN

Dry pap on plate — must look genuinely unappetising. No sauce, no moisture Exercise book + pen — Neo's rationing diary Water bottle level: LOWER than SC02. Time has passed. Mark levels

⚙️ GRIP & RIG

Same rig as SC02. No changes. Efficiency — shoot SC02 → SC04 back-to-back

🎭 PERFORMANCE

Neo (Palesa): "You chew without tasting. You write the number because counting is the only control you have." Mma Neo: The hand stopping the cup is not angry — it's automatic. Her body protects the ration before her brain does Sound of dry swallowing. Lame: record practical foley

TECHNICAL

25fps2.39:1S-Log3SHOOT WITH SC02

⚠ RISK

Food safety: Dry pap may attract flies in heat. Cover between takes.

DP + DIR

SC05 EXT KABELO RETURNS — THE GATE 1:00 📍 GPS

SC05 Kabelo arrives — character consistent

FRAME — Kabelo + Neo (char-ref consistent)

SCOUT — Osanta yard actual

⊞ FLOOR PLAN

┌──────────────────────────┐
│  HOUSE          [Neo👁]  │
│                 window   │
├──────────────────────────┤
│                          │
│  ● CAM A (35mm)          │
│  ↗ hip height            │
│          ╱               │
│         ╱  dirt path     │
│        ╱                 │
│  ═══╬═══  GATE  ═══╬══  │
│        ↑                 │
│     KABELO (dust)        │
│                          │
│  ☀ SUN 16:00-17:00      │
│     ↓ BACKLIGHT          │
│  ○ CAM B (85mm) at window│
└──────────────────────────┘

SC05 EXT. GATE — AFTERNOON

LENS: 35MM PRIME

STOP: T2.0

ISO: 400–800

RIG: TRIPOD LOW — HIP HEIGHT

KEY: NATURAL BACKLIGHT ONLY

EXIF: 24.3779°S, 26.1463°E · Osanta Yard

AUDIO: Sennheiser MKH → boom overhead + wild

🎥 CAMERA & LENS

A-CAM: 35mm, T2 — STATIC from inside yard looking out through gate Kabelo enters frame from FAR distance. Let him walk for 15 seconds uncut B-CAM: 85mm, T2 — CU Neo at window. OTS rack focus to approaching figure OR consider 135mm from further back to compress perspective — he walks forever A-cam at HIP HEIGHT. Through the gate. The frame is a portal

Beasts of No Nation — returnThe Constant Gardener — African backlit silhouetteVaya — stranger in yard

💡 LIGHTING

MUST SHOOT 16:00–17:00. Sun BEHIND Kabelo = rim light on dust He should GLOW. Supernatural. Eight years compressed into light Neo INSIDE = cool, dark. No fill on interior. The contrast is the scene If sun has moved: 1×1 LED panel backlight to simulate rim from behind

🎨 SET DESIGN

KABELO: Cover actor HEAD TO TOE in red Kalahari dust (flour + red earth mix) Carpentry tools wrapped in dirty blanket over shoulder Worn NCC certificate — crumpled, sweat-stained (prop dept) Wire-and-pole gate (existing at location — confirm working) Neo's window: clean glass, thin curtain half-drawn Bus in background if logistically possible (drives away as Kabelo stands)

⚙️ GRIP & RIG

Tripod low — apple box or short sticks. Hip height exactly Haze machine at gate — dust haze catching backlight B-Cam mount inside house near window. Suction cup or clamp if no room for sticks

🎭 PERFORMANCE

Kabelo (Thabo): "You are exhausted. You carry nothing but shame. The blanket weighs 100kg. Walk like you've been walking for months." Neo (Palesa): "You don't recognise him at first. Then you do. You don't move. You don't know if this is good or bad." THIS IS THE EMOTIONAL HINGE. Don't rush. Shoot wide safety first, then long-lens gold

TECHNICAL

25fps2.39:1S-Log3ISO 400–800GOLDEN HR 16:00–17:00

⚠ RISK

Dust application: Wind may strip dust off Kabelo between takes. Re-dust every take. Have dust kit on standby.

Backlight flare: Sun may hit lens. Use lens hood + hand flag. Some flare is OK — it's his entrance into light.

DP + DIR

SC06 INT THE NUMBER — TRIANGLE 0:50

🎥 CAMERA & LENS

TOP-DOWN: 50mm, T2.8 overhead shot of notebook. Bird's eye Neo draws triangle: A=Mama, B=Neo, C=Kabelo. Crosses C. Erases. Draws line through A Kabelo's hand enters frame — he sees. No dialogue. No score. Just pencil on paper DO NOT cut to faces. The math is the murder. The audience does the acting

Se7en — notebook insertsA Beautiful Mind — equations as emotion

💡 LIGHTING

Same set as SC02. Afternoon light — warmer, lower angle For overhead: LED panel directly above table, simulating window at new angle

🎨 SET DESIGN

Exercise book — same as SC04 diary. Continued pages Pencil — short, chewed. Not a nice pen — a survival tool Pre-draw the triangle lightly so actress has guide marks to follow

⚙️ GRIP & RIG

Overhead rig: C-stand + magic arm or ceiling mount for top-down Alternatively: lean camera over with DOP standing on apple boxes

🎭 PERFORMANCE

HANDS ONLY. Neo's hand draws slowly, deliberately. This isn't panic — it's calculation Kabelo's hand: enters from top of frame. Stops. A finger touches the paper where his name was crossed out. Freezes Sound: Pencil on paper ONLY. Breathing. Nothing else

TECHNICAL

25fps1.85:1 — slightly wider for overheadSINGLE TAKE preferred

⚠ RISK

Overhead wobble: Any camera movement kills it. Lock rig SOLID. No one walks on set during take.

DP + DIR

SC07 INT NIGHT TENSION — "YOU MAKE NUMBER THREE" 2:00

FRAME — Mma Neo + Kabelo + Neo (char-ref)

ALT REF — portrait aspect

⊞ FLOOR PLAN — NIGHT

┌──────────────────────────┐
│ ▓▓ WINDOW [BLOCKED] ▓▓  │
│                          │
│    ▓▓▓ FLAG ▓▓▓          │
│                          │
│   MMaNeo ──┬── Kabelo   │
│             │            │
│    ╟══ TABLE ══╢         │
│    ║ 🕯️🧴☕☕☕║         │
│    ╟══════════╢          │
│             │            │
│          Neo             │
│                          │
│  ● CAM A (35mm T2) ────→│
│    ↗ SLIDER: slow push   │
│                          │
│  ○ BOUNCE ↕ off ceiling  │
│  ✗ NO overhead practical │
└──────────────────────────┘
  🕯️ = Kerosene lamp (ONLY source)
  🧴 = Water bottle (catches light)

SC07 INT. HOUSE — EVENING

LENS: 35MM PRIME

STOP: T2.0

ISO: 6400–12800

RIG: SLIDER — SLOW PUSH-IN (30s)

KEY: KEROSENE PRACTICAL + BOUNCE

EXIF: 24.3767°S, 26.1440°E · Red Yard INT

AUDIO: Sennheiser MKH → boom. Wild: lamp hiss, breathing

COLOUR: WB 3200K · S-Log3 · Grade warm-amber in post

🎥 CAMERA & LENS

START: 35mm, T2 — MEDIUM 3-SHOT. Family at table, bottle between them SLOW PUSH IN as Mma Neo speaks — 30+ second creep to TIGHT 2-SHOT of hands gripping Push must be barely perceptible — audience feels compression not movement CU INSERT: 85mm — water bottle on table. It glows. It's the altar piece ISO will be HIGH. ISO 6400–12800. Embrace the grain — it's period-appropriate

