VERONICA MURPHY
Throughout the film, we meet three different versions of Veronica from different universes:
- VERA - Vera is the main character, a scientist working on the multiverse theory (the theory there are many different universes)
- RONI - Vera meets Roni when Roni arrives in Vera's universe to ask her for help in sharing information between universes
- VERONICA - Vera and Roni meet Veronica when they travel to her universe at the end of the film
VERA
The Cosmologist
The Cosmologist
BACKSTORY
- Vera's curiosity meant that she took an interest in science from an early age, getting good grades in the subject in school because she worked hard.
- However, Vera's curiosity - and love of science fiction novels - caused her to question the point of existence at seventeen, and have an existential crisis. Vera got over this by finding meaning in her work - the beginning of her overworking.
- Vera continued to pursue science at university, going to one of the best universities in England (probably Oxford or Cambridge). Her continued overworking meant that she was always the top of her class, but this also made Vera an outcast because instead of socialising, she constantly worked.
- While at university, Vera spent time relaxing by stargazing - one night discovering a weirdly shaped asteroid. Vera attempted to look into this, but her efforts were dismissed by her peers who felt there were more important discoveries to be made and that this really was only a weirdly shaped asteroid - so Vera gave up her research into this.
- Looking for more important research, Vera looked into dark matter - a type of invisible matter which makes up 85% of the universe - because what it could be composed of is one of the biggest scientific mysteries. However, Vera's theory that dark matter is composed of dead planets and stars was also quickly dismissed by her peers.
- Yet, Vera found a book on the multiverse in the university library, seeing some of herself in the scientist who pioneered this interpretation of the universe since, like Vera, he was also an outcast.
- Thus, Vera began working on the multiverse theory - leading her to be employed by a research institute where she writes papers on the subject, and does basic research to gain funding.
- Although not entirely satisfied with this, Vera hopes one day she'll discover how to travel between universes if she just continues working - this is so she can finally have what she's always wanted: her own success.
ATTRIBUTES
- Curious – this is why she loves science, logic
- Determined – loves her work and wants to be the best – Vera’s just looking for her science to have a purpose, looking not to let down the little girl she was who dreamed of being a scientist and worked hard to graduate top of her class – but this makes her:
- Too driven – would do anything to do good work – even if it makes her ill in the process – because she:
- Loves science: This is Vera's reason for getting up in the morning. She wants to be ‘the best’ so that her work means something, but she also wants to enjoy the journey of getting there – because if all she does is work, then surely she’ll be the best eventually? Nothing can stop her if all she does is work - then she'll finally get the feeling of her own success, and know that she did the work to earn it.
VOICE
- Quiet and softly spoken, as is always too busy working to consider her volume and is so tired she almost can’t be bothered to talk anymore - she's not used to seeing people and having to talk because she's so stuck in her work
- Speaks quickly – as if she doesn’t have the time to talk/doesn’t want to
- Uses declarative sentences (statements, facts) because she seems to knows a lot of information so is a little entitled – sees herself as smarter than others
STANCE
- Upright – although slips and slouches occasionally as is so exhausted
- Tense – shoulders hunched up – used to sitting at desk, is always hunched over writing
- Determined – due to wanting to do great work
- Slightly shaky due to her tiredness – but this is somewhat offset by the determination, which makes her steady herself
EXPRESSION
- Typically determined and steely – due to her motivation to do great work – also hides some of her tiredness
- Dark circles prominent under her eyes
- Pale - this gets worse as the film goes on (as do the dark circles)
WARDROBE
- Smart/professional (not mismatched)
- Is a person of habit due to being in a routine so she can maximise her work time – so often wears the same rotating set of clothes, often her work clothes because she works so much
- Vera's work clothes: long sleeve t-shirt, smart trousers, boots, hair tied back
- Her work clothes conform to lab safety standards – is always wearing trousers and a long sleeved t-shirt so her arms and legs are covered to protect against potential spills/lab accidents, wears no jewellery (hazard it could catch on something), and always wears flat shoes, which protect her feet (never trainers – usually boots)
- Wears her hair tied back when working – for concentration, so it doesn’t get in the way, and also to conform to lab safety
- Also always drinks out of the same cat-shaped mug – this has been used so much, it’s faded with one of its ears chipped off
RONI
The Inter-Universal Traveller
The Inter-Universal Traveller
BACKSTORY
- Also curious like Vera, Roni found she was also naturally gifted at science.
