I need a little support right now because I’m turning my attention back to the movie bible…it seems like we have at least another week, but still. I did my manifestation workshop, which has been such a great support tool. She has a solid relationship with time. That felt good. I’ll work on that. I’ve been sitting with Mangold’s body of work. I’m going to watch Heavy tonight since that’s 1995. And that’s not how I feel…heavy…I am just hungry.
He’s worked with a variety of genres…and I really enjoyed Ford vs Ferrari. I think Immensità is a good reference, also. This had life to me, I thought, the image below. Forget the background, I was experimenting with the rainbows from the crystal chandelier, but the energy is high. This mother dances all the time. It’s totally amazing, hilarious, on a WHOLE other level more like Nina from The Forbidden Dance. Hilarious, which is she. but I’m not going to make that reference.
THAT energy coupled with what is actually happening…gives this story a strong emotional thrust that MATCHES the GAME that everyone is playing. BOOM. “Power of Love,” wail Celine. You might laugh out loud…but it’s on that level. Touching, yes, also.
There are intimate moments, mostly in her bedroom, but it’s a dynamic universe.
For me, structurally, it’s about the way real life mirrors this fictional through line….this weird theater that goes super wrong and real. But they adopt her, in the end. It already has a pronounced style, so I don’t feel the need to add another layer. But then Heavenly Creatures was just like that no? Larger than life.
But I think this story is best served in a dramatic realistic context. I think I came to that conclusion. Though Dr. J doesn’t exist there…she’s really “out of this world,” one of her lines, though she’s a big partier.
I’m doing my best to keep clarifying what my vision is. I wish I had someone to talk with about the visuals.
I had a dream last night that I probably want to lean into drama more so than anything else, even if there’s comedic undertones.
So on that page, that white and black title text superimposed, a bit trippy — a mirroring — feels crisp and clear. Dark and light. Since that’s what it was and it was a stark contrast.
And then, the downbeat, dancing…as a healing agent too, no? The whole spectrum. Colors of the rainbow. They were all there.
Dr. J — my mother — is Heavenly Creatures. Her character description page I believe is pretty riveting with cartoon references + Rainman + Shelley Long in Troop Beverly Hills.
I have to watch The Hand that Rocks the Cradle — it’s just, that’s not totally right. But Heavenly Creatures I think is. That’s what she acts like for real. But she’s a genius or gifted person of some kind. High powered lawyer though I don’t know…what that means. Executive. Not house wife.
It’s a period piece: 1989-1995…they’re a sports family…so it’s nostalgic in that way. adidas sandals, you remember. But cut off jeans and a red swim top: Angelita because there are so many goddamn kids around so you’ve never seen a more kid friendly house with slip n slide parties constantly - she’s baking rum cakes for the city of Los Angeles, for real. They’re famous.
Maria is studying real life…like when Nicole, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz at 7, is twirling in the backyard, there’s no place like home, she BELIEVES this, you see. She’s closing her eyes believing in that imaginary world…that’s…Dr.J? This was what I was doing at the time…studying belief. What’s that line?
What we believe IN is interesting to me.
It was just that, at times, you might laugh at Jose, so I might need to insert Ben Stiller, or something, because Jose as the only male…at these dance parties is really funny, especially because he becomes Maria’s true guardian since she’s super super wild…that’s what I mean…it’s SO dynamic. Jose versus Maria and I don’t get scared, it’s a match, a true match across the house…me running and screaming with Jose making as much noise as possible, truly…high drama.
He’s over the banister as women scream his name Jose!
So is that more like Parenthood? Just kids gone wild.
We’re on the pitch of a POWER BALLAD though— that’s this Brazilian mother. The lambada. With a slow…in this middle of all this? Just that, you might laugh…I guess it’s a comedy too, I just don’t know exactly if I lead with that? Since it’s more of a heart gripping story that’s really going to take you on a ride… you’ll laugh and cry probably… especially as they try to keep her.
Ford vs Ferrari had such an excellent sound design, it helped me think about how to approach the music from that perspective.
In my movie bible — I thought about this image I took on a moving train…just to capture the DRIVE since it has quite a THRUST. It’s pretty dynamic.
I thought slant, movement, maybe shafts of light or window blinds so there’s a play between light and dark, inside and outside. I think the images from Immensità will take care of the dancing, the mother losing her mind, because she loses her mind. I have some touches of Heavenly Creatures and De Niro for the “put on a show for the child molester…” sections.
HAHAHAHA, how funny, how satisfying, I can feel it already, she’s on the phone with a child molester — HILARIOUS. You want to talk to MARIA? SURE! It was a performance. Then, he starts knocking on her door “to visit,” can you imagine?! Just her accent. Her prepping us…go nuts. He couldn’t come through the door. So this was it…in a sense… add a little Ursula from the Little Mermaid in terms of her…DELIGHT, hm hm.
Ford vs Ferrari has those satisfying race car sequences…which these family dance parties are going to be…not the same thing but that movie ended up helping me structurally. Oh, I can do that. And they build in their own way…they are such a talented group of people…just watching them yell at José to Building a Mystery. That’s an unexpected song to zoom in — Jose leading the way — GO DEEPER. Angelita hitting him with a rolled up piece of paper in jeans and kitten heels…and her hotness makes her really funny. I mean, what can I do about that? It’s a drama comedy? I mean, it’s a drama, but life is funny?
Even with the VoiceOver at the beginning and end. Same thing. Full circle. Ford vs Ferrari. I can do something simple with my voiceover…or hers…
I’ll make diagonal text. More on a diagonal. Just for the dynamism. Maybe one page with those rainbows or that effect. I’ve made a section for the house since it has a particular look and the love songs…
It helped me to just think out loud for a second because visually, I did this, okay? This is my mother’s page, this is just what it was. Can’t help that. But I did this blue sky, rainbow, with the black and white text. I just don’t know about that look? It looks innocent but it’s not??? Does that work ?
I might take out The Hand that Rocks the Cradle.
After this page is just Kate Winslet Heavenly Creatures.
I’m putting this out there. But I woke up today thinking… stylish? That’s a word I’m meditating on now.
So, check, I thought, this black and white, light and dark play with touches of color.
But it’s really about the composition of it, isn’t it? Like the high drama, contrasts, HEARTBREAK, since that’s what the song is about…also about transformation…but that’s life, what else can I say? For me, personally, music really held the power there… and in that culture at least…the full range of emotion has a public platform.
I mean, the thing is, they really are quite an amazing family, if anybody is going to get through that, they are.
It’s just this mother and MARIA—it’s a whole thing, which is why I thought oh Immensità even if she’s more focused on the family itself. I don’t know.
Maria is studying rainbows…a funny child…on the wall. Stop LOOKING at rainbows! And she teaches her how to dance…there’s a good emotional charge behind it. No?
I’m getting myself a nice meal. Feeling good about me today. I keep seeing that — sell this idea. I can do that.
There’s something about this sentiment… I’m just sharing some of my images…
This is the opener… no red, I think. But the black and white I think feels right. It’s gotta be crisp.
