Pathway: Orlando's Direct Address by Taylor McCausland

An exploration of how Sally Potter's use of direct-to-camera address in Orlando functions as a way of adapting Woolf's literary voice to the screen.

Handwritten notes marked "1" in red ink on white A4 paper

Early 1988 hand-written notes/shot-list describing the first direct address:

"Orlando looks directly at us into camera."

This early draft doesn't include the opening line, "that is, I," but still shows the early importance to Sally Potter of the direct address/breaking the 4th wall.

Page one of handwritten rough draft #1. Black ink on white A4 paper

Three days later: "A 2nd trumpet calls—Orlando immediately opens his eyes and looks directly into the camera."

Black and white A4 computer printed, Paper, Revised draft of screenplay

A 1990 draft of the first scene.

There is a direct address that continues from the voice over and introduces the reoccurring use of direct address throughout the film, but the scene and dialogue are completely different.

"Orlando immediately opens his eyes and looks directly into the camera..."
"...by one second."

Revised draft script for Orlando, black printed text on white A4 paper with annotations in pencil, page 1, front

A 1991 rough draft of scene one that includes Orlando directly addressing the camera, but this time with an extended monologue.

Title page of revised draft script for Orlando, black printed text on white A4 paper with black and white image of Orlando, bound with plastic comb spine.

A 1991 script cover, interestingly with a photo of Tilda Swinton as Orlando looking into the camera.

Black and white A4 Text Document, Digital, Finished screenplay as published by Faber and Faber

The final 1994 transcript of the film, and final version of Orlando's first direct address.

Black and white A4 computer printed with handwritten annotations, bound into book, Paper,Orlando Sally Potter’s Shooting Script page 28 front

This is the scene where Orlando is watching the conclusion of the play "Othello" and he looks to the camera and says "terrific play."

Close up of Orlando, face to camera, whilst resting against the trunk of the tree

1 x colour slide in transparent plastic hanging sheet, Digital, Film Stills - Scene 4 - (Tilda Swinton) in the film

Orlando (male) looks into the camera—Elizabethan age

medium shot of Orlando looking at camera

medium shot of Orlando speaking to camera.

close up of Orlando's face looking at camera.

close up of Orlando's face, she looks and speaks to camera.

I found this clip to be an ideal example of how Potter uses direct-to-camera to adapt Woolf's literary voice to the screen.

1 x colour slide in transparent plastic hanging sheet, Digital, Film Stills - Scene 53 - (Tilda Swinton) in the film

Orlando (female) looks into the camera

1 x colour slide in transparent plastic hanging sheet, Digital, Film Stills - Scene 54 - (Tilda Swinton) and Shelmerdine (Billy Zane) in the film

Orlando (female) looks into the camera

Close up shot of Orlando embracing Shelmerdine and speaking to camera

1 x colour slide in transparent plastic hanging sheet, Digital, Film Stills - Scene 61 - (Tilda Swinton) and Publisher (Heathcote Williams) in the film

Orlando (female) looks into the camera

Shot from Orlando's daughter's point of view through video camera, pulling back from Orlando's face

I thought this clip from 0:07-0.11 was really reflexive when it comes to the idea of using the direct address. Though it isn't in the same style as the usage of the direct address throughout the film, I found this clip a very playful usage from the director. She is talking to her daughter while looking at her daughter's camera. It is like and unlike the scenes where she is talking to the audience.

Video file, Digital, Selected Scene Commentary by Sally Potter

“This is Orlando’s look into the camera. The idea was a kind of release and a kind of flying out of the historical period right into the present moment. It was to find an equivalent for Virginia Woolf’s way of directly addressing the reader in the book. Initially these started out as quite long speeches that were explaining or indicating or joking about the scenes that had just passed or what was to come, and they got pruned back and back and back during the shoot, before the shoot and during the shoot, sometimes to just a look, a sort of complicity with the camera." (3:37–4:19)