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Week 10 - Sound Design

Ipad War

#fightingsiblings

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Week 8 - Script Writing Part 2

A busy university courtyard. Students rush between classes, some sitting on benches, others chatting by the coffee cart. Gianna and Geo sit on the grass under a tree, textbooks open but mostly ignored.

LEO: (grinning) You’re doing that thing again. The fake studying.

AVA: (smirks) And you’re doing that thing where you call me out instead of minding your business.

LEO: Your business is my business. That’s what best friends are for, right?

AVA: (scoffs) Best friends don’t expose each other like this.

LEO: Oh, so I’m supposed to just let you pretend to study when I know you’re eavesdropping on that couple over there?

AVA: (defensive) I am NOT eavesdropping—

LEO: (leans in, amused) So you didn’t hear them arguing about how he took her best friend to the movies?

AVA: (pauses) …Okay, maybe I caught a little bit. But she’s right, he’s totally shady.

LEO: (smirks) You’re invested. You’re practically writing their breakup speech in your head.

AVA: (taps her pen against her book) You know what’s crazy? People always go back, even when they know they shouldn’t.

LEO: Yeah… (quietly) Some people don’t even realize what they should be holding onto in the first place.

(A brief pause. Gianna glances at him, but he quickly looks away, pretending to scroll through his phone.)

AVA: You ever think about it? Like… what if we weren’t just best friends?

LEO: (freezes for a second, then laughs lightly) That’s a dangerous question.

AVA: (nervous smile) I know.

LEO: But yeah. I think about it. More than I should.

(Gianna’s fingers tighten around her pen. The background noise of students chatting and walking around seems distant now.)

AVA: And?

LEO: And… I guess I’m scared. Scared that if we tried and it didn’t work, I’d lose my best friend. And that would suck.

AVA: (nods slowly) Yeah… it would.

(A long silence. The tension between them is thick, but neither of them moves.)

LEO: (playfully) So, uh, should we just ignore this conversation forever? Or—

AVA: (teasing) Oh, absolutely. This never happened. We remain clueless best friends. No feelings whatsoever.

LEO(smirks) Cool. Totally fine with that.

(They share a glance. A silent understanding. Then, Gianna nudges him with her shoulder, and Geo laughs, nudging her back. But something lingers between them now. Something unsaid, but undeniable.)

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Script Writing - Week 7

A Nah, ‘cause girl, I’m tellin’ you. He really got me messed up.

B Oh Lord, what he do now?

A What he do? What he DO?! Girl, tell me why I’m at his crib, chillin’, mindin’ my business right? and the whole time he actin’ real… I don’t even know, like too chill. Phone flipped over, sittin’ mad far from me, like I wasn’t gon’ peep.

B Mmm. See, that’s that sneaky behavior.

A Right?! So boom, I go in the bathroom, come back out. Tell me why his phone light up real quick, and I see some girl name pop up like ‘I miss you’.

B Oh, hell nah.

A Nah, for real. I said, "Who dat?" And you know what this clown gon’ say? "Chill, you trippin’, that’s my cousin."

B BYEEEE Not the cousin excuse!

A EXACTLY! I said, "Since when?!" And he just sittin’ there, lookin’ stupid. Girl, I grabbed my keys SO fast. I ain’t argue, I ain’t yell. I just said “Oh, bet.” And left.

B Nah, that “Oh, bet” hit different. That’s when they know they done.

A Girl, and now he blowin’ up my phone, talmbout "You really just gon’ leave?" Uh, YES. What I look like stayin’ for? A TED Talk on how to be a clown?

B He really thought you was gon’ sit there and debate?

A Like I was gon’ sit there and take notes?! Nah. I told him straight up, “You can go miss her, since she missin’ you so bad.”

B You did NOT.

A Girl, YES I did! And I meant it! Like, go be HER problem. I ain’t got time. I’m too cute for this.

B Periodt

A And now he “sorry.” Talkin’ ‘bout “It ain’t even like that.” BOY, PLEASE. Like, he really think I’m slow.

B Nah, he think you stupid-stupid.

A Right! And the crazy part? If I was the one actin’ like that? Oh, he woulda flipped the WHOLE TABLE.

B Men cannot handle what they dish out. That’s facts.

A Welp. It’s above me now. And I ain’t gon’ lie, when I pop out this weekend? He gon’ be sick.

B

Periodttt

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I’m choosing Cory Maxson from Fences.

This costume highlights Cory’s transformation. He’s no longer just Troy’s son; he’s his own person. His yellow shirt is intentional. It represents the big change he’s going through. Yellow can symbolize hope and a new beginning, but it can also represent fear and uncertainty, reflecting Cory’s mixed emotions as he’s being forced to leave the only home he’s ever known. He’s learning to survive on his own, stepping into adulthood.

Even though I wanted to focus on Cory, he wouldn’t be who he is without Troy. Troy’s blue button-down shirt represents his hardworking nature and exhaustion. He’s a man worn down by life and responsibility. The contrast between their outfits highlights their differences. Troy, stuck in his ways, and Cory, stepping into the unknown.

This moment is a turning point in Fences, and the costumes reinforce that. Cory isn’t just dressed for comfort, he’s dressed for transition, caught between the past he’s leaving behind and the future he’s stepping into.

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I chose a proscenium stage for M. Butterfly because it allows the audience to observe Gallimard’s world from a distance, like looking through a window into his mind. This "framed" perspective highlights the theme of illusion versus reality, creating both a literal and figurative barrier. It also supports quick scene changes, which is crucial given the play’s shifts in time, place, and Gallimard’s imagination. For the final scene, where Gallimard reflects on his life in his prison cell, the set emphasizes his isolation. Tall, gray prison bars create a sense of entrapment. Behind the bars, faint projections of memories fade in and out, showing how these haunt him.

Design Choices:

Color Palette: Cold grays and whites to reflect Gallimard’s despair, with splashes of red symbolizing passion and deception.

Lighting: Harsh overhead lighting for stark shadows, and dim, flickering lights to distort fragile memories.

Set Pieces: A rusted metal bed and small wooden stool to reflect the barren prison environment and Gallimard’s emotional breakdown.

This design represents Gallimard’s trapped psyche, the illusions he built, and the reality he cannot escape. The proscenium stage frames his world like an exhibit, forcing the audience to confront not just his deception but their own illusions.

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