Cinema Reprise

REAR WINDOW– BY CINEMA REPRISE AN ASSIGNMENT IN FILM DESIGN

YOUR STORY WEEK ONE ASSIGNMENT HERE WE WILL SIMPLY BEGIN OUR JOURNEY BY RETELLING A SHORT STORY FROM OUR PAST.

AT HIS SIDE WEEK ONE THE FIRST STEP IN THE ASSIGNMENT IS TO CREATE A JOURNAL INTRODUCTORY PAGE THAT COMBINES WORDS AND IMAGES INTO A SINGLE COMPOSITION

ONE PAGE ESSAY

THE FIRST REQUIREMENT IS A ONE PAGE ESSAY

PAGE ONE WITH NOTES

NEXT WE WILL RESEARCH THE STORY AND IMPACT THE IDEAS WITH IMAGES

PAGE TWO WITH NOTES

PAGE THREE WITH NOTES

THE YELLOW CADILLAC IN MEXICO

THE OLD AND THE NEW

The Argus C3 was a low-priced camera mass-produced from 1939 to 1966 The camera sold about 2 million units, making it one of the most popular cameras in history.

Swedish designer Sixten Sason was the man responsible for creating the aesthetics of the Hasselblad camera in the late 1940's, a design so compelling that today it defines not just a product but an entire brand

A good friend and assistant in the TrueColor division of Consolidate labs.

MOVE AWAY AND TAKE YOUR OWN PHOTOS !!!

COMPOSITION

AND REALLY BAD COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS !!!

RESULTS OF OUR HARD WORK

LOOKING BACK YEARS LATER

OPPS

HIS PHOTOS

MY PHOTO

ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST ILLUSTRATOR’S & a whopper of a story teller….

YOUR FILM WEEK ONE ASSIGNMENT

REAR WINDOW WEEK TWO

PAGE ONE WITH NOTES

PAGE TWO WITH NOTES

PAGE THREE WITH NOTES

PAGE FOUR WITH NOTES

PAGE FIVE WITH NOTES

SYNOPSIS In REAR WINDOW a newspaper photographer with a broken leg passes time recuperating by observing his neighbors through his “rear� window. He sees what he believes to be a murder, and decides to solve the crime himself. With the help of his nurse and girlfriend, he tries to catch the murderer without being killed himself.

THE PROTAGONIST

ď ľ

The protagonist in our story is L.B. "Jeff" Jefferies (James Stewart), a professional photographer who, after breaking his leg (photographing a race car accident), is confined to a wheelchair while he recuperates.

THE LONG TERM MISSION



THE MISSION - Jeff’s mission has a short and long term challenge.



His long term mission is to resolve a relationship with his girlfriend. Jeff isn’t sure that he is ready for marriage nor is he sure that she is ready to share his adventurous lifestyle.

THE SHORT TERM MISSION Jeff’s short term mission is to unravel the mystery that is unfolding in his apartment courtyard.  One night as he dozes by the window he notices that Lars, the salesman, goes out carrying his heavy silver sample case.

Later, the salesman returns, lifting the case easily, as if it were empty.  Twice more he goes out in the rain, lugging the heavy case, but coming home with it lighter. Eventually Jeff is attacked by Lars and in the struggle. 

AS THE STORY UNFOLDS

ď ľ

Jeff slips and falls from the window ledge, just as the police run up beneath him. Luckily, they break his fall, and Lisa sweeps him up in her arms. Lars confesses to the murder of his wife, and the police take him away. As the film ends,

AS THE STORY CONCLUDES

ď ľ

Jeff rests peacefully in his wheelchair, now with casts on both legs watching his neighbors. Lisa reclines on the daybed in Jeff's apartment, appearing to read a book on foreign travel in order to please him. As soon as he is asleep, she puts the book down and happily opens a fashion magazine.

THE NARRATIVE ENVIRONMENT The Courtyard Environment

THE NARRATIVE ENVIRONMENT The Concluding Fight Sequence

THE NARRATIVE ENVIRONMENT

Essential To the Story Telling Process.



Without the apartments “geography”, and its “rear window” with a commanding a view of the courtyard; there could be no story. The window itself, the wheelchair and camera equipment (flashing bulbs) are absolutely essential to delivering the climatic ending to the film. Few other films offer a set and props that play such an instrumental role in reinforcing the story telling narrative.

SHIFTING TIME & PLACE WEEK THREE ASSIGNMENT

SPYGLASS AN ADAPTATION OF HITCHCOCK’S REAR WINDOW

SPYGLASS WAS ….

THE ASSIGNMENT WAS TO CHANGE THE TIME AND PLACE

FROM NEW YORK TO VENICE

FROM NEW YORK

TO VENICE

THE TIME SHIFT

?

