Props - Tabi

Tabi (足袋) are traditional Japanese socks. Ankle high and with a separation between the big toe and other toes, they are worn by both men and women with zori, geta, and other traditional thonged footwear.

Tabi are also essential with traditional clothing — kimono and other wafuku.

The most common colour is white, and white tabi are worn in formal situations such as at tea ceremonies.


Valentine's toe-socks are white.


Men sometimes wear blue or black tabi for travelling.

Japanese footwear is measured in centimeters, and as tabi have a tendency to shrink, one needs to shop for a slightly larger size.

shoesize women
British	2	2.5	3	3.5	4	4.5	5	5.5	6	6.5	7	7.5	8	8.5
Japan(cm.)	21.5	22	22.5	23	23.5	24	24.5	25	25.5	26	26.5	27	27.5	28

shoesize men
British	5	5.5	6	6.5	7	7.5	8	8.5	9	9.5	10	10.5	11	11.5
Japan(cm.)	23.5	24	24.5	25	25.5	26	26.5	27	27.5	28	28.5	29	29.5	30

Props - Zori

Geiko (i.e. mastered Geisha) don't wear okobo - high wooden block sandels - , instead wearing geta or zori sandals (this is an easy way to tell if you see a Geiko or a Maiko; an apprentice Geisha).

Geiko and Maiko wear different shoes along with their tabi socks . The Geiko wear a flat, flip flop looking, sandal called zori . A Maiko wears a tall platform sandal called an okobo to keep her kimono from dragging. During the summer a sandal called a geta , named for the sound it makes on the pavement, is worn without socks to accommodate warm weather.
[source: http://www.sofieloafy.net/geishamain.htm]

Technically, zori are "a thin or thick soled sandal - worn mainly by women with kimono - with a V-shaped thong which comes between the big toe and the rest of the foot and so keeps the sandal in place." Traditionally made of straw. The sole is covered with leather or cloth.


Zori (sandal)

Japanese footwear was designed so that it is easy to slip off, necessary in a country where footwear is removed before entering a house.

They are traditionally worn with tabi (i.e. toe socks).

Props - Kimono

The kimono is the traditional dress of Japan and it is worn on formal occassions.

Kimono for woman

Married women wear the normal (i.e. not long, baggy) sleeved tomesode. Note: Long sleeves mean room for luck and therefore will attract men to unmarried women.

The left side of clothing over right
While foreign clothing has its right side over the left, the Japanese lady has the left side of her Japanese clothing folded over the right. The right side over the left is the way in which the clothing of a dead person is folded, for in Japan the dead are shrouded in a special kind of clothing for their trip for the land of the dead. Consequently Japanese clothing is never folded in the foreign way.

• Kimono's Length: 142 cm/ 56 inch.


• Color: White with pattern.


• Material: Cotton 100%. Washable.


• Includes a belt of the same material (attached inside a sleeve).

For the purpose of the film, Valentine's kimono is mostly white, with a repetitive, no-intrusive pattern (may differ from above sample).

Kimono for man

Men's kimono's are mainly black, so is Mr Kamio's kimono.

• Kimono's Length: 147 cm/ 58 inch.


• Color: Black with red lining (lining made of polyester).


• Material: Cotton 100%. Washable.


• Embroidered golden kanji in circle (called Mon), the wearer's family crests.


• Includes a belt of the same material (attached inside a sleeve).

TIP: Recommended to tie kimono's belt below waistline.

INSTRUCTIONS:
[source: http://www.sofieloafy.net/geishamain.htm]

A Kimono is a very difficult thing to put on. A Geiko kimono (hikizuri) is even harder. That is why the Geiko prefer to have a dresser come and do it for them. Their trade is passed down through generations and takes a lot of practice and hard work. It is very much like a puzzle that only an expert can put together. Piece by piece, they pull, tuck, tie, and fasten until every bit of the Geiko is covered in beautiful fabric and tied in an elegant obi.

