Short Film
A woman must invent her boundaries to find a place where she is not a territory to be conquered.
Objective
Director Andressa Back creates colourful and dreamy films, and Cartography of a Woman is no exception. The director needed the set design and costumes to reflect the social classes of Bianca and Julian. Motifs found throughout the script included architectural levels, colour, and reflections. These concepts were important to consider when designing sets, costumes, and props.
Design
Bianca's Space
The basement apartment needed to reflect the divide between Bianca and Daniel. Boxes are piled around, showing that Bianca doesn’t want to settle down in this lowly life she now finds herself in. The pillar in the middle divides the couple; Bianca’s eclectic dresser and pink floral wallpaper looks nice despite their living conditions. Daniel’s messy desk hints at his slobbish nature and green accents tie into his colour palette.
Julian's Space
Early concepts for Julian’s office utilised industrial interiors as a way to create an unwelcoming space. Due to budgeting, the office ended up taking a more modern look, with hints of cement and metal. The blue walls correspond to Julian’s palette, and the glass walls trap Bianca. Julian’s apartment is part of a dream sequence, so we wanted to include similarities to Julian’s office. His apartment features blue walls and high-end furniture, along with large floor-to-ceiling windows.
Costumes
Bianca’s pink suit represents her old life as an urban planner in Brazil. She left her comfortable life to feel Safer in Canada. Her pink suit is impractical for a janitor, but she can’t let go of what she once had. Julian is a man who controls those beneath him. We debated putting him in a more casual outfit, jeans and a blazer, but his tailored blue suit makes his formal look more insidious. Bianca is not happy with having Daniel as her husband. Putting him in green boxers and an old t-shirt allows the viewer to see him the way Bianca does, as a slob.
Responsibilities
Set & Costume Design
Script Breakdown and Art Department Budgeting
Prop & Costume Sourcing
Set Decoration
Additional Notes
The film received five nominations and one win at the 2022 Sheridan Screen Arts Awards. Because of my work on the project, my co-production designer and I were nominated for the Best Production Design Award.
Behind The Scenes
