PROPS: THE SEQUEL

For my final steps before filming, I had to make sure all props worked according to the plan. While I was able to fabricate some models and pages of writing, the experiments still caused some complications: I do not have any chemical indicators to my disposition, and messing around with the cleaning supplies did not seem to be the safest choice. So, to give the extra science-y look to the opening, I had to find an appropriate substitute to the chemicals. Luckily, my sister had the solution.

Since she likes painting, we have accumulated quite a sum of different types and hues of watercolors, all of which could work as a plausible alternative for my experiments. The only problem, however, was the paint's extremely diluted form. Because it is meant to be used in a less concentrated state, it often does not provoke the high-contrast effect when added, drop by drop, to water - and, if it does, it is too light to be captured by camera. It took a few attempts, but we solved it: by choosing a brighter color and not getting the watercolors from the diluted source, we could make a more vibrant liquid pouring into the "beaker." The successful trial can be seen below.

As for the container, the video above clearly shows another issue: the Publix watermark. I have attempted to hide the green logo; it is now only visible if held against a light - which can be fixed when shooting.

Some other props were gathered and transformed into scientific utensils. With a cardboard box, I made a stool for my "test tubes" (I am hoping to avoid the amateur look by painting the structure in silver).  The original plan for the test tube holder was updated as I worked on it: initially, I had done two thin strands holding the horizontal bar. This did not work very well, as the pillars kept bending under the weight of the water. By cutting larger strands and adding vertically-cut bars under the superior base,  it became much more stable. While I am still having some trouble with the rack - it keeps toppling over! - I can probably use it as a prop if balanced correctly.

 

original plans

semi-final product

As of this point, the inventory is ready. Over the course of the next week, I plan on shooting the opening, and maybe even begin editing so that I can see if any segments need to be re-shot. My main concerns, for now, are the lighting and angles, since I am counting on an illusion to make the dinner table look like a desk. But enough waiting - it is time to dive in and let the action begin.

AT LAST, STORYBOARDS

As promised, I have finally gotten to sketching storyboards for the opening. Still, I find myself rushing to include the character, rather than using the props I have acquired/made/am making. Even worse, I constantly fall into the dangers of "telling" instead of "showing" - though I don't plan on including dialogue, the inclusion of newspaper articles and will explicitly show the objective of the experiments. In addition to that issue - which I will try to work out, perhaps in another, revised batch of drawings - I have made some changes to the idea I described last post. But, to make my point clearer, allow me to show you some of the panels I have done so far.

my most recent storyboard

One big decision I've made is that of delaying the reveal of my protagonist. Originally, I had planned on starting similarly to my old, unrelated storyboards, with a focus rack from a fuming test tube to the scientist's eyes. This way, I can focus on the details, and give a bit of exposition before throwing in the action. Moreover, this way I can create a slower pacing, that may or may not get faster as the piece goes by, showing how frantic Dr. Narcissa gets as her experiments fail. 

Yet another change, is done with respect to my previous posting, in which I mentioned the use of jump cuts. While repeating shots of similar composition may help in developing the character's mental state and showing the passage of time, I have decided to include such repetitions in such a way as to create a motif of trying again, and again, and again, and starting over every time. By spreading the similar shots throughout the piece - as seen on the second and the last panels of the storyboard above - I can show that her frustration is gradual, and that careful experimentation is done. Furthermore, I can also give the impression that it is not one, condensed study session, as I had feared before. By changing the scientist's clothes (a minimal touch, really), I am able to imply that the work was done in different days. Of course, if, in editing, I find that this method does not work, or looks a bit too Groundhog Day-ish with all the "restarts," I can change it back to the quick cuts and sequential shots. 

