Belly of the Beast
UNCSA Short Film - Key Scenic
Director: Mary Louise Renegar
Production Designer: Leela Hoerschelmann
On a marine research ship, Howard–a researcher–and Suzanne–his apprentice–work to prove the existence of mermaids by attempting to lure them to the surface. After Howard convinces Suzanne to sew fins on herself to attract the mermaids, she discovers a journal that reveals the dark truth of Howard’s experiments, to which Suzanne throws his research overboard and Howard dives in only to meet his death by mermaids.
Set Pictures
Production Lookbook/Scenic Lookbook
Previsualization
Beams
The beams were made of 1/4 inch plywood underlayment and painted with a base of brown.
Another coat of a lighter brown was used to create the wood grain. A plastic wood graining tool pulled to paint away for the grain. Afterwards a purple tinted polycrlic finish to seal the paint and tone down the yellow tinted grain.
The finished beams included colors that the boat floor had and the stain on the wall planks.
Set Scenic Work
Slats on the ship walls were stained with water-based stain. The choice of multiple shades to add interest in the brown set. The floor is fake wood vinyl. The floor was too light in comparison to the walls and needed to be taken down. A layers or tinted polycrilic was used to tone it down.
The tinted polycrlic toned the floor down and balanced with the walls. The picture on the left is the beginng of the process on the floor. The picture on the right is the raised floor after the polycrlic.
The final touches were added once the set was dressed with its large furniture pieces. With the stove in place, a layer of soot was added to the wall. The technique used was a sponge, thinned paint, and an aerosol sprayer.