DESIGN OF BULLET JOURNAL
The initial idea was to have an authentic and original-looking diary/journal. And because of my inclination towards a more artistic approach to this, the outcome came out to be more of a scrapbook-type notebook: messy, unorganized, yet still aesthetically pleasing. To have a more substantial vision for this particular prop, as it is one of the most important things for the production, I went to Pinterest and crafted the ideal version of what I wanted it to look like.
Bullet Journal Moodboard by Thảo NguyênSimultaneous to this was the brainstorming of the composition and positioning of the artistic props for the scene. My main inspiration was this image below. The idea was to have not only the journal itself represent the idea of a creative process, but also the tools surrounding it, reflective of the action being done: washi-tapes, scissors, colorful pens and crayons, scrap papers, and stickers.
However, as my research progressed, I realized that buying multiple strips of stickers that are mostly only used for the sake of having them presented visually would be an unnecessary cost. Therefore, I decided to collect images of sticker strips and print them out instead for much lower prices, effectively saving the same financial resources to invest in a high-quality studio.
Here is the file that I sent to the print shop, including not only "props" but also actual images I used to make the bullet journal.
MEDIA Printing by Thảo NguyênThe making (3 pages) ⋆˚.༄
Due to the limited time I had to prepare this journal, I decided to only decorate 6 pages, as not many pages are actually visually shown on camera. For the first one, I focused on building the theme of red - a very captivating colour; a sense of boldness. This is to connote the initial state of the relationship of the main character and their past partner: passion, intensity, and love. I also intentionally added an image of Gracie Abrams - the real voice behind the "title track" of I Told You Things - as an homage.
As you turn the page, the color switches to sage green and yellow. Yellow can raise a feeling of hallucination, or in a less clinical context, a departure from reality and submission to fantasy/daydream. This mirrors the idealisation of the "golden boy" (mentioned in the lyrics) by the artist, showing how she coped with his lack of affection through her own imagination. The green, on the other hand, signifies growth and maturity - referring to Lyn's acknowledgement of her own "delusions" and will to move on from the relationship.
The final page is filled in blue tones. Conventionally, blue is sadness, melancholy. However, in this case, I wanted blue to emphasize the feeling of calmness and acceptance. This indicates the transition of Lyn's mentality from clinging onto the past and onto her own imagination, to the reality and, therefore, emotional closure. Along with the color is a real photostrip of the main actress and her friends (basically me:) to enhance the realistic element of the music video. I also made the decision to bring back the red shade to this page to show how the passion may still linger on despite her dedication to move on.
This is the layout I planned out before the shoot, just to see how all the props looked together. I checked the composition, placements, and additional materials (if needed).
P/s: This is after the shoot, where the journal that I spent so much time on got ripped apart:)
✮PLEASE SEE THE PROPS IN THE FIRST PRODUCTION VLOG!˚.༄
