Dexter
"...Some people with OCD perform compulsive rituals because they inexplicably feel they have to, others act compulsively so as to mitigate the anxiety that stems from particular obsessive thoughts. The person might feel that these actions somehow either will prevent a dreaded event from occurring, or will push the event from their thoughts. In any case, the individual's reasoning is so idiosyncratic or distorted that it results in significant distress for the individual with OCD or for those around them. Excessive skin picking (i.e., dermatillomania) or hair plucking (i.e., trichotillomania) and nail biting (i.e., onychophagia) are all on the Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum. Individuals with OCD are aware that their thoughts and behavior are not rational,[13] but they feel bound to comply with them to fend off feelings of panic or dread..."
This is from the Wikipedia article on
Obsessive–compulsive disorder
I feel like I am going back to this point a lot. Not to say that this is the only defining characteristic for the main character. She will be much more three-dimensional. And I will most definitely push her to act better.On a side note, I have managed to download Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and "King Lear" and will upload the earlier scene test as soon as I can find a strong enough internet signal or at least 6-7 hours to do so.
"Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by uncontrollable, unwanted thoughts and repetitive, ritualized behaviors you feel compelled to perform. If you have OCD, you probably recognize that your obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors are irrational – but even so, you feel unable to resist them and break free.
Like a needle getting stuck on an old record, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) causes the brain to get stuck on a particular thought or urge. For example, you may check the stove twenty times to make sure it’s really turned off, wash your hands until they’re scrubbed raw, or drive around for hours to make sure that the bump you heard while driving wasn’t a person you ran over."
So after reading this little tidbit from "helpguide.org/mental/obsessive_compulsive_disorder_ocd.htm", it appears my character will not have full out OCD. Interesting to note that I exhibit some of the behaviors listed on this page (very loosely, mind you).
"Superstitions; excessive attention to something considered lucky or unlucky."
"Ordering or arranging things “just so.”
"Accumulating 'junk' such as old newspapers or empty food containers."
These things are the few things that apply to the main character, so I will have to play up other qualities like excessive double-checking or things and repeatedly checking photos of loved ones that the main character holds dear.
Another side note: Origami may have been invented in China, paper being made there during the first century A.D. It was brought over to Japan around the sixth century A.D. The wikipedia article on "History of origami" says the term "Origami" was coined by kindergardeners since the written characters were easier for young children to write. If that is the case, it would be interesting to see this put into the aspect of murder.
The story of the 1,000 paper cranes is quite touching though (wikipedia again):
"One of the most famous origami designs is the Japanese crane. The crane is auspicious in Japanese culture. Japan has launched a satellite named tsuru (crane). Legend says that anyone who folds one thousand paper cranes will have their heart's desire come true. The origami crane (折鶴 orizuru in Japanese) has become a symbol of peace because of this legend, and because of a young Japanese girl named Sadako Sasaki. Sadako was exposed to the radiation of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima as an infant, and it took its inevitable toll on her health. She was then a hibakusha – an atom bomb survivor. By the time she was twelve in 1955, she was dying of leukemia. Hearing the legend, she decided to fold one thousand origami cranes so that she could live. However, when she saw that the other children in her ward were dying, she realized that she would not survive and wished instead for world peace and an end to suffering.
A popular version of the tale is that Sadako folded 644 cranes before she died; her classmates then continued folding cranes in honor of their friend. She was buried with a wreath of 1,000 cranes to honor her dream. While her effort could not extend her life, it moved her friends to make a granite statue of Sadako in the Hiroshima Peace Park: a young girl standing with her hands outstretched, a paper crane flying from her fingertips.
Every year the statue is adorned with thousands of wreaths of a thousand origami cranes. A group of one thousand paper cranes is called senbazuru in Japanese (千羽鶴)." (seen at top of post).
I hope to properly portray the element of "innocence" or "child" through the actions of the main character.
6. Budget
A.) Be as specific as you can: $300-$400
B.) Item, cost per unit, total cost, and donated or “in kind” items
Trench coat: Donated (Price unsure): $0
Prop dagger: $5
Candles (already owned): $0
Machete: (Price unsure) $0
Airsoft guns: $0
C.) Include total cost at bottom of budget.
D.) In kind costs should be included in your grand total. This is anything you
did not have to pay directly for. For example: free use of equipment,
editing facilities, cameras, lights, sound recording equipment. Include the
facilities at KCAI as valued in the commercial market.
