Plot and scene plan lyric-by-lyric for FMP

Video begins with a scene of the protagonist and his parent fighting in a long shot, showing the pair facing each other behind a window of an attached house in a grey neighbourhood. The protagonist throws his hands in the air and shouts at the ceiling once before turning away and leaving the room. Cut to a clip of the protagonist's feet heading up a flight of stairs. Cut to medium long shot of a bedroom. From offscreen the protagonist throws the suitcase on to the bed, framed so that only the protag's hand is visible. The suitcase falls unceremoniously off the bed and on to the floor. Protag appears on screen looking angry. He picks up the suitcase and throws it back on the bed before stuffing a pile of hastily chosen clothes in to it along with a multitude of toiletries. We hear the parent's voice shouting up the stairs, asking what the protag is doing. The protag pauses to listen then opens his mouth to speak but decides against it, knowing nothing he says will cause anything good. Next shot is a slightly low down long shot of the protag opening the door in a hurry and walking down the patio, suitcase tailing behind. Once he reaches the bottom of the path, his parent appears and angrily asks again what he is doing. Cut to close up shot of protag that follows his face as he walks. He stutters out a response, simply saying 'I'm going'. He seems unsure of his plan at this point, but has no intentions of backing out now. He reaches his car. Cut to a medium shot from the passenger seat (sit the camera on the passenger seat or dashboard facing actor). Protag sits down and closes the door. He pauses for a moment, eyes scanning over nothing in particular before throwing his head back, covering his face with his hands before letting them slide down his face and slam on the steering wheel. He shouts in frustration and pauses again, trying to compose himself. He takes a short but deep breath through his mouth while putting the key in the ignition, sits still for another two seconds before reaching to turn on his car radio. The song of the video begins. He starts his car, having to give it three tries, puts it in reverse and turns around to begin reversing it, as soon as the car begins to move the screen goes black, shows title and name, then cuts to stock footage of driving.

Shots of driving continue through the first verse but are interrupted every so often by stock footage or my footage of the flag burning

Oh, to see without my eyes The first time that you kissed me - First shot of flag burning, just as it begins to catch fire. Boundless by the time I cried I built your walls around me - Video footage of stonewall riots White noise, what an awful sound Fumbling by Rogue River - Protag gets out of car and arrives at a house. Match on action as the shot starts from the passenger seat, but ends with the camera on the top of the car to show the protag rising up out of the car and facing the house. Feel my feet above the ground - Walks up the path to the door and knocks (Long shot from the end of the drive) Hand of God, deliver me - Door is opened by protags friend, who notices the suitcase and pulls him in for a hug. Protag at first does not reciprocate, but eventually puts a free hand around his friend. Oh, woah woe is me - Flag burning again. The first time that you touched me - Protag is now sitting on his friends sofa, he is bought a pillow and blanket along with a glass of whiskey. He takes the whiskey, still somewhat spaced out - oblivious to the amount of hospitality he is being offered. Shot looking up at friend from the protags level. Friend looks at him for a moment, smiles with patience and puts the pillow and sheet down, sitting next to him Oh, will wonders ever cease? Blessed be the mystery of love - Close up of protag sipping his drink, you can see the friend put and hand on his shoulder reassuringly. Lord, I no longer believe - Medium shot of the protagonist laying on the sofa, facing the ceiling. The camera is framed on him as if he is being looked down upon. The angle of the shot makes him look upside down. He is staring blankly at the ceiling. It is dark. (windows can be blocked out to give this effect or through colour editing) Drowned in living waters Cursed by the love that I received - Protag turns over, facing away from the sofa. Close up shot of his face head on as he picks up his phone. From my brother's daughter - Text from his friend he is staying having told them in advance of what happened. Like Hephaestion, who died Alexander's lover - Text from another friend, a man, asking if he wants to come over. Protag swallows. He feels guilt talking to other men he is romantically interested in due to the homophobia his parents caused him to internalise. Now my riverbed has dried - Mystery man texts again, investigative/worried. 'Where have you been? I've missed you.' Shall I find no other? - Flag burning, it is almost completely destroyed at this point. Oh, woah woe is me - Shot of protag sitting in a dark room drinking whiskey again, this time downing the glass hastily I'm running like a plover - Shot of phone vibrating on the table Now I'm prone to misery - His hand reaches to silence it. The birthmark on your shoulder reminds me - Shot of the pink triangle. A symbol of externally inflicted shame, but internal empowerment in the community.

This entire scene is the flag burning in reverse, with quick shots at the start of each lyric, before returning to the flag. How much sorrow can I take? - Side medium close up of protag looking at himself in the mirror Blackbird on my shoulder - Shot of protag laughing with his friend, friend is obviously more excited, hand on protags shoulder shaking it as he laughs. Protag is also smiling, just less so, swayed back and forth by his friend. Shot should be well lit. And what difference does it make - Over the shoulder shot of protag searching up mystery man's name in phone When this love is over? - Protag presses call button Shall I sleep within your bed - Shot of hands touching each other River of unhappiness - Two hands holding, rested on a table or on a sofa. Medium shot from the chest down. Hold your hands upon my head - Close up shot of buttoning up white shirt Till I breathe my last breath - Close up shot from eyes down of protag smiling (cliché???)

The final scene is the protag standing outside his house, medium shot of him looking in to the distance just over the camera. Oh, woah woe is me The last time that you touched me - Parent cuts behind the protag, standing just behind him with the same expression, then flickers out like a light. This can be done by making sure the protagonist's actor stands very still, with the parent's actor coming in behind, resuming filming for a second or so, then leaving again. Oh, will wonders ever cease? Blessed be the mystery of love - Protag walks away behind the camera. Cut to black.

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