Thematic concerns
- Fear of the unknown
Everything Stephen does is ruled by his innate fear of the unknown. He doesn't like to step outside his comfort zone because all his life someone has kept him in a bubble. Now he lives alone it is like he is trying to break away from his past but the religious figurines and books around his home indicate that he is still influenced by his family's (parents') beliefs. Anything outside what he was told growing up as 'the norm', is to be left alone.
- Facing your fears
Stephen is given no choice but to let his guard down and acknowledge something that is beyond his control. He is unable to stick to his staunch skeptic safety blanket because everything happening around him is a representation of the fact that he doesn't and never will have the answers.
- Order vs Chaos
Stephen likes to think he can control his life, and equally likes to believe he has things under control. His home environment however, is a picture of what we'd call 'organised chaos'- meaning that he has a somewhat messy living space but amongst the 'chaos', there is evidence of control and structure, as well as belief systems and influences.
- Isolationism
From the beginning it seems obvious that Stephen keeps to himself, and likes to try and make his own mind up about things. He turns the Salesman away without engaging in conversation with him, not even polite small talk, which gives off an element of arrogance in his character. It's clear that the way Stephen has come into his own over the years and is still on the road to self-discovery within his own little bubble, is holding him back from indulging himself more in social culture. Stephen and the Salesman equally represent self-isolating personality types, because they have both made conscious decisions to keep to themselves, and do things with others on their own terms. It is this staunch similarity that interestingly allows them to cross paths.
Everything Stephen does is ruled by his innate fear of the unknown. He doesn't like to step outside his comfort zone because all his life someone has kept him in a bubble. Now he lives alone it is like he is trying to break away from his past but the religious figurines and books around his home indicate that he is still influenced by his family's (parents') beliefs. Anything outside what he was told growing up as 'the norm', is to be left alone.
- Facing your fears
Stephen is given no choice but to let his guard down and acknowledge something that is beyond his control. He is unable to stick to his staunch skeptic safety blanket because everything happening around him is a representation of the fact that he doesn't and never will have the answers.
- Order vs Chaos
Stephen likes to think he can control his life, and equally likes to believe he has things under control. His home environment however, is a picture of what we'd call 'organised chaos'- meaning that he has a somewhat messy living space but amongst the 'chaos', there is evidence of control and structure, as well as belief systems and influences.
- Isolationism
From the beginning it seems obvious that Stephen keeps to himself, and likes to try and make his own mind up about things. He turns the Salesman away without engaging in conversation with him, not even polite small talk, which gives off an element of arrogance in his character. It's clear that the way Stephen has come into his own over the years and is still on the road to self-discovery within his own little bubble, is holding him back from indulging himself more in social culture. Stephen and the Salesman equally represent self-isolating personality types, because they have both made conscious decisions to keep to themselves, and do things with others on their own terms. It is this staunch similarity that interestingly allows them to cross paths.
How will these themes influence my decision making and storytelling?
- They will guide me in how I direct my actors, and what types of provocations to give them so that they respond in an authentic way.
- I will talk a lot with my actors prior to the shoot in order to get them thinking about themselves as their character... and ask them how they would respond in imagined situations, so they can ultimately gain a deeper knowledge of who they are and how their role reflects the aforementioned themes.
- On the days of the shoot I will remind myself of what I am trying to achieve and continue to ask myself if what is being seen on the monitor, illustrates or mirrors my ideas about the story and it's meaning/purpose.