Week 8: SCRIPT ADAPTION

In this in-class exercise, I directed a short adaptation of Convenience, a comedic script about a character facing an increasingly urgent need to use the bathroom. While the premise lends itself easily to slapstick, the team made a conscious decision to approach the material with a more restrained comedic tone, focusing on building suspense and tension through performance and pacing.
Working closely with our lead actor, Vivvy, I guided her performance to evolve steadily over the course of the piece, gradually escalating her sense of discomfort and urgency. This allowed the climax to feel earned and impactful, creating a more authentic comedic moment.
We drew inspiration from the mockumentary format, which aligns with the approach of our final assignment. This influenced decisions in staging, framing, and pacing, incorporating techniques such as observational camera angles and subtle acknowledgment of the camera’s presence.
As director, my role involved unifying performance, tone, and visual storytelling to serve both the comedic intent of the script and the stylistic goals of the project. This exercise strengthened my skills in performance direction and adapting scripted material to suit a specific cinematic style.