POSTER IMAGE

PILGRIM – Ali Sadek, 2024

“On an eye-opening trip to his birthplace, Cairo, Ali is subject to an onslaught of cultural dissonance, which unleashes an inner crisis of disjointed identity, caught between the culture he left behind and the one he’s never really belonged to.”

REFLECTION

Pilgrim was created in hopes of reaching out to those grappling with cultural displacement and the feeling of not fully belonging to any one culture. Through a “third culture kid” lens, I had a eureka moment – a personal realization that gave shape to the project. This concept of the “third culture” identity allowed me to provide immigrant children, or anyone who has experienced similar challenges, with a documented experience they could use to draw parallels to their own lives. I wanted the film to be a source of insight and guidance, reflecting the process of finding self-identity and belonging.

Reflecting on the completion of Pilgrim, I genuinely found it astounding to see it come together as a polished, whole-bodied work – a linear story documenting my own journey toward understanding something that had haunted me my entire life. Fiske’s notion of “the active process of generating and circulating meanings” (2010) applies here, as the film became both a self-guide and a reference point for myself and others navigating similar challenges. Witnessing people at the exhibition connect with it, even those with no prior context of its creation, was profoundly affirming. A few viewers approached me to share how they related to the narrative of cultural identity and displacement, echoing the comments I received from others who watched it on YouTube. This shared resonance reminded me that storytelling is indeed an active exchange of meaning.

One significant challenge was balancing the emotional weight of the voiceovers with the visuals, ensuring that the introspective tone didn’t overshadow the visual narrative. The biggest challenge, however, was working within the time constraints. The final cut runs seven minutes—exceeding the five-minute limit. This was the absolute shortest version I could create without removing segments integral to the storyline and the key concepts conveyed in the film. Had I been able to work without these restrictions, Pilgrim would likely be closer to 12-15 minutes, reflecting a more layered exploration.

Hans Richter’s ideas on documentary filmmaking resonate here. In A New Type of Documentary Film (1940), he argues that nonfictional films often face barriers to intellectual depth, limiting their ability to communicate complex meanings. I sought to counteract this limitation by creating a work that transcends pure documentary style, instead inviting viewers to explore the layered nuances of identity and belonging. Rascaraoli’s description of the essay film’s “lyrical structure” and “logical skepticism” also aligns well with Pilgrim’s approach: a film that makes an explicit argument but leaves space for viewers to derive their own meanings.

With that being said – the original version of the film, which I had intended to make without time constraints set by this studio – would have been approximately 12-15 minutes, almost triple the allotted time limit!

This is a perfect segue to the question: “imagine you are going to keep working on that media piece, what would be the core things you would want to improve and extend and why?” Well – It’s fair to say the next step with this work is to produce an extended cut. I had filmed 2 more interviews, which were intended to be apart of this intitial shorter film – however, they were deemed unnecessary by both me, and studio director Elizabeth Burke during a consultation I had with her. Along with that – the script for the voiceover I had recorded during the film was significantly shortened. Essentially halved. I had a lot more to speak on, but ultimately decided to keep what was essential for context and what was integral for the storyline. However – I did do a good job at condensing the important segments and removing what I could have done without.

Creating Pilgrim taught me the importance of self-reflective storytelling, and how turning the camera inward can resonate outwardly with audiences. Using contrasts, such as space versus place, became a central narrative device, a technique I plan to refine and incorporate into future projects.

But moreover – and what I actually intended going into this studio and the production of Pilgrim, was to create something of higher fidelity and quality. I think that was somewhat achieved, but there are leaps and bounds ahead to learn.

Working collaboratively throughout this process revealed the power of external perspectives. Discussions with peers and my sister, credited as the “visual edit assistant,” provided insights I hadn’t noticed on my own. My sister, reviewing daily exports, offered critical feedback on scene placement, text alignment, and even Arabic captioning accuracy. This feedback loop of refinement deepened my approach, allowing me to portray identity and memory more empathetically and thoughtfully.

