Building A Game Writing Portfolio: PWW Assignment 2 - Cutscene Cinematic


Posted by bzedan on Oct 18, 2021

The second Pixelles Writing Portfolio Program assignment was to make a cinematic for a cutscene. After struggling with the assignment a bit I realised the problem was all the cinematics or cut scenes I liked were just slide shows with narration. Thanks, Obsidian. Honestly though the 'Dead Money' intro of Fallout: New Vegas is the most effective 20 seconds and something to strive for.

 

With that in mind, I kept with the previous theme of "extending the world I've already built in this unfinished Twine game" from the first assignment. Basically, this doesn't not take place in Fallout: New Vegas. I had some fun finding a fast and repeatable style for the storyboard, which is always a challenge for me. I also enjoy imitating a specific type of language or writing style (a holdover from the copywriting days) which made the narration also an enjoyable challenge.

Below is the two-page cinematic storyboard and on the game writing section of my site is a PDF of both this and the straight script for the scene.

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Title of document: Action RPG Cinematic, Montage of 2D Art, Gold For A Tyrant intro. A series of images on the left with voiceover narration on the right. PLATE ONE description:  A barren, yellow-skied desert, weathered rock and packed dirt making little room for the scrub that's managed to push its way up.   Plate one VOICEOVER: There wasn’t much that grew in the Wastes. Two things did seem to flourish in that poisoned desert: legends and losers. PLATE TWO description:  A group of richly-dressed people laughing together as they walk past someone in worn clothes playing an instrument. A poker chip is flipped from the hand of one of the group to the mostly empty instrument case in front of the musician. Plate two VOICEOVER: But that makes sense, a hard place like that breeds nothing but extremes. The rich are very rich, the poor very poor... PLATE THREE description:  A group of raiders in intimidating but cobbled-together armor holding up a caravan, weapons drawn. Plate three VOICEOVER: And those who want to enjoy what luxuries are left have to go to increasingly extreme lengths to climb the missing rungs of the ladder. PLATE FOUR description:   A group of richly dressed people in the foreground walking down the street, a silhouetted figure holding a rapier ready in the background. Plate four VOICEOVER: Then there are the people who refuse to play the game. The house is rigged and they’re flipping the table. If you’ve been on enough caravans maybe you’ve heard of them.

 

Continued from previous image, a series of images on the left with voiceover narration on the right. PLATE FIVE description: The same silhouetted figure, holding a sparkling necklace up to the light. Plate five VOICEOVER: Folks talk as if it’s one person but that can’t be true.  PLATE SIX description: A fox mask lies on the ground Plate six VOICEOVER: The Fox is an idea, not a man. It’s too many raids interrupted, too many purse strings cut, too much gossip to be the work of one. PLATE SEVEN description: A paper pinned to a wall with a knife, the brush text reading "Beware, fate comes to all who earn it -The Fox" Plate seven VOICEOVER: Although, if it is just one, then they are a legend indeed.

A version of this post was initially published in a locked Patreon post on April 21, 2021.

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