Project #1 - The Shadow Transforms

GOALS

This assignment has the following goals:

Throw you right into the work. Ignore your fear. It's natural, but not justified. The ONLY way to make a mistake is by inaction.
Introduce you to the basic artistic process that we are going to use during every project that we do in the program. (See Model)
Explore a "simple" technique of shadow puppetry using a small screen and a basic lighting set-up.
Acquaint you with new levels of frustration. Just do it. If it does not come out, try again. If you try many times and it still does not work it's OK.
Start to help you accept your "mistakes" as part of the creative process. You really do not make mistakes. You are exploring different ways of doing things. Remember that. Please, please, please, bring ALL your "mistakes" to class. You will be surprised how many "mistakes" are very wonderful finds.

ASSIGNMENT

Using the character of Roberto della Griva from the book "The Island of the Day Before" as a guideline, start to explore your own personal Ferrante. Imagine a situation and do a storyboard. Note: If you have any questions, try doing it the way you think is right.

PHASE 1: RESEARCH Duration: week 1 and beyond.

Show and tell: TUESDAY Week 2

Suggested steps:

1) Write a list of your apparent physical and personal traits. Write down all the ones you like and the ones you dislike, even some of those secret ones. Especially those. Keep the notebook handy so you can add traits during the day. Research "yourself". Find some pictures or images to complement the written ideas.
2) Write a list of your secret dreams and fantasies in a safe place. Did you ever wish you could do something really not permitted? Did you ever have fantasies you never shared (yes, those) lying at the edge of your awareness? Did you ever imagine yourself doing something you never dared to do and feel embarrassed to admit? Write it down, all of it. It does not have to be true, actually. Have fun, plumb the depths. Find some pictures or images to complement the written ideas.
3) Divide all the research into two parts. One part corresponds to the person that everybody knows as you. The other person is your alter ego, your shadow, and has all the other characteristics. Start imagining a person that could almost look like you, but only you would notice that person's minute differences in body and soul and everybody else may think that person is you. Maybe that person does not look anything like you but embodies your other traits. It could be a visual opposite (yin-yang style). Give that person a name. Find or create images to explore these ideas.
4) Imagine yourself alone, maybe dozing off. Suddenly, out of your shadow, your Shadow emerges and takes over your image. You have transformed. Do you change? What would your Shadow do once it takes over? Make-up an event.

PHASE II :WRITE or STORYBOARD

Show and Tell: TUESDAY Week 2 -

You can now either write down the story first or go ahead to do a story-board. A storyboard is what some folks use to work out the progression of images in a play or a movie, or the "action". It consists of a series of rectangles that are accompanied on one side by notes on the content of the picture, the dialogue (if any), and the sound or lighting changes that accompany the action. You may want to write down the "story". This process usually helps clarify the ideas.

Once you have a preliminary storyboard, look at it. See if it makes sense visually. Does it? Do it all over, again, changing every image to advance your ideas. Each time you do any image, think of it as a stepping stone. The following times you do it, see how you can improve your ideas. Do it with that in mind. Keep the good points but change the weak ones. Go though the process at least three times. Keep all the steps and bring them to class. On Tuesday Oct. 7 we will start by showing each other our work and discussing it.

Note: this schedule and these details may change.

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