12 Years a Slave — candlelit tableMoonlight — single source kitchenIncendies — mother's confession

💡 LIGHTING

SINGLE PRACTICAL: kerosene lamp on table. This is the ONLY motivated source Supplement: LED bicolor dimmed to 15% bounced off ceiling. Match 2700K warm Bottle must CATCH the light — position it between lamp and camera. It's the brightest object Faces HALF-LIT. Shadow side vanishes into wall. No fill. Period Background: PURE BLACK. Flag all walls. Block all windows. No moonlight spill WB: 3200K — let the warmth feel claustrophobic not cosy

🎨 SET DESIGN

Same kitchen as SC02 but NIGHT DRESS: Black drape ALL windows. Zero outside light Water bottle at EXACT table centre — between lamp and camera Kerosene lamp — working flame. Backup: LED flicker candle in glass chimney Radio for news V.O. — practical prop even if audio is post 3 chairs, 3 cups — Kabelo's cup untouched. Full to the brim

⚙️ GRIP & RIG

Slider or dolly for slow push. MUST BE PERFECTLY SMOOTH. If no slider: tripod + zoom creep 4×4 floppies ×4 — one on each wall to kill bounce Duvetyne on ceiling if it's white/light — no bounce up there FIRE SAFETY: Extinguisher on set if using real flame. Non-negotiable

🎭 PERFORMANCE

LONGEST SCENE — 2 min unbroken. This is the Everest take Mma Neo (Ellen): "Eight years… Eight years you left this home…" — the rhythm builds like a wave. Don't direct the tears — direct the DECISION Neo (Palesa): Frozen. Eyes wide. She's doing the maths in her head and arriving at the same answer her mother already reached Kabelo (Thabo): He knows. He doesn't fight it. He takes her hands. "I understand." Shoot wide safety × 3. Then go close for gold. The magic will be in take 4 or 5

TECHNICAL

25fps2.39:1S-Log3ISO 6400–12800HARDEST SCENEMIN 5 TAKES

⚠ RISK

Noise at high ISO: Embrace it — the grain IS the texture. But test camera noise pattern at this ISO before shoot day. Shoot test footage in this room.

Kerosene lamp flicker: Real flame flickers. Camera exposure must be MANUAL — auto will chase it. Lock exposure.

Actor fatigue: This scene is emotionally draining. Schedule it FIRST in the day while everyone is fresh.

DP + DIR

SC08–09 EXT SECOND DEPOT VISIT → DEREGISTRATION 2:00

SAME DEPOT — Manase Fences

SC09 TECHNIQUE — CU thumbprint + DEREGISTER form

🎥 CAMERA & LENS

SC08 — MEDIUM: 50mm handheld — slight drift, breathing. TENSION. Neo blocks Kabelo Scanner screen: "REGISTERED MEMBERS EXCEED ALLOCATION" — CU on screen SC09 — CU SEQUENCE: 85mm macro, T2. Thumb on ink. Thumb on paper. Card stamps REGISTERED: 3 Neo's face in final shot — rack focus from 3 on board to her eyes The bureaucratic detail IS the violence. Shoot it like a crime scene

District 9 — prawn registrationZone of Interest — bureaucratic horrorSchindler's List — the listSon of Saul — document CUs

💡 LIGHTING

Same depot setup as SC03. Harsh overhead For SC09 desk CU: add harsh fluorescent tube practical overhead — clinical, inhuman Scanner glow: blue LED under tablet — casts cold light on Gatekeeper's face

🎨 SET DESIGN

DEREGISTER form — prop dept MUST pre-design. Govt crest, fields, thumbprint box Black ink pad — real, working. Thumb must leave visible print on camera "NON COMPLIANT" rubber stamp — red ink. Visible in CU Digital board update: "REGISTERED: 5" → "REGISTERED: 3" — change between SC03 and SC09 Scattered government forms on desk — bureaucracy in volume

⚙️ GRIP & RIG

SC08: handheld. DOP on feet. Easyrig or neck strap for extended handheld SC09: tripod locked for CU inserts. No wobble on the macro Fluorescent tube rig — gaffer tape to awning cross-beam above desk

