(Please note, this is not a "script" at all - it is an outline for a
movie treatment, to be used to build the script, storyboards, scoring etc
around. The purpose of it is to lay out a more-or-less ideal sequence of
events and emphases, kind of a notebook filled with shorthand as to how
the filmed sequences should be played out. And I've no idea of most of
the correct terminology for this sort of thing: I've never taken a film
studies course, I've only read about the business and been involved in
some stage productions.)
(I think we will need to have a complete terramodeling from the Maps, and put a huge amount into rendering this superbly. This will allow us to make sure that all the scenery matches up, no matter where characters are supposed to be: we can generate a backdrop for any coordinate, so that the skyline for, say, Ithilien will be consistent no matter when and where the scene is taking place or shot.)
Some of the fades are indicated as SPECIAL - this means a very careful matching of imagery from one sequence to the next, so that the impact and symbolism is heightened. Some fades may be done by means of seguing through the sky, rather than ground level scene changes.
There will be no fast-forwarding of running horses (as in Ben-Hur) to make them look more impressive to the groundlings, just as there will be no slo-mo of fight scenes (q.v. Braveheart) to make them look more dramatic. Minutes are minutes; time compression will be maintained by natural means, (ie, cuts/fades/scene changes) except as in the method recommended by The Author: use of speeded-up natural phenomena, like the changing of leaf-color on the hillside, or the ground whitening with snow, (the Middle-earth equivalent of the cinematographic device of pages flipping by on a calender) to show seasons passing (where necessary).
MUSIC indicates a scene where there is no dialogue; it
is seen as if from a distance, and only the Score (possible exceptions
for natural noises) can be heard (basically a VO with no voice over.)
| RUNTIME | SCENE DESCRIPTION | SOURCE FOR SCENE | DATELINE |
| first part | STUDIO LOGO | all chapter citations from TTT unless otherwise noted. | Year 3019 |
| . | MAIN TITLE "LOTR" | . | . |
| . | RECAP
[several options, but I like the way they did it in Gladiator, map and bright words. Or one of the Wise narrating. (can't be Gandalf, though] Enter ME via Eagle - Gwaihir circling, closeup, then hold on him vanishing in the distance, leaving us the viewer suspended as the perspective shifts to |
Silm, "Of the Rings of Power & the Third Age" extracts plus from other summations in LOTR. | Feb 26 |
| . | SUBTITLE "TTT" superimposed over sky | . | Feb 26 |
| . | Amon Hen - Aragorn trying to See from there, spooky darkness everywhere, and the Eagle far in the distance. (discreet sfx enhancements indicate that this is Vision and not normal, but "magical.") [MUSIC] | "The Passing of Boromir" | Feb 26 |
| . | CUT to Lorien - Galadriel standing in silent combat facing the Shadow in the East. Leaning exhausted into Celeborn's arms. [MUSIC] | FOTR, Appendix B [implicit backstory] | Feb 26 |
| . | CUT to one of the desperate battles that Frodo Saw from Amon Hen in the end of FOTR-R - the heroic leader we saw hacked down by Warg-Riders now dies in his friends' arms as rescue comes too late (Théodred, w. Elfhelm, Grimbold, Gamling); his last words: "Let me lie here — to keep the Fords … till Éomer comes!" | "The King of the Golden Hall,"
UT [implicit backstory] |
["cheating" -
1st Isen was actually on Feb 25] |
| . | CUT to Amon Hen - Aragorn hears battle, runs off towards danger. | "The Departure of Boromir" | Feb 26 |
| . | CUT to Rivendell - Arwen finishing the Standard - sensing Aragorn's anguish (parallel to Luthien sensing Beren's pain from Doriath), "hears" Galadriel's message: "Aragorn has need of his kindred. Let the Dunedain ride to him in Rohan!" | ROTK, "The Passing of the Grey
Company" [implicit backstory] |
Feb 26 |
| . | CUT to the woods by Parth Galen - Boromir defending Merry and Pippin, sounding the Horn (evocations of Song of Roland) for help as he is shot and the hobbits carried off. | "The Departure of Boromir", "The Uruk-hai" | Feb 26 |
| . | CUT to the Westfold, Fords of Isen, as the surviving Marklords dispatch messengers from the battlefield. | "The King of the Golden Hall,"
UT [implicit backstory] |
Feb 26 |
| . | CUT to the woods by Parth Galen - Aragorn & Boromir. Forensics. Angst. Funeral boat. More angst. The Three Hunters set out. | "The Departure of Boromir" | Feb 26 |
| . | CUT to Rivendell - Arwen gives the Standard to Halbarad, Elrond gives his sons advice, and the Dunedain set out with Elladan, Elrohir, and the as-yet hidden royal Standard. [MUSIC] | ROTK, "The Passing of the Grey Company" [implicit backstory] | Feb 26 |
| . | ZOOM to E. Emyn Muil - Frodo and Sam being trailed by Gollum as it gets dark. Frodo being self-reproachful, irony of them thinking everyone else is safer now. | "The Taming of Smeagol" | Feb 26 |
| . | ZOOM over to W. Emyn Muil - Merry and Pippin being carried by the Orcs through the hills. | "The Uruk-hai" [implicit
backstory] |
Feb 26 |
