Check out the trailer!

Created in the framework of Dopolavoro flagship of the Rijeka 2020 – European Capital of Culture project, The Scheme of Things is an ongoing project by the artist Jennifer Lyn Morone, showing glimpses into the lives of several characters set in a desirable post-work world.

The interactive and multichannel video installation will be presented at Filodrammatica Gallery (Korzo 28/1, Rijeka) from August 27 to September 18, 2020. Installation has been created on the basis of the conclusions of the artist’s conservations with experts from the field of technology, politics and science, as well as a collaboration with attendees of imagining workshops for the writing of stories and scenarios about the possible future…

Read on and find out how the project has been developing and growing over time.

IMAGINATION WORKSHOP

June, 2019 

The Scheme of Things started with an open call to residents of Rijeka to join for an Imagination Workshop in June 2019, where they developed stories of an alternative present that they would prefer to live in, told through personal perspectives of characters they created and set in the world they co-created.

In this workshop participants applied tools and techniques of story building, including world building and speculative fiction, around the theme of  “the future of work” to create stories, narrative trajectories and scenarios of how a desirable post-work world could look and feel.  The objective was to imagine a life that could be possible today, not dystopias, not utopias, and not far futures.

Before the workshop began, Morone gave an interview for the local internet-portal Moja Rijeka…

 
…and for the local newspaper Novi list, stating: “I’m not looking for America-centred stories, because a lot of things are different there. It might happen that I create a story for American audience which wouldn’t be problematic here. That’s why my goal is to encourage people to try and think beyond their lives…”

(click on the photo for the whole article)

Upon the conclusion of this workshop, participants were encouraged to continue developing their characters and scripts, getting the chance to submit them to be part of a bigger collaborative project where the stories, scripts or characters could be woven into the upcoming video work.

LOCATION SCOUTING

November, 2019

Before the shooting could begin, it was necessary to peak into most hidden corners of Rijeka, in order to find suitable film locations.

Kišni riječki dan proveli smo s američkom umjetnicom Jennifer Lyn Morone @jlmorone, tražeći lokacije za snimanje njenog novog videorada u okviru @Rijeka2020 programskog pravca #Dopolavoro. pic.twitter.com/Olqq00hIan

— Drugo more (@Drugomore) November 5, 2019

MAKING THE VIDEO

January & February, 2020

 
After months of developing script, finding locations and gathering a crew, the shooting could finally begin at the end of January.

Crew:
Jennifer Morone, Sara Salamon, Leo Kirinčić, Vanda Velagić, Ivo Vičić Arexx, Koviljka Ljuština, Ivan Vranjić, Luka Rodela

Actors:
Zdravko Tovilović, Vanda Velagić, Martin Grđan, Nebojša Zelič, Sendi Bakotić, Anja Sabol, Adam Vukelić, Tonka Mršić, Mia Rukavina, Fiko, Andrej Kljun, Ana Maria Štefanac, Denis Kirinčić, Kids from Malik

 
Take a look at the whole process of filming and learn more about the story:

 
[Day 1 – News Report]

Shooting started at the end of January 2020, with Jennifer Lyn Morone, Sara Salamon and Koviljka Ljuština preparing the set for a News Report, read by Vesna (Mia Rukavina), giving a peak into how some of this post-work world functions.

 
[Day 2 – Školjić swimming pool]

Filming continued in abandoned Školjić swimming pool, where Nora and Anamarija (Vanda Velagić and Tonka Mršić) talk about unplanned pregnancy and choice in a society where all basic needs are met for everyone and child-raising is more of a community responsibility.

 
[Day 3 – Kids]

The crew spent the third day of shooting with children and Denis Kirinčić from the theatre education program Malik, talking about how they see life with work today and asking them what kind of changes they want to see.

 
[Day 4 – Welcome Center]

Ema (Anja Sabol), a new resident of Rijeka struggling to come to terms with work she once did, at the Welcome Center where she’s given a packet with details about the energy system and data cooperatives.

 
[Day 6 – Interviews with Morana]

Minister of WellBeing (Sendi Bakotić), asks residents how they might vote in the next Direct Democracy election using Quadratic Voting to determine which proposals should make the cut for budgetary spending of public goods.

 
[Day 7 – Office Museum]

At the Office Museum, set in DeltaLab 001 (IVEX building, Delta 5), Marco tells his son (Zdravko Tovilović and Adam Vukelić) about the work he used to do and how he misses the structure, identity and purpose his job gave him.

 
[Day 8 – Ministry of Economics]

Sara Salamon filming Andrej Kljun at the Ministry of Economics where he and Nora (Vanda Velagić) use Circular Design, zero-waste, and Degrowth strategies to close the loop of a local brewery.

 
[Day 9 – Earthship House]

Sara Salamon on camera and Ivo Vičić Arexx on sound following Boris (Nebojša Zelič) in his Earthship house, as he sits down to check a message he’s received from The Platform requesting him to be a guardian to someone in need.

 
[Day 10 – Beach]

Very early morning setting: as the sun rose over the Adriatic, the crew filmed Ema (Anja Sabol) and her sweet dog.

 
[Day 11 – Industrial area]

Len, Marko, and Boris (Luka Rodela, Zdravko Tovilović and Nebojša Zelič) in the Industrial area of Rijeka, talk about life and work in a historical context and from their different perspectives.

 
[Day 12 – Ema’s Apartment]

Last day of filming for part 1: setting up the scene for Ema (Anja Sabol) as she settles into her new apartment and tests out the new glove to create dexterity data.

*   *   *

[Additional scenes were filmed in July at Hartera, ex-paper factory]

See you at the exhibition opening, on August 27, 2020 at Filodrammatica Gallery!