I've made some edits and changes to the synopsis and updated both the logline and breakdown. I was definitely mislabeling the breakdown as the logline earlier, so I got that sorted out now! I'll be posting updated storyboards to reflect these story updates soon. I've also come up with a Title for the film!

TITLE: Headliner

LOGLINE: A lead singer struggles to cope with survivor's guilt and grief

BREAKDOWN: Grief and guilt are often unfinished emotions that there is no clear end point to

SYNOPSIS: London walks off stage as cheers echo behind him at the end of a concert. He exits toward the camera, taking a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it. He’s now in a bathroom looking in a dirty mirror, wiping eyeliner off his eyes and we focus on his left eye, where his eyebrow scar is. He looks tired and burnt out, as he gets into a bathtub and sinks into the water, letting out a heavy breath. As he pushes his hair back and sinks into the water, we hear Val's voice saying, "London?" He looks up in shock and we see Val sitting on the other side of the tub. She is somewhat see-through in contrast to the solid room around them, her arms are folded and she’s smiling faintly.

“Val?!” London cries out, sitting up in the bath, the water sloshes around him but does not move around Val. “You’ve never been the same, you know?” Her voice is far away, it’s different from his. We can tell she isn’t really here. “Nothing is.” As she says these words, water almost reaches up around London and the water swallows him up. He’s holding his breath, sinking into an open body of water.

He’s letting himself sink for a moment, stray bubbles around him as he falls deeper into darker waters. He shakes his head and his eyes bulge open and he begins to swim up, he’s struggling to gain traction and it seems for a moment the depths are swallowing him whole until he gains momentum and begins toward the top. His head breaks the surface and he gasps for air.

As he gasps for air he realizes he’s on a stage now, standing in front of a microphone, holding onto the stand for balance as he regains his composure. In the background we can see aging posters advertising a performance featuring Val. London looks out at the auditorium seats, Val sits front and center. “Go on, sing. I can’t anymore.” London leans into the mic, “Val-” but before he can say anything more the microphone gives harsh feedback and a spotlight shines down on London. He squints into it, the light taking over the screen.

The lights are so bright he can only faintly see Val sitting in the rows of seats, and as the light gets brighter the seats form into gravestones. We’re in a graveyard now, London stands in front of Val’s gravestone, the grave itself is an open plot. Val appears behind him. She’s smoking a cigarette. “I always thought these would kill me,” she comments as she throws it into the open grave. London watches the cigarette burn out. “But it coulda been either one of us.” As she says this London sees the name on the grave is now his. Val pushes him in, he falls headfirst into the coffin.

London is bruised up and laying on asphalt, his eyebrow is cut open and bleeding heavily. His eyes slowly open. Val lays dead across from him, and he hears police chatter about one casualty and one alive but in critical condition. She has a box of cigarettes in her hand, the same brand he had himself at the concert. The last thing we hear is someone on the radio saying “Help is on the way.”

ALSO - Have a character reference for Val! I was playing around with colors and clothing for her and think I settled on one I like. I might tone down the neon green a bit but since she’ll be somewhat see through I think the neon might be nice, I’ll be playing around with more colors and concept pieces soon too.