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SM 4101 Final Year Project. Poon Sandy Chun Yan 50306918. Topics. working title: who is she? subject matter: a) Romance b) Social c) Suspense d) Supernatural e) Literary Adaptation work category: Narrative Video Advisers : Patrick Tam, Louisa Wei. Introduction.
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SM 4101 Final Year Project Poon Sandy Chun Yan 50306918
Topics • working title: who is she? • subject matter: a) Romance b) Social c) Suspense d) Supernatural e) Literary Adaptation • work category: Narrative Video • Advisers : Patrick Tam, Louisa Wei
Introduction • The photography and cinema are similar medium, both are visual but one is still image while the other is moving images synchronized with sound. The photographic medium is a unreliable medium which give open interpretations to readers. To read and understand the image takes attention and time to details of the photographs.
Usually a good photograph can provoke room for imagination for reader and provide them narrative sense. A single photograph could tell a long story. A photograph is about what is not revealed. The subtle details or even missing part give the biggest impact of telling a story visually by a single photograph.
When it comes to moving images, the way of story telling tends to be more apparent and obvious. In narrative films, the more it reveals as the story progresses to make it simple and straightforward. The possibility and room for imagination is less than a static photographic image. This time I want to incorporate the photographic styles which break the conventional straight photography to the video production.
Character relation chart Alex Otylia (lover) Anya (wife)
Story Inspired by the French surrealist novel Nadja, written by Andre Breton in 1923, my project begins with a married man Alex falls in love with a mysterious woman, Otylia, in the first sight meet on the street. Otylia claims she has supernatural power. She can read people’s mind and predict future or unseen things accurately. Even she is poorly dressed, Alex was still attracted by her beautiful eyes.
After dating for several times, Alex was haunted by her magical and mystic past. She becomes his fantasy to kill the boredom from his marriage with her wife Anya. Gradually he loses his sight because of cataract. The image of Otylia becomes vaguer and vaguer. When Alex turns blind eventually Otylia disappeared at the same time. What he can hear is a voice which he cannot be able to distinguish is that his wife or Otylia.
Besides a fictional story, the character Otylia, a mysterious and magical lady is also a metaphor of photography. From Alex’s perspective, she is charming and fantastic but unreliable and could hardly understandable.
Ending • I deliberately want to leave an open interpretation in the end • 1. From Otylia’s point of view: • - Otylia is really mad • - Otylia is sent to asylum • - Otylia committed suicide • - Otylia left him while he lost his sight
2. From Alex’s point of view: • - Otylia left him • - Alex is autistic and Otylia is an imagination by Alex • - Otylia is his imagination of his wife’s teenage image
Theme • To explore the unreliable nature of image • To play with the perspectives of the characters, from Alex to Otylia. • The character’s internal conflict between real and unreal • The theme of madness • The open ending
Visual treatment The visual treatments of my project are inspired by my photographs, from the breaking the rule exercises and photography assignments. Some photographers such as Francesca Woodman, Alexander Rodchenko, Jack Pierson, Ralph Gibson or photos in i-D magazine give me inspirations.
The visual style is rule breaking when compared to main-stream cinema. To techniques used such as over or under exposed, double exposure, awkward framing, the facial expression or even the body was omitted. To explore the possibility of telling a story in a subtle way and leave the biggest room for imagination to viewers. And give a surrealistic approach to the video.
Getting the reference from Francesca Woodman, Diane Arbus help me to create an image and personality of Otylia. Woodman committed suicide at 23; her photographs are a testament to the tragedy of her loss and the depth of her sorrow. She is an intelligent but perhaps too intelligent to hate the reality around her. By seeing her photographs, some may think she might be mad for her repulsive and rebellious action. Yet her inner world is always hidden inside just like Otylia.
Style and approach • The image lead approach will be adapted I want to make it a surrealistic style to match the narrative style of the story itself. Also try to minimize the number of shots to make it as static as possible to enhance the photographic stillness which allows time for viewers to think and seek for the details.
Medium: Video + photo sequence • The moving photo sequence was an idea inspired by Le Jetee by Chris Marker. I attempt to combine two mediums to do this story.
Schedule • 09 • 10 pre-pro: script / location / cast/ costume • 11 • 12 production period • 01 • 02 post production : editing + sound + effect • 03 • 04
Q & A section • Thanks!