Project Statement
A teenage girl goes through the motions of a day, just like any other, reflecting on the little comforts that arise, and how they contribute to shaping her as a person. She goes about decorating her bedroom and comes across her reflection, both figuratively and literally. She finds that the little daily tasks that bring joy and peace of mind, are the simplest forms of coping.
The prompt for this work came from ‘Where I’m From’ by George Ella Lyon, a poem that explores those elements and moments of life that constitute the author as a person. The thematic concerns when exploring these ordinary parts of living inspired my work to develop around this idea of the little moments in life that in fact have a more significant impact than we may realise at the time. I adapted this concept to reflect upon the idea that we are all humans, regardless of what sets us apart.
Maszerowska (2012) explores the role of lighting and contrast in visual storytelling, stating that “apart from being simply a physical reflection of existing objects and shapes, some visual stimuli allude to or refer to more complex, contextually embedded and metaphorical issues” (p. 70). This reinforces the idea of lighting and colouring allowing for a significant element of thematic portrayal. Lighting allows for audiences to compare different atmospheres, such as the common idea that “red/orange = ‘hot, dreamy’, blue/silver = ‘cold, real’”, therefore influencing the construction of tone in my work, my colouring decisions dictating a shot’s intended mood (Maszerowska 2012, p. 79). With the parameters limited to diegetic sound, I found the utilisation of shadow distribution and lighting to effectively allow audiences to understand the broader themes underlying the visual representations.
My creative process involved listing how this theme relates to myself, bringing forth the idea that the circumstances and personalities I come across everyday shape me the strongest. After developing this into a poem, I was able to form a shot list influenced by the poem’s ingrained stylistic elements and imagery. I found that the final sequence accurately reflects parts of who I am, particularly the little things in my everyday routine. The experimentations with lighting reflected my intentions as it allowed me to investigate distinct elements of visual storytelling that influence audiences’ perceptions of mood and atmosphere, particularly in the absence of dialogue. This was achieved through a prominence of bleak and cloudy tones, with a sustained use of shadows, further aided through distinct framing decisions. I believe the final sequence accurately represents this intent to represent a dull mood that communicates a mundane everyday routine, whilst simultaneously highlighting the comfort these moments bring me.
References
Lyon, G E 2008, ‘Where I’m From’, George Ella Lyon, weblog post, viewed 7 March 2025,
<http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html>.
Maszerowska, A 2012, ‘Casting the light on cinema–how luminance and contrast patterns create meaning’, MonTi: Monographs on Translation and Interpreting, no. 4, pp. 65-85, available at
< https://raco.cat/index.php/MonTI/article/view/301233>.
Project Statement
This film follows a teenage girl transitioning to adulthood, captured by her journey of moving away from home and to university. She sets up her space, reflecting on who she is, and goes about a regular mundane day with some friends. She strives to find a balance between socialising and isolation. She comes to discover that the little moments of a regular day, just like any other, contribute to shaping her as a person, not just the big milestones. The prompt for this work came from ‘Where I’m From’, a poem that explores those small parts of life that form the author as a unique individual. From this, the theme of personal discovery and development arose. I adapted this concept to track an average day on campus, interspersed with moments of quiet loneliness and reflection.
Thus, I looked at coming of age films that have been significant for me, such as Reiner’s Stand by Me (1986) and Linklater’s Boyhood (2014). Linklater often uses camera tracking to follow behind subjects, prioritising structing a film around the “movement of an idea”, or “idleness” (Price 2003). This idea influenced my film’s theme of following behind people, making for a more unforced and authentic journey. Maszerowska (2012, p. 79) explores the role of lighting and contrast in visual storytelling, influencing my conceptual use of colouring to reflect the moods and tones further beyond what is shown in the frame; most notably, the perception of blue conveying “cold, real” environments.
My creative process started with identifying moments of my life that reflect these themes, which was then developed into a poem, intended to act as a voice over for the final project. The imagery my poem evoked aided in the construction of my shot list. The narrative that was shaped from this caused the decision to no longer use a voice over, and rather let the atmospheric sound allow for a more unsettling mood. My concept developed into a more narrative approach than in assignment one, and such my experimentations with lighting allowed me to stronger understand visual storytelling and how this influences audience perception. To achieve this, a mix of bleak lighting and cloudy tones, both inside and outside, was utilised. The developed use of sound elevated the film’s ability to portray not only the narrative, but the intended emotions. Not only are everyday conversations highlighted, but the moments of solitude where the subject is lost in her head are conveyed through a song that was put on play early in the film, when she was alone. This enhances the atmosphere of the film, furthering how audiences are immersed in the themes. The final sequence represents this intent to convey a dull, reflective, almost melancholy mood that communicates a spontaneous yet natural coming of age journey.
Bibliography
Buckley J 1998, Vancouver, < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3LSNHJAAfk>.
Lyon, G E 2008, ‘Where I’m From’, George Ella Lyon, weblog post, viewed 7 March 2025 <http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html>, .
Maszerowska, A 2012, ‘Casting the light on cinema–how luminance and contrast patterns create meaning’, MonTi: Monographs on Translation and Interpreting, no. 4, pp. 65-85, available at <https://raco.cat/index.php/MonTI/article/view/301233>.
Price, B 2003, Senses of Cinema, < https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2003/greatdirectors/linklater/>.
Wansink, T 2019, ‘Realism on the Reel: The Cinematic Vision of Richard Linklater’, National Endowment for the Arts, blog post, < https://www.arts.gov/stories/blog/2019/realism-reelcinematic-vision-richard-linklater>.
Boyhood 2014, motion picture, Paramount Pictures, Los Angeles, California, written and directed by Richard Linklater.
Stand by Me 1986, motion picture, Columbia Pictures, Culver City, California, directed by Rob Reiner.