Armageddon Is Coming
Momentum Theory, order FO31C240C9B85. The plan for the whole video, 6:41.2 long, 117 shots. Due 21/10/2026.
- "we have a bunch of pictures we want to have incorporated into the video, part of the flow": all 30 of his pictures are in, each on the lyric line it was made for. The list at the bottom shows where each one plays.
- "the end of the song, last frame / frames should be the lead singer on the stage, saying the words 'You knew the words. But you never lived them'": the last four shots, from 6:03 to the end, and the very last picture is him alone on stage.
- "this looks better i think for the end bit": his newer end picture is the one where the singer says the line.
- Title with the band and song name: "no thanks". There is no title anywhere.
- "fairly dramatic", "just a little darker", and the band has five men, no woman.
- Every shot starts on the beat just before its line is sung. Times are the real seconds of his song.
- his picture means the shot is his own picture, moving. "Closer" means the same picture, framed tighter.
- new scene means a new picture drawn in the same look as his, for a line none of his pictures shows. 46 of these. They are drawn after this plan is checked.
- One thing to look at: two of his pictures show a man who looks like a real, well known politician (2:17 and 2:06). At 2:17 his throne picture plays as he made it. When it comes back at 4:34 the framing stays on the kneeling preacher's hands, not on the face. The new scenes never show that face, only a man from behind.
Intro
drawn after this check
Night. The megachurch from outside, as big as a stadium, a giant lit cross on its front, storm clouds rolling over it.
What moves: the camera glides slowly toward the building; clouds roll; the cross flickers.
His picture: the empty golden throne in the cathedral, cameras waiting on both sides.
What moves: slow push in toward the empty throne; candle flames move; light shafts drift.
His picture: the band on stage in white light (his black and white version).
What moves: the band starts to play; white beams sweep; crowd hands come up.
Verse 1
His picture: the preacher in white at the golden pulpit, Bible raised high, arms wide.
What moves: he thrusts the Bible higher; the crowd's hands rise; cameras swing toward him.
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Backstage behind the red curtain: two men in suits lean close, one slides a folded cheque inside the other's Bible. Faces half in shadow.
What moves: the cheque slides into the Bible; the Bible closes; a small nod.
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Inside the arena: long banners with a gold cross drop from the roof beside the flags, over the crowd.
What moves: the banners unroll downward and swing; spotlights catch the gold.
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Close on the pulpit: a ringed hand pushes an open Bible aside and sets a thick stack of banknotes on top of it.
What moves: the hand slides the Bible away and drops the cash on it; the pages flutter.
His picture: the smiling TV preacher holding out a gold prayer cloth over boxes of cash, phone operators behind him.
What moves: he offers the cloth toward the camera; the operators talk on their headsets; cash boxes glint.
His picture: the white-haired preacher snarling over the pulpit, finger pointing at us.
What moves: the camera pushes in; his finger jabs closer; the cross flares behind him.
drawn after this check
From behind: a big man in a dark suit steps up onto the gold altar under the spotlights, arms spread; preachers below applaud. We never see his face.
What moves: he steps up and spreads his arms; the spotlights snap onto him; the preachers clap.
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The crowd in red light: angry faces, fists and crosses pushed into the air together.
What moves: fists pump on the beat; red light pulses across the faces.
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The preacher at the pulpit holds a Bible in one hand and a rolled old parchment in the other, two flags behind him.
What moves: he lifts both hands, weighing them; the flags ripple.
His picture: the collection bowl full of cash pushed along the pew; the old woman and tired workers empty their wallets.
What moves: the gold bowl moves along the row; the old woman's coin drops in; the usher's hand urges them.
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Inside warm gold light the preacher lays a blessing hand on a kneeling donor in a tuxedo; outside the glass, in the rain, a poor family watches.
What moves: his hand rests on the donor's head; rain runs down the glass; the family steps back.
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From above: the arena crowd split in two by a red velvet rope down the middle aisle, the preacher's arms cutting the air between them.
What moves: his arms sweep apart; the two halves of the crowd lean away from each other.
