MISSION ESCAPE
2024
Production Design.
In Oasis Senior Living, Margaret, a spunky misfit and aspiring escape artist finds humble ways to make her dated Florida room a little more exciting.
Context: School Project
Duration: 1 Month
Screenwriter: Helen Liu
The Story
I was drawn to this script because of my bond with my grandmas.
Margaret’s spunk and rebellious spirit was my grandma who loves travel, pink lipstick, and swearing. Her wholesome, bingo-loving friends were my Hawaii-loving, quilting club grandma.
I wanted to articulate the aesthetics of the script to empower both kinds of old ladies. Margaret may want to escape her seniors’ home, but not because it is a horrid place. Rather, because it confines her to a socially acceptable “Florida retirement” narrative that she does not desire.
Research
I looked extensively into the 80s Florida aesthetic. I wanted the set to be a faded present-day version of this.
An analysis of the script helped define key character traits, genre, and scenery.
Using references like the Golden Girls and Edward Scissor Hands, I created a genre-accurate aesthetic language, through textiles, patterns, and colour palettes.
Planning
After finalizing a concept sketch I organized the intricate process of outsourcing props and dressings.
I found a very in-depth spreadsheet essential in managing this
Under a $500 budget, I created prop tiers, highlighting essential spending/items, as well as cheaper alternatives and backup plans.
Building
Over two days, I led a team in a safe, efficient, and most importantly, fun build.
I carefully scheduled out the tasks for each day but I had to grow my communication/delegation skills quickly as there was a secondary set build occurring at the same time, and the team was stretched.
The technical challenge was putting up the flats within a confined space. After that, it was time to apply all my careful characterizations of Margaret, to create her quirky bedroom details.
This project came with a massive learning curve, as it was my first foray into the intense job of a production designer. In a short period, I learned the essential industry standards for script breakdowns, prop outsourcing, and production pitches. As I have long had a curiosity in the field I found this process incredibly fulfilling as it showed me how my storytelling and organizational strengths can work together. I left the project inspired to seek out similar projects where I can continue to explore this medium.