FINAL REFLECTION

The Observation

Translating Observation was an interesting title to this class. It’s succinct, clearly labelled, and holds no question as to what the class was going to be about. Under Robin Plunkett’s guidance we were to observe and record these things, and by the end of the class create something that was based on that observation. It was an easy concept to understand, but it was also interesting with all the ways it could go. The class was pitched to us as an experiment, we weren’t really going to have proper guidelines in place straight away. As the classes progressed we would refine our practical knowledge with media equipment and the process of film-making, but we would also refine our ability to perceive the world we live in. It was an excuse for us to just sit back in class and watch what was happening around us.

At first I thought our Observation writings were going to be just random diary entries, about interesting things that occurred throughout our day. Write a story about the busker that waved to you, or about how much food you ate last night at an all you can eat buffet. But we ended up writing things more in-depth than just stories and interesting moments, we were writing about why they were interesting, not for other people to hear about, but why it was interesting to us. Why we thought that busker was waving to strangers on the street, why the concept of eating till your stuffed and full is a legitimate way to consume food. We had to focus in on just moments, and deconstruct them in however way we want, and just observe what was there with our own eyes.

It was a difficult task to not be too subjective, but to also not state things as objectively as possible. We were finding that in-between, that would convey our voice and be the observation writing technique that didn’t need to be focused on making a film. I think as a class we struggled at first to write things that weren’t just stories about train rides and commuting to uni, but as the first few weeks went by we all were able to just write about things that were intentionally thought about. They weren’t completely random moments anymore, they were individual opportunities where we saw potential for something, and as we approached week 5 and 6 we were writing with more purpose and intent toward making a film idea stemming from these observations. The whole process was very reflexive and allowed us all time to just think about the world around us and seeing all the different things that could make for a film idea. We weren’t thinking of a film form, or end goal and then finding inspiration, we were sourcing our own writing and then seeking out how these could be made into films, and what kind of films they could become. We were encouraged to not limit ourselves by the structure of our end product, and could express and adapt our observations however seemed to fit the initial intention of the written pieces. I had hoped that my individual pitch could have been made into a possibility, but otherwise the array and diversity of films that we made were outstanding outcomes.

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The Film

The final film my group made was in my opinion a successful adaptation of the script we were given by the original pitch, but it wasn’t the film I had initially set out to make. However, in saying that, I was never the sole creator of the original text and couldn’t dictate on where the project would go. Despite this I believe we made an enjoyable film and I actually got to use all my practical knowledge making the damn thing. As cinematographer I had free reign to design the lighting rig and play around with the camera framing, but at some shots I was limited with what the director wanted to look as diegetic and realistic lighting. I wish I could come away knowing I did everything in my power to make the film look great, and in some of the shots I believe it looks amazing, but there are instances where I wish we had more time in set-up, or even a little more fill light. I know there were a lot of mistakes made, but like everyone says, we learn from our mistakes, and I wont say working collaboratively was a mistake, but not being able to express my opinions and concerns very well, in hindsight led to a product that I am only half proud to have accomplished. I guess I lost passion for the film in the end, but that doesn’t deter me from creating and producing more films and content in the future. And now with more lighting and camera experience under my belt, I am willing to go that extra step and take a directorial role hopefully soon to combat that slight disappointment I felt during those post-production stages.