wanderingtangentproductions - Tumblr blog

[wanderingtangentproductions]

[wanderingtangentproductions]

Visual reference for the Blacksmith's setups

[wanderingtangentproductions]

Earliest wheelchairs were used in China, as essentially chairs on wheels, pushed by servants: similar devices were used by a couple european nobles, well after. The earliest known self-propelled wheelchair was made by a german watchmaker in the 1650s (which incidentally was also one of the precursors to the bicycle).

Bath chairs became common in the 1700s, as Bath became a popular place for sick people to go "for their health", as a wheeled chair, steered by the individual and propelled either by an assistant or a draft animal (dog, goat, pony)

The first early-modern wheelchair was invented in the 1800s after the civil war, made possible by improvements in machinery and lightweight steel working, and has developed substantially since then.

Mobility history

Canes/crutches (used basically everywhere)

Dog or goat cart (similarly used in many places with no specific lineage)

Wheelbarrows (introduced to medieval europe in the 1200s from china, where they'd been used for at least 1k years)

"Wicker walkers", hard to find data on useage by adults, but widely used for children from the 1300s

[wanderingtangentproductions]

Mobility history

Canes/crutches (used basically everywhere)

Dog or goat cart (similarly used in many places with no specific lineage)

Wheelbarrows (introduced to medieval europe in the 1200s from china, where they'd been used for at least 1k years)

"Wicker walkers", hard to find data on useage by adults, but widely used for children from the 1300s

[wanderingtangentproductions]

Sparks v2 rough shot list

1: meetcute

following full shot, exultant: blacksmith swoops across forge on basket

match cut to swinging down to the forge setup (dramatic firelighting), picks up hammeroffscreen: "um, hello?" jumps, drops hammer

jump cut to DOOR, SEAMSTRESS is leaning against the doorframe with a cane "Your setup is amazing, can you teach me to move like that?"

jump cut to FORGE, blacksmith leans up holding dropped hammer (sheepish)"um"

match eyesight, scan "I'm sorry"

back to FORGE "I don't think you're strong enough"

DOOR..."I know. thank you for your time." turns to go "wait!"

FORGEcome back tomorrow? I think I could make something that can help

2: attempt 1

DOOR, following full shot (right to left): SEAMSTRESS enters, turns towards table (holds rail for balance)BLACKSMITH swoops in foreground on basket (move basket track to diagonal window, remove door-forge instead?) "so I was thinking something like" picks up slate/parchment

cut to medium shot: Seamstress sits down, is passed slate

zoom in on slate, cut to

design-world: simplified "mini" seamstress model with cane

ZOOM in on cane: rotate, extend out bottom to have like 4 legs with wheels. rotates right way up.

Quick zoom to medium-full following shot, mini model picks up, pushes, walks, then slows, wobbles

MATCH ON movement to DOOR following shot to WINDOW BENCH: SEAMSTRESS walks in, pushing the cane thingy. Smiles ruefully, sits down on bench, pushes wheel cane away (it falls to the floor)blacksmith's head pops in from the side, upside down "good thought but it's so heavy, I just want to sit down" blacksmith disappears and spins back into frame as she sits at the bench "hmm, sitting down..."

3: attempt 2 (cart)

walker-cane-thing disassembles and reassembles into a wagon/cart: handles come off, loses height, the square supports spread up into the sides, smiling person appears in it with a pole.

smiling person poles, accelerates, match on action to)

DOOR, following shot (towards forge, left to right this time): Seamstress (pushing the cart into the forge, spills out on the floor laughing) “that is a LOT of fun, but it’s really hard to control. So much better though!”

Blacksmith (drops down in a basket from above, ties the pulley rope around a cleat on the basket): “okay, easier to control…”

4: attempt 3 montage

CUT TO design: the cart starts to disassemble like before, but stopswhat if we

CUT TO (same long shot as before) Seamstress (still sitting on the floor but now leaning against the wall, blacksmith’s joined her and has gotten a wheel off the cart)

ZOOM TO medium shot (holds up the slate and points) “make the back wheels big so I can grab them directly?” Blacksmith looks up surprised, then grins

Match on the slate back to design-world: cart disassembles and starts to reassemble, but the back wheels (not attached yet) get bigger and turn to seamstress’s colour. It continues, then (still half-done) cuts back to reality

(Reality) Blacksmith clangs at the anvil

(design) match the structure she’s working to the framework and axle.

