Initial idea
As an illustrator, the term live performance immerses me in an expansive realm of fantasy that could, for example, encompass the theatre’s ambience, auditory and visual effects, and, notably, the narrative.
WHAT: we have come up with several theme ideas together, and I prefer the topic of marine pollution.
- Portraying marine pollution in an abstract way（plastic/nuclear waste/overfishing）
- Portraying marine pollution through the perspective of ocean creatures, e.g., mainly focusing on their living conditions, with the above points.
It could be a work to point out the destructive behaviour of humans towards nature. Due to the epidemic, war, nuclear radiation and other reasons, the ocean creatures will begin to mutate and chaos.
WHY: I’ve chosen this topic in response to reports of Japan’s ongoing discharge of nuclear wastewater into the ocean. The contamination spreading through seawater threatens global oceans and people worldwide. However, many still need to be made aware of the issue. The performance aims to raise awareness and shed light on this critical issue. It is an engaging way to portray marine pollution and highlight the significance of environmental protection. Besides, I am passionate about marine and fish crafts as making stage props installations such as fish lanterns.Second-a-Day
HOW: in terms of the visual effects, my very first reference to show is an illustration I’ve done before, which described the horrible world after that chaos. It is beneficial for other members to visualize concepts and discern potential avenues for further exploration.
Here are more images as the presenting formats found by Qiyan:
Andrew suggested we think about the narrative structure behind this theme, leading me to go further on research; I found the antiwar film <Most Shocking Second a Day> by an advertising company, Don’t Panic, and a community organisation, Save the Children. The film is based on the true story of a Syrian asylum seeker, contrasting her once-happy life with the upheaval she experienced after the war. This contrasting technique is heartwarming and brings the audience closer to the experience.
Overall, this is the general orientation I’ve got in the initial stage, and we’ll have a meeting to decide our final topic after. For the next step, I will set up a study plan with a Gantt Chart to ensure our project is feasible in time, allocate jobs, and start on further research of storyboard/experiments…etc.
