The Printmaker’s Ghost — Object Anchoring (Step 2.5)
Team: Topaz
Author: topaz-idea (Creative Director)
Date: 2026-05-22
Step: 2.5 — Scene Review & Object Anchoring
Source: scene_list.md (26 shots, 7 scenes)
Purpose
This document identifies every recurring object and visual structure that spans multiple shots, assigns each a canonical name, maps which shots they appear in, notes their visual state per shot, and specifies reference image requirements for the Technical Lead. The goal: prevent “machine drift” where the same candle, woodblock, or tool set looks different from shot to shot.
Veo constraint: Max 3 reference images per shot. Current budget per shot is calculated below — some shots have no room for object references because they already carry 2 character sheets + 1 setting reference.
Recurring Object Registry
OBJ-01: THE CANDLE IN BRASS DISH
Narrative role: The ticking clock. The candle’s wax level IS the film’s timeline. It must be visually consistent across all appearances — same brass dish, same warm amber flame color, same wax texture — with only the wax height and flame state changing.
Priority: 🔴 CRITICAL — Most important anchor. Appears in 8 shots across all 7 scenes.
Reference images needed:
candle_full_reference.png— Candle at full height (4 fingers of wax), steady amber flame, brass dish with golden reflections. For Acts I–II.candle_dying_reference.png— Candle at ~1 finger of wax, thin wavering flame, brass dish pooling with melted wax, contracted amber glow. For Act III.candle_dead_reference.png— Dead wick in hardened white wax pool in brass dish, flat gray daylight. For Scene 7 only.
Appearance map:
| Shot | State | Description | Available Ref Slots | Inject? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Full | Background element in wide establishing shot. Candle at center of table, 4 fingers of wax. | 1 slot free | ✅ Use candle_full_reference.png |
| 1.2 | Full | HERO close-up. 4 fingers, steady flame, brass reflections. This shot DEFINES the candle’s look. | 2 slots free | ✅ Use candle_full_reference.png (priority 1) |
| 4.4 | Dying | HERO close-up. 1 finger of wax. Flame bends sideways, gasps, steadies. Melted wax pooling. | 2 slots free | ✅ Use candle_dying_reference.png (priority 1) |
| 5.2 | Dying | Split composition — candle on one side, woodblock on other. Flame thin and wavering. | 2 slots free | ✅ Use candle_dying_reference.png (priority 1) |
| 6.1 | Dying | Background — dying candlelight as Hiroshi sets down tools. | 1 slot free | ⚠️ Lower priority — tools take the slot (see OBJ-03) |
| 6.2 | Dying | Hiroshi lifts candle in both hands. Flame thin, barely alive. | 0 slots free (2 chars + setting) | ❌ Cannot inject — rely on prompt description. The candle’s visual identity should be established by Shot 4.4’s hero close-up. |
| 6.3 | Dying→Out | HERO close-up. Flame thins to blue thread, goes out. | 2 slots free | ✅ Use candle_dying_reference.png (priority 1) |
| 7.1 | Dead | Wide shot — dead candle in pool of hardened wax. Gray daylight. | 2 slots free | ✅ Use candle_dead_reference.png (priority 1) |
Consistency notes for Tech Lead:
- The brass dish must be identical in every shot — same patina, same proportions, same curvature.
- Flame color: amber/gold ONLY. Never blue except the final moment when it dies (Shot 6.3, the blue thread before going out).
- Wax drip patterns should evolve naturally but the dish shape must NOT change.
OBJ-02: THE CHERRY WOODBLOCK
Narrative role: The canvas. The block evolves from raw cherry wood to a half-carved face — it is the physical trace of Hiroshi’s devotion. The face carved into it must be consistent with Yuki’s character sheet (her eyes, her brow arch) even though it’s an abstracted woodblock carving, not a photorealistic portrait.
Priority: 🔴 CRITICAL — Second most important anchor. Appears in 6 shots across 4 scenes. The carved face on the block MUST match across all appearances.
