Scene Selection.

I have selected the six scenes i will be focusing the production shots on i gathered these scene from both the film and original novel as there are points i wanted to explore through both adaptations. I wanted to pick a range of scenes that could narrate the story through the character narratives and key themes but that could produce visually interesting shots.

Scene 1  Captain Crewe leaving Sara at Miss Michin's 

Characters: - Captain Crewe
                   - Sara Crewe
                   - Miss Michin

Props:- Emily (the doll)

Scene Synopsis:

(Burnett, 1905)

Split Scene: (Photography Scenes)

. Miss Michin talking to Captain Crewe about the care of Sara, Sara hiding behind her Papa during the conversation .

. Sara and her Papa saying goodbye, her sitting on his lap holding the lapels on his coat .

. Sara Sat Alone left with emily .

Emotive Feel of Scene:

I really want this to be one of the scenes were the emotion is on the surface, the image i have collected below relating to all three split scene shots all have a similar emotive feel to them, the idea of a father leaving his daughter with essentially a stranger is a scary one let alone being left by yourself as a seven year old so capturing the isolated sense of loss from both sides will be important contrasting with the strong harsh presents of Miss Michin cutting through will create an odd feel in the images. This is also the scene where the styling will be the most extravagant due so the contrast of beauty and darkness is a key feature.

The lighting will be an essential part in setting this scene and initial ideas resulting from these images is the yellow vintage tinge to the lighting as shown in the bottom three images although it brings a sense of warmth the subject matter is still in a clear place of distress or thought something that really draws me in. 

https://uk.pinterest.com/milliejohns/photography-fmp/

Scene 2  Sara's bedroom Story Time 

Characters: - Amelia
                   - Sara Crewe
                   - Boarding Girls

Scene Synopsis: (one scene to Photograph)

(Burnett, 1905)

I wanted to focus on this scene purely on the basis of it being an in look into a child mind, exploring the true magic and wonder that children develop through there early life this will be a juxtaposition to most of the other scenes were the contrast is between the darkness of reality. Although this is not a full scene as such there are moments similar to this in the film were Sara is telling stories to all the other boarders wether it be at bedtime or when they were suppose to be having Miss Amelia reading them a classic novel story.

'She forgot that she was talking to listening children; she saw and lived with the fairy folk, or the kings and queens and beautiful ladies, who's adventures she was narrating.'

I want to capture the pure innocents and beauty of the magical world of children's imaginations, i found this image on pintrest taken by someone at a christening the caption was 'can we go outside and play?' this has really inspired me and captures everything i want to achieve within this scene the eager look on the little girls face at the clear pleasure that awaits outside is momental yet the covering with the sheer curtain explores the idea of 'CHILDREN ONLY' once you grow up its impossible to go back and truly believe in magic and having this curtain covering to me really creates this fairy dream like atmosphere with connotations of behind or inside a child's mind.

https://500px.com/photo/8901133/can-we-play-outside-by-edwin-sanchez

I would love to explore using a sheer material in this way and possibly the idea of Miss Amelia standing on the other side captured dreaming into the story that Sara is telling. Below are a few further images that have capture me for this scene hues of bright colours, shadow and mystery are all elements i want to explore as i feel that capture this dream like experience.

Scene 3  Sara's birthday Party at the Seminary 

Characters: - Sara Crewe
                   - Miss Michin
                   - Amelia
                   - Boarding Girls

Scene Synopsis:
Play

 

       Novel   (Burnett, 1905)                                   1995 Film

Split Scene: (Photography Scenes)

. Boarding School girls and Sara all having fun playing, ballon's and laughing .
. Sara Blowing out the candle's on her cake .
. Miss Michin Stopping the party, all girls leaving in a line and Miss M screaming at Sara .

This will be the shortest less focused of all the Scene's due to the quick nature of what is happening with in, i want shots of the girls having fun playing then Miss M storming through and ruining the party- this is more of a transfer scene to keep to the narrative of what will be happening next.

Scene 4  Attic Sara & Becky 

Characters: - Sara Crewe
                   - Becky

Scene Synopsis:

(Burnett, 1905)

This is a special scene to the narrative, the coldness of what has just happened to Sara is liner to the shift in her surroundings. This scene is the most emotional in the fact that it shows the bond between these two little girls whom both are lost with no one else but each other. I want the atmosphere to be dark, gothic, depressive to explore these emotions that Sara is going through. 

 {      Isolation     }

Split Scene: (Photography Scenes)

. Sara by herself with candle .
. Becky running over to comfort her, hugging together .

Scene 5  Miss Michin & Sara 'I am a Princess!' 

Characters: - Sara Crewe
                   - Miss Michin

Scene Synopsis:

As previously discussed this is a pivotal moment in the story and a theme i want to underpin through out all my images. The moment between Miss M and Sara is a delicate and powerful moment, not only does it show the depth of Sara as a character it shows Miss M's sensitivity and hurt for the first time showing that even a grown woman can wish after a child's mindset. 

'not to indulge in ridiculous dreams but to be productive and useful!' Miss Michin 

'even if there not pretty, or smart or young their all princesses all of us!

