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Before, Then and After

Case Study by Laura Cortes

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Part One

Script, Storyboards and Art Direction

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Trilogy

Synopsis

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STEP 1.

Original script using Grammarly

I used Grammarly to write a clear and concise synopsis for my story. Even though I knew the plot, I had difficulty finding the right words to describe it because English is not my first language.

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STEP 2.1.

Text-to-text prompt engineering using original synopsis

After finalizing the synopsis, I used Chat-GPT 3 to rewrite it.

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STEP 2.2.

Iterations

I was dissatisfied with the outcome, so I added additional steps to the prompt.

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STEP 3.

Gemini

The Chat GPT synopsis wasn't bad, but I was curious about Google’s Gemini, so I went to check it out. Turns out that compared to GPT's free version, Gemini is a lot better—at least for creative and storytelling writing.

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STEP 4.

Grammarly

After being satisfied with the Gemini version, I used Grammarly's internal AI tool to improve the grammar.

This is the final result

This trilogy of silent films follows the story of Alora, a 25-year-old woman who embarks on a life-changing journey by leaving her homeland for a bustling foreign city.

In Part I, the soundtrack serves as her inner voice as she navigates the initial anxieties of starting anew. We witness her struggles to let go of the familiar and embrace the raw beauty of the unknown present.

Part II marks the beginning of a vibrant new chapter. Free from the shackles of her past, Alora immerses herself in the exciting experiences and connections the city has to offer. Through a montage of vibrant visuals and music, we see her blossom as she explores, learns, and forms deep bonds.

The final act, Part III, takes us to Alora's 40s. Time, the conductor of life's symphony, guides her towards a resolution. Has she found what she was searching for? The film leaves us with a touch of mystery and a sense of quiet peace, a testament to the transformative power of time and experience.

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Act I�Script

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STEP 5.

STORY

Crafting the perfect story often starts with a rough draft. That's why I took the liberty of creating a guideline for each act by penning down the very first draft of each act's story. It's always exciting to see how the story evolves from that initial idea.

Before

She was 21. She was new to the city. Big lights city.

It was noisy, crowded, and smelly. The options were endless, but nothing felt right. Alora didn't feel right.

The past haunted her like a creature creeping from the shadows. She shakes it off, but it returns in the blink of an eye.

But she kept trying. First, the face, then the eyes and lastly, the lips. Makeup to cover the painful memories. A mask as she was forced by an invisible energy, driving her outside to face strangers.

So night after night, Alora moved through the exact street, gliding like a mermaid swimming in the plunging sea. Oh, she hoped she could inhale the ocean scent, that salty and sweet taste only she knew. If only she could squeeze the sand against her bare feet, wet, cold, sharp as the waves wash the teeny grains off her toes, everything would be OK.

But this wasn't the ocean. Instead, it was the gloomy, forsaken street she cycled through every night. Look left, look right. Cross. The same road led to the dark, damp bar she was in every Friday night. The city had a way of hindering her softness and warmth. So on those nights, she was fearful and unforgivable. A lioness! The mermaid had no place in there.

She welcomed those who joined her. Swipe left, swipe right. Smile! This disguise hid her genuine feelings—the fear of squandering time. Do not dare to waste her time—the thing she cherished and dreaded the most.

So night after night, they came and left, washing through the hours like ghosts, leaving her with shadows of what could have been—a blur. The noise and crowds dimmed into the backdrop, numbing her as she returned through the same dark and gloomy street, sliding back into the ocean in her mind.

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STEP 6.

FIRST DRAFT

After asking Gemini to turn the story into a 2-minute short film script, I received three solid drafts. I liked parts of each, so I combined my favorite snippets into a final script.

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STEP 6.1

MODIFICATIONS

I had to roll up my sleeves and make some tweaks to certain sections to better align with the overall vision. It was a bit of a challenge, but I'm happy with the outcome.

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STEP 6.2

SECOND DRAFT

This was the result.

