Key Production Charateristics

Cinematography

We will finish in 4k dci with a 2.2:1 aspect ratio, making our film an event, but we will frame our characters for 1.85, which emphasizes the emotion of face. This approach is similar to the 1961 film version of West Side Story, and the results will be a viewer experience that remains engaging and cinematic in both theaters and on mobile devices.

Production Design

Locations plays a central role in the telling of this story. Beats may be adjusted to take advantage of a dramatic opportunity or fastidious way of telling our story in a found location. Dressing will aim for a run-down look and we’ll only make a few minor, though distinct, changes when flipping between time-periods. The employee room / basement will incorporate one built wall w/ the lockers to create the pass-through.

Choreography

As the song grows and our characters will take on small movements akin to dance. We will always put drama first until it cannot be helped and joy breaks out. These movements will be carefully controlled and rhythmic, relying on them as edit points, until the bigger number at the end. By taking influence from Mexican popular dance, Bollywood and British hip hop, we’ll create an inclusive pallet of movement which expresses all types of movement.

Costumes

Will ground the struggle and tell the story of each character. Future clothing will be designed mostly from found materials, favoring earthy tones, tans, and re- purposed fabrics. This wearing can be done by our team quite easily on affordable, even second-hand, clothing. I.C.E. agent and other uniforms will be as accurate as possible. Elena’s costume will be influenced by Mexican street fashion today, with some pattern, but we will play it with a worn look. Cameron’s costume will be slightly out of date, with a prized jacket he had from his times as a singer in Los Angeles...

Editing

We’ll maintain the live-action, single-cam feel during the song sequences and only cover rhythmic imagery and close ups. This, cross-cut with action in the set-pieces, will lace each character’s reflections, memories, for have dramatic impact.

Effects

VFX, such as the futuristic car interface, and projections in the bowling alley will sell the science fiction of the environment. Using just a few set extensions or applying a texture on top of or behind an existing set-design element, we can enhance the world’s scale and flush out/ sell the tone. Digital aging/de-aging is also a possibility.

Sound

By capturing dialogue/lyrics live, while also playing to tracked audio, select performance points will be given more dramatic impact and can be interrupted by the action of film. Effects will be kept to a minimal, and the mix will reflect the character’s psychology in that moment.