The work-in-progress I have to discuss is the beginning of the script I plan to write for my final assessment. It’s a first draft so I should have no problem finding things I’d like to change in different places, and the reflection should help me with the continuing process of building my world. The first few scenes of the script should be good for this, as this is where a lot of world building is going on. It probably isn’t incredibly clear by just reading the script (this is where I’ve had some trouble) so here’s a quick summary of what’s going on: the year is 2064 and the world is becoming increasingly automated and digitally integrated. One of the key parts I want to focus on when creating this setting however, is keeping it grounded. I want this to feel like a ‘real’ future, a world that could actually be expected to come to fruition in 50 years. This is another thing I have had trouble conveying in the script. A big part of this is the look of the world, which is difficult to write in a screenplay. I want the world to look very similar to how it does today in most ways. Rather than a Blade Runner (1982) type of world I want to go for something more like Looper (2012).
Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Looper (2012). Source: http://www.fandango.com/looper_149878/moviephotosposters
A grey colour palette would help assert this ‘grounded’ feeling I assume, but I want to look at how I can establish this world a little bit better within my writing. Looking at what I’ve written, a couple of things in this regard come to mind. Firstly the ‘Summer’ character is an A.I; this isn’t made clear in the script and I’m not 100% sure if this is an issue or not. Secondly I found it difficult to describe the technology being used by Scott and Jaxon during the scene in the kitchen. I said Jaxon was watching the video on the kitchen table, which is a little vague and unclear. I then later state that he slides the video across the kitchen table over to Scott. It doesn’t make much sense, but I feel as if I can easily describe it outside of the script itself. I won’t have any trouble showing it during the presentation, in fact there’s a video which aligns with what I’m trying to describe quite well (A Day Made of Glass). If I were to sum it up here quickly: the contact lenses that Scott is shown inserting are used to show projected images on any surface. It’s augmented reality used in every day life for many purposes.
A Day Made of Glass (2011), Corning. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cf7IL_eZ38&t=206s
The main technological advancement in this world, however, is automation. Robots have taken over many jobs from humans, particularly in labour segments. The catalyst for my protagonist’s story is the loss of his job to a robot. I plan on demonstrating the prominence of automation a bit deeper into the script. Self-driving cars will dominate the roads, among other things. Within the world, I want there to have been a very recent leap in the consciousness/self-awareness of robots; a new software that has just hit the market. This will be the reason for Scott’s lost job, the ‘final straw’ that makes the company that hired him pull the plug. It should also give the robot character Christopher some personality in the story, and allow him to grow. I want to really focus and hone in on getting some of the descriptions of these technologies right on paper without requiring an outside explanation, because I believe that they should not only be an interesting part of the world in their own right, but also play a big part in the narrative. I think I have a clear picture in my head, so it’s going to be one of my main goals to make sure I can show others that picture concisely without a convoluted and uninteresting description out of context.