SCENE BREAKDOWN
1. INT. MESSY APARTMENT HALLWAY/ROOM – DAY
WOMAN
Woman beats herself up against a wall inside of her apartment, in turbulent distress. She is home alone. Time period is uncertain. Could be the 70-80s based on lighting choices, style of furniture, and clothing. Room is full of dusty knickknacks and random pieces of furniture. Some pieces are covered by white sheets. Some are not. Room is dimly lit by sunlight coming from a window. The sun’s light is also revealing the dust particles in the air.
1-8: slow heavy turns against wall
2-8: repeat
CUT TO:
2. INT. ABANDONED ROOM IN WAREHOUSE – DAY
WOMAN
Still in turbulent distress, woman turns corner to enter larger room from a narrow hallway. Room is full of dusty knickknacks and random pieces of furniture. Some pieces are covered by white sheets. Some are not. Room is dimly lit by sunlight coming from a window. The sun’s light is also revealing the dust particles in the air. One of the random objects in this space includes a life-size spinning doll, like a broken-down ballerina in a jewelry box. It’s spinning slowly and aimlessly in the background, like someone forgot to turn it off, however many ages ago.
3-8: speed turns up in space along the diagonal
4-8: repeat & stop abruptly
(13 seconds)
*5-8: arms accent the music, gesturing “out-in-out-double in”
6-8: leg running in place slow
7-8: speeds up and becomes frantic
(23 seconds)
*8-8: cont’d, ends abruptly with arched back
9-8: cont’d, arms/body curls in
10-8: cont’d,slow turns
WOMAN
Woman continues to battle with internal demons, when suddenly a beam of light (not from the window) landing on her catches her attention. She tries to go back to her internal battle, but the light keeps pulling her out of it. She is drawn towards the light, moving closer to the source. She realizes it is coming from the life-size spinning doll. There is a sign nearby that instructs to touch the doll’s forehead. The woman complies. The doll comes to life.
(31 seconds)
*11-8: left arm is opened, repeat & then the right arm
12-8: retreat
13-8: both are opened
(40 seconds)
*14-8: notice the ancestor doll
15-8: walking towards doll
(47 seconds)
*16-8: walking towards doll
17-8: walking towards doll
(54 seconds)
*18-8: woman touches forehead
19-8: ancestor unfolds, tingles
20-8: woman looks on, perplexed
ANCESTOR
Ancestor doll comes to life slowly, with slow butoh movements. The woman is curious, as their movements tend to reflect each other. They acknowledge each other’s presence. A mutual respect is established.
(1:03)
*21-8: ancestors feet slowly come down with Butoh-like gestures
22-8: cont’d
23-8: cont’d
(1:13)
*24-8: eyes meet, forward/back chest
25-8: take step forward/back
26-8: cont’d
(1:22)
*27-8: another step
28-8: cont’d
29-8: bow
30-8: bow
WOMAN and ANCESTOR
They further explore how similar they are. There is an inquisitive energy in the air. Also somewhat skeptical. What are you? Who are you? Where did you come from? A whimsical curiosity.
(1:35)
*31-8: up/down/up/break/turn
32-8: rond de jambe passé over pivot
33-8: head roll, foot up leg, turn
34-8: shoulder s curve,sneaky fosse
(1:48)
*35-8: rendez vous, cut to front
36-8: attitude, stretch out
(1:55)
*37-8: mirror hands and arms
38-8: mirror hands and arms
WOMAN
Woman throws herself/is drawn back into her turbulent distress. She shrinks back into her own depression/self-loathing. Throws herself into a tizzy. The ancestor doll observes her, concerned.
(2:00)
*39-8: out of control turns
40-8: out of control turns
41-8: to the floor
42-8: standing and still turning
ANCESTOR
Ancestor doll swoops in and stops the woman from continuing into her tizzy. She calms her down, encourages her to breathe.
(2:13)
*43-8: ancestor grabs woman
44-8: cont’d
45-8: woman cont’d to twitch/adjust
46-8: ancestor tightens grip
(2:27)
*47-8: shoulders down, head stop
48-8: dramatics simmer
49-9: arms unfolded, stand tall
(2:36)
*50-8: three breath implications
ANCESTOR
Ancestor doll expresses to the woman a number of things: 1. everything will be ok; 2. you are not alone; 3. you have to lift your head up high, always, for you are the lineage of royalty; 4. your black is beautiful, it is complex, it is powerful in that complexity; 5. any answer you seek is inside of yourself. I live inside of you.
(2:39)
*51-8: palms flip front/back/front/back
52-8: elbows out expand
53-8: cut and push through
54-8: break, mess around, cut under
(rep 2:52)
*55-8: foot flex turns land in second
56-8: pleading in second, resolve in parallel
57-8: third eye, developé arabesque, resolve in second
58-8: address the present, return to past (with gesture)
(3:05)
*59-8: past through chest, return to present
60-8: return with pride, resilience, ease
(3:11)
*61-8: melt leading w/ pelvis
62-8: repeat
WOMAN and ANCESTOR
They rejoice together in this newfound revelation. They celebrate their connection. And the two become one.
(3:18)
*63-8: ancestor gathers woman
64-8: repeat earlier sequence: up/down/up/break/turn/rond de jambe
65-8: ancestor gestures towards woman to follow, steps into fan
66-8: pivot, head up
(3:31)
*67-8: foot up leg run to corner
68-8: leap, chugs back, up/side/side
(3:37)
*69-8: flick, & developé side
70-8: step to it, twitch, run & jump
(3:44)
*71-8: fast turns again, celebratory
72-8: cont’d
73-8: they become one
74-8: woman turns alone
*75-8: she resolves alone
WOMAN
Woman comes back to reality, makes sense of where she is in space. She is no longer depressed. Her inner conflict becomes resolved.
(4:00)
*76-8: looks around
77-8: woman notices ancestor is no longer where she once was
78-8: cont’d
(4:09)
*79-8: repeat ancestor solo: palms
80-8: repeat: elbow out expand
81-8: repeat: break, mess around, cut under
(4:19)
*82-8: repeat: pleading in second, resolve in parallel
83-8: repeat: third eye, developé arabesque, resolve in second
(4:26)
*84-8: repeat: past through chest,
return to present (with gesture)
(4:29)
*85-8: turning slowly to the door
CUT TO:
3. INT. MESSY APARTMENT/HALLWAY/ROOM – DAY
86-8: cont’d out hallway
87-8: cont’d to front door
88-8: leave apartment, lights out