VIDEO
STORY LINE
The storyline of this film follows through the interview of a girl some people could describe as pathetic. Coming to a therapist to discuss her problem with mediocrity, the girl – who remains unnamed – talks about why she’s come in the first place. Outlining roughly the thoughts that go through her mind about her place in the world, we come to realise that she is someone who is characterised by a sort of ‘empty’ ambition. Immortality, fame, all the rest is what she wants. She wants to be the best, to be legendary.
However, she looks at everyone as someone or having something to be envious about. Making comparisons to piano players and painters, we don’t see any focus to her speech except wanting to be great. But she herself doesn’t know why she’s so envious of everyone. As a person, her character is one that is slightly paradoxical. Great ambition but without great aim, she wanders aimlessly in a mental wasteland of her wants – without any plan of action. Concluding with the very thing that plagues her, she ends with the futile realisation that no therapist can help her problem with mediocrity.
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT/RESEARCH
Starting with the character of Antonio Salieri from Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus, my research took me into not just visual composition, but the composition of time. The film is directed by Miloš Forman.
The film/play is directed as a ‘flashback’. That is, Antonio Salieri is the narrator, telling his own story from first person as the play/film cuts to scenes that relate to what he is saying. I wanted to do the same for my project, so I made the overlying narrative one that is a dialogue between me and a therapist – the character I’m playing has a problem with mediocrity (which is Salieri’s main gripe with life).
I had to look at stills of the film to see what kind of visual composition would work for me (see below) and I decided on the typical ‘interview–interviewee’ scene. But this would be overlaid with cutaways to different scenes (randomly chosen) to show the confusion that exists in the character’s mind. As a result, the film itself has thoughts and sequences that are slightly convoluted.
My cutaway scenes have a focus on nature (and the world around you) to show contrast with the character’s insistent focus on herself and her own mind.
The above idea (about the odd structured randomness of my project) came from my professor after consulting with her about my idea. The cutaway sequences were initially going to follow what I was saying – illustrating the script (which can be seen below under storyboarding). However, her idea was to make it more interesting by being slightly confusing as well; the script and the filming are simultaneous and parallel in their characteristics. In that way, the film itself can also become a supporting entity for the character that I am acting out.
Challenges included trying to write a script that accurately incorporated Salieri’s traits, as well as organising the cutaway scenes to nonsensically ‘make sense’, if you will.
STORYBOARD
RESEARCH AND EXPLORATION
TASK 1 – List 5 characters from literature/fiction which whom you have a special affinity.
Ashitaka (Princess Mononoke)
Salieri (Amadeus)
Howl (Howl’s Moving Castle)
Azula (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
Aomame (1Q84)
TASK 2 – List 5 public figures.
Hayao Miyazaki
Alexander the Great
Jesus Christ
Wes Anderson
Haruki Murakami
TASK 3 – List 5 people you know or have known.
Ashley
Crystal
Theresa
Yuta
James
TASK 4 – Take two from each list and write a brief description of what qualities each person represents and what dilemma seems to typify them. Explain why I have an affinity to these characters.
Ashitaka
His dilemma is the fatal curse he’s been inflicted with, yet he represents the will to keep on living (a difficult trait to persevere with). Ashitaka’s purity in his desire to celebrate the life that exists on the earth is something raw and beautiful.
Salieri
Salieri’s dilemma is the uprising of the young and talented Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (rivalry and threat) and he represents the very raw, very human anger, jealousy, and insincerity when it comes to matters of the self. Selfishness is what connects me to him.
Hayao Miyazaki
Miyazaki’s dilemma exists in the meaning to his works and the meaning to his life – which, ironically, he’s resigned to letting it flow as it may. I have an affinity to this great director because of his acceptance of the incidences of living.
Alexander the Great
His raw, powerful and roaring ambition of the ancient world. To be great and to be known, I want to experience the same successes, to achieve the same potency in history. Alexander’s hunger is what connects me to him.
TASK 5 – I have chosen Salieri. First person.
In class, we were made to do an exercise where we wrote a letter from the point of view (POV) of our character. In hindsight, we could also easily use this as a form of expository narrative for our video. The script for my letter is below:
God,
I often wonder at the incidences of Your hand. Though the passing of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is in the past, I am plagued. Was I not your instrument? Did you not come to me as a child, with my promise to devote my life, my music my work to you?
…
To be stuck, rotting and rolling in this living corpse of flesh is agony, to listen to the timelessness of a man I disposed of; God, You truly have dealt Your best hand. I accept my fate. I will expire when your sentence has been complete. Yet, I pray You remember this – I will still exist as another god. Mediocrity is a passing bloodline, no matter how tragic.
– Antonio Salieri
The letter, in effect, needed to be understood in the context of Amadeus. But as this project is entitled “Alter Ego”, I will not be acting as Salieri, but have some of his traits be part of my character. Analysing the traits of Antonio Salieri gave me these characteristics:
- Selfish
- Competitive
- Self-centered
- Manipulative/plotting
- Pathetic (often self-pitying)