I'm currently stepping out of my comfort zone and making a short documentary...well a documentary of sorts. I will be asking my parents 'What will become of me in 10 years?'. I'll be using my mother and father as some kind of psychic tool in order to determine my future and will question how the upbringing they have given me has shaped me into the adult i've become...etc, etc. It's going to be like pulling off a plaster. Most of us know what it's like to be at constant odds with parental figures with an overwhelming urge to go against the parental grain and become your own person; this video will in a sense be a cathartic way in which I will deal with some of these issues.
I am right now trying to work out ways in which to film the project. I am debating whether or not to conceal their identity, film them shadowed or fragmented. My want to conceal their identity is in some way a safety net for me more than for them. As this is such a personal project having them in full view seems a bit overwhelming.
Filming begins next week!
Your thoughts and comments are welcome! Also please feel free to post about your current projects and ideas!
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I feel like we should feel their presence but not see it, because of course they shaped your past but theoretically you haven't decided if you want them to shape your future...maybe...it can be gradual...them being clearly defined at the beginning and then become more and more aabstract, or vice versa. Perhaps I think this could be something you decide later because your film will grow a lot in the post-production and editing phase, at that moment, after having gone through all the interaction with them when shooting the film, you might have clearer ideas of what you want and with the editing you will give the documentary the direction you feel.
ReplyDeleteSo perhaps you should try to film them shadowed, fragmented but also clearly, so you will have material after and be able to make those choices.
But maybe you already know how do you feel. And this is very personal so it's hard to say, that's probably what I would do but everyone works differently.
Depending on your angle, there are many possibilities for humor when "abstracting" your parents in say. You could for example make them wear animal masks while answering questions. Or do something similar in post. All depends on the nature of the beast there but something along those lines might help the project gain more of an audience pull on what otherwise could become a bit of an introverted project... But also watch out when "obscuring" them, as it might lead to humor that is not desired if the measures are not right (criminal protection and crime victim interviews come to mind...).
ReplyDeletegood ideas and yes be careful with the fact of obscuring them. Now that I think about that, I would probably keep their figures at the border of the frame, so you never see them fully, somehow their image will be fragmented. So maybe always frame them so that their faces/bodies are never completely in the frame, their images always escaping instead. This will create tension.
ReplyDeleteHey thanks for your comments guys. You've both really given me something to think about! They don't know about the questions I'm going to ask, so its going to be a surprise either way. Almost like some sort of video therapy session. Ha! My only concern is that i'll lose important moments like certain facial expressions, what they're saying etc in trying out one filming idea for another. I think once i've started filming all will become clear!
ReplyDeleteoh, this actually changes things a bit, you can only ask the question once...best would be to have 2 cameras, one for close up of the faces and one to capture the entire figure but somehow fragmened...if not just one camera and only details and close ups...which become almost abstraction; that way you'll have the expressions that I think are very important.
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