| . | SEGUE down to Rohan, where a sentry along the borders is carefully watching the Orcs moving along the ridge. They spot him, start shooting arrows at him, but he wheels and rides away at high speed. | "The Uruk-hai" [implicit
backstory] |
Feb 26 |
| . | CUT back up to W. Emyn Muil - Pippin POV, Ugluk vs. Grishnakh,
orc-healing and the descent into
Rohan. |
"The Uruk-hai" | Feb 26 |
| . | ZOOM back to the Hunters tracking them through the night on the other side of the W. Emyn Muil. [MUSIC] | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 26 |
| . | ZOOM over to Isengard, cool sfx shots of the wheels,
fires, smokes and armies getting ready to
invade Rohan, Saruman gloating. [MUSIC] |
"The Road to Isengard" [implicit backstory] | Feb 26 |
| . | FADE to the Orcs as Pippin tries to escape, leaves his brooch as a clue on impulse. | "The Uruk-hai" | Feb 26 |
| . | SPECIAL FADE-IN from the dawning mists of Rohan rising over the wet grass to the mists rising over the stretch of the Great River below the long series of cataracts of Rauros (it isn't Victoria Falls!) and in them, a ghostly silhouette - the Elven boat still intact & faintly radiant. [MUSIC] | "The Window on the West" [implicit backstory] | Feb 27 |
| . | FADE to the Hunters getting up after a brief rest in the pre-dawn and going on. | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 27 |
| . | ZOOM over to the Isen, where Theodred's burial mound, with his banner planted on top, is raw and the Westfolders depressed, afraid, and uncertain, (waiting for Eomer or Isengard whichever is first.) | "The King of the Golden Hall,"
UT [implicit backstory] |
Feb 27 |
| . | CUT to Gollum stalking Frodo and Sam [MUSIC] | "The Taming of Smeagol" | Feb 27 |
| . | CUT to W. Emyn Muil, the Hunters find the dead mutineers and descend the scarp. | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 27 |
| . | CUT to Frodo and Sam freezing and trying to spot or hear Gollum, but seeing nothing. | "The Taming of Smeagol" | Feb 27 |
| . | CUT to the Orcs running, driving Merry & Pippin with whips | "The Uruk-hai" | Feb 27 |
| . | FADE to the Hunters running, seeing the Sun come up on the White Mountains, Aragorn hit with nostalgia for Gondor. | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 27 |
| . | CUT to the Dunedain & Peredhel riding hell-for-leather through Eriador towards the Misty Mountains. [MUSIC] | ROTK, "The Passing of the Grey Company" [implicit backstory] | Feb 27 |
| . | CUT to Gollum, still sneaking after the Ringbearer [MUSIC] | "The Taming of Smeagol" | Feb 27 |
| . | CUT to the Hunters, having to take a break, sharing lembas and a canteen on the sunny grass. [MUSIC] | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 27 |
| . | FADE in to Isengard and the wasteland of the dammed river Isen, the treestumps around it. | description from "The Road To Isengard" | Feb 27 |
| ZOOM back to Fangorn Forest, and in the morning shadows (very cool atmospheric effect, light above in sky, still dark in the land below) a white figure gliding ghostly over the grass at its northern edge - and from the forest, nothing else to be seen, a pair of glowing, inhuman eyes watching through the dead oak leaves. (Green Man carving effect) | "The White Rider" [implicit
backstory] |
Feb 27 | |
| . | CUT to messengers riding over sunny noontime Rohan towards
distant Edoras (no spoilers of the city)
FADE in on dim, impressionistic shots of the old King receiving his son's sword from the subdued messengers, his adopted daughter putting her hand on his shoulder in comfort, the wise senior counsellor shaking his head sadly. A younger man (will prove to be Eomer) gestures passionately towards the messengers, gripping his own sword in token of urgency to fight, and is waved away by the King and Grima. (All very shadow-play, silent-movie evocative) [MUSIC] |
"The King of the Golden Hall,"
UT [implicit backstory] |
Feb 27 |
| . | CUT to Gollum sniffing his way along. [MUSIC] | "The Taming of Smeagol" | Feb 27 |
| . | CUT to a single Rider riding over the fields, we see from his face this is the same one who spotted the Orcs and got away. (for sake of continuity, make him Eothain.) [MUSIC] | "The King of the Golden Hall,"
UT [implicit backstory] |
Feb 27 |
| . | CUT to E. Emyn Muil, Frodo & Sam getting disoriented, recognizing same formation of rock as before. | "The Taming of Smeagol" | Feb 27 |
| . | CUT to the Hunters back on the trail. | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 27 |
| . | ZOOM ahead to the Orcs taking a brief halt now, emphasizing the widening lead. | "The Uruk-hai" | Feb 27 |
| . | FADE to the funeral boat of their victim
gliding along the current of Anduin in a golden afternoon glitter on the water. [MUSIC] |
"The Window on the West" [implicit backstory] | Feb 27 |
| . | ZOOM up and over Rohan to the Rider (Eothain) bringing news of Orcs, grimfaced. [MUSIC] | "The King of the Golden Hall,"
UT [implicit backstory] |
Feb 27 |
| . | FADE to the Orcs charging along
through the growing darkness. [MUSIC] |
"The Uruk-hai" | Feb 27 |
| . | FADE to three Hunters arguing over whether to stop for the night or not. | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 27 |
| . | FADE to close-up of Eomer sitting mournfully by the hearth
fire, tears running down his cheeks, but anger in his eyes as well as sorrow.
