(Work done in Academy of Art University MPT 295: Successfull Storytelling)
Create a brief outline for the opening of a movie, with mostly visual descriptions and minimal dialogue, using the concepts of routine and interruption. Include a plant if possible.
Routine: a futuristic lunar camping trip, a young (small figure) child playing along the side of a crater.
Interruption: As the small figure is playing it happens upon an alien object
Plant: The alien object turns out to be a map to something. (This map being the reason for the entire story)
(I used the Opening scene from my book 'Visionary from the Stars')
The scene opens unto the surface of the moon. Across the horizon you can see the glittering domes and metallic supports of a large lunar colony. As the view turns to the left you can see what appears to be a campsite out on the surface of the moon. A domed tent is anchored to the lunar surface and five foldable chairs sit randomly off to one side. In these chairs sit four adult sized space suited figures. The fifth chair is smaller and also sits empty.
A smaller space suited figure (about the size of a 9 yr old) suddenly appears off to the right, skipping around the edge of a lunar crater. The small figure stops and, as if it sees something, decides to hop down into the shallow crater. The figures sitting in the chairs by the domed tent all stand and start moon walking over to the shallow crater. In the center of the crater the small figure brushes aside some lunar dust. Realizing that the small one has found something, the other four figures hop down into the crater themselves.
As the small figure finishes dusting away the lunar sand, it holds the object out of the shadow. All the lights from the helmets shine on the cylinder object. The object is gray like the lunar stone and covered in an alien writing. Setting the cylinder on a nearby lunar rock, the small one takes out a small portable computer no bigger than a personal electronic organizer. The small figure opens the computer and holds it closer to the cylinder.
A holographic map appears, projected from the cylinder and suspended in front of them in thin air.