HD Video Camera: $700
Olympus sound recorder: $150
E.) Video stock, rentals, batteries, transportation, meals, lodging, consultants,
Etc.:
Video stock: $0
Rentals: $0
Batteries: $0
Transportation: $200
Meals: $130
Lodging: $0
Consultants: $0
Any additional props: $200
Total Cost: $1385
4. Research Outline for your Thesis Project
A.) Bibliography of all books, articles, archives, and other texts.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. USA: Wiley Pub., 2006. Print.
B.) A filmography or artist research (Films, videos, interactive work,
installations, and performance work you have reviewed about your
subject).
Sucker Punch. Dir. Zack Snyder. By Zack Snyder and Steve Shibuya. Perf. Emily
Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung,
Carla Gugino, Oscar Isaac, Jon Hamm, Scott Glenn, and Gerard Plunkett.
Warner Bros., 2011. Film.
Silent Hill 2. Konami. September, 2001
Heavy Rain. Sony Computer Entertainment. February 23, 2010.
“Dexter.” James Manos, Jr. Dexter. Showtime. Original broadcast date: October 1,
2006.
Seven. Dir. David Fincher. Perf. Pitt, Brad, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow,
R. Lee Ermey, and Kevin Spacey. New Line Cinema, 1995. Film.
C.) Research from the internet or pertinent websites.
"Crime Film." Wikipedia. N.p., 11 Aug. 2011. Web. 3 Sep 2011.
"Depressive Episode (Depression)." Psychological Disorders. N.p., n.d. Web. 1
Sep 2011.
episode-depression/>.
Any and all websites dedicated to serial killer methods and mental
disorders.
D.) A list of all “outsiders” who you have talked about your subject with.
Dorothy Yingsery
Clancy Obrien
E.) Experts with whom you have consulted.
2. Field Notes, Observations, and Research
A.) Artist work that inspired or applies to thesis:
-The movie “Sucker Punch,” directed by Zack Snyder
- The PS3 game “Heavy Rain,” directed by David Cage and developed by Quantic Dream
- The PS2 game “Silent Hill 2,” published by Konami and developed by Team Silent
B.) Subjects, theories, and or philosophies that informs your thesis
project:
- Subjects: Crime drama stories
Extreme Psychological mindsets
Ghosts and what they see post death
- Philosophies: Nihilism
Structuralism
- Theories: How one’s ghost sticks around after a traumatic event
How people think they see things, even if they are right
How one sees truth through insanity
C.) Field observations (observing your subject matter as natural phenomena in outside world):
- People tend to give in to their obsessions (and related mindsets) when looking into matters of personal interest, whether they are hobbies or indeed crime scene investigations (at least ones that are not trained in the art). These kinds of events heavily color one’s view of the world. This is what I want to exaggerate through the actions and visual styles of the characters proposed. In times of seclusion, whether self-imposed or otherwise, people also tend to become paranoid from too much thinking. The small parts that can be seen as slightly off behavior can lead to major breakdowns and unjustified actions.
D.) What do you see that may be problematic in producing your thesis:
- Limited control of the actors’ schedules
- Potential weather problems that impede travel
- The potential unavailability of locations
E.) What do you see that may support your efforts in producing your thesis:
- The interest of the chosen actors in the subject matter proposed
- The proximity of the locations planned
- The unique approach to directing skills
F.) Preliminary research and interviews:
- Review of similar subjects in shows such as CSI and other TV shows
- Review of horror genres and psychological dramas
G.) Possible subjects for your imagery and or audio:
- Newscasts of older murder cases related to serial killers
- Ambulance/police sirens
- Local towns and old basements for settings
-Various demonic sounds from well known movies/works
H.) Describe tests and experiments you will conduct to prepare for the
production of your thesis project:
- The planned effects will be tested on individual actors and locations
- Each actor chosen will be test to see how far they can go into character
- Locations will be set up to desired scenes to test areas appearances
-1. Production Outline (Treatment/ Proposal)
A.) Format, Media, and length if applies
- Format: High Definition (1440 x 1080) (16:9)
- Media: Digital Film
- Length: 20 minutes or less
B.) Intended audience: Anyone open-minded
C.) Summary description of project in one paragraph: A short film about a serial killer who takes the blood of 1,000 people to fold 1,000 paper cranes for a ritual. A survivor of the killings tries to find the killer and the part of himself he lost in the attempted murder. A modern-day oracle and an unofficial detective become obsessed with the killings and both try to catch the serial killer. The views of each character are heavily affected by their previous experience with the serial killer, both in their actions and visually on screen. In the end, all three main characters catch up to the killer who kills themselves in desperation.
