Here is a very rough draft of two aspects of the assignment:
1) I wrote out a rough draft of the origin story
2) I started developing the look of a comic--like version (only beginning and an image of her "signature move").
Both aspects rough drafts!
Story
Not too long ago on PLANET BOLLYWOOD,
there was a girl by the name of Saleye. She was a quiet girl, living
in her own world, while her family was a mainstream, busy, beautiful,
successful Bollywood family. Their life was picture perfect: father
and mother happily married, with the customary ups and downs to work
through. They were living in a big suburban house, with too many
rooms, furnished straight out of a catalog. Saleye was an only child,
and was living in an own flat in the parents house. The relatives of
the extended family were living in the surrounding houses. They had
everything they needed, and more: living in luxury and harmony, with
a healthy dose of solvable conflicts that were blown up to
melodramatic episodes to spice up their lives.
The lives of their friends, neighbors,
acquaintances, and colleagues were similar: predictable, uneventful,
stable, fixed.
But Saleye was growing increasingly
anxious. She did not trust the outward contentment and peace. She was
bored of the melodrama, of the predictability of all of their lives.
She was longing for something “real”- “real” life – not
sugarcoated, melodramatic luxury problems: and she was longing to be
looking for it on PLANET EARTH, because she heard that that is where
one could still find “real life.”
In order to get to planet earth, she had to devise a plan. Since Planet Bollywood's main industry was entertainment, the way to get permission to travel was as part of the crew of one of the stars. She there decided to go out more frequently to hang out in the vicinity of
one of the big stars of the planet, who can travel the neighboring
planets like planet earth for public relations: The stars contribute
to the fame of the planet and give the economy a boost.
After some time Saleye managed to sneak in with the entourage of the big
star, RSK, but only as someone to iron his undershirts. It was not her preferred job description, but hey, if it got her traveling, why not.... they are, after all, about to leave on a trip. And as one of his
entourage she got permission to travel to planet earth. Her family had no clue. So she packed secretly to sneak out to the
interplanetary airport...
All went smoothly, they are leaving Planet Bollywood. She looks out of the window of their interplanetary travelship and watches the lights of Planet Bollywood fade.
As they arrive on planet earth, the
star and his whole entourage are stopped by immigration.
The star is the main focus of
attention, but not because the officers are starstruck-- but because
they don't recognize him and think he is a threat. They don't want to
let him in.
Saleye gets nervous. She is not even
supposed to be there, and now she is stuck in this situation!!!
When the officer comes to her to
question her, her heart is beating, her hands are shaking (but she
can hide it), she feels as though sweat is running down her back. To
mask it all, she decides to follow the melodramatic conventions she
grew up with and is overly nice. She a huge smile and is her most
charming self, to not arouse suspicion.
As he questions her about her passport
and permission to enter planet earth (even though he has her complete
papers in his hand), she suddenly is taken over by reflexes. Before
she realizes, her reflexes to take over. She cannot control it, but
finds herself looking him straight in the eyes, lifts her arms to
frame her eyes and moves her neck and eyes right to left- she loudly
says: CHUMMA!1
The officer's expression suddenly
changes to open and friendly. She returns her papers and says “enjoy
your stay on planet earth”!
Confused about the sudden change in attitude Saleye takes her papers. Quickly she takes her belongings and swiftly proceeds into the world of planet earth.
Confused about the sudden change in attitude Saleye takes her papers. Quickly she takes her belongings and swiftly proceeds into the world of planet earth.
But she remains to be confused.... what
just happened? What caused his change of attitude?
And what were those reflexes that suddenly took over?
To be continued....
___________________________
Feedback Questions:
1) How do you think the story works as an origin story for the character. What potential for development of the character does it set up, or limit?
(2) Can you make connections to the character in Assignment 1?
(3) Can you follow the story? What parts seem to obvious, too confusing? Which aspects do you think have potential?
(4) How do you like the visual rendering? Does it have potential? Is it worth developing further?
1) I enjoyed the story as an origin story for the character. It sets up her core desires and conflicts and reveals the moment where she discovers her superpower. I'm not sure how it would limit her character development, except that any linear narrative (which the conventional comic book genre follows) always limits possibilities. See (3) for parts I'm curious to have more fleshed out.
ReplyDelete(2) Sort of - I definitely recognize the signature move. The immigration issue connects to some of the imagery (the German girl T-shirt) - though I wonder if there are ways that race, cultural exoticism, sexuality, gender (which I saw threading throughout your video in complex and hybrid ways) can be brought in more concretely in this story. Maybe it would help to differentiate more clearly between Planet Bollywood and Planet Earth? What do the inhabitants of each look like and live like other than the earthlings being more "real"?
(3) I enjoyed the parody of Planet Bollywood (as opposed to Hollywood), that the "stars" (both movie-stars and outer space) were in charge of public relations (though of course it's the planets that move, not the stars, but whatever), the SRK reference, that P. Bollywood's people use melodrama to spice up their perfect mainstream lives.
I'm curious what you (or Saleye) think "real" life is exactly. Of course suburbanites have love and pain and conflict like everyone else; they are just the dark underbelly of the pristine surface.
