The séquencier

 

Today we are going to discuss the séquencier. Well ! Since a few weeks now, we have defined a number of things in relation to your character. We know who he is, we know his objective, we have defined the obstacles, allies and enemies. We are also familiar with the 12 steps of the hero’s journey, that is to say, the 12 key moments of your story

So we will go to the séquencier : The séquencier Késaco ?

If you have not read ” the hero’s journey “ that shows you how to match the key sequence of your scenario, I suggest you go take a look now ;o)

Once your 12 sequences are defined, you will certainly create others that you intercalerez between each point of passage, of course according to the needs of your scenario. Because if your short film is 3 minutes, you’re not going to be able to interleave the 24 other sequences…. Once this is done, it do you “rest” to develop each of these points.

Example :

Sequence 1 : Int – Supermarket/ cash n°12 – Day

A young woman removing items from their cart on the treadmill. She carries her baby, hanging on the belly . The man before her, ends up paying. The cashier tells him goodbye and turns to the young mom with a smile and a big hello.

The smile of the cashier fades quickly, giving way to horror.

Sequence 2 : Int – security Station – Day

Arthur looks at the control screens. The customers of the supermarket will come and go without suspecting that Arthur spies on their actions. Something catches his eye. It takes the joystick in one of his hands and zoom in on the crate number 12 : that where the young mother and her baby. Arthur grabs his walkie-talkie. He called Louis, his colleague, who is in the store. Arthur looks on the screen, but can’t find it. Louis tells him that he is the ray of frozen. Arthur presses the control buttons of the cameras and displays the radius frozen, Louis appears. Arthur sends Louis to see what happens to the caisse n°12.

Sequence 3 : Int – Supermarket/ cash n°12

Etc…

As you can see in this example, the séquencier is just the summary of each sequence. It describes what happens and what is said. And all this, always in the present and ESPECIALLY WITHOUT going INTO all THE DETAILS as if they were each a scenario. It is necessary to define its hero (character), the element déclencheur, the obstacle or the conflict and its resolution (that is to say, the link that is going to do as we move logically from one sequence to the other).

The séquencier will allow you to see very quickly, without the clutter of details of dialogues or details of any short, if your sequences strung together in the normal way (logically). But especially the well-defined action, every obstacle, from the smallest incident to the largest, so that your story is gaining in intensity.

This will also help you quickly find that sometimes you have thought of a sequence that you find it ” nice “, “pretty” etc…and in the end, brings nothing to the story. Never lose sight of the fact that you need to be effective. You can add a moment of poetry, of comedy, of calm, but such moments should serve your story and not to fill holes.

I hear you from here ” that is what he tells me ? “

So I’m going to try to be even more clear. It is important to have moments like those in a film, whether short or long, because they allow us to catch our breath or to enhance a scene. Take the dinner de cons , for example : when Menaud said Pinion (Villeret) that he spent the night with the woman Horse (Prévost) and not with the woman of Brochant (Lhermite) and that the Pinion hangs up. Just after the call that Horse going on to Menaud is a break. It contrasts the happiness of Paperback which is not a cuckold, thanks to the disarray of the Horse. It also strengthens the side ” Shot “ of Pinion, because even if it succeeds in its mission by reassuring Brochant (Lhermitte), he puts his other friend Horse(Prévost) in the lurch. It is a pause in the story , since neither Pinion, or Paperback, or just Leblanc are not involved. In addition, this twist allows you to Brochant to get rid of the controller tax a little too nosy.

Don’t forget to refer on the timeline, all clips that you add or remove them from the timeline if you delete. In this way, the timeline will always be your reference at a glance.

ATTENTION : It is important not to create a sub-timeline for each character if it has no impact on the story of your hero.

For example : The man who pays just before the young mother and her baby is not a character, it is a contained ! so it does not need to appear.

REMINDER: each sequence must have its central character, its conflicts, its limitations, and so serve, and to nest in the general history.

REMINDER 2 : the presentation of each sequence is as follows :

N° of the sequence : Inside or outside – The place – The effect (day/Night)

Example :

Sequence 1 : Int – Supermarket – Day

Good luck to all, please do not hesitate to leave your comments if you have any questions or if you have not understood something. I’m here to help you. ;o)

Soon

Tom Weil