Ofelia's Allogery
This is a group project done in August 2020. This project was designed to reflect the narrative of Pan's labyrinth (A movie named Pan's Labyrinth 2006). The grid is divided, each representing a task performed by Ofelia in the movie, with the ending in the centre.
While Ofelia’s emotions and movement were taken into consideration, we created an abstract form of representation of the space and devices to shape her experiences in the spaces. The mechanisms were deeply pondered over to create a similar effect as of the narrative and to capture her feelings in every grid.
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Proto 1
Prototype 1 covers the start of task 1, where Ofelia is crawling into the tree and there she observes and experiences the interior of the tree as well as meeting the toad in the process.
In the first grid, Ofelia begins her task with determination as she presses the button at the starting point to trigger the door to slide open and while sliding, planks will fall together to create a tunnel that Ofelia has to crawl through. The mechanism we used is the piano shelve mechanism that can withstand Ofelia’s weight. The planks are designed in an inconstant height to depict how the ground within the tree is very bumpy as well as creating a sense of disgust.
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Following, this grid will be the scene where Ofelia meets the toad. Thus, Ofelia will push the wall which the wall will fold down into another tunnel but shorter and with jagged edges to depict the small and tight space while Ofelia is feeling disgusted while meeting with the toad.
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Grid 3 was during interaction with the toad and Ofelia was fearful and disturbed but had to put on a brave front to complete her task. For Ofelia to access Grid 3, she had to push the wall in front of her that will create an uneven floor and hand-like structures will fall after which makes the space disturbing but Ofelia still had to crawl through to complete her task thus the brave front.
Proto 2
Prototype 2 covers the end of task 1, where Ofelia kneels and bends over to pick up the key and she crawls out of the tunnel, and walks out afterwards. Following on, she continues to the second level, which represents the start of the pale man task.
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In the first grid, Ofelia will first push the wall from where she was crawling from in the previous grid, to depict how she stretched out her hand to pick up the key in the movie. The jagged wall will open up like a mouth for her to crawl out. She feels relieved after she got the key, but also disgusted when she is crawling out. Hence, the design of that wall looks jagged.
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After she comes out of the tunnel, she feels relieved and tired, where she leaned against something for support. In the grid, she pushes the wall down as a form of leaning against, which allows her to walk towards the area where she folds down one of the steps from the wall first. When the first step is activated, the rest of the steps will fold simultaneously, to form stairs.
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As she climbs up the stairs to the second level, she feels serious and determined. This is where Ofelia draws and pushes the wall at the start of the movie and walked into the corridor, feeling curious and amazed. So in the grid, she pushes the wall like a drawbridge. As the drawbridge wall falls, it also activates the wall at the side to drop, acting as a support for the upcoming action in the next grid. Next, she slides the door open to move on.
Proto 3
The third prototype covers the middle to the end of the paleman task. The part where she moves forward to meet the paleman, turn the key, extract the dagger, and escape after the paleman awakens.
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In the first grid here, this is where Ofelia meets the paleman, feeling scared. She has to first press the button for the plank beside it to fold. As she stands onto that plank, she needs to press the next button for the next plank to come down. Once she continues, the previous plank will retract. This action repeats until she reaches the next grid, which is an abstract representation where it shows how Ofelia can only move forward even when she is scared of what will happen next. To reach the second grid, she needs to walk to the end of the plank and push the wall by the side.
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This grid is where Ofelia turns the keys anticipating what happens. As she stands on the first plank, she will turn the crank for the opposite wall to fall, forming an L shape, and continues turning the crank, for the parallel plank to fall, forming a U shape. Thus, an abstract representation of her struggling to extract the dagger and being annoyed when fairies are stopping her to eat the fruits because she needs to walk a long way. At this point, the pale man has awakened.
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Towards the last grid, this is where Ofelia escapes from the paleman scene feeling horrified in the movie, which is also our selected grid which we will talk more about it later.