FROM 1956 TO 1608

MY ONE PAGE

MY ONE PAGE With Notes

Sample one of four pages

SYNOPSIS 

Signore Galilei (Galileo), the famed scientist, is visiting Venice, Italy.

The year is 1600 AD. He has been sent to Venice and given accommodations in the Palazzo Loredon. However, we are moving it “cinematically” off the grand canal to a more intimate exterior location. See our lecture on connection to see just how we intend to do this.

SYNOPSIS Cont. 

Unfortunately Galileo has a severely twisted ankle (another experiment gone wrong) and is unable to walk. He has with him the parts for a makeshift SPYGLASS (an invention that won’t mature for several years).

Galileo’s Telescope

Hitchcock's Camera

SYNOPSIS Cont. ď ľ

His primitive SPYGLASS allows him to peer across a small canal into the apartment windows across the canal and uncover what he believes to be clues to a murder. He decides to try and solve the crime himself.

SYNOPSIS Cont. ď ľ

During one of his frequent trips to Venice, Galileo met a young woman named Marina di Andrea Gamba and started a relationship with her. She moved into his house in Padua and bore him three children: Sister Maria Celeste; Livia, Sister Arcangela; and Vincenzo. In none of the three baptismal records is Galileo named as the father. Galileo's position as a professor and his many friendships among the Venetian nobility probably made it unwise for him to figure officially as the children's father.

Marina di Andrea Gamba

THE PROTAGONIST

Signore Galileo Galilei

THE PROTAGONIST Cont.

AND HIS ASSOCIATES 

Galileo’s purpose in visiting Florence is to present the Duke of Venice (Doge Leonardo Donato) with a large loadstone (magnet). A gift from the University of Padua as a symbol of the Duke’s power.

THE GIFT OF A MAGNET

THE PROTAGONIST IS INJURED

GALILEO’S incapacitation, (caused by a fall from a ladder (part of his failed ’speed of light” experiment)) leaves him with little choice but to use his telescope to spy on his neighbors.

THE MISSION

PART ONE – THE TELESCOPE 

His long term mission is to resolve a scientific puzzle, the invention of the telescope. He is in a race with Hans Lippershay (of the Netherlands) who is also at work on the same idea. As such Galileo always carries with him his bag of “optics” (lenses and barrel tubes) so he can continually work on his “telescopic” experiments.

THE MISSION

PART TWO – THE MURDERER 

OMAR

His short term mission is to unravel the mystery that is unfolding in the apartments across the canal from his palazzo bedroom. He explains to his intended, Marina; that he is sure his “canal” neighbor has murdered his bedridden wife.

Marina is his devil’s advocate.

THE SET & ITS PROPS

ADVANCING THE NARRATIVE 

THE COURTYARD SCENE - Galileo’s “rear window” looks out onto a small venetian canal which hosts several other apartments. Among the tenants are a ballerina, an opera singer (with her caged parrot whom she lowers out her window on a rope so he can be in the sun), and Omar the large bearded merchant who is constantly bickering and fighting with his shrew of a wife.

THE SET & ITS PROPS

ADVANCING THE NARRATIVE ď ľ

Without the bedroom window and its geographic placement there could be no story. In addition, the props in the film are crucial to the developing story. Even though the wheelchair had not been invented in Italy at that time; we solve the problem by allowing Galileo to try out yet another of his scientific premonitions.

THE SET & ITS PROPS

ADVANCING THE NARRATIVE

ď ľ

The telescope and the loadstone (a large magnetic stone that deflects the trajectory of the thrown dagger) both play key narrative roles and are essential to delivering the climatic ending to the film.

THE TELESCOPE COLLECTS THE EVIDENCE AND THE LOADSTONE DEFLECTS THE DAGGER

THE SET & ITS PROPS ADVANCING THE NARRATIVE 

THE FIGHT SEQUENCE IN THE CANAL

WRITING BACKSTORY WEEK FOUR ASSIGNMENT

THE SYNOPSIS AS SCRIPTED ď ľ

GALILEO – AS SCRIPTED - Galileo Galilei is an Italian physicist, mathematician, engineer, astronomer, and philosopher. His scientific and inquiring mind pulls him further and further into an event he witnesses out of his Venetian apartment window. We find Galileo trapped in his room because of a broken leg, yet compelled to investigate what he believes to be a murder.

ONE PAGE ESSAY

ESSAY WITH NOTES & images

ESSAY WITH NOTES & images

PROTAGONIST BACKSTORY – The look 

Character types: 

Galileo will be a younger man than we see him in most illustrations so we will cast him after the look of his son.