The Rider (Eothain) taps Eomer on the shoulder, and whispers to him urgently; Eomer stands up, eyes blazing, and sweeps off-screen. CUT to Eomer riding out in the dark at the head of a hundred-plus warriors: his personal guard, ready to flatten Orcs. CUT to closeup of Grima looking on as the sound of hooves fades, smiling smugly. [MUSIC] (all of these shots are in fairly tight focus, to minimize the spoiler effect when Gandalf & Co finally arrive and we get the grand tour of Meduseld) |
"The King of the Golden Hall,"
UT [implicit backstory] |
Feb 27 |
| . | CUT to the Orcs pounding on through the night. [MUSIC] | "The Uruk-hai" | Feb 27 |
| . | FADE to Frodo and Sam camped out miserably in the cold rocks again. [MUSIC] | "The Taming of Smeagol" | Feb 28 |
| . | FADE in to pre-dawn on the Plains of Rohan. Legolas despairs. Aragorn hears horses but can't interpret. They go on. | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 28 |
| . | CUT to sunrise. The Orcs halt for a breather. Desertions. Grishnakh returns. They start running again. | "The Uruk-hai" | Feb 28 |
| . | CUT to Eomer and co spotting their prey and starting to vector in like a squadron of fighter planes. [MUSIC] | "The Uruk-hai"
[implicit backstory] |
Feb 28 |
| . | CUT The Three Hunters still gamely following the trail in daylight. [MUSIC] | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 28 |
| . | ZOOM over the wider lead to the Orcs catching up with the deserters, spotting Eomer's pursuit. The Riders herd the Orcs along - afternoon. [MUSIC] | "The Uruk-hai" | Feb 28 |
| . | SEGUE to Frodo and Sam stumbling along through the rocks as it gets darker. [MUSIC] | "The Taming of Smeagol" | Feb 28 |
| . | SEGUE to Merry & Pippin, the Orcs picking up strength and speed as it gets darker. [MUSIC] | "The Uruk-hai" | Feb 28 |
| . | ZOOM back over the worsening lead to the Three Hunters having to stop for the night. | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 28 |
| . | FADE to the Entwash. The Orcs are surrounded. Nighttime standoff. Grishnakh tries for the Ring, Merry & Pippin escape in the chaos to the edge of the Forest. | "The Uruk-hai" | Feb 28 |
| . | FADE in to pre-dawn, E. Emyn Muil. Frodo and Sam resolve to find a way down today. | "The Taming of Smeagol" | Feb 29 |
| . | FADE in to dawn, Plains of Rohan. Legolas is still up, sees omens and portents by the Forest, they go on. | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 29 |
| . | ZOOM ahead to the edge of the Forest as the Sun rises in red fury. The Riders attack, trample the Orcs, except for Ugluk's remnant legion's disciplined retreat to the forest. [MUSIC] | "The Uruk-hai" | Feb 29 |
| . | SEGUE uphill to Merry & Pippin watching, then letting common sense win over curiosity and fleeing deeper into the forest. [MUSIC] | "The Uruk-hai" | Feb 29 |
| . | SEGUE back to the Uruks as the Riders battle them to a standstill, Ugluk's Last Stand, Eomer dismounting to fight him "man to man" as a warrior, instead of safely shooting him down from a distance, and decapitates him. [MUSIC] | "The Uruk-hai" | Feb 29 |
| . | CUT to the Three Hunters, still going. [MUSIC] | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 29 |
| . | CUT to edge of the Forest, the burial parties underway, Eomer honours Ugluk in a semi-barbaric way. [MUSIC] | "The Riders of Rohan" [implicit backstory] | Feb 29 |
| . | SEGUE in to the Forest, where Merry and Pippin are meeting Treebeard. | "Treebeard" | Feb 29 |
| . | FADE to the Hunters gloomily trekking on. [MUSIC] | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 29 |
| . | FADE to Frodo and Sam still wandering in the wilderness as it starts to get overcast.[MUSIC] | "The Taming of Smeagol" | Feb 29 |
| . | CUT to the Dunedain & Peredhel approaching the passes over the Misty Mts. [MUSIC] | ROTK, "The Passing of the Grey Company" [implicit backstory] | Feb 29 |
| . | CUT back to the Hunters pushing through the twilight. [MUSIC] | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 29 |
| . | FADE to twilight, E. Emyn Muil where Nazgul overflight brings terror from the clouds. Frodo, climbing, falls on the rocks and doesn't answer. It looks very bad. | "The Taming of Smeagol" | Feb 29 |
