P L U N G E
Concepts
Costuming
Casting
Photos
Concepts
There were many ideas for the film as Michael got ready to write the script. The simple idea of using Joe Scheibelhut's skilled diving ability grew into other more complex ideas. Here are a few excerpts from e-mails we exchange in the early planning stages. I wrote this one:
"I came up with a few cool ideas... the PLUNGE is literally a "think tank"...you like? It's supposed to be basic and specific in its imagery to teach (based on each person's personality/hopes/experiences...i.e, Karson wants to be a diver he's nine years old in this instance, but portrayed older in the "dream"), but in his case something goes wrong or something which allows his program to evolve and grow and become more real and beyond the program's functions... -this also makes the PLUNGE sort of like time travel, since younger Karson is to learn from the life (that could be/may be/may be not) of his older self. I know it's dramatic, but what if older Karson dies in the "dream", either as part of the normal course of the story or a possible malfuction in the program, but as a rsult either A)young Karson wakes up distressed, and knows now he may die at age 17, or B)young Karson actually dies right then in the tank because if you die in a dream, you really die immediately. -Again, this would all be based on learning fractions, and that "fractioning" theme could extend to the disintegration of the program PLUNGE. This would bring up ethical questions regarding its use (briefly only--its only a 20-minute piece! But it could be 25 if need be.) I still like the use of prisms in Karson's room, and shots somehow of light refracting under water. I think this piece can have some great imagery and great dialogue!"
As you can tell, we didn't use all of these ideas, and re-developed others. Here's something Michael wrote to me several months before I sent the previous one. This was before we introduced the sci-fi elements:
"Ok, bodies in flight. To dive is to fly, except there is no ground beneath, there is only a thick air. What I mean by "thick air" is water really only water combined with oxyen, and in turn, air is mostly oxygen--we should have a conversation about the molecular components of water--espescially since highschool students take chemistry (I know about this. I took chemistry and I actually concocted interesting experiments in my highschool days.) The non-sequitor that we need to exploit is "What is the make-up of water?" Water, water, water. That is what is most important. That and "sand." If we can do something that balances with wet (like dry) we may be able to work on the audience's unconscience level."
Obviously, we went from
strong, basic concepts and simply built on them. No idea is a bad one.
All of these lead us into other directions, all of which help Plunge
become a stronger piece.
Costuming
Orginally for the diving sequences, we pictured Karson in a speedo, a la high school diving. But images are everywhere, and I got inspired by these pictures on the Levi's site and sent Michael an e-mail:
"This
Levi picture gave me an artistic thought for PLUNGE. I like the way pant/
shorts/ swim trunks look under water, the flow. Basically, it may "look"
better or more interesting than a speedo, providing it makes sense and
Joe can still dive. I like pants underwater, dark or khaki, but dunno if
that can be justified even in the "dream" I think it would look cool though
if it can be thought out. Maybe the coach talks to him about diving, but
that doesn't mean he would have to be dressed for it, you know? In the
dream, he could ALWAYS be in the same clothes no matter where or what.
Granted, he may have to take off his shirt in the scene to effectively
dive, but the basic costume is still there and it can be understood why
the shirt is removed. I just thought the Levi pics looked kinda cool. "Artistic."
A FEW more are here, just quick shots, but conceptually kinda neat...made
me think of PLUNGE shooting underwater..."
As the characters and story became more fully realized, we determined that
the main part of the movie was to be set in the 1950's. This choice grew
out of several thoughts. Firstly, the adult characters in the "dream world"
have a very stoic 50's feel to them. Secondly, and most important thematicly
I think, is the dawn of the teen rebel during this part of American history.
In Plunge Karson is a kind of teen rebel in the future. So when
placed in the past, this is the kind of look he would take on. Recently,
I watched the movie October Sky which was set in 1957, and I got
a lot of good costuming inspirations.
Here's Joe as Karson, Day One of shooting on August 22, 1999. As you can
see, the final costume turned out a bit less "rebellious," but still effective.
He's sporting a white t-shirt, traditional Levi 501's cuffed at the bottom,
and black converse high tops. His hair is short, and slicked, with a flicked
up ridge in the front. It was quite a change to see Joe in custom-fit clothes
instead of the usual bagginess, and no earrings. His looks reminded me
a bit of "Bo," the character he first played in Boys
In Black, which was set in the 1960's.
Casting
The story was written with the idea in mind that Joe Scheibelhut would
play the lead, Karson, and that we would be calling on his diving ability
to enhance the film. In fact, most of our movies have been written already
knowing which principle actors would be playing certain roles. This is
the third film we have created with Joe in mind for a specific character.
This is part of the reason for moving the shooting, to accommodate Joe's
current schedule, and to keep him on board. He loves the story, but could
not commit to early summer. This was a good thing anyway, giving us more
time to adequately prepare the film. By moving it, it also made it possible
for actor Randy Colborn to play The Coach. He is doing Shakespeare during
the summer, and would otherwise not have been available. Jamie Talboom
of Revelations plays Ms. Soma. Michael Kouroubetes plays Nurse,
and George Schricker (Dr. Gorum in A:\KILL) is Mr. Pythagorus.
Publicity Stills &
Behind The Scenes
We made sure we took plenty of photographs during the shoot to use for publicity and for our press kit which will go out with the film when we enter it into festivals.
Publicity Stills