REFERENCES:

• Richter H (1940) The Film Essay: A New Kind of Documentary Film. in Alter NM and Corrigan T (ed), Essays on the Essay Film (2017), New York, Columbia University Press, 89- 92.
• Rascaroli L (2009) ‘The essay film: problems, definitions, textual commitments’, in Alter NM and Corrigan T (eds) Essays on the essay film (2017), New York: Columbia University Press, 183-196,
• Fiske, John. Understanding Popular Culture. United Kingdom, Taylor & Francis, 2010.

Throughout working on this project, I jumped between different ideas, trying to find one that fit the studio’s themes. My first idea was to explore the concept of ‘religious guilt,’ but since I don’t have personal experience with religion, it felt like I’d be out of my depth. I wanted the project to feel authentic, so I shifted gears. My second idea was to look at the transition from girlhood to womanhood. The concept for the final essay film came from an assignment I completed for another course, where I wrote a creative essay inspired by Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar. The way Plath describes choices as figs on a tree, with each fig representing a different version of the future, really stuck with me. I found it thought-provoking to imagine the different versions of myself that could have existed if I had chosen alternate paths. This inspired the core idea of my essay film: an exploration of choices, regret, and identity through a fictional dialogue between different versions of the main character.

I wanted the film to connect with viewers by reflecting how identity is shaped through every choice we make—or don’t make. The film invites the audience to sit with the tension between fear of making the “wrong” choice and the need to embrace uncertainty. I hoped that students, especially those nearing the end of university and having to figure out where to go from here, would relate to this theme. Drawing from Laura Rascaroli’s ideas about essay films, I aimed to use dialogue and reflective imagery to bring the character’s internal world to life. The goal was not to present a single, linear narrative but rather to encourage viewers to engage with the film intellectually, resonating with their own experiences of doubt and reflection.

I think the script and dialogue were strongest part of the film. They captured the philosophical tension between regret and possibility, which felt relevant to the studio’s theme of personal transformation. Using The Bell Jar’s metaphor of the fig tree also grounded these abstract ideas in something relatable. But there were challenges too—mainly time constraints. I only had two hours to shoot everything, so I had to play it safe with simple, straightforward shots. Some of my footage was corrupted, meaning I had to rely on noisy camera audio in a few scenes. I also lost some of the more contextualizing shots, like the main character sketching the fig tree. To fill that gap, I used stock footage of fig trees, inspired by Chris Marker’s approach of pulling in different types of media to construct meaning. While the stock clips kept the narrative together, they didn’t carry the same emotional weight as the footage I originally planned.

If I were to develop the project further, I’d dive deeper into the introspective side of it. I’d add visual glimpses of the character in her imagined futures—maybe painting in a studio, hiking, working an office job, or spending time with family. This would make her internal struggle more tangible. I’d also want to experiment with more deliberate, artsy shots to elevate the film’s aesthetic. As Rascaroli points out, essay films give filmmakers the freedom to blend reality, imagination, and symbolism. I think a longer runtime would also help. It would give the film more room to breathe, allowing the audience to sit with the emotional weight of the character’s choices. I’d aim for visuals that speak just as loudly as the dialogue, letting imagery and pacing carry some of the emotional load.

One of the biggest lessons I learned from this studio is the importance of giving myself more time—way more time than I think I’ll need. If I’d started filming earlier, I could’ve worked more creatively with the shots and taken the time to troubleshoot technical problems. Filmmaking, especially when you’re working with actors and schedules, always throws curveballs, so having extra time makes space for those inevitable setbacks. It’s something I’ll definitely carry with me into future projects.

Another key takeaway is how important it is to stay flexible. Chris Marker’s way of working reminded me that limitations can open up creative opportunities. When some of my footage got corrupted, I had to pivot and use stock imagery, which ended up fitting the spirit of the essay film’s patchwork style. As Rascaroli notes, essay films are all about visualizing thought on screen, using whatever materials serve the idea. That adaptability is something I want to keep embracing in future projects. Whether it’s stock footage, stills, or animation, incorporating outside elements can actually enhance the final product rather than detract from it.

