Shot ideas

For the Sea Project, a section of the animation is potentially going to involve the metaphorical white horse waves and for that I envisioned a cavalry charge. The cavalry charge was a foot-soldier's nightmare as not only were they having to go up against another soldier armed with a sword but they also have to contend with a charging horse which has the capabilitiy of killing a soldier just with its weight and momentum alone.

So to see a dozen or so horses in the form of a wave charging towards the two people in the water is a good way of increasing the fear because naturally when we see a horse running towards us, our reaction is to run away.

Portraying this idea is all in shot design so below I've picked out shots from two films that contain a lot of cavalry charges, Lord of the Rings and War Horse.

Close up: The horse's flared nostrils, mouth frothing and eyes bulging depict the speed we naturally look at the face for emotion.  

Medium shot: Head and chest of horses are all that are seen. Powerful muscles, flared nostrils, heads held high. It's a good shot to suggest a wave.

 

Another close up

 

Legs: Depicting speed, in this case emphasising the fact they are galloping. Could be hard to animate a line of legs though and when we are frightened of something we naturally look at the face. In addition to this with it being a wave, the legs are more likely to be hidden under the wave anyway.

 

 

Long shot to establish the power and danger. A good shot to consider to depict an incoming wave.

 

'They're dangerous at both ends......crafty in the middle'   

 Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows