And so our video installation came into fruition but before you watch the video, take a look at the behind-the-scenes to see what was put into the making of this piece:
Password: spaces
As lighting designer, I faced the challenge of creating interesting shadows and black and white looks. I looked to numerous film noir styled videos for example the various scenes in Beyoncé’s Dance For You video. As a team we felt that this enhanced the mood of our film and definitely pushed the boundary as it was a style we had never tried before.
In this video you’ll see stuff we tried to emulate like the fan shots:
And also the selective lighting and shadow play:
This was the final outcome (three different screens merged into one video):
The execution of our installation was a gamble as we were not sure if the Crit Room was being used that morning. It fit our theme however and was the best place to use that was still available. Though we had to rush out the moment we were done presenting, the space worked in our favour to create a very clean and isolated atmosphere.
Here’s a video of audiences entering the space:
And here’s a short video of them watching our film:
In the midst of post-production, I also whipped up some post-cards/marketing collateral that we used ti decorate the 3 podiums our projectors sat on. We aso blacked out the windows at eye level to prevent as much light from getting in.
Reflection:
All in all, I think this final project was a very enriching one. Having to come up with a concept and factor in the multiple screens was challenging at first but I’m satisfied with the way everything came together. We did our best and there is nothing I would change about this final piece. I hope to have more experiences with film in the future and definitely have learned a lot from this semester of Foundation 4D and have acquired new knowledge and skills that I will be able to use from now onwards.
Our second 4D assignment proved to be one of the most tiring projects yet! Over two weekends, my team and I worked tirelessly to come up with a concept and script, shot/equipment list, cast actors and even do a re-shoot as we were unable to capture everything we needed during the first filming date.
Here’s a look behind the scenes (filled with some shots/locations that were not used in the final cut):
In case you were wondering why there was a need for a character in drag (although who wouldn’t want a character in drag?), we felt it provided some subtext. The character was distraught and left to wonder what his ex (Isaac) saw in Isabel that he could not provide or embody. He therefore ‘get pretty’ and dolls himself up for the big day and is in search for some sort of resolution.
In the end, he decides to let go and walks away.
After production came post where my teammate Vanessa and I went through the tedious task of recording foley for our film. Here are some snippets from the night:
Dripping water onto a plate to create the sound of water dripping from Isaac’s face (0:15-0:16)
Overlaying the sound of the makeup brush being taken out of a jar (0:41-0:43)
Wetting the rim of a plastic container to make the sound of the tap squeaking shut (0:14-0:15)
To see a full list of the foley sounds we recorded click here
Our first assignment to kickstart the second semester of Foundation 4D (2) required us to do intensive character studies with the hope of firstly identifying characters that resonate with us and finally creating a one minute dialog that profiles characters as clearly as possible.
The first step I took was shortlisting characters/people and exploring why I was drawn to them.
After picking my 15 characters, I had to come up with 9 mind-maps profiling each character to get a greater understanding of how these characters were formed, who they are and what they bring to the story/narrative.
To aid myself in this process I also referred to a book, The Definitive Guide To Screenwriting by Syd Field.
My top 3 characters from literature of fiction:
My top 3 public figures:
Finally, I profiled the 3 most interesting people I know and have known:
With the character profiling segment concluded, it was time to create my one-minute dialogue. I chose to narrow down and make a list of themes I wanted to approach and see which character inspirations would bring my story to life.
The themes I gathered which mattered to me based on my 15 character choices were (in no particular order):
Opposition of gay marriage / sexuality in Christianity
Conversion therapy
Gender non-conformists / transgender individuals
The Entertainment Industry
Zero to hero narrative documenting obstacles and struggles faced while seeking fame
The dark side of the industry and what you must do to be successful
Discrimination in the industry (looks vs talent)
After careful consideration, I decided to go with my first theme and the idea of conversion therapy because it stood out to me the most and was something I had read up about in the past and forgotten about.
There has been reasonable debate about the ethics behind the methods of homosexual conversion therapy and after doing more research, I too was taken aback by the suffering individuals have been forced to go through.
Here are some good reads and accounts of real-life patients I used to gain a better understanding:
“They were able to turn us against ourselves,” he said. “This is what drew so many people to suicide. We all shared a sense of loathing towards who we were and who we loved. It wasn’t just your regular ‘I hate myself.’ It was a disgust with the person you were and you wanted to do anything you could to change… Watching people disappear just became a fact of life after a while. You got used to it.”
To begin my detailed profiling process, I decided to use two characters from last list, namely Matthew and Agnes. Because I was going to work with my fellow classmate Vanessa, I assumed the role of Agnes and thus Agnes will be renamed to Anthony and Matthew will be renamed to Maddie.
With these two character profiles that gave more background and context to my 1-minute scene, it was time to write my script. I tried my best to be mindful of each character’s subtext and also to stay true to the theme of the story.
I tried to put an emphasis on the amount of ‘you’s in the first part of the script. This was to show how persistent Anthony was on making Maddie seem like she had a problem and needed to change. He also refused to take into account any of his inner-demons and as such spoke with angst and aggressiveness with his choice of words.
Towards the ‘climax’ when Maddie gets up to leave, Anthony finally realises he has taken the wrong approach and also relates to how Maddie is feeling. He had basically fed her whatever he had been fed and deep down knows that that is not what he wants to believe too. He thus takes a step back and tried to understand where she is coming from.
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The Final Video:
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Reflection:
I had a very enriching time with this project and this was probably the most immersive video assignment I’ve ever done. It took me more than a week to complete my character profiles but by the end of it, I fully understood why we were told to do so and realised how important it is to be clear about everything with regards to whatever character we create in order to successfully direct/act.
For my execution, I’ve recently been watching movies like The Neon Demon and La La Land and have been intrigued by colour intensities in lighting design. Working with my classmate Vanessa, we experimented with blue and red gels (she used the former and I the latter) and it was exciting to see the different moods and drama being amplified with coloured lights.
What I takeaway from this assignment is knowing the importance of detailed character profiling, constructing your character from the ground up in order to create convincing characters with backstories you can use to facilitate screenplay, mise en scène and overall direction and art direction.
After picking my 15 characters, I had to come up with 9 mind-maps profiling each character to get a greater understanding of how these characters were formed, who they are and what they bring to the story/narrative.