The lady Marina Gamba loves Galileo but is a bit of shrew when it comes to marrying him…which he refuses to do. She observes that the couple that argue in the apartment across the hall should be happy…At least they are married!!!

THE PROTAGONIST BACKSTORY - Character 

THE PROTAGONIST BACKSTORY Our purpose is to create unscripted backstory that will give us clues on how to enrich the narrative environment in which our scene unfold. The result of his broken leg is that he would necessarily have his lady friend and assistants bring him his scientific contraptions to kill time. As far as solving the murder, he will use his lifelong

dictum…YOU

HAVE TO DO MORE THAN THINK SOMETHING IS TRUE YOU HAVE TO PROVE IT

THE PROTAGONIST BACKSTORY THE PARTY BOY ?

ď ľ

During his 18-year tenure at Padua, he gave entertaining lectures and attracted large crowds of followers, further increasing his fame and his sense of mission. This skill at oratory made him a charismatic charmer and good reason why the lady Marina is so devoted to him (keeping him close at hand to head off any romantic competition).

THE MISSION



THE MISSION BACKSTORY– Originally we had decided that his long range mission was to develop his telescope. However, upon further reflection and research we believe that his real long term mission is to validate his theory of the sun being the center of the universe,

HELIOCENTRICITY.

LONG TERM MISSION

ď ľ

The long term mission will be visually reinforced by selecting contrasting the scientific equipment and religious artifacts which populate the set.

SHORT TIME MISSION ď ľ

ď ľ

Given his short term mission is to prove that a murder has been committed; we will use both his heliocentric theories, his knowledge of perspective, and the camera obscura, used in the study of perspective, to gather evidence of the murder.

ADVENTURE ENVIRONMENT 

THE ADVENTURE ENVIRONMENT BACKSTORY– Key backstory issues in Galileo’s life and the Venetian setting will impact on the selection and dressing of his apartment. They will include

THE REAR WINDOW ?

ď ľ

1. THE WINDOW & SET LOCATION - The unusual upper level position of the apartment provokes the application of his scientific skills far beyond simply using his telescope to peer into a window across the way.

THE ENVIRONMENT THE TIDES



THE TIDES - Given his theory of the rising tides Galileo withdraws his assistants as the water rises. The merchant seeing this takes a small skiff and sneaks up the canal and enters the building by boat undetected.

Knowing his fall will be broken by the rising water he wrestles the merchant to the window using the rising water to escape being crushed on the stone pavement below. Our director will take care to secure a shot capturing the moment the fighting bodies hit the water at “precisely the same time”; verifying Galileo’s theory of falling bodies. They continue the fight under water.

KEY PROPS

THE MIRRORS & SUNLIGHT ď ľ

THE MIRRORS - Given his interest and knowledge of light & perspective Galileo will use this knowledge to have his assistants to construct a unique (periscopic) system of mirrors that will illuminate the dark apartment crime scene below and across the way. This system of mirrors will allow him to see deep into the apartment below illuminating a remote and dark corner that would normally be hidden and invisible from his higher perspective

KEY PROPS

CAMERA OBSCURA ď ľ

THE CAMERA OBSCURA The use of the camera obscura (known to him) allows him to trace an image of the dead woman (he finds in this remote corner of the room) in the exact position of her demise. When he awakes the body is gone but he has a near photographic image of the crime scene traced on paper. When the merchant comes to inquire as to what he is up to he confronts him with the picture of his dead wife. This near photographic representation of the crime scene jars the merchant and provokes him to attack Galileo.

KEY PROPS

THE LOADSTONE 

 

LOADSTONE - The merchant throws his dagger at Galileo but the large loadstone (magnet), on his desk, throws the daggers trajectory slightly off target. As the loadstone deflects the daggers trajectory it strikes Galileo in the hand rather than his heart.

(He will lose his famous finger that now resides in the Galileo museum).

BUILDING ENVIRONMENT WEEK FIVE ASSIGNMENT

THE ENVIRONMENT

THE SYNOPSIS

GALILEO – AS SCRIPTED - Galileo Galilei is an Italian physicist, mathematician, engineer, astronomer, and philosopher. His scientific and inquiring mind pulls him further and further into an event he witnesses out of his Venetian apartment window. We find Galileo trapped in his room because of a broken leg, yet compelled to investigate what he believes to be a murder.

WHAT IF Annotated Script

DESIGN WHAT IF NOTES

STREET RESEARCH Intimate Close & Mysterious

A SYMBOL OF RELIGION Overshadowing the Story

Transportation The Boat Yard

FLOWER-VEGETABLE SHOP

WINE SHOP

LIFE AT HOME

DAY COLOR PALETTE

NIGHT COLOR PALETTE

THE PLACE The Place –An upper income loft apartment on a Quiet Venetian canal.

