Porphyria

1. Porphyria A poetic short film about love, obsessionand jealousy by Ryan Atkins (44805772)

2. The genre of ‘Porphyria’ is first and foremost a highly stylised poetic drama. • The film will also include elements of romanticism and gothicliterature. • The thematic concern of ‘Porphyria’ is the intense poweroflove. • The film explores the complex intricacies of love, but is by no means a typical romance story, instead my film will focus on how love reveals our subtledarkside: our jealous and possessive nature. • ‘Porphyria’ is very much about the paradox described by H. Havelock Ellis (1859-1939): “Jealousy, that dragon which slays love under the pretence of keeping it alive.” Genre & Theme

3. My film, ‘Porphyria’, is centered around the events in the poem ‘Porphyria’s Lover’ written by Robert Browning, first published in 1836 in England during the Victorian era. • It is viewed as a classic example of Gothic literature, which often explored themes of twisted, psychological terror and sexual repression. • ‘Porphyria’s Lover’ is a short, dramatic inner-monologue composed from the perspective of Porphyria's internally deranged lover. ~ The story of the poem is as follows: • ‘The persona sits alone in his cottage as a storm rages on outside. Enter Porphyria. A lady of radiant beauty and maturity; of upper class status. She enters his home, takes off her coat, sets the fire and begins to warm up by her lover’s side. His love for her is pure, and yet tainted by a possessive and psychologically demented form of obsession. He realizes, in this moment, how much Porphyria truly loves him. And, what changes more than that of the present? In an effort to preserve her in this moment forever, he strangles her with her own hair, props her back up and continues to sit by her. The persona concludes the poem by remarking, “And yet God has not said a word!” • Link to “Porphyria's Lover” by Robert Browning (read by Tom O’Bedlam) ‪https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE6PjB1kn4w Synopsis – Context: ‘Porphyria’s Lover’

4. How is ‘Porphyria’ different from ‘Porphyria’s Lover’? • The story of ‘Porphyria’ directly follows alongside that of ‘Porphyria’s Lover’, however, will adapt Browning’s original poem to a contemporarycontextand expand on the relationship between Porphyria and her lover. • The dramatic device of flashbacks will be used to explore the relationship between Porphyria and her lover. Therefore, there will be two primary story-telling devices: • The present action, that of the narrative of Browning’s poem. • Flashbacks to the past • The idea that Porphyria is having an affair with the lover is implicit in ‘Porphyria’s Lover’, however I wish to explore this idea explicitly in ‘Porphyria’ by including another character whom the lover is in competition with. The reason behind this decision is to explore the manipulative power of love and its direct connection to jealousy. Synopsis – ‘Porphyria’

5. The central problem is that of desire and jealousy. Despite their pure love, Porphyria’s lover is unable to fully attain Porphyria. As their love is challenged by another man, Porphyria’s lover becomes increasingly obsessive.He needs to have her, own her and consume her. The idea of having Porphyria devours her lover to the point where he kills her in order to keep her forever. • As mentioned, the theme of ‘Porphyria’ is the poweroflove • The issue of ‘Porphyria’ is the extreme dark side of love; that of obsession, possessiveness and jealousy • The perspective ‘Porphyria’takes on the theme is to show that jealousy (of which is catalyzed from love) is a destructive force both physically and mentally. We learn that when we try to dictate and controllove, it spurs violence and makes romance redundant, inauthentic and lifeless; much like the tragic fate of Porphyria. • The circumstance/conflict is initiated by the intense feelings of jealousy felt by Porphyria’s lover. He cannot handle the fact that Porphyria is due to be married to someone else, despite her truly loving him. Synopsis - ‘Porphyria’

