Small Deaths, directed by Lynne Ramsey, was the first short screened in the second studio of the week, but my first class. It is important to view work by filmmakers who have a clear project vision. Since we are working so closely with theme this semester, Lynne Ramsey is a great first focusing point for me, because Ramsey works with dark themes which work almost in juxtaposition to the visual dreamlike quality to her films.

In the three chapters in this film, there are graphic matches to shots in each, as well as the use of aesthetic repetition to connect the visuals. There is also a focus on the separation between the foreground and the background, with these shots reoccurring in different chapters.

In the second chapter, the impressionistic background of the shots show that Ramsey has a photographic background and takes high importance of cinematography, as she is a visual storyteller.

The soundscape in Small Deaths works with mismatching sound and visuals in the first chapter with the sound of children playing while a girl is in her lounge room with her parents in the background. No sign of children playing – this soundscape creates an almost abstract tone.

For the first course group work for the semester, in my group I am focusing mostly on sound design and production design. Small Deaths has leaded me to want to experiment with abstruse sound design and separating the meanings behind the visuals and sounds. I could start by shooting some interior shots but have the soundscape be of a highway, and then see what sort of effect this mismatching scene can have. Perhaps also working with overlapping voices and noises could lead to obscure ideas for the future in this course for me.