I find Saleye's anxiety very intriguing - probably it is her most interesting character aspect. Somehow it seems to get her to "truth" or beneath the surface of things: "Saleye was growing increasingly anxious. She did not trust the outward contentment and peace."
One thing I was unclear on: would the melodramatic conventions that Saleye used at immigration have worked, if she hadn't pulled out her "CHUMMA!" superpower? If not, can the writing make this clear? Maybe the guy gets more and more suspicious the nicer she acts...
It's also not completely clear to me from this what Saleye's superpower is, exactly. The immigration officer's reaction reminded me of the Imperius Curse from the Harry Potter books, an unforgivable curse where you can make someone do whatever you like.
Also, I was curious about Saleye's name, since it's pretty unusual - it reminds me of "salt" "eye" (do tears play a role? is her power in her gaze?)
(4) I found the visuals quite beautiful (photoshop manipulations of your photos?) - do develop further!
Oh yes, and your description of Bollywood reminds me of Pete Seeger's "Little Boxes" song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=La21jYGIQ8k
Delete1) I really enjoyed the origin story for the character and the parody it sets up between the Bollywood and Earth worlds. I do not feel that the story is limiting, but rather sets up the potential for all the adventures Saleye is going to have in the future on Earth and then how, when, and if she returns to her native land.
ReplyDelete2) Yes, the images are connected for me as well as the signature movement motif you had set up there as it corresponds here with the framing of Saleye's face when she says "Chumma!" I enjoyed the colorful, crazy discoesque bollywood style to the aesthetics and music from last assignment, but I also think the images in this one are very comic-book like and your photo as a base is gorgeous
3) Yes I can follow the story. I do not find any of it confusing and I love how you bring in the immigration issues into Saleye's world (the interplanetary airport is so clever) and I think there is a lot of potential to bring in interesting issues regarding immigration laws, etc. which will add another layer of depth to the fun, over the top, bollywood world. Also, there is potential for comparing Earthly suburbia and suburban dramas to the Bollywood plots Saleye is so used to.
4) I love the visual rendering. It is realistic but definitely screams comic book world. I especially love seeing images of you adapted in this manner....so excited to see what more you can do with it...
3)
3)
1) How do you think the story works as an origin story for the character. What potential for development of the character does it set up, or limit?
ReplyDeleteI enjoy the story - especially the desire for things that are less fake (my own word for what you are calling melodramatic), the initiative to travel and experience a difference place, and the trouble with the border patrol based on culture/race identification issues. It has an interesting personal/political edge. I like that Bollywood is a planet …I wonder if Sangita’s forthcoming character is also from there.
I guess the ending is full of potential…and yet there is no hint of what she might do on Earth except seek out “reality.” What will she do when hit with it? Does she actually like it or will her high expectations be dashed? Will she go running home? Will she find out her “calling” in life? Can she help others with her power or is it just for herself? Will she accidentally be considered a Bollywood star by earthlings and be expected to act like she would back on Planet Bollywood? Does she find the other PNC superheroines and join forces?
(2) Can you make connections to the character in Assignment 1?
The connections I get to your video for Assignment 1 are the signature move, the idea of travel from the arrow sign with “ost” written on it, and your discontented look and movements under the sign, like you are dreaming of traveling somewhere. The later footage doesn’t directly relate to me, unless I start to imagine what’s next…like does she become a high heel boots and leather glove wearing dominatrix of some sort on earth?
(3) Can you follow the story? What parts seem to obvious, too confusing? Which aspects do you think have potential?
I think the story is clear, except the moment you said “she is not even supposed to be there..”
I thought she had legal permission as a part of the star’s entourage….or do you mean because her family doesn’t know?
I think her power is to get people to agree with her, or let her do what she wants? Or is there more to it? Can she get them to do whatever she wants them to do too?
It also left leave me wondering about what happens to the star (I like the reference to Shah Rukh Khan’s real experience with US immigration). Does he and the rest of the entourage get in to earth as well? It could be interesting if she’s the only one that actually gets in (at least for a couple of hours as I believe was the case for SRK) –it makes her power more miraculous and then leaves her free to go about Planet Earth on her own without having to stick around and iron undershirts.
(4) How do you like the visual rendering? Does it have potential? Is it worth developing further?
Yes, It’s beautiful!!! I love that it really looks like you and yet has a comic/artsy feel at the same time.
Thanks for your story, Sandra - I think it's a promising set-up.
ReplyDeleteMy reading of the story leads me to think that the superpower being described is *glamour*, which would help set up a good uneasiness/tension about the use of the power (obviously speaks to the Bollywood context too).
which reminds me that "Glamour" has an interesting Western etymology:
http://books.google.com/books?id=cZ88p_bSt1EC&lpg=PA110&ots=i0WRwr0TyE&dq=glamour%20grammatica&pg=PA110#v=onepage&q=glamour%20grammatica&f=false
... which also perhaps sets up the additional tension of whether the power of glamour is more rooted in the innate/effortless/mystical (mystified) or the learned/trained/codifiable.
Dear Zhan,
ReplyDeletethank you sooooooo much for your comment.... I am very much looking forward to reading about the "glamour" etymology... I glanced at it and it looks super interesting---
I really appreciate it!