Task 2: ('Proposal') Director's Notebook

PROPS & COSTUMES

This is a list of the setup requirements for all of our scenes. we decided to keep it very basic to avoid confusion & spending too much time in between the scenes:

• Old Bailey Scene: Center Big Block Only
• Breakfast Scene: Center Big Block + 2 smaller blocks (+ food, cups, miscellaneous items)
•  Murder Scene: Center Big Block Only
• Television scene: Center Big Block Only
• Interrogation Scene: Center Big Block + 2 smaller blocks
• Valerie Letter Scene: Center Big Block Only
• Evey Reborn Scene: Center Big Block Only

As the "Director" it is also my job to look at the costuming of my performers. When looking at costuming I must ensure they are related, symbolic and most importantly comfortable (I do not want my actors worrying about costuming when performing.. that is after all my job)...Costume is illustrated in V for vendetta by the Guy Fawkes mask V wears. This allows the community to see him not as an individual but as a metaphorical creature portraying the idea of hope. This is explained at the very start of the movie with this voiceover in the background. We are told to remember the idea not the man, because a man can fail, he can be caught, he can be killed and forgotten but 400 years later an idea can still change the world. The idea in this quote represents the hope that the people of London seek for freedom, to be free from the government and to live a normal life. This teaches us that no single man would be able to take down the government as represented by because that man can fail. However, in the case of V, he did not want to be known as a man, but to associated to the hope and courage he gave to the people of London. He essentially lives as a messenger, a symbol of hope for the people of London. Apart from Evey, nobody knew him personally but everyone knew what he symbolizes and what his motives were and why he was trying to take down the government.

Another aspect of V’s costume is the black cape. This cape could present a million perspectives… a villain figure… a superhero figure? Another important technique in costuming is colour, colour is shown in the film with people such as V, he wears a lot of black or grey. Because V sneaks around in the night it is also shown in his dark costume and his main colours are red and black, the black symbolizes the night and that he sneaks around and wants to be heard but the red also shows that he is violent and explosive, it shows fire and that's what haunts his past. V’s costume creates a positive expression and shows him as sneaky and violent but also as a “good guy” rather than a terrorist.

STAGING 
Initial Staging Plot
(classic staging)

This is a video I made about our initial ideas for the staging.

Final Staging Plot
(in-the-round staging)

In the final week before our performance, we surprisingly decided to completely change our staging. After several weeks of practicing on the stage, Federico had the idea that we must challenge ourselves to try something new and said that we should change our staging to keep our stage in the round, as seen in the video above. This idea was argued back and forth amongst the group however finally came to the conclusion that it would be interesting pushing and new. The audience members will be seated around us whilst the keeping a gap between the chairs where our entrances and exits will occur.

The overall performance goal was to make the audience empathize with the characters, and so if in the round  the characters were able to talk very closely to the audience in an attempt to make them feel a certain way. For instance, when Evey says "I trusted you, I believed in you” she makes direct eye contact with the audience which makes them feel as though they are even part of the play. Being in the round also makes voice projection much easier, which was one of the reasons this idea took place in the beginning. Since we knew Sher and Fed will be wearing a mask = it would be difficult to hear them clearly however if the audiences are closer to the actors, we don't have to try to project our voices as much as we would, on a regular stage. The main reason for our change was so that we could try something new as well as add more movement to our roles. With regards to staging we started off with a permanent block I the middle which aided with every scene in some way as listed:

• Terrace (Old Bailey and Evey Reborn Scene)
• Sofa (Living Room/TV Scene)
• Wall (Valerie Letter Scene)
• Table (Interrogation and Breakfast Scene).

SOUND AND LIGHTING

(TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM SCRIPT)

SCENE #1: [OLD BAILEY’S EXPLOSION] 

LIGHTING: Red lighting on EVEY and V (blackout at 0:38 of music before explosion)

SOUND: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9TtBYgyXzk (fade in at 0:18)

•  Lighting Explanation:  in this scene we chose the lighting to be all red following each character due to the setting; they are in an alley in a dystopian society so it is fair to use a dark colour especially as Evey was being first introduced to the V character who seems to be a murderer. On top of that we know that red also makes us perceive that V is violent and explosive, it shows fire and that's what haunts his past.
• Sound Explanation: This is a clip taken directly from the original move consisting of the background classical music however with the explosions. This clip is played when Evey proceeds to say "I can hear it!" which is the same exact cue in the movie.

(TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM SCRIPT)

SCENE #2: [BREAKFAST]

LIGHTING: White lighting on V and White lighting facing EVEY 

SOUND: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgpJVI3tDbY

•  Lighting Explanation:  in this scene we chose the lighting to be all white, as in contrast to the previous scene they are in a home eating breakfast which is much more calm and chill. The white represents a sense of purity in Evey as well as V since he begins to open up himself to Evey at this stage.
• Sound Explanation: This is a sound clip of a 'Romantic and Classical' piece by an Italian Composer, which we aim to play as a background throughout the scene. Firstly, we wanted to have background the background music as not only did we feel the empty space while performing and directing but we also knew that its what V would've had to play and did in the movie

(TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM SCRIPT)

SCENE #3: [MURDER IN THE SHOWER]

LIGHTING: White on Lewis + Red on V (black out on "ghost of christmas past")

SOUND: N/A

• Lighting Explanation: In this scene the lighting had to be precisely positioned and timed. Position wisewe chose to have red on V as he is the dark evil mudered in this scene, whereas white on lewis cause he is the (not) innocent victim. The blackout for this scene has to be precisely timed to avoid any awkwardness... the black out on "ghost of christmas past" as V stabs Lewis to emphasise effect.
• Sound Explanation: N/A

(TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM SCRIPT)

SCENE #4: [LIVING ROOM]

LIGHTING: White on the whole stage

SOUND: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJUCNMjRIfU (play when remote is clicked)

• Lighting Explanation: Same as the breakfast scene we chose the lighting to be all white, which is much more calming and neutral.
• Sound Explanation: The sound clip is just a news broadcast introduction in which 'evey finds out about Lewis Prothero'. This clip will be played when me and fed turn on the 'tv's' in sync.

(TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM SCRIPT)

SCENE #5: [INTERROGATION]

LIGHTING: Red light only on Evey

SOUND: N/A

• Lighting Explanation:  
• Sound Explanation: 

(TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM SCRIPT)

SCENE #6: [INTERROGATION]

LIGHTING: Red light only on Evey

SOUND: N/A

• Lighting Explanation:  
• Sound Explanation: 

(TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM SCRIPT)

SCENE #7: [BLACK OUT TORTURE]

LIGHTING: Blackout

SOUND: Shaving hair SFX- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa98uAVoGfs (fade in 3 secs after black out)

• Lighting Explanation:  
• Sound Explanation: 

(TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM SCRIPT)

SCENE #8: [VALERIE'S LETTER]

LIGHTING: White lighting on Evey when she's speaking, then blackout when Valerie speaks and vice versa

SOUND: N/A

• Lighting Explanation:  
• Sound Explanation: 

(TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM SCRIPT)

SCENE #8: [EVEY REBORN]

LIGHTING: Red Light on V as soon as he says 'Welcome Home' & White light on Evey

SOUND: Door open SFX after lights come on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf-gpq_cwMY

• Lighting Explanation:  
• Sound Explanation: