Plot Summary

My Love and the Sea

By Jessie Kotis, Tiffany Baker, and Robert Siskin

OPENING: THE CLIFF

A young woman, Elizabeth, stands at the edge of a cliff, her lover onboard a ship that is sailing away. He is a sailor and must go off to war, and she is very sad to see him go. He waves to her as his ship sets off, sending her his love. A heart breaks above her head.

Days and nights pass. She decides that she is going to go after him. She runs down the face of the cliff towards a small rowboat anchored on shore. Unfortunately for her, a giant, dog-like sea monster lies between her and the boat; it jumps ashore. Thinking quick, she picks up a nearby stick and throws it into the ocean, far past her boat. The dog sea monster leaps after it, allowing her to reach her boat.

She sets off to find her lover’s boat.

THE VOYAGE

Not far away from the mainland she encounters a fearsome seahorse. It swims up to the boat and begins to buck as violently as a mustang. In order to placate it, she uses an apple to persuade the seahorse to calm down. The sea horse eats the apple and then happily swims away.

As she is sailing along, a mermaid appears on a rock fanning herself. Elizabeth looks intrigued, and rushes over to the side of the boat to catch a better look at the mermaid. The mermaid swishes her tail at the boat and nearly capsizes it. The boat bobs back and the mermaid slides off the rock and under the boat. As she is swimming by Elizabeth seizes the opportunity to cut the mermaid’s hair, its pride and glory, with an oversize pair of scissors. The mermaid relents and sulks away, and the young woman continues to steer the ship.

A few more days pass.

In the distance, Elizabeth can finally see what looks like her lover’s boat. To her horror, she soon realized that the ship is badly damaged and in pieces. Before she even has time to mourn her lost lover, a gargantuan octopus arises from the ocean. As the sea parts, she can see her lover hanging on to dear life on a piece of driftwood, alive.

She fends off the octopus by throwing her boot at him, which just made the octopus madder. Fearing the end is near, she throws a tophat to the octopus, who appreciates her sweet style and adds a monocle of his own. With the octopus happy and out of the way, she rescues her lover.

Props as People, People as Props Pitch

Synopsis: A young woman and her lover, a sailor, are parted when the lover must ship out to sea. After seeing him off at the docks, she is convinced that she must follow him and save him from going off to war. With her determination, she sets off to find him, no matter what perils lie with the sea.

Aesthetic: This will all be acted out through cutout figures and backgrounds that cast shadows onto a blank canvas. Hands maybe also be used as secondary props/or as traditional shadow puppets in some parts. The shadows themselves are going to be filmed. There will be no dialogue, but music and some sounds will be vital to the immersion of the project.

The look of the piece will mimic Victorian paper crafts, that is, intricate cut paper silhouettes. I will make the paper crafts myself, with some help from my team in cutting them out.

Inspirations:  Lotte Reiniger's Prince Achmed. It's amazing cutout animation totally speaks to me for this project.

Richard Bradshaw's Shadow Puppet Sketches--these have it all. Not only is it definitely puppeting, not animation, it's cutout paper shadow puppets! What more could you ask for?

Also this super awesome music video using a similar technique. I really like how the let the puppeting mechanisms show, and also that some of the movement is made just by gently curling the paper.

Lior - "I'll Forget You" (feat. Sia) from liormusic on Vimeo.

Todd Hayne's "Superstar"

The use of both live actors and Barbie was something really unexpected and truly desired, and meshed very seamlessly. I was also thinking about how the dolls, despite having no change of facial emotions, seemed to convey real personality and emotion; I think this is mostly achieved by good voice-acting and the human need to add human characteristics to things that have faces. None of the puppetry was very complex, and I found that most of the work was with the camera, and also the voiceover. I guess my real question is why were the dolls so compelling? I think maybe also the idea of using a Barbie really cinches that idea that Karen is really struggling with her weight and trying to achieve perfection, which can arguably be seen in Barbie, who has impossible measurements. Very interesting and entertaining film.