Scene 1:

[FADE IN]

EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT

A cacophony of sounds assaults us - honking cars, pulsing music, and distant sirens. Alora, a young woman in her early twenties, steps hesitantly out of a cramped apartment building. The towering skyscrapers around her cast long shadows, dwarfing her. (Fast-paced, dissonant soundscape)

Alora's POV

We see the city through Alora's eyes - a blur of flashing lights and rushing people. A sense of overwhelm washes over her. (Camera lingers on Alora's wide eyes)

Alora grabs her bike and starts pedaling through the rain-slicked streets. The neon signs paint harsh streaks of color across the wet pavement. (Music transitions to a faster, pulsing rhythm with heavy bass)

Scene 2:

INT. BAR - NIGHT

Timelapse Montage:

We see Alora on a series of quick dates - a nervous artist sketching on a napkin, a confident athlete flexing his muscles, a bookish intellectual quoting poetry.

Flashback:

INT. FAMILY HOME - DAY

Alora sits under a sprawling olive tree with her grandfather, listening to him tell stories of their family history. (Slow, rustic melody)

INT. BAR - NIGHT

The bookish intellectual, with his stack of books, transforms into the gnarled and majestic form of an ancient olive tree.**

The montage continues with the final two dates as described before. (The music intensifies, reflecting the blur of time and unsatisfying nature of the dates)

Scene 3:

INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT

Alora stands before the mirror, her face pale and drawn. With practiced movements, she applies makeup, a mask concealing the vulnerability beneath. Brief flashbacks flicker across the screen - crashing waves, warm sand between her toes. (Piano melody starts softly)

Close-up on Alora's hand applying lipstick. Her smile appears forced, strained. (Piano melody fades out)

Scene 4:

EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT

Alora cycles back through the deserted city street. The rain has stopped, leaving the streets glistening under the city lights.

A single tear rolls down her cheek, but this time it feels different. It's not a tear of sadness, but a tear of release. As the tear rolls down, she feels a lightness in her chest, as if a weight has been lifted from her shoulders. The city noises fade away, replaced by the faint sound of ocean waves in the distance. (Music transitions to a mournful cello melody, but with a hint of hopefulness)

Flashback:

EXT. BEACH - DAY

Young Alora runs barefoot along the beach, the cool sand squishing between her toes. The waves crash playfully at her feet. (Sound of ocean waves crashing)

Scene 5:

INT. APARTMENT - NIGHT

Alora closes the door behind her, shutting out the city noise. She walks to the bed and sits down, surrounded by objects from her memories. A bowl of bright yellow lemons sits on the nightstand, a fragrant reminder of her childhood home. An olive wreath, like the one her grandfather used to wear, rests on the bedspread. A vibrant bouquet of bougainvillea, its purple flowers mirroring the ones that climbed the walls of her backyard, fills the room with a burst of color. Leaning against the wall is a framed painting of a majestic olive tree, its branches reaching towards the sky. The faint sound of ocean waves lingers in the air, a promise of something new on the horizon. (Cello melody fades with a single, mournful note, then transitions to a soft, hopeful melody. FADE OUT)

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STEP 6.3

FINAL EDITS

Back to Grammarly for final edits.

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Act I�Shotlist

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STEP 7.

SHOT LIST

After completing the script, I requested Gemini to provide me with a shot list. Although I had to make a few adjustments such as adding camera angles and movements, the overall shot list was quite satisfactory after a couple of iterations.

Scene	Shot	Interior / Exterior	Shot	Camera Angle	Camera Movement	Audio	Description
1	1	Exterior	WS	Low angle, emphasizing skyscrapers.	Static	Dissonant soundscape (city noise)	Alora steps out of her apartment. Establishes overwhelming city.
1	2	Exterior	CU	Eye level	Panning across city lights	Continues	Alora’s eyes overwhelmed
2	3	Exterior	WS	Above shoulder	Blurry city lights	Dissonant soundscape to pulsing rhythm with bass.	Alora cycling through the rain away from the camera
2	4	Exterior	CU	Low angle	Tilt up	Dissonant rhythm with mournful cello note.	Rain-soaked leaves.
3	5	Interior	MS	OTS	Circular dolly (arc shot) timeplase		Alora on dates with men transforming. The camera circles Alora as she goes on dates with five men. Each man transforms into something from her home: a lemon tree, bougainvillea, olive tree, ocean waves, seashells. Alora reacts, melody reflects each transformation
4	6	Interior	CU	OTS	Slowly zoom		Alora applying makeup, intercut with flashbacks
5	7	Exterior	WS	Low angle	Dolly back and crane up		Alora cycles through deserted street.
6	8	Interior	CU	Eye level	Zoom out		Alora sitting bottom of the bed surrounded by the objects of her memories.

