Working on the script for my final project
Thinking about the Plot
I started my script for the final project by focusing on Lily, the main character, and her experiences with mental health challenges and self-discovery. I wanted to create a story that would captivate and deeply touch the audience, taking inspiration from the thought-provoking and intense elements found in shows like "Black Mirror" and films like "Black Swan." Lily, an aspiring art student, finds her life taking a harrowing turn as she grapples with mental health issues and uncovers the dark secrets of her family.
Introduction: Establishing the Character and Conflict
Scene 1: Lily is at home, enjoying her time painting. This scene shows her love for art and her dream of pursuing it in college. It also suggests her ongoing health problems.
Scene 2: Having lunch with her mother. This scene establishes the bond between her and her mother and establishes a sense of normalcy before everything goes haywire.
Thinking about the Plot
I started my script for the final project by focusing on Lily, the main character, and her experiences with mental health challenges and self-discovery. I wanted to create a story that would captivate and deeply touch the audience, taking inspiration from the thought-provoking and intense elements found in shows like "Black Mirror" and films like "Black Swan." Lily, an aspiring art student, finds her life taking a harrowing turn as she grapples with mental health issues and uncovers the dark secrets of her family.
Introduction: Establishing the Character and Conflict
Scene 1: Lily is at home, enjoying her time painting. This scene shows her love for art and her dream of pursuing it in college. It also suggests her ongoing health problems.
Scene 2: Having lunch with her mother. This scene establishes the bond between her and her mother and establishes a sense of normalcy before everything goes haywire.
Here, I wanted to be able to provide the audience a clear understanding of Lilly's character by going into detail about her interests, goals, and objectives. She had an ambition of attending art school, so I wanted to include that since I thought it was a crucial component of the plot. In order to give the movie a little more immersion through atmospheric cues like odours, I also wanted to mention that her mother enjoys making her lunch. I wanted to draw attention to the fact that Lilly's mother prepares her lunch every day because it was a crucial plot point.
Triggering Event: When Hallucinations Begin
Scene 3: After lunch, Lily starts feeling sick and begins to see things that aren't there. This scene is really important because it's where her delusions start and it sets the stage for her ending up in the hospital.
Scene 4 takes place at the hospital. Lily's hallucinations subside in this place, and she experiences a peculiar sense of relief, as if she has found a sanctuary.
Scene 5: Imagining things about her father. While in the hospital, Lily starts having visions of her father, which adds an air of mystery and hints at the hidden secrets within her family.
Scene 6: Lily arrives back at her house. She discovers a box beneath her mother's bed that contains LSD and other substances, which leads her to connect her hallucinations with her mother's behaviour.
Triggering Event: When Hallucinations Begin
Scene 3: After lunch, Lily starts feeling sick and begins to see things that aren't there. This scene is really important because it's where her delusions start and it sets the stage for her ending up in the hospital.
Scene 4 takes place at the hospital. Lily's hallucinations subside in this place, and she experiences a peculiar sense of relief, as if she has found a sanctuary.
Scene 5: Imagining things about her father. While in the hospital, Lily starts having visions of her father, which adds an air of mystery and hints at the hidden secrets within her family.
Scene 6: Lily arrives back at her house. She discovers a box beneath her mother's bed that contains LSD and other substances, which leads her to connect her hallucinations with her mother's behaviour.
The sequences where her delusions begin are significant, but at this stage I didn't want to reveal too much about the plot. I wanted to be clear that her stay in the hospital and away from home was a major factor in her recovery from psychosis, but was there an explanation behind this? In order to allow the audience to piece together the story from that point on, I also intended to include the drug boxes under the bed. I believed that including details of her father's delusions enhanced the twist at the conclusion.
The Climax:
Scene 7: Phone call from the mental institute. Lily discovers that her blood test came back positive for LSD and other substances, which makes her realise that her mother has been secretly poisoning her.
Scene 8: Having a conversation with her mother. In this heated debate, we learn about the mother's involvement in her father's demise and Lily's personal experiences with psychosis.
Next Steps: Progressing Ahead
Scene 9: The police show up. Lily's mother being taken away resolves the immediate conflict.
Scene 10: Beginning her college journey. Lily embarks on her path to recovery and pursues her dreams.
To make the experience more immersive, I incorporated different types of soundscapes. Soft whispers, sinister laughter, and other unsettling sound effects were used to mirror Lily's state of mind. The auditory elements were synchronised with visual cues to ensure a smoothexperience.
I selected captivating and atmospheric music from artists such as Vanbur, known for their work on the "One Day" soundtrack, and Sea Power. Their music brought a certain emotional depth and atmospheric quality that perfectly matched the narrative.
Elements of Visual Design
I made some videos that depict artwork coming off the walls, representing Lily's delusions. This visual effect was created to provide the audience with a glimpse into her altered perception of reality.
I used After Effects to create holograms that portrayed Lily's hallucinations, giving the scenes a futuristic and surreal touch.
The Climax:
Scene 7: Phone call from the mental institute. Lily discovers that her blood test came back positive for LSD and other substances, which makes her realise that her mother has been secretly poisoning her.
Scene 8: Having a conversation with her mother. In this heated debate, we learn about the mother's involvement in her father's demise and Lily's personal experiences with psychosis.
Next Steps: Progressing Ahead
Scene 9: The police show up. Lily's mother being taken away resolves the immediate conflict.
Scene 10: Beginning her college journey. Lily embarks on her path to recovery and pursues her dreams.
To make the experience more immersive, I incorporated different types of soundscapes. Soft whispers, sinister laughter, and other unsettling sound effects were used to mirror Lily's state of mind. The auditory elements were synchronised with visual cues to ensure a smoothexperience.
I selected captivating and atmospheric music from artists such as Vanbur, known for their work on the "One Day" soundtrack, and Sea Power. Their music brought a certain emotional depth and atmospheric quality that perfectly matched the narrative.
Elements of Visual Design
I made some videos that depict artwork coming off the walls, representing Lily's delusions. This visual effect was created to provide the audience with a glimpse into her altered perception of reality.
I used After Effects to create holograms that portrayed Lily's hallucinations, giving the scenes a futuristic and surreal touch.
I used a dark and muted colour grading to reflect the tone of the story, drawing inspiration from the dark and eerie aesthetics of films like "Black Swan" and "The Responder." The set design was carefully thought out to capture the essence of Lily's mental state. Various elements, such as smoke and temperature changes, were incorporated to heighten the overall experience.
Improving and Polishing
Getting input from my friends really helped me improve my project. They mentioned that certain aspects of the story seemed hurried and could benefit from more descriptive elements. I made the written parts of the video slower so that they are easier to read. Additionally, I made sure that the speculative designs, like the investigation board, were practical and interactive.
Getting input from my friends really helped me improve my project. They mentioned that certain aspects of the story seemed hurried and could benefit from more descriptive elements. I made the written parts of the video slower so that they are easier to read. Additionally, I made sure that the speculative designs, like the investigation board, were practical and interactive.
