#KissesFromDeath: It Begins With The Script (ANATOMY OF ART: KFD)
The book shown above had been so well used and referred to, that the cover already shredded and torn off!
IT BEGINS
I was excavated from my 18-year long self-imposed hibernation by Series Producer Emma Neubronner, to function as the "Art Director" for this series, and bless everyone's hearts and patience with me. I'll try not to whinge too much about my experience has been thus far (no promises though), and will focus on what my journey had been, specifically for "Art", which I will now call "Anatomy of Art for KFD" on this blog, starting with THE SCRIPT.
IT BEGUN
It all starts with the "script". As much as we service the director's vision, the ultimate base source is borne from the script. I have not had the opportunity to read the author's original web-novel (Wattpad story by Singaporean author, Aurora Yeo @twelvewonderingstars), so had gone in "clean" based on the adapted script, which continued to be updated right until production had started.
SHE SAY HE SAY
The burden of keeping to the authenticity of the source was borne by the episodic writers Sue Yin Goh, Vanessa Vanderstraaten and Amelia Tan, resulting in a 8 episode series (each lasting between 22-minutes to 25-minutes), as helmed by Directors Sam Loh and Dharfianto.
Understanding the production's needs and working within the allocated budget is the default "must-do" ... but you also need to consider what the script asks for, and what the story is trying to tell.
ART is "showing you the story", but I wish we could as well be apart of "telling the story" too.
Otherwise it might well be a pretty window dressing, and you expect viewers to buy what was on display because it was "pretty", isn't it? But then again, that is the at least the default "must-do" too, innit? And there is absolutely nothing wrong with a well done and effective “window dressing” :)
Seen above are a quick snapshot of some preliminary sketches I'd added to my script breakdown, after a location recce of the primary set. They are snapped directly from the pages I'd showcased in above featured page-flip video, cheers.
All these were done with no specific regards to the allocated budget, and nor where these shown specifically to the director(s), until after the script is firmed up and I've consulted with my set builders and Art Department support; Star Movie Productions Pte Ltd.
If you've already watched the series (Bless You if you did), you might recognise a smidgen of the initial concept, which I will touch on further in my next blog-feature, cheers,
#andyhengart
