Shadow Theatre Diorama

My first-year Assignment 3 was a diorama with a centrepiece, a single point of focus. In a modelling unit, I decided the focus wouldn't be a physical model at all, but a shadow.

A miniature chess rook, lit from behind, casts an enlarged shadow that becomes a castle. Small mannequin puppets, posed in front of it, act out scenes from Romeo and Juliet in shadow. Cushions on the floor stand for the children watching the show, and the desk and work lighting imply a father who builds all of this to entertain his kids.

I came up with the concept, then modelled, posed and lit the scene. The idea was inspired by the shadow puzzles in Resident Evil 7. Before this, I had another idea from something I wrote in high school: ballerinas on stage whose shadows dance across the curtains.

That a strong focal point doesn't have to be a model: light and shadow can carry a whole scene. The shadow theatre was the strongest part of this submission, and it's a theme I'd love to revisit.