Crew - Composer

About Composer

Chris Stieve-Dawe is a Germany based professional musician and he has completed a number of short films. Chris has done a lot of composing including for a few TV commercials and has some material published.

He has a well equipped studio and a huge sound library so Chris can produce everything from a Jazz quartet to a full symphony orchestra.

Below please find samples for the Shinju film:



CLICK TO PLAY: Sample 1



CLICK TO PLAY: Sample 2

Cast - Extra's

About Extra's

Nelly Fernandez plays the role of extra Nurse in the Japanese Friendship Garden scene of the Life-care Centre.

Waki has modelled for the picture of the Japanese wife, in traditional kimono.



Wife [picture taken by Jacqueline Weir @2007]

CALL SHEET - Sunday 6th of May 2007

CALL TIME: 8:00am
MEETING POINT: tbc

CAST: none
CREW: Director, Sound Recordist, Cinematographer, Visagiste, Production Designer

TRANSPORT: ...
PICKING UP: ...
FROM: ...

LOCATION:


Bass Rock (filming from shore of North Berwick)

SCENES:

Scene 01: EXT. ISLAND - NIGHT

BREAK FOR LUNCH

Scene 01: EXT. ISLAND - NIGHT

TIME SCHEDULE:

8:30am Arrive at location - unload and begin set up
9:00am Technical check and run through
9:15am Begin shooting
1:00pm Break for lunch
1:45pm Resume shooting
4:30pm Tea - 30 minutes
7:00pm Last possible wrap time

CALL SHEET - Saturday 5th of May 2007

CALL TIME: 8:30am for crew, 9:00am for actors
MEETING POINT: To be announced.

CAST: Valentine, Kyoko, Extra's
CREW: Director, Sound Recordist, Cinematographer, Visagiste, Production Designer

TRANSPORT: To be announced.
PICKING UP: To be announced.
FROM: To be announced.

LOCATION: To be announced.
SCENES:

Scene 02: INT. LOCKERROOM - NIGHT

BREAK FOR LUNCH

Scene 02: INT. LOCKERROOM - NIGHT

TIME SCHEDULE:

8:30am Arrive at location - unload and begin set up
9:00am Technical check and run through, arrival of actors
9:15am Begin shooting
1:00pm Break for lunch
1:45pm Resume shooting
4:30pm Tea - 30 minutes
7:00pm Last possible wrap time

PROPS:

CALL SHEET - Friday 4th of May 2007

CALL TIME: 8:00am for crew, 9:00am for actors
MEETING POINT: Japanese Friendship Garden at Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh (UK), see details below.

CAST: Valentine, Kamio, Kyoko
CREW: Director, Sound Recordist, Cinematographer, Visagiste, Production Designer

TRANSPORT: travel by your own means of transport (or arrange with others)
PICKING UP: no picking up
FROM: n/a

LOCATION: Japanese Friendship Garden at Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh (UK).

Cramond Road South
Edinburgh EH4 5GD United Kingdom
+44 131 336 2060

See Google map.

SCENES:

Scene 03: EXT. GARDEN - DAY

BREAK FOR LUNCH

Scene 03: EXT. GARDEN - DAY

TIME SCHEDULE:

8:30am Arrive at location - unload and begin set up
9:00am Technical check and run through, arrival of actors
9:15am Begin shooting
1:00pm Break for lunch
1:45pm Resume shooting
4:30pm Tea - 30 minutes
7:00pm Last possible wrap time

PROPS:
- wheelchair
- post box
- flowers
- enveloppe
- spider's web
- string figure rope
- costumes (nurses, Japanese man)
- blanket
- ...

CALL SHEET - Thursday 3rd of May 2007

CALL TIME: 8:30am for crew, 9:00am for actors
MEETING POINT: WASPS studios, West Park Place (buzzer 3) - near Haymarket, Edinburgh.