Working with actors also taught me a lot about collaboration. Clear communication is essential, especially when time is tight. Coordinating schedules wasn’t easy, and I learned how crucial it is to build in some extra time for unexpected issues—like technical failures or last-minute changes. Collaboration also brings new perspectives to the table, which is something I’ll be more intentional about in future projects. I realized that working closely with others can push the project in new and exciting directions that I wouldn’t have thought of on my own.

References:

Rasacaroli L (2019) ‘Thinking with Pictures’, Sight and Sound , Vol 4 (12): 12-13

Bazin A (1958) ‘Bazin on Marker’, in Alter NM and Corrigan T (eds), Essays on the Essay Film, (2017), New York, Columbia University Press, 102-105.

Richter H (1940) The Film Essay: A New Kind of Documentary Film. in Alter NM and Corrigan T (ed), Essays on the Essay Film (2017), New York, Columbia University Press, 89- 92.

The film:

Reflection:

As explored in the early stages of this studio, an essay film can adopt various forms and styles, emphasising experimentation and the use of personal voice. Such understanding of the essay film genre guides my filmmaking throughout the studio, from the start of planning to the completion of my own essay film. As Maria Tumarkin (2015) posits, ‘[Essays] are held together not by a narrative but by a sensibility, or a consciousness, or a voice, or way of moving through the world’. This comprehension of essays also reflects my way of navigating the world through my essay film, which specifically introspects human nature and our being. Ultimately, my final work demonstrates my experimentation and implementation of my voice to explore the notion of identity.

Upon attending the studio exhibition, I realised that many other student works examine or in some way relate to the idea of identity. As essay films delve into the use of personal voice, this demonstrates how most of us turn to attempts to understand or uncover parts of our existence and place in this world. My film is therefore an addition to this discovery of oneself, from my unique perspective as it explores the paradoxes of human nature inspired by my indecisive personality. As such, I hope it speaks to the people who realised this universal conviction or came to realising it after viewing my work. In general, the film is for a broad audience as I believe most, if not all of us, feel uncertain and conflicted at times. The film does not aim to provide a solution, but rather, it recognises a universal belief and perhaps evokes a sense of reassurance. In line with what Laura Rascaroli (2009:185) states, ‘rather than answering all the questions that it raises, and delivering a complete, “closed” argument, the essay’s rhetoric is such that it opens up problems, and interrogates the spectator’. Hence, I hope my film inspires thought-provoking insights by engaging the viewer with visual and aural elements.

Building on this, what I consider to be the most successful aspect would be my visual approach in editing my film. Having only started my editing journey as a first-year student, I challenged myself to translate all the creative imagery in my head into an actual project. These imagery encompass experimenting with different framings, text variations in digital and handwritten, colour curves to transform originally black-and-white images, and halation effect to create a film look, all while editing to a musical tempo. In relation to what Hans Richter (1940:91) observes, ‘The essay film… to make the invisible world of imagination, thoughts, and ideas visible, can draw from an incomparably larger reservoir of expressive means than can the pure documentary film’. In editing various sorts of visual imagery to the rhythm, I aimed to illustrate thoughts with a visually engaging film by leveraging the versatile nature of essay films.

Conversely, as I had numerous contrasting ideas while brainstorming, I felt that I did not have the clearest idea of how I wanted my film to unfold. Due to the lack of structure, the bulk of my film takes form during editing but the process felt inefficient and at times, unproductive. Primarily, I was attempting to fit idea by idea to the music, with a brief outline of key textual ideas. Hence, I am uncertain if my film would appear disjointed and resonate well with the audience. In particular, they might not comprehend why I incorporated a scene of me and a friend playing rock paper scissors even when I included the dialogue for context. However, I consider this film personal so I decided to include the scene that resonated with me.

Therefore, if I were to continue developing this media piece, I would want to improve its structure or come up with an alternative version that is more coherent. In an alternative version, I might write a longer voiceover that could better inform the viewer of the topic as my current film has limited voiceover. With an improved structure, I imagine I could also edit more efficiently. Furthermore, I could also consider incorporating casual interviews about my chosen topic. With additional voices and perspectives, my film might resonate with a broader audience as it can then demonstrate the topic’s universality.

