If you take a shot every time I do a “sepia flashbacks behind the focus character” panel in this act, I think you would actually die.
Acts 1-2
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10 - Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13 - Part 14
(ID in alt and under cut)
ID: 1. Sepia flashback on a mottled green background: close up of Nandor and Jahan in profile, wearing the same armor and tack as in part 7. Nandor has one hand on Jahan’s cheek and is smiling happily as they press their foreheads together, eyes closed. Present Nandor’s dialogue continues: “John was…my world. My closest companion.”
2a. More flashbacks in sepia floating through a mottled brown background: a close up of Guillermo and Nandor as they leave the house for the Night Market, Nandor grinning and jabbering excitedly while Marwa stands silhouetted in the doorway behind them with a placid smile; Nandor alone on the train, both arms wrapped around the jansport in his lap as he looks out the window at shapes streaking by, back to the viewer and no reflection showing in the glass; Guillermo and Nandor at the familiar fights, Nandor standing a step above and grinning daringly into a microphone, hovering his palm over a Guillermo’s head as he smugly looks around; Guillermo and Nandor before the wedding, Nandor smiling tenderly at his best man with one hand on his shoulder as Guillermo smiles easily back; Guillermo and Nandor sitting on a loveseat some rainy Sunday together, Guillermo holding a bag of popcorn in his lap and leaning in as he points to something on the TV offscreen, Nandor leaning in with arms crossed to hear him, their shoulders and knees pressed together even as their gazes remain glued to the screen. Present Nandor continues, presumably still taking about Jahan: “I chose him, again and again. I wanted to be with him always. That, surely, was the deepest love I have ever felt. My feelings for Guillermo are…not dissimilar. I did not always cherish him this way, but…he has become much more than a servant.” 2b. Close up of present Nandor in profile, expression serious and deeply thoughtful, gaze far away in the past. He says, “He is…” 2c. Zoom in; the background of the library floods back in as Nandor whips his head towards the viewer/camera again, flustered and incredulous, snapping, “…he is nothing like my wives!” /end ID
Back to Nandor… Crew cameo! Wives cameo!! Jahan cameo!!!
Acts 1-2
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10 - Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13 - Part 14
(ID in alt and under cut)
ID: 1a. Waist up of Nandor sitting on the couch in the library, continuing the talking head from part 1. The camera is now shooting from the side, and behind him you can see the right half of the bay window; a side table with a lit lamp, abandoned book, candle, butterfly display, and a small brass horse statue; a bucket of loose scrolls, and a wide gold mirror. The camera crew are reflected: a brown man with floppy bags and a sparse mustache is in the front, aiming the camera with one eye in the viewfinder; behind him is a large older Samoan man with a white beard ducking in front of a light reflector and pulling up cords; behind him is a white woman with long blonde hair in a ponytail, presumably the director, wearing a headset and holding up an iPad that she is writing on; behind her is a bored-looking Latine sound technician with long messy brown hair holding up the boom mic. Nandor is looking pensively away from the camera, brow furrowed and cheeks lightly flushed, fiddling his hands together in his lap. He says, “I was very confused by Guillermo’s conclusion. Which is obviously an unusual feeling for me, as he is normally so predictable.” 1b. Close up on Nandor at the same angle as he whips his head toward the camera, wide eyed and incredulous. He shouts, “Fuck that guy for making me feel confused!” 1c. Repeat. Nandor calms slightly and looks away again, flustered, hands curling into fists to press uncertainly against his chest. He spits sardonically, “Like I don’t know what love is supposed to feel like…”
2a. Flashback in sepa tones on a mottled brown background. Waist up shots of several of Nandor’s wives in a line, dressed in their 13th century finery and chatting happily together. One is clearly Marwa; there is also an older woman with short hair tucked beneath a scarf, a younger woman with freckles and long reddish hair, a fat man with a beard and long curly hair playing a barbat, a young person with a Roman nose, a man with a very fun handlebar mustache, and a person with long dark hair with their back to the viewer. Nandor’s dialogue continues from the present: “I loved many of my wives, but I did not want them around all the time. Or even most of the time. They were appealing primarily because they allowed me to do whatever I pleased and did not bother me unless I asked for them.” 2b. Zoom out to full body as the flashback continues. The group of wives, now including a young woman with a mole on her cheek and a young bearded man with three, are on the right, engaged with each other and mostly ignoring human Nandor and Jahan as they pass by. Human Nandor and Jahan are dressed respectively in the blue and silver armor and bejeweled tack they wear in their portrait together. Nandor has one hand on Jahan’s saddle and the other on his sword as they both trot excitedly across the frame, Nandor sporting a large open-mouthed smile and Jahan holding his tail high and ears pricked forward, uncaring of the wives left behind. The only wife to make a fuss is the younger woman with the mole, who has her skirts gathered up and is glaring at Nandor’s back as if readying herself to stomp after him. Marwa stops her with a hand on her arm, expression compassionate but sad. The older wives know better than to expect much attention from their husband. Present Nandor’s dialogue continues: “The one I preferred to spend all of my time with was my dear horse, John.” 2c. Shoulders up of present Nandor in front of the flashback in 2b. Pausing his narration, he looks down at his lap and bites lip softly, a contemplative line appearing between his brows. His speech bubble holds only an ellipses. /end ID