(Reality) at the workbench, seamstress leans against blacksmith and sews something tough. She holds it up, long padded leather tube; blacksmith turns and smiles

(Design) tube wraps around the wheel as a “tire”, wheels attach

(Reality) Blacksmith is up high, taking down a basket

(Design) basket is cut down, settled into place as the chair.

(Reality) seamstress sews at the workbench, blacksmith has fallen asleep against her shoulder. The mostly-constructed chair is visible on the floor behind them.

Seamstress ties off the thread, then eases blacksmith off her shoulder. She pats her face, then pulls a blanket over her.

(Design) the chair gains embroidered seat pillows, then spins. A person appears in it, and starts to move. Match on action to

5: final

(Reality) seamstress wheels smoothly through the door, smiling and confident, with a basket of baked goods on her lap. “I brought your favourite!”

Blacksmith swoops in from above to sit on the bench, smiling. She leans in and reaches to grab a baked good, but seamstress grabs her hand instead and leans in for a quick kiss. They separate, smiling; the camera zooms out slowly, and irises closed.

[wanderingtangentproductions]

Mini seamstress model for the design shots

[wanderingtangentproductions]

hair fix

[wanderingtangentproductions]

UVS EVERYWHERE FOREVER

[wanderingtangentproductions]

test shot layout

(still working on the rigs)

[wanderingtangentproductions]

Model detail updates

[wanderingtangentproductions]

Rig WIP:

Blacksmith update

[wanderingtangentproductions]

Blacksmith update

For comparison, the first image is from the last update, before the person I was working with left the project. The subsequent images are my 99% completed model (not textured).

[wanderingtangentproductions]

The three main layout angles, flat-shaded for readability (not final textures). There are still a lot of proxy models, but this is roughly the idea.

[wanderingtangentproductions]

Visual references

Forge lighting and texture inspiration:

Stylized "design"sequences are heavily inspired by the "Untitled goose game", heavily stylized 3D (it won't have backgrounds, just character-specific colour):

[wanderingtangentproductions]

Timeline by week

[wanderingtangentproductions]

Sparks v2 story beats

Scene 1

Seamstress walks (carefully, with a cane) into forge

Blacksmith: *swinging across the room, speaking quickly* “did you remember the [item] this time I’m almost —“ *she sees seamstress and stops abruptly* “ooouuuuyou’re not brinley uh”

Seamstress (slightly taken aback, but smiling) “….correct, I’m not!”

Blacksmith (interrupting) “wait you’re a customer! Uh, I don’t have that much stock on hand, but—“

Seamstress (cutting her off) “can you teach me to move like that?”

Blacksmith (clearly off-balance, blurting out her first thought) “I don’t think you’re strong enough”

Seamstress (deflating, disappointed icy mask) “…I’m sure you’re right. Thank you for your time.” (she turns to go)

(Beat)

Blacksmith (starting slowly, then accelerating) “…wait that was probably rude, I’m sorry. um. no-one’s asked me that before. I could make you something? What’s the problem?”

seamstress (hesitantly, still slightly cold) “fatigue and balance, mostly. Pain from walking.”

Blacksmith (grins) “I know right, I gave up on that ages ago. Okay! Come back tomorrow? We can talk :D “

Scene 2

Seamstress comes in, sits at workbench: designs already

Blacksmith drops down, picks up and points at design sheet (with rough sketch of a person ).

SCENE TRANSITION: match on image of the rough sketch (maybe with a wobbly “imagination” effect), to a stylized minimalistic 3D animation style (think untitled goose game minimalistic, pastel colours. Pastel colour scheme changes with the person coming up with the ideas. Framed theatrically, from one angle.)

(1: walker)

(Blacksmith colour): Walker, smiling person pushes Walker

(Transition to seamstress colour): Person yawns, frowns, goes to sit down. Match on that to)

Seamstress (slumping down on the bench, pushing the rough-shaped walker away. “it helps but pushing it is tiring, I just want to sit down”

Blacksmith (camera pans super quickly to her seated at forge across the room)(frowns deliberately, cocks head) “hmm, sitting down…”

(2: cart)

(Blacksmith colour) walker disassembles and reassembles into a wagon/cart: handles come off, loses height, the square supports spread up into the sides, smiling person appears in it with a pole.