All in all, a key lesson I learnt from this studio experience is that this is just one project I am making and thus, I am prompted to be experimental and creative. To elaborate on this matter, I often find myself procrastinating, trying to find the best possible way to present an idea. As the essay film underscores experimentation, I was encouraged to try out ideas even if I was uncertain about them. By inspiring creativity instead of limiting it, this reminder greatly motivated me and spurred my working productivity. In short, I endeavour to explore creative boundaries in future media-making wherever the genre allows me to.

References

Rascaroli L (2009) ‘The essay film: problems, definitions, textual commitments’, in Alter NM and Corrigan T (eds) Essays on the essay film (2017), New York: Columbia University Press, 183-196, https://doi.org/10.7312/alte17266.

Richter H (1940) ‘The film essay: a new type of documentary film’, in Alter NM and Corrigan T (eds) Essays on the essay film (2017), New York: Columbia University Press, 89-92.

Tumarkin M (2015) What the essayist spills: The Unspeakable by Meghan Daum, Sydney Review of Books website, accessed 24 October 2024. https://sydneyreviewofbooks.com/reviews/what-the-essayist-spills-the-unspeakable-by-meghan-daum

stay small by Anaya Sandon-Gould.

poster:

film:

reflection:

My intention for the final film is to prompt the audience to consider their own childhood and asks the question, what would you say if you had the chance to speak with your younger self? In relation to the concern of the studio, the film communicates the idea of growing up, something everyone experiences, and the position of mourning over your younger self. When you grow up you make memories, but as you grow up they are suspended in a different time, when you were innocent, creative and free. Furthermore, I used my personal voice and experience to create an essay film which played with the flexible form of an essay film through images, animation, recreation footage, fictional elements, voiceover & home-videos.

I would say that part of me felt as though my intention for the impact of the film was not fulfilled and could not be fulfilled in the context of the studio exhibition. This is because each film was back-to-back, with no room to consider the message or emotions that come along with each film. My intention was for the audience to consider their own childhood and what they would like to say to their younger self. As discussed in Alexander Kluge’s interview with Jonathan Thomas, Thomas explains that the techniques of the narrative should be fragmented and non-linear in order to actively engage the audience. I do think that my techniques would have been actively engaging for the audience and it is possible that they reflected during the screening but most likely with not enough time, as the film is very fast paced and short in length. If it were to be screened for example as a one off, it would have allowed for time after the viewing for the audience to really consider the impact and the thoughts the film may have brought up for them. In the instance of the exhibition, those thoughts would most likely be taken away by jumping into the next film.

I think the most successful aspect of my film is how it aligns with the form and structure of an essay film. As discussed in “The Essay Film: Problems, Definitions, Textual Commitments,” by Laura Rascaroli, she describes the structure and form of the film as fragmented and exploratory which evokes personal reflection. This was achieved in my film with the fragmented montage and mixed media.

The most problematic aspect was most likely my process, which was thoroughly disorganised. I think if I planned my montage sequence a bit more, it would have been more calculated and meant that I was more satisfied with the final project. My frustration lies with the fact that I had a clear vision which I do not feel like I completely fulfilled, which is often due to expectation vs reality, but it is possible I could have helped this by planning better.

If I were to continue working on ‘stay small’ I would work more on my animation skills and attempt to create higher quality animated elements for the piece. This is because I really love the animation aspects that I input in the film, but because my experience was limited, I was restricted by basic level abilities. If I was able to master animation, I could have made it more multi-dimensional and intentional. There were lots of things like this which I didn’t know how to do, for example collage and mixed media techniques that I didn’t give myself the time to learn. I did get some good tips from YouTube Videos for example ‘The Adobe Animate CC Crash Course (Beginner Friendly!)’ by Alex Grigg which helped me grasp the Adobe Animate software. Once I learned the basic rules of the software, I was able to do basic drawing animation that I intended, but if I had spent more time watching videos and had more time to animate I could have come up with something more complex. So, if I were to change the film, I would give myself that time.

