Messenger Tells Eli the Ark Is Taken

Prompt

1 Samuel 4: A runner from the battle, his clothes torn and earth on his head, brings the news to old Eli that the ark of God has been taken. Eli, very old, heavy and nearly blind, sits on his seat beside the city gate of Shiloh, large and central, gripping the arms of the seat, his face stricken with horror as he hears the words. The young Benjamite messenger kneels before him, dusty and exhausted, his robe rent, dirt on his hair, one hand stretched out. Stone gateway and a dusty road behind them under a pale, bright afternoon sky; tragic, shocked mood, no violence shown. Style: a blend of photo-realism and cinema, like a still from a big-budget film. Bright, rich, saturated, luminous colour, clear daylight or glowing golden light even in dramatic scenes, never murky or muddy, crisp detail, real human faces full of emotion, shallow depth of field, subtle film grain. Simple, uncluttered composition: ONE clear scene from this chapter, with the chapter's main character or characters large, close and central in the upper and middle frame, and a simple background. No montage, no collage, no inset vignettes, no crowd of small figures competing for attention. Historically accurate ancient Near Eastern clothing, architecture and landscape. Keep the bottom quarter of the frame simple and uncluttered (ground, water or sky) so a large chapter number can be set over it. Absolutely no text, no letters, no words, no numbers, no logos, no watermark, no border, no frame.