🎭 PERFORMANCE

SC08 Mma Neo: "You have already decided. You push Kabelo forward because hesitation would mean you change your mind." SC08 Neo: "Block him physically. Your body screams NO before your mouth does." SC09 Mma Neo: The thumbprint. Press HARD. This is signing your own death certificate and you do it with perfect calm Gatekeeper: "Next." He has done this 50 times today. He doesn't even look up

TECHNICAL

25fps2.39:1SAME LOCATION AS SC03 — shoot same dayPROP CRITICAL: forms + stamp

⚠ RISK

Ink smudge: Thumbprint must be clean. Have 10 blank forms ready. One shot per form.

Continuity: Board number must read 3, not 5. Check before rolling.

DP + DIR

SC10 EXT THE WALK AWAY 0:50 📍 GPS

DRESSED — Mma Neo alone on road

SCOUT — route road actual

🎥 CAMERA & LENS

A-CAM: 24mm, T4, deep focus. ON THE GROUND. Camera rests on earth STATIC. DO NOT PAN. DO NOT FOLLOW. Let her shrink B-CAM: 200mm, T4 from behind — compresses distance, heat haze, telephoto shimmer Hold for the ENTIRE 50 seconds. This is a one-take scene In background: families walk opposite direction carrying yellow jerry cans

Timbuktu — figure in desertOnce Were Warriors — mother walking awayGrave of the Fireflies — sacrifice walk

💡 LIGHTING

LATE MORNING — 10:00–11:00. Harsh overhead. Short shadow The sun is a weapon here. No shade, no mercy. Her shadow is a dark spot beneath her B-Cam at 200mm: heat shimmer on road. If no natural shimmer, shoot from very far to compress air layers

🎨 SET DESIGN

Clear road of ALL vehicles — 200m both directions 6–8 extras walking OPPOSITE direction carrying yellow jerry cans Mma Neo: simple cotton dress, headwrap. NO bag. NO cup. NO bottle. NOTHING Red dust on road (add bags of Kalahari sand if rain has cleaned it)

⚙️ GRIP & RIG

A-Cam: ground spreader or sandbag. Camera literally on the earth B-Cam: tripod + heavy sticks. 200mm on unstable platform = ruined take PA with walkie-talkie at each end of road to stop traffic during take

🎭 PERFORMANCE

Direction to Ellen: "You are praying. Your lips move but we cannot hear you. Walk slowly. Don't look back. You have already decided." She is NOT crying. She is past tears. She is CERTAIN Extras: "You see her but you don't stop. Everyone has their own sacrifice to carry today"

TECHNICAL

25fps2.39:1S-Log3ISO 100ONE-TAKE SCENE

⚠ RISK

Traffic: This is a real road. PAs must control both directions. Budget 30 min for road management.

Extras sync: BG extras must walk at right pace to fill frame naturally. Rehearse once before rolling.

DP + DIR

SC11 INT HOME WITHOUT HER — THREE CUPS 0:50

🎥 CAMERA & LENS

50mm, T2 — static medium. Same angle as SC07 but now the THIRD CUP is an accusation CU: Kabelo stares at his reflection in the water. The surface trembles

Amour — meals of absence

💡 LIGHTING

Late afternoon through window. Warm but fading. The day is ending on them

🎨 SET DESIGN

3 cups. 3 people. But one cup is FULL and no one will drink from it Water container in corner — visibly lower than any previous scene

⚙️ GRIP & RIG

Same setup as SC07. No moves. Stillness

🎭 PERFORMANCE

Neo (Palesa): "You can't drink. The water is there but guilt has sealed your throat" Kabelo (Thabo): "You stare at the cup. Your reflection stares back. You did this"

TECHNICAL

25fps2.39:1SHOOT WITH SC07 NIGHT BLOCK

⚠ RISK

Continuity: 3 cups now, not 2. Ensure Mma Neo's chair is present but EMPTY.