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Warm low sun on a dusty road: a robed carpenter with rough hands walks beside poor travellers, carrying a child's bundle. Same man as in his 'Overturning the Tables' picture.
What moves: they walk toward us in the dust; he puts a hand on a tired man's shoulder.
drawn after this check
Close on a preacher's chest: a flag sash and a gold cross pin over the suit; behind him an old painting of a hillside sermon is being covered by a rising flag.
What moves: his hand presses the sash to his chest; the flag rises and hides the painting.
Pre-chorus 1
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A broadcast control room: a wall of screens, each with a different preacher shouting into a microphone.
What moves: the screens flicker from stage to stage; mouths shout without sound; the camera tracks along the wall.
His picture, closer: the golden throne on its steps, flags draped around it.
What moves: the camera rises up the steps to the throne; gold light swells.
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At the back of the arena, behind the cheering crowd, the robed carpenter stands still in a shaft of plain light. Nobody turns around.
What moves: the crowd moves; he stays still; the camera drifts toward him.
drawn after this check
Close on the preacher at the pulpit: the smile slips, his eyes find someone at the back of the hall.
What moves: his eyes lock; the smile fades; a slow push in.
Chorus 1
His picture: the band live in red, the logo behind them.
What moves: the band slams the downbeat; red lights flash; crowd hands punch up.
His picture: the two faces. The preacher cold in the chair, his smiling self in the dressing room mirror.
What moves: the reflection smiles and fixes its tie; the real man's face stays hard.
His picture: the band on the red-lit stage.
What moves: guitars swing down together; smoke bursts; lights strobe.
His picture: the handshake over the box of cash in the gold office.
What moves: the handshake pumps; the box of cash slides across the desk.
His picture: the preacher on his knees before the giant golden dollar sign.
What moves: he raises his arms to the dollar sign; gold light pours down; the camera tilts up.
His picture: silver coins passed from hand to hand beside the Bible on the altar.
What moves: coins drop from one palm into the other; the hand on the Bible tightens.
His picture: the band, singer's fist in the air.
What moves: the singer punches the air; drums crash; the crowd answers.
His picture: the white and gold marble tombs, one cracked open.
What moves: the crack spreads; marble dust falls; the camera glides down the row.
His picture: the band live in concert.
What moves: a hard hit; white beams cut through red haze.
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A merchandise table in the church lobby: gold Bibles, crosses and prayer cloths with price tags, a hand taking cash.
What moves: cash goes into the till; a hand takes a gold Bible; price tags swing.
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The preacher points up at a burning sky on the big screen; in the black glass of the pulpit his own dark reflection looks back at him.
What moves: he points at the fire; the reflection does not move with him; push in on the reflection.
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Inside the church: a crack runs up the gold wall from the floor, plaster falls, a chandelier swings.
What moves: the crack climbs the wall; dust drops; the chandelier sways.
His picture: the band in blue light, fists up.
What moves: the band leans into the last line; blue beams sweep.
His picture: the band in the blue arena.
What moves: the riff carries; the camera rises over the crowd.
Verse 2
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The preacher studies a tiny speck on a poor woman's sleeve through a magnifying glass, while behind him men carry sacks of money past.
What moves: he peers through the glass; the sacks go by behind his back.
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A huge ledger on a desk, his gold pen ticking down a long list; a wall of ordinary people's photos behind, each marked with a red cross.
What moves: the pen ticks; the camera travels along the wall of photos.
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Seen from behind the golden pulpit, facing the crowd: a hidden drawer packed with cash, a jewelled hand quietly pushing it shut.
What moves: the hand closes the drawer; the crowd keeps cheering in front.
His picture, closer: the old woman giving her last coin.
What moves: her fingers let the coin go; her eyes drop.
His picture: the locked doors. Soaked travellers outside in the rain, guards and the preacher in white behind the glass.
What moves: the guards pull the glass doors shut; rain falls on the travellers.
His picture: the empire of screens. A cross built of television screens over the kneeling hall.
