In response to Nivan's question about what I want him to be taking shots of, I wanted to dialogue a bit about the use of projections and videos in this play.
I think it's really important that in the production there is a consistency in the usage of video. So I pose this question: what are the possible reasons for using video?
Some reasons that I have come up with:
To show time and place, as marked in the script.
To enhance the setting (especially since, due to the number of scene changes, it will be difficult to add too much to each setting)
To show something that is happening outside of the real world (such as when Gabriel sprouts multiple arms). This reason is further divided into a few reasons. There are three different types of unreal occurrences - those of dreams (Jewel walking along the highway in Scene 0, and Sam's dream of Jewel and Gabriel in Scene 11), what I will title hallucinations because I don't know what else to call them (Rosalind/Sam/Young Man on street corner in Scene 2, Gabriel and Sam in a jazz club in scene 9, Sam's reflective monologue in Scene 11, the five Sams in Scene 14), and then just plain weird shit happening, such as when the dead Hank answers back or Not Jewel shouting out in the subway what Samantha has probably just read. Furthermore, there are recounts of dreams, such as Gabriel's of Zachary, which could be interesting to project during the retelling.
Are there any other possible reasons we could use video?
I definitely want to use video for the first two reasons, but I am torn on the last one (showing something that is happening outside of the real world). It will definitely be challenging to do some of the dream sequences, especially the Gabriel one, but I think the physical contact of Gabriel touching Sam is important. Also, since I definitely want the dream of Jewel to be live, I think the second one needs to be live as well. I think the "hallucinations" and weird shit can all be done live.
So how can we use video projections to enhance scenes? And if we do not use video to enhance every scene, should we find some other (technical) way to enhance each scene? Or maybe that's just overkill.
Here are some ideas (and when I say no ideas, that just applies to videos. I will talk about sound, etc. in more detail at a later date):
0. Path near the highway - Alex wanted a video of the path near the highway, but I wasn't able to get that footage while I was in New York. Ben, as busy as I know you are, would there be any possible way you could get that footage?
1. The apartment - no ideas
2. Street corner - how could we should that taxis are zooming by? We can use sound, and I actually did get some footage of taxis driving by that intersection (on a Canon point and shoot, so I don't know how good that quality would be). I wish we could have a very strong, very silent fan that could shoot air past the actors to simulate the wind from the taxis. But I think that idea is just way too grand.
3. The spa - projection of steam
4. Cemetery - no ideas
5. Magazine office - no ideas
6. Stylish eating establishment - no ideas
7. Library - no ideas
8. Multiple locations - no ideas
9. Internet cafe - we will need the typed words projected. This is very similar to the scene in Closer when the two men or chatting. How can we make it different? Is it necessary to make it very different?
10. The subway - I also took videos out the windows of the subway while I was in New York. Using those might be interesting. How else can we portray that they are on a subway? Obviously seating, sounds, how the actors move. This scene will need to be choreographed.
11. Seedy basement bar - projection of Sam's dream of Zachary?
12. Nearby the Hudson in Tribeca (sexy time scene) - no ideas
In between 12 and 13 we need to show that it is raining. I would like to get videos of rain to possibly use. Nivan - remember it is at dusk, if that is at all important to the filming of the rain. How else can we show it is raining? I would love to get her as wet as possible.
13. Maternity ward - no ideas.
14. Night club - videos of bodies together. Nivan, be a creeper, please. Also, we need to address the breaking of the disco ball. Obviously, we cannot actually break the disco ball, so how else can we create the same kind of effect?
15. Inside of a taxi - lights going by on either side, or behind them? Or projected over them?
16. Apartment - no ideas
17. The bed - no ideas
So let me know what you think. There is a lot of information here, don't feel like you need to address it all, just whatever sparks some thoughts or feelings within you.
Also, Ben, if you could speak a bit about the process of working with projections and lights, that would be wonderful.