Another factor, though this one has more to do with the production rather than planning, is that, although the character is under pressure, I do not intend on using canted angles or shaky cameras - at least not in the opening. Given the doctor's professional field and position, I want to show the same professionalism by maintaining the shots steady as well - that is, as steady as I can, given my limited supply of materials and cameramen.Still, I plan on including movement in each shot. Particularly, using the scientist's reflection and shadow as she moves along the office. This practice not only makes the shots more interesting and less like stills, but also draws back to inspiration I gathered watching Black Swan. That is, the constant use of mirrors - particularly distorted ones - throughout the movie builds onto Nina's fear of replacement and her belief that someone like her, better than her, is nearby, waiting to steal her place. Similarly, using the shadow or the reflection can show how outsider's expectations for my character have also influenced her into entering the downward spiral. Not to mention, she both figuratively and literally casts a shadow over her past achievements as she aims for the unattainable.

Another relevant part of my storyboards is the one I had planned from the start. In fact, initial sketches of this ending can be seen in one of my old posts, on a pink post-it note. Now, having studied my idea better, I have refined those panels, seen below.

From this, you may have notice that I now have a working title: Panacea. I figured it is most appropriate, though a little cheesy and obvious, since it is the subject of the protagonist's obsession. Still, given the "alchemical" meaning of the mystical concoction as a cure to all problems, the solution would be quite helpful to fix Narcissa Châtelier's situation. 

As I have mentioned before, the storyboards will serve to guide me in filming the scene; however, it is not definite, and I may change or add shots while recording or editing. But, as of now, it's good to have a clearer view of what is ahead.

POSTMORTEM INSPIRATION

Before proceeding with my storyboards (which will be done soon, fret not), I decided to take a closer look at "study scenes" to understand how to fill the two minutes in a meaningful and entertaining manner. At first, my new, more niche research led to nothing - none of the scenes captured the precise emotion I aim to evoke. Suddenly, as if struck by lightning, inspiration came to me; the perfect science-scene opening was in my repertoire all along! Research for previous projects had led me to the world of stop-motion, a realm which, once again, I would dive into for my latest case study: Corpse Bride (2005). 

Directed by Tim Burton and Mike Johnson, the animated musical begins the very moment the score sounds its first melancholy notes. Though the tone of this flick is quite different from the one in my opening, it utilizes many techniques that can be rather useful in establishing the subject of a character's fascination - for Victor, it is butterflies.

In the scene, tight shots at first show not the character but his preparations to begin the study. Additionally, dissolves between the images add to the pacing and fluidity of the clip. Notably, the protagonist's characterization occurs through the mise-en-scene before the "acting" itself - Victor's face is only revealed near the end of the sequence. Another factor I could possibly emulate are the "jump-cuts" (kind of) while the character is drawing - shots of similar composition but different contents, and separated by dissolves, illustrate the process of drawing and studying the butterfly. Inserts also showcase the rest of the room (with posters beside the desk) and develop Victor's personality. And, of course, when analyzing Burton's movies, one could not leave out the manipulation of colors to convey a colder atmosphere.

 

While the opening above was beneficial with respect to each shot's editing and composition, I needed to look for other scenes that more closely emulated the pacing I was going for. Luckily, the answer was not too far from my last example: The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) includes a few scenes depicting experiments. In particular, one isolated study session proved to be somewhat similar to what I aim to achieve.

 

a POV shot through Jack's microscope

The segment, not unlike my envisioned creation, includes minimal dialogue and instead uses other methods to convey Jack's exasperation. For instance, close-ups on the materials and point-of-view shots, followed by the skeleton's reaction to the failed trial, works to reinforce his examinations' ineffectiveness and create greater tension on the character as he struggles to obtain significant results. The scene is relatively fast-paced, with one experiment following the other and simple cuts - as opposed to the other movie's dissolves - sewing the sequence together. Also included in the montage is a variety of different angles and shot types: some are close-ups, others are medium shots, and more can be observed as well. It is also worth noting that each experiment appears to happen sequentially, as the flick is edited in chronological order - that is, no cutaways of other trials while one is showing; each attempt is captured in its entirety before another is displayed.

With base on these, I plan on having an opening of similar style. The idea of having various experiments failing one after the other is interesting, but, in order to make the opening a bit more entertaining, all the while showing the protagonist's scrambled thoughts, I will try to play around with the order of the experiments with cutaways. Additionally, the jump cuts can be used (as I am trying to do below) to show how she keeps trying to get at it, but keeps failing - in a way it is the same concept behind having Jack's failed experiments back to back.

a sketch of a possible sequence of jump cuts I intend to make, which can show the passage of time, the protagonist's insistence, and her deteriorating mental state.