| . | CUT to Merry and Pippin enjoying Treebeard's hospitality. The golden lights and green of Treebeard's living hall, and the radiant trees that brighten at his will. Learning about the Forest. | "Treebeard" | Feb 29 |
| . | FADE to the Three Hunters miserably crashing for the night. | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 29 |
| . | FADE in to Sam and Frodo recovering, using the rope. Gollum comes and they ambush him. | "The Taming of Smeagol" | Feb 29 |
| . | FADE to Anduin and the outpost of the forces of Gondor. Faramir sees the glowing funeral barque under the midnight sky. [MUSIC] | "The Window on the West" [implicit backstory] | Feb 29 |
| . | FADE to Gollum swearing on the Precious to guide them. Frodo hopes to redeem him: "Perhaps we'll find him." (ie Smeagol) | "The Taming of Smeagol" | Feb 30 |
| . | FADE to The Three Hunters getting going again at dawn. | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 30 |
| . | FADE to Fangorn - Merry & Pippin are taken to Entmoot. | "Treebeard" | Feb 30 |
| . | CUT to Rohan, morning, Eomer & his eored riding back from the battlefield - empty saddles. In the distance the smoke from the burning and the mound for the killed Riders. [MUSIC] | "The Riders of Rohan" [implicit backstory] | Feb 30 |
| . | CUT to a worried Faramir leaving the River outpost and riding towards distant Minas Tirith. [MUSIC] | "The Window on the West", Appendix B [implicit backstory] | Feb 30 |
| . | FADE to Frodo, Sam crashed. Gollum is trustworthy. Sam guilty. Frodo says they're not going to make it back. | "The Passage of the Marshes" | Feb 30 |
| . | CUT to the Three Hunters running [MUSIC] | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 30 |
| . | CUT to the Dingle - as Entmoot begins, Merry & Pippin discuss things past, passing and to come. | "Treebeard" | Feb 30 |
| . | FADE to Frodo, Sam - Gollum talks about being caught by Sauron. | "The Passage of the Marshes" | Feb 30 |
| . | FADE to Rohan - the Three Hunters continue on, spot the Riders and sit down with resignation to wait for them. | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 30 |
| . | FADE to Frodo, Sam, Gollum also sitting it out; en route to the Black Gate, Gollum complains about Sun, the quiet, & lack of yummy birds as they rest. | "The Passage of the Marshes" | Feb 30 |
| . | FADE to Rohan again. The Three Hunters meet and win over Eomer, (Hey! he's THAT Eomer?! We know where he's supposed to be...) talk ethics and receive mounts. (No seasick-making camera swings as the "musical ride" sweeps in, around and circles to a close like a precision flying team! It should look like a foaming wave of silver mail and grey horses cresting the "green sea".) | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 30 |
| . | SEGUE ahead of the Hunters into the Forest; at Entmoot, Treebeard being considerate of the hobbits' boredom. Merry & Pippin are introduced to Quickbeam. | "Treebeard" | Feb 30 |
| . | ZOOM over the Forest to the other side where the Hunters have just reached the Burning. [MUSIC- Score very somber, Faure-like here] | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 30 |
| . | CUT to Minas Tirith, Faramir and Denethor - Denethor shows him the split pieces of Boromir's horn. (close focus, so as not to spoil the Steward's Hall for later, plus intensity) [MUSIC] | "The Window on the West", Appendix B [implicit backstory] | Feb 30 |
| . | CUT to the Dunedain and Peredhel bringing the King's Standard through the Mountains. [MUSIC] | ROTK, "The Passing of the Grey Company" [implicit backstory] | Feb 30 |
| . | FADE from the starlight over the mountains to the "corpse candles" in the Marshes, being glimpsed by Sam disbelievingly. [MUSIC] | "The Passage of the Marshes" | Feb 30 |
| . | CUT to the Burning, camping on the edge of the Forest, losing their horses at seeing a Mysterious Stranger in the dark. | "The Riders of Rohan" | Feb 30 |
| . | CUT to Frodo, Sam, Gollum and the ghosts of the last army to take on Sauron in the Dead Marshes. (visual, musical cues mood of warning, intense sadness as well as horror.) | "The Passage of the Marshes" | Feb 30 |
