Wednesday 21 December 2016

SCRIPT #1

Wednesday 21 December 2016


A rough and slightly unfinished script upon which the storyboard should be based. Any feedback and suggestions welcome! 

PRELUDE

We start the short with an ‘empty’, black screen.
The soundscape feels ‘spacey’, ‘echoey’ – microphone feedback can be heard.
A face moves forward into light, revealing a green skin and red lips.

VERSE 1

The character takes a breath and starts singing.
As the first line is heard, the camera tracks backwards. (“Re-wind” = long notes)
The lips keep on singing and disappear in the distance as planets and stars fill the screen, the camera still pulling away. (Like so)
The camera slows down when a meteor enters our field of vision.
Sitting on a crater, a silhouette stares longingly at a big, baby blue planet.
The next (static) shot focuses more clearly on Norma #1’s face.



Option a) After a moment, head tilted, she gets up and starts walking sadly from one meteor to the other as they float past.
Norma #1 arrives on a larger asteroid / on a flying saucer that supports a contraption similar to a lamppost (War of the Worlds machine reimagined http://www.war-ofthe-worlds.co.uk/images/war_worlds_pal_8_x.jpg)
Option b) After a moment, she gets up and faces away from the planet. She is seen to already be standing on a large asteroid / on a flying saucer that supports a contraption similar to a lamppost (crater = bench, contraption = lamppost).
VERSE 2

Norma #1 shuts her eyes and a gentle smile grows on her face. She hops up on the lamppost à la Gene Kelly (Singing in the Rain) and sways around it, holding herself with one hand and her tentacles, daydreaming.
Her dreams fill the void.” The music goes to a halt.
Norma #1 opens her eyes and stops swinging. Starry-eyed, she presses her cheek against the lamppost, looking up.



CHORUS 1

Norma #1 starts singing, asking a question expectantly: “Shall I… be her?
Norma #1 jumps off the lamppost and lands onto a less shadowy side of the meteor (maybe seen from the back, like someone stepping on stage): “Step into the light?
She opens her arms, singing more confidently, eyes shut: “Be someone who matters, who’ll be loved at first sight?
At this point, the camera could spin around her, showing the vision inside her head. As the camera moves, a trail of flashes surrounds her as if she was at a premiere or in the middle of a big arena.
The camera comes to a resting point when Norma #1 hits the last note. The flashes dim and fade into stars.

[Instrumental

She opens her eyes again. The spell is broken for a second until she realises the three lamppost lights are shining down on her (like spot lights), seemingly interested.
The three lights are revealed to be separate entities from the lamppost. They are in fact small robots that were resting on the construction. (Perhaps too far-fetched). They act as talent spotters to Norma #1.
Since she has stopped performing, the three robots fly off into a larger flock of robots revealed by a camera pan. They seem to flow consistently and to be heading in the same direction (= yellow brick road), potentially to a distant spacecraft or neon-coloured planet = the Hollywood sphere (maybe signalled by tacky signs, “Hollymoon” etc.?)
Norma #1 is shown to be on the brisk of making a decision.

VERSE 3

Forward to a girl, for whom there’s no turning back.” She eventually a) hops onto a flying saucer that she had (conveniently) parked under/next to the asteroid b) activates the flying saucer she was already on.
Norma #1 catches up with the flying robots and is greeted eagerly. She is lead into a dance with them, still on her spaceship-platform and with a now determined look on her face. She and the robots waltz harmoniously across the night sky, headed for the ‘Hollywood’ planet.
The robots begin to create more and more complex patterns in space, surrounding Norma #1 like synchronised swimmers.
Norma #1 is seen to be ascending amongst them, reaching for the stars.

VERSE 4

As she is being elevated, the movement is carried on in an entirely different setting = loose match cut. The stark darkness of space is replaced with a hot pink.
Norma #1 pops up on a platform in the middle of lab.
The robots buzz around her, one grooming her hair, another giving her a manicure, a couple taking measurements or using rays to slim down her waist, something that could be depicted on a silhouette behind a screen (succession of quick shots).
Norma #1 is sent twirling around and ends up in front of a ‘showbiz’ mirror. She spots a pencil and holds it up to her face to draw on a beauty mark.
a)That girl’s her own creature!” Ironically, a swarm of robots push her to side and she gets shoved into a mysterious machine-pod.
b) A swarm of robots push her to side and she gets shoved into a mysterious machine-pod. “That girl’s her own creature!” is heard afterwards.

CHORUS 2

Cut to a different setting. Two doors open with a wham as the camera zooms out dramatically to reveal a crowd looking up to a backlit silhouette framed by the doors.
Cut to a closer shot. The silhouette walks into the main spotlight. Norma #2, enthused by the audience’s reception, grins, jiggles and adopt ‘classic’ Marilyn Monroe poses.

BRIDGE

Oh what I would do to be fifty foot tall?
If doable, Norma #2 drapes herself in the milky may.