SOURCES: 

Corpse Bride (2005). (2005, September 23). IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0121164/

MovieTitles. (2020, October 9). Corpse Bride (2005) title sequence [Video]. YouTube

Cinema Cut. (2015, January 14). The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) Science [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U821I_GqhEg

IT'S ALL IN THE NAME

As I have mentioned yesterday, my character's two-dimensionality was quite an issue in my pitching the story to colleagues, all of whom had thought out backstories for their protagonists. Especially in this case, when the subject requires a more introspective approach, it is key to understand who my character is, and why does she behave the way she does. We have figured out her general goal, and why she is pursuing it - you can check that out in one of my previous posts - but there is no depth to it. Even worse, the character - the face of the project! - does not even have a name. So let's start with that.

Not unlike my character, I need everything to be perfect. For that, I looked at name meanings: I figured that the character's downfall could be hinted at in her title, showing that, from the start, she was doomed to fail. Still, the few words that evoke the meaning of "failure" or "madness" were pretty blatant and obviously chosen with the aforementioned purpose. Besides, a person named "Doom" is not very likely to succeed in an environment where career advancements depend on other people's decisions - studies have shown preferences for one type of name over the other in the business world, and defeatist titles are not particularly favored. I settled, then, for a "double-edge-sword:" Narcissa. The name, of course, is a direct allusion to the myth of Narcissus, whose obsession with himself led to his untimely ending. However, the term has gained popularity due to its other meaning: daffodil. The latter, too, relates to the myth, but only to its brighter aspects; Narcissa becomes, then, a common enough name that it does not signal the character as an outcast in the corporate world. 

As for the last name, living in the shadow of some great chemist could drive the character even further into her pursuit of greatness. That is, having the same last name as renowned scientist symbolizes how the character has "big shoes to fill" to live up to her name. From this concept was born Dr. Narcissa Châtelier, experienced pharmaceutical scientist. Armed with a new moniker for the scientist, I could officially begin the character study.

Henry Louis Le Châtelier, the French chemist known for his work on equilibrium

Dr. Narcissa Châtelier is in her mid-30s, but is nothing short of accomplished for her age. Having excelled all throughout her career, she always attempts to defy expectations, and yet managed to succeed every time. The scientist was never one for religion, but her secular practices never stopped her from believing that there was some truth to the centuries-long search for a universal cure. Narcissa herself had come face to face with ailment - at a young age, she witnessed firsthand the somber decay of human life as her brother fell ill, and no treatment available reversed the tragic circumstance. After being awarded the Dreyfus Prize in the Chemical Sciences for her work in pharmacology, Narcissa quickly announced her latest and most ambitious project: creating a panacea. 

She had considered taking on the challenge for a long time now; motivated by her past experiences, and knowing the renown such a feat would garner, the search for a true cure-all was but another business deal. However, soon after setting the unachievable standard, Narcissa began to doubt. Was there even such a thing as a real panacea? There had to be - think of the good it would do, the lives she could save! But, to any who do not share the same vision as the acclaimed scientist, it was clear that the pursuit of the mystical concoction was pure madness. 

Thus, Narcissa's self-imposed pressure, plus the peering eyes of all the scientific community (not to mention hopeful citizens), contribute to her ever-growing belief that it is possible to solve the mystery. As the doctor strays farther and farther from true chemistry, venturing into alchemy and witchcraft, her colleagues and relatives attempt, in vain, to warn her. Still, she is obsessed with her work, and rapidly secludes herself from any who may discourage her practices - though she is still painfully aware of what others may say about her. 

Narcissa's fear of failure is a widespread character fault, seen in all of my case studies. Her ego, besides the increasing tension and anxiety, only pull her farther down into the abyss - not unlike Whiplash's Andrew or Black Swan's Nina. Now, knowing my character well enough, it is time to go full force ahead.