What moves: the screens flicker; the hall bows; the camera glides up the aisle.
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Night: a huge concrete wall with razor wire and floodlights, a glowing cross fixed on top, the preacher blessing it with raised hands.
What moves: floodlights sweep; he raises his hands to the wall.
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A border booth at night: the robed carpenter stands at the glass with empty hands; an officer's hand stamps a paper and pushes it back.
What moves: the stamp comes down; the paper is pushed back; he does not move.
His picture: the man on the golden throne, preachers kneeling to kiss his hands, coins on the steps.
What moves: the camera rises up the coin-covered steps; the preachers bow lower; light bursts behind the throne.
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A stand in the church lobby piled with red caps (no words on them), flags, gold coins and crosses for sale, a queue of buyers.
What moves: hands grab caps; cash changes hands; the camera slides along the stand.
Pre-chorus 2
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Quiet: the carpenter's rough hands break bread and give it to a hungry man in a plain room.
What moves: the bread is broken and handed over; slow push in.
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An open Bible lying forgotten on the floor under the pews, a shaft of light on it, shoe prints across the page.
What moves: dust drifts in the light; a shoe steps past.
His picture, closer: the TV preacher's smile and open hand.
What moves: the smile widens; the hand beckons.
His picture, closer: the Bible gripped high like a weapon.
What moves: the fist with the Bible shakes; lights flare behind it.
Chorus 2
His picture, closer: the singer and his acoustic guitar in red light.
What moves: he hits the chord; red lights flash.
His picture, closer: the preachers laughing at the banquet.
What moves: heads thrown back laughing; glasses lift.
His picture, closer: the two electric guitar players.
What moves: both guitars swing down; smoke rolls.
His picture, closer: the box of banknotes and the shaking hands.
What moves: the hands grip; the cash box is pulled in.
His picture, closer: the kneeling preacher, his giant face on the screens.
What moves: his arms reach up; the screen faces glow.
His picture, closer: the coins in the palm.
What moves: the coins are counted out one by one.
His picture, closer: the band in blue, fists up.
What moves: fists punch up; blue beams strobe.
His picture, closer: the crack in the marble.
What moves: the crack splits wider; stones drop out.
His picture, closer: the drummer and the logo.
What moves: cymbals crash; the logo pulses.
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The merchandise table again, closer: a hand tearing a page from a gold Bible and sticking a price tag on it.
What moves: the page tears; the tag is pressed on.
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Closer on the dark reflection in the pulpit glass, the burning sky behind it.
What moves: the reflection stares; flames move behind it.
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The crack reaches the roof: the chandelier breaks loose over the empty stage.
What moves: the chandelier drops; dust and sparks; the camera shakes.
Instrumental
His picture, closer: the guitar player on the big side screen, blue light.
What moves: the solo; fingers run up the neck; lights sweep.
His picture, closer: the keyboard player.
What moves: hands hammer the keys; red light pulses.
His picture: the band in white light, wide.
What moves: white beams scissor; the crowd jumps.
His picture: the whole band, singer's fist up.
What moves: the build into the verse; smoke bursts.
Verse 3
His picture: behind the broadcast. Men counting stacks of cash at the desk, the preacher with his whisky, the empty arena behind the glass.
What moves: bills are counted; he swirls the glass; a slow push in.
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An aide feeds papers into a shredder beside a gold cross while the preacher puts an arm around a grinning man in a suit.
What moves: paper runs into the shredder; the arm goes round the shoulder; a wink.
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The preacher smiles straight into a broadcast camera, hands open and innocent, the red on-air light glowing beside the lens.
What moves: the red light blinks on; he spreads his hands; the camera pushes in on the smile.
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From behind, a heavy man in a suit holds a Bible up stiffly in front of floodlights and flags; preachers beside him clap. No face.
What moves: the Bible is held up stiff; flashbulbs pop; the preachers applaud.
His picture: the congregation of fear. The preacher from behind, pointing over the packed arena, his shouting face on both screens.
What moves: his arm stabs the air; the screens shout; the crowd shrinks back.