Reference images needed:
woodblock_early_reference.png— Cherry woodblock with golden tight grain, early carving stage. A few suggestive lines in the grain — the hint of a face, not a face yet. Warm amber light.woodblock_halfcarved_reference.png— The block at its most-carved state: forehead, both eyes, one lip (upper), arch of brow visible. No chin, no jaw, no lower lip. One eye fully open, one partially defined. Raw cherry wood grain visible in uncarved portions. This is the final state that appears in morning.
Appearance map:
| Shot | State | Description | Available Ref Slots | Inject? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2 | Early | Chisel meeting fresh cherry wood. First cuts. Wood shavings curling. | 1 slot free | ✅ Use woodblock_early_reference.png |
| 2.3 | Early | Face beginning to emerge — suggestion of a cheek, a brow. | 1 slot free | ✅ Use woodblock_early_reference.png |
| 3.1 | Partial | Carved grooves visible. Tears pooling in them. More definition. | 1 slot free | ✅ Use woodblock_early_reference.png (closer to partial) |
| 4.3 | Advanced | The upper lip being carved — the most precise cut. | 1 slot free | ✅ Use woodblock_halfcarved_reference.png |
| 5.2 | Half-carved | Split composition — half face visible: eyes, one lip, brow. | 2 slots free | ✅ Use woodblock_halfcarved_reference.png (priority 1) |
| 7.2 | Half-carved (final) | HERO close-up. Morning light. The definitive image of the unfinished print. One eye open, one in wood. | 2 slots free | ✅ Use woodblock_halfcarved_reference.png (priority 1) |
Consistency notes for Tech Lead:
- The cherry wood grain must be consistent — same golden-toned tight grain, same wood color.
- The carved face must reference Yuki’s character sheet: same brow arch, same eye shape, same cheekbone line. It is HER face in abstracted carved form.
- The block itself should be the same rectangular proportions in every shot.
- Uncarved portions must always show raw cherry wood grain — never smooth or blank.
OBJ-03: CARVING TOOLS (Chisel, Gouge, Baren, Ink Stone)
Narrative role: Extensions of Hiroshi’s hands. The tools are his vocabulary. Their arrangement on the table tells the story of his discipline, and when he sets them down in Scene 6, the ABSENCE of the chisel sound is the film’s most powerful beat.
Priority: 🟡 IMPORTANT — Appears in 4 shots across 3 scenes. Consistent tool shapes and metallic tones needed.
Reference images needed:
tools_reference.png— A flat-lay or arranged view of the core tool set: one carving chisel (the finest gouge, curved blade catching light), one flat gouge, a circular baren (pressing tool), an ink stone (rectangular, dark), and a leather ink pad. All rendered in simplified ukiyo-e flat metallic gray with bold outlines. Warm amber light.
Appearance map:
| Shot | Tools Visible | Description | Available Ref Slots | Inject? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Gouge + array | Hiroshi selects the finest gouge from a row of implements. | 1 slot free | ✅ Use tools_reference.png |
| 2.2 | Chisel | Chisel cutting into wood. Single tool in use. | 0 slots free (after woodblock ref) | ❌ Chisel identity established in 2.1 |
| 3.2 | Ink stone, baren, leather pad | Printing process — rolling ink, pressing with baren. | 1 slot free | ✅ Use tools_reference.png |
| 6.1 | Full set — chisel, gouge, ink stone, baren | KEY SCENE. Tools set down one by one. Must match earlier shots. | 1 slot free | ✅ Use tools_reference.png (priority 1) |
Consistency notes for Tech Lead:
- Tool shapes must be simple, clean, recognizable across shots.
- The gouge called “tsuki” (moon) should have a distinctive curved blade that catches light — it’s named in the narration.
- Metallic surfaces: flat gray with bold outlines (per Construction Mandates — no photorealistic metal).
- When set down in 6.1, they must be recognizably the same tools we saw in 2.1.
OBJ-04: WASHI PROOF (Yuki’s Printed Face)
Narrative role: The tangible evidence of the miracle. The proof is the bridge between craft and the supernatural — where ink on paper becomes a living presence in candlelight. The printed face on the proof must be consistent across all appearances (same eyes, same incompleteness).
