Structure and Morphology

“Narrative structure is about story and plot: the content of a story and the form used to tell the story. Story refers to the dramatic action as it might be described in chronological order. Plot refers to how the story is told. Story is about trying to determine the key conflicts, main characters, setting and events. Plot is about how, and at what stages, the key conflicts are set up and resolved.” — from Visual Story Telling and Narrative Structure, In Point

Films use a combination of set design, scene changes, outfits, makeup, and any number of other visuals, including CG to enhance the viewers experience and the overall feel of the film. The film Reservoir Dogs by Quentin Tarantino however, strays from this. Instead, it relies more on the physical interactions, behaviors and dialogue between characters to drive the plot forward. While there are copious amounts of blood, violence and shooting, the film takes place almost exclusively in a single room of a warehouse; even the key plot point from which the film springs, a diamond heist, is never shown. All the viewer knows about it is what the characters say before and afterwards, focusing primarily on the consequences of the heist and each characters role within it, and how they respond afterwards.

My first step in designing a project around the film was a careful breakdown and analysis of the plot and characters to explore any patterns, themes, or sequences from which could spring an idea.

Tarantino has mentioned in numerous interviews that he considers his films to follow in the footsteps of the classic Spaghetti Western genre. We see classic film tropes of Mexican standoffs, masculine power dynamics, vintage music and western cowboy nods prevalent in most of his work. For Reservoir Dogs, the setting moves from the old west to the streets and warehouses of Los Angeles, a 1970’s playlist, and the classic black tailored suit replacing the western aesthetic, but the vibe is the same. My next step was to break down the main characters, Mr. Blonde, Mr. Pink, Mr. Orange and Mr. White, and explore their dialogue, behavior, actions and interactions.

While visual references help establish the feel of the film, I love to employ word associations in my primary research because it allows for a deeper and more thorough analysis. One image, concept or word can set off a flurry of associations that reveal hidden patterns and potential meanings that transcend what we see when looking at the surface content.

The images above represent a very broad overview of research and analysis into the each element of the film and characters, starting to circle the drain of distillation. What I found most interesting was the clear depictions of moral relativism displayed by the characters, and the themes of morality set off by the concept of the four main characters, and research into associations with the number four in relation to the four types of morality. Morality is effectively out behavior, which is directly impacted and driven by our moral compass. My project began to take shape here, and I shifted by research towards behavioral analysis, but what I needed was a clear and succinct distillatory method for the analysis that could be easy perceived and digested by a viewer. I discovered an analytical tool developed for the game Dungeons and Dragons that broken behavior down into 9 main character alignments displayed on an alignment axis.

I used this chart to analyze each characters behavior and actions during the film to establish their alignment. From there I juxtaposed their main behavioral actions with those of the other main characters.

This data informed the final deliverable, a series of behavior analysis booklets breaking down the actions and alignments of each character, and how those actions juxtapose with and inform the behaviors of the other main characters. I chose a series of booklets because I wanted to pay homage to the initial research using the D&D analysis, which acts as a companion to the game. I wanted to the booklets to serve as companions to the film.

My first steps in creating the booklets was establishing a trim size. I mocked up several iterations before deciding that exactly half of a classic horizontal letter size was perfect — 5.5 x 8.5, this size supported the heavier paper used and allowed for a balance between white space on the page and legible content. From here I iterated on the cover page and established a grid system.

I wanted to avoid the overused visual imagery from the film, many of the scenes and the cover image are iconic at this point. When imagery from the film is used, I chose to filter and digitally effect it in order to obscure it somewhat and keep focus on the content and form. I created a visual system of circles moving around the pages and moving towards and axis to suggest the id of the character, his ego moving towards alignment, and a strong, clean and angular grid that evokes the form of the axis.

Each booklet follows the same layout: cover page, axis intro, character intro and established alignment, scene analysis and comparison with the other characters. Each characters’ comparison ven diagram shows only their actions and the actions they share with the other characters.

I chose to print two copies of each, one on light grey cardstock, and one on bright paper specific to each character. Color is a key element to the character, it is the identity we know them by as they don’t reveal their real names (aside from Mr. Orange and Mr. White) so I wanted to print two finals that explore use of color in two different ways. The idea of ‘dueling’ booklets also evokes the concept of the ven diagram, and the nature of the characters interactions with each other.

I wanted to effect the paper physically with vibrant color spatters specific to each characters’ color alias, so after printing a trialed the process for spraying and splattering ink onto the grey paper booklets. The process of production involved mockup prints to establish which shades and tones of each color would stand up against each type of paper, point size for legibility without crowding, and overall layout.

The final deliverable is designed as a research driven and aesthetically informed series of companion booklets to the source material.