DP + DIR

SC12 EXT THE DIGGING — DRY RIVERBED 1:00

VIS — Mma Neo digs at sunset

SC01 MIRROR — old man same action, dawn. This is sunset

🎥 CAMERA & LENS

EXTREME WIDE: 24mm, T2.8 on tripod/sticks. LOW — 30cm off ground She is TINY in frame. 70% sky. The landscape dwarfs her HOLD for the FULL MINUTE. This mirrors the old man in SC01 — but she is not despairing. She is believing B-Cam: 85mm, T2 from side — catch her lips moving in prayer, dust on fingers No Pro-Mist. Razor sharp. The cracked earth must CUT

Timbuktu — desert prayerTree of Life — Malick wide shotsMad Max: Fury Road — earth palette

💡 LIGHTING

SUNSET. EXACTLY 17:30–18:00. One chance. One window. Don't miss it Sun behind her = massive long shadow stretching toward camera Dust motes floating in golden backlight. Have someone kick dust upwind 30 sec before take NO artificial light. The sunset IS the light plot

🎨 SET DESIGN

⚠ LOCATION NOT YET SCOUTED. Need cracked dry riverbed near Rasesa/Mochudi Alternatives: Gaborone Dam edge, dry section of Notwane River, cattle dam Mma Neo: same cotton dress as SC10. Now dusty, worn from walking She digs with bare hands — not a shovel. This is faith, not engineering Pre-dig a small hole where she'll kneel — camera won't see it but makes action easier

⚙️ GRIP & RIG

Tripod on LOW sticks or ground spreader. 30cm. The earth level B-Cam: monopod for quick repositioning if sunset moves faster than planned Dust crew: one person 20m upwind with a sandbag to throw — creates floating particulate

🎭 PERFORMANCE

Ellen: "You are not desperate. You are not dying. You are planting hope in dead earth. Your hands move like you're sowing seeds. Your lips pray." This is the opposite of the old man in the opening. He dug with fear. She digs with faith If she finds moisture: the script doesn't say. But if her fingers come up dark with damp — the audience exhales. Director decides

TECHNICAL

25fps2.39:1S-Log3ISO 200–400⚠ LOCATION GAPSUNSET = ONE WINDOW

⚠ RISK

CRITICAL: No scouted location. Must find cracked dry dam/riverbed ASAP. Gaborone Dam or Notwane River dry section.

Weather: Clouds at sunset kill this scene. Have backup date.

Time pressure: Usable light: ~25 min. Rehearse BEFORE golden hour. Roll at first sign of gold. Max 3 takes.

DP + DIR

SC14 INT THE INHERITANCE — TWO CUPS 1:00

SC14 — Neo + Kabelo, two cups, empty chair

FRAME — Neo + Kabelo (char-ref) · ★ FESTIVAL CLIP

⊞ FLOOR PLAN — MORNING

┌──────────────────────────┐
│ ☁ WINDOW [4x4 SILK OUT] │
│   ↓ soft diffused light  │
│                          │
│   Neo ────┬──── Kabelo   │
│            │             │
│   ╟═══ TABLE ═══╢       │
│   ║   🥛 🥛     ║       │
│   ╟═════════════╢       │
│            │             │
│      [EMPTY CHAIR]       │
│       ↑ MMA NEO GONE    │
│                          │
│  ● CAM A.1 (85mm macro) │
│    → CU on cups          │
│  ● CAM A.2 (35mm wide)  │
│    → reveal empty chair  │
│                          │
│  💡 LED behind cups (dim)│
└──────────────────────────┘
  🥛 = Full cups (SHARPEST in frame)

SC14 INT. HOUSE — MORNING

LENS: 85MM MACRO → 35MM

STOP: T2.8

ISO: 1600

RIG: TRIPOD LOCKED

KEY: DIFFUSED MORNING + LED ACCENT

★ FESTIVAL CLIP — FIRST PRIORITY

EXIF: 24.3767°S, 26.1440°E · Red Yard INT

AUDIO: Room wild track only. No score. Silence.

