Tag Archives: O.C.Mr.Clean.

O.C.Mr.Clean

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O.C.Mr.Clean. was a really enjoyable project for me. One of the main areas of development was definitely in regards to Premiere Pro and my manipulation of and towards the application and its tools. In earlier projects I stuck to editing on a singular file, coordinating with great difficulty all my edits on the one timeline which usually made for a messy and thus systematic confusion/break down (eek!). Whilst producing O.C.Mr.Clean. however, I used multiple files and documents to ensure that each article was safe. For example, I edited my intro that composed multiple video files at a singular time on one file, saving and then uploading the completed sequence into my end project file, keeping the whole and final project neat and tidy. As my overall project was organised through separated files of with different edits, I was then able to play with Premiere’s tools and effects without the worry of accidental errors that could have affected my project as a whole. Thus, I played with size, colour, speed and duration effects that contributed a more experimental feel to my project, equating with my objective artistic and visual based film narration.

I wanted to portray an artistic and informal expression within O.C.Mr.Clean. rather than the traditional interpretations of OCD like washing hands, and a possessed cleaning sequence. However, this wasn’t always my approach. As my intro was one of the first things I developed in the portrait, you can see that when thinking of characteristics of OCD I connoted a subversive and eery perspective of the experience people with the disease would suffer (the ominous song of Mr Clean). It wasn’t until I interviewed Max however, and thus was in post production, that my portrait became a lot more informal and less aggressive as Max communicated a more tender and passive view of his disease. In this way, I guess I was subjected to a moment of serendipity where I had to rethink the way I was going to portray Max and his disorder. Through the use of found footage I was able to not only visualise my approach but societal ideas about OCD. When typing into Creative Common domains ‘OCD’ there were a lot of clips that portrayed a contradicting spectrum of  individuals in either a state of ecstasy or depression. Using the intro as a dismissal of convention, I allowed the for a traditional cleaning ad to crackled and beep with sound effects of deterioration. By placing my title heading after the intro it re-engages and re-addresses the audience from it’s previous stimulation and ideologies to the interview’s more personalised and informal tone. Further, I included the director’s voice and questions to make the interviewee seem more humanised and Max not so much as an isolated character. This shift in narrative structure (where at first I placed Max on the couch to answer formal question), and then to the more comfort environment of outside opened up not only an easier and more organic discourse about his disorder, but allowed for a more personal insight into his life and surroundings (as you can see his outside area isn’t as immaculately clean in comparison to his inside interview).

Overall, the project definitely advanced skills in editing as I used both Premiere, After Effects and Audition whilst creating O.C.Mr.Clean. As I started thinking and coordinating my project early I don’t think there’s any physical elements of it I would change. However, interviewing techniques that make the interviewer comfortable and thus more engaging is definitely something that needs to be worked on if I want to go into documentaries professionally.

Thoughts and questions about PB3

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1. What is the ‘controlling idea’ (Robert McKee) of your portrait? In other words, what is the most interesting thing about your participant/interviewee that you want to communicate?
My participant/interview revolves around the subject of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. However, I want to humanise the disease, focusing more on Max as an individual who has OCD, rather than the OCD which controls Max. 

2. How is your portrait film structured? (Remember there might be multiple forms of structure employed) E.g. Discussion and depiction of an event or process? A Journey? Use of voiceover narration? Other?
My portrait is structured in rhetorical form as I wanted to present a subtly persuasive argument that Max, although he suffers from OCD, is still ‘normal’. Because OCD affects everyone differently it makes Max unique as an individual, so I wanted to steer away from conservative ideas and portrayals of OCD (the washing of hands, and cleaning of the room). Instead of allowing all my footage of him doing characteristics of his disease, I wanted to be creative and try engage the audience with how it feels to have OCD – the tug of war battle people have with it as they try and make it not determine the way they live their life and who they are.

3. What do you want your audience to make of your interviewee? (e.g. What are you saying through them and/or human nature, human folly, or noble human inspiration?)
I hope that my film projects a new and more sensitised version of OCD. My interviewee tries to communicate that mental illness isn’t something that should be embarrassing or feel whole consuming. He makes statements that advocate his OCD and discusses how there are worst things in life then having a controllable disease that potentially makes you into a good house mate!

4. How is your portrait being narrated? Why? How does it affect the structure?
My portrait is non-narrative. I don’t follow a three course action plot line, it is more a combination of shots that attribute to Max’s overall character rather than producing a linear relationship with the audience that uses character development.

5. What role will the ‘found footage’ play in your portrait? For example, reinforcement? Ironic counterpoint? Contrast? Comparison? Other?
My found footage plays on the ‘everyday’ aspects of society within the OCD world. I used cleaning ads to enforce the usually overlooked and allow the audience to contemplate how much thought and care they themselves put into cleaning. My showing ads like ShamWow against older generational ads like Mr Clean we see a cognitive progression of the interpretation of a clean house, mirroring Max’s ideas that mental illness isn’t a confirmation of personality but rather just an attribute.

6. Does your portrait have a dramatic turning point?
I use a lot of reverse manipulation and speed effects. Although this isn’t a narrative turning point I think its a turning point as it makes the audience think about perspective.

7. When does this turning point in your portrait and why? At the beginning? At the end? Two-thirds through?
My main turning point happens 1/3 into my PB3. After I introduce Max and his OCD, I try to humanise him as much as possible to ironically make my audience question, is the subject matter of this documentary even that bad? I gave significance to the disease in his introduction and in the beginning sector because I wanted to audience to understand what was being talked about, but then i wanted to peel it back and have them remind themselves that a mental disorder isn’t some ones whole personality.

8. How does your portrait gather and maintain momentum?
I use music throughout my portrait which sets a progressive tempo throughout. I used sound functions to heighten and lessen the music depending on if my subject was speaking or not, which also allows for a gain of momentum.

9. Where will your portrait’s dramatic tension come from? The gradual exposition of an overall situation? A volcanic, climactic moment? An impending change or crisis? The contrast between what the interviewee talks about and the found footage?
I try and grab the attention and subject matter of the piece straight away, however my use of sound effects I think will enhance the dramatic tension from scene to scene. I used technological sounds of discomfort or failure throughout my film to undertone the idea of OCD whilst also subjecting the viewer to an experience that they – through the noises – associate with non-satisfaction.

10. Does the portrait have a climax and/or resolution? Outline them.
One of my favourite scenes in my portrait has to do with Max smiling and/or telling us that he’s about to go out with his friends. The main objective of this portrait was to humanise him which is contradicted with the initially invasive and overwhelming introduction.