Step 3 Character Workshop — Technical Lead Sign-Off
Reviewer: Marcus Delaney (Tech Lead)
Date: 2026-05-18
Verdict: ✅ COMPLETE — All character references, setting references, and narrator VO delivered.
Character Look-Books
Sarah — /workspace/shared-dirs/lambda-team/characters/sarah/
| Asset | File | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headshot (anchor) | headshot.png | ✅ | Sharp features, dark hair low bun, dark coat, emerald blouse |
| Body sheet (3-view) | body_sheet.png | ✅ | Front/3Q/back — chained from headshot |
| Scene test 1 (medium, booth) | scene_test_1.png | ✅ | In diner setting, rigid posture, tracing coffee cup |
| Scene test 2 (ECU, vulnerable) | scene_test_2.png | ✅ | Emotional close-up, coat unbuttoned, tears |
| Composite character sheet | character_sheet.png | ✅ | PRIMARY ref for Steps 4-5 — 4-view grid on white |
Chain integrity: Face holds across all 5 images. Coat, blouse, and hair are consistent. Posture transitions from rigid (headshot/body) to vulnerable (scene test 2) show emotional range.
Mark — /workspace/shared-dirs/lambda-team/characters/mark/
| Asset | File | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headshot (anchor) | headshot.png | ✅ | Warm face, sandy hair, scruff, mustard corduroy |
| Body sheet (3-view) | body_sheet.png | ✅ | Front/3Q/back — chained from headshot |
| Scene test 1 (medium, booth) | scene_test_1.png | ✅ | In diner setting, napkin shredding, leaning forward |
| Scene test 2 (OTS, intense) | scene_test_2.png | ✅ | Over-the-shoulder with Sarah foreground, earnest expression |
| Composite character sheet | character_sheet.png | ✅ | PRIMARY ref for Steps 4-5 — 4-view grid on white |
Chain integrity: Face holds across all 5 images. Corduroy texture and color distinct from booth vinyl (Editor’s concern addressed). Scruff and hair consistent.
Cross-character contrast: Sarah (dark/cool) vs Mark (warm/earth) wardrobe contrast reads clearly in scene tests and will hold in two-shots.
Setting Reference Images
| Setting | Path | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| diner-exterior | settings/diner-exterior/reference.png | ✅ | Nighthawks energy — blue neon, rain, wet reflections, warm glow |
| diner-booth (PRIMARY) | settings/diner-booth/reference.png | ✅ | Red vinyl, pendant light, pie, coffee, neon bleed — used in 24/28 shots |
| diner-booth-dawn | settings/diner-booth-dawn/reference.png | ✅ | Purple/amber dawn, neon off, crumbs, resolved atmosphere |
Consistency check: Booth geometry (vinyl shape, table position, window placement) is consistent between diner-booth and diner-booth-dawn. The dawn variant signals temporal resolution through lighting shift only.
Narrator Voiceover
| Shot | File | Duration | Voice | Text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | voice/lambda-narrator-sh1_1.wav | 9.36s | Fenrir | ”The Starlight Diner had been their place once. Tonight, it would be their last.” |
Production note: VO stem is 9.36s; Shot 1.1 is planned for 8s. With 4s overhang (12s raw clip), the Editor can accommodate. May need to extend the shot to 10s planned or trim the VO slightly in post.
Reference Budget Summary for Steps 4-5
Standard allocation per shot:
| Slot | Asset | Path |
|---|---|---|
| Ref 1 | Sarah character sheet | characters/sarah/character_sheet.png |
| Ref 2 | Mark character sheet | characters/mark/character_sheet.png |
| Ref 3 | Setting reference | settings/diner-booth/reference.png (or variant) |
Single-character shots use 2 refs, freeing a slot for prop or object references if needed.
Step 3 complete from the DP chair. Ready for Step 4 (Storyboard).