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Act I�Storyboards

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STEP 8.

STORYBOARDS

So I moved on to the next crucial step - nailing down the storyboards. It was a delicate dance as I wanted to get the style right, and then plan all the angles for each shot. This was the part where the magic really started to happen!

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SHOT #3

SCENE 1.

SCENE 2.

SHOT #1

SHOT #2

SHOT #4

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SHOT #6

SCENE 3.

SCENE 4.

SHOT #5

SHOT #7

SCENE 5.

SHOT #8

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Act I�Reference Shots

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STEP 9.

MOODBOARD

While preparing the script and shot list, I experimented with reference frames. Initially, I created a mood board to direct the process.

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STEP 10

STYLE FRAME

Although I initially tried using free tools, the results were subpar.

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Midjourney!

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STEP 10.1

REFERENCE SHOT

I knew that shot #2 would set the tone and mood for the whole film, and it was likely to be the hardest part to get right. The initial results were okay, but they were too bright, colorful, and not cinematic.

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Getting the set up right

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Trying different cameras

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STEP 10.2

CAMERAS

I researched the top filming cameras within budget and tried a few. My favorite cameras for the cinematic and moody look I was trying to achieve were Blackmagic and Sony.

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Panasonic Lumix S5 II, Leica L

⭐

Notes: too green, little detail on the hair, feels flat.

Canon EOS R5, RF lens

⭐⭐

Notes: Too sharp, captures a lot of brightness.

Canon EOS C70 camera, RF lens

⭐⭐⭐

Notes: better results, but still doesn't feel cinematic enough

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Fujifilm X-H2S, Fujifilm X lens

⭐⭐⭐

Notes: captures rich color, however this is not the intended look

Blackmagic Cinema Camera, Leica L

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Notes: looks great, but feels too detailed

Sony A7S III, Sony E lens

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Notes: great balance between detail and atmosphere, nice contrast, ideal colors for intended look

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Sony A7S III, Sony E lens

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Weather

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STEP 10.3

WEATHER

I began experimenting with weather and atmospheric variables once I was satisfied with the setup and camera choices.

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water droplets, dark sky, blue hour, fine grain, misty, foggy

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Wardrobe & Hair

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STEP 10.4

WARDROBE

I wanted to see how my vision for the wardrobe would look if I chose something more colorful.

Step 10.5

HAIR

While trying on different outfits, I adjusted the hair variables to enhance the definition and shine in the curls.

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black matte jacket, dark blue jeans

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blue jean jacket, red long dress

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green suede jacket, cream white color jeans

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Lighting

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STEP 10.6

LIGHTING

After wardrobe came lighting. I found a few references online with prompts and tried a few options until I got the right mood.

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atmospheric shot, night, dark sky, low key lighting creating a moody and mysterious ambiance

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Backdrop

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STEP 10.7

BACKDROP

While AI is not yet capable of replicating a street perfectly, it can still be used to direct the background in a film shoot. For example, it can identify the presence of cars, street lamps, trees, or buildings. This makes it useful as a location casting brief, providing important information for setting up a shot.

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Shoreditch London,trees, buildings on both sides of the street, o cars, no crowds, no street lamps

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First

a young and thin, mixed-race blonde woman, cycling city bike, in Shoreditch London, on a rainy night, wearing black leather jacket and blue jeans, back view

Final

atmospheric full-body shot of the back view of a mixed-race young and thin woman, curly, long blonde hair, nice and stylish curls, cycling city bike, in Shoreditch London, on a rainy night, wearing green suede jacket, cream white color jeans, trees, buildings on both sides of the street, water droplets, dark sky, blue hour, fine grain, misty, foggy, low key lighting creating a moody and mysterious ambiance, shot on Sony A7S III, Sony E lens, f22/ no cars, no crowds, no street lamps, no shiny clothes

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Shot #1

Exterior Street Dalston

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STEP 11

EXTERIOR SHOT

After finalizing the reference shot, I applied the same adjustments to the rest of the shots.

