Blog #17

To establish our main character Caroline’s personality without direct dialogue, we will be utilizing a variety of props to set the scene. In the 2019 film Booksmart, director Olivia Wade was able to establish the main character Molly’s personality and interests in the first 45 seconds of the film, just by panning around her bedroom. The shots included posters promoting women’s rights and feminism, photos of inspirational women, a Yale flag, a desk with a student’s lamp, and a graduation gown with a valedictorian sash. In just a short amount of time and without even seeing the main character, the audience already knows that she is a feminist and is very studious.

We will use a similar technique in the beginning of our film, as we will show around Caroline’s room to reveal that she is an artist. On the walls Caroline’s works of art will be hung, as well as paint and other art materials spread out to further reveal that she is indeed an artist. The most significant props will of course be the canvas she is painting on, and the paint she is using. The paint colors are the most important to move the narrative, as the flashback paintings feature colors that are associated with happiness and innocence, such as green, blue, and pink. However, when the plot twist occurs, the colors switch to dramatic and evil black and gray.