Location Location Location

We have our next challenge exercise for Thesis Prep this week. Here's the assignment:

Find 4 different locations, 2 exterior and 2 interior. Each location should have one of the following four elements as a dominating feature:

• Deep space 
• Diagonals
• Back lighting
• Symmetry

Note: Deep Space does NOT mean lots of space. It refers to the audience's sense of an exit on the Z axis. Note: Diagonal must be an organic feature of the scene; no tipping the camera to achieve the diagonal!

Compose a single photograph of each location. Upload to the class server. These photos must be taken specifically for this challenge. Then, pick one of your compositions and write a short 2 page script (or treatment) for a scene taking place in that location. You should have a total of three characters. Finally, write a short, one page paper identifying, as specifically as possible, the ways your composition forces the action - and ultimately reveals elements of your characters' persona. In other words, explore how your location, as conveyed through your composition, connects the audience to your characters.

The weather has made this a little bit difficult to work on. I've got one so far. Well one location. I shot it yesterday and the story for it came to me this morning. Though I haven't decided which photo I'm going to use. It depends on what other shots I see over the next couple of days. We need to have one of each.

There is a little boy who is the sort of small weak kid who never gets picked to play on the team and he sits next to this snowman who has been benched as well. He tries to give the snowman the same pep talk his mother gives him. But then in his imagination a coach sends the snowman in to play and we see (stop motion animation? I'm glad it just has to be an idea and not something I would have to figure out how to make) our snowman get up to bat and drive in the winning run and be the hero on a field full of snowmen playing baseball. It would largely be driven by the sound of it all in the little boy's head. As the sound fades away the boy is left on the bench with the original snowman. The boy's mother comes out to find him, gives him a pep talk, and then offers to make him hot cocoa. 

The more I think about it the more I wish I could figure out how to actually make that.

And here's one last picture of the snowman. He was very cute.