Priority: 🟡 IMPORTANT — Appears in 4 shots across 3 scenes. The printed face of Yuki must match.
Reference images needed:
washi_proof_reference.png— A woodblock print on thin cream Mino washi paper showing an incomplete woman’s face: both eyes (matching Yuki’s character sheet), brow, one cheekbone. No mouth, no chin, no jaw line. Ink is rich sumi black with slight bleeds at edges. The paper is cream-toned with visible fiber texture. The face has the quality of a Utamaro bijin-ga portrait — idealized, simplified, graceful. Warm amber illumination.
Appearance map:
| Shot | Context | Description | Available Ref Slots | Inject? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.2 | First pull | Hiroshi peels paper from block. Face revealed — eyes and brow. | 1 slot free | ⚠️ Tight — can use proof ref instead of a second tool ref |
| 3.3 | On table | HERO shot. Proof lying on table, candlelight moving across it. Yuki manifesting. | 1 slot free | ✅ Use washi_proof_reference.png — BUT Yuki sheet already occupies one slot. See budget below. |
| 4.5 | Held up to light | Second proof, held up to candlelight. Face clearer. | 0 slots free (2 chars + setting) | ❌ Cannot inject — prompt must describe. Consistency established by 3.3. |
| 7.2 | On table (morning) | Proof visible beside woodblock in gray daylight. The her-ness is gone. | 2 slots free | ✅ Use washi_proof_reference.png (priority 2 after woodblock) |
Consistency notes for Tech Lead:
- The proof’s face MUST match the woodblock carving — they are the same image in two media (carved wood vs. printed ink).
- Paper must be cream Mino washi — never white-white. Visible paper fiber texture.
- Ink quality: rich sumi black, slight natural bleeds at edges, misregistration marks where appropriate.
- The face on the proof always shows the same incomplete state: eyes + brow + one cheekbone. The mouth is NEVER on the proof (it’s unfinished).
OBJ-05: CHERRY BLOSSOMS / GARDEN DOOR
Narrative role: The world outside. The garden door is the film’s only connection to anything beyond the studio. In Act I, it shows bare branches in indigo night — winter, absence. In Act III, cherry blossoms are budding — spring, renewal, permission to continue. The blossoms are the film’s final image.
Priority: 🟢 MODERATE — Appears in 3 shots across 2 scenes. Two distinct states.
Reference images needed:
garden_door_night_reference.png— View through a sliding shoji screen: sliver of deep indigo night sky (#2C3E6B) with bare cherry tree branches silhouetted. Woodgrain door frame. Warm amber light from inside spilling slightly through the opening. Winter, stark.garden_door_morning_reference.png— Same sliding door, now fully open. Gray morning light. Cherry tree branches with pale pink bud clusters against a gray sky. Dawn, renewal. No amber glow.
Appearance map:
| Shot | State | Description | Available Ref Slots | Inject? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Night, bare | Sliver of indigo night through garden door. Bare cherry branches. Background element in wide shot. | 0 slots free (after candle injection) | ❌ Part of studio setting reference — do not need separate ref |
| 7.1 | Morning, budding | Cherry branches budding through open door. Wide shot, morning light. | 1 slot free (after candle dead) | ✅ Use garden_door_morning_reference.png |
| 7.3 | Morning, budding | HERO shot. Hiroshi in doorway, cherry tree with buds beyond. | 1 slot free | ✅ Use garden_door_morning_reference.png |
Consistency notes for Tech Lead:
- The cherry tree must be the SAME tree in both states — same branch structure, same position relative to the doorway.
- Night state: branches bare, silhouetted against indigo.
- Morning state: same branches now with pale pink buds. NOT full bloom — just budding. Three winters late.
- The shoji door frame must be consistent.
OBJ-06: PRINTS ON WALL (Gallery Wall)
Narrative role: The lineage. The wall of prints shows Hiroshi’s mastery AND his obsession — finished landscapes alongside raw attempts at Yuki’s face. It tells his backstory without a word.
Priority: 🟢 MODERATE — Appears in 3 shots across 2 scenes. Mostly background.
