DUST Production Blog

I Have Not Forgotten

Would it be too overpowering if the light came from the bird as well as from the hallway, in which case there'd be a feather trail? The team decided that we want to keep the feather trail, just not as prominently.Establishing shot of the bathroom. Experimenting with light sources. Main light source has to be the entrance door, but I tried adding a window on the opposite wall. I think it distracts too much from the silhouette in the main shot angle, so I decided against using the window as a major light source. Experimenting with the way the door opens in or out of the bathroom, and what that would mean for the lighting and the framing.The door opening inwards works better, because it focuses the light on the limp arm and allows for a better silhouette. Trying out placing the main character (older Saul) in the scene. His silhouette casts a stark shadow on the floor, breaking up the composition of the floor. There needs to be a little more reflective light to allow us to see younger Saul on the floor

Deciding on which style of window we want to use in the living room. The more complex ones would add more interesting shapes and shadows, as this is our main light source, but it would also make the scene too busy. The simpler windows make more sense for the financial situation of the protagonist, but they might be too boring.

Figuring out the essential look of the hallway. The door represents the freedom that Saul attains at the end of the film. I played with making the stained glass window in the door look like a prison or bird cage, so that Saul can metaphorically leave his mental cage. I also experimented with different widths of the hallway, shapes of the side table, and the presence of another bedroom door at the wall, as well as whether or not we would want another lamp somewhere in the room.

Couch concept sketches. Experimenting with a combination of 2 and 3 seat couches, textures and materials (fabric vs leather) as well as how we will make the couch look torn and worn.

Environment concept sketches for the title credits with a focus on storytelling and setting the tone of the scene. The most important aspects of the environment to be established are the exit, the look of the dusty living room, and the drug paraphernalia.

Inserting title credits in the beginning of the film to combine the introduction and the credits in the interest of both time and story. By exploring the environment through this credit sequence in the beginning, we can establish the forlorn and hopeless sense that encompasses the environment in the beginning. We also get an introduction into where the exit from this house is, as well as what is currently going on in the living room, as if time has stood still.

Mood painting of the kitchen. The warm colors seem nostalgic, yet the murky greens and dark blue shadows add a grungy and forlorn feeling to the warm palette.

Altered house layout to remove extra room, make living room smaller to frame the scene in the kitchen better, and to skew furniture to show signs of the house being in disarray.

Concept painting to incorporate the previously explored alterations to the living room. The main light source is the moonlight from the two windows. The foreground is washed in blues, and the kitchen is lit up in nostalgia, with tones that are warm, yet the shadows somewhat cool (purples). The couch is tattered and worn, but also has some warm tones that can be brought out after the light returns to the environment in the end (purples that can go from cool to warm).

An update to the animatic. The most significant change is adding a scene to establish the character relationships and give Saul more of a reason to be conflicted about himself. With this addition, Saul's depression is rooted in being neglected by his mother. Because she doesn't seem to love him, he can't love himself. In turn, she can't love him, because she is about to commit suicide and similarly does not love herself, in which case she can't show love for someone else. I researched the causes of depression as well as how these can be solved. If his cause for depression was neglect, then love is his way out. With this change, the ending is altered. He will see his mother's qualities in himself, as he is about to commit the same act that she did. Because of this, he now understands her, and when you understand, you can't be angry anymore. He forgives her and finds peace in himsellf.

Initial design sketches for the three characters of “DUST”

Mood painting of the kitchen. The warm colors seem nostalgic, yet the murky greens and dark blue shadows add a grungy and forlorn feeling to the warm palette.