Research and Development Samples
Below are samples of research for use in world building, game development, visual development, or other researched narrative storytelling.
Many of these were made in conversation with directors, actors, scenic and lighting designers, producers, choreographers, and dramaturges. The ones for produced projects have citation, often leading to other areas on the site if you would like to see the finished work, but here they are intended to serve as examples of distilled information for collaborative use.
Project: Medea (UCLA, 2018)
Jason, hero of Greece and husband of Medea.
For more information on this production, please visit the “Costume Design > Medea” page.
Project: Medea (UCLA, 2018)
The messenger of the tragedy of Medea.
For more information on this production, please visit the “Costume Design > Medea” page.
Project: The Chaos Protocol, TransplanarRPG
Character development by Cai Kagawa, developed for communication with artist (Crowsen) for Arc One.
Project: Eurydice (Theatre of Artists, 2018)
Eurydice in the Underworld.
For more information on this production, please visit the “Costume Design > Eurydice” page.
Project: Eurydice (Theatre of Artists, 2018)
Eurydice’s father from Sarah Ruhl’s play.
For more information on this production, please visit the “Costume Design > Eurydice” page.
Project: Eurydice (Theatre of Artists, 2018)
Orpheus, a young artist, from Sarah Ruhl’s play.
For more information on this production, please visit the “Costume Design > Eurydice” page.
Project: Eurydice (Theatre of Artists, 2018)
One of the forms of the god Hades from Sarah Ruhl’s play. He is presented as a little kid in a school uniform.
For more information on this production, please visit the “Costume Design > Eurydice” page.
Project: The Mysteries of Ravenswood (QueensCourtGames, 2023)
Character art reference sheet for character art drawn by Aki Akino (@akinomii_art). Ravenswood is a gothic fantasy world created by Aubrey Vakarian (@MadQueenCosplay).
A study for an art piece distilling James Ensor’s work “Christ’s Entry into Brussels, 1889”, into a 1/2 scale gown to be displayed at The Getty Museum, Los Angeles.
For images of the piece itself, visit the “Costume Construction” page.
A study for an art piece distilling James Ensor’s work “Christ’s Entry into Brussels, 1889”, into a 1/2 scale gown to be displayed at The Getty Museum, Los Angeles.
For images of the piece itself, visit the “Costume Construction” page.
Project: Black Lightning (Paper project, UCLA, 2018)
An inspiration sheet for the older Pierce daughter, Anissa, from the television show “Black Lightning”.
Project: Black Lightning (Paper project, UCLA, 2018)
An inspiration sheet for the local gang and villains of story, The One Hunderd gang, from the television show “Black Lightning”.
Project: Black Lightning (Paper project, UCLA, 2018)
An inspiration sheet for the first superhero disguise of Jefferson Pierce aka Black Lightning from before he retired the mantle, from the television show “Black Lightning”.
Project: In the Heights (paper project, UCLA, 2018)
Research on car services and taxi dispatches in Washington Heights.
Pleasantville (paper project, UCLA, 2019)
Jennifer, the lead young girl in the film Pleasantville, in her “modern” (1998) dress before being transported into the 1950s fantasy world of Pleasantville.
Pleasantville (paper project, UCLA, 2019)
Jennifer, the lead young girl in the film Pleasantville, transported into the 1950s fantasy world of Pleasantville to assume the role of Mary Sue Parker, the daughter of the main family of the show.
A paper project exploring the gangs of the regions of the city of Rome for the television show Rome. To accomplish the project, I drew on not only the resources of the region within the city, but also real-world gangs and criminal organizations from throughout time.
The Ostians held the dock region of the city.
A paper project exploring the gangs of the regions of the city of Rome for the television show Rome. To accomplish the project, I drew on not only the resources of the region within the city, but also real-world gangs and criminal organizations from throughout time.
The Aventine are featured with Vorenus, a principle character, and hold a craftsman region filled with pottery.
A paper project exploring the gangs of the regions of the city of Rome for the television show Rome. To accomplish the project, I drew on not only the resources of the region within the city, but also real-world gangs and criminal organizations from throughout time.
Unable to hold a firm footing in the city, the Jewish gangs of Rome were forced to fend for themselves though strength and unity. The tribes that they came from were known for their trade in spices, and thus also had access to a wide range of dyes.
Project: The Man in the High Castle (paper project, UCLA, 2018)
Research for Harlem in a Nazi-occupied New York City from the show based on the work of Phillp K. Dick.
Project: The Man in the High Castle (paper project, UCLA, 2018)
Research for the Japanese trade minister in an Empire of the Sun-occupied San Francisco from the show based on the work of Phillp K. Dick.
Project: The Man in the High Castle (paper project, UCLA, 2018)
Research for the Japanese citizens living in an Empire of the Sun-occupied San Francisco, CA from the show based on the work of Phillp K. Dick.
Project: The Man in the High Castle (paper project, UCLA, 2018)
Research for the unclaimed “neutral zone” between a Nazi-occupied East Coast and a Empire of the Sun-occupied San Francisco from the show based on the work of Phillp K. Dick.
Project: The Man in the High Castle (paper project, UCLA, 2018)
Research for Judianna, a protagonist in the show, who was rasied in an Empire of the Sun-occupied San Francisco from the show based on the work of Phillp K. Dick.
Project: The Purple Flower (paper project, UCLA, 2018)
Research for what the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina looked like in New Orleans in 2005.
Project: The Magic Flute (paper project, UCLA, 2017)
Papageina imagined in a spaghetti-western-inspired world where water is a privilege and true paradise is where the water flows freely.
Project: The Magic Flute (paper project, UCLA, 2017)
Pamina, imagined in a spaghetti-western-inspired world where water is a privilege and true paradise is where the water flows freely. She is styled to be the western architype of the “virgin” but with elements that she is also Alice falling through the looking glass.
Project: The Magic Flute (paper project, UCLA, 2017)
The Queen of the Night imagined as a water baroness who owns a dam in a spaghetti-western-inspired world where water is a privilege and true paradise is where the water flows freely.
Project: Steel Pier (UCLA, 2017)
Research for aviator men for a dream scene. Unused in production.
For more information about Steel Pier, please visit “Costume Design > Steel Pier”.
Project: Steel Pier (UCLA, 2017)
Research for the full orchestra of the dance musical, Steel Pier, who were styled as a 1930’s jazz band.
For more information about Steel Pier, please visit “Costume Design > Steel Pier”.
Project: The Artist (paper project, UCLA, 2018)
The Hollywood star, George Valentin at the height of his fame as a Musketeer.
Project: The Artist (paper project, UCLA, 2018)
The fresh faced actress, Peppy Miller, crosses paths with George at the studio.
Project: The Artist (paper project, UCLA, 2018)
The young star, Peppy Miller, arrives at the hospital directly from set still in costume.
Disclaimer: Images used in these sheets were borrowed for inspiration purposes only. I also do not own the rights to these productions, the source material used to produce these research slides.