(Shift to seamstress colour) smiling person poles, accelerates, match on action to)

Seamstress (pushing the cart into the forge, spills out on the floor laughing) “that is a LOT of fun, but it’s really hard to control. So much better though!”

Blacksmith (drops down in a basket from above, ties the pulley rope around a cleat on the basket): “okay, easier to control…”

(3: chair)

(Blacksmith colour) the cart starts to disassemble like before, but cuts abruptly back to reality

Seamstress (still sitting on the floor but now leaning against the wall, blacksmith’s joined her and has gotten a wheel off the cart) (holds up the slate and points) “what if we make the back wheels big so I can grab them directly?”

Blacksmith looks up surprised, then grins

Match on the slate back to design-world: cart disassembles and starts to reassemble, but the back wheels (not attached yet) get bigger and turn to seamstress’s colour. It continues, then (still half-done) cuts back to reality

(Reality) Blacksmith clangs at the anvil

(design) match the structure she’s working to the framework and axle.

(Reality) at the workbench, seamstress leans against blacksmith and sews something tough. She holds it up, long padded leather tube; blacksmith turns and smiles

(Design) tube wraps around the wheel as a “tire”, wheels attach

(Reality) Blacksmith is up high, taking down a basket

(Design) basket is cut down, settled into place as the chair.

(Reality) seamstress sews at the workbench, blacksmith has fallen asleep against her shoulder. The mostly-constructed chair is visible on the floor behind them.

Seamstress ties off the thread, then eases blacksmith off her shoulder. She pats her face, then pulls a blanket over her.

(Design) the chair gains embroidered seat pillows, then spins. A person appears in it, and starts to move. Match on action to

(Reality) seamstress wheels smoothly through the door, smiling and confident, with a basket of baked goods on her lap. “I brought your favourite!”

Blacksmith swoops in from above to sit on the bench, smiling. She leans in and reaches to grab a baked good, but seamstress grabs her hand instead and leans in for a quick kiss. They separate, smiling; the camera zooms out slowly, and irises closed.

[wanderingtangentproductions]

Sparks

A work in progress student film, aka Medieval Blacksmith Wheelchair Lesbian Romance

Main cameras:

EXTERIOR, looking at the front of the smithy and a little bit of the street (angled towards the smithy so we don’t have to model the entire street)

Imagine a single camera in the middle wall of the smithy that pivots for these next ones, for consistency (I’m kinda building this set as if it was a theatre set, with the right wall of the smithy being the fourth wall)

DOOR, from the interior of the smithy (encompassing most of the window workbench to the left and a bit of the merchandise shelves to the right, with the doorway centred in the frame)

FORGE: pivoting all the way left from the door, with the forge centre left and vala’s anvil centred.

ROOM: The door is on the left, the forge and the anvil is on the right. Several baskets are hung on pulleys, attached to tracks on the ceiling: they look worn and well used.

Plus additional cameras as needed, like for closeups or if we need a better angle. I’m just using these as shorthand, we’re not stuck with them obvs

CHARACTERS:

VALA, a smith. She makes primarily iron tools and hardware: the ready-to-sell wares she has displayed on the shelving rack near the door are things like shovels, hoes, rakes, hammers, pots, pans, etcetera.

Vala is paraplegic due to a childhood accident, and has set up her entire forge as essentially a mobility device, clearly built over the course of many years. She has a leg brace across her legs that she can use to “stand” while keeping balance with her arms against surfaces or crutches, but she mostly gets around by climbing, swinging, or sliding across bars in her forge. She is very buff and has biceps for days.

Vala pushes herself to be the Very Best at what she does at the expense of everything non-utilitarian, in an attempt to be accepted by her community and seen as equal in her field.

BRYNN, a merchant’s daughter.

