The Broken Drum

Dream Storyboards · Kerala mural painting
The Broken Drum

0:00 / 1:54
An old temple drummer will not let his granddaughter play her own beat, until his drum splits on festival day and the temple elephant refuses to move for anyone else's rhythm.
style
Kerala mural painting
frames
16 key frames + 7 in-betweens
narration
1:54
Storyboard
  1. The temple courtyard at the festival: old Achan beats his drum, Kesavan the elephant walks in through the gateway, and Meenu watches with a clay pot.

    01 The temple courtyard at the festival: old Achan beats his drum, Kesavan the elephant walks in through the gateway, and Meenu watches with a clay pot.

  2. In the back yard, Meenu drums on her clay pot, grinning.

    02 In the back yard, Meenu drums on her clay pot, grinning.

  3. Achan stands in the doorway and points at her, frowning.

    03 Achan stands in the doorway and points at her, frowning.

  4. That evening, Achan sits on the step pulling the cords of his drum tight; her pot sits in the yard.

    04 That evening, Achan sits on the step pulling the cords of his drum tight; her pot sits in the yard.

  5. Close on the drum-skin: a thin crack runs in from the rim.

    05 Close on the drum-skin: a thin crack runs in from the rim.

  6. Achan turns his face away from the drum, eyes shut.

    06 Achan turns his face away from the drum, eyes shut.

  7. Festival day: Achan strikes the cracked drum; a jagged, off-key sound goes toward Kesavan, who sits down in the gateway with his head turned away.

    07 Festival day: Achan strikes the cracked drum; a jagged, off-key sound goes toward Kesavan, who sits down in the gateway with his head turned away.

  8. Kesavan sits with his eyes shut tight and his head turned away from the jarring beat.

    08 Kesavan sits with his eyes shut tight and his head turned away from the jarring beat.

  9. Achan raises both sticks high, teeth gritted.

    09 Achan raises both sticks high, teeth gritted.

  10. The skin splits open along the crack.

    10 The skin splits open along the crack.

  11. Meenu sits down in front of the gate and drums on her pot, the way she did in the yard.

    11 Meenu sits down in front of the gate and drums on her pot, the way she did in the yard.

  12. Achan leans over her, glaring, and jabs a stick toward her face; she flinches.

    12 Achan leans over her, glaring, and jabs a stick toward her face; she flinches.

  13. His face softens as he looks down at her, his sticks lowered to the drum.

    13 His face softens as he looks down at her, his sticks lowered to the drum.

  14. One stick raised, the other strikes the wooden rim of the broken drum.

    14 One stick raised, the other strikes the wooden rim of the broken drum.

  15. Kesavan stands up in the gateway and lifts one front foot over the threshold.

    15 Kesavan stands up in the gateway and lifts one front foot over the threshold.

  16. Next year, under new festival garlands: a taller Meenu leads with a drum, and Achan beside her taps the rim of his old, mended drum.

    16 Next year, under new festival garlands: a taller Meenu leads with a drum, and Achan beside her taps the rim of his old, mended drum.