6. In a nutshell, ‘Porphyria’ is a contemporary visualrepresentation of the poem ‘Porphyria’s Lover’ by Robert Browning, as described earlier and will easily fit within the selected timeframe. • ‘Porphyria’, will contain quick flashback sequences to the past to shine light on the relationship between Porphyria, her lover and the man whom she is engaged to marry. • The narrative flows between two time periods: 1. The present action (the narrative of ‘Porphyria’s Lover’) • In these sequences, the narrative follows alongside the story/words of the poem, (which will be overlayed in post production). In this case, the poem is an internal monologue – so the audience is directly hearing the lover’s thoughts and desires as Porphyria enters the cottage and slides toward her untimely death. 2. The flashbacks to the past • These sequences explore the romance between Porphyria and her lover. More so, during these sequences the audience witnesses the lover spiral into intense jealousy; a feeling instigated by that of the man Porphyria is due to marry. An example of a flashback, would be the first time Porphyria and her lover meet at the races, or a party. They share glances and smile at each other from either sides of the room, before their gaze is broken by the entrance of the other man, who quickly absorbs Porphyria’s attention. • The film flows in and out of these two periods until at the film’s climax: the lover strangles Porphyria with her own hair (as is done in the poem). Plot – Structure of the narrative

7. First five scenes of ‘Porphyria’ • First 6 lines of ‘Porphyria's Lover’ and accompanying contemporized visual representation. • Flashback 1. The first time Porphyria and the lover meet. They are at the races, or a party. They share glances across the room, before the other man breaks the gaze and absorbs Porphyria’s attention. • Lines 6-15 of ‘Porphyria's Lover’ and accompanying contemporized visual representation. • Flashback 2. Porphyria and her lover are out together – somewhere with beautiful, natural surroundings – he is absorbed in her beauty (highly stylised light leaks are overlayed etc.) • Lines 15-25 of ‘Porphyria's Lover’ and accompanying contemporized visual representation… Plot– Example of structural composition

8. In ‘Porphyria’, there are only three characters: • Porphyria – a beautiful, innocent and upper-class women who is due to marry a man whom we never know the name of. She is adventurous and truly loves the speaker of the poem, however is pressured to marry another man of her own class. The plot heavily revolves around Porphyria’s beauty and romance. She represents the goodness and splendor of love. • Porphyria’s Lover – A charming man with a dark side. He is an immensely jealous person with a violent nature. He adores Porphyria and becomes obsessed with winning her heart – even if it means it must stop beating. He represents the possessiveness and envy that love breeds. • The other man – A rich, well-to-do man. He is by no means a villain, despite appearing so in the lover’s mind. He too, loves Porphyria but is too busy with business to care for her all the time. He represents the hard-hitting reality that often love does not, in fact, transpire like that of an epic romance movie. He is the main catalyst for the lovers envy. He epitomizes the obstacle in the way of that thing we just need. Characters

9. The visual style of ‘Porphyria’ throughout the present action sequences (the narrative of ‘Porphyria's Lover’)is as follows: • The visual tone of these sequences will be a fusion of film noir and that of Victorian gothic film • Harsh black/white and chiaroscuro lighting will be used to create a sense of cold dread, mystery and fear • This sequence will be composed predominately in black and white with occasional dips of very slight sepia tone, emphasising a lifeless setting • The period of the film is that of modern times, however an atmosphere of archaic gothic madness permeates the texture of this sequence reflecting the personas internal perspective. All life and love has been lost in the eyes of Porphyria’s lover.All that is left is her. • Some example of shots would include: Dutch angles, low angle shots, shots of moving shadows etc. • Porphyria’s dress will also retain a bright red colour (in spite of the black and white colour present for the rest of the frame). This is to emphasise her as an ‘object’ of love in the eyes of her lover – so much so that he does not see any colour but her. • The film is very much composed from the deranged perspective of Porphyria's lover and thus in regards to performance style Porphyria appears innocent yet powerful due to her hold over him. The lover on the other hand, is caught up in a tangle of thoughts. Jealousy has eroded his mind. He must have her. Approach - Visual Style

10. The visual style of ‘Porphyria’ throughout the flashbacks is as follows • At the beginning, the visual tone of the flashback sequences will have a colourful dream-like atmosphere. Effects such as light leaks, subtle glowand a vignette will be used to achieve this. • As the flashbacks progress and the other man is introduced the palate of the film grows increasingly cold, reflecting how the internal state of the lover is becoming twisted and consumed by jealousy. He no longer feels love. He sees it. And fears its loss. • By the end of the film, the sequences become a pastiche of black and white, and overwhelming random colour (that of which, does not match the scene). This is to illustrate cognitive breakdown. Porphyria’s lover’s memory becomes distorted by jealousy. He sees the other man in places in his memory he never had before. And, he believes it’s real.. Approach - Visual Style

11. The aural style of Porphyria is a dark, gothic horror composition. Sounds you will hear during the present action sequences will be the dramatic ticking of a clock, a storm raging on outside, trees bending, the wind howling and the fireplace crackling. Some Foley sound will include heavy, unregulated patterns of breathing and shaking/cracking fingers. • ‘Porphyria’ will also include the internal monologue (V.O) of the poem, ‘Porphyria’s Lover’ itself. • The film has minimal dialogue, however there will be a few lines exchanged between Porphyria and her lover during the flashbacks. The dialogue will carry a deep glossy echo, almost as if the words are vibrating around inside the mind of her lover. His mind is hollow but for her speech. • The soundscape during the flashbacks will mirror that of the visual: begin a crisp, dreamlike, multilayered composition before descending into distorted madness. The simple but all so powerful phrase: “I love you” begins to torment Porphyria’s lover. • Music in the ‘present action’ sequences will carry an eerie jarring tone such as offbeat piano and strings. • Music in the ‘flashback sequences’ will be soft piano sounds or something to the same effect before, once again, descending into chaos by the end of the film. The sound of the film mirrors the internal state of Porphyria's lover. Approach-Aural Style

12. The biggest ‘time’ related structural device is that of the ‘flashback’ scenes that will be sprinkled throughout the film. The ‘flashback’ sequences exist to illuminate the process by which love can become perverted. • The audience is able to see, from start to finish, (only the highlights as is the nature of memory), the process by which jealousy can corrupt. • The temporal dynamic and rhythm of ‘Porphyria’ is twofold: both slow and quick, both sudden and dreamy. • The film moves slowly in the ‘present action’ sequences in an effort to carefully build a sense of eerie dramatic tensionthat snaps suddenly as Porphyria is killed. • I also have to follow the pace of Robert Browning’s poem ‘Porphyria’s Lover’ for maximum impact. • This is coupled with quick paced, dreamlike ‘flashback’ sequences. The rapid nature of these sequences will mirror the way in which we re-imagine, and reconstruct memories to be that of a highlight reel. By the end of the film, the audience might even question the integrity of such memories. Time

13. YOUR IDEAS & CREATIVE GENUIS IS WELCOMED! • I have a clear intent and artistic direction/vision I would love to see ‘Porphyria’ progress towards and achieve! I also have experience in directing film and fully understand the process that has to be undertaken in order to make ‘Porphyria’  • However, I also want to make that journey a collaborative experience where one has the freedom to express their creative opinions and be heard, as well as being able to experiment and expand their skills in their chosen area. • ‘Porphyria’ lends itself to experimentation in visual and aural style! • These include the roles of: • Editor – Experiment with special effects, lighting, colour grading and the final composition • First AD – Work closely with me! Help organize the shootand there is a chance to engage with all creative aspects of the film • Cinematographer – experiment with camera, lighting and subject in controlled environments • Sound recordist/designer – experiment with the aural composition of real/dreamlike/and gothic atmospheres – as well as the recording of dialogue and ‘Porphyria's Lover’ • Producer – The ‘superglue’ of the production. Help keep the production on track towards our final goal! Chance to scout interesting locations! • Production Designer – experiment in creating both stylised real/dreamlike/and gothic environments Collaborative input

14. First and foremost, I love the poem! I believe my development on the original work will make for great storytelling and cinema! • I also believe my work shines light on a very important topic: love IS MESSY. Sometimes very much so! And more often than not, love is sold and propagated as this perfect-idealistic-utopia – which, let’s be honest, is far from the truth and a confusing message. • What should we do when love does not work out? Let it be. • Accepted zeitgeists can be damaging, such as the ridiculous beauty standards set upon women. • When we don’t talk about the messiness of romance, relationships and love we end up with breakdowns in understanding and communication that of which can be linked with morbid statistics regarding domestic violence, for example. • I believe this film can open up the conversation about how loveand feelings of jealousy and control are linked – perhaps, with more understanding of this topic needless lives will cease to be damaged or lost in a similar fate to that of Porphyria. • Furthermore, there is a ton of room to experiment creatively, in a well directed and purposeful environment. • I also believe this work will be suitable for your own creative portfolio’s when seeking future employment in a related industry. Why I care! And why you should care!