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Getting camera angle and location right

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Selected camera angle

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Adjusting t-shirt

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Adding storefront and neon lights

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Zooming out and adding bike

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Adjusting the store signs

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Adding details to the store front

Man and ceiling lamp

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First

atmospheric wide shot shot of a young and thin, mixed-race woman with curly long blonde hair, wearing green suede jacket, cream white color jeans, white t-shirt, gold pendant necklaces, stepping out of an apartment building in Dalston London, street lighting, low key lighting creating a moody ambiance, fine grain, Low angle, emphasizing the towering buildings and overwhelming city, shot on Sony A7S III, Sony E lens, f1.8

Final

atmospheric wide shot shot of a young and thin, mixed-race woman with curly long blonde hair, looking up, wearing green suede jacket, cream white color jeans, white t-shirt, gold pendant necklaces, stepping out of an apartment building in Dalston London, standing on a city bike, street lighting, blue neon lighting store sign lettered with "pizza" in retro style sans serif typeface, and red light lamp inside store and a plaque lettered with "open late" in serif typeface, nighttime, dark low key lighting creating a moody misty foggy ambiance, fine grain, Low angle, emphasizing the towering buildings and overwhelming city, shot on Sony A7S III, Sony E lens, f1.8

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#Shot 2

Interior Bar Shoreditch

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STEP 12

BAR SCENE

Getting the interior of the Bar location right was crucial, and it required a lot of trial and error with lighting, camera placement, and setup. Although I'm satisfied with the result to some extent, I'm still a bit unhappy with the lighting and camera angle, so I may revisit it later to make further adjustments.

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Interior location

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Selected set up

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Variation on face to have character looking at the man

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Add necklaces

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Change backdrop and lighting

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Adjust wardrobe and accessories

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First

a young and thin, mixed-race woman with curly long blonde hair, wearing black matte leather jacket and blue jeans, in a bar in Shoreditch London, facing a young white hip white man, ambient warm light, grain, no cars, no crowds

Final

atmospheric shot of a young and thin, mixed-race woman with curly long blonde hair, wearing green suede jacket, cream white color jeans, white t-shirt, gold pendant necklaces, sitting on a table in a bar in Shoreditch London, looking directly at a young and hip white man, wearing a white shirt, one candle on table, one beer pint glass and one martini glass on the table, light source from candle, low dark blue ambient lighting creating a moody ambiance, fine grain, shot on Sony A7S III, Sony E lens, f1.8

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Other nice shots

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Adjusting lighting and adding details

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Shot #3

Interior, timelapse bar

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STEP 13

STYLE TRANSFER

I wanted to experiment with the style transfer feature and see how creative I could get with it. This was before the release of character reference (cref), so I decided to try using various animation techniques to style the men in the bar. I was thinking of using styles from popular animated shows like Rick and Morty, The Simpsons, anime, and so on.

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STEP 14

STORY STORY STORY

I realized that turning the male characters in the story into animated characters was simply a gimmick to showcase the AI tools, rather than being relevant to the story itself. Therefore, I decided to go back to the drawing board and think about what would truly make sense. Given that the main character is sad, bored, and misses home, it made more sense to represent this using things that reminded her of home. This is where AI comes in handy, as it saves a lot of time and money that would have been spent on makeup and styling to bring these shots to life using different prompts.

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Playing with lemons and humans on MidJourney

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Applying to the shot with --sref

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Trying different prompts

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And more

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Finally figured it out how to achieve . No style transfer needed, just change the prompt directly in the region variation

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Even though I didn’t end up using style transfer, I still generated image refs to guide the desired outcome for each shot.

