The scene is set in an old pharmacist’s lab, filled with vintage medicine bottles and organic remedies. The camera angle is low, looking up to make the room seem bigger, more imposing. Framed amidst dim, diffused light pouring through dusty, stain-glassed windows, the pharmacologist is wearing a brown leather apron and heavy magnifying glasses. Neon green and cobalt blue chemicals bubble in test tubes as he grinds herbs on a stone mortar, his hands stained with plant residue and chalk.
In the background, a massive chalkboard occupies the wall, filled with complex diagrams and formulas, creating the depth in the scene. By focusing on the pharmacologist in action, the camera allows viewers to infer the laborious journey of creating a new smokeable substance.
The smeared chalk, scattered papers on the wooden table and color mixtures provide a sense of proliferating chaos, disturbing the balance of the scene and overwhelming the space. However, the placement of subjects – the pharmacologist centered and the chalkboard in the background – ensures the main narrative doesn’t get lost in the details. The movement in the scene consists of the grinding motion of the pharmacist and the swirling of the liquid in flasks. The occasional billowing of odd-colored smoke adds an enigmatic touch to the scene.