La Libellule // [DN1004] Foundation 4D Untitled #3

“Adolescents are not monsters. They are just people trying to learn how to make it among the adults in the world, who are probably not so sure themselves.” — Virginia Satir

 

Watch on Google Drive @ La Libellule 🙂

 

Concept

For this video, I explored psychologists Erik Erikson and James Marcia’s study on Identity Crisis in Adolescents. There are people in the world who go on to adulthood without achieving ego identity during adolescence and out of the four stages of identity development, I chose to work on the first, Identity Diffusion.

    • Sometimes individuals face obstacles that may prevent the development of a strong identity. This sort of unresolved crisis leaves individuals struggling to “find themselves”.
    • They may withdraw from normal life, be passive and not take action or be unable to make defining choices about the futureThey may even turn to negative activities, such as crime or drugs since from their point of view having a negative identity could be more acceptable than none at all.
    • On the other side of the spectrum, those who emerge from the adolescent stage of personality development with a strong sense of identity are well equipped to face adulthood with confidence and certainty.

Described as “the apathetic state that represents the relative lack of both exploration and commitment”, diffusers tend to lack self-esteem, be externally oriented, have lower levels of autonomy, and take less personal responsibility for their lives. Identity Diffusion can overlap with diagnoses such as schizophrenia and depression, and is best described as a lack of identity structure.


Prose Used:
    • Hermann Hesse – Demian: The Story of Emil Sinclair’s Youth
Videos Used:
    • Introducing Bronze Wood & Leather | Jo Malone London
      • Promotional Video @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWev876aOqc
    • Introducing Wild Flowers & Weeds | Jo Malone London
      • Promotional Video @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU3kuhwcgao
    • Agust D – Agust D
      • Music Video @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y_Eiyg4bfk
    • HAON – NOAH (feat. 박재범, Hoody) (Prod. GroovyRoom)
      • Music Video @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWl8XAOQnTg
Songs Used:
    • 憂鬱 – Slow
      • YouTube Link @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMGEyl5TRa4
    • j’san x nymano – autumn breeze
      • YouTube Link @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE9RjCtFsps

Repeated Motifs

Dragonfly: In most parts of the world, the Dragonfly symbolises change, transformation, adaptability, and realisation. It is often referred to in the form of mental and emotional maturity as well as the understanding of the deeper meaning of life.

Egg: Eggs are believed to be the source of new life from inanimate matter and it is represented most successfully as the origin and secret of being. Bringing hope and purity, it is a symbol of fertility, resurrection and the circle of life. Here, eggs are employed as the visual representation of the attainment of womanhood and the newly invested power of continuing the circle of life in her.

Apple: The Apple, or better known as the forbidden fruit of the Golden Age, is a symbol for knowledge, immortality and temptation. Intrinsically linked to desire and lust, it shows how mankind’s carnal desire to possess love or beauty can quickly turn into lust and obsession. Here, I portray her consumption of the apple to be both an act of obsession and the attainment of knowledge.


Scene 1

    • Innocence & Naivety
    • Simplicity & Purity
    • New Beginnings
    • Puppy Love

Scene 2

    • Sexuality & Sensuality
      • Realisation
      • Introspection
      • Refusal and Denial of what is “forbidden, tempting and sinful”

Scene 3

    • Withdrawal from Life
    • Dark Rebellion
    • Dabbling in Vices

Scene 4

    • Non-destructive Teenage Fun
    • “Playing with the Devil”
    • Basking in Youth

Scene 5

    • Adulthood and Womanhood
      • Understanding that it is inevitable
      • Retrospection
      • Acceptance of Self

Glitching moments and the sequence at the end of the film show that everything is not in reality. It’s all in her mind. It’s her introspection and her process of coming to terms with adolescence, sexuality & sensuality. Likewise, the sudden cut of music in many places instead of a fade out also present the abrupt stages of thought that my character goes through.

I wanted the narrative to be an intimate audio recording of her thoughts that she does not voice . Thus, I overlaid the recording with a low pass filter to create the fuzzy and muted sound as played from a voice recorder.

I actually wanted the piece to be smoother in transition between scenes but I was not able to bind them well enough. Unlike in theatre where sequences need not be linear, I realised that film works in a different way where it’s a lot more immersive. Not being able to play with the suspension of disbelief in my audience, I fully understood how important visual and audio elements were in film.

I was also very worried when creating this piece because I used a lot of motifs and symbols that might not bring my concept clear to audiences who do not understand them prior. If my idea and creative direction was better defined at an earlier stage of conceptualisation, I believe that I could better portray my concept of Identity Diffusion and Identity Crisis in adolescence.

 

“The day the child realises that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult; the day he forgives himself, he becomes wise.” — Alden Nowlan

 

Published by

Vanessa Chiu

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