Brynn has post-polio syndrome, characterized by muscular atrophy and severe fatigue. She tries to walk and stand and be “normal”, but she doesn’t have the strength for it, and ends up carried around everywhere by her younger brother, BRINLEY, dressed in finery but without much agency of her own. Over the course of the film she gives up on walking and pretending to be normal at the cost of her own health, and builds her own agency through her relationship and wheelchair project with Vala.

SCENE ONE

SMITHY, EXTERIOR: A wooden building with a wide open door and a large window looking in on a tidy shop space. The camera angle doesn’t let the viewer see more than a couple feet in.

BRYNN comes into scene, pushed in a CART (wheelbarrow-like?) by BRINLEY. (Or possibly carried bridal-style) She is tired-looking, slumped and resting her head against the wood.

Catching movement, BRYNN looks up towards the SHOP WINDOW, sudden interest

CUT TO:

SMITHY, INTERIOR. A large high-ceilinged room with a number of RAILS, POLES, ROPES, and swinging wood or wicker BASKETS assembled around the ceiling and walls.

There is a FORGE in the far left corner, which emits an orange-red glow on the back half of the room. (There is a kettle and a cast-iron griddle on the side of the forge, this is clearly a living area as well as a working area)

VALA is in motion, hanging from a BASKET by the crook of one arm. She tugs on a rope and swings the BASKET across the room, expression focused: reaching the other side, she does something quick with a rope that lowers the basket, then swings herself down to the ground. It is impressive and she has massive arm muscles; her expression indicates this is business as usual. A bell rings, and she looks up, alert

cut to DOOR: BRYNN is coming through the door, walking with difficulty, with a determined/hopeful look on her face. BRINLEY hovers behind her. She leans against the door.

Cut to VALA at the FORGE: she hoists herself upright with a rope, smiling customer-service towards the door.

cut to DOOR:

BRYNN: “Can you teach me how to move like that?”

Cut to ROOM: BRYNN is on the left, leaning against the door and looking tired, with BRINLEY hovering behind her; VALA is on the right by the forge, using her arms to support herself against a metal rail and balancing on her leg brace. Lighting contrast, as well as pose contrast: Brynn looks exhausted, Vala looks like the queen of her domain, in a place that’s almost an extension of herself that she’s clearly designed to perfectly fit her needs.

Cut to VALA: (mostly dismissively, with a hint of remorse) “I’m sorry, I don’t think you’re strong enough”

cut to BRYNN: Brynn looks dejected but resigned, she’s clearly heard this many times. “….I know. sorry for bothering you.”

She slumps, almost collapsing, and BRINLEY tut-tuts disapprovingly/concernedly as he folds her back into his arms.

(Offscreen) VALA: “wait!”

Brynn looks back over brinley’s shoulder.

Cut to VALA. She smiles. “Come back tomorrow? I think I can make you something that’ll help.”

SCENE TWO

Smithy interior, morning.

DOOR: Sunlight shines through the window, birdsong comes through the door as BRINLEY carries BRYNN in bridal-style and sets her down on the padded bench at the window worktable (the worktable is covered in general small supplies, wires, springs, coils, pliers, a couple dirty mugs/medieval takeout containers)

Cut to ROOM (possibly following shot, depending on what works best): VALA swings across on a BASKET. A SMALL 3 WHEELED CART (with small wheels all the same size) and a POLE are hooked on the BASKET. Vala uses a rope to gracefully lower both to the floor, then climbs down herself using a rope and a support rail built into the workbench.

BRYNN looks at the cart sceptically, but shifts herself into it (BRINLEY helps hold it still, and hovers protectively).

Wide shot with vala and brinley in the left foreground and Brynn in the middle right.

BRYNN pushes herself across the floor using the pole

BRINLEY: (glancing concernedly at vala) “is this safe? She gets hurt so easily, it’s better if she--”

BRYNN then starts to go in circles, losing control, and the cart tips. She drops the pole and grabs for the wheels, but still goes over

Reaction shot as brynn yelps offscreen: BRINLEY lunges to catch her and vala leans forward in concern—

and then we go back to brynn, who is grinning HUGELY and propping herself up against the cart.

BRYNN: “it worked! You’re a genius!”

BRINLEY (in the background, still half in a lunge) stares, then slowly lowers his hands with an expression of confused relief, as he realizes Brynn didn’t need his help.