CAST: Valentine, Kamio, Kyoko
CREW: Director, Sound Recordist, Cinematographer, Visagiste, Production Designer

TRANSPORT: travel by your own means of transport (or arrange with others)
PICKING UP: no picking up
FROM: n/a

LOCATION: WASPS studios, West Park Place (buzzer 3) - near Haymarket, Edinburgh.
SCENES:

Scene 06: INT. KAMIO's ROOM - NIGHT

BREAK FOR LUNCH

Scene 06: INT. KAMIO's ROOM - NIGHT

TIME SCHEDULE:

8:30am Arrive at location - unload and begin set up
9:00am Technical check and run through
9:15am Begin shooting
1:00pm Break for lunch
1:45pm Resume shooting
4:30pm Tea - 30 minutes
7:00pm Last possible wrap time

PROPS:

CALL SHEET - Wednesday 2nd of May 2007

CALL TIME: 8:30am for crew, 9:00am for actors
MEETING POINT: WASPS studios, West Park Place (buzzer 3) - near Haymarket, Edinburgh.

CAST: Valentine, Kamio
CREW: Director, Sound Recordist, Cinematographer, Visagiste, Production Designer

TRANSPORT: travel by your own means of transport (or arrange with others)
PICKING UP: no picking up
FROM: n/a

LOCATION: WASPS studios, West Park Place (buzzer 3) - near Haymarket, Edinburgh.
SCENES:

Scene 04: INT. KAMIO's ROOM - DAY

BREAK FOR LUNCH

Scene 04: INT. KAMIO's ROOM - DAY

TIME SCHEDULE:

8:30am Arrive at location - unload and begin set up
9:00am Technical check and run through, arrival of actors
9:15am Begin shooting
1:00pm Break for lunch
1:45pm Resume shooting
4:30pm Tea - 30 minutes
7:00pm Last possible wrap time

PROPS:

Crew - Visagiste

About the Visagiste...

In underneath photo series, Jacqueline practises the Japanese ritual facial design on Aileen.



Starting out with a clean face.



Followed by a white base.



Next is the black around the eyes and eye brows.



Detail of the red in the eye corners and along the top of the brow.



Finally, the characteristic red lips.



Teamwork

Mind you, the model has not been dressed with a traditional Japanese wig yet.
This test run has been purely done on face painting.

INSTRUCTIONS:
[source: http://www.sofieloafy.net/geishamain.htm]

Maiko and Geiko differ in their dress.

The differences are subtle but to a trained eye, quite obvious. They both wear white makeup, a powder that is mixed with water and turned into a paste. This is always done before the kimono is put on the keep it from getting dirty.




First, the skin is rubbed with oil and wax (to help the makeup to stick) the white paste is brushed on, leaving a gap only around the hairline and at the back of the neck. The bit of skin at the back of the neck is painted into the shape of a serpents tongue and is thought to be highly sensual in Japanese society.



A thin layer of powder is dusted on carefully.



The head is wrapped.



The wig is put on and wrap is removed.



The eyebrows are brushed on softly and sometimes highlighted with red as well.



Eyeliner is then applied and a tiny amount of red to the corner of the eyes.

A Geiko will sometimes leave out the red on her eyes and eyebrows completely.



Last but not least, the lips. They are outlined first and then filled with color. Sugar is applied for shine.



A full fledged Geiko may wear simpler, western-style makeup once she has been working for 3 years.

Scene 06

INT. KAMIO'S ROOM - NIGHT

[images following]

Valentine is seen to enter through the curtain of ribbons into the room. She is dressed in traditional Japanese clothing. In her hands she holds the pile of envelopes with the white flower on top, all preciously wrapped with the red ribbon.

Kumo touches the envelopes and smells her perfume. He smiles. The white flower is put in the bamboo jar.

They drink tea together (matsuri or tea ceremony).

