Onto Set Design!

 Remember My Foreshadowing? Time to Design Some Sets!

Set design is the environment created for actors to perform in character. Set design, like costume design, tends to represent the characters or their world, but this time leaning closer to representing the world. Creating a set isn't just building 3-4 walls, calling it a room, and being done. It's the props, the colors, the decor. Everything on that set is significant in both symbolism and representation. That's what we will definitely keep in mind when creating the 3-4 sets required for our opening!

I'm Sorry, 3-4 Sets???

You read me right! Our opening is a bit ambitious, but there are plans already set in place to achieve this goal. We will be filming in my house, my teammate Sofia's house, and our teammate Madison's car. Why? We will be showing off Atticus's room, which will be in my house. The mailbox part will also be in front of my house as well. Aurora's room will be in Sofia's house and inside of Kai's car (outside too) will be Madison's car! Now time to go into detail about these sets!

Sam/Atticus's Room

When Sam enters his room, he isn't Sam. He's Atticus. His room is where he can fully be himself and fully immerse himself in his fantasy and his art. It is his safe place and what truly brings him joy. Therefore every aspect of his room needs to be representative of his character. 

Here's a mood board of some inspiration from his room. Some whimsical elements layered on top of his drawings and art:

Sam's room is going to be filled to the brim with art supplies and objects that give off a fantasy feel. It will be a very maximalist room to help Atticus escape into his mind. I have a few DnD books and objects and some renaissance fair props that I could definitely put into the room. I also have a lot of art supplies that'll be easy to transfer from my office to the guest bedroom. My teammates also have some objects they believe help represent his character to bring in to show off who he is. For his drawings, I've already started a few drawings were able to put throughout the room, and we can even use some old drawings of mine. I have a few artist friends who would be willing to lend me their art as well!

Aurora's Room

Aurora's room is like Atticus's in the sense that it is her one safe place where you can see who she really is. I think it would be cool to show her dulled-out self in contrast to a colorful and light room, with photos of her old self being just as colorful. That'll show there is something currently not right with her and she isn't who she used to be. Her room needs to feel lively just as she used to be and will grow into being again. Alongside that, it needs to have some representation of her old passion for photography. Such as the mentioned old photos of herself and her friends as well as just random cute pictures. Some old cameras would be cool to have as well!

Here is a moldboard with pictures that helped give me an image of how I think her room should be designed:

 

To create this look I think my full team should combine all the easily accessible colorful room decor that we have which creates the vibe of a lively outgoing girl that can contrast the costume that we eventually give Aurora!

Kai's Car

Madison's car is a Mustang which we think will fit Kai a lot! Unfortunately, it is white, but none of us have the black or red car that we think would fit Kai, so a white Mustang it is! The interior is a little difficult to fully make so it represents who he is, but having a punk bobblehead on the dashboard and/or some kind of prop hanging from the rearview mirror could help represent who Kai is. Mainly, however, the car is to represent mostly Kai's recklessness as he drives the car like a madman.

Outside Sam's (my) Home

The opening ends with Sam on the ground in front of his home after an altercation with Kai. This is outside of his fantasy. Therefore everything seen here will be "normal". A normal home at a normal mailbox in front of a normal driveway. This is not meant to represent Sam, but his actual world. The real world he lives in. Not his fantasy.

Is there a Takeaway?

Sometimes, a set can represent who a character is. It shows their development or foreshadows a conflict. It is used to develop the story or as an important piece within the story. Other times it is used to establish the setting. Nothing more. Sometimes sets don't have any meaning passed, a house or a car. But inside that house and inside that car there could be something special. Something that really means something to the characters and maybe to the audience.