VALA: (blushing) “I think I can make it better, come back tomorrow?”

SCENE THREE

SMITHY INTERIOR, MORNING.

BRINLEY carries BRYNN piggyback through the door. BRYNN looks more invested and alert than before: she’s directing brinley where to go, instead of being passively carried. She also has pillows tied to her, clearly padding for a fall.

BRYNN (hand in the air to proclaim dramatically): “Bring on the tests, I’m ready for anything!”

cut to ROOM. VALA beckons from the FORGE, laughing approvingly at the padding.

VALA: “Good thinking, I haven’t made anything like this before.”

Cut to DOOR, following shot to ROOM as BRINLEY carries BRYNN in, looks around briefly

VALA: “It could be dangerous.”

BRYNN: “I was okay yesterday!”

BRINLEY places BRYNN in a large BASKET hanging from the ceiling nearby, then nods and leaves, leaving VALA and BRYNN alone for the first time.

BRYNN leans forward to make eye contact and smiles warmly. “I’m looking forward to trying anything you make.”

VALA meets her eyes, then blushes and looks away quickly, hastily grabbing a chunk of iron from the fire and bringing it to the forge, grabbing a hammer with her other hand without looking. The movement is instinctual and well-practiced; the conversation is not.

VALA (awkwardly, while hammering): “I saw you grab the wheels (bang) I think (bang) that might work (bang) better than (bang) the pole (bang)”

Vala holds up the hot iron, the camera follows it up.

SCENE FOUR

montage of highly posed stills Polaroid-photo-style while Vala crafts the chair. Light shifts a couple times, indicating that it’s been multiple days.

Brynn and Vala sit at the window workbench, looking at a sketch on a piece of parchment. Brynn holds a medieval pencil and is writing with intent; Vala watches intently

Vala and Brynn swing across the smithy on the a basket, Vala hauling on the ropes with her arm hooked on the outside of the basket, Brynn grinning and holding a couple pieces of iron component

Brynn comes in through the door piggyback on BRINLEY, instead of being carried like a child: she’s clearly directing him where to go and happy about it

Brynn and Vala sit at the sun-lit bench by the window, leaning on pillows (that weren’t there before, clearly in Brynn’s style with embroidery: brynn seems to have left her padding at Vala’s forge). Vala is fiddling with something at the desk, Brynn is braiding a ribbon into her hair.

Same shot as before, but night: Brynn is asleep leaning up on Vala, Vala is still fiddling with something by lamplight: it’s clearly larger, the chair in progress. There’s a work-in-progress embroidery on the table in front of Brynn.

By the bench by the window, Brynn comes in (piggyback on Brinley) and passes Vala a plate of food. Vala takes a bite idly, focused on something small

SCENE FIVE

SMITHY INTERIOR, MORNING

Brynn is carried in to find Vala asleep on the floor by the window bench slumped against a fully-constructed wheelchair.

The door bell rings, Vala sits up, yawning hugely.

Brynn excitedly gestures BRINLEY to the chair: he places her in it and steps back. This time, he doesn’t seem as concerned for her safety.

VALA grins, pulls herself up to the bench, then (adjusting her leg brace to straight) shifts to “standing” using the bench’s rail for balance.

BRYNN fusses for a minute, getting herself comfortable: she leans over to grab one of the small embroidered pillows from the bench and tucks it behind her back.

BRYNN grabs the wheels and the chair moves perfectly. She wheels in a circle, then, grinning, charges at VALA.

BRYNN collides (relatively gently) into vala, scooping her into a deep kiss.

Camera irises close to black.

Forge door’s bell rings, then goes to music, transition to

DOOR camera, bright morning light. BRYNN wheels into the forge and towards the window table, a basket on her lap (baked items visible in the top), smiling broadly as she tracks movement overhead offscreen. VALA drops down on a rope to the bench, leaning over to kiss Brynn.

Brynn passes Vala a baked item, Vala accepts it and starts eating.

Brynn pulls a textile project from her basket, starts to work on it.

CAMERA pulls back slowly to a long shot, film title appears on screen.

Credits play on the side as Vala and Brynn sit together, working on projects and eating breakfast, smiling over at eachother.

END,