Adaptation: 'Three Housewives' Screenplay

'Three Housewives' Screenplay

After throwing some ideas around, dropping some and picking others up, I've decided on using a minor narrative component to help carry the video somewhat. The main idea I've generated is one that I've been throwing around since the beginning of the project, although it has evolved quite considerably since then.

The general development of this idea has been in favour of economising my assets, and whilst at first I thought this may restrict the overall visual impact of the piece, this somewhat stripped back approach should hopefully work in my favour (going from the design direction I appear to be heading in). 

Ultimately, what this idea requires is three characters and three sets. This would typically be a fairly ambitious task (especially at this point in the project), but as with the Narrative project, I have constructed the piece in a way that I am able to reuse a single character model and simply retexture it for each separate character. The sets may be entirely two-dimensional, as the idea is strongly in favour of fixed camera angles, and if that is the case, I can generate these in Photoshop and composite the three-dimensional footage in a two-dimensional scene, although this will be decided after I have experimented with the different options at my disposal.

I plan to have a loose storyboard of each scenario established soon, alongside some finalised concepts for the general appearance of this element of the video.

Below is the loose screenplay for the idea. It is incredibly rough, but I feel it gets the point across at this stage. As always, feedback and critique are appreciated.

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Summary

Three Housewives, identical in appearance other than the colour of their clothing, going about their daily routine. As they interact with various branded products, they are physically influenced, with the colours, text and various other components bleeding into them. They succumb to the influence of the brands, ultimately becoming literal marionettes of consumerism and corporate manipulation.

Housewife One (#1)

INT. Kitchen

WIDE SHOT, #1 Entering kitchen from the right, the camera slowly panning out

CUT TO CLOSE Up of #1 opening cupboard

Series of CLOSE UPS of interaction with several branded products as she prepares breakfast

As #1 continues to interact with the branded products, the patterns begin to transfer into her skin. The patterns gradually move up, across her forearms, ultimately replacing her skin with the labels and branding of the items she had handled.

The branding begins to toughen, forming a solid shell and giving the housewife the appearance of a lacquered ventriloquist dummy.

CUT TO WIDE SHOT, the same shot as the beginning, as the now puppet of consumerism slowly turns to face the camera, fixed expression, sunken human eyes behind a varnished facade.

Housewife Two (#2)

EXT. High Street, simplified in appearance

WIDE SHOT, #2 Strolling down High Street, glancing into shop windows as her feet hit the floor with the gentle rhythm of the music

Something in the window catches #2's eye, as she turns to look through a shop window

CUT TO MID SHOT from the inside of the shop window, as #2 leans in to view an item. 

#2 places her hand upon the window, as she continues to lean in. As with #1, the patterns begin to transfer into her skin. The patterns gradually move up, across her forearms, ultimately replacing her skin with the labels and branding of the items behind the window.

The branding begins to toughen, forming a solid shell and giving the housewife the appearance of a lacquered ventriloquist dummy.

CUT TO WIDE SHOT, as the now puppet of consumerism slowly turns to face the camera, fixed expression, sunken human eyes behind a varnished facade.

Housewife Three (#3)

INT. Supermarket

WIDE SHOT of an aisle of shelves, that stretches the length of the shot. #3 Enters from the left, pushing an empty shopping trolley. Her transition across the screen is rhythmically in tune with the music.

She turns to face the shelves, gazing toward the products with a distinct numbness. Her head drops lightly to one side, as she reaches out to pick up a particular product.

CUT TO CLOSE UP of #3's hand, reaching for the product on the shelf. An ethereal haze vignettes the screen, drawing focus towards the gesture. Further down the shelf, another item pulls into focus, as if to grab #3's attention. Her head turns to notice the item, as her attention is driven towards it. 

CUT TO CLOSE UP of #3's hands, grasping the items, from her own perspective. The itmes are completely identical in appearance, other than their label. Her hands shift from left to right, indicating her decision making process. 

As with #1 and #2, the patterns begin to transfer into her skin. The patterns gradually move up, across her forearms, ultimately replacing her skin with the labels and branding of the items she had handled.The branding begins to toughen, forming a solid shell and giving the housewife the appearance of a lacquered ventriloquist dummy.

CUT TO WIDE SHOT, as the now puppet of consumerism slowly turns to face the camera, dropping the items into the trolley, fixed expression, sunken human eyes behind a varnished facade.