| RUNTIME | SCENE DESCRIPTION | SOURCE | DATELINE |
| second part | SEGUE in to edge of Forest, as Three Hunters figure out what happened to the hobbits, are reunited with Gandalf. Catching up. Flashback V/O to the Balrog battle (not spoiled before in Intro.) Current events. heading for Edoras. | "The White Rider" | Mar 01 |
| . | ZOOM up and over to the Dingle and Entmoot still going on | "Treebeard" | Mar 01 |
| . | ZOOM up and over to Isengard forces moving into the Westfold. | Mar 01 | |
| . | CUT to Frodo, Sam, Gollum still picking their way through the Marshes. | "The Passage of the Marshes" | Mar 01 |
| . | ZOOM across from Nomans-land to Minas Tirith, with Faramir leaving the City for Ithilien. (Show enough to make it clear this is a great city, but not enough to spoil the wonder when we get there in ROTK.) Emphasis on how darn close they are to Mordor via high view of Cair Andros, ruined Osgiliath, Ithilien and the Roads. | Appendix B [implicit backstory] | Mar 01 |
| . | ZOOM over to Rohan and the Company riding through the day towards the mountains. | "The White Rider" | Mar 01 |
| . | CUT to close shots of Eomer being disarmed and taken away by unhappy- looking Riders, himself looking unhappy but resigned. (Again, do not spoil the surprise of Edoras & Meduseld.) | "The King of the Golden Hall,"
UT [implicit backstory] |
Mar 01 |
| . | FADE to Frodo, Sam, Gollum in the Dead Marshes. | "The Passage of the Marshes" | Mar 01 |
| . | FADE to Rohan and the Company riding, late afternoon. | "The White Rider" | Mar 01 |
| . | CUT to a forlorn Eomer, in "civvies," locked in a bare room, pacing, looking into the distance distrught, then flinging himself down on a pallet, his head in his hands. VO (memory) of Aragorn: "I will not fail." Was he wrong to trust him? | "The King of the Golden Hall,"
UT [implicit backstory] |
Mar 01 |
| . | CUT to Merry, Pippin, Quickbeam waiting for a decision as it gets dark again. | "Treebeard" | Mar 01 |
| . | FADE in to Merry, Pippin, Quickbeam still waiting for a decision in the morning | "Treebeard" | Mar 02 |
| . | ZOOM out to Edoras - nervous disquieted guards, Hama,
Theoden, Eowyn, Grima - arrivals,
challenges, revelations, Gandalf frees Theoden and reveals part of the Quest. |
"The King of the Golden Hall" | Mar 02 |
| . | ZOOM to Dead Marshes - that Quest going through hell there | "The Passage of the Marshes" | Mar 02 |
| . | SEGUE back to Edoras - Theoden chooses to fight. Eomer freed. Arming sequence. Rohan's informal "politics." Heading out. | "The King of the Golden Hall" | Mar 02 |
| . | ZOOM across Rohan to the Forest, SEGUE in to the Entmoot deciding, Merry, Pippin & Fangorn marching out. | "Treebeard" | Mar 02 |
| . | ZOOM across Rohan to the Westfold, the Route at 2nd Isen, Erkenbrand lost, Gamling pulling back to the Keep. Lots of views of the terrain from all high angles, so that viewers can see how desperate it is, along with the messy chaos from Riders' POV. | "Helm's Deep" | Mar 02 |
| . | ZOOM to the Forest on the move | "Treebeard" | Mar 02 |
| . | CUT to the Misty Mountains to the Dunedain threading the pass. (It's getting on to spring, not as much snow right now) | ROTK, "The Passing of the Grey Company" [implicit backstory] | Mar 02 |
| . | FADE to the Riders going west, through the afternoon. | "Helm's Deep" | Mar 02 |
| . | ZOOM over Rohan to the convoy under Eowyn's command going east to Dunharrow. | ROTK [implicit backstory] | Mar 02 |
| . | CUT to Frodo, Sam Gollum reaching the Desert | "The Passage of the Marshes" | Mar 02 |
| . | CUT to the chaos in the Westfold | "Helm's Deep," UT | Mar 02 |
| . | CUT to the Riders bivouacking for the night - roughing it on the ground | "Helm's Deep" | Mar 02 |
| . | ZOOM to Isengard - the Ents and Huorns arrive. The Armies of Saruman march out for Helm's Deep. ZOOM out following them, long view of the Huorns flowing down towards Isengard as the Orcs and Warg-Riders depart. | "Flotsam & Jetsam" | Mar 02 |