COSTUMES

VENICE LOFT APARTMENT

HIS NEIGHBOR THE DUKE’S PALAZZO

THE DUKE’S PALAZZO

SET DIAGRAMING WEEK SIX ASSIGNMENT

WHERE IN VENICE ?

ST MARK’S & THE DANIELI

DANIELI HOTEL

THE GALILEO COMPLEX

RAISED TO THIRD FLOOR

THE COMPLEX SECTION

GALILEO’S APARTMENT PLAN VIEW 

It was then that his servant arrived and announced that they must pack immediately. Their rooms had been changed to the other side of the palazzo.

A SPECIAL REAR WINDOW

ď ľ

From here, and with the help of his telescope, Galileo would have a front seat row in order to witness the festivities, mimes and performances. Earlier that night a large bottle of the Duke’s finest Peach Istanbul Brandy arrived. So as he sat at his window viewing the festivities he could not help but think he had the best seat in the house.

Side CANAL reception

LOFT APARTMENT VIEWS

THE COSTUMES

THE TIME VENICE CARNIVAL

THE CAST

GALILEO

MARINA

THE DUKE & HIS DAUGHTER

THE ROMEO

Dscription

THE REPRISE WEEK SEVEN ASSIGNMENT

GALILEO

GALILEO SYNOPSIS pg1

GALILEO SYNOPSIS pg 2

GALILEO SYNOPSIS pg 3

ATMOSPHERE 

It was the third week of incessant rain. The canals of Venice hadn’t reach such depth in 20 years and there was no hope in sight that it would stop soon.

CARNIVAL COSTUMES ď ľ

Ironically it came at the time of Carnival a time of party and celebration. The costume makers had been working for weeks, albeit slopping around in the flooded floors of their workshops. The women furious that their skirts were sewn so high that their gold tipped curled shoes would be buried in water.

THE TELESCOPE ď ľ

The famous scientists Galileo had come to Venice on a special mission, He was to present to the Duke the largest telescope he had created to date. A truly magnificent gift. Galileo was looking forward to this little presentation and then back to Padua and his home at University.

GALILEO ON CRUTCHES

ď ľ

That was until he seriously sprained his leg and was now confined to crutches and a chair. Carnival would be long passed before he could walk again and his presentation to the Duke would have to wait and loose much of its splendor being presented far after the conclusion of Carnival.

AND THE GUESTS ARRIVE

ď ľ

It was still early in the afternoon as he watched the preparations from the decorations being adjusted, the rooms swept and dusted spotlessly and the large burlap bags of trash being lowered on rope and pulley to waiting barges in the canal below.

MARINA CONSPIRES ď ľ

One particular beauty seemed to be in charge of the preparations for the ball. She wore a gorgeous purple gown and a Columbina half-mask, only covering the wearer's eyes, nose, and upper cheeks. It was decorated with gold, silver, crystals and feathers and held up to the face by a baton. It was designed so that a woman who desired not to have her beautiful face covered completely could reveal it on occasion. Galileo was entranced with the beauty which he could see. Having noticed him peering at her through his telescope she raise her mask now and again but that was enough‌he was in love.

ROMEO CONSPIRES 

That impudent little upstart holding my daughter’s hand, now both hands ….why, why I will have his head on a pike!

THE CONSPIRACY GROWS

ď ľ

. Galileo kept scanning the room for Mariana, at first to no avail‌no wait, there she was in a small cloak room standing face to face with a man, a jester with his mas off. A tall good looking boy. Galileo barely knew the woman and yet he was already jealous.

Must have been the brandy he thought to himself as he settled himself back into his chair. The music filled the air and the boys and girls danced and partook in acrobatics in a cirque de sole atmosphere

WHERE IS HE

Out of breath the Duke crossed the room and in a rage pulled his daughter away from the attention of the group she was speaking with. The Duke shouted.

DUKE Where is he I will have his head.

The daughter broke into tears.

The Duke rudely passed her off to a lady in waiting for safe keeping and in the background Galileo could see the jester being escorted out of the building by Marina. The

GALILEO AWAKES

THE PRINCESS IS GONE

BAGS OF TRASH IN WATER

ď ľ

However, he noticed that one floated and bobbed along the surface of the water while the other sank at first and then slowly returned to the surface where it was snagged up by the boatman amidst a gathering collection of bubbles. A careful examination of the water soaked bags (though his telescope) revealed the burlap of one bag clung to a woman’s form and from the open end of the bag the classic long Bauta nose protruded. He had discovered the missing princess. But was she alive or dead? And if dead did he want to be the bearer of such bad tidings?

OUT WITH THE TRASH

GALILEO RUNS TO THE ROOF

THEY ESCAPE

A NEW BEGINNING