The red ribbon is carefully wrapped around Valentines face. Kumo follows on with tying a loop of red rope around her chest, over her shoulders and finally into a flowery knot on her back. Valentine shows becoming dizzy.

He lays her on the bed. Kumo lies next to her, his lips have turned black. She senses him die. She cries. The flower has turned black.

Kyoko enters the room.

KYOKO
(in shock)
"Val?"

As she looks at the suicide couple she drops the volleyball to the floor. It bounces, rolls off, and then comes to a rest.

Valentine breathes out her last air.

[go to Scene 07]

Scene 05

INT. VALENTINE'S ROOM - NIGHT

Valentine is at her table, her white plate with a few wrapped, green pods in front of her. On the corner stands a vase with a white flower picked from the garden. Her eyes wonder off to the row of framed art on her white wall.

One of the frames shows a picture of a baby with the naval string (umbilical cord) clearly visible. Another shows her smiling as a child, being led at a leash by her father. The third frame is empty.

Valentine pushes her plate away and grabs her white serviette from her lap and starts rolling it up really tight. She ends by sliding the serviette ring around it.

-- LATER THAT NIGHT --

A pile of envelopes sits on the table. Valentine, wearing glasses, turns the page of the letter and follows the characters with her finger to the last one. She taps the character and grabs the Japanese to English dictionary. She flicks through the book and opens the page at the unknown Japanese character. Her nail underlines the first explanation of this character.

Shinju ; Pearl, euphemistically meaning the nipple or even the breast.

Valentine’s nail runs down to its second explanation.

Shinju ; Japanese rope bondage technique for lovers.

She raises her head and mildly bites the leg of her glasses whilst contemplating.

-- EVEN LATER THAT NIGHT --

The picture of the Japanese wife is on the sink, water starts running from the tap. Valentine washes her hair and colours it black. She folds it the traditional way as in the picture. In front of the mirror, she powders her face to a perfect white and colours her lips radiant red. From her sanctuary cupboard she lifts a kimono of the hook and tries it on. Lastly, Valentine’s finger applies perfume from the captured bottle onto her neck. She grabs the white flower and the envelopes.

The dictionary is still opened up and as a red ribbon that held the pages down is pulled away in haste.

Her door closes, as she has left her room.

[go to Scene 06]

Scene 04

INT. KUMO'S ROOM - DAY

[images following]

Kumo is seen seated on the floor at his low desk in his traditional Japanese clothing (kimono) to be writing yet another letter in Japanese characters in his dark, mostly black room.

Valentine silently walks across the room and holds in front of a small temple. It has a collection of items amongst which a ragged old photograph of a Japanese woman in traditional clothing, two halves of an oyster shell each one with a pearl, and a small bottle of perfume.

Kumo takes the last remaining envelope from the box, closes the lid and folds the letter in half. He then wraps a red ribbon around the letter, knots it, and slides it into the envelope.

By means of touch he finds the teapot and prepares the last remaining powdered green tea (matcha) from the metal container (natsume) to go into the teapot.

Next, he turns away and drops the poisonous dark flower petals into a bamboo jug and stirs it mildly. The jug's dark fluid is poured into the teapot.

Valentine lifts the bottle of perfume. A spider is found behind it.

[go to Scene 05]

Scene 03

EXT. GARDEN - DAY

[images following]

Valentine pushes a wheelchair gently along the path beside the life-care centre. She is in full nursery outfit and has a smile on her face. The sun warms her face in response to which she closes her eyes and lifts her head towards the sun.

A Japanese man (Kumo) of very old age is seen to be seated in the wheelchair as it is gently pushed forwards. He is wrapped in a blanket despite the warm weather. He is meditating whilst his hands are making string figures (Ayatori, a traditional Japanese game).

As they move along the path Valentine collects flowers from the garden and hands them to Kumo. He touches them and shows his recognition of their nature. The instance Valentine hands him a dark and poisonous flower Kumo secretively breaks its petals and closes his fists around them.