D.) Discussion of themes you plan to explore: Psychological states of mind, crime scene investigation techniques, media’s role in spreading information, and individual approaches to loss and obsession.
-Ghostly visions of the world
-The perspective and exploration of a serial killer’s mind
E.) Statement of your relationship to your subject and theme: I have always been interested in abstract approaches to serious matters and narratives, such as crime wave narratives and the states of mind each person involved goes through in extreme situations. I also am interested in the subject of ghosts, and wish to portray that visually.
F.) Social, theoretical, historical, and or cultural issues which are relevant to your project:
- Social: The alienation people can feel in the midst of modern media and the size of modern cities, as well as from their own actions which can be deemed “odd.”
- Theoretical: Exploring and solidifying the ideas of narrative structure, with influences of psychotic states of mind and heavy loss.
- Historical: The approaches to crime investigation and how it has and has not changed. The use of older techniques of “divination” to analyze modern issues.
- Cultural: How media can drive people to extremes in a place of a lot of people and technology, including the way they see life.
G.) Discuss conceptual themes and issues: The states of mind visually represented through the warping of the video.
-views of life after death
H.) Review methods (test audience plans): Show the film to test groups with context of an “experiment.” Listen for parts to improve on and what parts the audience likes.
I.) Approach and style: Dramatic narrative with psychological influences to the video.
J.) Probable collaborative members or production crew: None planned but all help appreciated
K.) List of all equipment you will be using: HD Handy Cam
- Olympus Portable Recorder
-Three outdoor ground lights
-Two Handheld lights
B. SENIOR PROJECT PROPOSAL RESEARCH
1. Proposed Research Topic(s): Psychological states of mind
- Crime scene investigation techniques
- Shakespeare tragedies/comedies
2. Describe significance of Proposed Research to Thesis
Project: The techniques of crime investigation and psychological states of mind will directly influence the portrayal of the characters.
3. Describe Proposed Research in conceptual, theoretical,
historical, and cultural terms: Conceptually the research will influence the visual style of the film proposed.
- Theoretically, the research will solidify the narrative approach and improve
the story portrayal
- Historically, the research explores the approaches to crime narratives and information dispersal, from early news types to modern methods.
- Culturally, the research will emphasize the subculture within mainstream media, enriching my knowledge about media and how adding to the feeling of alienation of the characters of the film.
4. Describe your Proposed Research methods:
1. Fieldwork: Data will be gathered through the ways information is spread, like newspapers, newscasts, and other media.
2. Written Materials: Books (mostly fictional, some non-fictional). The fictional books will be like Shakespeare books, illustrating the mood of tragedy in satirical ways. The non-fiction books will focus on the methods of crime scene investigation and the people involved.
3. Screenings & Work Reviewed: The movies watched will be analyzed for their stylistic qualities and how the camera work adds to the mood of the story and/or characters. The setting in the proposed movies will be analyzed to understand how they are predominant and how they can be used almost as characters themselves.
4. Interviews: I will seek out interviews, either pre-recorded or live, with people who have already made work dealing with psychological thrillers and/or crime dramas
5. List resources you have already referenced for this
research: The movie “Sucker Punch”
- The PS3 game “Heavy Rain”
- The PS2 game “Silent Hill 2”
B. RESEARCH
1. Proposed Research Topic(s): Psychological states of mind
- Crime scene investigation techniques
2. Describe significance of Proposed Research to Thesis
Project: The techniques of crime investigation and psychological states of mind will directly influence the portrayal of the characters.
3. Describe Proposed Research in conceptual, theoretical,
historical, and cultural terms: Conceptually the research will influence the visual style of the film proposed.
- Theoretically, the research will solidify the narrative approach and improve
the story portrayal
- Historically, the research explores the approaches to crime narratives and information dispersal, from early news types to modern methods.
- Culturally, the research will emphasize the subculture within mainstream media, enriching my knowledge about media and how adding to the feeling of alienation of the characters of the film.
4. Describe your Proposed Research methods:
1. Fieldwork: Data will be gathered through the ways information is spread, like newspapers, newscasts, and other media.
2. Written Materials: Data will be analyzed based off the modern sources read and replicated.
3. Screenings & Work Reviewed: The movies watched will be analyzed for their stylistic qualities and how the camera work adds to the mood of the story and/or characters.
4. Interviews: I will seek out interviews, either pre-recorded or live, with people who have already made work dealing with psychological thrillers and/or crime dramas
5. List resources you have already referenced for this
research: The movie “Suckerpunch”
- The PS3 game “Heavy Rain”
I am still seeking valid research sources and shall report as soon as possible.