- However, the result of Roni's existential crisis was to find meaning by gaining a work-life balance - because Roni worked so hard in school that her existential crisis helped her see that maybe she was too stuck in her head and should go out and live more.
- Because of this, Roni decided to go to an American university (Ivy League) so she could see some of the world and have fun whilst studying.
- But in Roni's universe, America lost the space race because President Kennedy was never assassinated. So, at university, Roni found many of her peers and teachers to be very disillusioned scientists, who were struggling to make discoveries due to a lack of interest in science and thus funding.
- When Roni discovered the weirdly shaped asteroid, her peers and teachers were excited and fascinated by this, allowing Roni to keep researching and discover that this asteroid was really an alien planet which had drifted into Earth's vicinity.
- This led to Roni being hailed a genius and becoming an established scientist.
- She dropped out of university to lead talks with the aliens, helping to share information between Earth and the aliens - this led to an influx of new technology on Earth, making Roni's universe more technologically advanced than Vera's.
- Because of this Roni and her university friends were able to make several discoveries using the information and technology from the aliens - including determining the locations of several other universes building on the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics.
- Eight discoveries later - several involving the nature of particles which led to ways to escape the confines of one universe, and ways to travel across the expanse to another - and after ten years of work, Roni and her team figured out how to travel between universes, creating the possibility for inter-universal travel.
- At 27 years old, Roni became the first person to ever travel to another universe. By the time she reaches Vera's universe, she has already explored several others, and has come to the conclusion from this travel and her interaction with the aliens in her universe that the human race would benefit from information - such as how to cure cancer, stop wars, and solve climate change - being shared between universes. Because each universe is so different from billions of people making different decisions, there is no shortage of information.
- There is also no shortage of universes - thus Roni is going to need some help sharing the information between them. So, she begins to enlist versions of herself to help her, starting with Vera.
ATTRIBUTES
- Curious like Vera - shares her love for science and logic
- Excitable - because Roni has been out to see the world, and several universes, and sees there is a lot of good which humans can benefit from - the possibilities excite her so much it makes her:
- Impatient - she is constantly trying to convince Vera to come with her so she can share what she's found - because Roni has seen the good which can come from sharing discoveries
VOICE
- Assertive - has spent more time around people than Vera since she has held talks, lectures and panels in her universe about her discoveries as an established scientist
- Speaks in interrogative sentences (questions), as is curious about Vera and her universe since it is new to her
- Also speaks in imperative sentences (commands, instructions, requests), as is trying to encourage Vera to come with her to other universes and knows how to get there - also highlights her impatience
WARDROBE
- Roni's clothes: Shirt, hoodie, jeans, trainers, jacket. Also wears a baseball cap, and has a scarf, backpack
- Roni is casual and scruffy compared to Vera - this is because, as an established scientist in her own universe, Roni doesn't feel as if she has to dress in a professional manner because she has already proven herself
- However, Roni's clothes also reflect that she has been travelling around the multiverse as they are practical and thus layered so she is prepared for any eventuality/weather - why she wears a baseball cap, has a scarf and backpack
- This is why I took inspiration for Roni's clothes from Indiana Jones, since as an explorer he is also required to travel and be prepared for any eventuality - his clothes fit with the layered and practical look I wanted to achieve for Roni
- To connect her to Vera and show they are the same person, Roni wears a cat jumper, since from Vera's mug it can be seen that Vera also likes cats - but Roni's interest is more apparent through her jumper since she likes them more than Vera, having time to own a pet cat due to not overworking like Vera.
VERONICA
The Existential Crisis
The Existential Crisis
BACKSTORY
- Veronica, like Vera and Roni, used to love science.
- However, when Veronica had the existential crisis, she never decided on a way out of it - because Vera and Roni did.
- Thus Veronica now spends her days still questioning the point of life, watching TV and eating doughnuts because this is how she finds enjoyment, and she's too busy questioning the point of her existence to do much else.
WARDROBE
- Pyjamas as she can't be bothered to get dressed
- Glasses - can't be bothered to put in her contact lenses