Dating can be wonderful and sometimes awful and often kind of awkward… Hooking Up is an exploration of modern hookup culture through the stories and perspectives of the young people who experience it.
Synopsis
The idiosyncrasies of the dating world can be baffling to say the least, and everyone’s experience is different. Hooking Up doesn’t endeavour to tell an overarching narrative or make any bold statements, instead it is simply be a collection of individual stories. The stories told on screen paint a portrait of what it’s like to a be young person navigating this world of sex and dating; the stories are raw and honest and at times revealing. The audience is asked to be involved in the creation of meaning through the film’s juxtaposition of documentary and fiction. The fiction is in the form of archival footage, from a 1953 social guidance film, Beginning to Date (Encyclopaedia Britannica Films Inc.) which shows the way in which we traditionally depicted sex and dating in the past. The film is giving advice on dating rules and etiquette which can appear comical when contrasted with more modern accounts.
Director’s Statement
The ultimate aim for my documentary was to prompt further thought and discussion on this world of sex and dating; what it is, why we might personally seek it out and the varied approaches and interpretations of it. I especially did not want to be explicit in any particular message or point of view. It is meant to be a representation of hookup culture and not a commentary on hookup culture. Yet I realised quite quickly how difficult this would be as anything I create will inherently have my point of view as a director stamped all over it. Trying to detach myself from this is almost impossible. However it did inform some of my editing choices such as my decision to allow each participant to tell their story in full and not intercut multiple stories. I felt that intercutting stories would be drawing direct comparisons and therefore attaching other unintended meanings to it.
Furthermore, I wanted to ensure I represented my participants justly, as we had such wonderful and genuine conversations in our interviews that to cut that down to just a two minute throwaway story seemed unfair. This is why I chose to include some closing statements from each of my participants that I felt more represented their viewpoints rather than strictly stick to just personal stories.
Other challenges I faced were the kind of participants I chose to include, their background, identities and sexual orientations. I wanted my documentary to present a very truthful and honest overview of young hookup culture, however this became quite difficult as I picked participants within my own social circles and therefore similar backgrounds. However at the end of the day, there wasn’t enough screen time to include everyone. I’d love to continue to explore this topic in a longer form documentary.
Senoid Drummond – Director
Seonaid Drummond is a third year RMIT Media student, currently completing her studies part time. She volunteers with SYN, 3RRR and RMITV, and is presently line producing RMITV’s flagship production The Leak. Seonaid began her studies at Monash University in the field of engineering before quickly learning that this was not for her. Haven taken some time off to work and travel, Seonaid now feels like she’s found her true calling in media and communications. Throwing herself into her studies whole heartedly, Seonaid aspires to pursue a career in producing.