DP NOTE: Cups SHARP, everything else soft. Rack focus cup→hands→chair

🎥 CAMERA & LENS

START CU: 85mm macro, T2.8 — two cups. Full. Water surface trembles from breathing RACK FOCUS: Cups sharp → reveal Neo + Kabelo holding hands across table WIDE: 35mm — the empty chair. Hold. This is the final frame before FADE OUT RETURN CU: Cups still full. Still waiting. FADE OUT The water IS the sharpest thing in frame. Everything else soft

Babel — morning-after silencePoetry (2010) — final mealAmour — kitchen of absence

💡 LIGHTING

SOFT MORNING LIGHT. 4×4 silk outside window. Diffuse. Gentle OPPOSITE of SC07's darkness. This is the only scene where light is kind The cups GLOW. Small LED behind at lowest dim. The water is sacred now WB: 5600K — natural, warm, forgiving. Morning grace

🎨 SET DESIGN

Same kitchen. But TRANSFORMED: Mma Neo's chair: EMPTY. Pushed in. No cushion, no scarf on back. She's gone ONLY two cups — perfectly centred, perfectly full Remove ALL trace of Mma Neo's personal items from the room Soft white curtain at window (swap dark drape from SC07) Water container in corner: almost empty — last drops are in those cups

⚙️ GRIP & RIG

Tripod LOCKED. The macro CU of cups must be perfectly still 4×4 silk outside window — must rig before dawn if shooting morning light Small LED on C-stand + arm behind cups

🎭 PERFORMANCE

The festival clip. If the actress can deliver this, you win Neo (Palesa): "A tear falls — almost into the water. Wipe it quickly. Nothing must be added. Nothing must be lost" Kabelo (Thabo): Holds her hands. He doesn't speak. The grip says everything This whole scene is grief held in a teacup. Silence is the performance

TECHNICAL

25fps2.39:1S-Log3MORNING LIGHT — shoot 06:30–07:30FESTIVAL CLIP PRIORITY

⚠ RISK

Water surface trembling: MUST see the breathing-ripple in the macro CU. If no natural vibration, tap the table gently off-frame before rolling.

Tear into cup: If the director wants the almost-tear moment, have tissues ready but don't wipe between takes — the redness helps.

DP + DIR

SC15 EXT THE SYSTEM CONTINUES — FINAL QUEUE 1:00

🎥 CAMERA & LENS

24mm LOCKED OFF. Same depot. Queue is LONGER than SC03. The system grows Digital board: REMAINING CAPACITY: 4% → 3% → 2% (VFX post) A man removes wrist tag, places it on ground, walks away. No one stops him Wind lifts dust — for a second it looks like rain. People look up. Nothing HOLD on the board. FADE OUT. The numbers win. The people don't

Children of Men — final long takeThe Road — ending

💡 LIGHTING

Same as SC03. Blinding white heat. Even harsher — the world is worse now

🎨 SET DESIGN

Same depot. Queue is 40+ people now — more than SC03 Wrist tag prop for the walking-away man — simple fabric band Board: prep clean plate for Constantine's VFX composite

⚙️ GRIP & RIG

Same as SC03. Haze machine for the dust-gust moment Shoot WITH and WITHOUT extras for plate options

🎭 PERFORMANCE

Extras: "It's worse now. Some of you are swaying. One of you will faint — not dramatically, just buckle" Wrist-tag man: "No anger. No drama. Just quiet acceptance. You kneel, place the tag, stand, walk. You're done" Rain-look-up: Cue 15 extras to look up simultaneously. Then down. Coordinated disappointment

TECHNICAL

25fps2.39:1SAME DAY AS SC03/08/0940+ EXTRASVFX: board overlay

⚠ RISK

Extra fatigue: By SC15 they've been in sun all day. Real exhaustion = authentic performance. Still provide water between takes.

DP + DIR