On the great silver screen in front of them all?
a) A beam of light, previously thought to be a spotlight, pulls up Norma #2 into the air.
b) Norma #2 makes a grand gesture and the camera pans to reveal a scaled-up version of her towering above the camera
c) Norma #2 makes a grand gesture / throws her milky way scarf off and the camera pans to reveal a bunch of screens showing different Normas moving in slow-motion.
d) Norma #2 climbs a flight of stairs as the camera pans to a giant Norma #2
e) Zoom out to reveal Norma #2 bigger than the solar system – she could maybe put one of Saturn’s rings on her head to act as the crown mentioned later on.
f) Norma #2 walls off to sit on a moon crescent that gets lifted up.

Perhaps only then I might feel complete, with my very own star laid down at my feet.
a) Norma #2 gestures towards / looks down at a flat star on the floor.
b) Giant Norma #2 looks / plays with a star.
c) Norma #2 on the moon crescent uses it like a swing.

But how heavy seems the weight of this crown!
a) Norma #2 acknowledges an invisible crown on her head.
b) Norma #2 acknowledges Saturn’s ring on her head.
c) Norma #2 just sings the line but her shoulders sink a little.

Could it be gravity starts pulling me down?
a) Norma #2 looks up whilst the lights dim where she stands.
b) Norma #2, panicked, looks down.
c) Panicked Norma #2 stands still on her moon crescent as it threatens to fall / as it falls.

And what if after all, that black hole keeps (on) growing?
Norma #2 puts both her hands over her chest to show that her aching heart is the black hole that keeps on growing.
b) Norma #2 looks down at a real black hole.

[PAUSE] Tension.

Well (it’s) too late to say, I’m here! It’s my calling!
Norma #2 recomposes herself and finds a way out of the previously dangerous situation.

CHORUS 3

So I shall be her
Invade countless hearts
I’ll be their fire maiden!
Their devil girl from Mars!

Riding a shooting star
Carried wilfully (winking etc) by a creature (silhouette or painting)
Return of the robots (with sleeker and more formal textures)

CHORUS 4

Yes I shall be her!
And my name will live on
I’ll go out with a bang!
Never to be outshone
I – shall – be – her!

Tuesday 20 December 2016

NORMA #2 TEXTURES

Tuesday 20 December 2016
Lighting is pretty grey and the dress shading needs adjustment, but made over Norma is mostly there


Monday 19 December 2016

NORMA COLOURS #2

Monday 19 December 2016
The following charts detail the definitive colour schemes for our two models. As Cat pointed out, earthier greens couldn't necessarily work because, being an alien, Norma needed to feel rather other-wordly. But what we decided in the end is to have two different skin tones: a colder, more artificial green for when she gets glamourized in the lab and a warmer one for the more naive, 'unpolished', pre-rags-to-riches Norma.

Friday 16 December 2016

NORMA COLOURS #1

Friday 16 December 2016
Before jumping into texturing, we're figuring out what shades of green etc. Norma needs to be under neutral lighting



Tuesday 15 November 2016

LYRICS #7

Tuesday 15 November 2016
Rewind to a girl
Whose only pearls were her tears
A lone soul treading lightly
Above the atmosphere

But when her eyes shut
That girl, like an asteroid
With visions burns brightly
Her dreams fill the void

Shall I… be her?
Step out into the light?
Be someone who matters?
Who’ll be loved at first sight?
Oh shall I be her?

[Instrumental]

Forward to a girl
For whom there’s no turning back
She’s revamping her world
She’s going on the attack

Inside the dream lab
She’ll shape all new features
Trim the past, bleach out the pain
This girl’s her own creature!

Oh shall I be her?
And make the earth stand still?
In the beam of my spotlight
Watch me glitter and thrill!

Oh what I would do to be fifty foot tall
On the great silver screen in front of them all?
Perhaps only then I might feel complete
With my very own star laid down at my feet
But how heavy seems the weight of this crown!
Could it be gravity starts pulling me down?
And what if after all, that black hole keeps (on) growing?
[PAUSE]
Well (it’s) too late to say, I’m here! It’s my calling!

So I shall be her
Invade countless hearts
I’ll be their fire maiden!
Their devil girl from Mars!

Yes I shall be her!
And my name will live on
I’ll go out with a bang!
Never to be outshone
I – shall – be – her!

Monday 14 November 2016

CHARACTER SKETCHES #11

Monday 14 November 2016
In-between conversations with possible vocalists and composers(!), we are pushing Norma's design further in order to finalize it


Tuesday 8 November 2016

CHARACTER SKETCHES #10

Tuesday 8 November 2016
Made these sketches to draw down ideas for Norma Green's dress. I've been looking at costumes from 1950's sci-fi films and television. Also looked into modern catwalk fashion, as there are some very contemporary dress designs. The sketches here are numbered so feedback is very much welcome.





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