| . | SPECIAL FADE-IN from natural darkness to a flickering, distorted, red-hued version of the same, and then pull out to reveal this is a palantir, with someone (Denethor) watching in profile. | ROTK [implicit backstory] | Mar 02 |
| . | FADE to the shining funeral boat being carried out into
the mouths of the Anduin, the moonlit sea
ahead. |
"The Departure of Boromir" | Mar 02 |
| . | FADE to Frodo, Sam, Gollum still trudging through the
nighttime Desert. Nazgul scream from far
overhead, winged shadow (don't spoil Fell Beasts yet, just a spooky moonlit silhouette now) |
"The Passage of the Marshes" | Mar 03 |
| . | ZOOM west with the sunrise to Rohan and the Riders breaking camp. | "Helm's Deep" | Mar 03 |
| . | FADE into very long shot of Isengard all surrounded by
clouds of smoke or steam, Orthanc rising
above them, no details. |
descr. from "The Road to Isengard" | Mar 03 |
| . | FADE into scenes of Dunharrow, the convoy moving into
the ravines, close foreground shots of the
Pukel-men statues. |
ROTK [implicit backstory] | Mar 03 |
| . | ZOOM out the long way back along the road to Minas Tirith, passing the southern woods - HOLD on a live Druadan sitting very still in the eaves of the forest, keeping watch. | ROTK [implicit backstory] | Mar 03 |
| . | resume ZOOM out to the Pelennor, over the river into Ithilien and on to Mordor, high angle - we want it to be clear how much ground has to be made up to get to Gondor, how little from MT to Mordor. | ROTK [implicit backstory] | Mar 03 |
| . | ZOOM down to Frodo, Sam, Gollum poking along southwards as the afternoon draws to a bloody sunset . More Nazgul shadows overflying. | "The Passage of the Marshes" | Mar 03 |
| . | SPECIAL FADE to the same sullen end-of-day, Ceorl riding out of the sunset to give intel; Gandalf takes off again. Hama stakes his trust in Gandalf despite the doubters. Theoden & Co ride on. | "Helm's Deep" | Mar 03 |
| . | CUT back to Frodo, Sam, Gollum finding a foxhole and camping for the night. | "The Riders of Rohan" | Mar 03 |
| . | CUT to long view of Gandalf galloping on Shadowfax over the Downs in twilight. | "Helm's Deep," [implicit backstory] | Mar 03 |
| . | CUT to Dunharrow and the civilians unpacking under Eowyn's stern direction. | ROTK [implicit backstory] | Mar 03 |
| . | CUT to the Westfold and Theoden's advance forces skirmishing with enemy "cavalry" exchanging shots in the dark before both sides break off. | "Helm's Deep" | Mar 03 |
| . | CUT to close-up of Gandalf galloping on Shadowfax through the night. | "Helm's Deep," [implicit backstory] | Mar 03 |
| . | CUT to Theoden's scouts reporting back in about the mess up ahead. | "Helm's Deep" | Mar 03 |
| . | CUT to very long shot of Gandalf and Shadowfax like ghosts over the Plain. | "Helm's Deep," [implicit backstory] | Mar 03 |
| . | CUT to the Isengarders marching through burning things, closeup wiht their torches and rams. | "Helm's Deep" | Mar 03 |
| . | ZOOM up from them, showing how little lead the Good Guys have, to catch up with the Riders arriving at the Dike and meeting Gamling. Long views shwoing the layout of the terrain, fortress. | "Helm's Deep" | Mar 03 |
| . | FADE to the Desert. Sam witnesses the first Gollum/ Smeagol debate and plays it very cool. | "The Passage of the Marshes" | Mar 03 |
| . | FADE to the Hornburg. Eomer takes charge of the defenses, the enemy catches up, the Riders do not fire but maintain order until the "yellows of their eyes" and the sortie is by Aragorn and Eomer and a commando squad, Gimli volunteering secretly & saving Eomer, raiders sneak in, get killed, sappers start blowing things up, the defenders throw back the grappling hooks and ladders, it goes on and on and on without respite, (ie no cuts to action elsewhere in the world, we're stuck here like in the opening battles of SPR or TRL) just as it would if you were there (only compressed for time, obviously) until Aragorn no longer knows who's alive and who isn't and finally Theoden despairs that this was the right choice to trust Gandalf, a little, and prepares to ride forth, to make some kind of difference, and do something instead of just waiting for them to come get him. Worthy of a song, even if no one's left to sing about it. | "Helm's Deep" | Mar 03/04 |