SOURCES:

Insider. (2016, September 2). 15 ways your child’s name sets them up for success — or failure. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/what-you-name-your-kids-will-affect-their-success-2016-9?international=true&r=US&IR=T

Terry, E. D. A. G. (2020, June 3). The 94 worst baby names in existence - and their terrible meanings. Closer. https://closeronline.co.uk/family/news/worst-baby-name-bad-meaning-girl-boy/

Dreyfus Foundation. (2021, February 24). About Us. https://www.dreyfus.org/about-us/

A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS

After meeting up with my classmates today, I received valuable feedback on my idea for the project. To begin with, I only then came to notice how underdeveloped my character was, and how, all at once, I gave the audience the entire plot of my creation. As one of my colleagues said, "the biggest twist is the character descending into madness." That is the purpose of this specific "subgenre," after all. And so, I must hold back, so that throughout the rest of the movie a greater change must happen, and the viewers get a satisfying plot-twist at a point later in the story. 

 

Moreover, this beginning will rely heavily on the mise-en-scene to establish context. That does not mean, however, that everything should be explicitly shown onscreen. During the call, I was suggested to include some interaction to show how the scientist is ignoring others' advice, and setting herself an unrealistic standard - one physically impossible to achieve. "Maybe someone could call her," one classmate proposed. Though that could provide me with with the "social interaction" aspect seen in my drama case studies, I suppose the advisor I had envisioned would be more like Pi's Sol - Max's instructor, who told him time and again to refrain from pursuing the pseudoscience. This person, however, would not appear until later in the film - the first two minutes will not focus necessarily on their interactions, though I can hint at a possible connection through notes and other minute factors. Yet another suggestion - and this I thought quite helpful - was to include an outside perspective of my protagonist "escapade." This could be done through newspaper articles, building up not only to the expectations for scientist, but showing how some are explicitly against her controversial idea. 

All in all, considering the feedback on my idea, I have also gone back on my take for the opening. By making the opening a singular "study session," the obsession may seem to already be full fledged, and that is not my intent since the downfall will occur only gradually. I will toy with the idea of making it different days - maybe even change the song to a more intense, faster one - by changing the character's clothes and repeating the same shots, but with different details to illustrate the passage of time and the slow, but certain, deterioration of the protagonist's sanity. 

Overall, the feedback has helped me rethink how to approach the opening, and helped me even more in developing the storyboards, which, until now, were quite vague. For the next couple of posts, I intend to include a full character description - beginning with finding a name, a task I had been avoiding to do for a long time - and a clearer yet view of the scene, in addition to storyboards. Throughout the next couple weeks, then, I will begin arranging props and the appropriate costuming to begin filming. It's a lot, but necessary steps in order to make the final product satisfactory.

PLANNING (FEAT. CHOPIN)

storyboards from last year

As I delved deeper into the making of my project, I came to the realization that my idea was not so original as I had once thought it to be. What is most peculiar, however, was that the idea from which I borrowed was... also mine. At the beginning of the year, we were instructed to create a series of storyboard slides, an activity so we could become acquainted with the widely used technique. There was no story needed; the only requirement dictated that the sequence of 15 drawings had to have a beginning, middle, and end. From that exercise, I came up with a few sketches: a crazy scientist, a few potions brewing atop Bunsen burners... nothing worth spending too much time thinking about - or so I thought. Apparently, the brain really does work subconsciously: I have been thinking about this project since then! Still, since no real narrative was developed at that time, I must use these old storyboards merely as an inspiration as I work on more precise ones. But first, I have to decide on which shots I wish to use to convey the tone of the opening, and, for that, I'm creating a shot list:

the shot list. A bit vague as of now, but I need to get a better feel to understand if the fragments work together in a montage-like fashion, all the while showing the character