Reference images needed:
wall_prints_reference.png— A section of studio wall with hanging woodblock prints on drying lines. Mix of: finished landscapes with cranes and bridges (masterwork quality), and rough incomplete attempts at a woman’s face (rawer, more searching). Cream washi paper with sumi black ink. Warm amber candlelight illumination.
Appearance map:
| Shot | Context | Description | Available Ref Slots | Inject? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Background | Prints visible on walls in wide establishing shot. | 0 slots (after candle) | ❌ Part of studio setting reference |
| 1.4 | HERO shot | Lateral pan across the wall. Finished works vs. raw attempts. | 2 slots free | ✅ Use wall_prints_reference.png (priority 1) |
| 2.4 | Background | Prints on walls behind Hiroshi in medium-wide. | 1 slot free | ⚠️ Optional — lower priority vs. other objects |
Consistency notes for Tech Lead:
- The finished prints should show recognizable crane motifs (callback to Hiroshi’s signature hidden crane).
- The incomplete face attempts should look like early versions of Yuki’s face — similar features, different stages of completion.
- Prints hang on thin lines from wooden racks, not framed on a wall.
Updated Reference Manifest (Per Shot)
This table shows the final reference image allocation for every shot, respecting the 3-image maximum for Veo. Priority: Characters > Setting > Critical Objects > Secondary Objects.
| Shot | Ref 1 | Ref 2 | Ref 3 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | hiroshi_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | candle_full_reference.png | Full budget. Candle takes priority as central prop. |
| 1.2 | studio_night_reference.png | candle_full_reference.png | — | No characters. Candle is hero of this shot. |
| 1.3 | hiroshi_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | — | Face-focused. Setting establishes candle context. |
| 1.4 | studio_night_reference.png | wall_prints_reference.png | — | No characters. Prints are hero of this shot. |
| 2.1 | hiroshi_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | tools_reference.png | Tools are hero. Full budget. |
| 2.2 | hiroshi_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | woodblock_early_reference.png | Woodblock + chisel focus. Full budget. |
| 2.3 | hiroshi_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | woodblock_early_reference.png | Face emerging from grain. Full budget. |
| 2.4 | hiroshi_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | — | Wide shot, no object refs needed. |
| 3.1 | hiroshi_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | woodblock_early_reference.png | Tears on woodblock. Full budget. |
| 3.2 | hiroshi_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | tools_reference.png | Printing process — baren, ink stone visible. |
| 3.3 | yuki_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | washi_proof_reference.png | Proof is hero. Yuki manifesting on the proof. Full budget. |
| 3.4 | hiroshi_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | — | Face only — reaction shot. |
| 4.1 | hiroshi_character_sheet.png | yuki_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | Full budget. 2 chars + setting. No room for objects. |
| 4.2 | yuki_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | — | Yuki solo manifestation. |
| 4.3 | hiroshi_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | woodblock_halfcarved_reference.png | Upper lip carving. Block at advanced state. Full budget. |
| 4.4 | studio_night_reference.png | candle_dying_reference.png | — | No characters. Candle hero shot (dying). |
| 4.5 | hiroshi_character_sheet.png | yuki_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | Full budget. 2 chars + setting. No room for proof ref — rely on prompt + consistency from 3.3. |
| 5.1 | hiroshi_character_sheet.png | yuki_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | Full budget. 2 chars + setting. The wide shot composition is the hero. |
| 5.2 | studio_night_reference.png | woodblock_halfcarved_reference.png | candle_dying_reference.png | Split composition. Both objects are heroes. Full budget. |
| 5.3 | hiroshi_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | — | Face only — the dialogue moment. |
| 6.1 | hiroshi_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | tools_reference.png | Tools being set down — must match earlier shots. Full budget. |
| 6.2 | hiroshi_character_sheet.png | yuki_character_sheet.png | studio_night_reference.png | Full budget. 2 chars + setting. Candle described in prompt only. |
| 6.3 | studio_night_reference.png | candle_dying_reference.png | — | No characters. Candle dying → darkness. |
| 7.1 | studio_morning_reference.png | candle_dead_reference.png | garden_door_morning_reference.png | No characters. Three object/setting refs. Full budget. |
| 7.2 | studio_morning_reference.png | woodblock_halfcarved_reference.png | washi_proof_reference.png | No characters. Woodblock + proof heroes. Full budget. |
| 7.3 | hiroshi_character_sheet.png | studio_morning_reference.png | garden_door_morning_reference.png | Cherry blossoms hero. Full budget. |
Reference Image Generation Checklist (For Technical Lead)
The Tech Lead must generate the following dedicated object reference images. All must conform to the design brief’s Construction Mandates (ukiyo-e woodblock print style, flat perspective, bold outlines, visible woodgrain, warm amber palette for night / gray for morning).