I also would extend the montage aspect, with more intercuts showing me sat or possibly walking around my room talking on the phone. This would have created the concept of a phone call better and made it more dynamic, rather than just the fiction, montage, fiction and end.

I have learned the possibilities with films, and how having no restrictions or boundaries to creativity can be important and fun. For example, as discussed in A New Type of Documentary Film (1940) By Hans Richer where he states that the boundaries of nonfictional documentary films pose a barrier to intellectual and deep meaning in films. This is because Essay Films promote flexibility of techniques allowing the director of the work to use an unlimited range of technical elements. I think the fact that the form of the film did not have restrictive conventions meant I got to play around a lot more.

I originally planned on doing the filming and camerawork all myself. I don’t know why I thought I could do this but a few days before filming I realised, when writing up the shot list, that it would be impossible for me to both act and be the cameraperson. This is where my friend Dusky comes into play. I am very grateful to have had her as my cameraperson and without her, the shots would probably have been bad, out of focus, and it would have taken me double the time to complete. A takeaway from this made me realise working collaboratively is important and not to take for granted the people around you who are willing to help. You don’t always have to do something on your own, and it will turn out better if you get some help along the way.

references

Rascaroli L (2009) The Essay Film: Problems, Definitions, Textual Commitments. in Alter NM and Corrigan T (ed), Essays on the Essay Film (2017), New York, Columbia University Press, 183-196.

Richter H (1940) The Film Essay: A New Kind of Documentary Film. in Alter NM and Corrigan T (ed), Essays on the Essay Film (2017), New York, Columbia University Press, 89- 92.

Thomas J (2017) ‘Alexander Kluge interviewed by Jonathan Thomas’, The Third Rail, 10,

POSTER IMAGE

THE WONDER OF YOU –> a film by Seth Ho

‘In this introspective exploration of identity and relationships, a young filmmaker reflects on the concept of being “two-faced,” revealing that we all wear multiple masks depending on the situation. He identifies three key personas: the anxious individual, the creative force, and the playful spirit, each shaping his view of the world and his interactions with others.

The Reflection of 952 words

1. consider in what ways you hope your final work engages its audience and communicates a key concern of the studio? Draw upon your experiences from attending the studio exhibition.

include at least 3 x references to readings from the course/individual research to support your reflection

Engagement

I had carefully considered audience engagement since the beginning of this project. 

This is because our studio, Thinking With Pictures, was built around a conversation between ‘I of the essay film’ and the ‘You’ of the ‘embodied spectator’ (Rascaroli (2009). Instead of aiming for a film, I aimed for an evocative essay film. 

The class’s title ‘Thinking With Pictures’, refers to the studio’s goal; to create a functional essay film. In another essay, also titled ‘Thinking with Pictures (2019)’ Rascaraoli defines the essay film as a form of ‘lyrical structure’ and ‘logical scepticism’. In essence, it’s a piece that makes an explicit argument that presents well, within the context of a film.

Knowing this, I aimed to create a strong introspection discussion in a unique and skillful format. Because of prior experience, I understood that the audience of these studios would mostly be other media students, who were prone to primed towards discussions. So I wanted to be more ambitious, because as the saying (I found on the internet) goes ‘if you can make any audience laugh, you can make your audience laugh’ (Simons, 2024). To target ‘any audience’, I uploaded my video on Youtube.

Paradoxically, my idea itself was designed to be felt / engaged with, because no media exists on its own accord, it’s meant to be witnessed. With this in mind, I targeted an issue I felt that everyone could understand; the idea of being two-faced. Using different styles segmented by ‘chapters’ (really just being the 3 act structure), I was able to portray my arguments with depth. As discussed in our studio, ‘the eye likes to travel’, and I leaned on that. 