Maya Deren's Meshes in the Afternoon

Maya Deren's Meshes in the Afternoon was one of my first tastes of experimental film making, and I've got to say, it's pretty sweet. Meshes included some really nice imagery: I especially liked the movement up the outside stairs and the all of the shots of women sitting beside an image of herself. I found it really surprising that there was such sophistication with the camera movements, considering the time period in which it was made. These movements would be just as impressive if done today, which I think arguably says something about how this film will stand the test of time.

Prop List

-Withstanding prop:

-Felippe the Sock Puppet

-Car Scene:

-Fast food (fries)
-Popcorn and popcorn bags
-quart of ice cream
-Victoria's Desk:

-flowers

-office desk

-office phone

-desk calendar

-manila folders

-paper tray

-desk organizer

-office supplies

-Park Scene:

-romance novel

-Canon AE-1

-picnic food

-picnic blanket

-Bedroom:

-alarm clock

-bedside table

-comforter

SCRIPT~

­

SOCK OF LOVE

By Jessie Kotis

FADE IN.

INT. BEDROOM – BESIDE TABLE.

An alarm clock goes off.

VICTORIA reaches for her alarm clock and hits the snooze button.

INT. BEDROOM – BED.

VICTORIA lies in her bed wearing her pajamas.

CUT to where she is now wearing her work clothes.

INT. OFFICE – COPIER.

VICTORIA stands at copier, making coffee.

INT. OFFICE – DESK.

VICTORIA drinks her cup of coffee.

She talks on the phone at her desk, files papers.

REPEAT sequence 3 times, each time the cuts become faster.

INT. BEDROOM – BEDSIDE TABLE.

VICTORIA reaches for alarm clock, struggles more with the button each time.

INT. BEDROOM – BED.

VICTORIA lies in bed wearing old pajamas.

CUT to where she now wearing work clothes.

VICTORIA sighs audibly.

INT. OFFICE – DESK.

VICTORIA works at desk, placing things in file folders.

JULIE, one of VICTORIA’s coworkers and friends, saunters by and strikes up some conversation. She tosses her files onto VICTORIA’s desk with a satisfying plop.

JULIE

Vicky. So I’ve heard Will in Accounting has a thing for you.

WILL is sitting at his desk, meets eyes with VICTORIA and gives her a wink.

VICTORIA looks away, embarrassed and unsure.

VICTORIA

I’m not so sure about that. I mean, he’s probably not that interested in someone… like me.

JULIE rolls her eyes, exasperated.

JULIE

You’re joking, right? Why wouldn’t he be all over you? I’m sure if you just do some innocent flirting or something, I don’t know, maybe something will come of it. He is pretty cute when you get past the whole “coworker” thing.

VICTORIA bites her lip and looks back down at her files.

JULIE pauses and inspects her fingernails.

JULIE

So hey, what are you doing tonight, anyway? Apparently HR wants all the departments to go out for drinks tonight after work. Some team-building shtick, or whatever. You should go. Might be fun or something.

VICTORIA tucks a piece of hair behind her right ear and doesn’t meet Julie’s eyes.

VICTORIA

Oh, well I actually have some plans tonight. Big plans. I, I can’t make it. Sorry, I guess.

INT. LIVING ROOM – COUCH.

VICTORIA sits in front of the television, eating ice cream straight out of the carton with a spoon. On the TV is some romance program.

TELEVISION (voiceover)

Can’t ever seem to find Mr. Right? Looking for love in all the wrong places.

VICTORIA

Tell me about it.

TELEVISION (voiceover)

The call 1-800 TRU-LOVE right away, and meet sexy singles fast!

VICTORIA

Even I know it doesn’t quite work that way. Not that I’d know how to find Mr. Right anyway…

She reaches over and turns off the TV and walks off screen.

EXT. PARK -NOON.

VICTORIA is walking through the park, wearing her work clothes and carrying her lunch. She stops at an unoccupied bench and settles down, pulling out a romance novel.

As she’s reading, she senses a presence has joined her at the bench. She tries to ignore it.

A voice clears its throat.

FELIPPE, THE SOCK PUPPET

Why hello there, beautiful. What are you reading today?

At first, she ignores the puppet’s advances.

