Mental Storyboarding

I've decided not to do another storyboard as such, as I'm not entirely sure which locations I'll actually be able to film effectively enough, and instead I'm taking my visual cue from the old images themselves. I'm letting them guide me, and feel they tell a better story than I ever could, so THEY should be at the forefront of my visual ideas.

I've already got ideas and inspiration from just looking at them, and this post is just a few notes on describing a few of those ideas. So taking my visual cues from the archival imagery, I know where I think the video will start. As I've got to get to Sheffield on the train, I might as well kick things off at the train station...

Ideally I'd like to capture a train heading off into the distance too, in order to crossfade with this old one, but ultimately, this will depend on train schedules and platform angles and positions. We'll see if I can get it on the day.

Another cue I got is from this image of Castle Square...

I'd like to crossfade with an old and new tram, and as this is taken perfectly sideways to what is now a tram line, this would perhaps be the best place to do it.
Another cue is this image...

...which gives me a great closing shot to work with. What better way to wrap up the whole video and idea than to crossfade an entire landscape of the city the idea is based on? I think the hills behind the train station should prove suitable for this shot.
The biggest and possibly trickiest idea to pull off based on visual inspiration form the old photos is from this one...

...one of my initial scans from the excellent book I bought, showing an old honest boot polisher applying his trade.

I would love to have my actress "interact" with this ghost from the past in some way, maybe in a similar way to the footage I posted before of the horror movie, where she sees through the lens the echoes of the past looking right at her. I'm thinking maybe she sees this little street scene happening, then maybe aims the tablet frame down to see her OWN shoes being polished? Would be very tricky to pull off, but possibly one of the best points of the video if done right. We'll see, I'll get the footage needed regardless and have a play. I'd rather try and fail than not try at all!