"True West" a play written by Sam Shepard is about two estranged brothers, Austin and Lee, who reunite at their mother’s house and become locked in a tense rivalry over a screenplay and their different lifestyles. As they compete for success and control, their identities begin to blur, revealing their shared frustrations and the unstable idea of the American West.
I reimagined this as a film for my Minor Project of my final year studying Production Design. I chose it because I’ve always been drawn to 1970s design and was excited to explore that era visually. I focused my research on the specific region of California where the story is set. I designed a claustrophobic living space with a slanted roof, small windows on one side, and large windows on the other, looking out onto suburbia and an empty pool. I also storyboarded a key scene where the story reaches a boiling point, using the set to heighten the emotional pressure between the characters.
Process
Storyboard
Storyboard Animatic
Architectural Drawings
Vray Renders
1:25 Model