FELIPPE, THE SOCK PUPPET

Excuse me, Miss. I mean no harm.

VICTORIA peers at him over the top of her book.

VICTORIA

Are you talking to… me?

FELIPPE, THE SOCK PUPPET

Who else, darling? I just couldn’t take my eyes off of you, I just knew I had to speak to you, or regret it later.

VICTORIA’s face is flushed, she’s biting her lip.

FELIPPE, THE SOCK PUPPET

I’m sorry, I should introduce myself. My name is Felippe. I’m a photographer by trade and I know a good shot when I see one. I hope you’ll pardon my manners, but I would love to take you out some time. Could I have your number?

VICTORIA finally perks up a bit and manages to look at Felippe for a second. She smiles.

INT. OFFICE – DESK.

VICTORIA is at her desk, working hard usual, but now with the occasional smile on her face.

INT. MOVIE THEATER.

VICTORIA and FELIPPE are watching some sort of scary movie, VICTORIA puts some popcorn in her mouth and leans in closer to FELIPPE at a particularly frightening scene.

INT. OFFICE – DESK.

VICTORIA is greeted to a bouquet of flowers on her desk when she arrives to work. She reads the little card attached and laughs a little. She then settles down at her desk.

JULIE walks by and drops a new set of files on her desk.

JULIE

So, who’s the secret admirer?

VICTORIA

Oh, no one you know.

JULIE’s eyebrows peak in interest.

JULIE

Is it that guy that’s been calling here? It is, isn’t it? What’s his name, what does he do? It’s that Felippe guy, isn’t it?

VICTORIA

(suspicious) How do you know about him?

JULIE

Well… I’ve been listening to all those voicemails he leaves—

VICTORIA

Julie!

JULIE

—And he sounds rather serious to me. Guess you’re not going out for drinks tonight?

VICTORIA

No, I’ve already got plans!

JULIE grins.

JULIE

Glad to hear it.

EXT. PARK – PICNIC.

VICTORIA and FELIPPE share space on a picnic blanket and there is much talking and laughing.

INT. OFFICE – DESK.

JULIE is at VICTORIA’s desk. Victoria is all smiles today.

JULIE

I can’t wait to meet this guy I’ve been hearing so much about. All my snooping really has gotten me curious. But now that he’s picking you up for a date I can finally catch a glimpse of this mystery man.

VICTORIA

I think I see him walking in!

JULIE turns to look: at first she smiles but then her look turn to extreme confusion.

FELIPPE

Hey, honey.

FELIPPE leans forward and gives VICTORIA a quick peck on the cheek. JULIE is obviously perplexed by his puppet form.

JULIE

Victoria, you must be joking. You are joking, aren’t you?

VICTORIA frowns.

VICTORIA

Why ever would I be joking? Julie, this is Felippe. Felippe, Julie.

FELIPPE

It’s a pleasure to finally meet the lovely Julie I’ve heard so much about.

JULIE just gives VICTORIA a blank look before walking off.

VICTORIA looks down at FELIPPE.

VICTORIA

I wonder what’s wrong with her.

INT. CAR.

VICTORIA and FELIPPER share some fast food in the car at dusk. She leans over the middle console and feeds him a French fry, which he devours. After he eats the fry she leans over more, meeting him halfway as they lock lips for the first time. She leans farther into his seat until they are almost out of view.

INT. OFFICE – DESK.

JULIE does not come to visit VICTORIA’s desk today.

EXT. PARK.

VICTORIA and FELIPPE are sitting at the park bench where they first meet.

FELIPPE

Victoria, I have something I need to tell you.

VICTORIA

What is it? Nothing bad, I hope!

FELIPPE

I’m leaving for Paris on a long photo shoot next month. I’ll be gone for several weeks.

VICTORIA

Oh!

FELIPPE

And that’s not all: you’re coming with me.

VICTORIA

Oh, Felippe!

VICTORIA leans forward and kisses him. After she pulls away, she pauses for a second, then slides the sock puppet off a man’s hand.

PAN to FELIPPE (the human)’s face.

VICTORIA and FELiPPE (the human) share a tender embrace.

FADE OUT.