MAKING 5KINGS: Navigating Production & Set Design
We started designing the project based off recorded historical imagery primarily seen in reference books, and gleaned from reconstruction of ruined structures and props, with the reality that the budget would not be able to sustain authenticity. But at the same instance, wanted to maintain a semblance of creative adaptation, without affecting said authenticity of the period.
Design influences were surprisngly vast during that period as well, developed through cross country trade, which I'd felt in this short form project, might be confusing (for lack iff being able to "educate" the viewers), so chose a direction of minimalistic clarity, with no frills beyond what the talents wore and held instead.
With the director's preference, we have a decent mix of wider vistas and extreme close-ups, and given the "limitations" of VP, seeing the whole human figure would prove a tricky situation.
This is the very first incarnation of "Temple Grounds" scene, with a set designed to be seen in two different atmospheres - first seen somewhen dusk, and again much later at night, while "fires" raged across the landscape, filling the skies with red ... I'd wanted a raised platform for the camera to climb on for a slight top-down POV, with the scene of the fighting men, with the design rationale being the "edge" of the temple platform / steps, but alas this was eventually scraped, as the scene had changed subsequently, and logistics could not justify said-platform.
The thing about VP was that there was to be a specific percentage required to actually see the VP, but I had hoped to provide different POVs for cut-aways, otherwise it would "just men a "scroll-left-to-right" (and visa versa) POV...
The director had a distinct visual reference in the form of a Japanese period feature film, which showcased a somewhat "stage"-aesthetic fueled by what I felt was very Noh Theatre, that could lean heavier on symbolistic conversation(s), rather than show-n-sell with frills (which I doubt we could afford as well).
What interested me about this project (as a "punishment" to myself), was that this would not be something you'd be able to "buy at Daiso" for, and needed to be built and made.
ABOVE: The second incarnation of the "Temple Grounds", which I'd felt was too dressy and packed, alas logistically setting and striking would not justify the scene requirements, especially for a 2 + 1 fighting sequence...!
Specifically showcased here is the "Temple Grounds" scene, presented here in its chronological development, which subsequently was incorporated into the first 2 scenes of the final draft script.
All these were manually drawn by myself, then pictures taken off my phone, and exported unto my laptop to format into printable PDF-pages for reference, so do pardon my low-tech imagery presented here, cheers.
Disclaimer: I will not be showing the visual reference in their entirety, but instead are apart of the submitted package-pages ("copyright" lah).
The 3rd incarnation of the "temple grounds" set, this time slightly giving space for the 2+1 fighting scene, which was initially cancelled in the final draft of the script, but made a return for final shoot, but this time 1+1 folks fighting, as seen in final film.
I had to put on multiple hats, first with storyboarding the actions, leading to a clearer understanding of the space and visuals needed, then progressed very quickly from sketches to a rudimentary Set Design package with measurements and elevation, for both the VP-post to recreate and for contractors to cost.
Bearing in mind, we would not have been able to have the time to "explain" everything on the screen, nor would this be a "historically accurate" recreation of the past, recognising this might be what the viewers might question as well.
We were constantly exploring where to shoot and where the set could be placed, against the practical restrictions of time, money and tech restrictions.
The "temple grounds" was meant to be an abandoned venue where folks had since gone to a much cleaner, bigger "holy venue", and the protagonists are travelling thru the "past", on the pathway enroute to his palace ("Kraton"), where he later shares time with his father the King, and uncle.
There was to have been a whole lot more debris and desolation, including damaged gateway and destroyed statues. I'd wanted a visual juxtaposition against the clean lines of the palace (know well I could not afford the "luxury vibe") with the wilderness of the grounds and overgrown trees behind. And while the trees seems to engulf the characters, they are in "wider" and freer surrounds, but within the palace itself, the pillars would serve as "prison bars" having trapped the protagonist and the court within ... that was my train of thought, cheers.
One of my primary aim was to progress to a "Design Bible", where any and all designs for the sets/settings would be easily referred to and followed, as we had known my involvement in the project was only during pre-production, and that I would not be attending the studio shoot, set-ups or striking. The aim was to have a on-set "Art Director" to function in my absence, based off my "design bible".
All designs were as well consistently presented to the VP-post and made aware with Cinematographer James Ha, and as well used for discussions with James and Director, referenced with the storyboard I had initially done, and subsequently finalised by the director herself.
"Logistics" certainly was the deciding factor as well, with an exceedingly challenging set-up and striking schedules, with a shot-list that tested said schedule as well.
With the finished "package", we were subsequently able to secure a quote and confirmation of a art crew, who would subsequently build and source for props and settings needed.