KYOKO
(off-screen)
"Are you still pushing Mister Lee around?"

Valentine looks over her shoulder and stops, whilst Kyoko catches up with them from behind.

VALENTINE
(annoyed)
"His name is NOT Lee, it is Mister Kumo!

KYOKO
(in wonder)
"Meaning Mister Spider?"

VALENTINE
(lecturing)
"He is possibly the most influential expert in botanics. He knows all about flowers."

KYOKO
(concerned)
"If that is so, why does he make you pick the most poisonous flowers of all kinds?"

She turns Valentine's palm up and shows her the stains coming from the flower.

Kyoko walks along, next to the wheelchair, and lays her hand on Kumo's shoulder.

KYOKO
(giggling)
"Anyway, who cares? He is probably dead by now."

VALENTINE
(concerned)
“Don’t say that, there is nothing wrong with his hearing.”

VALENTINE cont.
(concerned)
“Besides we have to be going before they collect the mail.”

KYOKO
(theatrical)
"Oh those letters he keeps sending her. You know, his wife has been dead for years."

VALENTINE
(stunned)
“But how can he still be writing them, in his condition, you know?”

KYOKO cont.
“As they say, love is blind.”

KYOKO cont.
(smiling)
"Will I see you after the break?"

Kyoko wanders off to the life-care centre whilst waving her hand girlishly at first Valentine and then at Kumo.

Valentine pushes the wheelchair now forcefully whilst she looks straight ahead. Her hand holds a letter with a Japanese address. At the mailbox, she hesitates to slide it in. She looks concerned at Kumo, a blind. A spider’s web is seen to have covered the mailbox’s opening.

[go to Scene 04]

Scene 02

INT. LOCKERROOM - NIGHT

[images following]

An introduction into the centre's gym changing room shows several neatly folded nursery clothes, white towels, shampoo and shoes on benches. From the closed door the sound of the volleyball game is even more noticeable. The door bursts open and in the doorway a young Japanese woman (Kyoko) in sports clothes is seen, sweat on her forehead.

KYOKO
(excited, gasping for air, and gesturing)
"Val...... are you coming?"

She is faced by a young European woman (VALENTINE), who looks up to Kyoko to answer her question while leaning over to tie her sports shoes.

VALENTINE
(rushed)
"Yes!"

Valentine ties a knot in her sports shoes then pulls the laces, pulls them again, pauses and pulls them yet again even tighter. She is seen to raise herself from the bench she was seated on and run after Kyoko who has already returned to the game. Sports shoes on the volleyball court and a referee’s whistle are audible as is the sound of a ball bouncing and being hand slammed.

Still in the changing room these sounds dim and change into young women talking excited about the game whilst changing their clothes. Their appearances is that of ghosts, from an empty room to them being visibly there, whilst the view turns to the adjacent, brightly lit, yet eye-blocking, steamy, communal shower.

KYOKO
(running water from the shower over her face, laughing)
"We beat you."

Both women wrap their towels around them as they return from the shower into the changing room. Valentine dries her feet, which show the marks of the tight lacing.

Kyoko is seen to put on her nursery outfit and hat. When Kyoko is fully dressed, she waives at Valentine whilst heading for the door.

KYOKO
"Good night, sleep tight."

Valentine looks up as she attaches her nametag to her breast part of her nursery outfit. It reads: "VALENTINE".

[go to Scene 03]

Scene 01

FADE IN:

EXT. ISLAND - NIGHT

[images following]

High upon a hill the silhouette of a building (Shinju Life-Care Centre) stands out against the dark blue night sky. Only one window is lit.

On the driveway to the main entrance a sign shows "Shinju Life-Care Centre" and shows the image of a tiny house on a huge hill. A faint sound of a volleyball game is noticeable.

[go to Scene 02]

Location - Life-Care Centre

About Life-Care Centre...

