I was trying to work in the theme of possession throughout - each of the three vampires is obsessed with possessing Mira in a different way. Bathory as his wife/mother of his son; Janos as a companion; Erzsebet as her own mother. Again, something that came to me during the process. So I think I'll have each of them literally say the same line to her throughout - with the last one being Beta.
Ooh, I like. I can definitely see that now.
[transforming into animals stuff]
Ok, now that you mention it, I remember each of those instances. I'm not sure I'd pick up on that when Beta turned into a bird necessarily, unless they each turned into similar animals -- some sort of bird each, or always into wolves, etc. -- or unless it was in some way clear previously that the kind of animal they turn into is representative of the individual somehow. Beta turning into a bird and flying off seems symbolic of her, but then I wouldn't have expected the blankfaced manservant to turn into a cunning wolf. Did we ever find out what kind of animal Bathory turned into? I forget now.
[Samuel stuff]
I guess the difference between him and Lucy is that with Samuel, not only is he Mira's main love (which isn't true of Lucy), but having that secure, stable, humble, loving home with him is Mira's primary motivation, so once it's gone, her motivation goes, and she's left with nothing but anger and trying to salvage *something* for Dominik. However, the two mommies thing is cool -- and actually I can now really see it working with Samuel gone if it's emphasized that in this new friendship/family structure there's now hope for Mira to regain that stable, supportive, loving setting that drove her from the beginning. Maybe if there's a specific emphasized moment of connection late in the screenplay where Ilsa's facing the fact that her world is upended and she doesn't know where to go next, at the same time that Mira's facing the fact that her world has been upended as well, and they realize all they have is each other, and there's a look, and a hug, or something. That way Mira's motivation would still be rewarded in the end in a way, even if she comes away pretty brutally wounded emotionally, and having to rebuild things quite a bit.
...
Heh, I read that article on Erzabet Bathory *right* before I went to bed that night and, um, ...MISTAKE!!! I stupidly tried to legitimately imagine how a person could get pleasure out of torturing someone, and I SERIOUSLY freaked myself out, lol! Some things are better left not thought about.
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Ooh, I like. I can definitely see that now.
[transforming into animals stuff]
Ok, now that you mention it, I remember each of those instances. I'm not sure I'd pick up on that when Beta turned into a bird necessarily, unless they each turned into similar animals -- some sort of bird each, or always into wolves, etc. -- or unless it was in some way clear previously that the kind of animal they turn into is representative of the individual somehow. Beta turning into a bird and flying off seems symbolic of her, but then I wouldn't have expected the blankfaced manservant to turn into a cunning wolf. Did we ever find out what kind of animal Bathory turned into? I forget now.
[Samuel stuff]
I guess the difference between him and Lucy is that with Samuel, not only is he Mira's main love (which isn't true of Lucy), but having that secure, stable, humble, loving home with him is Mira's primary motivation, so once it's gone, her motivation goes, and she's left with nothing but anger and trying to salvage *something* for Dominik. However, the two mommies thing is cool -- and actually I can now really see it working with Samuel gone if it's emphasized that in this new friendship/family structure there's now hope for Mira to regain that stable, supportive, loving setting that drove her from the beginning. Maybe if there's a specific emphasized moment of connection late in the screenplay where Ilsa's facing the fact that her world is upended and she doesn't know where to go next, at the same time that Mira's facing the fact that her world has been upended as well, and they realize all they have is each other, and there's a look, and a hug, or something. That way Mira's motivation would still be rewarded in the end in a way, even if she comes away pretty brutally wounded emotionally, and having to rebuild things quite a bit.
...
Heh, I read that article on Erzabet Bathory *right* before I went to bed that night and, um, ...MISTAKE!!! I stupidly tried to legitimately imagine how a person could get pleasure out of torturing someone, and I SERIOUSLY freaked myself out, lol! Some things are better left not thought about.