Getting to know my vision!
Director's note:
With only 3 lines of dialogue, this script allows so much more room to focus on visual storytelling, heightened levels of performance, and a lot more space to explore thematic concerns and personal connection to the ideas presented. For me as a director, I have found that my interpretation of the script sways from the original concept intended by the writer, in the way that I am choosing to focus on the paranoia and fear in the script more in relation to spiritual things, instead of the literal 'insurance' side of things. I have chosen to look more deeply into human nature, belief systems and how they influence a person's decision making, and also how perhaps running away from the past will catch up with you in the end.
In order to give the film a more authentic reflection of my own opinions, feelings and experiences, I have chosen to take what the writer has given me, and try and relate it to myself, through the characters and how they have become who they are. Stephen's personal background and how he was brought up, still has a strong influence in how he conducts himself now, however his actions in the film and what happens to him as a result, becomes a metaphorical representation of how his parents taught him as a child, how he was forced to dismiss the unfamiliar, and how perhaps he has bottled things up over the years that are now taking their toll.
In terms of how the Salesman fits into this, read more about him on the character page.
If you haven't already, click on either of the buttons below to read about the characters, their backgrounds, and what their intentions are.
In order to give the film a more authentic reflection of my own opinions, feelings and experiences, I have chosen to take what the writer has given me, and try and relate it to myself, through the characters and how they have become who they are. Stephen's personal background and how he was brought up, still has a strong influence in how he conducts himself now, however his actions in the film and what happens to him as a result, becomes a metaphorical representation of how his parents taught him as a child, how he was forced to dismiss the unfamiliar, and how perhaps he has bottled things up over the years that are now taking their toll.
In terms of how the Salesman fits into this, read more about him on the character page.
If you haven't already, click on either of the buttons below to read about the characters, their backgrounds, and what their intentions are.
Writer’s premise: At its most basic the premise is kind of that Insurance is a bet, just like at a casino. And just like at a casino, it's pretty hard to "win". The demons are kind of like fine print.
Director’s premise: Living as if nothing can touch you because you’ve made your mind up about the world, can lead to awful consequences.
...It's worthless trying to create order over chaos, yet it is human nature to do so.
So...
Who is this story about: This story follows Stephen, a relatively conservative, semi-private man in his mid- 30’s. All his life he has lived in uncertainty in terms of spirituality and beliefs. He has never fully understood his mother’s commitment to religion but his father’s atheism. It left him doing his own research of the world and its origins, and as a result Stephen has become quite an intelligent sceptic.
When the Salesman arrives at his front door, Stephen is somewhat apprehensive, as he never expects visitors and rarely gets bothered by people. When he is confronted with the spiritual things by the Salesman, his instinctive reaction is to push it away, partly because his mother told him they were not to be meddled with when he was growing up, but also because he doesn’t want anything to interfere with his life as it is. He is content the way he is, although somehow I feel that he knows he is missing something in his life.
Metaphorically, the events that take place in the story are a reflection of Stephen’s paranoia, and the audience will hopefully not understand whether he is literally experiencing these crazy occurrences, or if he has just been pulled into a place where he has to acknowledge his deepest fears and uncertainties and come to terms with the fact that humans don't actually know anything, and cannot control the unknown.
Director’s premise: Living as if nothing can touch you because you’ve made your mind up about the world, can lead to awful consequences.
...It's worthless trying to create order over chaos, yet it is human nature to do so.
So...
Who is this story about: This story follows Stephen, a relatively conservative, semi-private man in his mid- 30’s. All his life he has lived in uncertainty in terms of spirituality and beliefs. He has never fully understood his mother’s commitment to religion but his father’s atheism. It left him doing his own research of the world and its origins, and as a result Stephen has become quite an intelligent sceptic.
When the Salesman arrives at his front door, Stephen is somewhat apprehensive, as he never expects visitors and rarely gets bothered by people. When he is confronted with the spiritual things by the Salesman, his instinctive reaction is to push it away, partly because his mother told him they were not to be meddled with when he was growing up, but also because he doesn’t want anything to interfere with his life as it is. He is content the way he is, although somehow I feel that he knows he is missing something in his life.
Metaphorically, the events that take place in the story are a reflection of Stephen’s paranoia, and the audience will hopefully not understand whether he is literally experiencing these crazy occurrences, or if he has just been pulled into a place where he has to acknowledge his deepest fears and uncertainties and come to terms with the fact that humans don't actually know anything, and cannot control the unknown.
My focus:
I want to bring out the fear that slowly consumes Stephen as he is forced to face the unknown and somehow deal with things that he has never been allowed to experiment with or acknowledge before. He is clueless and becomes desperate, and although it is somewhat comical at the end when the audience realises the whole thing was set up, it’s still interesting how the dark forces are actually real. They invade Stephen’s home as if they’d always been there…