| . | CUT to the horizon and the sky lightening [MUSIC - the Horn sounding, echoing in the Deep - a deep throbbing sound, but musical - NOT an ugly farting blatting noice.] | "Helm's Deep" | Mar 04 |
| . | SEGUE down to the Hornburg. Dawn riding forth. Death of Hama saving the King at the Gates (very brutal "they hewed Hama at the Gate after he was dead" stuff) just as Gandalf and Erkenbrand come to the rescue over the low hills. The Forest is waiting. ZOOM slowly out, showing the Forest now filling the valley, emphatic contrast to all the previous ZOOMs over this terrain. Make the most of this with music for mystical/ominous effect. | "Helm's Deep" | Mar 04 |
| RUNTIME | SCENE DESCRIPTION | SOURCE | DATELINE |
| third part | FADE in to the Desert. Frodo et al get going. Sam watches Gollum/Smeagol like a hawk. | "The Passage of the Marshes" | Mar 04 |
| . | CUT to the Hornburg, the mopping up of the demoralized Isengard forces seen from on high, as if by the "birds of battle," figures small and chaotic but overwhelmed by the masses of the surrounding mountains and trees. HOLD on the clearing sky over the mountains. | "Helm's Deep" | Mar 04 |
| . | SEGUE over the horizon to Dunharrow. Worried but businesslike civilians at Dunharrow, keeping the base running while they wait for news of the battle, fletching arrows, making food. Eowyn determined. [MUSIC] | ROTK [implicit backstory] | Mar 04 |
| . | CUT to the Dunedain breaking camp and making trail again. [MUSIC] | ROTK [implicit backstory] | Mar 04 |
| . | CUT to the Westfold, then ZOOM to the Hornburg, again showing the Forest now up to the valley. Gimli & Legolas emotional reunion. Gandalf brief explanation. Plans, messengers sent out. | "The Road to Isengard" | Mar 04 |
| . | CUT to Denethor sitting bent over as if in pain, close focus (so as not to spoil the surprise of the Throne Room, plus for stronger emotional impact.) If he were any lesser man he would be crying, but the "old eagle" faces doom like the son of Rome, er, the City of Seven Heights that he is. [MUSIC] | ROTK [implicit backstory] | Mar 04 |
| . | CUT to the battlefield before the Hornburg, unlendings surprised that the "savage" Rohirrim aren't going to torture them or burn them alive. Recovery operations started. | "The Road to Isengard" | Mar 04 |
| . | CUT to Frodo, Sam, Gollum reaching the slag-heaps. "I feel sick." | "The Passage of the Marshes" | Mar 04 |
| . | SPECIAL FADE back to the Hornburg, visual equation of mounds at the Morannon w/the Riders' burial mounds being raised. Hama's grave. Theoden and the Company getting ready to go to Isengard. | "The Road to Isengard" | Mar 04 |
| . | FADE to Frodo, Sam, Gollum struggling through the wasteland. | "The Passage of the Marshes" | Mar 04 |
| . | CUT to the Riders and the Company journeying through the Forest.Gimli tells about the Caves, Legolas makes a promise. (VO Nat'l Geographic quality films of spelunkers' paradise. Strong visual contrast with the surrounding clips of Sauron's industrial wasteland.) | "The Road to Isengard" | Mar 04 |
| . | FADE back to that wasteland with Frodo, Sam, Gollum creeping through the war-machine pollution. [use paintings from the front in WWI as scenic inspiration] | "The Passage of the Marshes" | Mar 04 |
| . | CUT back to the Forest. (Ooh! Eyes! --Let me off first, you lunatic!) Encountering Ents. | "The Road to Isengard" | Mar 04 |
| . | CUT to Dunharrow, messengers arriving, Rohirrim rejoicing, Eowyn looking out with silent exultation into the West as the red sunset washes over her face | ROTK [implicit backstory] | Mar 04 |
| . | SEGUE from that same red sunset - the Riders find the Wargs eating Orcs, but not the fallen of Rohan. Gandalf explains. The Forests return home like a sea of darkness around them. | ROTK [implicit backstory] | Mar 04 |
| . | FADE to a black ship (note, not any exact recognizable Earth class!), lean and raked with stealthed sails, eerie under the moonlight - which is roused to alarm by the watchmen spotting a ghostly light on the distant waves, as the Elven-boat glides silently past the Corsairs' fleet, leaving a glowing wake across the Bay... [MUSIC] | "The Departure of Boromir" [implicit backstory] | Mar 04 |