 Didn't your farther ever tell you that!.... Didn't he!' Sara 
(Burnett, 1905)

https://uk.pinterest.com/milliejohns/photography-fmp/

Scene 6 Sara & Captain Crewe reunited 

Characters: - Captain Crewe

                   - Sara Crewe

                   - Miss Michin

                   - Ram Dass

Scene Synopsis:

This scene is the adaptation for the 1995 film ending unlike the book and play were Captain Crewe 

dies. I have chosen this scene as i felt that the raw emotional element tied the whole story together and a scene that i felt emotionally connected to when i was first introduced to the story through the film as it felt key to the story, even though Sara has grown up she will always need her PaPa and something I engaged with personally.

  

{ Where to go from this }

Below i will develop the character and aesthetical profiles for the above selected scenes, referencing back to the selected scenes throughout the rest of the project.

• Take these scene and begin test shooting visual ideas.
• Create character profiles based around the scenes selected.

The Story.

'A Little Princess' is a classic childhood novel written by Frances Hodgson Burnett in 1905 a story and directed by Alfonso Cuaron as a film in 1995. Since being recreated for theatre the most recent adaptation the three act play script written from the classic novel and Frances Hodgson Burnett's 1902 play 'A Little Un-fairy Princess' by Rachel Louise Lawrence in  2014. These three sources will be my main point of reference. 

''It would be easy to be a princess if i were dressed in cloth of gold, 

but it is a great deal more of a triumph to be one all the time when no one knows it.''

(Burnett, 1905)

The story explores a little girl Sara Crewe raised in India by her affluent and adoring farther Captain Crewe Sara was sent to London to be educated at 'Miss Minchin's Seminary for Young Ladies' and board at the age of seven while here father goes to war (in the book and play he goes to work in the diamond mines). Impressed by Captain Crewe's fortune Miss Michin allows Sara luxuries far beyond those of her other boarders up until the day of Sara's eleventh birthday when the news of her farther's death arrives. Suddenly penniless Miss Michin banishes Sara to the attic to work as a servant alongside other young scullery maid Becky. Although starved and abused Sara uses her imagination and friendships to make the best of her situation. However next door lives a mysterious man Ram Dass ( Mr Carrisford's manservant) whom looks over Sara in the attic and eventually reunites her and her farther whom had been recovering in Mr Carrisford's care since his war accident (in the book and play he dies, Mr Carrisford is his business partner and was sent his fortune to care for Sara).

The story explores themes of adventure, mystery, imagination, burgeoning sexuality and escapism through a little girl’s vivacious outlook on life. I want to express these theme's through a surreal and sinister manner. Particularly when watching the 1995 film I found myself drawn to the dark gothic nature of the aesthetics' combined with the emotive beauty of Sara's outlook on life this is something i was to keep key to the design process. 

The scene below from the 1995 film i found a pivotal moment within the story and a key theme expressed through all the sources of the story. Through history the shift from being a girl to a women is a varst point in time for every young impressionable woman; magic, imagination and spirit is often diminished and the real hardship of live is pushed through to us. In this one scene the contrast in time is a visual expression that is direct to the viewer wether old or young a personal engagement is made as its something we have all been through. This is something i want to explore throughout the process the contrast in escapism, imagination to the raw, gothic element of hard life creating a dark fairytale feel to the imagery in the book. The Image below by one of my most inspirational photographers Alex Stoddard explores the emotive aesthetic I initially envisage in relation to this key theme, the dark gothic nature of the colours and woman's hands contrasts the purity in the young girls skin portraying this idea of innocence clashing with the darkness of reality. 

{http://www.refinery29.com/alex-stoddard-photography#slide}

Expanding from this initial breakdown of the story i would like to go on to decide the key scenes i will be focusing on for the brochure production imagery. Finding scenes that show the full narrative of the story giving the reader a visual sense of story line as its a publication as an add on from the theatrical play its important that the book captures the sense its a stage production with a chronological story.

Start.

The project ahead is that of a daunting one, having proposed a large scale project I am already feeling the strain, yet importantly keep reminding myself to take one thing at a time and further more remembering that i am a high achiever with high aims to succeed. Never setting low goals and ALWAYS pushing myself looking ahead to the perfect and beautiful outcome I envisage at this early stage. Note to self: 'You Can & You Will'.

The proposed project is to create a innovative book based on the fictional play 'A Little Princess' including elements of the traditional theatre brochure but pushing boundaries of what the theatre programme could be; an outlet for theatre productions to showcase both the pure creativity that is produced on their stages both from a makeup and hair point of view and theatrically but also from a deeper sense of capturing the emotive elements experienced when attending a play and having a book that aims to reproduce this in a creative, original and aspirational way.

Having developed the initial outcome through my proposal the next step is where i really want to dig deeper into the content for the book. I want to have a clear and educated sense of my subject matter (the story) both in a historical and educated sense but also how i can use a large variety of surrounding information gathered to push the book into a new realm of individuality: such as current affairs, keeping myself inspired through exhibitions or current publications and essentially always being in contact with my target market with regular surveys or interviews from this market, having this close connection with my consumer and project will certify the success in producing something that could essentially sell.