Besides the set itself, seen here are my (re)sketches on the characters, based off the director's very detailed look for the characters she wanted. And by this time, a dedicated Wardrobe Designer had come on board, and she dealt directly with the director, with my set package used as reference, and as importantly the color palette proposed. And in turn that would also influence the colors of the hand-held props and weapons, all of which I was exceedingly worried about, as most of the colors veered towards very earth palette, multiple shades of "brown", and the last thing I want to have is for everything to merge together into a singular "blob of twilights and browns" ...
Design influences were surprisngly vast during that period as well, developed through cross country trade, which I'd felt in this short form project, might be confusing (for lack iff being able to "educate" the viewers), so chose a direction of minimalistic clarity, with no frills beyond what the talents wore and held instead.
With the director's preference, we have a decent mix of wider vistas and extreme close-ups, and given the "limitations" of VP, seeing the whole human figure would prove a tricky situation.
The thing about VP was that there was to be a specific percentage required to actually see the VP, but I had hoped to provide different POVs for cut-aways, otherwise it would "just men a "scroll-left-to-right" (and visa versa) POV...
The director had a distinct visual reference in the form of a Japanese period feature film, which showcased a somewhat "stage"-aesthetic fueled by what I felt was very Noh Theatre, that could lean heavier on symbolistic conversation(s), rather than show-n-sell with frills (which I doubt we could afford as well).
What interested me about this project (as a "punishment" to myself), was that this would not be something you'd be able to "buy at Daiso" for, and needed to be built and made.
Specifically showcased here is the "Temple Grounds" scene, presented here in its chronological development, which subsequently was incorporated into the first 2 scenes of the final draft script.
All these were manually drawn by myself, then pictures taken off my phone, and exported unto my laptop to format into printable PDF-pages for reference, so do pardon my low-tech imagery presented here, cheers.
Disclaimer: I will not be showing the visual reference in their entirety, but instead are apart of the submitted package-pages ("copyright" lah).
The 3rd incarnation of the "temple grounds" set, this time slightly giving space for the 2+1 fighting scene, which was initially cancelled in the final draft of the script, but made a return for final shoot, but this time 1+1 folks fighting, as seen in final film.
I had to put on multiple hats, first with storyboarding the actions, leading to a clearer understanding of the space and visuals needed, then progressed very quickly from sketches to a rudimentary Set Design package with measurements and elevation, for both the VP-post to recreate and for contractors to cost.
Bearing in mind, we would not have been able to have the time to "explain" everything on the screen, nor would this be a "historically accurate" recreation of the past, recognising this might be what the viewers might question as well.
We were constantly exploring where to shoot and where the set could be placed, against the practical restrictions of time, money and tech restrictions.
The "temple grounds" was meant to be an abandoned venue where folks had since gone to a much cleaner, bigger "holy venue", and the protagonists are travelling thru the "past", on the pathway enroute to his palace ("Kraton"), where he later shares time with his father the King, and uncle.
There was to have been a whole lot more debris and desolation, including damaged gateway and destroyed statues. I'd wanted a visual juxtaposition against the clean lines of the palace (know well I could not afford the "luxury vibe") with the wilderness of the grounds and overgrown trees behind. And while the trees seems to engulf the characters, they are in "wider" and freer surrounds, but within the palace itself, the pillars would serve as "prison bars" having trapped the protagonist and the court within ... that was my train of thought, cheers.
One of my primary aim was to progress to a "Design Bible", where any and all designs for the sets/settings would be easily referred to and followed, as we had known my involvement in the project was only during pre-production, and that I would not be attending the studio shoot, set-ups or striking. The aim was to have a on-set "Art Director" to function in my absence, based off my "design bible".
All designs were as well consistently presented to the VP-post and made aware with Cinematographer James Ha, and as well used for discussions with James and Director, referenced with the storyboard I had initially done, and subsequently finalised by the director herself.
"Logistics" certainly was the deciding factor as well, with an exceedingly challenging set-up and striking schedules, with a shot-list that tested said schedule as well.
With the finished "package", we were subsequently able to secure a quote and confirmation of a art crew, who would subsequently build and source for props and settings needed.
Besides the set itself, seen here are my (re)sketches on the characters, based off the director's very detailed look for the characters she wanted. And by this time, a dedicated Wardrobe Designer had come on board, and she dealt directly with the director, with my set package used as reference, and as importantly the color palette proposed. And in turn that would also influence the colors of the hand-held props and weapons, all of which I was exceedingly worried about, as most of the colors veered towards very earth palette, multiple shades of "brown", and the last thing I want to have is for everything to merge together into a singular "blob of twilights and browns" ...