| . | SPECIAL FADE from the wake to the rippling of daylight water - the Isen returns. The Riders and friends journeying past the river, through the wrecked Wizard's Vale, the White Hand statue (make sure this was seen also in the Isengard march-past in part II) | "The Road to Isengard | Mar 05 |
| . | CUT back to Frodo, Sam, Gollum come up to the horror of the very solid Black Gate. Obviously no way through, obviously a much more serious outfit than Orthanc. | "The Black Gate is Closed" | Mar 05 |
| . | CUT to the Gate of Isengard - shock of the devastation, emotional reunions, lunch break, catching up via voice-over - all the Entish destruction of Isengard, Grima's arrival, Gandalf's arrival, discovery of Shire imports in enemy territory. | "Flotsam and Jetsam" | Mar 05 |
| . | FADE to The Black Gate - Gollum comes up with an alternative. | "The Black Gate is Closed" | Mar 05 |
| . | ZOOM back to Orthanc - confrontation with the enemy. Saruman tries his last gamble and loses badly. Grima throws the palantir. | "The Voice of Saruman" | Mar 05 |
| . | CUT to the Dunedain riding through the Wold. [MUSIC] | ROTK [implicit backstory] | Mar 05 |
| . | CUT to Ithilien - Gollum, spying, watches the Southron army march past in scarlet and gold. [MUSIC] | "The Black Gate is Closed" | Mar 05 |
| SPECIAL fade to the palantir vision of the same: Denethor watching with stoic expressionlessness in the high room of the tower | ROTK [implicit backstory] | Mar 05 | |
| . | CUT to the contrasting grey bleakness of Isengard. Farewell to the Ents. Treebeard empathises with Saruman, will miss Merry & Pippin. The White Hand is seen smashed. | "The Voice of Saruman", "The Palantir" | Mar 05 |
| . | CUT to the Dunedain still bringing the Banner south. [MUSIC] | ROTK [implicit backstory] | Mar 05 |
| . | FADE to Gollum reporting in with news of Southrons, Sam asks about Oliphants and explains what they are & how he'd risk a lot to see one. Frodo is cheered up. They move on. | "The Black Gate is Closed" | Mar 05 |
| . | FADE to Rohan as Pippin messes with the Palantir and is taken away by Gandalf. Nazgul! | "The Palantir" | Mar 05 |
| . | ZOOM up and across to the Eastern Front (have fun equating Shadowax to Earendil or Isil visually here) and Frodo, Sam, Gollum reaching the ancient Road before resting. | "Of Herbs & Stewed Rabbit" | Mar 05 |
| . | FADE back to Rohan, quick plans, Merry worried, "Many hopes will wither in this bitter spring" as they ride on. | ROTK, "The Passing of the Grey Company" | Mar 05 |
| . | FADE to sunrise in Ithilien's "dryad loveliness" in the ruins of Gondor's glory, the hobbits and Gollum walking through the increasingly lush terrain. Sometimes passing Orc-signs, open garbage dumps and Eye grafitti cut into the trees, they come to an ancient ruined stone basin with a fountain. [MUSIC] | "Of Herbs & Stewed Rabbit" | Mar 06 |
| . | SPECIAL FADE from the rampant verdure and fresh running water to the Court of the White Tree in Gondor, Denethor's shadowy figure as he paces. HOLD on classical style stonework of "acanthus leaf" garland, | ROTK [implicit backstory] | Mar 06 |
| . | SPECIAL FADE from the stylized carved leaves to the real ones in Ithilien, as Sam, happily collecting exotic plant specimens, discovers the site of a former skirmish, and its dead, overgrown with clematis like a Pacific Island battlefield. He goes back somberly, says nothing to Frodo or Gollum. | "Of Herbs & Stewed Rabbit" | Mar 06 |
| . | FADE to Boromir's funeral barque vanishing into the haze as the day brightens, the light of the Lorien vessel merging with the glow of the ocean as the son of lost Atalante is taken by the Sea... | "The Departure of Boromir"
[implicit backstory] |
Mar 06 |
| . | FADE to Ithilien, Sam's idea, Gollum helps, cooking lunch,
afterwards Frodo & Sam captured by camouflaged commandos in masks -
Gollum flees. (Did he betray them? Who are these guys? Hey, wait--!)
FADE TO BLACK |
"Of Herbs & Stewed Rabbit" | Mar 06 |
| 180 minutes | CREDITS ROLL | . | . |