I don’t need to speculate on ‘how I wish my work engaged people’ or ‘how I thought’, because in uploading it to Youtube, I received a wide array of comments that praised the visual style and themes. But, perhaps the most valuable comments, described their own experiences with being ‘two-faced’ and fitting in, which clearly demonstrates my ‘I’ interacting with their audience ‘you’, as referred to in the beginning of this text. You can check my documentation (on my personal blog) for archived examples of positive responses) 

1. outline the singular most successful and singular most problematic aspect of your process/finished work 

The most successful feature of my work was described in the prior section, but to summarise it’s the cultural quality of my work. John Fiske (2010) describes this concept best, ‘the active process of generating and circulating meanings’, in this context we can apply it to audience engagement. 

A problematic feature of my piece (on a technical level) may be the audio mixing, although this is just a byproduct of my laziness. The most problematic feature of my piece may have actually been my planning, although it worked out in the end, I felt like I could’ve planned out the idea linearly. I genuinely was writing the script at the same time I was getting the permits for locations, as well as designing them. This made me feel all over the place. With a little more time I think this piece would’ve been even greater, the small technical polishing could’ve added so much more. But then again, maybe this is all 80/20, as in it’s the 20% of stuff that would heighten the experience but not necessarily be noticed.

1. imagine you are going to keep working on that media piece, what would be the core things you would want to improve and extend and why?

I would first develop the final act, slowing down the overlay’s framerate to about 12 frames per second. Then I would re-record the act in a more organised manner, perhaps actually writing a script. The images I would pick would be clearer in meaning, and the overlay may actually change from a white negative space to crude animation.

I would do this because I would like to better represent my inner thoughts, because as stated before ‘the eye likes to travel’. Despite this, I am still happy with what I produced, because it was an extremely unique effect. 

So maybe i’d add more B-roll into the first segment, or a moving camera and evolving setting to play with practical / stagelike composition first. 

1. outline one key thing you’ve learnt from your studio experience that you will take into your future thinking and practice

My goal for this studio was to deepen the quality of my work. This refers to building connections between my array of skills (cinematography, editing, writing, advertising), I think I have succeeded, but also found a blind spot.

Right now it’s in the development and pre-production stage. I traditionally use a non-linear creative process, so this means that I tend to miss important things in my work. But for this project, I adhered to a linear structure, and I found that I was able to address important issues. Although I’m not used to this structure, I think continuing with this will allow me to effectively spend my time. 

1. what’s one key takeaway about working collaboratively?

In this project I collaborated with multiple people for each act. The biggest takeaway is communication. I benefited from knowing these people personally, having already been friends with them, so we were able to communicate our wants and needs easier. By sharing my goals and timelines to each of them, we were able to work effectively within our segments. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Fiske, John. Understanding Popular Culture. United Kingdom, Taylor & Francis, 2010.

Rascaroli L (2009) The Essay Film: Problems, Definitions, Textual Commitments. in Alter NM and Corrigan T (ed), Essays on the Essay Film (2017), New York, Columbia University Press, 183-196.

Rasacaroli L (2019) ‘Thinking with Pictures’, Sight and Sound , Vol 4 (12): 12-13

Simons, T. (2024). Reddit – Dive into anything. [online] Reddit.com. Available at: https://www.reddit.com/r/tommyinnit/comments/1fehzmt/reddit_blog_3_where_the_hell_ive_been/ [Accessed 25 Sep. 2024].

YouTube Link to Final Film: https://youtu.be/ERiNdvODgmU

Process Documentation

Screenshot of the initial voice memo I recorded earlier in the year. The voice memo was the direct inspiration for the film.

The Script

Mouthed_Wide Open Shooting Script 2

Casting Call

*See More*

https://www.starnow.com/casting/mouthed_wide-open-2860468/

Screenshot from an Audition Tape for Performer. We received multiple tapes.

Shot List

*See More*

Mouthed_Wide Open Shotlist

Email Correspondence

Here is an example of some email correspondence through our process to secure locations.

I contacted support services for both indoor locations for instruction and clarification. Here is the initial request sent to RMIT.

Production Timeline and Management Spreadsheet

Some information redacted for privacy.

Production Availability Spreadsheet

Call Sheets

We had 2 call sheets. Here is an excerpt from the Day 1 call sheet.

Mood Board

Used to communicate ideas visually.

Location Scouts

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