Outside establishing shots from Shinju Life-care centre are taken of Bass Rock, from the shore of North Berwick (40 mins drive from Edinburgh, Scotland).


Bass Rock (at red arrow)

---

Locker room



1st reference to locker room

---

Garden

This location is shot in the Japanese Friendship Garden at Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh (UK).

Cramond Road South
Edinburgh EH4 5GD United Kingdom
+44 131 336 2060

See Google map.

A portable document file (pdf) with the location of the garden can be downloaded here.

Since the completion of a Japanese Friendship Garden in 2002, the castle and its grounds have become the venue for several Japanese related events.



1st reference to garden

---

Valentine's room

This location is shot in the WASPS Studio, West Park Place (near Haymarket), Edinburgh (UK).
See Google map.



1st reference to Valentine's room

---

Kamio's room

This location is shot in the WASPS Studio, West Park Place (near Haymarket), Edinburgh (UK).
See Google map.



1st reference to Kamio's room

Crew - Supervisor 2

About Supervisor 2...

Crew - Supervisor 1

About Supervisor 1...

Crew - Editor

About Editor...

Crew - Sound Recordist

About Sound Recordist...

Crew - Cinematographer

About Cinematographer...

Crew - Production Designer

About Production Designer..

Crew - Director

About Director.

Willem van Heemstra ('69) is a second year student of Film & TV at the Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland.

His background is that of a consultant for the use of Information Technology for which he holds a Masters degree from the University of Phoenix, Arizona (USA). He studied Ecconomics in his country of origin, The Netherlands, before.

Willem is versatile in his approach of telling a compelling story, but he has found film the most powerful medium to do so. The combination of motion, sound, and light make for an experience that the spectator can fully emerse into.

Because of his travelling and living abroad, Willem has met many people from different cultural backgrounds. Their habits, forms of expression, and use of visual and oral language is a continuous source of inspiration for the screenplays he writes.

Thanks to a motivated and skillful team of crew and cast members for the film Shinju (meaning Pearls), the vast preparation to bring this film to you has become feasable. As the director, he hopes you will enjoy watching the film after it has been released in June 2007.

Willem can be contacted at wvanheemstra@xs4all.nl with reference to Shinju the movie.

Crew - Producer

About Producer...

Cast - Kamio

About Kamio...





1st reference to Mr Kamio

Cast - Sue

About Sue...





1st reference to Sue.



Upcoming actress Kyoko Midori playing the role of Nurse Kyoko in the film Shinju (Pearls).

Cast - Valentine

About Valentine...



Starlet Katrina Folan plays the leading role of Valentine, the life care-taker of the Japanese Mister Kamio.

---

Metamorphosis [=a major change of form or structure during development;]

At the point that Valentine has decided that she will act as the departed wife of Mr Kamio, she transforms herself into a traditional Japanese woman.

Visage: her face is made white, her hair is made black (with the use of a wig), her lips are made red



1st reference for red lips.



2nd reference for red lips.

Costume: her dress is a mostly white kimono

---

Fatal [=having momentous consequences; of decisive importance;]

Once the poisoned tea sets in the once bright red lips turn into black.



1st reference for black lips.

ABOUT A GEIKO:



Anatomy

A Geiko wears kimono, called a hikizuri, that is far less elaborate than that of a younger Maiko. Her obi is folded and tied into a smaller knot known as a box-knot. She wears a white collar as a show of seniority.

A Geiko also wears a wig instead of styling her own hair, which allows her to blend more easily when off duty. A Geiko wig is extremely expensive (around 2000 dollars ) and must be sent to a professional to be cleaned and restyled every few weeks. The cleaning cost around 200 dollars. Each Geiko owns around at least 3 wigs (shimada, mae-ware, and tsubushi-shimada), and they would never be seen with even one hair out of place.

The mae-ware is only worn when a Geiko is playing a male role in her dance.
[source: http://www.sofieloafy.net/G_geianatomy.htm]