| ID | Asset Name | Priority | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBJ-01a | candle_full_reference.png | 🔴 CRITICAL | Candle at full height (4 fingers of wax), steady amber flame, brass dish with golden reflections. Warm amber glow. |
| OBJ-01b | candle_dying_reference.png | 🔴 CRITICAL | Candle at ~1 finger of wax, thin wavering flame, brass dish pooling with melted wax. Contracted amber glow. |
| OBJ-01c | candle_dead_reference.png | 🔴 CRITICAL | Dead wick in hardened white wax pool in brass dish. Gray daylight. Cold. |
| OBJ-02a | woodblock_early_reference.png | 🔴 CRITICAL | Cherry woodblock with golden tight grain, early carving. Suggestive lines — hint of a face forming. Warm amber light. |
| OBJ-02b | woodblock_halfcarved_reference.png | 🔴 CRITICAL | Cherry woodblock with half-carved face: forehead, both eyes, one upper lip, brow arch. No chin/jaw. One eye open, one half-defined. Raw cherry grain in uncarved areas. |
| OBJ-03 | tools_reference.png | 🟡 IMPORTANT | Flat-lay of tool set: curved gouge (“tsuki”), flat gouge, circular baren, rectangular ink stone, leather ink pad. Flat metallic gray, bold outlines. |
| OBJ-04 | washi_proof_reference.png | 🟡 IMPORTANT | Woodblock print on cream Mino washi paper: incomplete woman’s face (both eyes, brow, one cheekbone). Sumi black ink with slight bleeds. Face matches Yuki character sheet. |
| OBJ-05a | garden_door_night_reference.png | 🟢 MODERATE | Shoji screen view: sliver of indigo night sky, bare cherry branches. Amber light spilling from inside. |
| OBJ-05b | garden_door_morning_reference.png | 🟢 MODERATE | Same shoji screen, fully open. Gray sky, cherry branches with pale pink buds. No amber glow. |
| OBJ-06 | wall_prints_reference.png | 🟢 MODERATE | Wall section with hanging prints: finished landscapes/cranes + raw face attempts. Cream washi, sumi ink, warm amber light. |
Total new reference images: 10 (3 candle states, 2 woodblock states, 1 tools, 1 proof, 2 garden door states, 1 wall prints)
Shots at Maximum Budget (No Object Ref Available)
These 4 shots use all 3 Veo reference slots for characters + setting. Objects in these shots must rely on prompt description and visual consistency established by earlier hero close-ups:
| Shot | Budget | Object Needed | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | Hiroshi + Yuki + Studio-A | Candle (background) | Candle identity established by hero shots 1.2, 4.4. Prompt describes candle state. |
| 4.5 | Hiroshi + Yuki + Studio-A | Washi proof (held up) | Proof identity established by hero shot 3.3. Prompt describes proof details. |
| 5.1 | Hiroshi + Yuki + Studio-A | None needed | Wide shot — composition is hero, not objects. |
| 6.2 | Hiroshi + Yuki + Studio-A | Candle (in hands) | Candle identity established by 4.4 and 6.3. Prompt describes candle. |
Risk assessment: Low. All critical objects have dedicated hero close-up shots where they ARE the reference-carrying subject. By the time we reach the 3-budget shots in Acts II–III, the candle and proof are visually established.
This Object Anchoring document completes Step 2.5. The Technical Lead should generate these 10 reference images alongside the character sheets in Step 3. Every shot in the film now has an explicit, budget-aware reference manifest.
— topaz-idea, Creative Director