Design Fiction in the Act: Prospect (2018)
Before the Mandalorian, Pedro Pasqual rocked a space suit in this Design Fiction filled universe.
Design FictionThis post also appears at www.designfictiondaily.com
Prospect is a character-driven film that explores themes of survival, trust, and redemption, all set against a visually stunning and immersive backdrop. The Design Fiction details in this film are present but subtle. There’s no overt exposition and it feels like the production designers intentionally left things obtuse to allow the story to take center stage and let the world act as a backdrop, allowing it to bleed off the screen into its own richly detailed universe.
Here’s a brief summary of the 2018 film from IMDB
A teenage girl and her father travel to a remote alien moon, aiming to strike it rich. They've secured a contract to harvest a large deposit of the elusive gems hidden in the depths of the moon's toxic forest. But there are others roving the wilderness and the job quickly devolves into a fight to survive. Forced to contend not only with the forest's other ruthless inhabitants, but with her own father's greed-addled judgment, the girl finds she must carve her own path to escape.
The following is Netflix’s trailer - it’s short, vague and doesn’t give away any major plot points.
It's worth mentioning that this film was actually preceded by a short with the same title. Prospect, the short film, served as a proof-of-concept that ultimately secured funding for the feature-length version. The video below includes the complete short film, along with a trailer for the feature at the end. Consider it a compelling mini-prequel.
On with the show
In the feature film Prospect, our initial encounter with Design Fiction comes in the form of music. The protagonist, Gee (portrayed by Sophie Thatcher from Yellowjackets), listens to an '80s Psych track, "Crying in the Storm," by Singaporean artist Rita Chao.
The film's soundtrack features a blend of Psychedelic and Garage music from Singapore and Cambodia, establishing an exotic and retro ambiance. This vibe is visually reinforced by the cinematography, which employs anamorphic lenses, and further bolsters the "Used Future" aesthetic that permeates the film.
Music as Design Fiction
Using music as a Design Fiction archetype can be a powerful means of conveying various concepts. In this case, one could deduce several things. The song's upbeat nature contrasts with the bleak surroundings – could this be a coping mechanism for the character? The prevalence of Asian music throughout the film raises questions: is it indicative of a retro-global trend, or is the story hinting at something more significant? Have Asian influences become culturally mainstream? Could Singapore emerge as the major superpower of the future? This idea is reminiscent of Firefly (2002), where China leads the world and Mandarin becomes the most common written and spoken language.
Opening scene, Gee listens to retro Singaporean garage rock
Used Future:
A future aesthetic where spaceships, robots, technology and everything else look as though they have gone through wear and tear over the years. Unlike the clean and shiny future of Star Trek, Used Future sits on the other end of the spectrum, somewhere between Mundane and Dystopian.
Pictures and Stickers
Pictures and stickers found on the ship. The whiskered creator on the right appears elsewhere. Discussed below.
In an early b-roll sequence amid some ship exposition, we're shown several images, including one of a person in space overalls wearing a crown. This recurring image throughout the film and other parts of the universe suggests he might be a space prospector, union freedom fighter, and folk hero all rolled into one.
We also notice some cartoon stickers haphazardly placed near a grab handle. Given Gee's current age, these artifacts likely date back to her younger years, hinting that the father-daughter duo has been engaged in their pursuits for quite some time.
Paper Books and Maps
Embracing the lo-fi "Used Future" theme, paper is prominently featured throughout the film. High-tech solutions may be untrustworthy or not portable, so redundancy becomes necessary. This gritty portrayal of space travel is complemented by analogue switches, monochrome displays, and paper maps that can be annotated and carried on planetary excursions. These details effectively convey the tactile nature of the technology, or the lack thereof, that permeates the film.
Stimulants
The eyedrops and chewables make an early appearance in the film but are never explicitly explained. As the story unfolds, we realize they are part of a drug kit containing both stimulants and sedatives. The vials seem to have a calming effect, similar to an opiate or CBD. The box featuring a line-blown head illustration contains chewable stimulants that fall somewhere between Redbull and cocaine in terms of potency. We deduce their effects by observing how the characters interact with and react to these substances, but their purpose is never spelled out.
Easter Egg from the Short Film
At first, I thought the feature-length film was simply a retelling of the short film. However, this particular scene confirms that the short was indeed a prequel. It depicts a similar situation – a father and daughter prospector team who had been here before, and the scene serves as evidence of the aftermath of one of their struggles. I appreciate how the filmmakers present this shot briefly without dwelling on it, giving off a "if you know, you know" vibe in this scene.
Graphic Design Language
The headrests on the ship are adorned with a graphic design.
The film features an abundance of graphic design elements, ranging from incidental details to product packaging. These components suggest a world where commerce thrives, and cartoon characters and mascots are employed to market products. Although expressed subtly through everyday, mundane objects, these minor details help create a relatable world that offers glimpses of its own unique pop culture.
LEFT: Gee’s sweater shows a cartoon tardigrade. RIGHT: A similar tardigrade toy or doll that resembles what’s on Gee’s sweater.
Packaging for a chocolate or protein bar with a whiskered creature see above on a sticker.
Conlang as Design Fiction
Gee writes in a fictional language in her journal.
Conlang, or a constructed language, can be seen throughout the film. It appears in various type styles, from handwritten to expressive fonts used in packaging design. What's fascinating about this technique within the graphic design elements is that nothing is explicitly defined. There's no way to read what's in the box other than interpreting the design and font, and ultimately drawing your own conclusions.
Fonts and typography, as an archetype, can work hard to project quite a lot of worldbuilding detail.
Design Fiction in the pre-production process
Interestingly, a significant aspect of this film never appears on screen. The creators developed Aurelac Prospecting: Your Guide to Getting Rich on the Green Moon, a small booklet brimming with products and ads that expand the world-building of this universe beyond the film. Design Fiction tools like this can assist actors and filmmakers in immersing themselves in the story, helping them get into character. From a fan's perspective, a book like this allows the story to continue beyond the movie's runtime. While we often see these types of techniques employed in big-budget productions, it's refreshing to witness such attention to detail in a small indie film.
Cover image for a book created to help extend the world of Prospect.
A few years ago, I came across a series of images on Reddit and compiled them into a PDF for your convenience. You can download it for yourself using the link provided below.
Aurelac Prospecting
5.67MB ∙ PDF file
Feeling into the world of Prospect
Prospect may be an indie sci-fi film, but it certainly has a lot of heart. The extent to which the filmmakers delved into creating assets and concepts for this futuristic world not only allows us to fully engage with it, but also enables everyone involved in the production to immerse themselves in this universe. This shared understanding results in a stunningly beautiful film that boasts not only excellent acting, but also a captivating story.