Proto 4
Prototype 4 located at the 3rd level, covers the end of task 2, where she escapes from the Pale Man by climbing up and out the door, after which starting the journey of task 3.
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The first grid, the wall will fall to become the floor when the steps below are activated, and the door at the side will be pushed up for her to climb through. This is the part-task 2 will end where she feels relieved yet worried.
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Onto the next two grids, they will be activated together. It starts with the first plank being pushed down, which will trigger the adjacent plank to fall on top of it, which will then cause the wall in the neighbouring grid to fall. She will continue with folding down one of the planks which cause the rest to fold simultaneously to form a bench-like structure of different heights. Here, she is feeling anxious and exhausted.
Proto 5
Prototype 5, located at the end of the third level where Ofelia ran and negotiated with the faun. The general feelings throughout these 3 grids are Stress, Worry and exhaustion from escaping.
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Moving on with the first grid, this is where she ran and went through the wall that opened for her. To activate, she will have to first push the wall, then pull and slide the foldable planks into place, which create the elevated platform for her to reach the sliding door. The door opening is smaller than usual in order to recreate the stress and worry shown in the movie.
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Continuing, as the door slides open in the first grid, it triggers the second grid wall to fall, forming the platform for her to walk on after she squeezes through the door. We did this to imitate her swift escape through the opened wall in the movie. As she reaches this 2nd grid, she will have to slide open the slots in the wall that reveal alternating holes and push the wall down.
Proto 6
Final prototype where her journey will come to an end. This is the part of the movie where she is brought back to the underground realm and eventually sees her parents. It is the most peaceful part of the grid, with her feeling a sense of relief and happiness.
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Moving on, after pushing the wall in level 3 down, she will end up with the wall with holes acting as a ladder and a floor she can safely step on after climbing down. This transition from level 3 back down to level 2 signifies the end of the 3rd task and the part of the movie where she returns to the underground realm.
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Moving forward, she will be faced with a wall filled with identical buttons. She will have to locate the correct button to push in order to release a latch. This allows the platform to fall, forming the floor for grid 2.
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Next, we move on to the final grid. To activate it she will have to push on the leftmost panel to form the floor. This is followed by the next panel which will also trigger another panel inside to fall with it. These form a step up as well as a “throne” for Ofelia to sit on. This grid was designed to represent how Ofelia became the princess of the underground realm and was loved by the people.
Final Chosen Grid Model
This grid is found on the second level and it is the third grid of prototype 3, as highlighted on the path and section here.
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Here is our selected grid, titled the Getaway. It is representing the part of the movie where Ofelia narrowly escapes the Pale Man hence, the name. Here we have a 360 view as well as some renders. The feelings experienced in this grid is panic, worry, fear, and horror.
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How this grid is activated. To enter the grid, she will push down the panel in the wall, triggering the three support planks to fall simultaneously. When the supports fall she will feel anxious and worried as there are still no steps for her to walk on. She will still need to press/kick the other 2 buttons in order for her to activate steps, hence causing a delay of her being able to move forward. This imitates the part of the movie where the door closes on Ofelia, and she still has to redraw the door in order to make her escape.
When the steps are finally triggered, they will fall quickly with a loud sound as they hit the support, creating an element of shock and fear.
The steps of the stairs formed are spaced apart, to create another feeling of fear she experienced throughout this scene of the movie.
Mechanism & Manual
How the mechanisms of the grid works. Although they are simple, they ensure the grid can be properly activated.
Firstly, the entrance, when the wall is pushed down it’s weight will push both the sticks and buttons.
This will trigger the rope of the drawbridge mechanism to be released, and the latch to be pulled. This releases all three support planks to fall at once.
When the shortest plank falls it also forms a t shape to provide further support.
Next, the steps. Ofelia shall push and kick the buttons to her side which pulls the ropes attached to the rod that connects all three latches. This releases the latches, causing the planks to fall simultaneously.