/imagine: a man made of the ocean

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Trying variations on different regions of the body, plus prompts like “dressed” or “white shirt”

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Final result

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Replicating process for olive oil

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Olive oil

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And a Bougainvillea

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And finally, the beach

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Shot #4

Interior, bar bathroom

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STEP 15

BATHROOM SCENE

In the next shot, filmed in a bathroom, I had to ensure accurate mirror reflection and anatomy for the top-of-the-shoulder angle.

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First results

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Changed lighting, added over the shoulder

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Added white top, and thinner lips prompt

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Removed makeup application prompt, added t-shirt, added crying expression. Right arm still missing.

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First

atmospheric shot of a young and thin, mixed-race woman with curly long blonde hair, wearing green suede jacket, cream white color jeans, gold pendant necklaces, staring at mirror, applying red lipstick, in a bar bathroom in Shoreditch London, wall graffiti, dirty, cringy, cold low key lighting, fine grain, shot on Sony A7S III, Sony E lens, f5.6, seed 1500

Final

Over the shoulder, back view, atmospheric shot of a young and thin, mixed-race woman with curly long blonde hair, nice red lips, wearing green suede jacket, white t-shirt cream white color jeans, gold pendant necklaces, staring at mirror, crying, in a bar bathroom in Shoreditch London, wall graffiti, dirty, cringy, low key dark cold blue lighting, fine grain, shot on Sony A7S III, Sony E lens, f5.6, seed 1500

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Flashbacks

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STEP 16

FLASHBACKS

Creating the flashbacks wasn't too difficult, but the extreme close-up of Alora eating a fig required more experimentation. Even after working on it, it still feels a little off. The lesson learned from this experience is to avoid including any shots that might have teeth and fingers visible, unless it's necessary to communicate a particular mood, as was the case here.

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Shot #6

Exterior, Haggerston street

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STEP 17

CYCLING BACK SCENE

Alora is cycling home in scene 4. Since AI is being used to assist, the focus was on getting the lighting and mood right and not the anatomy.

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Zoom out, removed trees, added moon, and buildings

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Final Shot

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STEP 18

BEDROOM SCENE

The final shot of the scene is set in Alora's bedroom and is the most complicated one in terms of the elements that need to be present. The scene should include the red lamp, a window with blue light shining through, lemons, bougainvillea flowers, and a painting. It is also important to direct Alora's expression and body language during the shoot.

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STEP 18.1

CHANGING LAMPS

Trying different lamps and wall elements.

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STEP 18.2

OBJECTS REFERENCE IMAGES

After getting the lighting and set right, I created a few references for the memory elements to be placed in the bedroom.

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Getting the lemon tree right wasn’t easy. Either out of proportion, or no lemons…

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Added figs on the bed and painting on the wall

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STEP 18.3

RESTARTING

Going back to the drawing board.

I had a hard time adjusting the previous image and add more elements to it without losing the focus on the character. So I decided to restart the prompt and try again with all the elements in the image right from the start.

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Not perfect, but close enough.

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Another nice shot, with a closer body language.

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Character Reference Update

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STEP 19

CHARACTER TRANSFER

By the time I finished part 1, MidJourney released a character transfer functionality, so I decided to give it a go. I was able to change the face of the character in some of the shots but not all.

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Selected one of the characters as the reference for each scene

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Original

With --cref

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Part 2 - Coming Soon!

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STEP 19

MOTION TESTS

Part 2 of this document will focus on motion done with Runway ML, audio and title sequence.

WIP

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About the author

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Thank you for reading all the way until the end! Even if you skipped a few pages:)Just a bit more and you’re done.

✨Lisbon to London, with pit stops in Vancouver and Toronto – that's my creative journey in a nutshell!

✨It all started in 2011, designing educational flash games (think farm animals and multiplication!). Since then, I've leveled up to Executive Creative Director, working with awesome brands like adidas, Google, and Netflix.

✨In between, I led the digital squad at Warner Bros. Records, wrangling content for superstars like Muse and Dua Lipa.

✨Last year, I took a breather(yeah right…) to become a mom. Now, I'm figuring out what's next!

✨Oh, and when I'm not busy conquering the creative world, I'm mentoring future rockstars and giving back to the community.

✨lauracortes.site�✨/lauracortescreative

✨lauracortescreative@gmail.com

✨@firecrackercollective