His picture, closer: the shouting face on the giant screen over the crowd.
What moves: the screen face shouts; red light washes the crowd.
drawn after this check
Two open hands side by side: one holds a small wooden cross, the other a thick gold money clip; the preacher's eyes behind them slide to the gold.
What moves: the gold hand lifts; the cross hand lowers; his eyes follow the gold.
His picture: the private jet gospel. The preacher in white climbing the jet steps at sunset, Bible under his arm.
What moves: he climbs the steps smiling; the aide follows with the bags; the sunset burns.
Bridge
His picture, closer: the guards' hands pulling the glass doors shut.
What moves: the doors swing shut; rain on the glass.
His picture, closer: the preacher in white, dry and bright behind the glass.
What moves: he folds his hands; the camera pulls back through the wet glass.
drawn after this check
An old worn purse lies open and empty on a wooden pew, a single coin beside it.
What moves: the last coin is taken by a gloved hand; slow push in.
His picture: the banquet of donations. Preachers feasting among cash and gold.
What moves: glasses clink; a man fans his cash; the camera tracks along the table.
His picture, closer: the snarling face and the gold microphone.
What moves: the snarl; sweat; the microphone shakes in his fist.
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A mother holding her child backs away down the church steps at night; long shadows of men with crosses fall over them.
What moves: she backs away; the shadows grow over the steps.
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Close on a gold microphone with a cross engraved on it, a ringed hand gripping it, spit and light in the air.
What moves: the hand tightens; the camera circles the microphone.
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The carpenter speaks softly at the back of the hall; on stage the preacher keeps his back turned, an earpiece in his ear.
What moves: the carpenter's lips move; the preacher does not turn; focus shifts between them.
His picture: the band in white light.
What moves: the full band hits; white beams flash.
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A perfect white marble church front in sunshine, gold doors, white roses.
What moves: the camera rises up the clean white front.
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Under the same church: black mould, rotten beams and rats beneath the gold floor.
What moves: the camera sinks through the floor into the rot; a beam cracks.
His picture, closer: the cross of television screens.
What moves: the screens flash faster; the camera pushes up at the screen cross.
His picture, closer: the preacher in white kneeling to kiss the hand on the throne's arm. The framing stays on the hands and the gold, not on the face above.
What moves: he kisses the hand; coins slide on the steps.
His picture: overturning the tables. The robed man throws over the gold table, coins and banknotes flying.
What moves: the table goes over; coins and notes fly at the camera; the suited men stumble back.
His picture, closer: the coins and the chalice in the air.
What moves: coins spin and fall in slow motion.
His picture, closer: his face and arms as he pushes.
What moves: he heaves; cloth and hair whip.
Breakdown
His picture, closer: the soaked travellers with their bags, from behind.
What moves: rain falls on their shoulders; one of them looks down.
His picture, closer: the old woman's tired face.
What moves: her eyes lift slowly toward the stage.
drawn after this check
A man sleeps wrapped in a blanket against the huge gold church doors; people in fine coats walk past him.
What moves: coats and shoes pass; he pulls the blanket tighter.
His picture, closer: the lead singer at the microphone in blue light.
What moves: he sings into the microphone; the crowd's hands rise in front of him.
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The preacher on stage with arms wide and head back in joy under a giant screen showing a sky of fire.
What moves: he throws his arms wide; the fire on the screen grows.
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Outside: the sky above the megachurch tears open and streaks of fire fall toward the church itself.
What moves: fire streaks fall; the cross on the building is lit orange.
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Inside: the first embers land on the stage flag and curtain; the preacher's face drops as he looks up.
What moves: embers drift down; the flag starts to burn; his smile dies.
His picture: the band live in red.
What moves: the biggest hit of the song; red and white lights explode.
Final chorus
His picture, closer: the smiling face in the mirror.
What moves: the smile in the mirror twitches; the bulbs flicker.
His picture: your kingdom is on fire. The golden throne in the burning ruins, flags in flames, broken screens.
