Pre Production Doccumentation

I have been assigned the role of director of Mis-en-Scene, and so I am responsible for costume, make-up and set design/props.
As this is my department, I have to make choices on what the actors wear, their make-up and hair, and how props around them connote specific ideas.

Here are my costume designs for the protagonist, Amelia, and her Mother.

Day one of the film, scenes 2-9, Amelia

• The setting of our film is in winter, and so Amelia, as well as all the extras and other characters, will be wearing winter coats, scarves, and gloves to portray the time of year.
• In these scenes, Amelia will be wearing a black woolly scarf, a large grey cardigan almost engulfing her, making her appear frail. A plain black top to wash out her complexion and contribute to making her look worn and tired, and also to convey her unhappy frame of mind. Plain black trousers to make her look smart, as she is at school, and also to convey that sense of darkness and bleakness again, and a pair of black dolly shoes.
• Her make-up will be minimal, restricted to a pale foundation, enhancing the fact that she's tired and the idea of lifelessness. Mascara, to accentuate the eyes, as Amelia's eyes are the only features that portray her emotions.
• Dark colours convey her character to be in a dark place mentally, and to represent her depression. The lose fit will highlight Amelia's fragility and present the idea of weight loss due to stress and pressure.

Day one of the film, scenes 9-10, Amelia

In this scene, I want Amelia to wear light feminine colours to connote the idea of youth and innocence.

• Here she will be wearing a pink pyjama top with embellishments, pink drawstring pyjama bottoms.
• A comfortable, relaxed and slouchy costume worn at home conveys the idea that she is working the same amount when she's at home (a place which should be for relaxing and chilling out) as she does at school. This displays how she is working non-stop.

Day two, scenes 10 - 17, Amelia

• In these scenes, in EXT shots Amelia will continue to wear her winter outdoors clothing; black woolly scarf, black coat. Wearing the same scarf, coat, shoes connotes the idea of repetition. She will also wear a dark woolly jumper, loosely fitted emphasising her frailty, plain black trousers, and plain black dolly shoes.
• All of Amelia's clothes will be relatively loose fitting, emphasising the concept that she's only young and small, dealing with too much that she can't physically handle. It also represents how she is swamped in her work load.

Day three, scenes 18 - 22, Amelia

• Again, same coat, scarf and shoes, particularly in EXT shots. As it is in these scene in which Amelia breaks down, she will be wearing a red top representing anger, frustration and emotion. Over this she will be wearing a large, long black cardigan, and plain black trousers.
• The dark colours are symbolic of her depression and social invisibility, and the red as well as being symbolic of her anger and frustration, also is used as this is the first time we see a dramatic emotion from her.

Day one of the film, scene 2, Hilary (Amelia's mother)

• In general, from Hilary we want to see a contrast from Amelias dark and dull attire, with stylish jewlry, smart and interesting clothes.

Day three scene 14 Hilary

In this scene we see Hilary in a dressing gown and slippers looking relaxed yet cheerful, thus presenting the idea thatas an adult she is able to have days off, whereas Amelias work is consitstant and she doesn't allow herself time off.

Day four, scene 18, Hilary

• 
  Here are my set designs for the main location of the film, which is Amelia's bedroom, and the kitchen which is seen on a repetitive basis.

• Amelias room will feature a double bed, a desk, a bedside table, television, leptop, shelves, mirror, wardrobe, and rug.
• On the bed will be a white duvet. The white colours surrounding Amelia convey the idea of innocence and a bright and cheerful world surrounding her gloomy existance.
• On her desk will be a pile of school books, portraying her hard work and demanding education.
• The mirror is a motif of her self reflection.
• In the corner of her room will be a pile of university prospectus's, telling the audience which stage she is currently at in her education, and that she is intelligent, ambitious, and this image also acts as her motivation.
• The DVD's represent Amelia as a typical teenager, insinuating her interests, which have been burried beneath her workload. This image reflects her former self.
• In more detail, the wall by her bed which we see often will bear posters of popular teen films, e.g. Twilight, and magazine cutouts/posters of male celebrities e.g. Zach Effron. This tells the audience that Amelia is an average teenager, and these images somewhat reflect her former self, and her former teenage spark.
• Cut-outs of destinations, e.g universities, holiday locations, exotic places will be stuck on this wall, telling the audience that Amelia is ambitious, and is aching to be free of her current life state.
• Cards will be taped onto the wall from previous successes; exams, driving test. This gives the impression that she is a hardworker, intelligent and highly praised.
• I want all images and items in Amelias room to reflect her former self and former spark, other than the images from her current state (e.g. school work).

Hilary and Amelias Kitchen, seen repetativley