A thrilling chase scene from a 1930s-style circus themed noir film: In the deep night, a spotlight starkly illuminates a solo figure dressed as a whiteface clown, standing alone in the middle of a deserted big top. The floor is cluttered with scattered props. The figure’s painted face is wistfully sad, lit harshly from one side, casting long, exaggerated shadows on the ground. Suddenly, a nimble figure comes into the spotlight, dressed in shadowy tones contrast to the lit clown. This figure, a writer by trade, skillfully avoids the obstacles, agilely moving closer to the clown. The camera angle is low, emphasizing the expansiveness of the open space and the tension between the two characters. The shot is framed to highlight the difference between the melancholy stillness of the whiteface, and the determined pursuit of the writer. The scene concludes as the spotlight shuts off abruptly, plunging them into darkness.