What moves: flames climb the flags; smoke rolls; the camera pushes toward the throne.
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A gold cross wound in red, white and blue cloth, the cloth burning from the edges.
What moves: the cloth burns away from the cross; sparks rise.
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A television news studio with a cross on the back wall, dark shapes of presenters at the desk, the screens cracking one after another.
What moves: screens crack and go dark one by one; the camera tracks across the desk.
His picture, closer: the dealer's smile over the handshake.
What moves: the smile holds too long; firelight flickers on his face.
drawn after this check
The gold church gates glowing red hot; in the bright doorway stands the dark shape of the robed carpenter.
What moves: the gates glow hotter; he stands still in the light.
His picture, closer: the shouting face on the screen, pointing.
What moves: the screen face screams; the picture breaks up and glitches.
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The robed carpenter walks up the wet steps toward the glass doors of the megachurch, the same doors as in his 'Locked Doors' picture.
What moves: he climbs the steps toward the doors; rain falls.
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From inside: the guards' hands push the glass doors shut; his calm face stays on the other side of the wet glass.
What moves: the doors close; his face holds behind the glass.
Outro
His picture, closer: the broken throne in the smoke.
What moves: smoke drifts across the throne; a flag falls.
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The preachers stand in the ruins in their fine suits, looking up at the open sky as ash falls on them.
What moves: ash falls on their shoulders; they look up.
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The fire dies down; the clouds part; the ash turns to dust floating in a shaft of sunlight through the broken roof.
What moves: the flames sink; the sunbeam widens.
His picture: nowhere left to hide. The old preacher in the gold jacket sitting on the steps among spilled money, tears in his eyes.
What moves: he lifts his eyes to the camera; a banknote slides off the step.
His picture, closer: the fallen flag, the tipped gold bowls and the empty seats behind him.
What moves: the camera drifts across the fallen flag, the bowls, the empty seats.
His picture: just the truth. Bread and a clay cup on a rough bench in the ruined church at sunrise, a family walking away into the light.
What moves: the sun rises; the family walks on; light spreads over the bread and cup.
The last line
His picture: the lead singer on stage in blue light, the crowd in front (his first version of the end picture, wide).
What moves: the crowd chants; he stands at the microphone; blue beams sweep.
His NEWER end picture: the lead singer close at the microphone with his guitar, blue light. He says the line, lips in sync.
What moves: he says the words into the microphone, lips matching the voice; a slow push in.
The same picture: he stays at the microphone as the voice rings out.
What moves: he lowers his eyes; his hand rests on the strings; light drifts.
His picture: the whole band on stage, wide, as the music rings out.
What moves: the band holds the last chord; lights sweep slowly over the crowd.
The lead singer alone on stage, wide, as the music fades. The film ends on him. No title.
What moves: he stands still at the microphone; the lights go down slowly to black.
His 30 pictures, and where each one plays
3:24.5
1:23.8, 2:45.7, 5:26.1
5:59.4
1:36.8, 2:58.6, 6:23.4
1:18.3, 2:40.1, 5:09.5
1:22.0, 3:13.9
1:50.2, 3:10.2
1:46.0, 2:54.9
1:33.1, 2:43.8, 3:21.3
0:12.6, 3:17.6, 4:23.2
5:52.5, 5:55.7
4:37.1, 4:39.9, 4:42.2
0:31.1, 2:32.3
2:42.0, 4:06.1
0:49.1, 2:02.7, 4:47.7
3:40.2, 3:43.9, 5:33.0
2:06.4, 4:30.6
1:25.7, 2:47.5
0:07.1, 1:07.2
2:04.5, 3:55.0, 3:58.7, 4:44.0
0:16.8, 2:36.0
3:51.3
0:35.7, 4:09.8
1:20.1, 5:12.2
1:29.4, 2:51.2
1:34.9, 2:56.8
6:09.6, 6:15.6
4:54.7, 6:03.1, 6:30.8
5:15.0, 5:42.7
2:17.5, 4:33.4
Made by LEV Studio for the team check. Not sent to the client.