You may have noticed, in the above picture, that I already have a choice for the soundtrack. Chopin's "Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2" has probably been overused to the point that including it almost feels cliche. Still, the melody and descent nearing the end of the piece evoke the exact feeling I aim to include in the opening. That, and this video (though more of a comedic and particularly accurate take on the song) inspired me to include it in the first two minutes of the project. Additionally, the classical music adds a certain melodrama to the movie, not uncommon in the genre I am going for. Please note that this may change - nothing is concrete as of now. Nonetheless, is good to know that there is at least one song in the public domain that fits what I have in mind. To give myself a challenge (that will probably fail), I will attempt to either accelerate or cut the song so that it fits within the time-frame (a faster tempo would go in compliance with the tone as well).

the table beside the window

As for the setting, I am limited to the confines of my home, and so I must adapt. I would like to have the scientist framed against the window, so that there is always someone watching her - or that is how she feels. Though my original storyboards from September also featured a mad doctor beside a large window, my intent then was only for the drama of it all. I might play around by gluing drawings and schemes against the glass, partially blocking the character from the world as she closes in on herself. And to further accentuate the mood, I will film at night, when the lighting can be manipulated to my liking.

As I'm sure you have noticed from the images above and beside, the table is made of glass - not ideal for the laboratory setting, but it is what is available to me. Yet another complication is the fact that it is a large dinner table, not a desk as I had originally envisioned. That said, I am hoping that by capturing shots from a high angle similar to the one on the right, the issue may be overlooked. With respect to lighting, a darker color scheme and dimmer lights go best with the story.

There are many more decisions to make, and many more experiments to help me decide what the next step should be - or if I should go back and change something. We'll see how it goes.

SOURCES:

 Nocturne op.9 no. 2: Chopin’s most famous piece. (2020, April 17). PianoTV.Net. https://www.pianotv.net/2016/09/nocturne-op-9-no-2-chopins-famous-piece/

 

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY AND THE ART OF PROP-MAKING

I know I should probably work on the shots and storyboards before jumping straight into prop-making, but I was so excited to try out my little experiment that I couldn't help it. So I've started making props! Of course, not all scenery can be produced at home, lest the end product look sloppy or amateurish. Still, given that the object of my creation will not be a major feature (even though it can be a major species... a little chemistry joke over here), my homemade model certainly was fun to make, and will be useful in establishing the protagonist as a scientist along with the rest of the mise-en-scene. Allow me to walk you through the process of modeling some molecules:

I don't have a modeling kit, and buying one would be rather expensive if its sole purpose were as an object in the background; making my own, then, seemed quite favorable. Using the picture above, I drew my "skeleton," which would guide me throughout the process. Luckily, I had some polymer clay and paperclips laying around at home, so I gathered my materials and began rolling black and white blocks into atoms.

The process was painful - one wrong move and the whole thing would fall apart. Even worse, the double bonds had to be put in such an angle so that not one, but two paperclip fragments could be stored within the miniature (or should I say giant?) model. And I still had to keep in mind the 120˚ angle for each carbon. After some arduous work, the structure was done and ready for firing. 

There was just one more problem... I don't have a furnace, and absolutely cannot be trusted with an oven. Funnily enough, the solution arose by accident. The project took some time to do - by the time it was complete, the natural lighting was dim enough that I had to turn on the lampshade sitting by the desk. A brilliant idea! The lamp, which by some malfunction keeps heating up, has caused me numerous burns throughout the years; this time, however, its weakness could be exploited for good. Placing my model under the scorching desk light, I waited for it to dry. And - who would have guessed - it worked!

firing the piece under the table lamp - it is unbelievably hot

Done!

"Ecstatic" is an underestimation of my emotions upon seeing the finished product. Yes, it did break down after some five minutes, but that can be solved with a bit of glue - nothing too serious. Knowing that it is possible to create molecules out of clay, I can make more particles to add to the scenery where the opening takes place.

In addition to making my own, I also got a few manufactured goods - a trophy, medals, and other prizes to signal that the scientist has had a history with recognition, and already has a crowd to please. Beside are some of the achievements that will adorn the scientist's shelves. 

Overall, this was a fun experience, albeit precocious. I have actually been working on developing the story - there is a shot list in the works. By the end of this week, I intend to have a storyboard at least halfway done, so that I may try to experiment with different shots and angles when production starts.