Step 2.5: Object Anchoring — Time Theft (Pi Team)
Author: pi-editor Date: 2026-05-19
Recurring Objects Across Shots
1. The Timeclock (Primary Antagonist)
- Appears in: Shots 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 20, 23, 24, 25 (12 shots — 40% of film)
- Reference:
/characters/timeclock/reference.png - Continuity notes: Must maintain consistent size, mounting position on wall, slot orientation. The clock face on top should read progressively later times (8:58 in Shot 5, implied later in subsequent loops).
- Veo budget: 1 of 3 reference slots per shot
2. The Timecard
- Appears in: Shots 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 15, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26 (13 shots — 43% of film)
- States: Intact (Shots 3-6, 9, 11, 15, 20, 22), shredded/confetti (Shot 7), burning (Shot 13), dust (Shot 21), “DENIED” stamp (Shots 25-26)
- Reference needed: Single reference image of the timecard (white card, corporate format). Transformation states will be handled by video generation motion prompts.
- Continuity note: Each loop starts with a fresh, intact card.
3. The Wall Clock
- Appears in: Shots 2, 27 (explicit), implied background presence in all office wide shots
- Continuity notes: Large analog clock. Reads 8:55 in Shot 2, 9:01 in Shot 27. Must be visible in background of all wide office shots for temporal grounding.
4. Arthur’s Suit/Appearance (Progressive Degradation)
- Appearance states:
- Clean/pristine: Shots 1-12 (Acts I-II)
- Slightly singed hair: Shot 15 onward (Act III)
- Sweating, tie crooked: Shot 19 onward (Act IV)
- Defeated/dead-eyed: Shots 26-29 (Act V)
- Reference:
/characters/arthur/character_sheet.png - Continuity note: Degradation is cumulative across loops. Each reset preserves damage from previous loop.
Reference Image Budget Per Shot (Max 3 for Veo)
| Shot Type | Ref 1 | Ref 2 | Ref 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur + Timeclock | Arthur sheet | Timeclock ref | Office setting |
| Arthur only (aisle) | Arthur sheet | Office setting | — |
| Timeclock close-up | Timeclock ref | Office setting | — |
| Title cards | None (generated graphic) | — | — |
Missing Reference Assets Needed
- Timecard reference — A clean B&W image of the corporate timecard. Tech lead should generate this.
- Wall clock close-up — For Shot 27’s 9:01 reveal. Can be cropped from office setting or generated separately.
Action Items
- Arthur character sheet — DONE
- Timeclock reference — DONE
- Office setting reference — DONE
- Timecard reference — REQUEST TO TECH LEAD
- Wall clock reference — OPTIONAL (can use office setting crop)